The Travel Diaries

Megan Hine, survivalist and explorer, discusses her career in adventure TV shows, her book 'Mind of a Survivor', and her love for remote and untouched areas in Iceland, Snowdonia, and the Altaï Mountains. She also shares her experiences with underwater activities and the importance of seeking medical treatment for flu-like symptoms after spending time outdoors.

Today’s guest is a familiar face to millions all over the world as a BBC newsreader and foreign correspondent, with a career spanning three decades. He’s covered some of the biggest stories of our time from Hurricane Katrina, to 9/11; reported fro the front lines of conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and most recently, Ukraine, reporting for BBC News from the roof of a hotel in the capital of Kyiv when the war broke out in February last year. He’s the host of Mastermind, and most recently swapped the BBC studios for sun-drenched Italian countryside, with his first travel show, Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip, a 15-part series, which follows Clive as he embarks on a captivating journey around the country, immersing himself in its culture, rich history and local cuisine from its heel to its top. We of course chat about this as well his hugely varied career which has taken him to over eighty countries in itself. Destination Recap:JamaicaItalyVerona, ItalyPuglia, ItalyMatera, ItalyTokyo, JapanHokaido, JapanUkraineWest Coast of USAEast Coast of USAHome Counties, EnglandCape Town, South AfricaVenice, ItalyWashington DC, USAAfghanistanSt Petersburg, RussiaSri LankaA huge thank you to Clive. What an interesting life he has led. Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip is available on BBC iPlayer.With thanks to today's sponsor, Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian.Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest will reignite your sense of adventure and reaffirm your love of nature. I’ve had over 100 guests now and I can safely say that this guest is up there in terms of the passion and love he shows for travel - the power of it, the importance of it and its symbiosis with nature and our planet.  Sam Branson is a very busy man indeed. He’s one of those people where the list of things that they do in their bio goes on for so long you question what you’ve done with your own life! Adventurer, Film maker, Singer/Songwriter, Charity Founder, Business Leader, Social Entrepreneur and much more. As an adventurer - his feats match some of the greatest names in the field. He’s spent 3 months crossing the arctic on a dog sled, he’s climbed epic peaks, he’s kayaked treacherous stretches of water, he’s set numerous world records, including - curiously - running the London Marathon attached to 33 other people. None of it was done without a wider cause though with the primary charitable focus - Big Change - which he also founded! He’s raised several million pounds to date. He’s also hugely passionate about our planet and many of the challenges he’s undertaken have been to raise awareness and create action around climate change. He speaks with such warmth about nature. This has transcended to his new venture - music. He’s just released his debut album - Under the Static - which is a love letter to mother nature under his musical name Waves Rush In. The perfect soundtrack to summer. Alongside all of this - which is making me exhausted just thinking about it - he’s found time to co-found and run a documentary production company alongside Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.Now - obviously - a lot of this opportunity has come from being born into the Branson family - being the son of Sir Richard Branson - and we discuss this privileged upbringing in the episode and how he’s strived for his own self identity since. All of this makes it a really fascinating listen. I hope you enjoy it. Destination Recap:British Virgin Islands Necker Island, British Virgin IslandsMenorcaAnegada, British Virgin IslandsThe Willy T, Norman Island, British Virgin IslandsAustraliaByron Bay, AustraliaArctic expeditionBali, IndonesiaUluwatu, Bali, IndonesiaUbud, Bali, IndonesiaKomodo Island, IndonesiaSri LankaChamonix, FranceMont Blanc, FranceMentawai Islands, Sumatra, IndonesiaUnder the Static, Sam’s debut album which is released under his musical alter ego Waves Rush In, is out in June. Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome our first ever Family Travel special. I had my first child back in October last year, and it’s been you the listeners who have reached out to me in such overwhelming numbers asking for a dedicated family travel episode because there isn’t a ton of advice out there for new parents travelling with a baby, where to go what to pack - it can be quite overwhelming. So here we are! Obviously, this episode might not appeal to everyone. So if you’re one of those regulars, please tune in next week, we’ll be back with a great celeb guest.So how’s this going to work? My current plan is to release a family focussed episode each season that loosely tracks my own experience as a mother. Today we’ll be chatting with a bit of a focus on travelling with a baby up to around 6 months. Next season will then probably focus on 6 months to the toddler phase and so on. It won’t follow the usual 7 chapters but focus on things like travel tips, the best recommendations and bucket list destinations for that specific age group. I’m delighted to be joined by two seasoned family travellers to guide me through this. Kate Leahy is an acclaimed travel journalist who spent ten years working in-house at The Sunday Times and now contributes to The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, and much more. Prior to a career in journalism, Kate spent five years working as British Airways cabin crew, often observing the logistics of parents travelling with children. Now mum to two-year-old twins, she's putting everything she has learned along the way into making her own family travel memories.Joining her is Frankie Collinson, who is the co-founder of the family travel start-up Tiny Travelship which provides vetted recommendations across all price ranges for both family specific and family friendly spots across the globe. They’ve just launched a new booking website and their Instagram has inspired a lot of my own Family Travel Bucket List!Destination RecapGreeceMonastery Estate Retreat, Crete, GreeceCaserio del Mirador, Alicante, SpainAlmyra, CyprusDaios Cove, Crete, GreecePuglia, Italy Ikos ResortsMartinhal, Sagres, PortugalMartinhal, Lisbon, Portugal Marbella Club, SpainCretan Malia Park, Crete, GreeceCosta RicaCasa Pineta, Elba Island, ItalyAustraliaWith thanks to...Roarsome - Head to roarsome.com and use the code TRAVELDIARIES for 20% off all clothing, events and adventures in 2023.Forte Village, Sardinia - Forte Village is the perfect place for your holiday in Sardinia, a beautiful corner of paradise Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. All the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by Alex Polizzi, who you might know best as TV”s 'Hotel Inspector’. Alex has used her decades of experience working in hospitality to advise struggling hoteliers on how to turn their businesses around on the hit Channel 5 show. And on today’s episode we take a deep dive into what makes a great hotel, a great holiday and our ultimate pet peeves. Alex’s passion for travel and hospitality is something that runs in her blood. She’s part of one of travel’s most iconic family dynasties, the Forte family, Her grandfather was the legendary hotelier Lord Charles Forte, an Italian immigrant who opened a milk bar on London’s Regent Street in the 1930s and turned it into an empire of over 800 international hotels. Her uncle Rocco, established his own chain of luxury hotels, the Rocco Forte hotels. Her mother, is the hotel designer Olga Polizzi and founder of the Polizzi Collection (three hotels across the south of England), the third of which, The Star in Alfriston, she opened jointly with Alex in June 2021 to rave reviews. I spoke to Alex in one of her family’s most iconic hotels, Brown’s in London. Her travel diaries today take us from Cambodia to the Caribbean, from Portugal to Puglia, all across Italy and much more. Destination Recap:Browns’ Hotel, London, England, UKDona Filipa Hotel, Algarve, Portugal CambodiaHong KongHotel Endsleigh, Devon, England, UKVenice, ItalyBelmond Cipriani, Venice, ItalyProvidenciales, Turks + CaicosTorcello, Venice, ItalyMurano, Venice, ItalyThe Coral House, Providenciales, Turks + CaicosVilla Igiea, Palermo, Sicily, Italy Pompeii, Naples, ItalyIschia, Italy Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia, Italy Lecce, Puglia, ItalyOtranto, Puglia, Italy The Priory Hotel & Restaurant, Caerleon, WalesIndiaJapanWith thanks to today's sponsors:Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian.Masseria Torre Maizza, a Rocco Forte Hotel - Be inspired by Alex's travel diaries, and discover an oasis of luxury in the heart of the Apulian countryside, Masseria Torre Maizza.If you’d like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe or if you use apple podcasts to hit follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week, and if you’re really enjoying it I’d be so grateful if you could leave a rating or review. If you want to be the first to find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. And don’t forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are always included in the episode show notes and they’re also on my website, TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to episode 100 of The Travel Diaries podcast. I’m journalist Holly Rubenstein, and today I’m your cohost, as I’m joined today by my other half, my partner in life and travels Alex, who is going to be interviewing me about my travel diaries. That’s right, after nine seasons, and 99 episodes, and quite a few requests I thought it about time that I shared with you some of the many destinations that have shaped my life. I hope you get to know a little bit more about me.So from Miami to Montecito, Scotland to Switzerland, and many more, here are my travel diaries. Destination Recap:Miami, Florida, USAAventura Mall, Miami, Florida, USAVersailles, Little Havana, Miami, USAWynwood Walls, Miami, Florida, USALittle Havana, Miami, Florida USAIslamorada, Florida Keys, USACasa Morada, Florida Keys, USAKauai, Hawaii, USAMt Kilauea, Hawaii, USAFour Seasons Maui, Hawaii, USACalifornia - Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, MontecitoWaldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Maldives57 Nord, Scotland, UKSedona, Arizona, USAZion National Park, Utah, USANiagara, New York, USABig Sur, CaliforniaDenver, Colorado, USAThe Ramble Hotel, Denver, Colorado, USAFinger Lakes, New York, USAAscona, Lake Maggiore, SwitzerlandBeltane Ranch, Sonoma, California, USAArundel, West Sussex, EnglandPatagonia, Argentina / ChileForestis, Italian Dolomites Rosa Alpina, Italian Dolomites Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy Amanzoe, Port Heli, GreecePatina, MaldivesRitz Carlton MaldivesSix Senses Zighy Bay, OmanAirelles Chateau de la Messardiere, St Tropez, FranceSri LankaWith thanks to today’s sponsor, CV Villas. Book your 2023 summer holiday, now. Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by the self described blind guy who wants to show you the world, Amar Latif. Due to an incurable eye condition, Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18. Through sheer determination, he has managed to turn a tale of loss, into one of truly inspirational achievement. Amar became known to millions through the groundbreaking BBC series Beyond Boundaries, which followed a group of disabled adventurers trekking 220 miles through Central America. The experience showed Amar that being blind didn't have to mean never seeing the world, but when he sought to take his adventures further afield he found himself facing rejection after rejection. Conventional travel companies refused to take him as an independent blind traveller, and so Amar set out to establish a company that would. Determined to travel the world, and to empower thousands of other blind travellers to do the same, Amar founded Traveleyes. Now a world-unique, award-winning tour operator, offering over 70 destinations a year, and providing an innovative way for blind and sighted travellers to explore the world together.Amar has since worked on numerous tv programmes including River Walks, which recently won a Royal Television Society Award for ‘Best Single Documentary’, Celebrity Masterchef and Travelling Blind, which saw Amar partnered up with comedian Sara Pascoe as they travelled through Turkey together, demonstrating the dynamics of travelling as a sighted and visually impaired duo.I loved chatting to Amar, his enthusiasm and passion for travel is completely contagious, and he’s one of my best travelled guests, having visited over 100 countries. He takes us from Morocco to Mecca, and from Cuba to Cape Town and much more.Destination Recap:Blackpool, EnglandMecca, Saudi ArabiaMedina, Saudi ArabiaCanadaLake Titicaca, PeruNicaraguaHavana, CubaCienfuegos, CubaTrinidad City, CubaSanta Clara, Cuba Varadero, CubaAlgamitas, Andalucia, SpainAtlas Mountains, MoroccoCape Town, South AfricaJapanThe Gambia Cornwall, England, UKMasai Mara, KenyaThanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight episodes to catch up on, that's over ninety episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.comThanks so much for listening and I’ll be back next week.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we're joined by a titan of the travel industry. Divia Thani is the global editorial director of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, overseeing seven editions of the title across the globe, including here in the UK. If you're not familiar with Conde Nast Traveler, It's the ultimate guide to the world's most exciting destinations, hotels, resorts, restaurants, and experiences. Divia is at the helm of it all and has been shaping the brand's voice and vision for several years now, having served as Editor in Chief of Condé Nast Traveller India for a decade.Born and raised in Mumbai with family based across the globe, Divia’s travel diaries today take us far and wide, across Europe, Africa, North America and Asia. From ultra luxury hotels, to affordable homestays, belly dancing in Egypt to a shamanic experience in Mexico, her inspiring recommendations are sure to spark your wanderlust. Stay tuned for a quick fire round at the end, where Divia answers some of the questions you sent me on Instagram and offers some brilliant travel advice. Destination Recap:Lagos, NigeriaMumbai, IndiaTaj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, IndiaOberoi Mumbai, IndiaLondon, EnglandBradford, Pennsylvania, USAJohannesburg, South AfricaOne & Only Palmilla, Cabo San Lucas, MexicoMayascrest, Himachal Pradesh, India Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab, IndiaRaffles the OWO, London, EnglandMandarin Oriental, London, EnglandPeninsula London, EnglandVietnamThailandJapanArgentinaEgypt Alexandria, EgyptThanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight episodes to catch up on, that's over ninety episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s special guest is the singer-songwriter Katie Melua. Many of you will know Katie from her chart-topping hits like "Nine Million Bicycles" and "The Closest Thing to Crazy”. Over the last twenty years, her soulful voice has captivated audiences all around the world, selling over 11 million albums worldwide, making her one of the most successful British female artists of all time.Katie was born in Georgia, - a country found at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe - which was then part of the Soviet Union, and it’s a huge feature of her travel diaries today. If it's a place that's been on your travel radar, you’ll get some great tips for a future trip. Katie spent her early childhood living in Georgia before moving to the UK, when she was eight years old. Her passion for music led her to enrol at the famous BRIT school, alongside alumni like Adele and Amy Winehouse. She was discovered by songwriter and producer Mike Batt, and rocketed to stardom soon after.Her success has of course meant she has travelled much of the world several times over on tour, and she shares with us some of the most extraordinary destinations she has put on a show, including the deepest concert ever held, 303 meters below sea level in a Norwegian fjord.So sit back, relax, and join us on this journey as we explore the life and travels of Katie Melua.Destination Recap:Batumi, Georgia Moscow, RussiaTbilisi, Georgia Belfast, Northern Ireland East Prawle, Devon, EnglandMargate, Kent, England Deal, Kent, EnglandBroadstairs, Kent, England Mt Kazbegi, Georgia Rooms Hotel, KazbegiNorwayTresco, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, EnglandBrazilKatie Melua’s ninth studio album, Love + Money, is out now, and she heads out on a UK + EU tour in April and May. With thanks to today's sponsor...Jumeirah Beach Hotel - Visit jumeirah.com/JBHEscapes today, and book your Exceptional Escape to Dubai. Jumeirah Beach Hotels' Exceptional Jumeirah Escapes Offer gives up to 20% savings when you stay before 30 September 2023, with unlimited Wild Wadi Waterpark access, flexible cancellation and USD 200 credit when staying in an Ocean Club Room, Suite, or Beit Al Bahar Royal Villa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this bonus episode of The Travel Diaries podcast, where we are going to be talking about some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring national parks here in the UK. We’re joined by friend of the podcast, former guest on Season 3, Juliet Kinsman, who is the Sustainability Editor of Conde Nast Traveller magazine, the author of The Green Edit: Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller and an aficionado of the national parks of the UK. Today’s episode is brought to you in partnership with BMW and National Park UK’s Recharge in Nature Project, an initiative to support nature restoration, biodiversity, wellbeing as well as access - the project is enhancing the electric vehicle charging infrastructure around our national parks to make it that bit easier to use an electric car when exploring. Often they are so vast, so remote and so rural that if you’re driving an electric car you might be anxious about when you’d next able to charge it.  From the soaring mountains and serene lakes of the Lake District National Park to the rugged moorlands and rolling hills of the Cairngorms National Park and the wild horses of the New Forest, by uncovering Juliet’s national parks travel diaries we’ll not only take a closer look at what makes these parks so special, we'll also explore how we can ensure their protection for generations to come.So grab your your binoculars, your walking boots, and your sense of adventure, and let's get started as we delve into the National Parks of the UK! Destination Recap: Lake District National Park, EnglandSnowdonia National Park, WalesNew Forest National Park, EnglandThe Pig Hotel, Hampshire, EnglandLimewood, Hampshire, EnglandChewton Glen, Hampshire, EnglandCairngorms National Park, ScotlandSaorsa 1875 Hotel, ScotlandSouth Downs National Park, West SussexPetworth, West SussexArundel, West Sussex,Swanbourne Lake, Arundel, west SussexWildhive, Callow Hall, DerbyshireLoch Lomond National Park, Scotland  To discover more about the Recharge in Nature Project, visit bmw.co.uk/NationalParks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.