

You should have been there
Mick Webb and Simon Calder
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent and former BBC producer, Mick Webb, discuss the world of travel and delight in travellers' tales.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 22, 2022 • 29min
PODCAST 132 HOW GREEN ARE YOUR TRAVELS?
We are joined, from her narrowboat home, by Anna Hughes, the director of Flight Free UK. On the agenda are ways of travelling more responsibly and sustainably and how to at least mitigate the effects on the planet of our constant need to move around it. The websites mentioned by Anna are flightfree.co.uk; byway.travel; raileurope.co.uk

Nov 15, 2022 • 29min
PODCAST 131 TRAVEL MYSTERIES, GREAT AND SMALL
We discuss our favourite travel conundrums and their enduring fascination. Whatever happened to.......? How did they get here... ? Why on earth...... ? Flight MH 370, Easter Island statues and the bewildering seat numbers in Portuguese trains all make it onto the agenda

Oct 23, 2022 • 27min
PODCAST 130 FREE TRAVEL
Our audio guide includes where to go to find free transport and and when you can visit the world's great museums without putting your hand in your pocket. Plus, we evaluate listener's miracles-do they stand up to our rigorous testing?

Oct 17, 2022 • 24min
PODCAST 129 MODERN TRAVEL MIRACLES
Taking our cue from the miracles sought by pilgrims to the French city of Lourdes, we try to track down some secular miracles for the modern traveller.

Oct 11, 2022 • 29min
PODCAST 128 TRAVEL'S SCREECHING U TURNS
We delight in a key feature of travel-the u turn. Whether performed by hapless politicians, lost walkers or confused pilots, they are generally screeching and usually embarrassing.

Oct 3, 2022 • 30min
PODCAST 127 PYRENEAN MIRACLES
The third and final part of our Pyrenean trek finds us on the homeward stretch, enjoying an off-grid mountain refuge, a convivial evening at a 'chambre d'hôtes' and a walk through the ever-surreal streets of Lourdes

Sep 27, 2022 • 29min
PODCAST 126 HIGH PEAKS AND FAWLTY TOWERS
Part two of Simon and Mick's trek through The High Pyrenees. It brings spectacular cols, "Dormitory Hell" and a brush with the French equivalent of Basil Fawlty

Sep 19, 2022 • 25min
PODCAST 125 PYRENEAN WALK: many a slip
The audio diary of our 5-day trek in the French Pyrenees, South of Lourdes. As well as the terrain to contend with, we face battles against weight, time and unexpected crises.

Sep 8, 2022 • 25min
PODCAST 124 THE SOUND OF TRAVEL
We exchange playlists of our own favourite travel sounds and visit the Cotswold village of Adlestrop, the setting for Edward Thomas' evocative travel poem of the same name.

Aug 30, 2022 • 30min
NEW TRUTHS ABOUT TRAVEL
Basilicas with views, Bob Dylan's childhood home and the world's best London all featured on Simon's packed August itinerary. We discuss the experiences, the discoveries and the lessons of his busy trip


