The world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style and set to music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. 'Best travel podcasts 2020'- The Guardian, 'Thrilling Stuff'-Sunday Times, 'Ear Candy for Listeners' - Washington Post
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IMMERSION: Land of Stone and Light: On Location in Badlands National Park
They call it The Land of Stone and Light because of the way sunlight plays on its rocky terrain. It is a geological tapestry of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, home to one of the richest fossil beds on the planet. The Lakota people called it Mako Sica, which is where it got its name. But there is nothing bad about the Badlands. Recorded on location in immersive stereo surround, join presenter Brian Thacker on a journey through South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. We’ll find ancient fossils and murder pigs, become an unwelcome visitor in a prairie dog town, and go horseback riding through an endless sea of grass under the shadows of rocky buttes straight out of a western movie. Welcome to the Land of Stone and Light, where bad means good. FIND OUT MORE Our on location ‘Immersion’ documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Go to travelsouthdakota.com for everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode. Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Aaron Millar was executive producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ADVENTURE: Whale Warriors and Eco-Pirates: Patrolling the Southern Ocean with Best-Selling Author Peter Heller
“… tied up at the pier was this all-black pirate ship with the Jolly Roger flag at the bow. It was menacing as hell, and I walked up to the superstructure, and there on the on the outer bulkhead, was all these skulls and crossbones. They were the names of all ships these guys had sunk or rammed on the high seas.” In 2005, adventure journalist and best-selling novelist Peter Heller, spent six weeks on board the eco-pirate ship Farley Mowat, fighting the Japanese whaling fleet. Led by Captain Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, their mission was to disrupt, ram or sink the harpoon boats and factory ships that hunt and kill hundreds of whales each year. Some people called them eco-terrorists, others hailed them as heroes. Battling Class 7 and 8 gales, and 35-foot-high seas, this is their story. You’ll have to make your own mind up. CONNECT WITH PETER HELLER Peter Heller is a beautiful writer, as well as an accomplished adventurer. His novels fuse both these passions seamlessly, transporting you to wild and beautiful places, whilst keeps you page-turning on the edge of your seat. Find out more about his books at peterhellerauthor.com His latest novel, Burn, is about two men—friends since boyhood—who emerge from the woods of rural Maine to a dystopian country racked by bewildering violence. #FREEPAULWATSON At the time of publication Captain Paul Watson was being held in jail awaiting extradition to Japan where he faces up to 15 years in prison for the work he did on this mission, and others since. Find out more at paulwatsonfoundation.org WHALE CONSERVATION: Find out more at seashepherd.org CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PATHWAYS: Ancient Kingdoms, Badlands and the Everest of Cage Dives
At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share. A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us. December episodes: ADVENTURE: Whale Warriors We join best-selling author and activist Peter Heller on board an eco-pirate ship as they battle illegal Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean. IMMERSION: Ancient Kingdoms We cross the Arabian desert to the city of Tayma, take part in the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, and explore one of the largest oases in the world. BUCKET LIST: The Everest of Cage Dives In the Neptune Islands of Australia, home to the most Great White Sharks on the planet, there is a cage dive that drops you all the way to the ocean floor. And it was set up by the guy who survived the shark attack that inspired the movie, Jaws. IMMERSION: Welcome to the Badlands Join best-selling travel author Brian Thacker on a journey deep into the Badlands of South Dakota. We find ancient fossils on hiking trails, become an unwelcome visitor in a prairie town, and go horseback riding through an endless sea of grass, straight out of a western movie. WANDERLUST: The Curiosities of Christmas Island. We sit down with travel journalist Martin Symington to hear about his journey to one of the most remote places on Earth. No, Santa doesn’t live there. Yes, David Attenborough thinks it’s awesome. BUCKET LIST: 100-mile Pub Crawl Host Aaron Millar takes us on a 100-mile pub crawl along the South Downs Way, a long-distance footpath that crosses the South Downs National Park in England. IMMERSION: Wellness in the Desert We’re back with Brian Thacker in search of some New Year’s nature-inspired wellness: healing waters, indigenous bird song and Joshua Tree National Park at night. *** If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: Pizza Farms, Fish Boils and Sacred Corn: Here’s to Those Who Wisconsin
“The thing about eating a meal with people is it breaks down barriers … But then beer elevates that to the magic of the intoxication of a shared experience. That is why beer and pizza go well together - the primal solving of the human conflict problem and the primal mysticism, paired perfectly.” – Tony Schultz, Stony Acres Farm Here’s to those who Wisconsin … that’s what they say in this part of the world. Because traveling here is not so much about exploring a place as discovering a mindset. In this two-part documentary series, recorded on location, we’ll be searching for that Wisconsin state of mind. Today we’ll be looking for it through the lens of its food. But this episode is as much about community and culture as it is eating well. They say we are what we eat, and if that’s true then tracing the history of food also tells the story of a place, and its people. We’ll be throwing kerosene on bubbling cauldrons, figuring out how to use a traditional Oneida corn pounder, and meeting the organic farmers who have marinara in their blood. I hope you’re hungry because dinner is about to be served. This episode was recorded on location during a weeklong road trip through the state. We hope you enjoy our journey, and if it inspires you to take one of your own – you can. All our on-location documentaries are designed to be trips that you can repeat exactly as we did it – or just pick the stuff you love. Go to travelwisconsin.com to find out more. Thank you to our guests: Kirby Metoxin, council member of the Oneida Nation Lea Zeise from the Oneida Emergency Food Pantry Becky Webster from Ukwakhwa Farm Jeremy ‘torch’ Klaubauf at the Old Post Office Restaurant in Ephraim and Tony Shultz, and the whole crew, at Stony Acres Farm This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Aaron Millar, wrote and presented the episode, and produced it with Jason Paton. Brian Thacker led our pre-production. Ally Nisbet did the field recording. And Charles Tyrie did the audio production and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: Glamour in the Desert: Shag houses, Mr Tiki and Sinatra’s Favorite Haunt
Palm Springs is a must-visit for cinephiles, history buffs, adventure seekers, architecture enthusiasts and foodies, but this desert city is better known as the home of glitz and glamour. Today, we are stepping back in time to when Palm Springs was Hollywood’s favorite hideaway, when mid-century architecture shaped the town and suavely clad folk sipped martinis by the pool. In this episode, we’re going to visit Frank Sinatra (or his house and favorite restaurant at least), tour the Shag House with Shag himself, meet Barbie and Elvis for dinner and craft cocktails with Palm Springs very own Mr Tiki. Recorded on location in immersive surround sound, this episode is designed to give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: - Our guide Kip from the Palm Springs Historical Society - Artist and style king Josh Agle, better known as Shag - Barbie queen and Modernism Week CEO Lisa Vossler Smith - Dan Ruiz from the Ingleside Inn - Brian Mitchell, the food and beverage manager, and all the staff from Melvyn’s PLAN YOUR GREATER PALM SPRINGS TRIP Our On Location episodes are designed so that you can experience everything you hear. Check out the links above, or find out more at VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode; Jason Paton did the field recording and audio production; and Aaron Millar was the executive producer . Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
INSIGHT: Butch Cassidy, Stagecoach, and the Lone Ranger: Riding into the Sunset in Utah
“People can't believe how we live out here on the land, and under the stars. Maybe it's just the freedom of it. Once you get that red dirt in your blood and your socks, you can't get rid of either one of them. It just stays with you, and you’re going to find that out if you stick around very long.” Norris Church, Kanab The Western is as finely layered as the red rock deserts and dusty towns that serve as their backdrop. Ever since they first appeared on the silver screen, Westerns have been rife with opposing viewpoints, contradictions and complexities as varied as the people who watched them. Gunslingers, shoot outs, declarations of love and revenge – the heroes and villains of Western movies have come to define the American psyche in ways that no other genre ever has. This is the first of our insight episodes, audio documentaries that dive deep into the subjects that make places come alive: from anthropology and history to music, art and more. But today, we’re going to the movies. Utah celebrates 100-years of movie magic this year. It has served as the backdrop for everything from alien planets to Jurassic worlds. But it’s most famous for the Westerns that were shot here. It’s easy to see why they were. Walk amongst the high buttes and slot canyons of Utah, and it’s hard not to feel like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might jump out at you at any minute. This episode will take you to the places where some of the most iconic Westerns were shot, from Monument Valley to Kanab. We’re going to dive into the past and learn what it was really like making them and explore how the films made here have helped to shape a vision of the old west – good and bad – that has spread around the world. Whether you’re a movie buff or you’ve never watched a Western before, we guarantee after listening to this you’ll be itching to hop on a horse and ride off into the sunset. PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP To make this episode, we visited Monument Valley and Kanab, both beautiful places we highly recommend. If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah. International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with lots of other bonus experiences too - just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays or learn more about all the incredible destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media @VisitTheUSA. Thank you to the guests who featured in today’s episode: Norris Church with the Adventure Tour Company in Kanab adventure-tour-company.com Andrew Patrick Nelson, Film and Media Arts Chair at the University of Utah. Check out his podcast, How the West was Cast. Dennis Judd, Kanab movie expert CREDITS This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was the in-field producer and wrote the episode. Jason Paton did the recording, mix and sound design. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive producer. www.armchair-productions.com CONNECT If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Leaving a review of the show will bring you even more. Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: The Elements of AlUla: Arabia’s Lost City and the Adventure of Air
“I'm dangling 250-feet above a canyon, and I'm about to get dropped. This is what AlUla is all about. It's got desert treasures, it's got 200,000 years of history, but it's also got adventure. And we're going to start ours by soaring through the air. Are you ready? Let's do this …” Aaron Millar, host In this series, we’re going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert layered in 200,000 years of human history. But, until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary, recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. Each episode in the series explores the destination through the lens of a different element: the heritage of Earth, the community of Water … and today, the adventure of Air. Highlights include: Flying over the UNESCO world heritage site of Hegra in a hot air balloon – only a handful of people have ever visited this ancient city. Even less have seen it from the sky. Climbing via ferrata to the top of a 250-foot canyon and then screaming all the way down. Off-roading on sand dunes through one of the most deserts in the world. Stargazing with Bedouins and hearing their legends of the stars, which they used as a map to guide them through one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. FIND OUT MORE Our on-location Immersion documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Find out more at ExperienceAlula.com. Check out @experiencealula on Instagram, Facebook and X for more inspiration and ideas. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ADVENTURE: Living with Wolves: Filmmakers Jim and Jamie Dutcher’s six-year adventure camping with the Sawtooth Pack
“There was one time when one of the young wolves was licking my face, and his canine went up my nose, and I was like, oh, okay, don't move. He wasn't trying to bite me; it was just excitement. But it was an awesome, eerie, and strangely wonderful experience.” - Jamie Dutcher Before the arrival of European settlers, it is estimated as many as 500,000 wolves roamed freely across the continental United States. By the 1970s, after decades of systematic eradication, there were fewer than 1000 left. And despite the fact that our best friends, the dog, are descended from them to this day they are often thought of as nothing more than vicious, bloodthirsty killers and a danger to livestock and people. Filmmakers Jim and Jamie Dutcher wanted to show another side to this iconic predator, and in doing so perhaps change people’s minds and help protect wolves from extinction. But to do that they needed to get close. So, in 2011, in a remote meadow in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, they built a camp, rescued two wolf pups, raised them by hand, and moved in. They would spend the next six years Living with the Wolves. This is their story, and the story of the Sawtooth Pack. FIND OUT MORE Find out more about Jim and Jamie’s foundation, and how you can help, at LivingWithWolves.org CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PATHWAYS: Surfing Iceland, Bedouin Stars and Living with Wolves
At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share. A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us. October episodes: ADVENTURE: Wildlife film makers Jim and Jamie Dutcher spend six years living with a pack of wolves in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. IMMERSION: We go on location to the Arabian deserts of AlUla in search of adventure and find out what it feels like to crash land a hot air balloon. IMMERSION: Discover the Golden Age of Hollywood in Palm Springs, California: shag houses, Mr. Tiki and Sinatra’s favorite haunt. ADVENTURE: We join best-selling author and activist Peter Heller on board an eco-pirate ship as they battle illegal Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean. BUCKET LIST: Host Aaron Millar takes us on a 100-mile pub crawl along the South Downs of England. IMMERSION: Thanksgiving Special all about food: sacred corn, fish boils, and pizza farms. *** If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
BUCKET LIST: Ghost Hunt in the London Tombs with Host Aaron Millar
“I was lying in a coffin in the catacombs beneath London Bridge while a clairvoyant called to the spirits around me to make themselves known. To say this was not a normal Saturday night would be to grossly understate the point.” And so begins, the second of our Halloween specials – a bucket list ghost hunt in the London Tombs. When these ancient catacombs were being excavated in 2007, they were found to house the remains of plague victims who had been buried there centuries before. The builders working at the time reported numerous strange goings on and insisted on working in pairs for fear of being alone in those dark recesses. Today, it is purported to be one of the most haunted places in the city and home to many trapped souls including one particular menace known only as ‘Shadow Man’. Told by host Aaron Millar, this is the story of a paranormal investigation he took part in while on a Halloween assignment for a UK newspaper. Everything that is told here is true, and not exaggerated. And whether its ghosts, imagination or the power of the mind, things happened down there which Aaron, a skeptic, still can’t fully explain. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: The World’s Scariest Whisky Distiller Tour at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
They called it the ‘End of the Line’. For over a century, Brushy Mountain prison held some of the most violent murderers, rapists and serial killers in the country. If you wore out your welcome at another prison or your crime was among the most unspeakable committed, this was where you ended up. And once you walked through the doors, almost no one walked out. Located in the remote hills of Eastern Tennessee, the prison was closed in 2009. But the ghosts of the brutality that was committed there still remain. Today, the grounds hold the world’s first (legal) prison whisky distillery, and without a doubt the scariest and most ingeniously located. Because after touring the prison, there’s only one thing you need: a large shot of their specialty – ‘End of the Line Moonshine’. This immersive episode, recorded on location in the prison itself, will take you from the cell blocks, where conditions were said to be worse than a Siberian labor camp, to the mines where prisoners were literally worked to death, and finally into ‘The Hole’ where inmates were kept in solitary confinement, in complete darkness, in a cell 4-ft wide and 8-ft long. “You think you can handle it,” one former inmate said. “Think again, son. Everyone breaks.” FIND OUT MORE: This scene was taken from a trip we did following the Tennessee Whisky Trail. If you like music and whisky, we highly recommend it tnwhiskytrail.com. Visit the prison and drink some excellent whisky at Brushy Mountain Distillery. Brushymtndistillery.com CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the episode, Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PERFORMANCE: The Diamond Stream with Tennessee Music Legend Ed Snodderly
“So, take down your box and bow, and play the strings. Whistle up your travellin’ tune. Listen to the sound the water makes, in the Diamond Stream.” Ed Snodderly, The Diamond Stream This episode is the first in our Performance series, where we showcase music from around the globe. Today, we’re joined by Tennessee Music Legend Ed Snodderly at his live music venue The Down Home, in Johnson City, Tennessee. Ed describes himself as a songwriter with a strong Appalachian sense of place. His songs ring in the old, the odd and in a non-sentimental way Ed calls it American Southern, “cause that sounds really cool.” In 2020, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award from the Southern Region of Folk Alliance, and the third verse of his song “The Diamond Stream”, which he performs here, is permanently displayed at the Wall of Honor in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. But today’s not just a music performance. We sat on the stage with him, and as he played, we talked about life, music, and everything in between. It was one of those moments, when something amazing happens on the road that is completely unexpected but ends up being one of the highlights of the whole trip. FIND OUT MORE Discover more of Ed’s music at edsnodderlymusic.com, or listen on soundcloud.com/edsnodderly Ed is co-founder of The Down Home, a world-renowned music venue located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Stop by if you’re passing through downhome.com CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar presented the show, Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: Wild Rides, Mutton Bustin’ and the Fastest Sheerer in the West: On Location at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo
Rodeo in the United States is a reflection of the spirit of the American West, and a tradition rooted in the folklore and culture of the country. But in South Dakota, it’s not only the official sport - it’s a way of life. Join us as we go on a wild ride at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo where over 300,000 people from all over the world descend on Rapid City to watch more than 120 different events. We join a father and son team at the ranch rodeo, cheer on Gill the border collie at the sheep dog trials, take part in a bachelor cattle auction and watch seven-year-old Kreed hang on to a sheep for dear life in mutton bustin’. But we’re not just watching from the outside, we mic up the cowboy and cowgirl competitors to take us inside the arena and show us what it feels like to ride in a rodeo for real. Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: - Sheepdog handler and dog lover Linda Loulias - Sheep shearer Mike Por and Loren Opstedahl. - Kreed, our fearless mutton buster - And the boys from Lakota Funds and the Corn Creek Bandits PLAN YOUR SOUTH DAKOTA TRIP Our On Location episodes are designed so that you can experience everything you hear. Check out the links above, or find out more at www.travelsouthdakota.com CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode, Jason Paton did the field recording and production, and Aaron Millar was the executive producer. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CONNECTION: The Mongol Rally: Driving from London to Mongolia in a Junk Yard Car with Jenny Hunter from The Adventurists
“We’re fighting to make the world less boring. Our planet used to slap us about the face-cheeks with iron fists of adventure every day. Maps had edges to walk off. Whole continents lay undiscovered. But now, the entire surface of the Earth has been scanned by satellites and shoveled into your mobile phone, tagged with twattery about which restaurant serves the best mocha-latte-frappeshite. We live to find ways to make the world a bit more difficult. To bring chaos into our over-sanitized lives. To create adventures where you don’t know what will happen tomorrow or if you’ll even make it. Because we think there’s no greater moment than those seconds as you leap into an abyss of uncertainty and disaster.” Tom Morgan, The Adventurists This is how a group called The Adventurists describe themselves, and today we’re speaking with one of their founders about the trip that inspired it all. It’s called the Mongol Rally, and the premise is to drive from London to Mongolia, in a car that costs not much more than a cup of tea, with no plan and no back up. In this day and age, with the technology we have in our pocket, there’s a tendency to plan things out to the nth degree. The Adventurists offer an important counterpoint to that. Maybe adventure should have an element of risk? Maybe embracing the unknown is an essential part of exploration? What if we’re denying ourselves something important in our over-sanitized lives? Today’s guests Jenny Hunter talks about this and lots more, as she takes us 10,000 miles from a bar in Shoreditch to Ulaanbaatar. SIGN UP FOR CHAOS Believe it or not, you can actually do the Mongol Rally yourself, as well as a bunch of other mad cap adventures. Check out theadventurists.com to find out more. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar writes and presents the show, Charles Tyrie does the audio editing and sound design, and Jason Paton is lead producer. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap. Episode cover photo by Tom Archer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
IMMERSION: The Elements of AlUla: Arabia’s Lost City and the Heritage of Earth
“… it’s incredible to get that picture of watching the caravans arrive on the horizon, and you don't know what they're going hold. You don't know what mysteries. People with strange languages, different clothes, and different smells. And they set up around the fire at night and play music you've never heard before; tell stories you've never heard before …” In this series, we’re going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert layered in 200,000 years of human history. But, until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary, recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. Highlights include: Exploring the ancient city of Hegra. Built by the same people who built Petra in Jordan, Hegra is every bit as spectacular but only visited by a handful of intrepid travelers. Visiting Jebel Ikmah, a library of ancient inscriptions carved into stone that reveal life in the desert more than 2,000 years ago. Riding Arabian horses to petroglyphs in the desert (and nearly falling off). Meeting a herd of overly friendly camels, with a taste for microphones. Learning from rawis, local storytellers, about the history of the incense road, a vast trading route, which passed through Alula, and changed the face of Arabia forever. FIND OUT MORE Our on-location Immersion documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Find out more at ExperienceAlula.com. Check out @experiencealula on Instagram, Facebook and X for more inspiration and ideas. CONNECT WITH US If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices