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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TRAILER: This is Armchair Explorer, an APT Podcast Studios Production
Welcome to Armchair Explorer, where the world's greatest adventurers tell their best stories from the road! Hailed as "inspiring storytelling" from the New York Times, each documentary-style episode drops you into the heart of the action - from the heart-pounding to the inspiring, the unusual, the deadly, the hilarious, and the downright jaw-dropping. Armchair Explorer is now proud to be part of APT Podcast Studios, the podcast arm of American Public Television! Our upcoming season will feature stories from some of the most remote corners of the planet, from diving to the bottom of the Mariana trench to tracking the elusive snow leopard, completing the first kayak descent of the entire Amazon river, and more. And, every other week, we'll be dropping a brand new "On Location" episode. These award-winning special episodes were recorded in surround sound and captured on location in order to share the stories and voices of destinations around the globe. Join us as we trace the origins of jazz in Tennessee, sail to remote islands in the Florida Keys, go horseback riding with real cowboys in Wyoming, and more! Learn more about Armchair Explorer at armchair-explorer.com and find APT Podcast Studios at aptpodcaststudios.com.
BONUS EPISODE: The Coastal Adventure Trail of Oregon
This week, listen to an episode from Armchair Productions' newest series, The Hidden Trails of Oregon! Join us on the Coastal Adventure Trail for a documentary road trip, following award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar from Florence to Port Orford and beyond. We begin at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, in Florence, for a sand-boarding lesson from world champion rider Gabe Cruz. Then, we head south down the coast, stopping at the sleepy seaside town of Port Orford for wild beaches, windswept headlands, ocean swells and one of the greatest wildlife experiences on Earth. Continuing along the coast, we explore the secret coves of the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor – perhaps the most spectacular stretch of road in the entire Pacific Northwest – and finish in a forest of giants, fit for a fantasy book. Through it all, we’re going to discover why adventure is about more than laughs and gasps - it’s about fostering a deep connection to the natural world, and in doing so, perhaps, a deeper connection to yourself too.Want to visit Oregon and explore the Coastal Adventure Trail yourself? Find itineraries and more at www.traveloregon.com.Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry www.armchair-productions.com.
The Herd at the End of the World: Traversing Siberia with the Nenet Reindeer Herders
“This style of reindeer herding is truly the last of its kind…and I wanted us to be the first group to experience it.”The Nenets of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula are among the world’s oldest existing true nomads, making a living by herding reindeer in a place that literally translates to ‘the end of the world.’ And when Christine Amour-Levar learned that she had a third-degree connection to the tribe, she set about arranging an unprecedented trek to accompany them during their southward migration. Five months later, she was leading the largest - and only all-female - group that the Nenets had ever hosted, as they prepared to live, migrate, and journey alongside the tribe for a week.Cozy up and get ready for an episode where the temperatures reach -100ºF, the Northern Lights guide the way, and the only way to survive is to stick together - and occasionally consume fresh reindeer blood.FIND CHRISTINE Follow Christine Amour-Levar on Instagram (@christineamourlevar) or visit her website at christineamourlevar.com for more incredible stories, photos of her expeditions, and more. You can also find her book, Wild Wisdom: Life Lessons From Leading Teams to Some of the Most Inhospitable Places in the World, online or at your local bookstore. Finally, we encourage you to learn more about her two nonprofit organizations, Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth, where you can volunteer, donate - or even sign up for an upcoming expedition yourself!SPONSORS Thank you to our amazing sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com.Also, check out our new show, Hidden Trails of Oregon, which is out now! It's an immersive first-person journey - recorded on location with surround sound audio - across this weird, wild, and wonderful state. You'll hear Aaron go beyond the guidebook to discover the secrets only locals know! Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you find podcasts.SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
Seeking Bluer Skies: Three Months in a Remote Buddhist Monastery
"Did you even hear a single word I just said?"This question, asked of writer Bruce Kirkby one morning by his ten year old son, catalyzed a life-changing journey. Bruce and his wife, Christine, decided to break the cycle of 21st-century distraction by relocating their family - complete with two young boys - to a remote Buddhist monastery in Ladakh, India for three months. But before they would reach the monastery, they would travel for nearly 100 days - via container ship, fishing boats, horseback, and even by foot - to reach this remote valley. This episode will whisk you away to a rugged, captivating place filled with even more fascinating people - and it will delight, frighten, inspire, and surprise you at every turn.FIND BRUCE Follow Bruce on Instagram (@brucekirkby) or visit his website at brucekirkby.com to find his photography, previous expeditions, books, and more. You can find Blue Sky Kingdom, his book describing his family's entire journey, at your local bookstore or online!SPONSORS Thank you to our amazing sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com.Also, check out our new show, Hidden Trails of Oregon, which is out now! It's an immersive first-person journey - recorded on location with surround sound audio - across this weird, wild, and wonderful state. You'll hear Aaron go beyond the guidebook to discover the secrets only locals know! Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you find podcasts.SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
Life in the Deep Blue: Diving the World’s Oceans with Author and Photographer Pier Nirandara
“You stand at the edge of the boat - and you take a giant stride into the unknown.” Today we’re chatting with Pier Nirandara, a bestselling author, film producer, SCUBA diver and underwater photographer. She's dedicated her life to sharing the beauty and importance of this marine world about which we still know so little. With her work in photography, writing, and more, she's also helping to shape a new generation of divers and ocean advocates from all corners of the world. In the episode, you’ll hear about the dive that changed her life and stopped her career path in its tracks; how it feels to share the water with some of the world’s rarest, most ancient sea creatures; and why exploring the ocean and encountering marine wildlife is more important than ever. This episode will inspire and move you to consider all the life that exists beneath the water's surface - and what we owe to it. FIND PIER Follow Pier on Instagram (@piersgreatperhaps) and Facebook, or visit her website at piernirandara.com to find her amazing photography, articles, books, TED Talk, and more. She also leads snorkeling and diving expeditions all around the globe, so if you want to experience some of the adventures you heard in the episode firsthand, you can find those on her website too. SPONSORS THANK YOU to our amazing sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com.And thank you to our other sponsor, Juggernaut Wines! Get four bottles of their delicious wines delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. Just head over to juggernautwines.com and use code ARMCHAIR21.SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
The Vagabond's Way: Lessons from Decades of Travel with Rolf Potts
“The best way to travel? Dare to be lonely, lost, and bored.”Today we’re joined by travel-writing legend Rolf Potts, best-selling author and pioneer of indie travel. Long before the era of contemporary van life and digital nomadism, Rolf’s first book, Vagabonding, inspired countless travelers to forgo expensive, overly planned travel in favor of affordable, spontaneous exploration. And with his new book, The Vagabond’s Way, he’s sharing some of his best stories and pearls of wisdom from a lifetime spent traveling the world - including why you should never trust reviews, how inconvenience can lead to extraordinary discoveries, and why boredom while traveling is a gift. Whether or not you’ve already familiar with Rolf, this episode will surprise, delight, and teach you about why we travel - and how we can bring our travels home with us. FIND ROLF Follow Rolf on Instagram @rolfpotts, or visit his website at rolfpotts.com to find his books, articles, blog, videos, writing courses, and more. You can also find his newest book, The Vagabond’s Way: 366 Meditations on Wanderlust, Discover, and the Art of Travel at your local bookstore or online. There are several stories and reflections in there that we didn’t have time to cover, so we highly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself! SPONSORS THANK YOU to our amazing sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com. And thank you to our other sponsor, Juggernaut Wines! Get four bottles of their delicious wines delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. Just head over to juggernautwines.com and use code ARMCHAIR21. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
Stories from the Edge with Legendary BASE Jumper Jeb Corliss
“I jump off buildings and cliffs for fun. And I don’t recommend it to anyone.”Dive into heart-pounding adventures with Jeb Corliss, one of the world’s most revered BASE jumpers and wingsuit pilots. In this episode, you’ll hear Jeb recount some of his most impactful stories, from the very first time he attempted BASE jumping to the incident that nearly put him off the sport for good. His energy and his vivid storytelling puts you right in the middle of the action - whether you’re plummeting off a 300-foot antenna in the middle of the night or soaring dangerously close to rocky cliffs. So buckle up - you’ll be on the edge of your seat from start to finish.FIND JEBFollow Jeb’s adventures on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @jebcorliss, or visit his website at jebcorliss.net to see his photos, videos, documentaries, and more. You can also find his book, Memoirs From the Edge: Exploring the Line Between Life and Death at select bookstores or on Amazon. There are tons of heart-pounding stories in there that we didn’t have time to cover, so we highly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself!SPONSORSTHANK YOU to our new sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com.And thank you to our other amazing sponsor, Juggernaut Wines! Get four bottles of their delicious wines delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. Just head over to juggernautwines.com and use code ARMCHAIR21.SOCIALShare the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
Land of Wonder: Four Weeks on Colombia's Magdalena River with Jordan Salama
What does it take to really know a place? When Jordan Salama arrived in Colombia for the first time, he realized immediately that it was a country that was deeply misunderstood. For a place so often associated with violence, Jordan found himself in a country teeming with rugged beauty, welcoming communities, vibrant music, and astonishing art. Jordan wanted to dive deeper. To do so, he heeded the advice of locals, who told him that to really know Colombia, he needed to sail along the Magdalena River. The Magdalena is the beating heart of Colombia’s countryside, flowing all the way from soaring southern peaks to windswept northern shores. And while Jordan suspected that he would gain a deeper understanding of Colombia, he had no idea how profoundly it would change his life. Along the way, he befriended people whose passions had carried them both hundreds of miles into the countryside and no farther than their front porch; he slogged through mud and paddled in canoes; he held tightly to wind-whipped kites and spun to music, dancing the lines between fable and reality. Whether you already know Colombia or you’re curious to learn more, Jordan's story will open your eyes and touch your heart in unexpected ways. HIGHLIGHTS - Trek into the far reaches of Colombia’s rugged jungles, traveling to archaeological sites that are only reachable on foot or on horseback - Meet the world-famous Biblioburro, Colombia’s one-man (and two-donkey) roaming library - Ride the unusual motobalinera, an improvised mode of transport you’ll have to hear to believe - Come face to face with nature in a hair-raising encounter with Pablo Escobar’s wild hippos - Journey to dreamlike town of Mompox, the fabled inspiration behind Gabriel García Marquez’s Macondo - Experience the joys, sorrows, and wonders of Colombia, perhaps the most misunderstood country in the world FIND JORDAN Follow Jordan’s work at jordansalama.com, where you’ll find links to his articles in National Geographic, The New York Times, and more. You can also find him on Instagram and TikTok @jordansalama19. As you’ll hear in this episode, Jordan is a beautiful writer and his book, Every Day the River Changes, is an incredible read. There are some great stories in there that didn’t make it into the episode, so grab your copy at your local bookstore or online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon! SPONSORS A HUGE thank you to our new and incredible sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com. And thank you to our other amazing sponsor, Juggernaut Wines! Get four bottles of their delicious wines delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. Just head over to juggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer's website for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
If I Live Until Morning: Cheating Death on the John Muir Trail with Jean Muenchrath
What happens when adventuring goes suddenly, horribly wrong? For Jean Muenchrath, what began as a pleasant cross-country ski trip up the John Muir trail quickly spiralled into disaster - and what happened changed her life forever. Journey back in time with us to hear one of the most gripping survival stories that occurred over three decades ago in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Jean’s story stands as a testament to the power of the mind, the importance of dreams, and the sheer force of will.Jean and her skiing partner, Ken, spent weeks on the John Muir trail in the middle of winter immersing themselves with nature. They trekked through snow-laden meadows and climbed up towering granite cliffs slicked with ice, enjoying the labour and the peace of nature’s rhythm. But as they neared the end of their journey and prepared to ascend Mount Whitney - the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States - Jean began to fear, intuitively, that something was about to go horribly wrong. And, as we’ll find out, she should have listened to that voice.This is a story of survival against the odds. But it’s also a story about the power of the mind to overcome even the most difficult and desperate situations that life can throw at us. Jean used her accident as fuel to transform her life in positive ways, and her story will inspire you to face life’s hardships with courage, grace and determination too. Get ready for a near-death encounter at the top of the world.Highlights:- Follow the nail-biting story of Jean Muenchrath’s near-death encounter at Mount Whitney- Ski the 211-mile long John Muir Trail in winter, from its start in Yosemite Valley to its conclusion at the top of Mount Whitney, the tallest point in the Lower 48 states- Hear what it’s like to survive one of the worst accidents in Mount Whitney’s history- Hike the Himalayas and watch the sunset over Everest- Learn what Jean found in the snow when she returned to the scene of her accident, 31 years after it happened- Be inspired to use the power of your mind, just like Jean did, to follow your dreams and transform your life in positive waysIf you find this story meaningful, please connect with Jean – she’s passionate about getting in touch with her audience and sharing her story. www.jeanmuenchrath.com | Email: bluevajrasky@gmail.com. Her book is called If I Live Until Morning: A True Story of Adventure, Tragedy, and Transformation and you can find it on Amazon here ... You’ll get to hear details of her story that we didn’t have time for in this podcast, so we highly recommend grabbing a copy.THANK YOU to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! We’ve got a special deal forlisteners of this show. You can get four bottles – two Cabernet Sauvignons and two Pinot Noirs – delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. One cent! Just head over tojuggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. Their wine is absolutely delicious and it’s a great way to support the show…that’s what we call a win win!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!
Borderwalk: a 16,000-mile Trek Across the Entire World with Adventurer Arjun Bhogal
Follow adventurer Arjun Bhogal on a five-year 16,000-mile trek across the entire world. This is an insane story, with more than one life or death situation. But it’s also an incredibly funny one. Arjun began with his friend Kieran in 2012, with the idea of walking from Cardiff, Wales where they were at university to Cardiff New South Wales in Australia. They thought it would be a 3-year two-man journey, but it turned into a five-year mostly one-man journey – one of the most difficult ever attempted. But what makes this story so brilliant is that Arjun is not an extreme athlete in any way. Believe it or not, when he started, he barely had any hiking experience at all. Starting your hiking career, walking across the entire world is a preposterous notion. But Arjun made it happen, not through physical endurance, though there was a lot of that. He made it happen through mental toughness, through a relentlessly optimistic and open spirit that saw him make friends everywhere he went and survive near-death experiences that would have sent most of us running home with our tail between our legs. You’re going to gasp, you’re going to be on the edge of your seat, and you’re going to laugh your head off. Get ready to trek across the entire world.Who’s the guest?Arjun Bhogal is an ordinary guy who did an extraordinary thing – and he did it for an incredible reason. Millions of people around the world have little or no access to clean water. Arjun walked across the entire planet to raise awareness and money for WaterAid. Find out more about what they do at www.wateraid.org… and connect with Arjun at www.arjunbhogal.co.uk… or on Instagram @ASBhogalRefer a friend, win $100!If you like this show, and you think your friends might too, then you can win a $100 amazon gift voucher. All you need to do is go to www.refer.fm/armchairexplorer type in your email and start sharing with your friends and family. The more referrals you get the bigger the chance of winning. You can even set up while you listen to this episode – it literally takes 2mins! Thank you for helping to spread the word! www.refer.fm/armchairexplorerThank you to our sponsorThank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! We’ve got a special deal for listeners of this show. You can get four bottles delivered direct to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. One penny! Just head over to www.juggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. Drinking their wine is a great way to support the show … how cool is that?!Buy me a pint!If you enjoy this show, then please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! For less than the cost of a single frothy beverage, you can become a patron of the show with a whole heap of good stuff thrown in. Thank you for whatever you can do it means the world to me. www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcastLet's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to sign up to our newsletter and get adventure inspiration delivered straight to your inbox twice a month
Outlandish: Walking into Europe's Hidden Landscapes with Acclaimed Travel Writer Nick Hunt
Follow acclaimed travel writer Nick Hunt on a journey to walk Europe’s outlands – a piece of arctic tundra in Scotland, a primeval forest in Poland, a desert in Spain, the vast grasslands of the Hungarian steppe. These are outlandish places; wild, remote and untamed; places that shouldn’t exist, but they do. Like portals in our imagination, these anomalies transport us to faraway regions of the planet. They show us secrets, hidden aspects of our world that would hitherto go unnoticed. They give us glimpses into deep time, and our place in it, and show us, perhaps, the future yet to come. More than anything, they make our world seem larger, stranger and filled with wonder – and that is what great adventures are all about. Get ready to walk among Europe's hidden landscapes ... Who’s the guest?Nick Hunt is a beautiful, thoughtful writer and this is a book you will want to savor. It’s called ‘Outlandish: Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes’ and you can find it anywhere you get your books. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed. Refer a friend, win $100! If you like this show, and you think your friends might too, then you can win a $100 amazon gift voucher – and an exclusive armchair explorer t-shirt that’s so exclusive even I don’t have one! All you need to do is go to www.refer.fm/armchairexplorer type in your email, you’ll get sent a link, and then all you need to do is share that link with your friends and family. When they click it and subscribe or follow the show, you will automatically get one referral to your name. Every referral counts as one raffle ticket to win that $100 amazon gift card. Get 10 referrals and on top of entry into the competition you’ll also get that exclusive Armchair Explorer t-shirt worth $25. You can even set up while you listen to this episode – it literally takes 2mins . Thank you for helping to spread the word! www.refer.fm/armchairexplorerThank you to our sponsorToday’s episode is sponsored by Not Lost, a new podcast about finding yourself in places you’ve never been. On Not Lost, host Brendan Francis Newnam ventures to new places, exploring what it has to offer, and then, to really understand what it makes tick, tries to get invited to a stranger’s house for dinner. A friend joins him at each destination, and they drink, dance, and eat their way from Montréal to Mexico City, often learning as much about themselves as the place they’re visiting. Check it out! Let's hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to sign up to our newsletter and get adventure inspiration delivered straight to your inbox twice a month.
Crossed Off the Map: Bolivia from the Andes to the Amazon with Travel Writer Shafik Meghji
Follow travel writer Shafik Meghji from the Andes to the Amazon on a journey across one of Latin America’s most spectacular countries – Bolivia. We’re going to travel from the stark white plains of the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, to the most biodiverse place in the entire amazon rainforest, we’re going to discover a lost city and a mountain that eats men … but we’re also going to do what all good explorers do and dig deeper.While traveling up and down to every corner of the country, Shafik realized there was a bigger story to be told – not just about Bolivia, but about us too. Everywhere he went he found a contrast between the ancient and the modern – the unchanging and the acceleration of the new. Bolivia, he realized, lived on the cusp of the past and the future, that knife edge dynamic of push and pull that shapes our world. And the more he traveled, the more he realized that we live on that cusp too.This is a story for travelers, and it will take you to some of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring places on the planet. But it's also a story for explorers who like to dig down, ask questions and discover the deeper threads of history and society that define a country and our world today.Who’s the guest?Shafik Menghji is an award-winning travel writer, author, broadcaster and photographer. His book of this journey is called ‘Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia’. It’s an incredibly well researched and written book and an essential read for anyone visiting or dreaming about a trip to Bolivia. You can find it here or go to www.shafikmeghji.com to find out more. You can also connect with Shafik on Twitter and Instagram @shafikmeghji … Go and hang out, he’s an awesome bloke to travel with.Buy me a Pint!If you're enjoying the show please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! The show is free, but it takes many hours to produce, almost all of which is done by one person, little old me. The sponsors cover costs, but not my time. If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a single frosty beverage then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. From just $5 per month you will get you ad free episodes, exclusive episodes not available anywhere else and lots more. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is brought to you by Wondrium. Imagine Netflix, but for your brain – a huge audio and video encyclopedia for anything that you might want to learn or are curious to find out about – and you can download it all right to your phone. Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a free no strings attached trial and 20% off the annual price if you like what you hear. Let's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode
No Guidebook, No Google, No Clue: Togo, Wallis & Kyrgyzstan with Best-Selling Travel Author Brian Thacker
Follow best-selling travel author Brian Thacker on a unique, mad-cap adventure to three of the remotest countries on Earth. Inspired by the intrepid spirit of explorers of old, Brian decided to tear up the guidebook, switch off the phone and turn up to a country knowing absolutely nothing about it in advance. He picked three countries at random: the east African country of Togo, the South Pacific islands of Wallis & Futuna and the Central Asian mountains of Kyrgyzstan. He boarded the plane with absolutely no clue of the language, culture, where to stay or what to see. He was simply rolling the dice and letting the universe decide what kind of trip he would have. Like his heroes of the golden age of exploration, when much of the world was still undiscovered and no one knew what wonders awaited beyond the horizon, Brian was taking a step into the unknown. But, unlike those legends of adventure, Brian’s just an ordinary bloke. He wouldn’t be risking his life searching for lost tribes in the Amazon or crossing deadly deserts, he was just traveling, like all of us do, in search of good times, new experiences and the pure joy of exploring this amazing planet. Brian’s story inspires all of us that we needn’t be extreme adventurers to be real explorers, we just need to tear up the guidebook, turn off your phone and step into the unknown.We’re traveling with …Brian’s book of this story if called ‘Where’s Wallis: Travels Without a Guidebook’, you can find out more about that and all Brian’s other books at www.brianthacker.tv. Go and check that out, he’s a lot of fun to travel with.Join the CommunityIf you're enjoying the show, please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a frosty beverage, then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. … you’ll get ad-free episodes, access to our explorer’s community and exclusive content not available anywhere else. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is sponsored by Wondrium. Wondrium is like Netflix for your brain, an enormous encyclopedia of mind-blowing audio and video content designed for curious people just like us. I love it and I think you will too. Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a 14-day free trail with access to thousands of hours of audio and video content, from travel guides and documentaries to courses taught by the world’s greatest professors. All for free, no strings attached. Check it out!Let's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode
BONUS EPISODE! Wanderlust: Off the Page - the Unparalleled Beauty of Easter Island
In this special bonus episode I share a new podcast I am producing and co-presenting. It's called Wanderlust: Off the Page, which is the audio addition to one of my favorite travel magazine on the planet. Wanderlust is all about intrepid destinations, authentic cultural experiences and taking the road less traveled ... which I know you guys love too.This new show is designed to help you discover the most fulfilling travel experiences on the planet! From culture and history to nature and wildlife, we're going to be taking you behind the scenes of the magazine to go deeper into our favorite destinations and meet the travel writers, experts, and personalities who will bring our stories to life.Hosted by founding editor Lyn Hughes and special features editor Rosie Fitzgerald, this episode explores the unparalleled beauty of Rapa Nui, or Easter Island. Award winning travel writer Shafik Meghji discusses with Aaron Millar the flourishing indigenous culture, the story of how the island was settled, and the experience of exploring such a remote place. Check it out, I know you're going to love it!Subscribe to the show on the links belowAPPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wanderlust-off-the-page/id1585628173SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3UhYDK0IAi9OYj7DY8jrYr
Bicycling with Butterflies: a 10,000-mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration with Travel Author Sara Dykman
Join travel author and naturalist Sara Dykman on a 10,000 mile journey following on the wings of one of the most remarkable migrations in the animal kingdom. Every spring tens of millions of monarch butterflies travel from their winter hibernation grounds in the Transvolcanic Mountains of Mexico north across the United States and into Canada. It’s a journey of between 2,000 and 3,000 miles. For a creature that weighs half a gram, and measures about four inches, that’s a preposterous distance. The comparative length trip for a 150lb human being would be more than 300 million miles – or roughly 700 round trips to the moon. But even more baffling is the fact that the butterfly that departs from Mexico will die before returning home. And so will its offspring. It will be left to the fourth generation, the great granddaughter of that original butterfly, to begin the journey anew next spring. How millions of monarchs find their way across a continent to the same specific 12 mountains every year, having never been there before, and with no guide, is still one of the great mysteries of the natural world.But the journey of the monarchs is getting harder and harder every year. Agriculture and human domestication of the land is reducing their habitat and food sources along the way to barely enough to survive. In undertaking this epic bike ride Sara will also be raising awareness of their plight as she unravels the mystery of this incredible journey. But this is also a story about us. Through her journey Sara discovered the wonder of the microsopic world all around us, an entire universe in the dirt and fluttering above our heads. Her adventure also reminds us to stop, slow down and notice these small wonders because the more we do so the more amazing our world becomes. Buy the BookSara’s book is called bicycling with butterflies. It’s a fascinating read and well worth a look. You can also connect with her at www.beyondabook.org or @beyondabook on facebook. To find out more about the monarch butterfly migration, why it’s under threat and what you can do to help head to www.monarchwatch.org and www.monarchjointventure.orgSupport the ShowIf you enjoy this show, then please consider showing your support by becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast … the sponsorship covers the cost of production, but not my time. If you love the outdoors and the pure joy of exploring this amazing planet, then please consider helping to spread that message to as many people as possible. Thank you for whatever you can do it means the world to me.Follow on SocialFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on instagram and facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Free Stuff!Thank you to wondrium for supporting the show! Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a 22-day free trail, no strings attached, check out as much of their thousands of hours of streaming audio and video as you want. It’s like netflix for your brain, you’re going to love it.