The Travel Diaries

Today, we're diving into the awe-inspiring world of high-altitude adventure. Our subject is a man whose name is synonymous with daring expeditions and summit triumphs, the legendary climber and adventurer, Kenton Cool.With 17 successful ascents of the mighty Mount Everest to his name, along with many other mountain peaks around the globe, including the ‘seven summits’ – the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents, Kenton is not just 'cool' by name, but by nature.You’ll have heard him mentioned on previous podcast episodes - with Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Ben Fogle - Kenton has accompanied them on some of their most challenging ascents. Ben Fogle, Summited Everest with Kenton, and he led Sir Ranulph Fiennes up the North Face of the Eiger and to the summit of Mount Everest, too.Kenton's adventure-filled life began in the UK, but he quickly found his heart in the Himalayas. He brings to life some of his most incredible adventures, and the valuable lessons he learnt along the way. Destination Recap:AlaskaHubbard Glacier, AlaskaSkagway, AlaskaWest Wales, Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire The Presili Hills, Pembrokeshire PakistanMt EverestNepalPeshawar, Pakistan BhutanColorado, USACape Town, South Africa European Alps in Summer Megeve, Switzerland South Africa Antarctic Peninsula North side of Everest Darjeeling, India Tibetan Plateau You can find out more about their performance initiatives here: www.incoolcompany.comThanks 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 season come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Threads and TikTok, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine 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.

Hello and welcome to this bonus Destination Special of The Travel Diaries. Yes, I am back for a second time this week, as we continue to celebrate California and all it has to offer, today bringing to life one of my personal favourite spots, Greater Palm Springs. I was there in 2019 as part of a much bigger US road trip, which took me through all of California, and it’s one of the places I think about most when I’m daydreaming about far off lands. It’s nestled in the heart of California's Coachella Valley, a couple of hours drive from LA, and it’s a desert oasis that's been capturing the hearts of travellers for generations. It’s where 1950s celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley spent their weekends, played golf at championship courses, and wined and dined the desert night away. With that Rat Pack spirit still lingering in the air, it has a unique allure that draws you in from the moment you arrive. Picture an elegant city framed by the towering San Jacinto Mountains and lined with impossibly tall swaying palm trees. A nexus of natural beauty, wellness, and culture, a living canvas of perfectly preserved mid-century modern architecture, offering such an intoxicating blend of nostalgia and sophistication.I’m joined today by Steven Biller, he’s a Palm Springs legend, having edited Palm Springs Life Magazine for over 20 years, and we uncover his Palm Springs travel diaries, his all time favourites, his hidden gems, and top recommendations as someone who knows it so well. From its food and art scenes to its wild outdoors and hiking trails, there is so much to experience in Greater Palm Springs. I really hope you enjoy getting a flavour of it now. Destination Recap: Palm Springs aerial tramwayCoachella ValleyThe Indian CanyonsAgua Caliente Cultural PlazaPalm Canyon TrailKorakia Pensione L’Horizon Hotel Joshua Tree National ParkJoshua Tree rock climbing school Barker Dam trail, Joshua Tree National ParkRyan Mountain, Joshua Tree National ParkJohannes restaurant Sol y Sombra restaurant, Paloma Resort Cabot’s Pueblo MuseumBox Canyon, MeccaMojave DesertKelso Dunes Well, I hope that has given you a flavour of what a fantastic destination Greater Palm Springs is. Thank you to Stephen Biller for joining me. You can find out more about Palm Springs at palmspringslife.com , in your favourite travel guides and magazines, and of course always on the tourist board website too, in this case it is visitgreaterpalmsprings.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the diverse attractions, culinary delights, and natural beauty of California. Explore the desert landscapes of Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, the mountainous regions of Big Sur, and the energetic atmosphere of Santa Monica and Venice. Experience the beauty of Napa and Sonoma valleys and embark on a hiking journey through Yosemite National Park. Learn about unique accommodations through Airbnb and the culinary destination of Los Angeles. Explore the diverse landscapes of California and recommended hotels and restaurants.

TV presenter Kate Humble, with a fascination for nature, discusses her experiences living with a tribe in the Sahara Desert, hiking in Afghanistan, exploring the rainforest of Borneo, and tracking wildlife in Madagascar. She also shares her spontaneous one-way trip to Africa and adventurous journeys in Cameroon. Kate talks about joining a caravan to reach the remote salt mines of Timbuktu in Mali and reflects on the lessons learned from past travels. Additionally, she shares her delight in a unique vacation rental in France and her excitement about her new book.

Our guest today knows his way around both the kitchen and the world. He’s a culinary maestro with a passport full of flavours and a heart full of stories. It’s the wonderful, Gino D’acampo. Born in Naples, in Southern Italy, Gino inherited his grandfather’s love and passion for cooking. After studying at catering college, at just 18 years old Gino moved to London. Soon after he was spotted by a TV producer and began to grace our TV screens on shows like Ready Steady Cook, This Morning and his own shows like Gino’s Italian Escape. He joined his pals Gordon Ramsay and former podcast guest Fred Sirieix on their much-loved Ultimate Road Trip series and is the host of Family Fortunes. He has a restaurant empire, several best-selling cookbooks and he also wrote his first children’s cookbook ‘Wiskella.’Gino’s Travel Diaries are like a beautifully crafted recipe - filled with zest, sprinkled with laughter, and infused with the warm embrace of the places he's explored. From the sun-drenched Amalfi coast to the island of Sardinia, the olive groves of Puglia to the caves of Matera, Gino’s episode today is a love letter to his country of Italy, and was so much fun to record, so many laughs, we just had a really great time. I know you’re going to love it. So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s get started.Destination Recap:Sardinia, ItalyAritzo, Sardinia, Italy (Blue Zone)Palinuro, Calabria, ItalyTorre del Greco, Naples, Italy Guildford, Surrey, EnglandCosta Smeralda, Sardinia, Italy Positano, ItalyTurkeyHawaii, USAYou can watch Gino’s Italy: Secrets of the South on Sundays at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.With 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.Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool.Sunweb - Use my promo code TRAVEL50 for £50 off your booking and your ski pass included. 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 season come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine 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 is the queen of British Soul, a West End superstar, and an Olivier-award winner - Beverley Knight. If you've ever swayed to the rhythms of Beverley’s songs like "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" or "Come as You Are," you know that Beverley's voice has the power to transport you to another dimension. But what about the destinations that have transported her? She's also a seasoned traveler with a passport filled to the brim with stamps from around the world and today, she's going to take us on a journey through her most meaningful travel experiences, from New York to Brazil, Jamaica to The Bahamas, with such passion, and clear love of travel - she's got stories that will make your wanderlust soar!So get ready to join us as we explore the world through the eyes and the incredible voice of the one and only Beverley Knight.Destination Recap: Datça Peninsula, Turkey Istanbul, Turkey New York City, USATea and Sympathy, New York City, USASylvia’s, Harlem, New York City, USASalvador, Bahia, Brazil JamaicaLondonHarbour Island, BahamasChicago, USAThe Far East - Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, China Beverley’s album, The Fifth Chapter, is out 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 season 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 nine 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're embarking on a special adventure – a voyage through the enchanting world of train travel. Our guest today is a true connoisseur of locomotion, travel writer Monisha Rajesh. In 2010, Monisha spent four months travelling around India by rail recounted in her debut book, Around India in 80 Trains. After India, Monisha took on the world, over seven months and 45,000-miles, on an adventure through the global rail networks, which later became her next book, the brilliant Around the World in 80 Trains.Today, we’ll hear Monisha’s train travel diaries, from her earliest train travel memory being carried across the train tracks in Switzerland by her parents, to falling in love with train travel on a journey from Mumbai to Goa and her all time favourite journeys, to suit all budgets. From journeys that last just a few hours to those that last several days, Monisha brings to the life the unique perspective that travelling on a train can give us as travellers, the romance, the camaraderie, the excitement, unparalleled vistas, and a deep connection to the world around us. She evokes it so beautifully in our episode today. I think this is one you’re going to love.So, all aboard, and let’s get started, with Monisha.Destination Recap:SwitzerlandIndiaMandovi Express, from Mumbai to Goa, IndiaUS AmtrakDelhi, IndiaCannes to Ventimille Train, France to Italian border Canadian railway Vancouver to TorontoEuropean Sleeper Brussels, Belgium to Berlin, GermanyRome to Palermo, Italy train Norway midnight sun train Oslo to Trondheim and Trondheim to BodøSkeena Train, Jasper to Prince Rupert, CanadaTransmongolian RailwayThe Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, Finland 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 Threads and TikTok, I’m also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine 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 very special guest is not only a seasoned sailor but also a true legend of the high seas. She's the captain that keeps it all together on the hit TV series, "Below Deck: Mediterranean”. That's right, today we're setting sail with none other than Captain Sandy Yawn!Now, if you're a fan of the show, you already know that the show chronicles the lives of the crew members who work and reside aboard a super yacht during charter season and Captain Sandy brings more than just nautical expertise to the table. She's a force to be reckoned with, with a heart of gold and a personality that shines as bright as the sun over the Mediterranean. Today, we're going to delve deeper into her world, beyond the decks and the drama, to get to know more about Sandy. She has been on quite a voyage herself, a voyage of sobriety, a voyage of self discovery, and a new voyage lies ahead as just the day before we spoke, she proposed to her girlfriend, Leah.Destination Recap:Holly speaks about Porto Zante Villas & Spa on Zakynthos island, Greece Captain Sandy: The Florida Keys, Florida, USALittle Palm Island, The Florida Keys, Florida, USADisneyworld, Florida, USASuwannee River, Florida, USAStepping Stones, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USABarcelona, Spain Barceloneta Spanish and Mediterranean Tapas Restaurant and Bar, SpainSiesta Key, Florida, USASt Petersburg, Florida, USAThe Don CeSar, St Petersburg, Florida, USAThe BahamasAspen, Colorado, USADenver, Colorado, USAOuray, Colorado, USAThunderball Cave, Staniel Cay, The Exumas, BahamasTreasure Cay, The Abacos, BahamasLong Island, BahamasCote D’Azur, FranceAlabama Jack’s, Key Largo, FloridaMiami, FloridaPortofino, Italy Alaska, USAWatch Captain Sandy on the brand-new season of Below Deck Mediterranean on Hayu, now. With thanks to my sponsors today …Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool.Sunweb - Use my promo code TRAVEL50 for £50 off your booking and your ski pass included. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re kicking off Season 10 by diving into the world of one of the most iconic figures in the music industry, a Grammy-winning artist whose distinctive voice and reggae beats have seen him top the charts over the past 30 years. That's right, we’re joined today, Shaggy. “Oh Carolina”, Shaggy’s debut single, was his big breakthrough into the music industry, all the way back in 1993. It became a chart-topping hit around the world and subsequent mega-hits like “Boombastic”, "It Wasn't Me” and “Angel” all further propelled him to global superstardom.From Kingston, Jamaica where he spent his childhood and lives now, to the global stage, today we’re going to be getting to know the man behind the hits and the destinations in his life that have played a part along the way, from Japan to Italy, New York to North Carolina.Destination Recap:New York City, USAJamaicaKingston, JamaicaJapanNorth Carolina, USAIraqItalySardinia, ItalyPort Antonio, JamaicaZimbabweShaggy’s In The Mood EP is out nowThanks 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 Threads and TikTok, I’m also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine 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.

On today’s season finale we're joined by a national treasure, and a name synonymous with travel, Dame Joanna Lumley. Joanna's appetite for adventure was deeply engrained from childhood. She was born in Kashmir in the last days of British India, the daughter of an army officer who served with the Gurkhas. Throughout her childhood her parents lived in Asia, moving to Hong Kong and Malaysia, while she spent term times at school in England.From her early days as a fashion model, gracing the covers of magazines and strutting down runway, Joanna Lumley was destined for greatness. But it was her iconic role as Patsy in the hit TV series "Absolutely Fabulous" that truly catapulted her into the hearts of millions. I love Wikipedia’s description of Patsy - “an alcoholic, a chain smoker, and a frequent recreational drug user. She carries drugs with her at all times, storing joints in her trademark beehive."After surviving solo on a desert island, on the groundbreaking show Girl Friday, Joanna soon became as synonymous with travel as she was with Ab Fab, setting off on epic journeys that would make even the most seasoned globetrotter green with envy, from Japan and India to the Caribbean and the Silk Route. What makes her so remarkable is not just her fearless spirit but her genuine love for the people she meets along the way. She champions causes close to her heart, advocating for the rights of the Gurkhas, supporting endless charities, and shedding light on the important issues affecting our world.So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready as we embark on a journey through the extraordinary life and awe-inspiring travels of Joanna Lumley, from Malaysia to Uzbekistan, Italy to Indonesia.Destination Recap:Kashmir, India Hong KongMalaysiaBatu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia MadagascarDelhi, IndiaUzbekistan Tash Rabat, Kyrgzystan Sienna, ItalyBanda Islands, IndonesiaSudanRomaniaJoanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure starts on 5th July at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.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 season 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 nine 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.