Episodes

  • 164. In Madrid with Simon Hunter; Madrid Newsrooms, Old Sherry Bars and Benidorm Sun Lounger Wars

    164. In Madrid with Simon Hunter; Madrid Newsrooms, Old Sherry Bars and Benidorm Sun Lounger Wars
    Jun 14 2024
    Picture the scene... Lisa and Simon Hunter (Madrid based journalist) are in the centre of Madrid at the fabulous Ocean Drive Hotel with a balcony over- looking over the Opera square having a chat about politics, celebs, nightclubs, tapas and more before heading up to the rooftop pool for a Vermouth...On this episode we talk..the short trip that turned into a lifetime love of Madrid, becoming the go-to person for British news on Spanish TV, big stories in the busy newsroom in El Pais, the surprise abdication of King Juan Carlos, Spain’s mad politics, the eerie quiet over the city at the time of the 2004 bombings, the violent ETA period, spending ‘several years’ in Spanish nightclubs, beautiful beaches in Cadiz, arguing over sun loungers in Benidorm, old sherry bars and ‘la hora del Vermouth’ Simon’s fantastic ‘Walk & Eat’ tapas tours, oh and Simon’s new abs! So much to unpack there. Join us in Madrid now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • 163. Barbara Buczek; From Poland to Kentucky, Saudi Cruising to Everest Base Camp and The Emotional Tug of Those White Cliffs of Dover

    163. Barbara Buczek; From Poland to Kentucky, Saudi Cruising to Everest Base Camp and The Emotional Tug of Those White Cliffs of Dover
    Apr 21 2024
    Barbara Buczek spent ten years in the management team at the Port of Dover but over two years ago moved continents to establish Saudi’s new cruise scene with Cruise Saudi. Born in Poland she felt that travelling at an early age to Kentucky to attend a US high school gave her the travel bug. On this episode we talk about the special relationship with the UK have with Dover, the emotional tug of those white cliffs, how travelling by sea gives you a different perspective, feeling like she is living through history witnessing the cultural changes in Saudi, climbing to Everest Base Camp, jogging through a Taiwanese forest, the unbeatable feeling of running the London marathon and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • 162. Ash Bhardwaj; Walking The Nile, Slipping Down the Himalayas & Exploring Why We Travel

    162. Ash Bhardwaj; Walking The Nile, Slipping Down the Himalayas & Exploring Why We Travel
    Apr 5 2024
    Ash Bhardwaj travel-writer, film-maker & author of the new book Why We Travel is today’s wonderful guest – discussing… the rugby trip to New Zealand that changed his life, walking the Nile with his friend Levison Wood, getting dangerously lost Walking the Himalayas, the magical Sufi festival in the Sudanese desert, the pilgrimage with his father’s ashes to the Ganges, an 8500km route through Russian borderlands, ayahuasca therapy in Geneva, the curiosity gene which makes people more likely to travel, the mindset of wonder and awe & much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • 161. Faisal Sheraiff; Saudi-Influencer on Saudi’s Changes, the Old Markets of Riyadh, Dream-Scapes in Alula

    161. Faisal Sheraiff; Saudi-Influencer on Saudi’s Changes, the Old Markets of Riyadh, Dream-Scapes in Alula
    Mar 21 2024
    Faisal Sheraiff, influencer and entrepreneur, lives in Saudi Arabia with his fashion designer wife and two children. He was born in the US to a diplomat father and an anthropologist mother and has travelled to 50 countries. We discuss Saudi’s changes and international tourism, living in Jeddah by the sea, beach days, coffee shops, large family gatherings, Cristiano Ronaldo, F1, tennis & golf, the bustling old markets in Jeddah and Riyadh, the dream-world desert landscapes of Alula and wanting to be the person that trawls ancient world markets and shipping back the antique artefacts but actually coming home with a fridge magnet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • 160. Hassan Saeed; Maldivian Resorts, Island Culture and the Importance of Loving Your Community

    160. Hassan Saeed; Maldivian Resorts, Island Culture and the Importance of Loving Your Community
    Mar 4 2024
    We’re back for our new season and starting with an extra special episode recorded in the beautiful Maldivian resort of Dhigali where our presenter Lisa recently spent an idyllic week. Who better to give us a real look at life in the Maldives than resort manager Hassan Saeed who, having dropped out of school age 14 and one of 11 siblings, very quickly had to start start work. We talk growing up in the islands, happy days working in his grandfather’s tin workshop, how the arrival of tourism changed the Maldives, entering ‘a completely different world’ in tourism, spending a year at sea, being on a ferry at the time of the 2004 tsunami, navigating Covid, ‘island culture’s’ happy laid-back attitude, feeling incredibly proud of the beautiful resort he has helped create and the power of loving the community you live in. Lisa travelled to Dhigali and Velassaru Universal Resorts with the wonderful Kuoni www.kuoni.co.uk. It was utter paradise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • 159. NEW SEASON IMMINENT!

    159. NEW SEASON IMMINENT!
    Feb 19 2024
    We are happy to announce the imminent arrival of our new season of episodes and as usual we have a few wonderful surprises for you – some on location episiodes from destinations as varied as Copenhagen to the Maldives – some new partners for sponsorship and also a very exciting annoucment as to what Lisa is up to with some travel plans that can also involve you! Yes you. Watch this space. In the meantime feel free to say hello on social media - Lisa Francesca Nand - and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss us! x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    5 mins
  • 158. The Big Travel Podcast Christmas Special 2023!

    158. The Big Travel Podcast Christmas Special 2023!
    Dec 18 2023
    Hello and welcome to The Big Travel Podcast Christmas Special 2023 special…featuring the Casual Birder Podcast’s Suzy Buttress on celebrating the winter solstice in Antartica, Countdown’s Rachel Riley and her husband’s post-Strictly wind down in the blue lagoon in Iceland, musician and writer Nitin Sawhney having a Hallmark picture perfect Christmas in the US, actor Warwick Davies being towed on sledges behind huskies in Lapland, motoring journalist Ben Oliver on a Marrakesh rooftop accompanied by the atmospheric sound of the call to prayer, singer songwriter Freya Ridings’ memorable childhood Christmases round the piano at her Nana’s house in Coventry and Robert Munns from charity Oceans of Hope UK, spending every Christmas with his parents in the same house in Northamptonshire and this year watching the KING’S speech! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 mins
  • 157. Nitin Sawhney CBE; Racism in Kent, India on Horseback, Mandela at Home

    157. Nitin Sawhney CBE; Racism in Kent, India on Horseback, Mandela at Home
    Oct 22 2023
    Nitin Sawhney’s Kent childhood included regular attacks by racists, but he threw himself into music, joining school friend James Taylor’s band. Flying to India via Kabul aged 8 he found himself a child mascot riding horseback through the streets, he felt liberated by Liverpool at university, he studied accountancy but ending up creating a hit comedy show with Sanjeev Bhaskar, he’s recorded with indigenous musicians the world over, including Australia, Brazil, South Africa and Spain, interviewed Nelson Mandela at his home in Johannesburg and worked with just about every important figure in modern day music. Discussing everything from the connection between Flamenco and Rajasthani gypsies, working with Gary Lineker and refugees on his new album, Identity, being withheld at security in LA before being sent to hospital and so much more.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins