Episodes

  • Joanna Lumley - From the archives
    Sep 30 2025

    I'm bringing back some treasures from the Travel Diaries archive, while I take a little time off on maternity leave. And this one has to be one of the best - 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.


    Holly's travel diary: Heckfield Place, Berkshire, England


    Joanna's Destination Recap:


    • Kashmir, India
    • Hong Kong
    • Malaysia
    • Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
    • Madagascar
    • Delhi, India
    • Uzbekistan
    • Tash Rabat, Kyrgzystan
    • Sienna, Italy
    • Banda Islands, Indonesia
    • Sudan
    • Romania


    With thanks to...

    Titanic Belfast - Discover the world’s most authentic Titanic story at Titanic Belfast - where history, heritage and experience come alive.


    Thank you so much for listening today. If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you’re on Apple Podcasts, tap follow, so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week.

    To be the first to know who’s joining me next week, follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @hollyrubenstein. I’d love to hear from you.

    And if you can’t wait until then, there are already 15 seasons to catch up on, with more than 160 episodes to keep you busy. You’ll also find all the destinations mentioned by my guests in the episode show notes and on my website: thetraveldiariespodcast.com.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Oman Uncovered - Destination Special with Dina Macki
    Sep 23 2025

    Welcome to this very special destination edition of The Travel Diaries, where today we’re heading off on a sensory journey to one of the Middle East’s best-kept secrets, the spellbinding Sultanate of Oman. A land of striking contrasts, where golden deserts meet dramatic mountains and turquoise seas, and where a deep-rooted culture of warmth, hospitality and heritage leaves a lasting impression on all who visit.


    And who better to take us by the hand and guide us through Oman’s many wonders than my guest today, Dina Macki. Dina is a rising star of the culinary world - you may know her from the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen - and she’s a chef and food writer whose work is a vibrant celebration of Omani cuisine and culture. British-born with Omani heritage, Dina divides her time between the UK and Oman, giving her a rare and intimate perspective on the country, not just through its flavours, but through its landscapes, its people, and its soul. She’s experienced Oman from coast to canyon, from ancient souks to sleek modern resorts, making her the perfect person to lead us through her Omani travel diaries.


    In this episode, Dina whisks us from the misty, monsoon-swept hills of Salalah in the far south, where coconut palms line the shore and the air is thick with frankincense, to the rugged peaks of Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain, with its rose gardens, deep wadis and sky-high plateaus. Along the way, she shares her favourite hotels, from cliffside hideaways to city sanctuaries; her go-to local restaurants, hidden gems and insider tips that only someone who calls Oman home could reveal.


    Whether you’re a foodie, an adventurer, a nature lover, or simply dreaming of a winter sun getaway or an off-the-beaten-track summer escape, Oman promises something unforgettable for everyone.


    Destination Recap:


    • Salalah
    • Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, Salalah
    • Alila Hinu Bay, Mirbat
    • Hawana Salalah
    • Mandarin Oriental Muscat
    • Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Muscat
    • Nizwa
    • Jebel Akhdar
    • Alila Jebel Akhdar
    • Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, Jebel Akhdar
    • DusitD2 Naseem Resort Jabal Akhdar, in Oman
    • Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar Resort & Spa by IHG
    • Daymaniyat Islands
    • Al Mandoos Restaurant, Muscat
    • Rozna Restaurant, Muscat
    • Al-Ahli Restaurant, Old Muscat
    • Ali Thani Restaurant, Old Muscat
    • The Chedi Hotel, Muscat
    • Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Muscat
    • Wadi Mibam, Al Sharqiyah
    • Khasab, Musandam
    • Six Senses Zighy Bay, Musandam
    • Wahiba Desert Sands
    • Bar al Hickman


    To start planning your journey, head to experienceoman.om.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    45 mins
  • Stephen Mangan
    Aug 12 2025

    On today's Season 15 finale, we are joined by the brilliant Stephen Mangan - actor, presenter, writer, and someone with a truly adventurous travel spirit. You’ll know him from a vast array of TV , film and stage hits - The Split, Green Wing, Episodes, Portrait Artist of the Year - and most recently, as the host of ITV’s Caribbean-set hit game show The Fortune Hotel, which is back for its second season.


    Stephen is a natural storyteller, and in this conversation we really get to go on a journey. From long, cassette-filled car trips back to his family’s roots in wild, windswept County Mayo - where he has 53 first cousins! - to body surfing in the Atlantic with his kids, sleeping under the redwoods in California, living on £4 a day while interrailing across Europe, and living in an ultra luxury hotel in Grenada for a month - Stephen has truly embraced travel in all its forms.


    Destination Recap:


    • County Mayo, Ireland
    • Sonoma County, California, USA
    • Beltane Ranch, Sonoma, USA
    • Derwent Water, Lake District, UK
    • Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
    • Grenada
    • India
    • Bhutan
    • Morocco
    • Japan


    The Fortune Hotel S2 continues Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th August on ITV1 and ITVX. You can also catch up on the first two episodes of the series on ITVX now.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me next time, come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.


    I'm now on maternity leave for a few months but keep an eye out for some special episodes dropping into your feed from time to time.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • Diana Henry, Food Writer
    Aug 5 2025

    Today's guest can conjure entire worlds through her writing. Whether she’s evoking the salty tang of the Lofoten Islands, the rustic flavours of rural Normandy, or the buzz of a New York kitchen, her words are rich with atmosphere and emotion - it is of course, Diana Henry, one of Britain’s most celebrated food writers.


    She's a James Beard Award winner, long-time Sunday Telegraph columnist, and author of bestselling books like Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons, How to Eat a Peach, and Around the Table, a new audio collection of essays spanning decades of food, travel and life.


    As you’ll hear, Diana’s wanderlust was born not from glamorous holidays, but from imagination. Growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, she escaped into books and encyclopaedias, dreaming of faraway places long before she ever had the chance to visit them.


    In this episode, we trace her journeys from Dublin to the Dordogne, Spain to Maine. We talk about foraging for mushrooms in France and eating cod’s heads in Iceland, She shares why she reads restaurant menus for fun, and the deep emotional connection she feels to the places she’s travelled, through taste.


    I spoke to Diana last month, and although we hadn’t met before, I instantly warmed to her. I loved the way she speaks about travel, through a different lens, shaped by flavour and feeling. I think you’ll really enjoy this one.


    Holly's recap: Beaverbrook Hotel, Surrey, England


    Destination Recap:


    • Dublin, Ireland
    • Dordogne, France
    • Colombey les Deux Églises, Haute-Marne, France
    • Spain
    • Le tonneau, Normandy, France
    • New York, USA
    • Union Square Cafe, New York, USA
    • ABC Kitchen, New York, USA
    • Estela, New York, USA
    • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Lofoten Islands, Norway
    • Iceland
    • Nebo Lodge, North Haven, Maine, USA
    • Morocco
    • Japan


    Around the Table - 52 Essays on Food & Life, Mitchell Beazley is available now in audiobook and will be published in hardback on 2nd October.


    To win a holiday to Trisara, in Phuket, Thailand, head over to my Instagram page here.


    With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Monisha Rajesh returns, Train Travel Special
    Jul 29 2025

    Today I’m so pleased to welcome back someone who you all loved the first time around on the podcast - the brilliant author and travel writer, Monisha Rajesh. Her passion for trains, and for the way rail travel slows you down and opens you up to new worlds, was just infectious. And I’m so excited to say that she’s back with a gorgeous new book called Moonlight Express, which takes us deep into the magical world of sleeper trains. In this new adventure, Monisha journeys across Europe, the Americas and beyond, trading airports for railway platforms and following moonlit tracks through some of the most cinematic landscapes on Earth, which we have the pleasure of chatting about today.


    From the soft snow and candlelit calm of the Norwegian night trains to the fairy-tale villages of Transylvania, glimpsed at sunrise through the window of a creaky couchette on the Dacia Express. Or to the pastel-painted streets of Savannah, Georgia, in the US, reached on Amtrak’s Silver Meteor. She takes us high into the Andes too, aboard the luxurious Belmond Andean Explorer from Cusco to Arequipa, where the train carves through deserts and towering peaks, so close to everyday life you feel like you could touch it. And back in Britain, she celebrates her mum’s 70th aboard the Royal Scotsman, sipping whisky in the observation car as the Highlands go past.


    She reminds us what makes train travel so unique: the romance, the community, and the chance to simply sit by the window and watch the world roll by.


    Destination Recap:


    • Oslo to trondheim, Trondheim to Buda, Norway
    • Transylvania, Romania
    • Finland
    • Peru - Belmond Andean Explorer - Cusco to Arequipa
    • Belmond Royal Scotsman
    • Caledonian Sleeper Train, London to Edinburgh
    • Cornish Riviera train
    • Silver Meteor - Orlando, Florida to Savannah, Georgia
    • Savannah, Georgia, USA


    Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train by Monisha Rajesh is published by Bloomsbury (28 August).


    With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    54 mins
  • Chris Packham
    Jul 22 2025

    Today’s guest is one of Britain’s best-loved and most fearless voices in wildlife and environmental broadcasting - it’s the brilliant Chris Packham.


    Chris first made his name back in the 1980s as a presenter on The Really Wild Show, a programme that inspired a whole generation of children - myself included - to get out into nature. But before that, he was actually behind the camera, working as a wildlife cameraman after studying zoology. And it’s that deep understanding of animals, ecosystems and science that still underpins everything he does.


    Since those early days, Chris has become a fixture on British television. You’ll know him from Springwatch, Autumnwatch, and Winterwatch, from his BBC documentaries like The Walk That Made Me and Inside Our Autistic Minds, and from his powerful activism, whether he’s leading anti-hunting campaigns, protesting HS2, or calling out the destruction of biodiversity in the UK and beyond.


    He’s won multiple awards for his environmental work and was awarded a CBE for services to nature conservation. But he’s also never been afraid to challenge the establishment, and I think that’s one of the reasons so many people connect with him.


    In today’s episode, we explore the places that have shaped him, from Kathmandhu to Kashmir, Mauritius to Marrakech. He talks about the awe and purpose he finds in travel, the power of experiencing landscapes that tell stories - whether it’s battle sites like Little Bighorn in Montana or the brutalist war memorials of the Balkans - and the importance of discomfort, of being challenged by a place.


    We talk about being neurodivergent and how that shapes the way he sees the world when he travels - and also the places he’ll never return to. Spoiler: it’s not a great day for Dubai or Vegas.


    Destination Recap:


    • White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA
    • Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA
    • Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
    • Zion National Park, Utah, USA
    • New Forest National Park, Hampshire, England
    • Honduras
    • Borneo
    • Scotland
    • Arles, France
    • Mauritius
    • Seville, Spain
    • Kathmandu, Nepal
    • Kashmir, India
    • Antarctica
    • Galapagos, Ecuador
    • Marrakech, Morocco
    • Bar of sand nr Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
    • Little Big Horn, Montana, USA
    • Dubai
    • Las Vegas, USA
    • Philippines Rainforest
    • The ‘Stans - Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan
    • Finding the Spomeniks


    With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Simon Calder, Travel Expert, returns
    Jul 15 2025

    Today I’m joined once again by one of the UK’s most trusted and best-loved travel experts - Simon Calder. You’ll know him as the Independent’s travel correspondent, a familiar face on TV and radio, and the go-to voice when travel chaos strikes - whether it's air traffic control meltdowns or passport expiry panics. But beyond the headlines, Simon is also a true adventurer, with an insatiable curiosity for the world and a lifelong love of the open road, rails and skies.


    It’s been a five years since Simon last joined me on the podcast, and in that time, so much has changed - not just in the world of travel, but in the way we think about where we go, how we get there, and why we travel in the first place. So today’s episode is something of a global catch-up. From discovering the ancient cities of Algeria and the wild islands of the Antarctic, to cycling the Danube and family holidays on the beaches of Poland, Simon shares his latest discoveries, surprising favourites, and some underrated gems that might just change your next holiday plans.


    We’ll talk about the rise of slow travel and destinations that deserve the spotlight. Plus, he’ll be offering his signature no-nonsense travel tips, and sharing the far-flung destinations still lingering on his bucket list.


    Destination Recap:


    • Borneo
    • Antarctica
    • South Georgia
    • Algeria
    • Constantine, Algeria
    • The Azores
    • Lebanon
    • Socotra, Yemen
    • Cape Verde
    • Tbilisi, Georgia
    • Ghana
    • Sierra Leone
    • Sopot, Poland
    • Gdansk, Poland
    • Cycling the Danube River, Regensburg, Germany to Vienna, Austria
    • Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
    • Co. Donegal, Ireland
    • Nepal
    • Madagascar
    • Ukraine
    • Le Marche, Italy


    Simon discusses his top tips for summer holidays after new research from Tesco Travel Money found 2 in 5 travellers are being caught short of cash abroad. You can find out more about Tesco Travel Money by visiting https://www.tescotravelmoney.com/


    With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    39 mins
  • Dan Buettner, 'Blue Zones' Longevity Expert & Explorer
    Jul 8 2025

    My guest today is Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer, New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning Netflix host, and a record-breaking endurance cyclist. In fact, he holds three Guinness World Records for distance cycling, having pedalled across the globe to over 70 countries. Travel is not just a passion of his - it’s the lens through which he’s viewed, explored, and helped reimagine how we live our lives.


    It was during these epic adventures that Dan’s curiosity about longevity began to take shape. And that curiosity eventually led to one of the most fascinating and impactful projects of our time: The Blue Zones. Working alongside National Geographic and a team of medical researchers and demographers, Dan set out to discover the secrets of the world’s longest-lived people. What he found were five extraordinary regions, in Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece and a religious community in California - now famously known as the Blue Zones - where people weren’t just living longer, they were thriving into their 90s and 100s.


    What’s so remarkable is that these individuals weren’t pursuing health - they were simply living in environments that naturally supported well-being. Think: plant-based diets, daily movement, strong social ties, and a deep sense of purpose.


    His findings became international bestsellers and his Netflix documentary Live to 100 introduced Blue Zones to a worldwide audience. and He’s back this summer with a new cookbook, Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals, to help us all cook like the world’s healthiest people.


    His travel diaries today take us from the jungles of the Congo, and the plains of the Sahara, to the lakes of Guatemala, and the islands of Japan. There was so much to cover, and I was so fascinated by all of Dan’s insights, that we actually lost track of time, and so we’re going to have to do a part 2 one day to find out his worst travel experience and hear a little bit more about his Mexican hidden gem. But nevertheless, I can’t wait to dive into his story with you, let’s buckle up and get started.


    Destination Recap:


    • Boundary Water Canoe Area between US and Canada
    • Alaska, USA
    • Cycling from Alaska to Argentina
    • Cycling from Minneapolis, Minnesota to St Paul, Minnesota, around the world
    • Cycling Tunisia to South Africa
    • Sahara Desert, Africa
    • Siberia, Russia
    • The Congo, Africa
    • Okinawa, Japan
    • Oaxaca, Mexico
    • Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
    • Chetumal, Mexico
    • Angkor Wat, Cambodia


    Dan's new book Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals is out on September 2nd in the US, and September 8th in the UK.


    With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.


    Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to 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 TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    50 mins