Folklore encompasses legends, fairy tales, and myths; physical objects and practices to protect and ward away evil; spirits and supernatural entities associated with particular places, and so much more. You might not even know that you practice folklore — but did you ever leave a tooth out for the tooth fairy? Or wonder at carvings […] The post English Folklore With Icy Sedgwick appeared first on Books And Travel ....
How can you travel light even on an extended trip? How can traveling light be an attitude to life as well as a practical way to pack your gear? Katherine Leamy talks about these questions and more in this episode. Katherine Leamy is The 5 Kilo Traveller, a freelance travel writer, and blogger based in […] The post Traveling Light With Katherine Leamy, The 5 Kilo Traveller appeared first on Books And Travel ....
The challenges of travel can help us expand our comfort zone enough to drive change in our lives. In this episode, Karen Espley talks about how a trip to Antarctica helped her change direction. Karen Espley is an author, speaker, and businesswoman. Her latest book is The Impulsive Explorer: One Businesswoman’s Accidental Journey of Self-discovery […] The post Extending Your Comfort Zone. Antarctica With Karen Espley appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“It is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or cheerful, or easy, or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent.” Henry James London can never be contained or defined in one way. Everyone has a different perspective and experience that changes over time, and […] The post London. A Personal History With J.F. Penn appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Some places are so dense with history that stories emerge from every stone. Canterbury in Kent, England, is rich with literary and religious history and you can walk in the footsteps of pilgrims who have visited the city for almost a thousand years. Anna Sayburn Lane is an award-winning short story writer, novelist, and journalist […] The post The History Of England Written In Stone. Literary Canterbury With Anna Sayburn Lane appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Sometimes we find home in a place where we don’t even speak the language. Louise Ross talks about discovering Portugal, a gentle country with ocean-gazing people, and recommends places to visit, as well as an attitude to self-reinvention. Louise Ross is the author of Women Who Walk and The Winding Road to Portugal. She’s an […] The post An Ocean-Gazing People. A Gentle Country. Portugal With Louise Ross appeared first on Books And Travel ....
How can travel help us as we search for a new direction in mid-life? Why does nature offer us insight into ourselves and experiences that go far beyond the physical? Toby Neal talks about her experience of the US National Parks. Toby Neal is an award-winning USA Today best-selling author of mysteries, thrillers, and romance, […] The post Open Road: A Midlife Journey Through The US National Parks With Toby Neal appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Good travel books are not just about a physical journey or a place. They are also about the emotional side of travel and the feelings we experience along the way. In this interview with Mark Probert, we discuss his motorcycle journey through Britain following the path of writer John Hillaby 50 years after the original […] The post If Only I Had More Time. A Motorcycle Journey Through Britain with Mark Probert appeared first on Books And Travel ....
There are places where the ‘veil is thin,’ where we can connect with the Other in the landscape — if only we learn how to listen. In this interview, Jini Reddy talks about how to find magic in the natural world. Jini Reddy is an award-winning author and journalist. Her latest book is Wanderland: A […] The post Wanderland. A Search For Magic In The Landscape With Jini Reddy appeared first on Books And Travel ....
What are the truths behind stereotypes of Australia — and what are the things that might surprise you? Pamela Cook talks about rural places, diversity of people and landscape, and the attractions of the city in this interview. Pamela Cook writes rural and contemporary Australian fiction featuring complex women and tangled family relationships and is […] The post Travel In A Vast And Diverse Country. Australia With Pamela Cook appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.” Soren Kierkegaard When life becomes unbearably painful, sometimes the only thing to do is go for […] The post Walking To Rome On The Via Francigena With Chandi Wyant appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“We’re all so far downstream from who we used to be.” Pam Mandel We all have ideas about places that are far away from us, but when you talk to real people who live there, it’s hard to hold on to your preconceived notions. Those encounters can remain with you in memory even as you […] The post Travel That Changes The Way You Think About The World With Pam Mandel appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Imagine sailing through the night across the Pacific Ocean with the sound of a gentle wind on the sails, the creak of rigging, and an array of stars above you. Nadine Slavinski talks about the joys and challenges of sailing across the Pacific with her husband and son. Nadine Slavinski is an archaeologist turned teacher […] The post A Speck On The Ocean. Sailing The Pacific With Nadine Slavinski appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Experiencing the dark of night can help connect us with nature and perhaps we need to tap into that animal side more often in order to respect the cycle of the seasons, renew our energy and our mental health, and help wildlife that need it to survive. In this interview, we also talk about the […] The post Exploring Darkness And Accepting Our Animal Nature With Tiffany Francis-Baker appeared first on Books And Travel ....
What does pilgrimage mean when you don’t adhere to a particular religious tradition? Can we find ever find ourselves when we travel, or will we be forever searching? Victoria Preston has roamed far and wide in her 30 years advising corporate and government clients around the world. She is an associate fellow at the King’s […] The post Journeys In Search Of Ourselves. Secular Pilgrimage With Victoria Preston appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Sometimes it’s not the most iconic travel destinations that resonate most with us. Sometimes it’s the hidden places and the unexpected moments that echo in our memories many years later. In this episode, Steve Brock talks about how we can cultivate curiosity and blend serendipity with planning to make the most of our travels, as […] The post Curiosity, Wonder, And Serendipity. Hidden Travel with Steve Brock appeared first on Books And Travel ....
Vienna brings to mind images of grand architecture, the sounds of classical music, and the smell of coffee and sacher torte. In this interview with Katarina Bordet, we explore the Gothic and Baroque churches, the museums, and the iconic coffee shops, as well as the darker places to visit — the asylum, the catacombs, and […] The post Cathedrals, Dark History, And Coffee Culture. Vienna With Katharina Bordet appeared first on Books And Travel ....
In this episode, we escape to the mountains of the Tibetan Highlands, which lie at the intersection of the Sichuan and Yunan provinces in China, in search of Shangri-La. Shivaji Das talks about the stunning natural beauty in this remote place, and we also discuss the cultural clashes in the region and the people he […] The post Complicated Histories, Sichuan, and Tibet. The Other Shangri-La With Shivaji Das appeared first on Books And Travel ....
What does it mean to be a secular pilgrim — when you’re not a Christian, but you love churches, history, beauty, and religious symbolism? In this episode, Howard Kramer talks about some of the most beautiful places to visit in terms of architecture, as well as natural locations, and how sometimes, the most emotionally resonant […] The post History, Faith, And Beauty. The Complete American Pilgrim With Howard Kramer appeared first on Books And Travel ....
How can you see your own country with the eyes of an outsider? How can you follow your curiosity and discover new things about a place you already know? In this interview, Roz Morris talks about finding fragments and tiny miracles while exploring England and how we can experience our own land from a new […] The post Not Quite Lost. Travels Without A Sense Of Direction With Roz Morris appeared first on Books And Travel ....
An island nation off the coast of Africa, Madagascar has an incredible diversity of unusual landscapes and wildlife, of which lemurs are the most famous but by no means the only ones! 90% of its flora and fauna are endemic, found nowhere else in the world. While there are some resorts, much of Madagascar is […] The post The Gardens Of Mars. Madagascar With John Gimlette appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“Man’s real home is not a house, but the Road, and that life itself is a journey to be walked on foot.” Bruce Chatwin In late October 2020, I walked the Pilgrims’ Way from Southwark Cathedral in London to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, 182 km/113 miles on foot, alone, carrying my own gear… during a […] The post This Too Shall Pass. Thoughts From The Pilgrims’ Way With J.F. Penn appeared first on Books And Travel ....
From the ice of the glaciers to the black church near the lava fields and on to the steaming hot pools of the blue lagoon, Iceland is a country of stark natural beauty and interesting folklore. In this interview, Michael Ridpath talks about the hidden people, the trolls, and the ghosts in the mist, as […] The post Lava Fields, Trolls, And The Hidden People. Iceland with Michael Ridpath appeared first on Books And Travel ....
From the stunning Northern Lights of Lofoten, to the fjords of the western coast, scenic train journeys across the mountains, Viking history, and the culture of the cities, David Nikel evokes a country that has much to explore. In this pandemic year, I’m certainly dreaming of kayaking the fjords! David Nikel is a British writer […] The post Fjords, Vikings And The Northern Lights. Norway With David Nikel appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book … it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.” Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi The Mississippi River runs through ten states and has brought life to countless generations, from […] The post Life On The River. The Mississippi River Valley With Dean Klinkenberg appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.” William Shakespeare, Hamlet If you enjoy walking in cemeteries, exploring graveyards, and discovering the artistic bone structures of ossuaries, then you’ll love this interview with Loren Rhoads. We discuss our mutual love of these places where nature often reigns in peace and beauty, and share […] The post Life Obsessed. Cemeteries, Graveyards And Ossuaries With Loren Rhoads appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, it’s ourselves.” Edmund Hillary As I write this, I’ve started four ultra-marathons and finished three of them. I did the Race to the Stones 100km in a weekend (2016); Cotswold Way 50km (2017); Isle of Wight 50km (2018 — I dropped out at 22km); Chiltern Challenge 50km (2020). I’ve […] The post Walk Your Own Race: Lessons Learned From Walking A 50km Ultramarathon appeared first on Books And Travel ....
If you spend years planning your dream trip, what happens when life gets in the way? Do you change your plans or do you plow on regardless? Is the journey more important than the destination, and are you living in a way that honors that choice? In this wide-ranging interview with Doug Walsh, we talk […] The post Facing Fears And Changing Your Mind While Traveling. Cycling Around The World With Doug Walsh appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” Ibn Battuta Mallorca is a beautiful Spanish island in the Balearics, rich with history and culture, from the medieval architecture of Palma’s old town to the picturesque coastal village of Deia and the mountainous interior. Many come to the relaxed island for an […] The post Murder In Paradise. Mallorca With JJ Marsh appeared first on Books And Travel ....
“Man’s real home is not a house, but the Road, and life itself is a journey to be walked on foot.” Bruce Chatwin Walking for a longer-distance can bring clarity of mind, a reconnection with nature, and a sense of well-being that does not emerge with a short stroll. It takes time to settle into […] The post Solo Long-Distance Walking In England With Holly Worton appeared first on Books And Travel ....
