Armchair Explorer

Latest Episodes:

Signs of Life: a 53,000-mile Bike Ride Around the World with Doctor Stephen Fabes Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

Follow travel author and doctor Stephen Fabes on a six year, 53,000-mile journey from his home in London across Europe, Africa, The Americas, Australia and Asia. He will cross deserts, jungles and the highest mountain ranges in the world; he will face the freezing winds of a Mongolian winter and the stifling heat of an Indonesian summer. In Peru, he is held up at gunpoint; in Nepal, a deadly blizzard strikes; in Kenya, he dodges shifta bandits; in Portland, he joins a naked rave.

It's an incredible adventure. But it’s also more than that. It’s also a story about us. Stephen had a good job as an emergency room doctor, working at a prestigious hospital in London. His many years of training had just finished, his career was poised to take off. But he saw the years of his life unfolding before him, and though he was proud of what that life would be, it felt too predictable, too safe. So, he left. He cycled away from the hospital he worked at and didn’t return for six long years. He traded a comfortable city lifestyle for a $10 per day budget, wild camping by the side of the road. And guess what: he loved every minute of it.

But the more he travelled, the more the doctor in him began to resurface. He visited medical clinics, mental health facilities and refugee slums. He volunteered at some of the poorest, and most war-torn regions on the planet. And the more he did, the more he began to realise that health is more complex than simply what’s happening inside the body. It is part of an intricate web of social and political forces; it is influenced by everything from geography and climate to belief and economics. By seeing the world through the eyes of a doctor, he shows us humanity at its most cruel, but also its most compassionate. He shows us that we are inextricably bound together, that we affect each other no matter how different or distant we may seem. In the margins of the world, he finds our common humanity, our Signs of Life.

Highlights include:

· Cycle around six continents, a whirlwind journey through some of the planet’s harshest, most beautiful and awe-inspiring places.

· Ride across the Alps in winter, dodge lions in Botswana, sleep out on the salt flats of Bolivia, cycle frozen lakes in Mongolia, pedal through a war zone in Afghanistan and more

· Visit some of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities on Earth, hear their stories of cruelty and compassion, desperation and hope

· See the world through a doctor’s eyes, learning about the broader forces at work that affect global healthcare, from politics to climate change.

· Be inspired to break out of the mould and set off on your own big adventure, wherever that may be

Who’s the Guest?

Stephen Fabes is a medical doctor with a bad case of wanderlust and no sense of direction. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, the Telegraph, CNN and the BBC among others. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an inspiring public speaker and a regular at live storytelling nights. He currently works in the Emergency Department at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Signs of Life is his first book. www.stephenfabes.com, @stephenfaves (Instagram), @drstephenfabes (twitter), @cyclingthe6 (Facebook)

Thank you to The Great Courses Plus for sponsoring this episode. Go to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair to get a free one-month trial with access to unlimited streaming of thousands of videos and audio content taught by the world’s best professors. It’s like Netflix for your brain.

Find out more about the show www.armchair-explorer.com, @armchairexplorerpodcast

The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle with Travel Author Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

Follow travel author Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent on one of the toughest motorcycle journeys on the planet: six weeks and 2,000 miles through the near impassable mud and steep mountain slopes of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Crossing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, The Ho Chi Minh Trail was the main military supply route during the Vietnam War, moving men and supplies from communist controlled North Vietnam to the American backed south. Today, it’s slowly disappearing, overrun by jungle, deforestation and the advancement of the modern world. In riding the trail, Antonia wanted to explore this rapidly changing region and important part of history before it’s lost forever.

She also wanted a proper adventure. The Ho Chi Minh Trail that most people ride is the modern tarmac friendly version. Few people attempt the original route over the muddy guts of the Truong Son Mountains in Laos. Even fewer trace it south into the wild eastern reaches of Cambodia. Antonia did both; and she did it on her own with nothing more than a 25-year-old shiny pink 125cc Honda Cub, she named the Pink Panther, for company.

It’s an incredibly beautiful place, filled with shimmering jungles, limestone mountains and small tribal villages where tourists rarely go. But it’s also marred with tragedy. During the war, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was bombed on average every eight minutes and the scars are still visible today: entire villages made out of war scrap, bomb craters big enough to fit a double-decker bus and, most tragically of all, UXO (unexploded ordinance).

As much as 30% of American bombs dropped during the war failed to explode and 40-years later they are still primed and hidden in the thick undergrowth of the forest. To date, UXO along the trail has killed more than 100,000 people, many of them children. This is an incredible adventure story about one of the most difficult motorbike routes on the planet. But it’s also a story about the legacy of the Vietnam War that is still affecting the people who live along the trail today. Are you ready for a wild ride? Let’s go.

Highlights include:

· Heading out on one of the wildest motorcycle rides on the planet, 2,000 miles through remote jungle, over steep and muddy mountain slopes

· Discovering a remote part of South East Asia few travellers get to see, deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

· Learning about the history of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the most bombed place per capita in the world, and the tragic legacy of the war still affecting people to day

· Hearing about Antonia’s close call along the Mondulkiri Death Highway, one of the most dangerous stretches of road on the planet. Let’s just say, it nearly lived up to its name

· Being inspired to achieve anything you set your mind to. Antonia chose to do this journey solo to test herself, to prove to herself she could be self-reliant, to see how strong she really was. What she discovered was that if you’re determined enough, if you want something bad enough, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Who’s the Guest?

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is a travel author, broadcaster and public speaker with a particular love of wandering alone through remote regions. Her website is www.theitinerant.co.uk and you can find her on twitter and Instagram @antsbk. The full story of this journey is available on audiobook at Audible, and other audio book platforms.

www.armchair-explorer.com / @armchairexplorerpodcast.

This is episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus - head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair for thousands of videos and audio content, for free, for a month. It's like Netflix for your brain.

A Journey to Discover South America's Hidden Wonders with Atlas Obscura Founder Dylan Thuras Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

Follow Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras on a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders. From the Last Incan Bridge and the Machu Picchu of the North to the Everlasting Lightning Storm and a statue of a squid fighting a whale the size of the statue of liberty (yes, you read that right), this is an epic ride through Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru’s weirdest and wildest wonders. The stuff glittering in the shadows that you may never have heard of before, but you’ll be desperate to see after.

But it’s more than that too. When we think of wonders of the world we think of The Grand Canyon, the Great Pyramids. These are undeniably awe-inspiring, but they’re obvious. Everyone goes there, and all too often the experience and the destination suffer as result. Atlas Obscura’s mission is to open our eyes to the wonders all around us, the bizarre, hilarious, incredible things that inspire our curiosity and make our jaws drop at the amazing world we share. Wonder is a state of mind, they say, not a place; and the more we look for it, the more it becomes a part of who we are. This is a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders, but we may just discover something hidden in ourselves too.

“The problem of failing to recognise the magic in the world lies not with the world, but with us; and it is our job to turn ourselves into vessels of recognising that magic.”

- Dylan Thuras, co-founder Atlas Obscura

Highlights include:

· Visit the Last Incan Bridge, an 120-foot long woven grass suspension bridge, straight out of Indiana Jones, which has been re-built every year for more than five centuries.

· Stand at the base of Gocta Falls, the most incredible waterfall you’ve never heard of – twice the size of the Empire State Building.

· See Venezuela’s Everlasting Lightning Storm, the most electric place on the planet.

· Meet the Colombian village who travel by home-made zip-line across the jungle.

· Find out about the inspiration for Atlas Obscura, how it went from a childhood love of weird Midwestern roadside attractions to a global phenomenon and New York Times bestseller.

· Hear about such crazy historical inventions as the cat piano, the vomiting statue and a language created entirely out of music

· Learn how by changing our mindset we can escape the wonder deficit of the modern world and live more meaningful and extraordinary lives

Atlas Obscura tells extraordinary stories about hidden places, incredible history, scientific marvels, and gastronomical wonders. www.atlasobscura.com / @atlasobscura

Dylan’s book, ‘Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders’, is a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon and in the New York Times: https://www.atlasobscura.com/unique-gifts/atlas-obscura-book

The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world’s greatest adventurers tells their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to the heart of the action.

https://www.armchair-explorer.com

"Best podcasts for pure escapism: It’s thrilling stuff" - Sunday Times

"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian

"Armchair Explorer is ear candy for listeners” - Washington Post

"Best Travel Podcasts to Listen to Now: Action-packed and thrilling ..." - Wanderlust

"Adventure stories from the wildest places on Earth ... Guaranteed to inspire wanderlust." - The Telegraph

Arabia: A 5,000-mile Journey Through the Heart of the Middle East with Explorer Levison Wood Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Levison Wood is one of the world’s most well-known explorers, TV presenters and authors. Join him for a 5,000-mile journey through the heart of the Middle East, from the front lines of Iraq and Syria through the Empty Quarter desert to Yemen, the West Bank and beyond. 13 countries in five months, his most complicated and dangerous expedition yet.

Following in the footsteps of great explorers such as Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, we will pass through some of the most devastated and war-torn areas on the planet, but also some of the most fascinating and historic too. We will peel back our preconceptions and discover a hidden side to the Middle East, beyond the headlines and politics. This is the real Arabia, a mosaic of the best and worst of humanity, a quest to better understand the region and, perhaps, ourselves.

Highlights include:

· Hear how one totally random chance event changed his life and led him to become one of the world’s most famous explorers

· Hitchhiking to Baghdad during the Gulf war – hear the story of Levison’s first and craziest ever adventure as a young university student

· Follow him to the front line, as he embeds with Kurdish fighters in Iraq, liberating ISIS held cities

· Discover the Mesopotamian Marshes, the jewel of southern Iraq, where one of the most ancient cultures in the world is slowly rebuilding their lives

· Cross the Empty Quarter desert on foot, 10-days through one of the harshest environments on the planet

· Sneak into Yemen and cross over into Somalia by fishing boat, through the most pirate infested waters on Earth

· Explore Jerusalem, and the West Bank, joining a demonstration that turns into a riot

“This is a story of my own wanderings set against a backdrop of interesting times. I have tried to challenge the prevailing winds where possible and contest stereotypes, hopefully smashing a few myths along the way.” - Levison Wood

Who’s the Guest?

Levison Wood is a British explorer, writer and photographer. He's written seven best-selling books, presented and produced some of the best travel and adventure documentaries out there, and done some quite simply incredible expeditions. Highlights include, walking the 4,250-mile length of the Nile River, trekking 1,700-miles across the Himalayas, and following in the footsteps of the annual migration of African elephants through Botswana, in order to raise awareness of the plight of these critically endangered animals. His latest book is Encounters, a beautiful hardback photography book which documents the last 15 years of his adventures. To buy these, or find more, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/Levison-Wood/e/B00QXKKPTC%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Instagram:@levison.wood / Facebook: @levisonwoodofficial / Twitter: @levisonwood www.levisonwood.com

Armchair Explorer

The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. To find more about this episode, including background info, photos, and videos, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/arabia-a-5-000-mile-journey-through-the-heart-of-the-middle-east-with-explorer-levison-wood

"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian

"Best podcasts for pure escapism: It’s thrilling stuff." - Sunday Times

"Finalist: Best Overal Podcast 2020" - DiscoverPods Awards

Descent into the Unknown: Inside the Greenland Ice Cap with Red Bull Photographer Christian Pondella Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

Follow Red Bull photographer Christian Pondella as he descends inside the Greenland Ice Cap, a place that no one had ever gone before. Greenland is one of the most remote and extreme countries on Earth. 80% of its surface is covered in ice, temperatures can reach -65°C. But it holds the second largest ice sheet on the planet, and it’s melting fast. Christian teams up with legendary ice climber Will Gadd, and glaciologist Jason Gulley, to go deeper into the ice than anyone has ever gone before. Their expedition is fraught with danger, but the science they would bring would back change our understanding of climate change, sea level rise and the future of our planet. This is more than just an adventure. This is a descent into the unknown.

Highlights include:

· Descend into a moulin, a dark hole in the ice where meltwater from the glacier surface rushes into depths below

· Explore inside the abyss, a place no one has ever gone before

· Discover Greenland, one of the most remote and extreme places on the planet

· Learn about the cutting climate science being done now on the Greenland ice cap, and how this expedition changed the fundamental models scientists were using to predict sea level rise over the coming decades.

· Hear about Christian’s incredible career as Red Bull photographer, including shooting a 300-ft snowmobile jump and a world-first sky dive without a parachute. You read that right.

· Get Christian’s top tips for adventure photography and how to create that perfect shot

Christian Pondella is one of the top adventure sports photographers in the world. As well as shooting for Red Bull, he is a senior photographer for Powder Magazine, a San Disk Extreme Team member, Fstop Global Pro, he has published work in Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, Outside, Men’s Journal, Maxim, FHM, GQ, Climbing, Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug, and a variety of other publications throughout the world.

Follow Christian’s work: Instagram @ChristianPondella / www.ChristianPondella.com

Cover image Christian Pondella / Red Bull Content Pool

Thank you to Mammoth Lakes for sponsoring this episode! Majestic in scale and awesome in its natural beauty, the year-round adventureland of Mammoth Lakes is one of those rare places that you have to see to still not totally believe. The name speaks to the size of the mountains, the expanse of the valleys, the incredible number of crystal clear mountain lakes and the endless opportunities for adventure just outside your door. But what makes this place really unique are the surreal storybook scenes that drop jaws, spark the imagination and make every moment feel like a brush with the truly incredible. For more info: www.visitmammoth.com

For background information on this episode, including Christian's photos from the trip, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/descent-into-the-unknown-inside-the-greenland-ice-cap-with-red-bull-photographer-christian-pondella

Social media: Instagram & Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. No long-winded interviews, just straight to the heart of the action

'Best travel podcasts 2020' - The Guardian

'Thrilling stuff' - Sunday Times

'Adventure stories from the wildest places on Earth' - The Telegraph

'Best Overall Podcast 2020' - Finalist DiscoverPods Awards

The Seven Summits: Climbing the Highest Mountain on Each of the Seven Continents with Rebecca Stephens MBE Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

The Seven Summits is the ultimate mountaineering challenge. To stand on the highest peak on each of the seven continents is a feat only a handful of people have ever achieved. Rebecca Stephens MBE is the first British woman to do so. She's also the first British woman to summit Everest, and she's going to be taking us step-by-step up every single one of those climbs. Are you ready to stand on the roof of the world? Let's go.

But this story is about more than just mountaineering. What makes Rebecca so special is that she's able to articulate the lessons she learned on each of those seven climbs, and she's going to be passing on that wisdom to us too . Since completing the Seven Summits, back in 1994, Rebecca has spoken and coached all over the world. Her 'Seven Summits of Success' have helped individuals and businesses all over the world achieve their goals. We're going to climb Everest, Denali, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro and all the rest. But we're also going to learn what it takes to follow your dreams, and scale your own summits, whatever they may be. Rebecca's message is simple: live your life according to your passions and you can achieve anything. Even, perhaps, standing on the seven highest summits in the world.

Highlights include:

Climbing Mount Everest with the first British woman to summit, feeling what it's like to stand on top of the world
Scaling Denali, the highest mountain in North America, after being trapped in a snow cave for eight days in one of the worst storms the mountain's ever seen
Reaching the summit of Acongagua, in Argentina, whilst battling 100mph+ winds
Standing on the top of Mount Vinson, in Antarctica, Kilimanjaro, in Africa, Cartenz Pyramid, in Indonesia, and Elbrus, in Russia
Discovering the wisdom of the world's highest mountains - each of the Seven Summits has something unique to teach us, and Rebecca has been sharing those lessons for more than a quarter of a century
Be inspired to scale your own summits, whatever they may be

“The joy of the mountains is they strip away any superficialities revealing that which matters: namely head, heart, and values. There’s no greater teacher of the human condition, of leadership and of working together as a team.” - Rebecca Stephens

Who's the guest?

On 17th May 1993, Rebecca Stephens became the first British woman to climb Everest and was awarded an MBE for her achievement. The following year she went on to become the first British woman to scale the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. To find copies of her two books, please visit: www.rebeccastephens.com

Today, Rebecca speaks, coaches and leads private treks around the world. If you're interested to find out more about her, or to climb with her, please visit: www.rebeccastephens.com

For background information on this episode, including Rebecca's photos from the trip, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/the-seven-summits-climbing-the-highest-mountains-on-earth-with-rebecca-stephens-mbe

Social media: Instagram & Twitter @aaronmwriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Book trips inspired by the show at www.armchair-explorer.com or by contacting me at aaron@armchair-explorer.com

The Rickshaw Run: Driving 2,500 miles across India in a Three-Wheel Rickshaw with Journalist Simon Parker Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

Follow journalist Simon Parker as he takes part in the world’s craziest race: 2,500-miles and two weeks across the length of India … in a rickshaw. You read that right. Welcome to the Rickshaw Run: if Monty Python went on a road trip, this is what they’d do.

The rickshaw, if you haven’t ridden one before, if perhaps the least suitable vehicle on the planet for long distance travel. Used commonly across many parts of Asia, it’s basically a three-wheeled moped with a roof on it and room for a couple of passengers to squash in the backseat. It has no sides. It falls over often. Top speed is a rip-roaring 14mph. And you will breakdown. Often. It has been described as a ‘marginally glorified lawnmower’, which is actually doing a disservice to many top of the line grasscutters. But none of that matters, because, by God, they’re fun to drive.

And that’s the point. Dreamt up by a load of nutters called The Adventurists, the Rickshaw Run is all about challenging yourself with proper adventure, whilst belly-laughing at your own ridiculousness at the same time. Simon and four mates travelled from the far reaches of northern India, in the shadow of the Himalayas, all the way to the steamy jungles of Kerala on the southern coast. There is no set route. No pre-planned stops or hotels. No convoy or safety car or back up of any kind. Smart phones are scoffed at; Google maps are barred. They simply set off with a pocket map of India and a vague sense of where the finish line was. What happened in between, well, no one could be sure except that there would be chaos, there would be tears and, travelling on back roads and well off the well-beaten track, they would see a side to India that most visitors never see. Are you ready to set off on the wackiest, most ridiculous race on the planet? Let’s go.

Highlights:

Take part in the world’s most ridiculous road trip: 2,500 miles across India in a glorified lawnmower

Be inspired by the spirit of old school adventure – embracing challenges and the unknow

Experience a side of India that few tourists ever see, staying in small villages well off the usual traveller trail and seeing the entire country from the far northern Himalayan foothills to the steamy jungles of the south

Who’s the guest?

Travel writer and journalist Simon Parker sails, cycles, climbs, hikes and paraglides around the world in search of the planet’s most interesting news stories. He writes, films and produces documentaries for the likes of the BBC, The Telegraph and The Independent; and his TV Series Earth Cycle is out now on Amazon Video.

If you’re listening October-November 2020, you can follow his latest adventure in real time – a 1,600-mile cycle across the length of Great Britain from the tip of Shetland to the Isles of Scilly, wild camping along the way. He posts great photos, and videos, and is a lot of fun to follow. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook is @simonwiparker. His website is www.simonwparker.co.uk

For background information on this episode, including Simon’s photos from the trip, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.com

Social media: Instagram & Twitter @aaronmwriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Book trips inspired by the show at www.armchair-explorer.com or by contacting me at aaron@armchair-explorer.com

The Last Dance of the San Bushmen with Documentary Film Maker Ben Cole Oct 16, 2020

Show notes

Travel to the Kalahari Desert, in Namibia, where under the shade of a Baobab Tree, eight San elders are gathering to perform their traditional healing dances one last time before they pass on.

The San are among the oldest continuously surviving tribes on Earth. They have lived among the plains of Southern Africa as hunter-gatherers for at least the last 20,000 years. And for all those long years, they have been dancing. The San are a dancing culture. For them, movement and music is more than ceremony and celebration. It is the way they connect with, and understand, the world, and the spirit. It is also the way they heal.

But without apprentices to pass on their practices, the sacred knowledge of their ancient dances was in danger of being lost forever. The elders asked Ben to come and film them in the hope that one day their great grandchildren would be able to retain this wisdom. Ben has travelled the world. He has filmed the Aboriginees of Australia, the Pygmies of the Congo, and was nominated for a Grammy for his cinematography on the groundbreaking 1 Giant Leap DVD. This, he says, was the adventure of his life.

Travel with him now, deep into desert plains of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, to witness the last dance of the San Bushmen. What he discovers when he gets there is that this ancient knowledge is vital not just for the San, but for us too. Human beings have been dancing and making music since we first set foot on the Savannah. Every religious and spiritual tradition on Earth has some form of movement or music as part of its practice. It is who we are. The message the San have for us is that dancing is not just a frivolous bit of fun. It is a gateway to the spirit and a powerful means to heal our mental and physical ails. Ben went to Namibia for the sake of the San, but what he brought home might just have the power to save us all.

Highlights include:

Witness one of the most ancient dances in the world, with original audio recorded in the field courtesy of Ben Cole
Learn about the San people and their beliefs about the power of dance to heal our mental and physical ailments
Ben is a world-class storyteller, and former actor, and brings to life the culture and landscape of this incredible country ... including a possible origin story of the Cupid myth!
Be inspired to get your own dance on, whether that's in a club or just in your own front room. You may never think about dancing in the same way again!

Find out more about Ben Cole's documentary work on Facebook: @bencolecinematography Ben, and his wife Caroline, also run Middle Earth Medicine Ways, which uses the power of dance and movement to facilitate a deeper connection with yourself, your spirit and the world around you. It's fun, they're lovely and you can find out more at www.middleearthmedicine.com.

Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! This is one of my favourite wines, absolutely gorgeous and perfect for that after trail drop. Head over to www.buyjuggernautwine.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR20 for a 20% discount, delivered straight to your door.

Help support the San through David Bruce's charity (Ben's family friend who he recorded the film with), which builds new schools in the region that will teach young San children in their native tongue, close to their homes in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy. Find out more at: www.villageschoolsnamibia.com

For background information on this episode, including a clip from Ben's film, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.com

Social media: instagram / twitter @aaronmwriter / facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytel

Walking the Amazon with Explorer Ed Stafford Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

Follow world-renowned explorer Ed Stafford on the expedition that made his name: walking the entire length of the Amazon River, on foot. People thought that it was impossible, that he would die trying; and they were nearly right. He was attacked by a tribe of angry machete wielding indigenous peoples, he faced Narco drug traffickers and giant anacondas. But gradually, step by step, over the course of two and half years, through some of the toughest and deadliest terrain on the planet, he proved them all wrong.

Ed crossed the entire continent from the Peruvian Andes, and the furthest known source of the Amazon, to Brazil, where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean, more than 4,000-miles away. He is the first person in history to do it, and holds a Guinness World Record for the achievement. This is one of the boldest expeditions ever attempted, and one of the greatest adventure tales ever told. Are you ready to head into the jungle? Let’s go.

Highlights include:

· Hear how Ed survived being surrounded by an angry tribe of indigenous peoples intent on hacking him to pieces

· Find out how he crossed the infamous Red Zone, a lawless area of the jungle controlled by drug-traffickers

· Climb with him to the 18,000-foot summit of Nevado Mismi, in the Peruvian Andes, the furthest known source of the Amazon

· Meet the Ashaninka, the largest indigenous tribe in the Amazon Basin, and hear how Ed ended up befriending two tribal chiefs and walking with them for more than 6 weeks.

· Discover what it takes to complete such a long and grueling expedition – 860 days walking through some of the toughest jungle terrain on the planet

· Hear his personal story of transformation. How he began the journey as a ‘volatile young man’ wanting to prove how tough he was, but how the jungle humbled him, and made him connect with a deeper, and more authentic of himself.

· See this amazing forest through new eyes. The Amazon is nearly 20 times the size of Great Britain, home to some 400 billion trees, and 10% of the world’s species. For Ed, it began as a dangerous place, something to be conquered, but it ended up becoming home, a place to be marveled at, and protected

· Hear what adventure means to Ed, how it is the ‘crucible in which you find yourself’, and how you too can use adventure and exploration to connect more deeply with who you really are

Also, find out about Ed’s new series – Ed Stafford: First Man Out – which launches its second series on September 24th on the Discovery Channel in the UK. Available in America and elsewhere too https://www.discoveryuk.com

Find out about Ed's new bushcraft academy at: www.bushcraft.academy

For more background information on this episode, photos, links to his books and shows, and more, please visit https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/walking-the-amazon-with-explorer-ed-stafford

The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. http://www.armchair-explorer.com

Host/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.) Instagram?Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast.

Sightless From Sicily to Southern France with Blind Explorer Christopher Venter Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

Close your eyes. Picture that darkness, that starless night. If that was all you could see, no color, no shades, no shape or light, nothing at all but blackness, would you still have the courage to explore the world? This week’s guest, Christopher Venter, aka The Blind Scooter Guy, did and does, and he’s going to take us on a journey sightless from Sicily to Southern France and show us the world as he experiences it with his other four senses. And guess what? It may just change the way that you see the world too.

Christopher had always dreamed of being an explorer. He traveled the world, he went on many adventures. But then, suddenly, in the midst of an epic 18,000-mile Vespa scooter expedition across Africa and Europe something happened that changed his life forever. His sight began to dim. Within 24hrs his world had turned black. Doctors diagnosed a rare virus growing on his retinas. They managed to save his life, but not his sight. At 40 years old, he was told that he was blind and he would never see again. He thought his life was over. He came close to ending it all. But then he heard about a man called James Holman and against the odds he began to hope again.

Holman is, perhaps, the world’s most remarkable explorer. Born in 1786, he lost his sight at the age of 25. But instead of giving up on his dreams, he doubled down on them. With very little money, and no assistance, Holman set off to see the world. He sailed around the globe, he fought the slave trade in Africa (a river in the Congo is named after him), he mapped uncharted parts of Australia, he survived captivity in Siberia and rogue elephants in Sri Lanka. And through it all, he became something of a celebrity of his day, a symbol of raw determination and the capacity of the human spirit for adventure. If Holman could do it, why couldn’t he?

Highlights include:

Find out what it’s like to experience the world as a blind traveler
Hear the amazing story of James Holman’s life, one of the most remarkable explorers in history, but still largely unknown to most people
Explore Sicily, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast
Discover Nice, Provence and the Pyrenees
Be inspired by Christopher’s courage and determination to make his dreams come true, despite such sudden and devastating set backs
Learn to appreciate the world in a deeper way. Christopher paints images in his mind by slowing down, being present and using his other four senses. Find out how you can do the same and see the world in a new way
Listen to how Christopher’s story can inspire you to overcome your own challenges too, whatever they may be

Who's the Guest?

Christopher Venter, aka the Blind Scooter Guy, is a blind adventurer, explorer, writer, speaker and storyteller. He has two books:

How I Became The Blind Scooter Guy: My soul searching safari by scooter from the Southern Tip of Africa to the Shamrock fields of Ireland

Sightless From Sicily to Southern France: A blind man's journey by any means - from Ocean and Air to Road and Rail, experienced through the remaining four senses

@BlindScooterGuy

https://www.facebook.com/BlindScooterGuy

https://blindscooterguy.wordpress.com

Host/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.) Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast.

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