Over the past 6 years or so, travel has become a part of my lifestyle that I have begun to breathe in and out daily. Ever since I was little, I’ve been watching documentaries and tv shows related to travel. From cartoons such as The Wild Thornberrys (I can’t have been the only kid back in the day who loved to follow the adventures of this crazy family?!) to David Attenborough’s wildlife encounters.
In my opinion, the winter months are the perfect time for 2 things: jetting off to tropical climates (with the exception of destinations such as Iceland, when the winter months are the best time to experience the Northern Lights) or cosying up to some of those documentaries in the evenings. You may have noticed that during lockdown our tv channels seemed to be flooded with travel and cooking related shows. As mentioned in my post MORE THAN A VIRTUAL REALITY, this kept my spirit alive and left me yearning to explore more of the UK, as well as plan some more International Voyages of course!
Below I have compiled a list of some of my favourite shows that I recommend as worth a watch for some travel inspiration and in some cases, for those nostalgic moments! I have personally taken inspiration from these shows to learn about different travel styles and have found many gems to add to my list of places to visit, as well as adding destinations to my list that I may not have considered worth a trip to before!
Susan Calman’s Grand Days Out - Channel 5
Starting off close to home with UK days out and staycation ideas. Susan is a Scottish comedian, television presenter and writer – just to name a few of her talents. In this series, expect some comical commentary as she journeys across Britain in a vintage camper van (which she named in ode to her favourite actress, Helen Mirren) to discover some of the UK’s most scenically stunning road trips. Compared to other travel shows I have seen, Susan keeps it real; her actions aren’t ‘made for camera’ which gives you, the viewer a better sense of connection to her as you can imagine some of those things happening to you in reality as well! The one episode from her series that has remained with me to this day is when she visits the Cotswold. It was from this very episode that I was able to create my own itinerary for a week’s stay in Gloucestershire – blog post pending!
Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig – Channel 4
Sandi Toksvig is a Danish-British writer, comedian and broadcaster. She is also a political activist, having co-founded the Women's Equality Party in 2015, which establishes why she is accompanied by some of the nation's most fascinating and funny women, to explore some of the most remote and beautifully designed holiday hideaways the UK has to offer. Due to the secluded location of each property, even though you are not there in reality, the sense of calm and serenity does wash over you. The women chat about the wisdom they have gained throughout their lives, much of which can be relatable to many of us and the accommodations chosen are architecturally unique, minimalist and sophisticated. The show holds the perfect ambience for when you want to relax and slip away from the stresses of daily life – even if it’s just for an hour or so!
Travel Man: 48 hours in… - Channel 4, Dave/UKTV Play & Netflix
Richard Ayoade takes some of his celebrity ‘friends’ to some of the most popular cities around the world. As the title suggests, Richard and co spend 48 hours, occasionally 96 hours in each destination, exploring the famous tourist attractions and experiences. Richard has a sarcastic humour about him, which can be quite hard for some viewers to understand, but if and once you do, you can see how the show is both informative and light hearted.
I write this blog post after a trip to Jordan, where we met Mazen, who has a souvenir stall within Petra selling frankincense and myrrh and were told that he was featured in one of Travel Man’s episodes (season 4, episode 9 – for anyone who fancies a watch). Not only did watching this episode bring a smile of nostalgia to my face, but it also made me realise how much better our week to Jordan was by joining a tour group. Many of the experiences and sights Richard and David Baddiel visited during their 96 hours in Jordan, we also did – but everything was pre-planned (saving time) and with a guide at every step of the way to explain exactly what we were looking at and providing us with general knowledge about the city made the trip a lot more memorable. I also realised just how costly their 4-day trip to Jordan was back in 2018, when the episode was filmed in comparison to a week-long trip in 2022 – not too much of a difference really, so spending some extra time out there to experience a bit more is definitely worth every penny! Want to know more about my experience in Jordan? Stay tuned!
I haven’t watched Travel Man recently, but since Series 10, Joe Lycett has taken over from Richard – I’ll be sure to watch a few new episodes to see how the two compare!
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby – BBC iPlayer
Presented by journalist Giles Coren and chef Monica Galetti who visit famous and lavish hotels all over the world and take on various jobs to find out how things really work there. Whilst they both have serious personalities, both Giles and Monica’s unique quirks balance out one another creating a great show reflecting that travel is a lifestyle. Two key take aways I got from watching this series are how hotel and hospitality management vary across the globe, especially where culture and sustainability goals can impact the hotel from the construction to the level of service provided and some amazing, unique hotels to hopefully either visit one day or be able to book for you, my readers and clients!
Cruising with Jane McDonald – Channel 5
Former cruise ship entertainer Jane McDonald embarks on a series of ocean odysseys on some of the world's largest and most luxurious cruise ships; Join her onboard as she voyages across the globe. Jane’s style fuses celeb status with her down to earth West Yorkshire upbringing. Her energy is contagious and for anyone who has considered solo travel, but not sure if it’s quite for them, I believe this show will fill you with confidence to go for it! Remaining open to new experiences, she mingles with the other sailors and participates in a variety of activities too. As someone who has never been on a cruise (yet!), I found her series to be a great way to learn about cruise culture, the activities (onboard and off shore excursions), as well as the food options and different packages available.
Simon Reeve (Various series) – BBC iPlayer
Where do I begin with Simon Reeve?! He is a man of many hats; a British author, journalist, adventurer, documentary filmmaker and television presenter. Not scared to venture into unpredictable territories, Simon offers viewers as much of a full story as possible to the things he is witnessing going on in the world related to politics, climate change and more. It’s hard to recommend a single travel series of his for you to watch, namely because there are so many, which all showcase different parts of the world in their own unique way. I will however share with you a quote that stuck with me from his episode in India from the Tropic of Cancer series: “The best thing about India is the Indians”. Although his quote is based on India, I believe this could be true of most parts of the world; after all, what is a piece of land without the people who inhabit it? They are the ones who make it what it is.
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild – Channel 5 & Amazon Prime Video
Ben Fogle is an English broadcaster, writer and adventurer who travels to some of the wildest and most remote places on earth to understand the lives of the people who have chosen to live in their new environments. The majority are wanderers looking to escape the rat race for various reasons in order to find a more sustainable way of living life. The episode where he meets former festival director Karen in Morocco who has set up an artists' retreat in the heart of the Sahara Desert is one that really resonated with me (season 9, episode 2). It brought home the beauty of travel; connecting with locals, understanding how it is to live in that destination – or in her case, environment and even giving back to those who have been of guidance to her along the way. It takes a strong person to leave everyone and most, if not all the comforts of the 21st century behind them; I have admiration for all the guests Ben spends time with, especially those also trying to raise a new generation with what could be classed as a better mentality than most of us as they are going back to living the simple life, with the bare minimum, giving back to the land and communities that have helped them along their journeys.
Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen – Discovery Plus & Amazon Prime Video
Yep, this one’s for the foodies! London born and bred TV chef Ainsley Harriott goes island hopping around the Caribbean. With his family routes tracing back to both Jamaica and Barbados, in this series, Ainsley pays homage to the islands that have inspired his cooking from an early age. There are two main reasons I had to include this show in my list. Firstly, my love for destinations with tropical climates and the Caribbean being where that stems from. Secondly, all the exotic fruits and flavours that have been influenced from different regions of the world which can be found in Caribbean cuisine. If my memory serves me correctly, this series was first aired at the beginning of 2019 and it was the episode in which he visits Grenada that influenced me to want to visit The Spice Island and stay at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, where some of the episode was shot. Which I did in November of the same year! Oh, and yes, you guessed it – another blog post (or 2) pending!
The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals – Netflix
Whilst this show is aimed towards those who prefer to rent accommodation rather than stay in a hotel, there are more than just houses to rent featured in this series! Offering something for every budget, follow Jo, Megan and Luis as they visit holiday rentals around the globe and share their expert tips and tricks. Megan Batoon is a comedic content creator and choreographer with a keen eye for design, finding the most budget friendly options for the trio to stay at. Jo Franco is a writer, traveller and polyglot who focuses on the mid-range properties. Luis D. Ortiz is a licensed real estate salesman who brings the luxurious aspect to the show with the more expensive properties. Not only do they showcase the various properties, you’ll also discover the experiences and activities you can participate in with a stay at each one. The range of different accommodations you get to have a peek into is crazy, but my top two most inspired episodes from season 1 would be ‘Best of Bali’ and ‘Bizarre B&Bs’.
I would like to take a minute to note that many of the series I have mentioned above have been running for years and some may not have new series or episodes being broadcast currently, but I do hope you’ll be able to find them online – even if it’s a YouTube clip to gain a better understanding of my explanations. I hope my suggestions inspire you to try new styles of travel and perhaps even think about visiting destinations you may not have thought to!
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