The Travel Diaries

Today’s bonus episode is a real treat, because we're going on safari! Whether you've dreamt of spotting the Big Five - lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo - or exploring the more hidden gems of the wild, there's so much to uncover. And what better way to do it than with one of the world’s top wildlife filmmakers, making his return to the podcast - it’s Gordon Buchanan.

A safari is more than just a holiday—it’s a journey into nature, where you can see some of the planet’s most awe-inspiring animals up close, in their natural habitats. When we think of safaris, some of the most iconic destinations immediately come to mind.

There's Kenya’s Maasai Mara, famous for its open savannahs and incredible amount of wildlife. It’s in Kenya that you can witness one of nature’s most jaw-dropping spectacles—the Great Migration, when every year typically between July and October, over a million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles make a perilous journey from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Mara in Kenya, searching for fresh grazing lands. It’s the perfect time to witness dramatic river crossings and heart-stopping predator-prey interactions.

In Tanzania, the Serengeti offers a similar view, with endless plains stretching to the horizon, while Botswana’s Okavango Delta gives you a different kind of safari experience, with its winding waterways and lush landscapes where you can spot animals like hippos and crocodiles.

But as Gordon and I discuss on the episode today, you don’t need to go to Africa to enjoy an incredible safari. Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is a fantastic place to see leopards, elephants, and even sloth bears—Gordon has had some great encounters there. In India, you can track the majestic Bengal tiger through dense jungles, and in Madagascar, you’ll find unique species like lemurs and chameleons. And don’t forget other African countries like Namibia, Zambia, and even beyond to South America’s Pantanal in Brazil, where jaguars are the stars of the show.

The great thing about safaris is that they can be tailored to all kinds of budgets. In South Africa, for instance, Kruger National Park has everything from luxury lodges to more affordable self-drive options, where you can explore at your own pace. In Kenya, you can choose between high-end tented camps or simpler, yet comfortable lodges. So, whether you’re after a five-star experience or a more back-to-nature adventure, there’s something out there for everyone.

Gordon’s here to share his expert tips on where to go and what to see on safari, as well as some unforgettable moments from his travels. Plus, I’m really excited because he’s also going to tell us all about his latest project, the fantastic BBC show Big Cats 24-7.

Destination Recap:

• Serengeti
• Okavango Delta, Botswana
• Maun, Botswana
• Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
• Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Sri Lanka
• Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic

Big Cats 24-7 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.

With thanks to Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club for their support of today’s episode.

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Today I’m joined by the much loved chef, restauranteur and TV presenter, Tom Kerridge.

Tom’s worked in food since he was 18 years old, but he rose to fame when his pub in Buckinghamshire, The Hand and Flowers, went on to become the only pub in Britain with two Michelin stars. I, like many, got to know and love him on the BBC’s Great British Menu show, where he was the first chef to cook at the banquet two years in a row and he’s since gone on to release several best selling cook books and many popular TV shows. More recently, he’s made headlines with his dramatic 12 stone weight loss. As well as chatting a bit about that, Tom takes us on a journey across the UK, Europe, Asia and the US with his travel diaries, and lots of foodie recommendations along the way.

This is what I call a “long haul” episode - you’re getting a bit more this week because Tom is so lovely and we just couldn’t stop chatting. I hope you’ll really enjoy it.

Destination recap:

• Isle of Wight, England
• Ostend, Belgium
• Agistri, Greece
• Crete, Greece
• Paphos, Cyprus
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• New York, USA
• North Kent coast, England
• Whitstable, England
• The Good Shed, Canterbury, England
• The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury, England
• The Compasses Inn, Crundale
• The Sportsman, Seasalter
• Lapland
• India
• Japan

Tom’s new book, Lose Weight and Get Fit, is out now, and you can watch the accompanying BBC 2 series on Wednesday nights at 8.30pm.

Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a 5 star rating, why not do so now! Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast.

Come and find me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein - and to find out more about the podcast, visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com

This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein

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Today’s guest is a broadcasting legend. Whether it’s the Olympic Games, Paralympics, horse racing, Crufts, Wimbledon or so much more, Clare Balding has risen to national treasure status. She’s also a best-selling author, radio presenter and podcaster, in case you didn’t think she was busy enough!

Covering so many major TV events has taken Clare around the world, and then some. Her travel diaries take us from Mauritius to Costa Rica, Italy to Iona. She tells us how she once won her weight in champagne as a horse jockey; as a dog lover like me she shares her favourite dog friendly spots in the UK; we hear her take on the future of Emma Raducanu, and about the time the Queen turned up at her house for breakfast. All that coming up on The Travel Diaries.

Destination Recap:

• Chamonix, France
• Aspen, Colorado, USA
• Mauritius
• Four Seasons Hotel, Mauritius
• Sydney, Australia
• Melbourne, Australia
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Costa Rica
• Hotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Lewa, Kenya
• Galana, Kenya
• Tofauti charity
• Lucknam Park, Bath, England
• Whatley Manor, Wiltshire, England
• Holbeck Ghyll, Lake District, England
• Rosa Alpina, The Dolomites, Italy
• Puglia, Italy
• Umbria, Italy
• Iona, Scotland
• Northumberland, England
• Wigton, Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway
• Elephant Corridor, Sri Lanka
• Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Mexico
• Baltic Sea Cruise
• Fjord Cruise
• Panama Canal Cruise
• The Amazon Cruise
• South Pacific Cruise
• Alaska, USA

A big thanks to Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London for hosting us for our interview. Book your winter or Christmas staycation and enjoy Magical Mandarin Moments of delight from £740 per night.

To book your dream villa holiday visit The Thinking Traveller. The Thinking Traveller's collection of luxury villas across Italy, The Greek Islands, Corsica and Mallorca are some of the best properties out there for a villa holiday and come in all sizes, whether you're travelling as a couple or for a big family reunion.

Freddie’s Flowers - Get your first two boxes half price, at just £12.50 each with the code TRAVEL50 at freddiesflowers.com

British Airways x Visit Florida - Book your trip with confidence at BA.com/Florida

To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.

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Today, I'm joined by one of the most famous and successful chefs in the world and in history - Heston Blumenthal.

It was an unforgettable travel experience that inspired Heston to become a chef. He’s entirely self taught, and was working other odd jobs all the way until his late twenties, when he bought a small pub in Bray in Berkshire. He called it The Fat Duck, and it went on to be award three Michelin stars and to be named The World’s Best Restaurant.

A food pioneer, he’s been dubbed the Willy Wonka of cuisine, fascinated by the science behind the cooking. He’s become the king of experimental cuisine which has led to world famous dishes like snail porridge, parsnip cereal, and bacon and eggs ice cream. Oh, and did you know it was Heston who invented one of my favourite things to eat - the triple cooked chip.

This is definitely an unusual episode. Yes we cover travel, it’s a fundamental part of Heston’s food, and it was so fun to hear about some of the weird and wonderful things he’s eaten on his travels - not all of them happy memories, I should add! But honestly, I really felt like I was speaking to a true genius in this chat, it’s hard to find another way to describe it, and so we also cover off the meaning of life and philosophy, quantum physics and scientific theory. He is determined to push himself and others to think beyond the confines of our small minds, when it comes to both food and life.

I really hope you enjoy it.

Destination Recap:

• Praa Sands, Cornwall, England
• Regent’s Snack Bar, Edgware Road, London, England
• Baumanière, Hôtel Restaurant, Les Baux-de-Provence, France
• Les Alpilles, France
• Monastery Epiphany, Les Baux-de-Provence, France
• Turkey
• Siberia, Russia
• Iceland
• Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
• Korea
• The Amazon
• Peru
• Indonesia
• Polynesia

Tune in to Heston’s own podcast, Heston’s Journey to the Centre of Food which is available on all podcast apps and is great fun, it’s a must for foodies.

Well, that’s a wrap for Season 4, thank you all for joining me along the way, wherever you are in the world. Thank you for spreading the word about the podcast, sharing your favourite episode on your social media, telling your friends, leaving lovely reviews and sending me the most amazing messages, it has been amazing, especially to feel so connected and part of our little travel diaries community, that you’ve all created, during a time where we often otherwise feel quite disconnected.

If you’ve enjoyed listening to the podcast, remember to press subscribe on your podcast app, it’s free, and you’ll then get notified when Season 5 begins in the summer.

In the meantime, do stay in touch, I’m @hollyrubenstein on Instagram and Twitter.

Remember there’s all four seasons to keep you going until then, from Rick Stein and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, to Jo Malone and Raymond Blanc.

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Today’s guest is the queen of British Soul, a West End superstar, and an Olivier-award winner - Beverley Knight. If you've ever swayed to the rhythms of Beverley’s songs like "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" or "Come as You Are," you know that Beverley's voice has the power to transport you to another dimension. But what about the destinations that have transported her? She's also a seasoned traveler with a passport filled to the brim with stamps from around the world and today, she's going to take us on a journey through her most meaningful travel experiences, from New York to Brazil, Jamaica to The Bahamas, with such passion, and clear love of travel - she's got stories that will make your wanderlust soar!

So get ready to join us as we explore the world through the eyes and the incredible voice of the one and only Beverley Knight.

Destination Recap:

• Datça Peninsula, Turkey
• Istanbul, Turkey
• New York City, USA
• Tea and Sympathy, New York City, USA
• Sylvia’s, Harlem, New York City, USA
• Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
• Jamaica
• London
• Harbour Island, Bahamas
• Chicago, USA
• The Far East - Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, China

Beverley’s album, The Fifth Chapter, is out now.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next season come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

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