Armchair Explorer

In Oregon, the natural world doesn't just inspire awe -- it gives a touch of the sublime. In the words of one guide, it's "timeless...important for the soul of humankind." And today, we're immersing ourselves in those sublime experiences along the Central Nature Trail in Oregon! Follow along as we snowshoe to the top of Watchman Peak, for the best view over Crater Lake in the park – “like a sapphire embedded in the Earth”, as Aaron describes it. It’s exposed, it’s hair-raising and it’s worth every shaky step.  After that we head to Bend, one of Oregon’s premier adventure towns, for some sunset paddling along the Deschutes River surrounded by thousands of swallows, baby ospreys and a surprise visit from Oregon’s state animal.  Then it’s time to head underground for a spine-chilling 1000-foot descent into a lava tube, formed by a “River of Fire” over 7,000 years ago. We crawl through 18-inch-wide cracks, turn off our head lamps to experience true darkness and marvel at the geologic forces that could create this uniquely beautiful landscape.  We finish at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation for some “river therapy” and a fly-fishing lesson from a native guide. We learn about conserving native first foods, experience some river therapy and even catch a fish. Through it all, we’re going to explore the wonder and awe of the natural world in all its forms, from mile-high views to quiet moments listening to birdsong on the river.  CONNECT Interested in visiting Oregon and seeing the Central Nature Trail for yourself? Find out more at www.traveloregon.com or follow along on Instagram and Facebook @TravelOregon. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Florida Keys, the ocean isn't just part of the scenery. Because beneath those shimmering teal waters, there are adventures and discoveries just waiting to be found. And in today's episode, we'll explore two very different - yet equally captivating - gems of the Keys, with excerpts from two different episodes of the 30-part Florida Keys Traveler podcast. First, join host Elizabeth Harryman Lasley as she visits Marathon's Dolphin Research Center. Mandy Rodriguez co-founded DRC in 1984 as a research facility where dolphins are cared for and nurtured in a forever home. The results are something you'll have to hear to believe. (Hint: It really is possible to speak with them - and doing so has saved many lives). Then, Elizabeth speaks with Kim Fisher. In 1985, Kim's father Mel Fisher finally found the object of a deep-sea search spanning nearly 17 years. The Atocha shipwreck was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most valuable shipwreck treasure ever recovered, then worth an estimated $400 million. Join us for an episode that will have you eager to hop into the water by the time you're done. VISIT THE FLORIDA KEYS If you want to learn more about booking your own trip to experience the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to Fla-Keys.com. To call from the United States or Canada, dial 1 (800) FLA-KEYS or contact your travel advisor. SOCIAL For more details about Dolphin Research Center, and for details about this episode's featured dolphins, Pax and Talon, go to dolphins.org. For more information about Mel Fisher's Treasures, go to melfisher.com. The Florida Keys History Center, itself a treasure trove of Keys history, is located in the Key West Library: keyslibraries.org. And please help share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com. CREDITS This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Elizabeth Harryman-Lasley hosted and wrote the show. Jason Paton recorded, mixed, and sound designed it. Jenny Allison and Aaron Millar produced it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I'm sure bungee jumping is crazy and a real like adrenaline rush. But if you've never walked through Somalia with $15,000 in your backpack, you have never lived. You think you like adventure sports, but that is real, real pumping adrenaline.”  In this episode, American journalist Eric Czuleger takes us on a journey into the twilight zone of almost countries, the places in the world that are fighting for recognition: Kurdistan, Kosovo, Somaliland, and a tiny island called Liberland that has an insane story you will not believe.  We’re going to follow him into the throes of a political rally, dance in the streets doing shots, get hired as an ambassador, ride on a jet ski with a president and lots more. It’s a wild ride. But there’s a serious side to Eric’s story too. Before he became a writer, he worked as a geopolitical intelligence analyst (like stalking your ex on social media, he says, but your ex is terrorism). Every day he was forced to watch the violence and hatred that misplaced patriotism can create. He wanted to understand why. What was it about countries that makes us want to draw a line in the sand and point a gun? He decided to find out. Eric was sick of watching the world tear itself apart, he wanted to learn about the new ways that it was coming together. He wanted to watch a country being born.  CONNECT The book of this story is called You Are Not Here: Travels Through Countries That Don’t Exist. You can connect with Eric on Instagram @eczuleger and on Twitter(X) @eczuleger . He's also written two science fiction novels: Eternal L.A. And Immortal L.A. Finally, you can check out his speculative fiction podcast howl: strange short fiction for a strange short existence . SOCIAL Follow us Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Request a story? Message me! Sign up for the monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com  CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG @the_sweet_chap). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

St. Patrick might be the most famous of the Irish saints...but he's far from the most interesting. In 2023, St. Brigid’s Day was decreed a National Holiday in Ireland to honor Brigid. Over the millennia, this legendary woman has evolved into a figure encompassing myth, holy legend, pagan icon, and now modern feminist symbol. But who was Brigid, really? To answer that question, travel writer Nicola Brady set off around Ireland to see how she’s celebrated, and she found that there’s not one simple answer. Because, as with everything in Ireland, you never know quite what’s around the corner. Listen for a story that takes you into forests and through time, from the windswept hills of Downpatrick to ancient cathedrals of Kildare. And you just might encounter some fire dancers, divine poetry, and even a miniature Batman on a bicycle... Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: Judith Boyle from Boyle’s Pub  Phil O’Shea from Solas Bhríde Tom McCutcheon from the Kildare Heritage Center Musicians Lisa Lambe and Moya Brennan Brigid Watson from Sustainable Journeys Ireland And poets Laura Murphy and Grainne Tobin. Also, much of the music you’ve heard in this episode was recorded live in St. Brigid’s Cathedral. Thank you to Hot Press for helping with the recording and thanks to all the performers from that evening as well. And a big thanks to Paula O’Brien of Brigid 1500 for helping us onsite. The show was hosted by Nicola Brady, and you can find her work at NicolaBrady.com. And if you want to learn more about booking your own trip to experience the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to Ireland.com or follow along on social media @Tourism Ireland. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com. CREDITS This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Jason Paton recorded, mixed, and sound designed the show. Charles Tyrie helped with the editing. Jenny Allison and Aaron Millar produced it. Nicola Brady hosted and wrote it. Thanks so much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Van Gujjar tribes spend half of each year living deep in the forests of northern India and the other half high on the mountain plains of the Himalayas. Herding water buffalo, whose milk nourishes and sustains their livelihoods, every Van Gujjar family makes an annual migration from their winter home in the forests to their summer grazing fields in the Himalayas. That is -- until now. Faced with the threat of losing their herds and their grazing lands to the development of national parks, many Van Gujjar families are facing an uncertain future. And when author Michael Benanav heard of their situation and wanted to learn more, he decided there was only one way to truly understand. So he joined them on their yearly migration. Over six weeks, 125 miles, and over 11,000 feet in elevation gain, Michael and his hosts traveled on an unforgettable journey. This is a story about the changing of the seasons, a vanishing way of life, and the connections we make with the land that sustains us. FIND MICHAEL You can get your copy of Himalaya Bound: One Family's Quest to Save Their Animals and an Ancient Way of Life wherever books are sold (we particularly love local bookshops!) and read more about the book on its dedicated website, HimalayaBound.com. Find more of Michael's writing and photography on his website, MichaelBenanav.com. Learn more about SOPHIA, the Dehradun NGO featured in the episode, at Sophia.org.in. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG @the_sweet_chap). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are going to Nashville, Tennessee The Country Music Capital of the World … but don’t worry you don’t have to love country to love Nashville. It is a music town. If you like listening to live music – who doesn’t? – then this is a musical odyssey you must take at least once in your life. We’re going to have some fun, we’re going backstage at 3 rd and Lyndsey, one of Nashville’s most iconic venues, to meet the songwriters who are the beating heart of Nashville and hear a song or two. We’re going to stand on the stage of the legendary Ryman Auditorium, where everyone from johnny cash to Aretha Franklin have played. And of course, we’re going to party on Broadway, Nashville’s ‘Honky Tonk Highway’, row after row of raucous saloons, where you can listen to live music from 10am to 3am seven days a week. It’s like being caught in a maelstrom of sound. The band’s about to go on stage, turn it up to 11 … we’re going to Nashville, Tennessee. Connect with us - Tell us what you think of this episode, what you’d like to hear more of, and where you’re dreaming of going next. If you like travel and adventure, we’re going to get on well. Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexploerpodcast Newsletter: www.armchair-explorer.com We did six episodes on this series, if you like this one scroll back in the feed to find a few more… Memphis & The Birth of Rock n’ Roll and Soul, and The Tennessee Whisky Trail are two of our favorites. Or check out the Tennessee Music Pathways podcast for the full series. -- Our On-Location episodes take a lot of time and money to produce, so we partner with destinations to make it happen. They help with the costs. But the storytelling is all ours. Thanks to the folks at Tennessee Tourism. Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented this episode, and Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Find our other shows at www.Armchair-Productions.com. Armchair Explorer is part of APT Podcast Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I will show you my Amazon - the Amazon that visitors never get to see." When Alex Robinson heard those words, he knew he was in for the adventure of a lifetime. His guide, Saru Mundurucu, had recently founded his own adventure and travel company, Aracá Expeditions. As the first and only Amazon adventure company owned and operated by an indigenous Amazonian, Saru promised Alex an experience unlike any other - and he delivered. Immerse yourself in rich, abundant landscapes as Alex he recounts his eye-opening voyage down the Rio Negro. You'll float along, sipping caipirinhas on the deck of Saru's boat; you'll paddle through the flooded forest in Jaú National Park; you'll come face to face with some of the Amazon's most elusive wildlife, from giant otters to river dolphins. The trip culminates with a hike up the remote Serra Do Aracá  - a mountain which Saru describes as a place "like the world before humans walked the earth." From gorgeous descriptions to surprising and touching anecdotes, this is a story you won't want to miss. FIND ALEX Follow Alex on Instagram @AlexRobinsonPhotography or on X (Twitter) @AlexRobPhoto. You can also find his writing in Wanderlust at WanderlustMagazine.com. And check out their podcast, Wanderlust: Off the Page, for plenty of interviews with other incredible writers! You can also book this episode's featured trip, and other travels with Saru, through his company Aracá Expeditions at Aracá Expeditions.com. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG @the_sweet_chap). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're embracing our weird in Oregon as we explore the Northern Culture Trail! We’re going to discover Portland’s favorite food carts, sample food from around the world and go on a secret bar crawl to hidden local spots. “Portland is the rebel base of the Star Wars universe, we’re sticking it to the forces of normal,” Dresden of Throw Snakes told us. We’re going to have some fun! From there we hit the road south to the Willamette Valley to sip some of the most delicious Pinot Noir grapes in the world. But this isn’t pinky up drinking, this is down-to-earth wine-tasting in craft vineyards, surrounded by the beautiful rolling vines of the Dundee Hills. Lastly, we visit the Eugene Saturday Market, Oregon’s premier art market, to meet the makers who helped turn this artist community into one of the most thriving creative hubs in the Pacific Northwest. We finish at Harmonic Laboratory, an experimental artist collective pushing the boundaries of visual arts, soundscapes, and technology. It’s going to blow your mind. Through it all, we’ll reveal why, here in Oregon, weird isn’t strange; it’s the spark from which the best things grow. Find out more at www.traveloregon.com . Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're journeying to Lake Baikal, the largest, oldest, deepest freshwater lake in the world...and to get there, we're crossing over a thousand miles in Mongolia and Russia by camel, horse, kayak, and rowboat. Like all lakes, Lake Baikal exists because of a river. And in 2018, fishing and river guide Peter Fong led the first-ever expedition from the headwaters of Mongolia’s Delgermörön (Selenge) River all the way to Lake Baikal. As Peter writes, "Rowing to Baikal is about the fish and wildlife that call the river home. About the personal risks of prolonged flooding and sudden snowstorms. About the human history of the region, from the Bronze Age to the fall of the Soviet Union. About the people who live in the basin now—from nomadic herders to construction workers—and their attitudes toward development and conservation. About the old gods and legends that haunt the mountains. And about the disparate possible futures for one of the most starkly beautiful places on Earth." FIND PETER Get Peter's book about the expedition, Rowing to Baikal, at RowingToBaikal.com or at your local bookshop. Half of the proceeds from book sales are supporting the International Taimen Initiative via the Wild Salmon Center, so it supports a great cause! There's also an excellent video trailer on the website, so make sure to check that out. And to keep up with his other work, follow him on Instagram @PWFong. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're returning to the mountains of Colorado to hear about the adventures of Isabella Bird, a British explorer who famously ascended Longs Peak in 1873 with her guide and companion Jim Nugent. The story of Bird and Jim illuminates the early history and character of Estes Park, as her writings helped establish the town as a tourist destination, and parallels with the broader historic myth of the frontier and the American west. Bird remains an inspiration to the locals of Estes Park, including restaurateur Melissa Strong. We visit her new restaurant Bird & Jim to hear of her near-death experience and learn how Isabella’s determination to break the conventions of the time was an inspiration for Melissa’s subsequent recovery. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"There are eight species of bears on the planet. Six of them are threatened everywhere they live." Thus begins Beartrek, a documentary which took Chris Morgan nearly 8 years to make. In Beartrek, he follows the lives of several individual bears around the world, from a friendly spectacled bear in Peru's arid mountains to a shy sun bear cub in the muggy rainforests of Borneo. Chris, a British-born ecologist, conservationist, TV presenter, and podcast host, has spent most of his adult life learning about bears and telling their stories. His interest in ursidae began with one very interesting nighttime trip to a dumpster in New Hampshire (listen to the episode for the full story); now, he's one of the world's foremost bear storytellers. Follow along with Chris as he recounts some of Beartrek's most memorable moments - some of which never made it to the screen - as well as the work he's doing today with bears around the world. You'll travel from Canada's icy Arctic tundra to the humid rainforests of the Indo-pacific, and you'll learn the names - and life stories - of some bears you'll never forget. FIND CHRIS Listen to Chris's incredible podcast, The Wild, wherever you find your podcasts, and follow it on IG @TheWildPod. You can also rent or buy Beartrek, his documentary featured in today's episode, on Amazon Prime. Finally, follow all of his work on his website, ChrisMorganWildlife.org, or on socials @ChrisMorganWildlife. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is a little bit different - because our very own Aaron Millar is our guest! This re-released episode is one of the most memorable conversations he's ever had, and we're very excited to share it with you. In this interview, which originally aired with the Adventure Sports Podcast in 2020, Aaron shares stories from his years as a travel writer - from doing a ridiculous 100-mile pub crawl in Britain to trekking with Shugendo monks in Japan. He also shares a never-before-shared story about surviving Thailand's devastating 2004 tsunami, which you won't want to miss. If you've always been curious to learn more about the man behind the show, sit back and get ready for a conversation that is at times silly, at times sentimental, and at all times thoughtful. FIND MASON AND THE ADVENTURE SPORTS PODCAST Listen to the Adventure Sports Podcast everywhere you can find podcasts, or learn more on their website AdventureSportsPodcast.com. You can also find Mason on Instagram @alive_adventures. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's hard to imagine Christmas without reindeer. But long before the beloved antlered animals were pulling Santa's sleigh, they were providing a way of life for indigenous peoples around the world, including the Nenets of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula. The Nenets of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula are among the world’s oldest existing true nomads, making a living by herding reindeer in a place that literally translates to ‘the end of the world.’ And when Christine Amour-Levar learned that she had a third-degree connection to the tribe, she set about arranging an unprecedented trek to accompany them during their southward migration. Five months later, she was leading the largest - and only all-female - group that the Nenets had ever hosted, as they prepared to live, migrate, and journey alongside the tribe for a week. Cozy up and get ready for an episode that celebrates this traditional symbol of the holidays in a decidedly non-traditional way...even including the occasional consumption of fresh reindeer blood. FIND CHRISTINE Follow Christine Amour-Levar on Instagram (@christineamourlevar) or visit her website at christineamourlevar.com for more incredible stories, photos of her expeditions, and more. You can also find her book, Wild Wisdom: Life Lessons From Leading Teams to Some of the Most Inhospitable Places in the World, online or at your local bookstore. Finally, we encourage you to learn more about her two nonprofit organizations, Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth, where you can volunteer, donate - or even sign up for an upcoming expedition yourself! SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Alastair Humphreys was young, he craved something unknowable. That something - adventure, excitement, wisdom, whatever it was - was close. But he suspected that in order to find it, he'd have to step outside of the familiar shapes of his routines. He'd have to break free from the expectations of his friends and family, of advanced degrees and office jobs and apartment living. In his search for something, he moved to a rural village in Africa at 18. And after university, he cycled across 6 continents and pedaled the circumference of the globe. But he still hadn't quite found that something - and his quest for it would reveal a truth that would change everything. Whether you're looking for an epic saga about a cross-continental bike trip or the wildest story about playing the violin you've ever heard, you're going to enjoy this episode about the many types of adventure that exist, how we can have them, and why we need them. FIND ALASTAIR Learn more about Alastair, his adventures, and his books at his website, AlastairHumphreys.com, or follow him on Instagram @Al_Humphreys. Find his latest book, Local, wherever books are sold (though we recommend ordering from your local bookshop!). SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It's kind of interesting that people that come here to Crazy Horse Memorial, because it's almost like there's a spiritual calling. They don't know quite what it is. But they feel it.” – Paul LaRoche, Lakota tribe member and founder of the band Brulé The great Lakota Sioux Nation have become the international symbol of America’s native people. Over 60,000 Lakota Native Americans live in South Dakota, and they believe that their very creation began in the Black Hills. Join us as we delve deep into South Dakota’s rich native American history and culture. We begin our adventure by stepping out onto the arm of the Crazy Horse memorial with head carver Caleb Zilokowski (the grandson of Korczak Ziolkowski, who started it back in 1947). At the base of Crazy Horse, we join Paul LaRoche who has been coming to Crazy Horse for 25 years with his award-winning band Brulé. Through his music and dance we learn about Paul’s journey back into a Native American life he knew nothing about. Along the way we uncover what makes Native American culture in South Dakota so unique. And as you hear these stories and the history of this fascinating and colorful culture, you’ll soon discover that you need to experience South Dakota for yourself. Find out more at travelsouthdakota.com where you'll find lots of inspiration, ideas and everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure. Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Learn more at armchair-productions.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Humans are meant to excel. And when you start pushing that and seeing how capable we are, it's phenomenal what you can actually go and do." -Justin Packshaw When Justin Packshaw was trekking in Antarctica several years ago, he noticed something disturbing: The ice shelf had visibly melted since his previous visit, just a few decades prior. "In the grand scheme of how old our world is, and its present state, that's a really quite frightening thing," he said. And with that, he had an idea. Not all scientists have the time, resources, or, frankly, the stamina to conduct invaluable in-person research in the heart of Antarctica, which holds the record as the world's coldest, windiest, and driest continent. But Justin did. He and his adventure partner, Jamie Facer-Childs, proposed a data-gathering mission to several universities: They would cross Antarctica's heart and gather critical scientific data about climate change. But other agencies were interested in the trip as well. As it turns out, pushing the human body to its limits - physically, psychologically, mentally - is one of the key areas of research for space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency. Justin and Jamie's expedition would collect critical data on behavior, coping abilities, teamwork, endurance, even eyesight, that would be invaluable for future space missions in which astronauts will live for years in a space no larger than a studio apartment. This is a good, old-fashioned adventure romp - but it's more than that too. It's also a story about science, psychology, Mars, and climate change. It's about how we cope with the most extreme physical challenges imaginable and ultimately how that defines us as humans. FIND JUSTIN Learn more about Justin and his adventures at his website, JustinPackshaw.com, or follow him on Instagram @JustinPackshaw. Find more details about the Antarctica expedition at ChasingTheLight2021.com. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yolo County in Northern California is one of the world’s premier destinations for slow food. But that doesn’t mean waiting for your dinner - it means savoring every bite and building a connection to the land from which it comes. We live in a fast world. 20% of all meals are eaten in cars. One third of Americans eat fast food every single day. That has consequences. When we forget that food isn’t grown in supermarket aisles or materialized in drive-through windows, when we fail to remember that the true joy of food comes not from the instant gratification of everything all the time, but from the scarcity of the seasons, and the rhythms of the land, we sell ourselves – and our tastebuds – short. That’s what this episode is about, and we’ll be unpacking what that means on a slow food road trip across Yolo County, exploring fresh organic farms, meeting the leaders in Yolo’s Slow Food movement, and eating one of the best meals you will ever eat. “Slow food is a way of both reminiscing, and yet bringing food into the present with a shinier sense of purpose. It's allowing those who aren't privileged enough to be stewards of the land to enter into that world, even if only for a few hours. And through doing that, without listening to a sermon or reading a book, they are experiencing those values and then they can take it home.” - Ann Evans Ready for a delicious food and wine vacation in Yolo County? Plan your own road trip at VisitYolo.com. Also, please share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're digging into the Armchair Explorer archives to bring you one of our favorite - and most ridiculous - stories. If Monty Python went on a road trip, this is what it would be. Follow along with journalist Simon Parker as he travels 2,500-miles and two weeks across the length of India … ...in a rickshaw. You read that right. The rickshaw is 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. It's essentially a glorified lawn mower. 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 of his friends traveled 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 was 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 would happen in between? Nobody was certain - that was the point. FIND SIMON AND THE ADVENTURISTS Follow Simon's work and see his photography on his website, SimonWParker.co.uk, or on Instagram and social media @SimonWiParker. Considering a rickshaw run yourself? Learn more about all the crazy exploits of the Adventurists at TheAdventurists.com. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 'Old West' is alive and well in Laramie, a small city at the southern edge of Wyoming's great expanse. Here, ghosts of outlaws stalk the streets as the bustle of 21st century commerce and culture whirs to life. This is a pioneering town to its core - a place where layers of history intermingle with the ever-evolving, trailblazing present. And today, you'll come to see why Laramie is known as the place where 'the Old West meets the New.' Join us as we embrace the cowboy lifestyle in its entirety - from booting up with Western apparel to going horseback riding, sitting around a campfire, and even visiting the infamous Wyoming Territorial Prison - the only one to ever hold the legendary Butch Cassidy. By the end of the episode, you'll be ready to saddle up and ride! Interested in recreating some of the experiences from today's episode? Plan your trip at VisitLaramie.org. Also, please share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wildlife poaching is a complicated problem. But for many years, most anti-poaching groups had only one way of fighting it. Many organizations adopted the same formula: A battalion of men, armed to the teeth, ready to act as a last line of defense between the poachers and the animals. But these efforts lacked community stewardship - they didn't build solutions, they burned bridges. They were costly, they were deadly, and they were lacking one critical thing: Women. Now, Akashinga - Africa's first all-women, plant-based, armed anti-poaching group - has forged a new model for anti-poaching and conservation. Beginning as a group of 16 women, Akashinga is now over 600 strong, protecting over 9 million acres across several countries. Each Akashinga ranger comes directly from the communities that she is working to protect. And the ripple effects are massive, shifting conservation into something truly community-led and sustainable. Despite their revolutionary approach, the group was founded by somebody who never expected to be working in anti-poaching. Damien Mander is an Australian who began his career working in some of the most elite military groups in the world. When he developed a passion for anti-poaching, he knew he had to do something. "I had two things," he says, "and those were particular set of skills, and some money." So he liquidated his life savings to train the first class of the women who would become the original Akashinga Rangers. This is a story about how to truly build change from the ground up, how to protect what matters most, and how to harness one of the most powerful forces on this planet - women - to create a more vibrant future for everyone. FIND AKASHINGA AND DAMIEN Learn more about Akashinga on their website, Akashinga.org. You can watch the National Geographic short film titled 'Akashinga: The Brave Ones' on National Geographic's website or on Disney Plus. You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook, X, and other social channels @weareakashinga. SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website. CREDITS This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap. Cover artwork courtesy of Akashinga.org. In-episode video excerpts from the short film courtesy of National Geographic and Akashinga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices