Bizarre Travel Tales podcast

Longtime travel journalist Spud Hilton focuses on stories about the wild and weird side of the planet and the people who roam around it.

Very strange sister cities! Is Shakespeare's theater a faux Globe?

In this episode: Three towns that have really unfortunate names find there's strength in pairing up as the "League of Extraordinary Communities." Considering how many "authentic" recreations of the Globe Theater there are, how come no one knows what the original looked like? --------- Subscribe: https://podfollow.com/1468333563  Written & produced by @SpudHilton Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bizarretraveler   Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bizarretraveler/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BizarreTraveler 

08-19
08:51

Portland's famously unknown statue! Fixing ATMs in Antarctica!

In this episode of Bizarre Travel Tales: Public art statue in Portland should be called "Attack of the 50-foot Woman's Lawyers"! If it's hard to believe there are ATMs in Antarctica, imagine being the guy who has to go fix them! An Italian guy misplaces his car during Oktoberfest — for more than a month! --------- Subscribe: https://podfollow.com/1468333563  Written & produced by @SpudHilton Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bizarretraveler   Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bizarretraveler/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BizarreTraveler   

08-10
11:13

Soviet spaceships in Kansas! Teddy bear trauma! Stuck on It's a Small World!

In this episode: Troves of Cold War space-race history finds a home in the Heartland at the Cosmosphere museum in Kansas! EasyJet stops a 6-year-old girl from flying with her stuffed bear, calling it "excess baggage." A Disneyland guest sues after being stuck on the "It's a Small World" ride — and wins. --------- Subscribe: https://podfollow.com/1468333563    Written & produced by @SpudHilton   Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bizarretraveler     Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bizarretraveler/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/BizarreTraveler   

07-21
10:08

How to Quaff like an Egyptian! Hummable highway history!

In this episode: Actor make highway history! Archaeologists in Egypt find a beer-making operation from before Stonehenge existed! Air New Zealand gets 'brand ambassadors' to use their heads!

07-09
09:35

Griswold's Truckster still truckin'! The 1,800-mile detour!

In this episode: Buyer pays $100,000 for a replica of most unfortunate station wagon in road-trip history. Thanks to GPS, a Belgian woman driving to the Brussels airport to pick up a friend ends up in Croatia.

06-14
07:08

Grounded: What's a road-trip song — and what's not

Whether it’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash or Chuck Berry’s version of “Route 66,” road-trip anthems are a great part of travel culture. But there's a big difference between “road-trip songs” and “songs that are fun to play on a road-trip.” On this episode of GROUNDED!, I talk about the difference and why it matters.

06-09
06:47

King of the DMZ! Florence museum gets Galileo's digits!

In this episode: The ruins of a Korean king's castle still reside in the world's most dangerous eco-park! Geography trivia from South (and North) of the Border! A relic of one of science's saints is at home in Florence.

06-02
10:11

TSA scans carry-on corpse! Stripping down in a National Park!

In this episode: The TSA scans a carry-on corpse that gives new meaning to the term “dead-heading!” Secret Garden State: The mystery behind New Jersey’s only nude beach!

05-27
09:00

Harry Potter and the Stranger's Tomb! Sniffing out the Skunk Ape!

In this episode: Fan's of JK Rowling's books seek out selfies in grave situations! A Florida man continues his 30-year quest for Bigfoot’s cousin.

05-23
10:16

Summits and equations! Stranded on United! Museum of instant noodles!

In this episode: Why Everest isn't really the tallest; the reason United Airlines has a PR department; and a museum dedicated to the inventor of Top Ramen.

05-20
08:57

Stuck in a toilet at 200mph! UFO no-fly zone! Samosas in space!

In this episode: Why France’s high-speed rail system needs a bigger plunger; why a European village calls UFOs illegal aliens; and why a British restaurant owner thinks his take-out food should be taken waaay out.

05-17
09:01

Caribbean igloos! Musical road-trips! A tiny skyscraper!

In this episode of Bizarre Travel Tales: Eskimo homes in the Caribbean; why the greatest American road trip song isn't American; a skyscraper proves not everything is bigger in Texas.

05-13
07:56

Chest size matters! Pamplona bull's revenge! Cannabis carry-on!

In this episode of Bizarre Travel Tales: Exploring chest size in the furniture capital of the world! Running of the bulls author should have read his own book! What happens when Japanese airport security stashes pot in your luggage.

05-10
08:08

Grounded: Is a language barrier always a barrier?

We rely so much on spoken and written language when we travel, but is it possible that focusing too much on it prevents us from communicating other ways? Longtime travel journalist Spud Hilton explores the topic in a new Inappropriate Traveler podcast feature called Grounded!, an audio column looking at the myths, cliches and assumptions that many make about travel.

03-31
07:03

Nora Dunn on using a tramp stamp as a passport

Longtime travel blogger and train fanatic Nora Dunn talks about what happens when Eastern medicine goes south, emptying vomit buckets in Peru, the downside to skydiving naked, and why zip-off convertible pants are a sign of the apocalypse. (Episode contains adult language and content.)

12-18
01:00:44

Flying with Afrika America is never a drag

Drag performer Afrika America brings fun and fabulousness to everything she does — including her day job as a flight attendant. She chats about tragically oblivious passengers, why Chicago is great for cutting loose (Boystown!), being a glutton in New Orleans, and discovering there are African American people in Salt Lake City. (Episode contains adult language and content.)

11-05
01:02:08

Nomadic life makes Matt Kepnes a hostel witness

Longtime blogger, entreprenuer and author Matt Kepnes talks about what life on the road for a decade is really like, missing a flight because of a hangover, why Paris is great for the deadly sin of gluttony, and a failed attempt to sleep through an orgy in Prague. (Episode contains adult language and content.)

09-24
37:20

Pam Mandel and Seattle's secret piles of pot

Veteran blogger and outspoken travel advocate Pam Mandel (@NerdsEyeView) chats about people-watching in Waikiki, why road trips are the best travel (hint: stopping for pie), telling truth to tourism outlets, and lusting after Cambodian monks.

08-28
47:20

Gary Arndt and sleeping naked at Disney World

Gary Arndt, one of the world's most popular travel gurus, talks about where to get pork ribs in Tel Aviv, the art of "paleo showering," his Catholic-suffering approach to air travel, the origin or the "pornstache" and why he would prefer snakes over infants on an airplane. (Episode contains adult language and content.)

08-13
53:59

Rich Grant and cannabis vaping at funerals

Veteran travel writer and blogger Rich Grant talks about drinking scotch from Coke cups, why the ruins at Pompeii need a bar, supplying strippers with convention swag, and why Disney's Star Wars land is better than the Pyramids of Egypt. Host: Spud Hilton (@spudhilton) Location: Anaheim Hilton, Anaheim, Calif., USA Theme music: "Camelboots," by 84 Rooms (1982)

07-30
34:51

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