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In the fall of 1990, correspondent Tom Wilmer spent time on the Rainbow Warrior II while the vessel and crew were in the midst of an environmental awareness campaign in British Columbia. Back in 1985 the French Intelligence Service bombed the Greeneace flagship vessel Rainbow Warrior in the port of Aukland, New Zealand. Straight away Greenpeace sourced a replacement vessel and in July 1989 a former the three-masted schooner, deep-sea fishing vessel was rechristened as the Rainbow Warrior II in Hamburg, Germany. Fast forward in time—the Rainbow Warrior II was sold in 2011, replaced by the Rainbow Warrior III which entered service in October 2011. The Rainbow Warrior II was ultimately scrapped on a Bangladesh beach in 2018. In celebration of the 31 st anniversary of Tom Wilmer’s travel show broadcasts airing over NPR affiliate KCBX, and Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer podcasts, we travel back in time to the fall of 1990 and re-share the Rainbow Warrior show as a Best-of-the Best

Join associate producer Molly Blaisdell and 30-year winemaker Jamie Hilgendorf for an exploration of Mendocino Coast’s coveted wine culture with the proprietors of Foursight Wines and Long Meadow Ranch Winery as well as the distinctive accommodations at Sheep Dung Properties and Alegria Oceanfront Inn & Cottages . Mendocino is part of the growing trend of micro-trip escapes for those eager to start traveling again. Whether you’re interested in exploring the dramatic shoreline and hiking your way through some of California’s most beautiful hiking trails or sipping your way through Mendocino’s robust wine region and sampling the organic coastal cuisine, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Underwriting support for Journeys of Discovery provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel

It all started back in 1930 when Nick Bullington was working as an advance man for Ringling Brothers Circus. He discovered a killer bowl of Chile while staying at a San Antonio Hotel. It was the Chili spurred Nick to open his own eatery in downtown Roanoke , Virginia --dubbed the Texas Tavern in homage to the San Antonio hostelry where he fell in love with the Chili. The chili dish is still on the menu and Nick’s grandson Matt Bullington continues his grandfather’s legacy. Not much has changed at all, including the exterior facade, and inside there's the same 1o swivel stools for sitdown dining---Matt says, "we can feed a thousand people--ten at a time". The Chili remains a big draw along with the Cheesy Western burger. Join correspondent Tom Wilmer in downtown Roanoke for a visit with Matt at the legendary Texas Tavern. The Texas Tavern show was originally broadcast back in 2011 and is reposted as a best-of-the-best travel feature in celebration of Journeys of Discovery's 31st

Who knew Boonville, California would be the destination of an enviable and legendary sparkling wine enterprise with a centuries long French connection? Correspondent Molly Blaisdell and her associate Jamie Hilgendorf explore, taste and learn about Mendocino Coast’s legendary sparkling wines at R oederer Estates in Anderson Valley. Jean-Claude Rouzaud, former president of Champagne Louis Roederer, purchased the 580-acre Anderson Valley vineyard and winery site in 1982. Since its production debut in 1988, Roederer Estates remains as one of California’s premier sparkling wine producers. Join Blaisdell and Higendorf to learn the rest of the story in the realm of the legendary Mendocino Coast region. Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery

Correspondent Randi Hair reports from Templeton, California where she visits with Eric Alexiev who spent his formative years on the central coast. His father was born and raised in Bulgaria and Eric was immersed as a kid with the cuisine, culture, and stories shared by his father, Alex Alexiev , and Bulgarian friends at the dinner table. The capital city of Sophia and Bulgaria were ingrained in Eric’s thoughts as he grew up. Two years after leaving Templeton High School, Alexiev first visited Bulgaria in 2013. He says, “it felt as familiar as any unknown place could feel. I decided to try living in Bulgaria and I moved to the capital city of Sofia in early 2019”. Join the conversation with Ms. Hair and Eric Alexiev about why he moved to Bulgaria and tales about what a native Californian might experience--the good and bad—relative to living in Eastern Europe. Eric works for Bulgarian Analytica a socio-political website based in Sophia, Bulgaria. Eric’s grandfather, Rayko Nikolov

Join the journey to explore the past and present of Oakridge , Tennessee—the town that was dubbed Secret City as more than 75,000 workers settled in during WWII to develop the nuclear bomb. We’ll then stop in for a visit at Los Alamos National Labs , New Mexico (dubbed Atomic City) also formed in total secrecy during WWII to develop the first nuclear bomb. Both towns continue high-tech research for the Department of Energy, including environmental issues, 3-D printing and much more. Not far from Los Alamos is White Sands Missile Range , New Mexico where the first plutonium bomb was detonated at Trinity Site in July 1945. Adjacent is White Sands National Park with the world’s largest array of white sand dunes where we visit with park rangers about cool things to do.

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a conversation with Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County's Public Health Director about dealing with COVID-19 over the past year, and best hope scenerios looking in to the near term future. Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama.

Quynh and David Rathkamp made a dramatic transition in their lives. They both gave up successful medical practices to save the world one beer at a time. They started the Save the World Brewing Company in Marble Falls , Texas and their business became the first 100 percent philanthropic production brewery in America with all net profits earmarked for worthy causes such as Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels. David realized his true passion in life was crafting fine Belgium-style beers and both Quynh and David share a passionate quest to help the less fortunate, close to home and around the world. Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Quynh and David at Canyon of The Eagles Resort in Burnet County in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. This show was selected as a “Best-of-the-Best” travel show selected from the Journeys’ archives encompassing the past 31 years. Quynh and David's show originally aired as an NPR affiliate KCBX on-air broadcast and podcast September 13, 2016.

Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Abe Marquez, president of the Foundation at Hearst Castle . Marquez shares insights about the foundation’s ongoing educational programs that inspire and empower young students from underserved communities via hands on STEAM programs. Marquez met with Wilmer at the historic Hacienda, designed to serve as William Randolph Hearst’s ranch headquarters by legendary architect Julia Morgan. The Foundation's educational programs include customized tours of Hearst Castle and a guided exploration of nearby San Simeon Bay and Pier , aligned with grade-appropriate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum. Abe Marquez, a longtime foundation benefactor was born and raised in a small agricultural community, Marquez went to grammar and high school in Gonzales, California, and attended Hartnell College in Salinas. He has been involved with the agriculture industry for 50+ years, including: 24 years with Gonzales Irrigation Systems; 40

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for an exploration of Kona Historical Society’s, Kona Coffee Living History farm , the onetime home of the Uchida Coffee farm founded in 1913. Discover how Kona coffee was grown and harvested by the pioneering Japanese farmers on the Big Island of Hawaii . Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory , iHeartRadio , Apple Podcast , the NPR One App & Stitcher.com . Twitter: TomCWilmer. Instagram: Thomas.Wilmer. The Kona Coffee History show was selected as a “Best-of-the-Best” travel show from the Journeys’ archives encompassing the past 31 years. This show was originally broadcast December 28, 2016 as an NPR affiliate KCBX on-air broadcast and NPR One

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer at U.S. Army Reserve base Fort Hunter Liggett in Monterey County for a conversation with the crew of Mercy Air medevac operations: area manager Jared Szaroleta, flight nurse Leslie Brown and pilot Jason Martin. Mercy Air's primary mission is to support U.S. Army Reserve operations at Fort Hunter Liggett but they also respond to civilian casualties in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. Mercy Air maintains a 24-hour presence for medevac service at Fort Hunter Liggett, with four crews and two helicopters. Mercy Air's corporate parent, Air Methods , maintains 300 bases in 48 states with a complement of 400 aircraft. Operations were recently added at Paso Robles Airport. Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of

Join correspondent Tom Wilmer reporting from Chickamauga National Military Park at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia for a conversation with U.S. National Park Ranger Lee White. Specializing in the human aspects of the Civil War soldiers, Ranger White shares insights about what they ate, the clothes and boots they wore, the diseases that killed them by the thousands, and their emotional state of being as documented in their poignant letters home. The battle of Chickamauga occurred in the fall and winter of 1863. It was one of the bloodiest Civil War battles, and in commemoration the site was established as the first National Military Park in 1890, and it is one of the first National Park sites in America. Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of

Since the 2021 St. Patrick’s Festival Parade in Dublin, Ireland was cancelled due to the pandemic, we decided to time travel back to 2012 and repost our live on-location feature show about the breadth of festival activities as well as the illustrious parade’s history. Join us in Dublin for a “Best-of-the-Best” travel show selected from the Journeys’ archives encompassing the past 31 years. The St. Patrick’s Festival show was originally broadcast March 17, 2012 as an NPR affiliate KCBX on-air broadcast and podcast. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory , iHeartRadio , Apple Podcast , the NPR One App & Stitcher.com . Twitter: TomCWilmer. Instagram: Thomas.Wilmer. Underwriting support provided by Nashville's Big Back Yard economic initiative focused on rural communities in the southwest quarter of Tennessee and the Shoals Region of Northern Alabama.

Join Wayne Craig with Visit Lodi and Kristina Swanson, executive director of the San Joaquin County Historical Society & Museum and Phillip Merlo, director of education. Lodi and the surrounding area has been an integral part of California’s agricultural endeavors since the dawning days of the Gold Rush. In addition to Lodi’s long history as a premier grape growing region it's also an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts—from biking and hiking to kayaking on lakes and rivers. Lodi is a strategic base camp for explorations of nearby Gold Country destinations, Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.

The Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel’s Top of the Mark has been the place to see and be seen in "The City by the Bay" since WWII. In addition to an array of signature libations and memorable cuisine, the Top of the Mark has also been a legendary San Francisco gathering spot for live music for close to a century. The Top of the Mark show originally aired back in July 2011, but it remains as a classic “evergreen” production where the majority of the content remains as timeless and relevant today as when it was recorded back in 2011. Join correspondent Tom Wilmer for a “best-of-the-best” Journeys of Discovery travel show celebrating 31 years of on air travel shows featured on NPR affiliate KCBXn and NPR's Podcast Directory . You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory , iHeartRadio , Apple Podcast , the NPR One App & Stitcher.com . Twitter: TomCWilmer. Instagram:

The only country outside of Ireland that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day as a national holiday is the petite isle of Montserrat in the midst of the Eastern Caribbean. The British Overseas Territory’s flag is emblazoned with the Irish Harp and the words Erin along with a Union Jack in a corner. Pass through customs and your passport is stamped with a green Irish Clover. How Did the Irish Get There? Emigration from Ireland to the lush green Caribbean commenced in earnest on the heels of the defeat at the Battle of Kinsale near Cork in 1601. Thousands of disgruntled and disenfranchised Irish Catholics packed their bags in hopes of a better life in the Caribbean. For many it was brutal indentured servitude on St. Kitts and other Caribbean islands for 5 to 7 years work in exchange for their ultimate freedom and the hope of becoming landholders. The next rush of Irish Catholic emigrants arrived under duress. They were unwilling deportees, transported following Oliver Cromwell’s genocidal

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, most travel destinations are closed to tourism, but don’t let that stop you from dreaming about the day when we can once again explore exotic destinations around the world. Join us on a time trip back to the fall of 2011 on the exotic island of Palau for a visit with Dermot Keane founder of the Palau Shark Sanctuary . We’ll then visit with dive masters aboard a Sam’s Tours dive boat en route to one of the world’s most legendary dive spots. The Palau travel feature, originally broadcast October 16, 2011 is reposted as a “best-of-the-best” podcast in celebration of Journeys of Discovery’s 31st anniversary producing on-air and digital media podcasts featured on KCBX and NPR One. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory , iHeartRadio , Apple Podcast , the NPR One App & Stitcher.com . Twitter: TomCWilmer. Instagram: Thomas.Wilmer.

Tucked away on a side street in downtown Hot Springs , Deluca’s Pizzeria repeatedly wins rave reviews for their homemade pizzas. Chef and owner, Anthony Valinoti regularly wins accolades including one of Arkansas’s ten best Pizzas and consistently number one in Hot Springs. Join correspondent Tom Wilmer at Deluca’s for a visit with chef Valinoti. Back in 1928 Alex and Alice McClard opened a Hot Springs motor court where they served goat with a killer barbeque sauce. Goat is no longer on the menu at McClard’s Barbeque but 92 years later the diner, and the legendary barbeque sauce remains as a must do Hot Springs experience. McClard's has remained as a mandatory stop for President Bill Clinton since he was a student at Hot Springs High. When Al Roker stopped in for dinner, he loved McClard’s so much he raved about it on his NBC network show which further propelled the legend of McClard’s. Join Alex and Alice McClard’s great grandson, Scott McClard for the rest of the story. This show was

A two-hour drive from the buzzing metropolis of Chengdu in Southeastern China is Mount Emei , one of the country's four sacred Buddhist Mountains. Mount Emei is home to 11 Taoist Temple complexes dating back more than 1,600 years, with a total of more than 30 Buddhist Temple complexes. China’s first sacred temple was built atop Mount Emei in the 1st Century C.E. Come along and join correspondent Tom Wilmer and his Chinese guide Miu Mei as they explore Mount Emei. As a visitor from America it is a unique experience to explore a destination that’s just as awe inspiring as Yosemite National Park--but markedly different due to the homogeneity of the tourists. For every thousand tourists encountered we saw no more than four or five Westerners or Europeans. Mount Emei is a popular destination for Chinese tourists from all parts of the country. Some come specifically to explore the roots of their Buddhist faith while others make the trek as a long awaited family holiday experience. Other

Judi Gulledge, Executive Director of the Mobile Carnival Association talks with correspondent Tom Wilmer about the past and present of Mobile's Carnival events and takes us on a tour of the Mobile Carnival Museum . Mobile, Alabama celebrated its first Mardi Gras carnival back in 1703, years before New Orleans. Today the two-week annual affair generates more than 12,000 year round jobs supporting the Carnival--from hair dressers to float builders. Carnival is such a big deal it's a State and local holiday. Log on to Mobile.org for up to date COVID-19 information about 2021 events. This show was originally broadcast April 17, 2017 and is reposted as a “best-of-the-best” podcast in celebration of Journeys of Discovery’s 31t anniversary producing on-air and digital media podcasts featured on KCBX and NPR One. You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning podcast travel show, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory , iHeartRadio , Apple