Listen Now

It’s been called one of the most treacherous seas in the world but this didn't stop Jamie Douglas-Hamilton and team rowing through The Drake Passage from South America to Antarctica, breaking 9 world records and resulting in the incredible documentary The Impossible Row for Discovery+. Inspired by his grandfather, the first man to fly over Everest, Jamie previously rowed from Australia to Africa. He’s endured towering waves, cuts down to the bone, sea sickness, land sickness, sleep deprivation and vivid hallucinations that could drive you absolutely mad.    On this episode we cover:   The Impossible Row on Discovery+ The Drake Passage Rowing through icy unchartered territories Huge waves that go on for thousands of miles The ultimate challenge in rowing Dropping down a 60ft wave with the boat full of water Not having time to get scared in storms But getting scared afterwards Time getting distorted as you tire Cutting his ankle to the bone Not sleeping for two days and nights due to pain From the Southern tip of South American to Antarctica Sir Francis Drake’s perilous journey through the Strait of Magellan Thousands of people having died doing the journey Shallow water meaning steep, high waves Ernest Shackleton being hit by hurricanes  The exhilarating cliff faces rising from the water Being circled by killer whales The adrenaline and endorphin rush of seeing land Landing on Christmas Day and calling his family Taking a long time to regain feeling in his feet and hands Rowing from Australia to Africa Losing three stone going across the Indian Ocean Drinking 13 litres of water a day Vivid hallucinations due to low sodium How drinking sea water helped them break speed records Creating his ownb brand ActiPh Water Hallucinating his rowing mate in a laboratory Seeing a massive hand coming out the water Constantly hearing the Nokia ringtone Huge orange moons on the horizon Millions of bright stars Moments he wished would never end Bad storms meaning missing Durban but ending up in the Seychelles Being unable to stand on land and getting land sickness People thinking they were drunk The incredible journeys of his grandfather The Duke of Hamilton Sir Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, The first man to fly over Everest Clearing the peak by only 40 ft Edmund Hillary using the footage from this to navigate a new route Nazi Rudolph Hess parachuting to see Douglas-Hamilton during the war Sleep deprivation training (this is crazy!) The songs that keep them going on the open sea        

  India Hicks’ very British Xmas in the sunny Bahamas, Charles Spencer’s crazily English Christmas in the stately home, novelist Victoria Hislop’s culture-free disaster in Cuba, baker Cynthia Stroud’s noise and laughter in Nigeria, blogger and content creator Eulanda Shead Osagiede getting drunk with her Granddad in Colorado, archaeologist and presenter Ella Al Shamahi’s jellied fish in Poland, comedian and Strictly Come Dancing star Bill Bailey acting out Christmas TV in remote Indonesia, Paul Burge from the When in Spain Podcast on Spanish Christmas going on forever, Danielle Desir, host of the Thought Card Podcast on Christmas in Connecticut, Dr Hassan Shehata miscarriage specialist and former political prisoner partying with the Khartoum Beatles, A Place in the Sun’s Laura Hamilton skiing in Andalucia, Tweeting Goddess Samantha Kelly on a lovely Irish Christmas, poet and author Lemn Sissay creating magical Christmases for care leavers and Rachel Gotto coach and hypnotherapist on how to turn the negative into something memorable and positive.

Ella Al Shamahi is an archaeologist, explorer and stand-up comic who's been described as the 'real-life Lara Croft' as she travels the world exploring some of the world’s most dangerous and remote regions. Ella talks about her Channel 4 show exploring lost kingdoms of the Amazon, growing up in a conservative Yemeni community in Birmingham, getting herself into scrapes with terrorists, stolen DNA, Australian aborigines, remote tribes driving big expensive cars and being an archaeologist and stand-up comic. On this episode we cover:   Her conservative upbringing as a Yemeni in Birmingham The support of the community Yemen’s stunning and exceptional landscape ‘The Manhattan of the desert’ in Yemen Yet the devastating war Kidnapping risks and landmines Wondering if she should cover up more The real life Lara Croft What to wear for exploring the jungle Her arms getting ‘eaten alive’ Lisa getting caught out in the Maldives Being a kidnapping risk The most dangerous situations she has been in Feeling quite lucky that the most dangerous stuff hasn’t happened Danger being a concept until it actually happens A bunch of guys around you with guns Identifying which tribes will be hostile And what terrorist groups operate there Assessing the team based on the above Her father currently being in exile Female archaeologists or adventurers being celebrated Her new Channel 4 show - Jungle Mystery; Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon Going on a crazy archaeological adventure to Brazil, Peru, Columbia, Bolivia The early explorers of the Amazon referencing massive urban environments Meeting incredible indigenous groups fighting for their survival Stolen DNA and its connection to Australian aborigines The traditional indigenous villagers with huge cars and no loin cloths Being meticulous about portraying people accurately Her BBC1 show with Chris Packham Waterhole Animals with charisma and The Elephant Dictionary Losing the plot during lockdown All her work being cancelled Being in a long-term war with the local squirrel Decamping to the Swiss Alps Travel during Covid Switzerland and their guns Trying to avoid being shot in hunting season Becoming a stand-up comedian Needing to laugh after visiting places that ‘are a bit dark’ Dying and thriving on stage at Edinburgh The mental health aspect of lockdown How not going anywhere can change your perspective on the every day things Lisa getting overly excited on the day lockdown was released How the narrowing of the horizons can make you appreciate things even more Scotch eggs and a substantial meal Listening to Lizzo and realising the damage on her private life  How it’s the worst time to be single Levison Wood and being single  

Rachel Gotto was pregnant with her first child when she saw her husband's body hauled from the sea on a diving trip in Ireland. Having lost her brother to cancer previously she was no stranger to grief however what follows is an extraordinary journey that encompasses having a supposedly terminal brain tumour, being paralysed, learning to walk again and overcoming agoraphobia before becoming an acclaimed Rapid Transformational Therapist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. She travels the world giving inspirational talks and has explored China, India, the Himalayas, Bhutan, the Dominican Republic and much more.   On this episode we cover:   Galway on the west coast of Ireland Coming to Ireland on a boat Her maverick father buying a Baltic trading boat The potato farm in the south of Ireland Heath Robinson journey Never making it to New Zealand or the Seychelles The boat with the nailed down sofa and an Aga Being truly grateful for her unusual life Her journey recovering from extreme trauma Becoming completely paralysed Being told she would never walk again Pregnant and grieving the loss of her husband Grieving the lost of her brother How recovering made her re-train as a clinical hypnotherapist Harnessing the power of your own mind Harnessing the power of the body’s innate ability to heal itself Neuro-plasticity and therapy being a powerful tool Feeling a duty to share her story Her scuba diving business with her fisherman husband The fateful day her husband went out on a diving trip Being told her husband was convulsing in the deep water Feeling her baby lurch inside when she was told her husband was dead The lonely birth without her husband Starting to lose the use of her legs Being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour Being told to write her will Travelling to desperately try to find a cure Finding a maverick surgeon in Bristol who would ‘give it a go’ Becoming paralysed Furiously willing her body to move Learning to walk again (in black cowboy boots!) Staring at her limbs and willing them to move Motivated to be ‘a normal mum’ Allowing yourself to explore possibilities Covid creating opportunities for more self compassion  How we can sometimes sabotage our happiness with anxiety about something going wrong Holidays and travel helping bring your mind into the moment  Dicing with death on steep mountain roads in Eastern Bhutan Spending three weeks ‘in utter terror’ visiting monasteries in the Himalayas Staying with the nomadic Merik tribe in far Eastern Bhutan Seeing ‘new faces’ when travelling How smiles connects us whilst travelling Being born with an adventurous spirit Catching her own fish for dinner age 5 Travelling on rickety local buses in the Dominican Republic Liking to ‘travel the hard way’ Locals writing little letters of translation for her in Southern China Travelling helping remind you that you love home too Agoraphobia taking hold after her hospitalisation Learning to travel through her mind The long journey of overcoming the mental paralysis of agoraphobia Being grateful for the journey, despite the trauma Digging herself out of landslide in the Himalayas on the way to the remote monastery to the song of A Horse With No Name    

TV baker and food judge Cynthia Stroud grew up in Nigeria, learning budgeting from her grandfather being paid in chickens and goats and about baking from her mother. In the UK she went from living off £10 a week, to running her million pound cake-making business, Pretty Gorgeous Cake Co, and being honoured by the Queen. Her charity Jedidiah UK supports the many people left in poverty due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With stories from Nigeria, New York, Toronto and being called ‘me duck’ in the sleepy town of Hertford.   On this episode we cover:   Growing up loved but quite poor in Nigeria Education being the key to everything Living in the UK on £10 a week The pride in making a fixed budget last Lockdown testing people’s cooking skills Children in living in poverty Not all of us being ‘in the same boat’ Being brought up by grandparents in Nigeria Her grandfather being paid in yams and goats and chickens Hiding underneath the chambers desk doing her homework How the death of her grandfather changed everything The shock of going to live with her mum Finding God, oh and boys Going to university age 15 The rainy season in Nigeria flooding entire roads Saving for years to visit the UK Thinking the world had ended when it was dark at 5pm The surprise of different sunset times around the world Moving to sleepy Buckingham The surprise of people calling her ‘my duck’ Applying for 111 jobs The UK being bountiful place for opportunities Using her actions to help change racist preconceptions People underestimating you can be a good thing The element of surprise in business Employing young female apprentices to give them the opportunity How surprise skills can become your skill (cake!) Gender prejudice in the work place How ‘you win people by your actions not your words’ Feeling the weight of being judged if not dressed properly Wanting to ‘make each place a little bit of home’ Preferring to return to travel destinations Eating all day long in Spain and Portugal Shopping in New York Toronto feeling very welcoming Cake representing countries British cakes being amongst the best in the world Cake representing the happiest times in our lives A story behind every cake recipe Lisa’s Nan’s scones (video here!) Nigeria, Harry Belafonte and pancakes    

All the way from Rosslare Harbour in Wexford in Ireland Samantha Kelly is the founder of the global Women’s Inspire Network. We talk about inspiring female entrepreneurs, the people who have inspired us, arriving by boat to Ireland on the way to the Seychelles, working as a waitress in a Hong Kong Irish Pub, the joys of dancing on bars, the joys of Irish pubs, getting engaged in New York and how the human connection, the things that bond us and make us smile, are more important than ever. A truly uplifting episode.    On this episode we cover:   The family arriving by boat on the way to the Seychelles But making it as far as Ireland and staying forever Being inspired by her ‘Del Boy’ Dad Going sober Starting her business Women’s Inspire Network Supporting other women Seeing a gap in supporting women to work online Lisa finding it’s suddenly okay for women to have kids and work from home Feeling that women can sometimes be the underdog in business How dynamics can change when people have children Starting her business as a lone parent Covid lockdowns bringing more people online Traditional music in wonderful Irish pubs The one-legged musician that drove them home The dish that reminds her of her dad The pub she went into cry Being in the Hairy Lemon recipe book alongside Bono How being vulnerable can lead to engaging special moments Being proposed to on top of the Empire State building Coming home pregnant from Hong Kong Feeling the weight of Irish history when crossing to New York Working as a waitress in a Hong Kong Irish bar Whether plastic Paddy is a derogatory term Lisa having some of the best nights in her life in Irish pubs around the world Singing and dancing on the bar for a boat load of Navy arrivals Lisa’s night dressed as a schoolgirl dancing with the Navy in Dublin How a night out in Dublin can leave you needing a holiday The beautiful coast of Dublin Spending a year in Paris as an au pair Loving the sights and the sounds and the baguettes and the men Only allowed to dance on the bar if you’re a good dancer and good looking Covid life uncertainty making everyone tired and stressed Human connection more than ever Her Irish family and her Hong Kong Chinese daughter Her father’s wonderful attitude to life Alcohol in Ireland being too normalised Old school Irish men dying young Being on state age ten singing Abba Speaking gigs in New Zealand, San Diego and more The woman with the suit on in the airport she wished she could be like Lisa’s ‘girl with the apple’ moment at Frankfurt How Stupid Girl by Garbage made Lisa feel she had wasted her life But she later became just like the girl with the apple Realising you got there! How the person next to you could change everything for you Being the nervous flyer, crying on take off Lisa laughing hysterically on the worst flight of her life How airports are transitional places that can make you evaluate your life How dancing on the bar to ABBA can be the best feeling in the world 

Earl Spencer, best-selling author and historian, has a superb talent for bringing history to life. His new book, The White Ship, explores England’s worst ever maritime and royal disaster, a tragedy that changed the course of European history forever. From childhood trips to an unknown Ibiza, friskings at the iron curtain-era Russian border to covering everything from Cannes to Cairo as an NBC news reporter, the late Princess Diana’s younger brother has fascinating travel tales not least those starting in Althorp, the grand estate the Spencer family have called home since 1508.     On this episode we cover:   The 900-year-old tragedy that shaped British history The inspiration behind his new book, The White Ship Henry I and 19 years of civil war The perils of being intoxicated whilst driving Sea wolves, sea elephants and sea goats Drunken oafs chasing away monks His Queens of England speech at Leeds Castle that inspired the book Henry I, a great king overshadowed by other Henrys Stellar reviews of the book Taking a flash point in an interesting Monarch’s reign The family homestead of Althorp, in the family since 1508 The stately homes of Britain contributing to national heritage His imposing and rather terrifying figure of a grandfather The stately home that was burnt down for one scene in a Hollywood movie  The 98% income tax scuppering many stately homes Sleeping in the nursery with flickering candles and the sound of night watchmen Like being in a museum with a very scary man in charge! The rumoured ghosts in Althorp The ancient sound of people being killed in the former weaponry room (!) Travelling to over 30 countries as an NBC News reporter From Islam in Malaysia to the Cannes Film Festival The privilege of being paid to travel the world The terrible hotel fire he reported on in Cairo The man living in a small cage in Hong Kong Interviewing Mel Gibson in Cannes Don’t mention the diet to the King of Tonga Lisa’s Dad and the Queen of Tonga Lisa’s podcast for India and Pamela Hicks (India was Princess Diana’s bridesmaid Meeting Captain Cook’s tortoise Lisa remembering the whole of Tonga being on a diet People thinking you want your own food when travelling Baked beans in Fiji, fish and chips in Tonga Moving to Johannesburg and exploring Soweto and Swaziland The Scottish man apologizing for slavery Porpoises by the sea making for a better school run than Northampton The Peter Ustinov journey that inspired a trip behind the iron curtain Being frisked at the Finnish-Russian border His step father ‘being treated better in Nazi Germany’   Visiting Paris with his father and sisters in the late 70s His mother taking them to a tiny unknown island called Ibiza Returning to Normandy to research the book The conflict of development and over tourism Canada having the most cleverly persevered places Civilised wilderness at the lakes north of Toronto Covid being terrible, but has it addressed over tourism..? The joys of teenage interrailing to Istanbul, Dubrovnik… Being kicked out of the carriage somewhere in Romania Passing fields of Oxen ploughing fields How the discomfort of travel can create the most memorable times Sleeping in a Graveyard in Northern Spain Supertramp, the soundtrack to the foothills of Kashmir and the children who had never seen a Walkman

The year is 2505. The oceans have risen. A new era of piracy has dawned…Justin Somper’s vision of a future world in the bestselling Vampirates books has been very much influenced by his passion for Australia, which has lead to much exploring and also even his recent wedding on the beach. In the rain. As well as Australia we talk New York’s Studio 54 and Broadway, Washington DC’s homophobic hostel owner, the surrealness of Bangkok, hanging out with Isla Fisher in London and so much more.     On this episode we cover:   Almost getting stuck down under for lockdown Marrying his now husband in Perth, Australia in early 2020 Torrential rain for the beach wedding on the Margaret River  Lisa ballooning over outer Melbourne fields at sunrise The beautiful atmosphere and landscapes of Australian wineries When everyone was obsessed with Home and Away and Neighbours Hanging out with Isla Fisher in London Finding Australian forthright personalities particularly attractive The book Cloud Street (set in Perth in the 1960s) by Tim Winton Bill Bryson’s Down Under (and the personal email Bill sent)   Perth’s beautiful botanic gardens Visiting out back cattle ranch and sheep farms Sheep shearing being a great way to learn how to cut hair New York feeling super energised The excitement of Broadway shows Wanting to time travel back to the glory days of Studio 54 (on roller skates) New York being best seen by foot Falling asleep in a Katie Holmes show The surreal nature of Bangkok Looking for the sense of difference when travelling  But places being homogenised by worldwide brands Lisa’s favourite restaurant in Bangkok, run by Australians (It’s still there! Yay) Travel as a gay man Being thrown out of a hostel in Washington DC The Vampirates books being published in 35 countries around the world But some of these countries being somewhere he wouldn’t feel comfortable going Prejudice for gay people in Russia, Brazil and the Emirates His books being for older school children upwards Setting the books 500 years in the future with a lot less land and a lot more water A huge coincidence during the magical sunset tour of Uluru Familiar and unexpected faces Greek Islands ‘Living to eat’, particularly when travelling The best fish restaurant in Tasmania The Neverending Summer riverside restaurant in Bangkok Thai food’s amazing tastes New Year’s Eve in Krabi, Thailand How sometimes you need a pause in tastes The brilliant Crowded House        

Loyd Grossman, entrepreneur, author and broadcaster is well-known for presenting MasterChef, Through the Keyhole and much more. His lifelong passion for history and the arts has led to leading roles in cultural institutions from English Heritage, to The Arts Society, the Royal Parks and the Royal Historical Society and several impeccably researched books. Loyd and Lisa talk food – as you’d expect from the man behind one of the UK’s most successful celebrity sauces, growing up in a US seaside haven, hippy days in late 60s New York, playing with Jethro Tull and how an elephant in Rome led to his new book about one of Europe’s greatest artists.   On this episode we cover:   The curious elephant statue in Rome that piqued his interest His new book An Elephant in Rome: Bernini, The Pope and The Making of the Eternal City Bernini a contemporary of Rembrandt, Reubens, Velazquez The most famous artist in Europe in his lifetime Usually concentrating on 18th century historical research So finding going back to the 17h century quite challenging Always wanting to be learning something Nuns on motorbikes eating ice creams ‘Ecclesiastical socks’ made by the Pope’s tailor Growing up in Boston and we would visit New York at least twice a year Rome being a ‘tossed salad’ of history Being hooked on Roman ice cream The rather confusing Italian breastfeeding wolves statues (about the infants Romulus and Remus) His commercial TV work being what he is well known for Feeling lucky he has had a portfolio career Growing up with a strong public service ethos Arriving in the UK in 1974 Growing up in the sailing town of Marblehead ‘one of the most beautiful towns in America Having a very typical seaside New England upbringing Boston and its amazing culture  Being involved in a big music scene Playing at Glastonbury (8 times, no less) Teaming up with Jethro Tull to raise money for British cathedrals His low-key, understate, musical parents Taking his first plane trip at 3 months old Regular trips on the Yankee Clipper train to New York as a child The excitement of arriving at Grand Central Station Difference; travel, interacting with different people and backgrounds, being really important for him Catching amazing bands like the Velvet Underground Longhaired and covered in tie-dye Finding the UK an exceptional and exciting place Feeling London is the greatest city in the world But that it also can overshadow other cities Liverpool’s cultural, musical and sporting history Food and travel and culture going hand in hand Catch 22 author Joseph Heller ‘perpetually hungry from the neck up’ ‘The most intense experience of another country is eating their food they eat’ Always wanting to arrive in a country in time for lunch Loving the rustic food and quality of produce in Spain The best Swedish food in Stockholm London’s Royal Parks being the greatest collection of parks in the world Greenwich Park being established in 1433 Originally hunting grounds for the Royal Family Travelling to experience the different thing Cuban refugee musicians on 1950s Miami Beach

Loyd Grossman, entrepreneur, author and broadcaster is well-known for presenting MasterChef, Through the Keyhole and much more. His lifelong passion for history and the arts has led to leading roles in cultural institutions from English Heritage, to The Arts Society, the Royal Parks and the Royal Historical Society and several impeccably researched books. Loyd and Lisa talk food – as you’d expect from the man behind one of the UK’s most successful celebrity sauces, growing up in a US seaside haven, hippy days in late 60s New York, playing with Jethro Tull and how an elephant in Rome led to his new book about one of Europe’s greatest artists.   On this episode we cover:   The curious elephant statue in Rome that piqued his interest His new book An Elephant in Rome: Bernini, The Pope and The Making of the Eternal City Bernini a contemporary of Rembrandt, Reubens, Velazquez The most famous artist in Europe in his lifetime Usually concentrating on 18th century historical research So finding going back to the 17h century quite challenging Always wanting to be learning something Nuns on motorbikes eating ice creams ‘Ecclesiastical socks’ made by the Pope’s tailor Growing up in Boston and we would visit New York at least twice a year Rome being a ‘tossed salad’ of history Being hooked on Roman ice cream The rather confusing Italian breastfeeding wolves statues (about the infants Romulus and Remus) His commercial TV work being what he is well known for Feeling lucky he has had a portfolio career Growing up with a strong public service ethos Arriving in the UK in 1974 Growing up in the sailing town of Marblehead ‘one of the most beautiful towns in America Having a very typical seaside New England upbringing Boston and its amazing culture  Being involved in a big music scene Playing at Glastonbury (8 times, no less) Teaming up with Jethro Tull to raise money for British cathedrals His low-key, understate, musical parents Taking his first plane trip at 3 months old Regular trips on the Yankee Clipper train to New York as a child The excitement of arriving at Grand Central Station Difference; travel, interacting with different people and backgrounds, being really important for him Catching amazing bands like the Velvet Underground Longhaired and covered in tie-dye Finding the UK an exceptional and exciting place Feeling London is the greatest city in the world But that it also can overshadow other cities Liverpool’s cultural, musical and sporting history Food and travel and culture going hand in hand Catch 22 author Joseph Heller ‘perpetually hungry from the neck up’ ‘The most intense experience of another country is eating their food they eat’ Always wanting to arrive in a country in time for lunch Loving the rustic food and quality of produce in Spain The best Swedish food in Stockholm London’s Royal Parks being the greatest collection of parks in the world Greenwich Park being established in 1433 Originally hunting grounds for the Royal Family Travelling to experience the different thing Cuban refugee musicians on 1950s Miami Beach

Lemn Sissay, BAFTA nominated writer and one of the world’s most brilliant poets, was taken from his Ethiopian mother at birth against her will and after a stinging rejection from foster parents spent his childhood in care. He published his first book of poetry age 17, selling it to striking miners in Lancashire. Although a large part of him will ‘always feel like that rootless kid’, poetry, he says, gave him wings and he began his travels not just around the world but also the both physical and emotional journey to find his birth family (as beautifully written in his book My Name is Why).      On this episode we cover:   Being conceived in Athens His Ethiopian mother’s arrival in London in 1966 His father being a pilot for Ethiopian Airlines The magic and history of Ethiopia People knowing Ethiopia due to the famine The first migration a person makes being from the womb into the open air A social worker taking the baby against his mother’s will Being fostered by the Greenwood family in Lancashire Family trips to Scotland to visit his grandparents Being put into a children’s home at 12 Losing all his family Spending a lot of his formative years feeling it was his fault The care system being very punishment orientated The trauma of being thought of as intrinsically bad Still finding life beautiful The unspoken heroes brought up in care now making the world a better place Poetry being in him from the moment he was born Knowing he would become a poet age 12 Selling poetry to striking miners in Lancashire age 17 Poetry putting him on planes, enabling him to travel The transformative experience of his first trip abroad (to Germany to perform) German cakes and breakfasts Lisa fighting the corner for British cakes Cakeology (!) and the resurgence of interest in British cakes The cakes of Germany being like miniature palaces (There is a lot of conversation about cake) Regretting not learning a language Coronavirus meaning he’s missed Dubai, Ethiopia, India, the USA and Australia Being very defined in what he wanted in life – to find his mother and to be a poet Poetry paying for his physical journey to find his family Finding his mother when he was 21, after a long search His mother working for the UN in the Gambia Her fleeing of Ethiopia in 1974 Flying to Africa for the first time to meet his mother Sending cash for his flight in an envelope from Lancashire to Brixton! The Senegalese man obsessed with Chris Rhea’s Lady in Red How travel puts you out of your comfort zone Communication without language means you have to lose your fear  The fun and trick to bartering The vulnerability of not knowing the rules People on the plane from Senegal to Gambia who worked with his mum Golden wings of dust driving through the Gambian sunset The moment he met his mother How travel makes its way into our language; making life journeys, navigating our problems, finding pathways, taking flight How the relationship with his birth family has developed Ethiopian Airlines being part of his DNA The aviation industry in the 1960s being like a village Lisa going to Addis Ababa to interview Ethiopian model Liya Kebede And New York to interview chef Marcus Samuelsson and author Maaza Mengiste Lisa meeting her Fiji-Indian family for the first time Looking at his mother’s, brothers’ and sisters’ faces for the first time How we can define ourselves as people of the world People will only call themselves by a colour when they’re in the minority The incredible photo of his pilot father with the Emperor’s lion His father’s death in a plane crash in storm on New Year’s Day Taking a BBC film crew to the Simian mountains where the crash happened Finding pieces of plane and fuselage Finding the place where his father died being like the beginning of the rest of his life Loving the Hilton in Addis Ababa where his father partied and his mother got married Staying next to Nick Cave in the Amadari Hotel in Bali Bathing underneath the Balinese stars What Nick Cave is like on holiday The Emirates Literary Festival Feeling at peace in the Scottish Highlands Loving New York and Penang in Malaysia – How the food is always a reflection of the people How you can have the greatest journeys in your own village Wanting to give the gift of travel to kids in care Travel broadens the mind, but the new experience broadens the mind Migration, travelling, immigrants…all what it takes to be human

A Place in the Sun presenter, Laura Hamilton, and Lisa are having a coffee in the ‘new normal’ in Spain, masks at the ready, with a lively conversation about property abroad, bargain cave houses, lack of tourists in Spain, Greek idylls, making tea for Dermot O’Leary, getting stuck in Sri Lanka, nerve-wracking Egyptian taxi rides, galloping around the Pyramids in Cairo, skiing after C sections, becoming a postmistress, running the local coffee shop and the surprise revelation about who her father is! There’s a clue, in the title.   On this episode we cover:   The new series of A Place in the Sun What it’s like in Spain with fewer tourists around Fuengirola being a Spanish working town Laura being on a flight to Spain when the quarantine was announced Lockdown having been mentally very tough People wanting to take holidays Lisa and Laura on Channel 5 News together Takes a brave person to go to a country AGAINST Foreign Office says don’t go Still having access to healthcare with EHIC card People on social media judging each other 400,000 Brits having homes in Spain Property currently being very cheap in Spain A Place in the Sun viewers booming in lockdown People wanting escapism Camelot say the number one wish is for a holiday home Guests on A Place in the Sun being ordinary working people £29,000 cave houses available Laura having stolen Lisa’s dream job Laura’s Dad being Uncle Bulgaria in the Wombles!!! Starting off at Channel 4 making tea for Dermot O’Leary Buying her first property age 19 Being made redundant Always turning a negative into a positive  Getting her break as a children’s TV presenter age 21 Taking part in Dancing on Ice being a game changer Having bought and renovated 8 houses helping to get her the big gig The coffee shop, restaurant and deli she owns in Purley Moving a good half an hour to be with her husband Turning the café into the village shop during lockdown Working really hard on set rather than being on holiday Travel being so important for kids Laura’s entrepreneurial spirit meaning she’s a workaholic Lisa always thinking of opening shops or cafes (despite burning a pan of water) Becoming a postmistress, but struggling to keep the Post Office going Her insurance salesperson husband sometimes thinking she’s mad Skiing for The Jump just 3 weeks after an emergency caesarean Timeshare holidays in Tenerife The ‘shame’ of caravan holidays age 13 Slate mines in Wales! A round the world ticket in her early 20s Leaving a French campsite every day in full make-up to film Laura gets star-spotted whilst we’re sitting there A nerve-racking experience at the Egyptian border Having dinner with the taxi drivers family in Cairo (weirdly, Lisa had a very similar experience) Galloping on horseback around the pyramids Getting stuck in Sri Lanka because of the Icelandic ash cloud Flying to Maldives instead The coffin-like ‘spa treatment’ full of cockroaches Wanting to instil a sense of adventure in her children How music on travel can always take you back in tome Leo Sayer’s Thunder In My Heart taking her back to a road trip in a Mini through the Australian outback

A school trip to Communist Russia left LBC’s Iain Dale hooked on travel. He’s since learned fluent German, been chased to the Austrian border by a Hungarian prostitute, been guarded at gun-point in Lebanon, done things he doesn’t feel he can tell us in a Miami Hotel and, as one of the UK’s foremost political commentators, feels Washington DC is almost an ancestral home. A sharply humorous insight into the world we live, angry tweeters, anonymous trolls, the importance of languages and why we can’t just all get along.   On this episode we cover:   His new book Why Can’t We All Just Get Along; Shout Less, Listen More The decline of social discourse Online anonymity leading to unnecessary aggression Angry tweeters and anxiety Unfollowing Owen Jones due to the abuse he gets Lisa wanting to give Owen Jones a cuddle The need to understand people who have differing point of views The people being frustrated with politicians The virtual disappearance of deference Twitter being addictive but sometimes a nasty place Online abuse upsetting even the toughest of skinned The need to have a decent debate from both sides of an argument Being The Big Travel Podcast’s most organised ever guest Growing up on a farm Only having one family holiday as a child His husband hating holidays! Coming back 3 days early from Cape Cod Being on the same flight as was later involved in 9/11 How the homebodies have done better out of lockdown Not going out for over 100 days due to shielding! His side-line selling political mugs Being like a convent school girl released after lockdown! Lisa drinking out of a talkSPORT mug Lisa and Ian Collins on talkSPORT The teacher who took the school to communist Russia   The overnight train to Moscow Almost preferring Russia under communism The ‘sliding doors’ trips to Germany that completely changing his outlook Being the first person in his family to go university Does university give you an edge in critical thinking? The University of Easy Access His farming parents backing his non-farming ambitions Being ‘totally useless at sciences’ The book Travellers in the Third Reich being an excellent account of Germany in between the wars How learning languages changes the mind-set The optimum age to learn a new language Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish all should be taught in schools An unlikely 1980 Cosmos coach trip to Italy Venice, Florence, Rome, Capris Being 6ft 2 meaning Doing the For The Many podcast with Jacqui Smith Being surrounded by gun toting Lebanese soldiers in Beirut The rather frightening entry to Lebanon with the SAS Being the first British person in Beirut since John McCarthy visited Don’t go anywhere without the SAS Dom Joly talking about Lebanon on The Big Travel Podcast A road trip to Vienna Stumbling into communist Hungary Heading to Budapest before the first McDonalds got there Being cashed out of town by a Hungarian prostitute Lisa’s strange night of avant garde jazz in Budapest Going to both Azerbaijan and Armenia when they hate each other Tourism police in Cuba Outrageous antics at a gay hotel in the Florida Keys Apparently gay man can have right-wing views – who knew! Being hapless in airports Getting to airports 5 hours (!) before the flight His nieces calling him Uncle Herod Feeling Washington DC is almost an ancestral home Attending Trump’s inauguration Staying in the best hotel in Uganda… …while David Cameron (then Prime Minister) stayed in a shack Being a Tory candidate in 2004 People in Cromer in Norfolk staring at a black man Lisa’s terribly embarrassing story on the night of the Brexit night vote (tempting to edit it out but I left it in!) Cliff Richard’s Miss You Nights in crocodile country in the deep Australian outback, hundreds of miles from anywhere

Pioneering obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Hassan Shehata grew up in Khartoum in Sudan. As a junior doctor he was thrown headlong into revolution, military Islamic extremism, beatings and torture. We talk about his horrific time in ‘ghost house’ prisons, life in Sudan and Egypt, sitting on Bob Marley’s bed in Jamaica, Donald Trump and Hydroxychloroquine, following Liverpool FC around the world and his extraordinary work in helping people become parents. Dr Hassan Shehata, our 100th episode, is also the man who helped Lisa and David have children after 5 miscarriages. One day in the clinic she was astounded when he told her his extraordinary story.   On this episode we cover:    Dr Shehata’s difficult recovery from Covid 19 The real deal behind Hydroxychloroquine and Donald Trump India soldiers, Malaria and gin and tonic How the NHS and private sector manage the emotional side of illness The conference in Italy that sparked his interest in miscarriage immune treatment Growing up in a medical family in Sudan The Italian Convent school he attended in Sudan Being educated by Catholic Nuns and Priests in Khartoum in ‘the Eton of Sudan’ The old-school colonial university of Khartoum The 1985 Sudanese revolution being an amazing time to be a student Doctors being at the frontline for democracy The June 1989 military coup by military officer Omar al-Bashir (who would go on to rule the country until he was overthrown in 2019!) Seeing all his colleagues taken to prison Standing on a soap box Being arrested for the first time and put into a ‘ghost house’ Initially being very well treated Going into hiding until they took his grandfather instead Beatings and torture His colleagues being killed by baseball bats The danger of being incarcerated by very young men The day they told him was going to be executed Being driven blindfolded through the desert The shocking place he was thrown out the car Escaping to Egypt without a passport His policeman uncle in Cairo The physical beatings he had Being spat at being the most degrading But the worse torture being sleep deprivation Witnessing colleagues having their nails pulled out His friend being beaten to death with a baseball bat Fellow doctors physical checking them to see if they could take more torture That government lasting 30 whole years Islamic fanatics military government killing millions How it felt to be dragged to the car supposedly to be executed Being thrown barefoot, shaking and confused into the street Feeling very low when by Egypt His pilot uncle being shot down in Palestine and missing presumed dead Travelling through Egypt as a child in Cairo His grandfather representing him at his own wedding! His wife Selma having photos in her dress with the family Travelling to Saudi Arabia during the World Cup 1990 Travelling from Rhiad through incredible desert (to watch England v Cameroon)   Regular holidays in London as a child to stay in Marble Arch Still being surprised and delighted by London Being an avid Liverpool supporter His first son being an Essex boy Working in different UK hospitals as a junior doctor Looking back on his time in prison Life in the UK rewarding him for his hard work Selling cornflakes shop to shop to raise money to travel  Four naïve boys from Khartoum crossing Europe as a student; Athens to Brindisi, Bologna, Milano, Venice, Genoa, Cannes, Marseilles, Nice, Barcelona and Madrid Discovering years later they were eating pork Getting conned during Ramadan in a dodgy nightclub Sudanese passports being refused by Yugoslavia Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe at the Jamaica Inn Visiting Bob Marley’s house Picture perfect Thailand at the Four Seasons Going to Rio for the World Cup Waking up to an ITV crew outside their window Having breakfast with Ian Wright in Brazil Heartbroken in Kiev when Liverpool lost But celebrating watching Liverpool win in Madrid Spine-tingling moments hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone for the first time in a stadium in Khartoum in 1982 Lisa’s Liverpool connections mean that song makes her cry too The overwhelming feelings when one of his patients become parents      

Award-winning travel and food blogger from Hey! Dip Your Toes In Eulanda Shead Osagiede grew up in Colorado, balancing beautiful forests and mountains with growing gang violence and police oppression, studied dance in New York City then moved to the UK. We talk the Colonial history of travel writing, #BlackLivesMatter, the challenges of being a minority in a very white industry, Japan’s beautiful Kimonos, luxurious Moroccan hammans, the Caribbean and the Tanzanian seaweed collector who changed her perception.   On this episode we cover:   It being an ‘interesting’ time for travel An American locked down in Beckenham SE London Being ‘sick’ of walks in beautiful areas Being born on an air force base in Illinois Spending her formative years in Colorado Moving to New York to study dance A study abroad opportunity igniting her passion for travel Doing a Masters in Choreography and Dance Technology How the Hey Dip Your Toes In blog snowballed Navigating her way through Colorado forest at night Growing up with gang violence 90s Colorado Communities being marginalised Black Lives Matter and the current movement Shootings at cultural festivals and events Having to hide in the basement as bullets fired through the window Having the back window of her car shot out Developing a fear of authority and police Loving how Black Lives Matter is being supported Celebrating the amplification of black voices Attending the London protest or ‘peace walk’ How even talking about blackness when she was growing up was taboo Travel journalism having a Colonia-esque history - white men writing books How being black has had to inform her travel writing work Travel writing needing to be de-colonised The San Diego man who was surprised she was ‘so eloquent’ Feeling like a curiosity in other places How white fellow journalists can question their experiences Being regularly detained by customs Lisa arguing with ‘all lives matter’ posters on social media Japan being very welcoming and wonderful Wearing a beautiful Kimono Feeling at home in the Caribbean ‘Skin folk are kin folk’ not always being true The luxurious Banyan Tree in Northern Morocco How Moroccans really know how to give a good bath The ethics and integrity of travel writing The place in Madeira she couldn’t bring herself to write about The panel host who introduced her by saying something about her hair Influencers, v bloggers, v journalists How people don’t have to have a set title things days Lockdown affecting her emotional wellbeing Losing a lot of work ultimately meaning expansion The seaweed collector in Tanzania who changed her perception How important it is to have everyone’s voice on the table in travel writing    

Growing up with two terminally ill siblings Francesca Eyre, chef and co-owner of Chilly Powder holidays in the Alps, learned independence and adventure at a young age. After losing her sister aged 16 and mother aged 21 a chance encounter when chasing her mother’s lost pearls led her to the mountains. As a part-time endurance athlete a terrifying accident led to memory loss and a challenging recovery but together with her husband Paul she’s now opening a second Chilly Powder in a beautiful village in Provence. She sees participating in incredible endurance events as a means to, as she says, "breathe for those who no longer can".   On this episode we cover:   Holmlands Stories; Searching for Pearls (video clip) Losing her mother to cancer age 21 The lost pearls that lead to her new life in the Alps Growing up with two terminally ill siblings Naively moving to Paris age 16 Being too sensible out on the museums, bars and concert Going to cooking school in Dublin Lisa moving from Spain to England age 16   The death of Francesca’s sister when she was only 16 Coming from a family with Cystic Fibrosis Growing up always knowing her two siblings will die at a young age Half of the siblings not having Cystic Fibrosis 1 in 20 people being carriers of the CF gene Deciding not to have the CF tests when having her own children The decisions her children can make about tests when they’re older Being in Paris when her sister was dying The grandmother in Paris who noticed her talent for cooking Moving to Dublin to train as a chef  Dubliners being passionate, gorgeous and generous Cooking in beautiful Irish stately homes with chef Mary O’Sullivan The trauma of a boiling a kicking lobster whilst crying Her mum’s diagnosis of cancer Giving up worth to look after her mum Moving to London Feeling her mother’s cancer was down to the stress of having two terminally ill children Considering the food, nutrition and health connection as a chef Being hyperthyroid (and Lisa being hypo thyroid)  Taking her brother with Cystic Fibrosis to the Alps to help his lungs Falling in love with Morzine Knowing her date, Paul, would be the one Setting up Chilly Powder a ski company together Raising money to build a chalet for their hotel How the Alps are most beautiful in the summer Lisa finding skiing rather scary, but loving the après ski Francesca singing going down the mountain The joys of afternoon tea The busyness of living on site in your own hotel Becoming an endurance runner and cyclist Taking on a 300km cycle race over two days Tackling big races like the L’Etape du Tour De France The accident that wiped her memory Fracturing her spine, damaging her shoulder and her face The severe concussion causing unexpected mental health issues; fear and suicidal thoughts Taking nine months to recover But still finding it hard to memorise things How the loss of her siblings and her mother helped shape her adventurous spirit The accident being on her mother’s birthday Opening the Chilly Powder B&B in Provence Finding full time motherhood the hardest job The rare half Protestant half Catholic village Tears and music at her brother Nick’s funeral                  

There aren’t many people who would correct George Clooney but, on his first film as an extra, this led to former paratrooper Paul Biddiss having a huge change in career from surveillance and bodyguard to Hollywood military adviser. He’s since worked with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Sam Mendes and more. He’s been chased by a baboon in Kenya, charged by elephants in the Masai Mara, wrangled huge snakes in Malaysian swamps and most importantly, to him anyway, has found a KFC in every worldwide location.    On this episode we cover: Being ‘stuck’ in the beautiful in the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire 24 years as a paratrooper His 5 sons (yes really!) Desert, the arctic and urban hostile environments Being chased by a baboon in Kenya Being charged by a bull elephant in the Masai Mara Not being the greatest of travellers Seeing Table Mountain from his window Finding KFCs and gyms all over the world How he went from Paratrooper to Hollywood adviser Entering the security industry as a bodyguard and surveillance His first job as an extra – Monuments Men Correcting George Clooney Working on Fury with Brad Pitt Filming the BBC’s War and Peace in Lithuania Filming the Jason Bourne movies in Tenerife Watching two old women having a fight with a flip flop Dodgy tourists in Playa de Las Americas Refusing to give Matt Damon a barbell in the gym Filming sci-fi Foundation for Apple TV in Malta Doing surveillance in between shooting Maintaining a distance between him and the Hollywood stars Being ‘the grey man’ Following dodgy blokes round the M25 How the surveillance jobs work Women being more surveillance aware and harder to follow Having an apartment in Croatia, for six months for work Zagreb doubling up for Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Mexico and more Filming in everything from high rises to swamps in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for Sky One’s Strikeback Grappling with a massive python in Malaysia Finding the KFC in Kuala Lumpur How chains like McDonalds can feel like an Oasis after weeks of foreign food Watching Blackadder from incredible locations in hotel rooms Being the military adviser on Sam Mendes’ 1917 Lisa visiting her great-grandfather’s grave in Ypres in Belgium Jumping into France with over a thousand other parachutist His miraculous survival after having to pull the reserve chute Whether or not he feels fear Not being into music and ‘having no soul’ His father being an ex paratrooper Filming the Suez Canal scene for The Crown     

The travel writing of Kash Battacharya, the Budget Traveller, has won him accolades including National Geographic Traveller Writer of the Year, filming for Lonely Planet and the BBC and resulted in his book The Grand Hostels, Luxury Hostels of the World. On this episode Kash, in easing-lockdown Berlin, talks budget travel, the culture shock of moving Kent to Calcuttta age 9, being ‘the English kid’ at a 18,000-pupil school, Dutch houses in Scotland, hanging with Rastas in South Africa and a rather surreal encounter with Tommy Lee Jones in an ancient Japanese Samurai Kingdom.   On this episode we cover:   Moving to Berlin How he became The Budget Traveller Quitting his job to make his dream work Travel being therapy Being born in England to Indian parents The massive culture shock of leaving Kent for Calcutta age 9 Moving to Dundee at 18 Travel as a child can be like a game 18,000 people in his school! 100 in his class Being bullied as ‘the English kid’ Calcutta being an assault on the senses The architectural legacy of Colonial India The incredible food culture in Calcutta Not appreciating the culture as a child How the tough life in India helped toughen him for life Lisa’s Indian-Fijian father not imparting much Indian culture Dundee being full of fun, culture and Desperate Dan The East Neuk of Fife Dutch fisherman’s cottages Anstruther having the best fish and chips in Britain Finding Scottish people relaxed and more welcoming Lisa being uprooted age 7 from England to Spain Appreciating travel being a gift and a privilege even more during the Coronavirus Not counting the countries he has been to Japan being magical and surreal The Japanese man who went that extra mile Travelling through his stomach Fresh sushi at Tsukiji Japanese fish market Filming Hidden Japan for the BBC and Lonely Planet The life-changing experience of visiting Kanazawa ancient Samurai Kingdom A surreal encounter with Tommy-Lee Jones in the ancient kingdom Celebrities advertising random products in in Asian countries Filming a road trip through South Africa’s Garden Route The beautiful Buccaneers backpackers hostel on the wild coast The reason Lisa hasn’t yet been to South Africa) Paragliding over stunning scenery (despite being terrified of heights) Hanging out with a Rastafarian Community in Sedgefield Backpacking along the Garden Route South Africa going through a tough time at the moment Kash getting excited when he finds someone (like Lisa!) who has never stayed in a hostel His book The Grand Hostels, Luxury Hostels of the World Lisa being happy to sleep on a park bench to get her out of the Borough right now The midnight sun in The 7 Fells Hostel deep in the woods in Finnish Lapland Picking cloud berries by the lake in the midnight sun Lisa having specialised a lot in luxury travel The Steel House design hostel in Copenhagen with a pool and cinema Luxury nowadays being about experiences Travel being about meeting people and learning about the culture What does the future of travel look like now? Crazy nights out in Berlin (Lisa’s visit to the infamous KitKatClub) Kash Winning National Geographic Traveller of the Year Being at a low point in his life when he moved to Berlin Berlin being very diverse and accepting One half of Mogwai the band owning a bar in Berlin Morcheeba Down by the Sea being the appropriate soundtrack to a magical trip to Tuscany and the hostel that opening him to the world of travel   Please support Adopt a Hostel – to help save hostels across the world from the devastating financial effects of the COVID-19 crisis.  

The fabulous Earful Tower Podcast, of which the star of the show is Paris, hit number one this month in the USA Apple podcast charts. Lisa chats to host Oliver Gee about seeing Paris like a local, chasing beavers down canals, catacombs, a moose on the loose in Sweden, grand Colonial hotels in Fiji, East African trucking on a shoe-string, great American road-trips, people who call you baby and sugar in gas stations and so much more.    On this episode we cover:   His recent number 1 in the US Apple places and travel charts Being mentioned in the New York Times The favourite episodes being people who have nothing to sell The elderly British man with the best story that stopped him on the street Leaving Sweden for Paris Being a journalist at the time of the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks Arriving in Paris ‘for evil not love’ Reporting on the Bataclan attacks The concept of parachute journalism Starting the podcast being a big change The Parisians being misunderstood Tourists expecting French waiters to speak English The golden rule; you always need to start with Bonjour American’s excellent service in restaurants Persuading the Australian ambassador to throw him a party Prominent Australians in Paris Lisa totally winging it in business presentations in Paris Loving the restaurants with cheese trolleys The romantic old school Paris The intoxicating cradle of Paris - the two old islands in the middle of the Seine Tracing the ancient wall and 800 year old towers Paris’ incredible catacombs lined with skulls and bones The beekeeper that showed him the secret alleyways underground Chasing the mysterious beavers of Canal St Martin Asking random Parisians if they’ve seen a beaver The wistful old lady releasing crocodiles into the canal The waterways being a great way to see the city Travel tip – don’t miss the Canal St Martin boat trip for a unique view of the city Lisa losing her clothes on her first day of a solo week in Paris The lead singer of the band having a panic attack on a bridge Africa on a very small budget being a very shaping trip Taking a truck from Tanzania through Uganda to the Victoria Falls The news in Sweden – a moose on the loose Sweden taking in migrants Road-tripping the long way from LA to New York The beautiful Grand Pacific Hotel in Fiji Lisa’s podcast with Lady Pamela Hicks, the daughter of Lord Mountbatten, and India Hicks The Queen and Commonwealth Great American accents and people who call you baby The joys of French pop singer Julien Dore Lisa’s love of Christine and The Queens Oliver’s memoir Paris on Air and its sparkling sounding ‘audio experience’    

We’re still riding high in Apple Podcasts places and travel charts all around the world, including several days at number 1 in the UK and as high as number 16 in the US so I want to thank you once again for all our loyal listeners and welcome all new listeners.  My guest today is someone I’ve ALWAYS wanted to get on the podcast. This interview was my last trip into the centre of London before lockdown and I went to the stunning The London Library in the beautiful St James Square in Westminster to meet her.  With her best-selling and impeccably researched historical novels, Victoria Hislop has the power to transport you through both place and time. Her books have sold millions around the world and been translated into over 35 languages. A former travel writer she divides her time between Athens, Crete and England and the inspiration for her stories come from anything from a leprosy colony in the Greek Islands to Garcia Lorca’s family home in Granada. I’ve been a fan of her work for a long time so I’m delighted to have Victoria Hislop on The Big Travel Podcast. On this episode we cover: Her latest book Those Who Are Loved about the Greek Civil War (out now in hardback and paperback by August 2020) Her first book The Island selling over 2 million copies around the world and Travelling and writing books (a charmed life!) Starting as a travel journalist The Greek leprosy colony Spinalonga that inspired The Island How the story incredibly ‘emerged’ in the first hour of visiting the island People leaving something of their story behind in a way Feeling like she was almost ‘channelling’ the energy left behind Her second book The Return based in Spain during the Spanish Civil War Being just outside Granada when the idea come to her Garcia Lorca’s Granada family home being spine-tingling The lack of acknowledgment of the Civil War since Franco The mausoleum to General Franco in the Valley of the Fallen The definite sense that people were visiting to pay homage to a fascist Spain’s quietly divided society under Franco People now being brave enough to track family members Lisa’s dissertation (yes really!) on Spanish design reflecting culture The shadow Franco cast over Spain A population in mourning but shops selling out of champagne Being very moved by watching Franco’s recent exhumation to unmarked grave Kitsch souvenirs in homage to Franco Lisa previously meeting Victoria and her husband Ian Hislop on a flight with Martin Lewis the Money Saving Expert Victoria loving Malaga city and its regeneration Malaga previously having a heroin problem Flamenco and gypsy culture encapsulating Andalucían spirit Being almost nostalgic about the Brexit argument now Coronavirus has replaced it! How suppressed cultures can thrive underground in times of adversity The Greek Civil War being a very vicious period in Greece Hundreds of thousand of Greek’s dying from starvation after the Nazis Nazis destroying roads, railways and bridges on their way out The big resistance movement in Greece The communist resistance fighters expecting roles in Government British sending troops to fight the communists in Greece The differences between post-civil war in Greece and Spain Lisa meeting the tourism minister in Athens Loving travel but being slightly conflicted about travel Her children being cross with her for taking unnecessary flights Off-setting flights when possible Feeling if she lived in Greece she would be too tied down in daily life Sunshine being incredibly good for us How the sunshine can make you feel happy The excitement of London But the lure of a laid back lifestyle in the sunshine Travelling frequently to Colombia Long-haul trips at Christmas Working on the TV set when The Island was turned into a TV drama Her poem being turned into a hit song by Greek popstar Eleonora Zouganeli Winning a Sony Gold award for the song