by Holly Rubenstein
<p>The Travel Diaries is a weekly interview series where journalist Holly Rubenstein chats to a special guest about their adventures around the world, and the travel experiences and destinations that have shaped their lives.</p><br><p>Be transported to exotic and far flung places as Holly and her diverse range of famous guests take you on a journey through the seven chapters of their life's travel diaries, from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with; to their all time favourite destination, their hidden gem recommendation and what’s at the top of their bucket list. It's wanderlust, guaranteed!</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
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Publishing Since
7/2/2019
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April 15, 2025
<p>Today’s guest is quite literally a national treasure. She’s a Dame, a queen of the kitchen, an author, a restaurateur, and of course, the judge who has been serving up wit and wisdom alongside cakes and crumbles on The Great British Bake Off since 2017… it is the one and only Dame Prue Leith.</p><br><p>Born and raised in South Africa, Prue moved to London in the swinging Sixties and quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the culinary world. She founded Leith’s - a hugely successful restaurant in Notting Hill that went on to earn a Michelin star - and later opened Leiths School of Food and Wine, which has trained generations of top chefs and food writers.</p><br><p>Over the decades, she’s written best-selling cookbooks and novels, been a newspaper columnist, a judge on the Great British Menu, and has sat on countless boards and advisory panels, all while campaigning tirelessly for better food in schools, hospitals, and prisons. Her impact on British food culture is hard to overstate. And now, at 85, she’s showing no signs of slowing down. She’s back on our screens in the new season of her wonderfully warm and personal ITV series, Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, filmed in her beautiful country home, where she shares family recipes, chats with friends, and brings a bit of sunshine to our screens.</p><br><p>If you thought Prue’s adventures were limited to the kitchen, though, you can think again. From the deserts of Turkmenistan and the ancient silk roads of Uzbekistan to beach drives in Western Australia and mountain drives in Bhutan, her travel diaries are as rich and surprising as her legendary glasses collection.</p><br><p>So settle in for a deliciously inspiring chat with a woman whose life has been anything but ordinary.</p><br><p>Destination Recap:</p><br><p>Holly:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.simonescapes.com/elkstones-chipping-campden-the-cotswolds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Elkstones, Chipping Campden, England</a> (Part of Simon Escapes' collection)</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Prue:</p><ul><li>Turkmenistan</li><li>Uzbekistan</li><li>Ashgabat, Turkmenistan</li><li>Kruger National Park, South Africa</li><li>Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa</li><li>Ipswich, England</li><li>Paris, France</li><li>Cape Town, South Africa</li><li>Perth, Western Australia</li><li>Kalgoorlie, Western Australia</li><li>Lucky Bay, Western Australia</li><li>Core by Clare Smyth, London, England</li><li>Cotswolds, England</li><li>Bhutan</li><li>Amir Temur Mausoleum, Gur-e Amir Complex, Uzbekistan</li><li>Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt</li><li>The Kimberley, Australia</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen continues on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player on Saturday 19th April 2025</strong></p><br><p>With thanks to <a href="https://www.wexas.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wexas</a>, <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/?c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&gclsrc=aw.ds&&c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&ghost=true&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnPS-BhBxEiwAZjMF0lKMErlqJBTbIWrGumFPtmPMtKcy4Rv2HoGMFVPuWPxjiCet3VrhfxoCQ7AQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> and <a href="https://saily.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Saily</a> for their support of today's episode - Download the SAILY app and use our code <strong>TRAVELDIARIES</strong> at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase </p><br><p><br></p><p>Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyrubenstein/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@hollyrubenstein</a>, and you’ll also find me on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyrubenstein" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</a>.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
April 8, 2025
<p>Welcome to our first Budget Travel Special! This is one that you, the listeners, have been asking for a lot - and I get it! Travel can feel expensive and overwhelming, but what if I told you that it really doesn’t have to be?</p><br><p>That’s why I knew I had to bring on the ultimate budget travel expert<strong> - </strong>someone who has made it her mission to help people travel smarter, stretch their money further, and still enjoy incredible experiences, Chelsea Dickenson, aka the Cheap Holiday Expert.</p><br><p>Chelsea has built a huge following all thanks to her easy-to-follow, no-nonsense travel hacks. You’ve probably seen her viral videos on how to snag the best hotel upgrades, fly for less, or even go on an amazing holiday for under £100. And if you’re a fan of This Morning, you’ll recognise her as their go-to expert for low-cost travel. She’s also the co-host of Passports Please, the travel podcast that helps you hack your holidays. </p><br><p>Now, I know budget travel is something so many of you are interested in, and you’ve sent in loads of brilliant questions on Instagram for this one. We’re covering everything, from whether five-star hotels are actually worth it to the best destinations where your money goes furthest, plus Chelsea’s ultimate flight-booking hacks that will save you time and money. </p><br><p>So, whether you’re planning your next getaway or just love hearing about the best travel tricks out there, this episode is packed with useful tips and plenty of fun stories too.</p><br><p>Destination Recap:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Berlin, Germany </li><li>Krakow, Poland </li><li>Wroclaw, Poland</li><li>Gdansk, Poland </li><li>Budapest, Hungary</li><li>Kozmo, Budapest, Hungary</li><li>Vilnius, Lithuania </li><li>Seville, Spain</li><li>Turkey </li><li>Nidum Casual Luxury, Innsbruck, Austria </li><li>Vietnam </li><li>Ha Long Bay, Vietnam</li><li>Cat Ba Island, Vietnam</li><li>Koh Lanta, Thailand</li><li>Dubai</li><li>Iceland</li><li>Chill out hostel, Zagreb, Croatia </li><li>South Korea</li><li>Uzbekistan </li></ul><p><br></p><p>Today's episode was produced by Alexandra Calder.</p><br><p>With thanks to <a href="https://www.visitguernsey.com/experiences/beaches/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwktO_BhBrEiwAV70jXu1vfXhEwKols1R1j7Ukl7hCtqYaRt0uWYZojj2gWJUj4isZNBEkRBoCSlwQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Visit Guernsey</a> and <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/?c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&gclsrc=aw.ds&&c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&ghost=true&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnPS-BhBxEiwAZjMF0lKMErlqJBTbIWrGumFPtmPMtKcy4Rv2HoGMFVPuWPxjiCet3VrhfxoCQ7AQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> for their support of today's episode.</p><br><p>Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyrubenstein/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@hollyrubenstein</a>, and you’ll also find me on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyrubenstein" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok </a>- I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 13 seasons to catch up on, that's over 145 episodes to keep you busy there.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
April 1, 2025
<p>My guest today is a true force of nature. From the moment she burst onto the scene as a child prodigy with that voice, she became one of the most famous classical singers in the world, performing for presidents, popes, and royalty. It is of course, Charlotte Church. Her early career was a whirlwind - global fame, relentless travel, and a life that few could truly understand. We talk about what that was really like behind the scenes, the highs and the inevitable challenges of growing up in the spotlight, and how travel became both an escape and a source of inspiration for her.</p><br><p>But Charlotte’s journey didn’t stop there. These days, she’s also the founder of The Dreaming, a magical retreat space in rural Wales dedicated to healing, creativity, and connection. Throughout the year, The Dreaming hosts a range of immersive retreats - some focused on families, others on music and self-discovery, including Charlotte’s own deeply personal Song of the Soul retreat. It even celebrates ancient traditions with gatherings around the folkloric calendar, from the Spring Equinox to Halloween.</p><br><p>Charlotte’s travel diaries take us from the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to the wild beauty of Dominica, the savannahs of Kenya, and, of course, the rolling green hills of Wales, her home. Her outlook on life is truly unique - spiritual, alternative, and deeply connected to nature and the world around her. So, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Let’s get started - here’s Charlotte. </p><br><p>Holly's Destination Recap:</p><ul><li>Homewood, Bath, England</li><li>Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, England <a href="https://pobhotels.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">via PoB hotels</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Charlotte's Destination Recap:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Brazil </li><li>Lake Geneva, Switzerland </li><li>Los Angeles, California</li><li>Tokyo, Japan </li><li>The Dreaming, Elan Valley, Wales </li><li>Kenya</li><li>Elan Valley, Wales </li><li>St David’s, Pembrokeshire, Wales</li><li>Llanidloes, Wales</li><li>Anglesey, Wales </li><li>The Gower, Wales</li><li>Merthyr Mawr, Wales</li><li>Dominica </li><li>Pittsburgh, USA</li><li>Peru</li><li>Japan</li><li>Yellowstone National Park, USA</li><li>Costa Rica</li></ul><p><br></p><p>You can find out more about Charlotte's retreats at <a href="The Dreaming.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Dreaming.co.uk</a></p><br><p>With thanks to <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/?c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&gclsrc=aw.ds&&c=.pi0.pk179260836_12837552276&ghost=true&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnPS-BhBxEiwAZjMF0lKMErlqJBTbIWrGumFPtmPMtKcy4Rv2HoGMFVPuWPxjiCet3VrhfxoCQ7AQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> for their support of today's episode.</p><br><p>Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyrubenstein/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@hollyrubenstein</a>, and you’ll also find me on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyrubenstein" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok </a>- I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 13 seasons to catch up on, that's over 145 episodes to keep you busy there.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
DK Travel
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
The Guardian
Cold Glass Productions
Jessie Ware
Spiritland Creative
Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Productions / Keep It Light Media
Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment
BBC Radio 4
Stak
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
OffScript
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