Travelling Through... London, the world and life.

This episode is a wake up call for us as humans to consider taking more responsibility for ourselves as individuals, especially when it comes to what foods we are putting in our mouths. For example, if you think fat free products are the healthy choice, you've definitely got to listen to this podcast episode. My guest REBECCA RIVERS proves that we can reverse ill health through making the right food, exercise and lifestyle choices. She did it and reversed her Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome diagnosis. And now Rebecca shares her story with us in this episode. Through her health and beauty shop Rivers' Remedies, Rebecca is hoping to set up a series of talks and YouTube recordings in the near future to advance the awareness of what we can do to improve our health span through food, exercise and lifestyle wherever we are in the world. In the meantime, if you are in London, do visit Rivers' Remedies in Lower Marsh, London SE1. Rebecca and her team provide one to one customer assistance with all kinds of beneficial vitamins, potions and organic products at their finger tips for you to purchase. The choices are there, and, as Rebecca says, "if you want a different outcome, you have to make different choices." The Travelling Through Podcast series continues in 2023 with the theme... Make new choices. Redefine who you are.   To KNOW MORE ABOUT REBECCA and RIVERS' REMEDIES go to: Instagram: @riversremedies Facebook: Rivers-Remedies Email: hello@rivers-remedies.co.uk Phone: 07780 112226 Website: https://rivers-remedies.co.uk/ TO KNOW MORE about EMMA - your podcast host and author of DRIVING TITO: Through The Balkan Backroads with a Celebrity - go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANK YOU as always to MARISKA MARTINA at: https://www.mariskamartina.com for creating our lovely travelling through podcast jingle! THANK YOU to LAMBETH PALACE LIBRARY for (unknowingly) hosting this podcast episode. https://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org/exhibitions/enslavement-voices-from-the-archives/

This episode is about self-belief and a man who through his love of travel, and particularly walking, set off along a creative writing path away from high finance and from wearing a smart suit in the City of London. I sat down with author STEPHEN MARRIOTT on the (almost) eve publication date of his third book Diego's Guitar, and through a candid discussion Steve reflects on how easily our choices can build habits both good and bad. He believes that by looking back at the choices we've made, reveals our character and that it's not always easy to break our habits. How about you? Tune in to get inspired on how you too can redefine yourself and make a choice to do it your way. Stephen R. Marriott is the author of The Reluctant Pilgrim series, a trilogy set against the backdrop of three camino routes across Spain. The story follows Diego through ten years of his life, from a directionless young man in his early twenties with a talent for playing flamenco guitar and his climb to fame followed by the challenges he faces when it all comes tumbling down. TO KNOW MORE about STEPHEN MARRIOTT go to https://www.stephenrmarriott.com To PRE-ORDER DIEGO'S GUITAR go direct to Amazon - where you can find all Stephen's books, ebooks, and audible books OR go to any good bookstore where you live. Other podcast episodes I have recorded with Steve are 067, 060, 044, 032, 022. TO KNOW MORE about EMMA - your podcast host and author of DRIVING TITO: Through The Balkan Backroads with a Celebrity - go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANK YOU as always to MARISKA MARTINA at: https://www.mariskamartina.com for creating our lovely travelling through podcast jingle!

This episode celebrates the determination of one woman to achieve her dreams through the choices presented to her at different times of her life to date. SHOBHA DAS with whom I was fortunate enough to catch up with in London last month, embraces an incredible life-changing challenge to build a house in the mountains above her Keralan homeland in India alongside her husband Chris Collinson - with whom I also recorded a podcast episode (ep. 027) over two years ago. Shobha is straightforward and unflinching in her recollection of choices she has made in life, reminding us that although some choices can be challenging ones to make, it is important to remain realistic yet not afraid of the decisions one takes. To learn more about Shobha and her housebuilding exploits in India please tune in to her YouTube channel - if this link does not work go to my website podcast page shownotes. You can connect with Shobha at virtualshobha@hotmail.com To learn more about your podcast host EMMA go to my website https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ or to Instagram for my Sicilian travels @ontheroadwithRhoswyn or @travelling_through And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

SARAH WOLFERSTAN of ALIVU SICILY grows and produces extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) alongside her Sicilian husband Paulo Guarino. Their olive groves are located in the very centre and heart of Sicily on the opposite hills to Enna. From their land, and very much in the distance, you can sometimes see smoke rising from Mt Etna. I had the privilege of joining Sarah, Paulo, friends and family for this year's harvest – something I have wanted to do since Sarah and I recorded our first podcast in February 2021 (episode 033). “At the heart of every olive there is a wild olive.” As we picked olives, I wired up Sarah for sound and I recorded our discussion about olive tree varieties, growing olives, the importance of olive oil, and choosing quality EVOO (ensuring its three main qualities are present). Sarah talks generally about Sicily, the necessity to farm regeneratively, and the importance of us all to consume food and olive oil conscientiously. By the end of our conversation you could be lured to this land to grow olives and live a different kind of life full-time or part-time, or at least pay Sicily a visit. Alivu Sicily aims to help and educate people about olive oil, food, heritage, the environment, nature and sustainability through what they are doing in Sicily. Sarah advises that generally “the best olive oil is fresh and local.” If you want to get in touch with Sarah and Paulo you can find out more here: Website: https://www.alivusicily.com/ Instagram: @alivusicily https://www.instagram.com/alivusicily/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alivusicily Email: alivusicily@gmail.com Some of the other organisations and people mentioned in this podcast are: Anna Tasca Lanza Sicilian Food Culture – cook the farm in Sicily https://annatascalanza.com/ Farm-Ed – olive oil talks. https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/ Women In Olive Oil, UK - https://www.womeninoliveoil.org/ Citizens of Soil. https://www.citizensofsoil.com/ “Olive oil is not a silver bullet but do eat as much good evoo as you can. Put it on your soups, dip your bread in it, pour it over salads and reap the health benefits.” In the UK we consume (per head) 1 litre a year whereas in Italy it is 15 litres. We've got a lot of catching up to do! To learn more about your podcast host EMMA go to my website or to Instagram for my Sicilian travels @ontheroadwithRhoswyn or @travelling_through https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! p.s. this is the third and final recording from my recent travels in Sicily

DANNY McCUBBIN is the founder of The Good Kitchen an inspiring social enterprise project in Mussomelli, Sicily. Danny has a background in digital consultancy, he is a speaker, and a food campaigner. He worked for the chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver for 17 years while also spending much time for “promoting food-focused social enterprises and helping diverse businesses create social value, with the belief that food has the power to transform lives.” Away from the busy world of London, here I am podcasting with Danny in his new home, Sicily. We are sitting in a small hilltop town in the centre of Sicily talking about food, community, and purpose and Danny has plenty to say on all these subjects. This podcast episode will inspire anyone searching for their own purpose or indeed interested in visiting Sicily to taste its food, meet its people, and absorb the very special and unique layers of culture and history that all contribute to making this a fascinating land. This is the second of three podcast episodes recorded while travelling in Sicily. Enjoy! To learn more about DANNY go to https://www.goodforgood.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyforgood/?hl=en @dannyforgood Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danny.mccubbin Learn more about your podcast host EMMA go to my website or to Instagram for my Sicilian travels @ontheroadwithRhoswyn or @travelling_through https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

GABRIELLA BECCHINA is an educator, a Sicilian tourism expert, a forager, a chef and an all round encyclopaedia of knowledge relating to the history, culture and food of Sicily. She studied art history in Basel, and worked in New York but her formative years were in Switzerland with school holidays in Sicily visiting family. It was only when her Sicilian father retired to his Sicilian roots in Castelvetrano - establishing an olive grove and trailblazing the way to producing a more sophisticated and polyphenol rich extra virgin olive oil production – that Gabriella decided to come and join him and get involved. She founded a food and tourism venture, which blossomed and has now morphed into Gabriella's Key To Sicily in which she takes her guests back to the heart of healthy eating, pairing foods, cooking, and foraging amongst other activities. It was with huge delight that I had the opportunity to meet and podcast with Gabriella over two days. This is an inspiring introduction in to a Sicily that many will not normally see, so get those headphones on and tune in!   To learn more about/connect with Gabriella go to links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keytosicily/ Instagram: @gabriellasicily https://www.instagram.com/gabriellasicily/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/gabriellasicily/with_replies Email: gabriella@keytosicily.com We were visiting the beautiful Azienda Agricola Carbona for the olive harvest (the land of which was once managed by Gabriella's grandfather in the 1950s. It is now owned by the wonderful Vito Di Benedetto. A big thank you to him for hosting one part of the podcast chat. To find out more go to https://www.agriturismocarbona.it/ Learn more about your podcast host EMMA go to my website or to Instagram for my Sicilian travels @ontheroadwithRhoswyn or @travelling_through https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

LUKE RICHARDSON is a thriller writer, DJ, and podcaster. He studied journalism at Nottingham University but DJ-ing became his central profession for a while before he changed direction into English teaching within a secondary school and the longer holidays allowed Luke to indulge his passion for travel from which came the inspiration to write. Luke writes thriller novels and has just launched a much awaited new series entitled The Ark Files – an archaeological thriller trilogy. His books are all based in exciting places around the world to inspire the reader while enjoying some armchair escapism. Luke has a podcast The Travel Now Podcast and continues to DJ to a lesser extent than before but with just as much enthusiasm. "The reader completes the process of writing. You don't often see the other side. I am in control of writing the best I can. It's an intimate thing sharing 6-7hours with someone through one's writing. Readers are investing their time in reading something you've created, and that's a real privilege, and an honour, and it's something I don't take lightly at all. It's important that the stories are complete and as good as they can be."   Learn more about Luke Richardson by going to his author page on AMAZON (type in Luke Richardson) OR go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Luke-Richardson-Crime-Thrillers/s?rh=n%3A270408%2Cp_lbr_books_authors_browse-bin%3ALuke+Richardson OR BUY his latest books by clicking here: Luke's website is: https://www.lukerichardsonauthor.com/ Luke's Instagram address: https://www.instagram.com/lukerichaa/ Luke's podcast The Travel Now Podcast is on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0U8MgHTK3M8HamD9AVvOyc Learn more about your podcast host EMMA here: https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!    

While on the Isle of Skye recently with my partner Stephen Marriott enjoying a bit of van-life freedom, we happened upon the inaugural Hebridean Whisky Trail Festival. Never known to say no to a dram now and again, I was fortunate enough to take part in a whisky tasting from the distilleries involved, and to have a chat with NEIL MATHIESON – CEO of the Isle of Skye's youngest distillery, Torabhaig. I also cajoled Steve to take ten minutes out of his time to reflect on our trip to the Isle of Raasay and its equally young distillery plus his overall impressions and thoughts on our trip to Scotland. Get those headphones on and raise a dram to the Hebridean Whisky Trail. Perhaps you'll join it next year! In the meantime checkout the links attached... Learn more about the Hebridean distilleries here: https://hebrideanwhisky.com/ Learn more about Neil Mathieson here: https://mossburndistillers.com/ Learn more about Stephen Marriott here: https://www.stephenrmarriott.com/ Learn more about your podcast host EMMA here: https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

SIMON CALDER is a travel broadcaster, journalist and podcaster in the UK. He writes and podcasts regularly for The Independent. I do quite a lot of coverage of travel turmoil. Simon reports from travel strewn locations which has made him a recognisable figure on UK television and as he and I podcast walked and talked our way through central London on the last Saturday in July during a national rail strike, it became very clear that people love to say hello to him, and enjoy his down to earth style and willingness to chat. I think we might be in for a transportational recession which is very dispiriting. During this episode, we talked with people, heard their stories, in amongst me hearing his own thoughts on hitch hiking, UK cities, beach cities, his first day trip to “exotic” Dieppe, why Italy means so much to him, the importance of tourism, why going to Maastricht might now be on his agenda for December, the closest he's got to riding in a Bentley and what he believes are the three key things we can all do to help our flying carbon footprint when we travel a lot. I fly a lot, so every time I fly, I must hitchhike at least once. Some would say that's a lame excuse for an offset. If you have to fly, Obviously only travel in economy class, Only carry cabin baggage, And fly direct Except when travelling a long way when you would increase the damage.   To find out more about SIMON go to: https://www.simoncalder.co.uk/ On Twitter: @SimonCalder  On Instagram: @simon_calder On TikTok: @caldertravel On You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CalderTravel On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Simon.Calder.58 In Print/Online: The Independent; The Evening Standard   On the Radio: National & Regional BBC Radio; LBC; Talk; Times; World Service   On Screen: BBC Breakfast; Good Morning Britain; Sky News; ITV News; Channel 5; BBC News; CNN A huge thank you to Paul for sharing his story and travel wisdom with us when our paths spontaneously crossed during our podcast walk and talk. To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And as always, a big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

STEVEN MOORE is a writer of action thriller books. He is proudly self-published and has written 25 books. Since this podcast episode was recorded, Steve has just launched another book in his compelling Hiram Kane action thriller series entitled The Oak Island Enigma to find out more and buy your copy, click on the links below. During our walk and talk around Waterloo and the South Bank area of London, Steve talks about self-publishing and why this is his preferred method of reaching his audience of readers. We talk about the Self Publishing Formula format and forthcoming LIVE show and how Steve's natural skills have led him in to creating an editing business and how this helps to support his life as a writer. Steve is well travelled spending large swathes of time in Asia and South America. He currently lives between America and Norfolk while his American wife of seven years struggles to secure a visa to live with her husband in the UK. Steve also talks a little about his commitment to Mental Health Awareness Week and why after many years suffering from severe social anxiety, he sought help to identify his condition and learn to consciously cope with his symptoms in a more positive and productive way as well as reaching out to others who are suffering. To connect with STEVEN MOORE go to: https://www.stevenmooreauthor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HiramKane Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenmooreauthor/ Email Steve: stevenmooreauthor@gmail.com To find out about the Self Publishing Formula go to: https://selfpublishingformula.com/ To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! Our podcast chat began and ended at https://www.thekingsarmslondon.co.uk/

In this, Part 2 of my chat with Richard Lapper, we walk from Wapping to Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park and back to Wapping via King Edward VII Park, the Regents Canal, Mile End Park and Limehouse Basin talking about history, politics, London, and Brazil. Tune in to be inspired by London's east side, understanding more about Brazil, and how farming, religion and security can play such an important part in the making and breaking of a country. And why the Amazon has become so threatened by a policy that changed the region forever: People without land for a land without people. Richard talks about the influence of British journalist Norman Lewis raising awareness of the indigenous communities in the Amazon and how their way of life was being threatened brought about the rise of Survival International; and through reporting for insurance companies the change of weather patterns brought about the world's first environmentalist movements. Richard talks about why Brazil goes off the rails, the impact of the discovery of oil in Brazil in 2006, the car wash scandal and the rise of the two biggest gangs in Brazil, the First Command of the Capital in Sao Paulo and The Red Command in Rio de Janeiro. “Organised crime is becoming more and more powerful in Brazil, as the State becomes weaker, and policing becomes less effective.” Like episode 63, this episode is dedicated to (Dominic) Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira who were murdered in the Amazon in June 2022 while using their skills as journalist and advocate for indigenous people respectively, to defend the Amazon against further destruction and to protect the indigenous people who live there. This podcast chat has been recorded in two episodes. This is Part 2. Part 1 can be heard in the previous podcast episode - 63. To find out more about Richard Lapper go to: Twitter: https://twitter.com/onlatinamerica Email: richard.lapper@gmail.com https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/richard-lapper Instagram: @richard_lapper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfaQIUcXmU To BUY Beef, Bible and Bullets: Brazil in the Age of Bolsonaro https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beef-bible-bullets-Brazil-Bolsonaro/dp/152614901X OR https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526149015/ To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ And, a big thanks as always, to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

RICHARD LAPPER is an independent journalist and consultant. Originally from Sheffield, Richard is the author of Beef, Bible and Bullets: Brazil in the Age of Bolsonaro. Originally published in 2021, the paperback is now available and comes at a time when the spotlight is on Brazil with respect to the alarming depletion and destruction of the Amazon and why it is happening at such an uncontrolled pace. Richard spent many years living and working in Central and South America, particularly Brazil. He now lives in Wapping and I caught up with him to walk and talk about writing during the lockdown, Brazil, the Amazon, and the horrific murders of his good friend and journalist Dominic (Dom) Phillips, and advocate for the indigenous people Bruno Pereira. Both men were raising awareness of the need to protect the Amazon forest and its indigenous people from lawlessness and a relentless onslaught of destruction, to ensure the survival of these important interlocking eco systems for the future. Podcast episodes 63 and 64 are dedicted to DOM PHILLIPS and BRUNO PEREIRA for their commitment, bravery and beliefs in adversity. This is Part 1 of 2 podcast episodes with Richard Lapper. To find learn more about RICHARD LAPPER go to: Twitter: https://twitter.com/onlatinamerica https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/richard-lapper Instagram: @richard_lapper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfaQIUcXmU To BUY Beef, Bible and Bullets: Brazil in the Age of Bolsonaro https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beef-bible-bullets-Brazil-Bolsonaro/dp/152614901X OR https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526149015/ To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! And finally, a huge thank you to Fatima for preparing a delicious impromptu Brazilian influenced light lunch for us.

SARAH PENNER is the author of The Lost Apothecary, which, on its release in the USA in 2021, immediately flew to the heady heights of the New York Times Top Ten Best Seller List. Published by Park Row Books/HarperCollins in the US and by Legend Press in the UK, the book is now in paperback and her readers are eagerly awaiting Sarah's second book due to be released in April 2023 entitled The London Séance Society. As Sarah and I walk and talk through the streets of London, Sarah reveals why London is the setting behind her book, her love of London, and particularly her curiosity in history, the past and the many untold stories that she feels are just waiting to be re-imagined into historical fiction. Sarah's fascination with women's roles in the past and present, potions and poisons, intrigue and empowerment are influential themes that drove Sarah to give up her 13 years in the American finance world and become a full-time writer. “I love to work… When I'm tired I rest. I take my mental health really seriously.”   “Maintaining a sense of belief in your own creative work...(is so important)...we're the most critical (of it)... Is this good enough? Will it ruin my name? Will my editor like it?" "Believe in your own work.”   To find out more about Sarah Penner go to https://www.sarahpenner.com/ Instagram: @sarah_penner_author Twitter: @sl_penner Facebook: @Sarah Penner Author   To find out more about Legend Press go to https://www.legendpress.co.uk/   To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/   A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

Stuart Duncan Bastow was born in Newfoundland, Canada. Along with his jazz collective, The Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra, he initially rose to fame in Halifax. Throughout the 1990s they played to audiences across Canada, America and Europe, front-lining bands such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and many more. Johnny, as he became known, recorded two albums with his Swing Orchestra and two solo albums. These can all be found online and are in order of recordings The Life Desire; Holiday Romance; Tonight; and Troubadour. Alcohol and drinking played a significant part in Johnny's life as he toured year in year out performing 320 shows a year. He reflects that when you “add in alcohol, things are going to be a blur.” Johnny spent time in Portugal in the early 2000s from where he joined numerous cruise liner tours as a singer, and then one day he found San Miguel de Allende, stayed, and set up his own bar from where live music would flow every evening into the early hours of the morning. Seven years on, Johnny's body and mind called time on this lifestyle. He quit drinking and closed the bar, and on reflection he believes that, “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it's connectivity. And I feel more connected with everything.” Johnny is Canadian but at root an Irish, Scottish, Norwegian. He doesn't feel the heat and wearing a kilt seems second nature to him. “Basically I'm a very white guy. I live in Mexico, but I dress like its Canadian September.” Johnny was inspired from an early age by the music of Frank Sinatra, Donald O'Connor and Duke Ellington. David Bowie came later as did many more. Johnny considered himself a bit of a purist for a long time but now he sings what he likes from jazz to rock and roll and everything else in between. Having lived in San Miguel de Allende for over a decade, he is seeing many changes happening, one of which is the rising numbers of vehicles into the town. He is in the early stages of a pilot project to persuade the Mayor to introduce tuk-tuks into the streets and reduce the number of polluting SUVs and taxis which are grid-locking the narrow cobbled lanes. He admits that San Miguel is a bubble and if you don't plan to stay, he advises you should visit with an exit strategy in place or you will get charmed into staying. “San Miguel is the only place as an adult, where you can make friends as you made friends as a kid; my friends here are like family.” To find out more about Johnny Favourite go to: Facebook: Johnny Favourite and/or Johnny Favourite Musician/Band Page Tuk-tuk pilot project for San Miguel de Allende: http://catarinatuktuks.com/ Thanks to Café Lula, Jesus 27, San Miguel de Allende for hosting us for the podcast recording. Find them on Facebook for food, drinks and music including Johnny Favourite's next gig. To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/

San Miguel de Allende in Central Mexico is one of the most popular towns to where Mexicans, Americans, Canadians and many others are drawn to eat, live, marry, paint, hear good music and generally seek out a good life. The climate is agreeable most of the time and likewise the people. This is a town which attracts expats but not in such large numbers that they outweigh the Mexican population. The surrounding areas produce good wines, and are agriculturally rich, and although San Miguel de Allende considers tourism to be its main source of income it is done elegantly and with panache. Everyone seems proud of their town and every evening the main square, El Jardin, throngs with families and visitors enjoying the music, the food and bonhomie. On a whim, I began recording my walkabouts with my partner Stephen Marriott, in the hope of conveying to you some of the sights, sounds and tastes of this magical town in the middle of Mexico. Enjoy your armchair trip to this fascinating and hugely friendly part of Mexico. To find out about Stephen Marriott go to: https://stephenrmarriott.com/ or @stephenrmarriott To learn more about some of the places and people we met check out this list: Instagram: @Megatanoz with guitarists Alejandro Camarena and Almitri Tzigane @miguelandrade752 with artist Miguel Andrade @carinito.tacos in Roma District, Mexico City @kennysplacesanmiguel @casacarly_bnb Facebook: @Wcantina with chef J.J. Castaneda and owner Irving Barraza @Kenny's place sma - great bar in Guadalupe District of San Miguel @The Duncans - with Mike Duncan, Tony Duncan, Rodrigo RV and Sergio Carrillo @casacrayola - we stayed at Casa Carly in San Miguel - highly recommend. To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/

ELISABETH BLANCHET documents the world through photography. She has travelled widely and her interest and patience in getting to know communities who live differently have resulted in her being able to capture peoples' worlds beyond the ones in which we ourselves live. Elisabeth's photography takes us to the Normandy beaches, the worlds of the Irish travellers and Romany, an orphanage in Romania from Ceaușescu's era, and to the world of Britain's post war prefab communities. As well as photography, Elisabeth is a writer and a filmmaker. She is the author of several books one of which was in collaboration with Historic England on the social and architectural history of Britain's prefabs. Lieberland is a place forgotten, but not to be forgotten. Situated on the Danube River in a disputed area between Serbia and Croatia, it became a place for libertarians to dream of another world with its President Vit Jedlička at the helm. Elisabeth spent some time documenting the early stages of Vit's political adventure. Elisabeth believes her role in documenting involves observing and making a link between the outside world and those worlds where people live differently. “So people see that they live normally, They eat, they love their children, or not, like everyone else.” More recently, Elisabeth bought a camera in a flea market in Moscow. Inside the camera was an undeveloped film that she got developed. The black and white photos depicted a young boy's first day at school. It was 1990 in the then USSR. The images inspired Elisabeth and set her on a mission to find this Russian boy and to return the photographs. The events that follow are currently influencing one of Elisabeth's latest projects. Finally, if you have a prefab or know someone who lives in one, do get in touch with Elisabeth she would love to hear from you – the details are below. To know more about Elisabeth Blanchet go to: www.elisabethblanchet.com Where you can BUY her BOOKS and PHOTOGRAPHY. Instagram: @elisabethblanchet_photography Facebook: @ElisabethBlanchetPhotography Twitter: @BlanchetElisa To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

MARI WILLIAMS is a trained coach, therapist and mediator. Her business, The Mind Architect, attracts clients from all walks of life and includes many at the top of their professional game looking for solutions to be better leaders. Mari believes this leadership comes from within you, and in her mind is based on five guiding principles, which she explores in an accessible way in her book It Begins With You – Transform Your Mind To Excel As An Alternative Leader. “Is your life the life you want to lead? And if it isn't, why isn't it?” Mari sees herself as a girl who reads. She is an optimistic realist and believes when we are stressed that we can manage this by finding the inner version of ourselves that is always calm. A number of years ago Mari challenged herself to interview 100 leaders in 100 days. Leaders and entrepreneurs who themselves had had challenges. She reached 57 interviews and realised this was enough. She used her own principles of being an Alternative Leader, to lead from within, lead authentically, and be consciously aware of her life. Are you leading with intention in your life? Mari Williams' book carefully develops five succinct but inter-related principles: Understanding how you think. Clearing your past - our past creates us. Finding self-worth - which can be mistaken for confidence. Understanding the nuances of control. Understanding how to make great decisions. Your unconscious brain is running you most of the time. Your conscious brain makes up only five percent of your decisions. The core you should be the same. Ninety percent of whom you present to the world should be you. So staying authentic is key and the goal is getting yourself to that true honesty place of I am, who I am. “I love it, When I see people, who have influence, Using it for greater good.”   To find out more about Mari Williams go to her website: www.mari-williams.com To BUY her BOOK, eBOOK, AUDIBLE go to her website or Amazon. Facebook: Mari Williams Twitter: @WilliamsThinks LinkedIn: Mari Williams Search also Mari Williams, The Mind Architect, for more information.   To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/   A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

ABIGAIL TRIPP has lived in London Waterloo for almost 25 years. She is an avid swimmer, cyclist and traveller and loves searching out the wild swimming and lido spots in and around London. “Being in touch with the water is so important to me.” Abigail is also a huge cycling fan and cycles all around London. Her idea of finding peace and quiet is going on early morning urban solos, a concept she first discovered while on a silent walking retreat on the west coast of Scotland near Inverie. Closer to London, one of Abigail's favourite camping and swimming destinations is to Brightlingsea Lido and to Mersea Island. Abigail is a founding member of Flux Soup, a collective musical and artistic group who initiate creative events around theatre, music and song. At last year's Waterloo Festival, they collaborated with writer Sarah Gray in a production of Sarah's written work, entitled Heartwood. On our walk from Archbishop's Park in London SE1 she took me to the Thames and along the path between Lambeth Bridge and Westminster Bridge passing the Covid Memorial Wall of red and pink hearts. Where our discussion turns to cycling and Abigail's involvement in Wednesday morning cycle rides for women, as well as the plans she has for community building at St John's Waterloo through art, and collective creativity. To contact Abigail at St Johns, Waterloo go to: https://stjohnswaterloo.org/ To go cycling with Abigail or others go to: https://www.letsride.co.uk/ To know more about Flux Soup go to: https://fluxsoup.weebly.com/ Facebook: Flux Soup ; Instagram: @fluxsouparts To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

Carole Wright is the founder of Blak Outside a multi-disciplinary creative collective providing culturally diverse and inclusive events for the community both online and in person. This collective had its beginnings in the Peabody Blackfriars Estate also known as Peabody Square where Carole has lived for many years. Through her extensive knowledge and management of community gardening, she has been able to combine and integrate the collective - whose central theme is about feeling “rooted” - with their involvement in this shared activity which goes well beyond gardening itself. Carole takes me on a tour around the community garden at the Peabody Blackfriars Estate and talks about the More Than A Shed Project, plus plans that are underway for a forest garden at the Brookwood community garden just two minutes walk away. Carole strongly believes in promoting the community gardens for after school activities for the children on the estate, as well as inter-generational activities, and Saturday morning events, creating a space “where people can hang out and feel safe”. Carole talks about the challenges of living on the estate during the lockdown, the increased police presence and, in response, the creation of Blak Outside by the community, for the community. “We like the mash up of cultures here… We've got to have music and food… People, sharing, is so important.” Presently, there's a cultural block around gardening and horticulture. Carole believes this is changing and is therefore very excited for the next generation and the opportunities it may bring for them. “A community gardening project isn't just about gardening, It's about the conversations around it.” To learn more about Blak Outside go to https://blakoutside.org/ Instagram: @blak_outside Facebook: @Blak Outside Twitter: @blak_outside To find out about your podcast host EMMA go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

“Sentio is to feel.” OLIVER TRACE is an artist and animator and the founder of SENTIO SPACE. His company has collaborated with other artists and has been commissioned by Tate Britain, Tate Modern, BBC and Cambridge University amongst other prestigious, high profile organisations to help them tell their stories in a short form, animated context to huge success and acclaim - particularly resonating with those on social media platforms. Britain by Bike was Sentio Space's first animation project illustrating four friends' bike ride across the UK from John o'Groats to Lands End through imagery that symbolises the diversity of landscapes of Britain. Check out Britain by Bike animated short created by Sentio Space on YouTube. Oliver is experimenting with augmented reality, the artistic realm that blends the physical with the digital. Check out sentio.space website for more information on this. Sentio also collaborates with artists to create animated cards. And finally, they have created Soulday Thursdays to reflect the idea that one should take time out to relax from their hectic and busy worlds - Oliver is experimenting with immersive storytelling events online and in person at the Sentio Space studio. “Just because it's innovative doesn't mean that it's something worthwhile.” To find out more about OLIVER and SENTIO SPACE go to https://sentio.space Instagram @sentio.space Twitter: @SentioSpace To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!    

“I think gender and identity are different things. My identity is not related to my gender.” CHARLOTTE HARKER is an artist, writer and performer. She wrote A Species of Trees; collaborated with Tamar Yoseloff with Nowheres; has written The Wear and Tear of Conversation; The Poetry of Lost Landscapes. She is currently completing The Novel and Other Incidents this will be published in the autumn. Charlotte's style of artwork is wide ranging and includes giclee and dry point, to studies of both trees and buildings. She has recently been experimenting with collage. Charlotte has been involved in a number of art residencies across London, the most recent being at the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner. She will also be involved in an exhibition at St Pancras' Churchyard in central London in the Autumn - the result of a creative collaboration – she will be posting more information on her social media sites check these out below. To learn more about Charlotte Harker go to: charlotteharker.wordpress.com Email Charlotte at: charker2001@hotmail.com Charlotte is on Instagram @charker2001 Charlotte is on Facebook @CharlotteHarker Charlote is also on www.charlotteharker.net “Writing and making art, That's the most important thing. The question of my identity is not, That comes deeply from within me." To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

What can make you happy can change constantly. LIZA PADERES works for the independent publishing house Legend Press, an arm of the Legend Times publishing group. People buy books visually. Liza is a first generation Londoner born to Filipino immigrants. She was brought up with English and a smattering of her parents' native tongue. She grew up in Barnet, north London and after studying media and communications at university, Liza entered the publishing world excited by the prospects of travel that this industry offered. Liza reflects on how the publishing world has changed, what the current trends and genres are in publishing, the difficulties that authors face whether published or self-published, and how as a mother, Liza is observing her children's relationships to books, bookshops, the library and who they define as their heroes. It's a real eye opener having children, and knowing the intricacies of making them happy.   To find out more about Legend Press: https://www.legendpress.co.uk To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

“We had to call them Soviets, not to anger the large bear next to us.” HELENA HALME is a self-published author of contemporary fiction. She is the Nordic Ambassador for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Helena has written two box sets, the Nordic Heart series and the Island series. One of her recurring themes is displacement and the human condition, isolation and discrimination. Her book Coffee and Vodka reflects her own experiences of displacement as a child when moving with her family to Sweden from Finland - an experience which would in some ways prepare her for life when she moved to the United Kingdom as the wife of an Englishman in the Royal Navy. Helena's writings are all based on life experiences and those of situations around her. She is a creative and believes you need to be near people, and live in creative areas to write. In the self-publishing world marketing is such a big part of the process and she believes, “you ignore it at your peril… being self-published is hard work, you run a small business, you have to think of market forces.” She laughingly adds, “We are vampires don't forget. We suck the life out of everybody we know, And, our own.” In our podcast chat, Helena reflects on being Finnish and growing up in Finland, a country bordered by Russia, Sweden and Norway. “We had to call them Soviets, not to anger the large bear next to us.” She misses Finnish rye bread and herring marinated in spices. Helena hates running but it does bring inspiration and can help her to work out plot lines. “My Achilles heel is that I can't churn out books to a template.” To find out more about Helena go to: https://helenahalme.com Helena is also a self-publishing coach: https://www.selfpublishingcoach.co.uk/ To BUY her most recent books go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09924KFBD   To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

“We're here for you, whoever you are.” CANON GILES GODDARD is the Vicar of St John's Waterloo and St Andrew's Church in London SE1. His challenge is one that many face while living and serving in a fast-paced multi-cultural, socially diverse, and gender diverse city such as London in the 21st century. “We're quite famous for being inclusive.” Giles talks about his mission as Vicar responsible for the (almost) 200 year old church in the dynamic community of Waterloo - and neighbour of the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace - to "reignite" the community with ways to embrace justice, social inclusion, social engagement, equality and transformation. The annual Waterloo Festival is one such initiative. Giles was, by his own definition, an atheist for some time after experiencing a lack of inclusion by the church towards him as a young gay man. During this time he studied theology at Cambridge University with a specific aim to disprove the existence of God because he was "angry with God". After University, Giles moved to London. It was the late 1970s, early 1980s, and Giles experienced London's gay scene when HIV and Aids were at their highest levels. However, it was while staying with an old school friend in central London, that Giles was persuaded to go back to church and to his surprise, he found there was a place for him within the Church of England. Fast forward to 2022 and Giles is now an honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral, the Vicar of St John's Waterloo and St Andrew's church, and is in a civil partnership with his Malaysian spouse Shanon. Giles is a central figure of London SE1, tackling many of Waterloo's challenges with an open, inclusive attitude. He supports the Inclusive Mosque Initiative, and is a fervent supporter of climate change and environmental initiatives. His involvement with the Church of England regarding the understanding and inclusivity of all gender groups is ongoing. To learn more about the community outreach projects St John's Waterloo supports, the Waterloo Festival and its engagement with Accumulate and The Bridge please check out the links below. “God is love, and those who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them. You can't talk it, you can just try and live it, and just try and be it.” To find out about ST JOHN'S WATERLOO, the Waterloo Festival, The Bridge, church services, and more, please go to: https://stjohnswaterloo.org Twitter: @stjohnswaterloo Instagram: @st_johns_waterloo Facebook: @stjohnswaterloo To find out more about Accumulate go to: https://accumulate.org.uk/ To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

"Stories Are Vehicles of Powerful Messages" CALVIN NILES is a Communication Coach and Mindful Storyteller. He is an author, poet and founder of SOAR Book Club. Calvin also hosts a number of podcasts including Stories of Awakening and Mindful Conversations. Calvin's mission is to guide and inspire others along their own work and life path by empowering authentic and impactful communication through stories and dialogue. Calvin is the author of The Sun Rises in Eastmoor, and An Unfinished Mosaic In 2020, he founded SOAR Book Club (the acronym for Stories of Awakening for Readers) for anyone who loves stories, community and wants to grow in awareness in a fun, positive club. On Sunday, 6 March 2022, Calvin is running a Mindful Storytelling workshop / mini-retreat entitled A Sensory Experience Through The Hero's Journey collaborating with his Mindful Conversations Podcast co-host Shamash Alidina and his sister Simone Niles (of The Soulfull Sounds Podcast) on Sunday 6th March at the wonderful Shepherds Market Gallery in Mayfair during Renee Rilexie's solo exhibition entitled Euphoria. A collection of artwork created and inspired by Renee's synaesthesia – a direct result of her seeing colour through sound. “We are always creating some version of our reality.”   To find out more about Calvin Niles go to www.calvinniles.com To find out more about the Mindfulness Storytelling retreat and to attend go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mindful-storytelling-a-sensory-experience-through-the-heros-journey-tickets-264467438227 Shamash Alidina is best known as the internationally bestselling author of 10 books including Mindfulness For Dummies and The Mindful Way through Stress, go to www.shamashalidina.com Simone Niles is an expert coach, sound healer, vocalist and author, go to www.simoneniles.com Renee Rilexie is an artist and author. Details of her solo exhibition Euphoria can be found at https://www.artrabbit.com/events/euphoria-54-the-gallery My podcast chats with Renee can be found at www.travellingthrough.co.uk/podcast-1 (episodes 014 and 021) To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

JOHN BOLD is an architectural historian who specialises in English architecture and European heritage management. He was Head of Architecture for the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, as well as Reader in Architecture at the University of Westminster, and continues to be a consultant on heritage management to the Council of Europe. John is Honorary Editor of the Ancient Monuments Society, which has recently changed its name to Historic Buildings and Places. It is a society whose mission it is to defend historic buildings of all ages and all types - with a 21st century mission: learning from our past to sustain our future. John has collaborated and/or edited the following publications: English Architecture Public and Private edited by John Bold (1993) Authentic Reconstruction: Authenticity, Architecture and the Built Heritage edited by John Bold, Peter Larkham, Rob Pickard (2017) Discovering London's Buildings with Twelve Walks (2009) Greenwich An Architectural History of the Royal Hospital for Seamen and the Queen's House (2000) An integrated approach to cultural heritage - The Council of Europe's Technical Co-operation and Consultancy Programme (2018) - Guidance on Inventory and Documentation of the Cultural Heritage (2001) - John was brought up in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire and after initially studying at Liverpool University; he transferred his academic interests to Reading University after which he moved to London where his career as an architectural historian flourished. Today our walk and talk takes us around the fascinating historic heart of Greenwich. If you would like to contact John Bold, please send your initial enquiries to emma@travellingthrough.co.uk and put John Bold in the subject heading. To find out more about Architectural Monuments Society / Historic Buildings and Places: https://hbap.org.uk/ To find out more about the Council of Europe: https://www.coe.int/en/web/culture-and-heritage To find out more about Dannatt Johnson Architects: https://djarchitects.co.uk/ To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

In 2009 Emma Carmichael (your podcast host) left her Council of Europe job as a conservation heritage professional in southeast Europe, and travelled across the Balkans in a vintage Zastava 750 classic car (a hugely respected rustic relic from the former Yugoslavia era). In 2019, Emma published DRIVING TITO: Through The Balkan Backroads With A Celebrity which recounts her journey, experiencing the joys, thrills and terrors of driving such a car in a modern day Balkan world, where she is met with incredible kindness and hospitality from the people of this region. This podcast episode sets the scene as Emma reads the first two chapters from her book. If you would like to learn more check out www.travellingthrough.co.uk/book where links will allow you to purchase a paperback or ebook from various sources. To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!  

"Why would you wait until you are seventy? Now's the time to tell your story!" LEONORA MERIEL : author – entrepreneur – businesswoman – mother "I like to live very brightly. Life is full of excitement waiting to happen." LEONORA is a writer of literary fiction embracing a range of genres. She has two books published and two in the pipeline for publication this year. Leonora's writing style is extraordinarily wide as she continues to challenge herself to evolve as a writer in the self-publishing world. Her books are stocked in all the main bookshops and online. Leonora's back story is as diverse and interesting as her novels. She studied literature at Edinburgh University, which offered a third year placement in a Canadian university. While in Toronto she met and married her Ukrainian husband and together they co-founded Yakaboo, the highly successful online bookshop in Ukraine. After ten years in Ukraine, circumstances changed and Leonora, now thirty, divorced, with two children, moved to Barcelona and began writing as she had always intended to do one day, however, in the heady days of her twenties, she had been swept along on an adventure working for the United Nations and then an international law firm in New York, before moving to Ukraine to become an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, a mother of two and complete an MBA which took her to Taiwan and China in the process. Today, Leonora is back in London writing avidly in the realisation that she may have more stories to write than she can complete in a lifetime, so she has doubled her efforts to writing two books in parallel. She has re-married and has a one year old son whom it turns out also comes from a Ukrainian blood line on her husband's side some generations back. Leonora's love for Ukraine, its people, its heritage and its fight for the future, weaves sinuously into her writing and characters. Her many life experiences to date informs her writing and as she remarks, her “I have a treasure trove of experiences to dig in to which will feed my writing forever.” her favourite writing quote is: “It takes 20 years of living before you have something to write, and another 10 years to learn how to write it.” To find out more about LEONORA check out these links: Website: https://leonorameriel.com/ BUY her BOOKS on her website, in a bookshop, or online bookstore. The Woman Behind The Waterfall The Unity Game And Breathe – launches in May 2022 And a fourth book is due out later this year also. Facebook: @leonoramerielwriter Twitter: @leonora_meriel Instagram: @leonorameriel   To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! P.S. Apologies for the little sound distortion blips which I could not eradicate at the minutes mentioned below and I hope it does detract from your enjoyment of my inspiring chat with Leonora. 5.50 - 6.00 (10 seconds) 6.25 - 6.50 (25 seconds) 14.20-15.10 (50 seconds) 56.40 - 56.55 (15 seconds)

“When you've got a relationship with a writer who just gets what you're up to… You just have the feeling that I can be really funny in this.” NIGEL PLANER is an actor, singer, songwriter, and author - amongst many other attributes - and is forever associated with his role as Neil in the 1980s cult comedy series The Young Ones. Today we are talking about Nigel's latest book, Jeremiah Bourne In Time as he takes me on a backstreet alley tour of London between Waterloo Station and London Bridge, through pungent smells of skunk and wee, to reach those discreet parks, gardens and spaces that are very much a part of a Londoner's London, and form the backdrop to Jeremiah Bourne's time travel adventures. Nigel reflects on a London cafe where “The service would be glum and the tea would be real.” Nigel admits to getting obsessed with the idea that “we inherit memory - rather like birds fly south, how can they know how to? “ And, influenced by Rupert Sheldrake's ideas on morphic resonance (for which Sheldrake is criticised by many leading scientists as being a pseudoscience notion), Nigel has enthusiastically and imaginatively embraced the concept that you could inherit memory to travel in time, and his protagonist, a young 17-year old Jeremiah, travels between 1910 London, the present (2019), and an imagined future after, not one, but two digital meltdowns, while in search of his mother using memory as his mode of time travel. On our walk and talk, Nigel is observing London's history from a refreshing angle, while discussing the symbolism of Dr John Dee's black glass; the contradictory ideas of the New Age academics of 1910 from socialism to eugenics, nudism to necromancy, a present time of mobile phones, apps and step-family, and a future time post digital meltdown of vitrification and steam punk. “It's not your normal stand on a plinth and look grand, statue.” (Talking about John Keats's statue at Guy's Hospital) On a personal level, Nigel reveals why he loves playing “the baddie”, and what happened when he bunked off to India at 18 years old without a word to his parents and was “sick as a dog”. “It's not the easiest place to visit but it's absolutely thrilling.”   To find out more about Nigel Planer check out his… Website: https://nigelplaner.co.uk/ GET INVOLVED in The Time Shard Chronicles and make a PLEDGE at: https://unbound.com/books/jeremiah-bourne-in-time/ Twitter: @NigelPlaner1 Instagram: @nigelplaner1 Facebook: @nigelplanerofficial Dramatised audio version of Jeremiah Bourne in Time can be found on Amazon Audible OR at Big Finish Productions: https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jeremiah-bourne-in-time-1769 LISTEN to Nigel's spoken extracts from the book on Twitter, Instagram, OR at https://unbound.com/   To find out about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/   A big thanks to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

“Winter camps are deliciously empty. It's kind of been my survival thing for this COVID year that never seems to end. It's nice to just relax, And just sit in the outdoors.” HOLLY WORTON is an author, podcaster, publishing strategist, personal and business coach, long distance walker, ultra-marathon runner, lover of nature and trainee druid. Despite all these things going on in her life, I was able to bring her down to a slow enough walk-and-talk pace to podcast chat with me recently. Holly's story is a fascinating mix of work experiences, entrepreneurship and adventures from her birthplace in California, into Central and South America, Spain and now finally she has settled in the UK with her Argentinian husband and relinquished her American passport for a British one. We begin our podcast chat at Denbies Hillside in Surrey Hills – an area of outstanding beauty. It is two days before the end of 2021 and as we walk the muddy, slippery paths of the North Downs Way, Holly talks about walking, running, camping, forest bathing, her deep connection to the earth's energy, why plants like lavender, mugwort and roses hold such an importance to her beyond their colour and scent, her favourite trees, and how through her deep love of nature and the ancient British landscape, she became a member of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids). "Connect to Nature so that you can connect to yourself.” Holly is the author of If Trees Could Talk, a number of walking books including Alone on the South Downs Way, and Walking the Ridgeway. She also talked about how to envision your year ahead with her book The Year You Want, and finally, she has a number of short self-help guides and plenty more which you can explore and purchase on her website https://www.hollyworton.com/ “It's so easy to get focussed on what you don't want. Shift your vision to what you do want."   To find out more about HOLLY WORTON go to … Website: https://www.hollyworton.com/ Into The Woods Podcast: https://www.hollyworton.com/podcast/ (I was recently a guest – Ep.440) also, she's on Instagram: @hollyworton ; Twitter: @hollyworton ; Facebook: @hollyworton   To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/   A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

EMMA, your podcast host, persuades her partner STEPHEN MARRIOTT (author, traveller and podcaster) to join her for a New Year's Eve walk on Wimbledon Common and reflect on what London, the world and life has meant to him in 2021. What has 2021 meant to you? Perhaps our chat will encourage you to consider what the year has meant to you wherever you are in the world. May 2022 bring you peace, laughter and adventure. Happy New Year - and thank you for listening!   To find out more about Stephen check out his website: https://stephenrmarriott.com/ and on instagram @stephenrmarriott AND to check out his podcast go to https://www.marriottssidetrips.com/   To find out about your podcast host Emma you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/   A big thanks to Mariska Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle!

ANTJE KUNST is an International Lawyer, Childs' Rights Advocate, and a Barrister (Lincoln's Inn). She was born in Friesland near the Nordsee in Germany but her working life as a lawyer has nearly always been abroad. It began in India from where her love of the country flourished. She subsequently worked in the Gaza Strip from 1999 for over 5 years and then came to Kosovo with the United Nations. Her experience brought her to London and as well as working on issues relating to international staff disputes, Antje's interests diversified into anti-corruption awareness, and also Childs' Rights – an interest sparked by a legal case involving her niece's rights as a blind child, attending a main stream school in London. This raised Antje's interests in disabled children in institutions and children's homes - a global problem where parents hand over their children to institutions in the belief that they will better care for their child, as they feel unable to adequately carry out this role at home due to the lack of community support but it is very often the case that, sadly, the children do not receive the depth of love they need and would get from their parents. Antje talks of meeting Janis McDavid who was born with no arms or legs and how his involvement as a motivational speaker in Sri Lanka, raised the awareness of being disabled and has become a huge motivator for parents' of disabled children. His belief being, as Antje put is, “if I can do it, you can do it clearly, as you are not disabled without arms and legs.” Antje met with a former Travelling Through customer Veronica Yates of CRINS (Childs' Rights International Network) who has subsequently moved to Berlin and talks of the magic of coincidences. Antje has travelled throughout India, Syria, Damascus, Jordan, and Lebanon. These are Antje's thoughts on London, the world and life.   TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ANTJE: Email: antjekunst@pavocatchambers.com Facebook: @antje.kunst Website: https://pavocatchambers.com TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PODCAST HOST: www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANKS AS ALWAYS TO MARISKA @mariskamartina for creating the PODCAST JINGLE  

“What Can I Find Out, What Does It Tell Me? I May Never Know, So I'm Okay With That”   ALICIA COLSON is an Archaeologist and Ethno-historian. Both disciplines have a huge role to play in protecting our environment as well as our human connections to the environment. Alicia's PhD research involved a complete survey of the Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada's section of the Boreal Forest – the results of which had greater consequences for her career in Canada than she had anticipated at the time. She is a firm believer in Citizen Science i.e. the passing on of skills learned, to others who are interested and have not had the same opportunities due to circumstance. This work took her to the four corner states (Utah, New Mexico, Oregon and Arizona), and also to Namibia, where she and a group climbed a section of the Brandenburg Mountain to record rock paintings. Alicia believes that “the mindset you have will dictate the bits of information that you put together to try and understand your puzzle”. Her work with indigenous Cree or Ojibway speakers of the Boreal Forest has involved listening to those who have a tradition of recording their history through oral memory rather than the written word. They are animists believing that everything around them is alive whether it's the tree, the rock, etc and we are one part of many living components. With respect to the Boreal Forest, Alicia says, “It's a huge lung, (and) incredibly fragile.” Alicia has worked with the British Exploring Society, she is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), a co-founder of the digital magazine Exploration Revealed, supports the online platform Women Also Know History, and writes Food Archaeology articles for WONK magazine. “I don't know whether you can say knowledge is cool, But sometimes I think it is.” TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ALICIA Instagram: @alicia_colson Twitter: @colson_alicia RGS: https://www.rgs.org/geography/news/wiley-research-fellowships-alicia-colson-and-sher/ Women Also Know History: https://womenalsoknowhistory.com Exploration Revealed: https://www.ses-explore.org/explorationrevealed WONK Magazine – Avocado Article: https://www.wonkmagazine.co.uk/post/food-archaeology-avocado TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PODCAST HOST: www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANKS AS ALWAYS TO MARISKA @mariskamartina for creating the PODCAST JINGLE

JENNIFER WALLACE is a literature academic and an author of fiction and non-fiction. Her most recent works are Digging The Dirt, Digging Up Milton (brilliantly imagined from minimal primary information, and set in London's St Giles, Cripplegate in the heart of the Barbican, and Tragedy Since 9/11. Jennifer splits her time between writing in London and fulfilling her role as Director of Studies in English at Peterhouse, University of Cambridge. Her doctorate studies were in Romantic Hellenism and she has a particular love of the writings of Shelley, Byron and Keats - all of whom have led her on many a travel adventure following in their footsteps – and in her words, “poets who thought poetry could change the world”. Jennifer was born in London but her formative years were spent in Edinburgh where her love of walking in Scotland was first kindled and, as she admits in our podcast chat, “I find my mood lifting just being on the summit of anything.” Alongside her husband, photo-journalist Robert Wallis, Jennifer visited and interviewed various members of the indigenous tribes in the state of Jharkhand in northeast India culminating in an exhibition at SOAS entitled A Disappearing World showcasing the destruction of the landscape and lives of these tribal groups by coal mining and industrial development. While carrying out primary research for her book Digging The Dirt, Jennifer was fortunate enough to be taken to a newly discovered archaeological site in Belize, considered to be one of the entrances in to the Mayan Underworld. Enjoy listening to Jennifer's thoughts on London, the world, and life. TO GET IN CONTACT WITH JENNIFER AND BUY HER BOOKS: https://jenniferwallaceauthor.co.uk Email Jennifer at: jmbw1@cam.ac.uk TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JENNIFER IN RELATION TO ACADEMIA: https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/people/Jennifer.Wallace Facebook @Jennifer Wallace Twitter: @jmbwallace1   TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PODCAST HOST: www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANKS AS ALWAYS TO MARISKA @mariskamartina for creating the PODCAST JINGLE  

GERRY KING writes autobiographical fiction – commonly referred to as auto-fiction. Amongst other writings, he is the author of Lubin Tales and Smoke and Other Tales. His most recent book published by Tangent Books in September 2021 is entitled Come Back To Me, Then Go Away. Gerry was born in Battersea (south London) and spent his early years there, Surrey and then Torquay. His father is the famous 1950s boxer known as the Torquay Tornado. Gerry's teenage years were dominated by drink and drugs, a time in Borstal, a further time of drugs and crime before finally disengaging himself from addiction through fate, chance and his interest in writing, poetry and the arts. Gerry believes that “if you are going to change, there's got to be some honesty”. Some people find change through self-help groups, he found it through art and writing. Even while in Borstal he had the opportunity to learn a skill but there was always the lure of drink and drugs. His goal every day was to get out of it, to function but it is always easier to stay the same than to change but he had a kind of “blind faith” that it would get better. He looks back now and reflects, “I cannot believe how stupid I was!” This is Gerry's story of London, the world and life as we spend the first half of the podcast walking and talking from Liverpool St Station to Petticoat Lane and to his home. The second half of the podcast takes place in his council flat in the area where it is said that “if you have your foot in the gutter you are in Tower Hamlets, and if you have your foot on the pavement you are in the City” TO GET IN CONTACT WITH GERRY AND BUY HIS BOOKS: Email: GerardKing@gmail.com Facebook @stealerant BUY his Books from Tangent Books: www.tangentbooks.co.uk Instagram: @gerrykingthewriter MORE ABOUT GERRY here: www.zerolubin.wordpress.com TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PODCAST HOST: www.travellingthrough.co.uk THANKS AS ALWAYS TO MARISKA @mariskamartina for creating the PODCAST JINGLE

VITORIA SANVICENTE is Italian, although born in Brazil. She was brought up in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, but now considers herself a “Water-pudlian” – a term she has created for those living in Waterloo, London. Vitoria loves this area and so it's no wonder that she persuaded her family to bring their gelato business to Lower Marsh. I was lucky enough to catch up with her recently to find out how it's going – to taste the newly launched ginger gelato as well as a scoop of pistachio which is heavenly – and to talk all things ice cream and why they called the gelato Candiero London. If you haven't been yet, go! And if you're planning a trip to London – go! I'll certainly be back to try out the winter ice cream (sorry, gelato!) selection, because why wouldn't I with it's natural organic flavours and no artificial additions at all – so hope to see you there! Support genuine independent businesses when you can, wherever you can, because they care about their product, you, and the community! You can JOIN MY MAILING LIST / FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA at https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our cheerful podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to @CandieroLondon for hosting this podcast chat in their gelato laboratory (a little challenging to edit out the refrigerator/freezer sounds – apologies for this!) do follow them on Instagram & Facebook for opening times and gelato news!

LOUISA HOOPER is a Londoner born and bred. She was a regular customer at Travelling Through bookshop not suprisingly as she studied literature at University and equally has a penchant for travel. In 2019 Louisa took a three month sabbatical from her work with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to travel across Russia, through Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. During her travels she swims with sea horses under the stars and catches up with environmental initiatives one of which is to remove discarded fishing nets from the ocean. Louisa's recent projects with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation focus on the importance of the ocean and its pivotal role in the environment. She talks about how language holds knowledge about the environment and why we need a healthy ocean. With the UK hosting the G7 Summit in June and the UN Climate Change Conference in November, the spotlight is on the UK and all it is doing to address environmental challenges in the 21st century. Tune in to this podcast for an inspiring insight into Louisa's views and thoughts on environmental initiatives she has seen and been involved with in relation to London, the world and life. To know more about Louisa Hooper click the following links: https://gulbenkian.pt/uk-branch/about-us/team/louisa-hooper/ Some links to things we discussed: #OneLess bottle -  https://www.onelessbottle.org/  #OneLess pledge - https://www.onelessbottle.org/network/ #OneLess - https://www.wcl.org.uk/mayoral-environment-debate.asp To get involved in ocean conservation where you are in the UK - https://www.mcsuk.org Report on the benefits of a healthy ocean -  https://www.sas.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/SAS-Ocean-Climate-Report-2020-Digital.pdf Climate Stories that Work -  https://youtu.be/Ig34VWcJ9CE https://www.onroadmedia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Six-ways-to-change-hearts-and-minds-about-climate-change.pdf The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation -  https://gulbenkian.pt/uk-branch/ *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA and JOIN HER MAILING LIST please go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to the Chelsea Physic Garden for hosting this podcast chat as we walked and talked. ***

TAYO JAIYESIMI is also known as The Five To Nine Traveller : because life is more than your 9 to 5. Tayo is first generation British/Nigerian and describes herself as a "Londoner by birth, a Jordie lass by nurture with Nigerian spice". She considers her five to nine life as precious in which she can explore, dance, travel and "do all the other bits away from work". Tayo believes that the black experience is not a monolith and that representation matters in all segments of our society. She believes the world is a place to learn from and that travelling is just one big school trip. Adventure and travel is her "side hustle" and in this podcast chat we talk about independent travel, Nigeria, food, dancing and how it feels to be "othered" in a predominantly white environment. These are Tayo's thoughts on London, the world and life as we stroll alongside the Grand Union Canal on an overcast Saturday in March. *** TO LEARN MORE about TAYO you can visit her SOCIAL MEDIA sites: Website/Blog: https://thefivetoninetraveller.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the5to9traveller/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the5to9traveller/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/5to9traveller/ We also talked about: Online dancing with Giovanni Pernice: https://www.instagram.com/pernicegiovann1/ AND... Women of Colour Outdoors: https://www.instagram.com/woc_outdoors/ *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA and JOIN HER MAILING LIST please go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to the Grand Union Canal and Capital Ring path for hosting this podcast chat as we walked and talked. **  

KULWINDER (KULI) SINGH is a Londoner. He studied at Cambridge and went down the traditional employment path into a corporate job in technology with the aim of earning a good living to do the things he wanted to do in life - this included travelling. Through his travels, Kuli's love of food and knowledge of different cultures across the continents has grown and with it his love to cook and experiment with different styles and tastes. Kuli's palette as a child was developed by his Mum's home cooked traditional Punjab dishes and it was not until after University that Kuli began to skill-up in the culinary department. Now some decades on, he has launched KULI'S KITCHEN as a platform to teach cooking, host supper clubs and currently he has been involved in a number of projects during these challenging pandemic times where he offers people the opportunity to cook differently, eat healthily, and bring balance and general well-being into their lives supported by other practices like yoga and meditation. Kuli and his colleague Claudia will be hosting another Delicious Nights In this Saturday, 27th March 2021 so check out the links below for more details. As it is on Zoom you can join live from all over the world - time differences permitting! Tune in for this fascinating podcast chat with Kuli and his thoughts on London, the world, and life. To KNOW MORE about KULI and KULI'S KITCHEN follow these links: Instagram @Kulis_Kitchen : https://www.instagram.com/p/CMUUY9EnTpc/ Kuli's channel on YouTube : https://youtube.com/channel/UCPf13wJjaCg42v5saXGnAAw Kuli's website : http://kulinarycapital.co.uk/ JOIN This Saturday's DINNER NIGHTS IN https://www.ucciwellness.com/experiences Kuli's colleague Claudia @ucciwellness : https://www.instagram.com/ucciwellness/ The Lodge @thelodge.space : https://www.instagram.com/thelodge.space/   TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA and JOIN HER MAILING LIST please go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Kuli for hosting this podcast chat as he cooked and we talked. ***

PAUL KAYE is from Bolton in the UK. He studied for a year in France - his first pure language immersion experience. After University, Paul completed TEFL training with the idea of teaching English in Hungary but instead he ended up in Slovakia for three and a half years as a teacher, broadcaster and journalist. This was a seminal part in his life and set the stage for the many work, life and travel experiences that followed. Paul now works as a translator for the EU. He was seconded to the UK in 2014 to facilitate initiatives to promote language learning in the UK. This secondment ended in early 2020. He would normally have returned to Brussels but there was nothing normal about 2020 so he is currently working remotely from London. Paul has many interests, many of which have intersected with his working career over the years. These include cross-country skiing, cycling a number of Eastern Europe country borders, photography and documentary writing (he has published three books - see links below), travel, language learning, and a follower of both cricket and football. Paul's biggest claim to fame to date was acting as interpreter for Sir Alex Ferguson when Manchester United played Slovakia in the 1990's. This is Paul's inspiring story and thoughts on London, the world and life. You can find out more about Paul following these links: Paul has self-published three books: FRAGMENTS: The Remains of the Iron Curtain on the Ground and in the Mind 20 Years after the Fall of the Wall: https://www.blurb.com/b/1258870-fragments-2nd-corrected-edition THE DANUBE on Two Wheels: https://www.blurb.com/b/2154862-the-danube-on-two-wheels-paul-kaye THE VELVET BORDER: Exploring the Czech-Slovak Divide Twenty Years after the Split: https://www.blurb.com/b/3998689-the-velvet-border You can follow Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulkayeeulangs?lang=en *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA and JOIN HER MAILING LIST please go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Battersea Park for hosting our podcast chat as we walked and talked. ***

WILL DYSON is a born and bred Londoner. After a short spell away studying Geography at Manchester University, Will returned to London and has worked in several of the city's central businesss improvement districts (BIDS) including Waterloo, Baker Street and currently Bond Street/Oxford Street. Will acknowledges that London has many faces and he understands its strengths and vulnerabilities as well as its harsh sides. In recent years Will faced his biggest challenge with London; the processing of personal trauma and injury as a result of the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack of March 2017. Will is passionate about cities, not only London, and he has travelled widely to experience and understand them first hand. He says that places which resonate with him the most are those with which he associates true meaning. This is Will's inspiring story about London, the world and life. *** To find out more about Will Dyson's professional life click here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/will-dyson-97b3a0b2 *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to King George's Park, Wandsworth Cemetery, Wandsworth Common and Clapham Common for hosting our podcast chat as we walked and talked.

SARAH WOLFERSTAN trained as an archaelologist. She has worked for the United Nations, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the Council of Europe (CoE) on various cultural heritage projects and is now affiliated to UCL in London in the Institute of Archaeology. Sarah lives with her Sicilian husband and children in Malmesbury, Wiltshire however they continue to have strong links with Sicily, cultivating and expanding her adopted Sicilian family's olive groves. The family spent 18 months in inland Sicily, learning and understanding how to cultivate and harvest olives to get the most out of their groves. They set up Alivu Sicily and now import extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to the UK although depending on what each year's harvest yields, there is either plenty to go around or only the lucky few manage to secure a few bottles of this precious liquid. Sarah has become an ambassador for extra virgin olive oil and its huge health benefits. She is enthusiastically spreading the word to anyone who will listen and I urge you to tune in to this inspiring and eye opening podcast episode - a brief foray into the world of extra virgin olive oil and what we should be looking for while standing in front of the shelves of olive oil bottles in the supermarket. On SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY you can tune into SARAH'S OLIVE OIL ONLINE TASTING COURSE hosted by Context Travel. To learn more click on this link https://conversations.contexttravel.com/collections/seminars/products/olive-oil-tasting TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SARAH and ALIVU SICILIY... The blog: https://alivublog.wordpress.com/category/olive-oil/ The website: https://www.alivusicily.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alivusicily/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alivusicily *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, thanks to Zoom and Audacity for hosting our podcast chat!

EMMA CARMICHAEL is normally the Travelling Through Podcast host but in this episode, she's swapped seats to be interviewed by her partner Stephen Marriott who is soon to launch his own podcast series, Marriott's Side Trips. Emma was brought up in Edinburgh and moved to London when she was 20 years old. In her own words she did "everything upside down and back to front" and believes that no choices you make in life need be forever, it's a case of knowing when to let go. Life is short, and can be cut even shorter, so in her mind it's best to make the most of each day. An adventure doesn't necessarily mean travelling far, it can begin on your doorstep. We hope you enjoy listening to this podcast about Emma's early life, growing up, moving to London, working, travelling, and eventually taking on a professional career which took her to the Balkans as part of a post-conflict cultural heritage programme with the Council of Europe - and all this before returning to London to fulfil her bookshop-cafe dream in Waterloo, London SE1 (2014-2019). If you want to learn a little bit about the life of the woman from the bookshop and now the Travelling Through podcast host, this podcast episode is for you :) - enjoy. TO KNOW MORE about EMMA - this week's guest but normally your podcast host - PLEASE go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ AND to purchase a copy of her Balkan travel memoir DRIVING TITO just click here: https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/book TO KNOW MORE about STEPHEN MARRIOTT - this week's podcast guest-host PLEASE go to https://stephenrmarriott.com/ THANKS to MARISKA MARTINA at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle!

CALI BIRD is the author of Don't Give Up Your Day Job and has recently self-published her first fiction story Tales of the Countess which will form part of a series of books about the 'Countess'. Cali was born in Bedfordshire and lived a considerable part of her early adulthood in the Waterloo and Kennington areas of London. Although now back in Bedfordshire, Cali always stays in Waterloo whenever she comes to London for work. On this occasion, for our podcast chat, we walked and talked in the nearby Archbishop's Park - a favourite haunt of hers and incidentally mine while I was running my bookshop in Lower Marsh. Cali is a true creative. She blogs about creativity, she writes articles posted to Medium, she is now the author of both a non-fiction and fiction book and she managed to juggle all this creativty whilst also holding down an intense part-time job as a software consultant. Cali has travelled widely and although more settled these days, she hopes to travel the lengths and breadths of the States on a huge road trip. This is Cali's inspiring story about London, the world and life. Apologies in advance for any sound interference - it was a noise challenged walk and my microphone got soaked in the torrential rain! To find out more about Cali Bird and/or to buy her books here are some links: www.calibird.com www.dontgiveupyourdayjob.co.uk Twitter: @calibird : https://twitter.com/calibird?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GentleCreative/ Latest blog: https://gentlecreative.com/unlocking-big-magic-conversations-about-creativity-episode1/ *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Archbishop's Park for hosting our podcast chat as we walked and talked. ***

JO THWAITES has been in London for over 40 years. Jo was born in Forfar and brought up in Aberdeen in the north of Scotland. She studied at Edinburgh University, spent six months in Australia before landing in London in the 1970s. She considers London home. Jo was keen to support many activist causes in London. She is a stalwart supporter of the Labour Party. She worked for Islington Council and studied Building Surveying part-time. She joined Historic Royal Palaces and was involved in key projects at all six palaces under HRP's remit. She was awarded an MBE for her outstanding contribution towards the Kew Palace project involving an extensive restoration and conservation project spanning several years after which time the Palace is now open to the public once more. Jo has experienced London through many good times and bad, and these are her reflections on living in this amazing city with its wealth of architecture and cultural heritage from the Victorian sewer systems to the new and much talked about sculpture recently unveiled in Newington Green. Created by British sculptor Maggi Hambling, the statue commemorates Mary Wollstonecraft - considered by many to be the Mother of feminism; writer and philosopher. If you are in London, go take a look and decide for yourself what you think about it. You can contact Jo through LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jo-thwaites-6a460027 Jo talks about the following: The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings: https://www.spab.org.uk/ The Council on Training for Architectural Conservation: https://www.cotac.global/ Historic Royal Palaces: https://www.hrp.org.uk/ Sculptor, Maggi Hambling: http://www.maggihambling.com/ TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Clissold Park and Newington Green for partially hosting our podcast chat and we walked and talked. ***

JORGE GARRIZ is from the Spanish region of Navarra, close to Pamplona. He studied Fine Arts in Valencia and Bilbao after which he ended up in Barcelona with the idea of studying an MA. Instead, he came to London on a two-month grant to learn English. Ten years later he has a number of key jobs under his belt working for architectural practices in hospitality and office management. London has become Jorge's home and while furloughed during the first 2020 lockdown, Jorge realised he finally had time to create and implement the first stages of his dream project. By June 2020 Romancero Books was born and books written in the Spanish language are being sold online to a hungry tribe of book lovers and the spanish speaking UK diaspora who are desperate to be able to access and read books in their mother tongue. Jorge's next steps are to provide spanish-written books in English and he is partnering up with small publishing houses to make this happen. Jorge worked in the evenings for Travelling Through's events for a short while before his day job took him to another part of London. Now that Romancero Books is live, we are keen to support him in any way we can and we hope this podcast will resonate and inspire you and your Spanish friends living in the UK to support him too - please check out the crowdfunding initiative he is involved wtih through the Mayor of London's crowdfunding scheme. Meanwhile, tune in to this week's podcast and be carried away by the warmth and sincerity of Jorge's business quest to bring the Spanish language to an ever wider audience and in so doing support books, authors and the oh so important personal service that small businesses bring to us individually as well as to our communities. TO SUPPORT ROMANCERO BOOKS THROUGH THE MAYOR OF LONDON'S CROWDFUNDING SCHEME, PLEASE CLICK HERE: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/romancero-books YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH JORGE GARRIZ HERE: email: hola@romancerobooks.co.uk instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romancerobooks/?hl=en  CHECK OUT ROMANCERO BOOKS ONLINE BOOKSHOP HERE: website: https://www.romancerobooks.co.uk/ Romancero Books is now on Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/romancerobooks *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Workspace Brickfields in Hoxton for hosting our podcast chat - and safely storing my bicycle - so we could be out of the cold on an early December evening. ***

SHACK BAKER was born in London and brought up on the Heathbrook Estate off the Wandsworth Road in south London. From the age of eight, he was determined to be rich. This is his inspiring story of becoming an entrepreneur in the clothing, design, music and now the property sector with his company The Property Shack, through sheer drive, self-belief and persistency. Shack has never been afraid to embrace uncomfortableness, to get outside of his comfort zone as he believes this is when the learning and the real growth happens. Tune in to this inspiring podcast episode with Shack Baker. It will motivate you beyond measure to believe that whatever your circumstances, you can achieve, you've just got to want it enough and grind like crazy. Now Shack is helping other young people within his community to find their focus and channel their energy into positive things that can give them a sense of worth and belief in themselves beyond just becoming rich or wanting money. Thanks Shack for sharing your story with us thus far - I'm sure there's a lot more to come! GET IN TOUCH WITH Shack Baker through: The Property Shack website: https://www.thepropertyshack.com/ Instagram: @shack_baker CHECK OUT SHACK'S MUSIC WORLD with: The Bakery Boys: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPF_Yuo3TEpNS3_ni_i_SHQ Alloy and the track Moschino Shirt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElK0L4qAmL0&list=RDElK0L4qAmL0&start_radio=1&t=187 *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our upbeat travelling through podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Shack's Mum and Dad for looking after my bicycle during our podcast walkabout and for taking the photos! ***

CHRIS COLLINSON jacked in his job as a civil servant in London and set off to India with his city-loving (internationally-travelled) partner Shobha Das to build a home in the Ghats mountains of Kerala, a State in southern India where Shobha was born but had never lived until now. Two years on, I had the unexpected opportunity to catch up with Chris on a visit to London for a podcast chat and walk along the river Thames on a gloomy November day recently. This is Chris' frank and inspiring interpretation of how life has changed for both him and Shobha living side by side in a habitat filled with elephants, snakes, leopards, wild dogs, butterflies and birds; and, respecting and marvelling at these creatures in equal measure. Tune in to our chat for a unique understanding of how dramatically life can change if you want it to, while putting your fears in to a perspective to suit the situation in which you find yourself. Meantime we've got the sounds of London in the background of our podcast chat just to give you that London city context too. :) *** To find out more about Chris and Shobha's home-building project in Kerala, southern India go to the YouTube link: Shobha and Chris' Wayanad Home Building Project *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to the River Thames "beach" foreshore for hosting this week's walking and talking podcast. ***

PHIL HUNTER is an artist and a qualified electrical engineer. He went to Art School to study Graphic Design although his professional life took him sideways into Electrical Lighting Design at a creatively exciting time in the development of professional lighting at rock concerts, as well as other projects. Phil has always continued with painting enjoying the mediums of oils and acrylic. His recently postponed exhibition at Rye entitled If Eye Could Fly has been re-scheduled for 17-29 March 2021. In our podcast chat we talk about being left-handed, the use of painting mediums, the use of colour, the four elements (earth, wind, water and fire), Cezanne, Picasso, the art of electrical engineering, what is creativity - and many other things in between. Tune in for a hit of art, contemplation, and something to enjoy listening to while out exercising, painting, or just relaxing on the sofa. To find out more about Phil Hunter: Website: https://philbhu.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philbhu Phil's exhibition will be held at the Red Door in Rye - March 2021 https://www.reddoorrye.com/event/philip-brandon-hunter-2/ *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to my lovely Aunt for hosting us the other week to record this week's podcast. ***

ALAN MARSH has had a career as a commercial photographer since the late 1970's. From a young age, Alan was entranced by the chemical techniques involved with photography which was then considered one of the science study options at his school in Dover. Having completed a degree at Medway College of Design, Alan spent some time working abroad photographing hotels and seeing parts of the world from an unusual travelling perspective, witnessing many places and countries in their early stages of development and transition. He returned to the UK and moved to London where he began a commercial career in food photography amongst other things. The digital age and, more recently, the smart phone era have brought many changes to photography. From the commerical photography of still life subjects, including food, Alan has been experimenting in the photography of flowers, vegetables and fruits in their naturally decaying and most decayed forms. He is currently transitioning towards a new project using cyanotype paper. Alan has exhibited in London, the UK and France and is the food photographer behind many a cookbook and magazine. Currently, he is finding his creativity through allotment gardening and composting. Tune in to hear Alan's fascinating perspectives on London, the world and life. TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ALAN GO TO... Website: www.alanmarsh.com Instagram:  alandmarsh   /  alanmarshphotography   Alan has recently exhibited his photography at... La Plus Petite Galerie du Monde,(ou presque): www.lapluspetitegalerie.fr ECAD Gallery, Peckham: https://ecadgallery.photography   Alan suggests contacting here for more information into photography... Association of Photography: www.the-aop.org        And to know more about allotments... National Allotment Society : www.nsalg.org.uk *** TO KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Alan and Patricia for hosting this week's podcast. ***

NAADU ASHUN is of mixed heritage and she is proud to have created a brand of bags and accessories that reflect both her Ghanaian and British heritage. A Bag Less Ordinary collections bring together Ankara west African fabrics with Liberty or William Morris prints to create beautifully handcrafted accessories and gifts. In this podcast interview recorded under a bright November sky in Brompton Cemetery, Naadu talks about juggling life as a single mother with developing her design business; being of mixed heritage; and the importance of getting out in nature. NAADU'S CONTACT DETAILS ARE... INSTAGRAM: @abaglessordinary WEBSITE A Bag Less Ordinary: https://abaglessordinary.com/ BUY Naadu's accessories from Etsy here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/abaglessordinary FOR CHRISTMAS Naadu is currently part of the Small, Indie & Mighty Christmas guide which features over 100 indendent brands, collated by Sarah from Pip and Lil Original https://pipandliloriginal.bigcartel.com/ THIS WEEK, Naadu is involved in a week long instagram project called #meetthemakerweek *** KNOW MORE about your podcast host EMMA you can go to https://www.travellingthrough.co.uk/ THANKS to MARISKA Martina at https://www.mariskamartina.com/ for creating our wonderful podcast jingle! AND FINALLY, a big thanks to Brompton Cemetery https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/brompton-cemetery for hosting this week's podcast. *** APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE UPLOAD OF THIS PODCAST. I'LL BE BACK TO MY USUAL TUESDAY UPLOADS FROM NEXT WEEK. HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND OF PODCAST LISTENING EVERYONE!