Эпизоды
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In this Bucket List episode, Aaron Millar takes us to one of the most remote and breathtaking locations on Earth: Sheldon Chalet in Alaska. Perched on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the Ruth Glacier, 70-miles from civilization, with views of the east face of Denali out of your bedroom window, this is perhaps the most spectacular hotel in the world.
From helicopter rides over frozen wilderness to exploring untouched ice caves deep within the glacier itself, this episode will take deep into the heart Alaska and show you one the wildest parts of the planet.
Highlights from the Episode:
Flying to the East Face of Denali
Aaron recounts an exhilarating helicopter journey deep into the heart of the Alaskan range to the edge of the tallest mountain in North America.
Sheldon Chalet: the Most Spectacular Hotel in the World
Discover the fascinating story behind Sheldon Chalet, founded by Don Sheldon, the pioneering bush pilot who envisioned this extraordinary place.
Exploring the Ruth Glacier
Ski across the Ruth Glacier, and then descend into an ice cave of pale blue luminous crystals.
The Northern Lights
Feel what it’s like to see the Northern Lights for the first time, from one the best, and most spectacular locations to see them on Earth.
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Sheldon Chalet
Check out some of the amazing photos of Sheldon Chalet
Instagram: @SheldonChalet
Credits:
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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Before the modern city of Alula rose to prominence, its natural springs and water systems were at the heart of its existence. For centuries, Alula's oasis has been a critical stop on the Incense Road, connecting cultures and trading routes across the Arabian Peninsula. Water, both from the sky and the earth, has sustained life here, and its management has shaped both the landscape and the people.
In this episode, we step back in time and explore the ancient wells, oases, and water systems that have supported Alula for millennia. We’ll see how the inhabitants of this region once relied on camels and complex water systems to survive in the desert, and witness a reenactment that celebrates the founding of the ancient city of Tayma. Along the way, we’ll discover how Alula’s connection to water continues to influence its art, culture, and life today.
Recorded on location in immersive surround sound, this episode transports you directly to the heart of Alula, where history, nature, and culture come together in perfect harmony.
Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:
Abdur Razzak, our Rawi (guide) through the old town of Alula
Local artisans from Madrasat Addeera
Local performers and dancers in the Ancient Kingdoms Festival of Tayma
Our local guide Laura Alho
PLAN YOUR ALULA TRIP:
Our On Location episodes are designed so that you can experience everything you hear. Check out the links above, or find out more at ExperienceAlula.com
FOLLOW ARMCHAIR EXPLORER:
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Website: armchair-explorer.com
Follow us on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode. Review us, and you’ll be blessed with good travel karma.
CREDITS
This series was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.
Aaron Millar wrote and hosted the series. Jason Paton did the field recording and produced the show, along with Aaron Millar. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com.
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Пропущенные эпизоды?
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Before the bustling streets of Chattanooga and the sounds of modern life, the blues were born from the struggles and stories of generations past. Deep in the heart of this city in Tennessee, the blues pulse through the air, enriching the soil, and infusing every corner of this musical mecca.
In this episode, we take you to the roots of this powerful genre, bringing you a live session with Rick Rushing, one of Chattanooga's finest blues musicians. Recorded in the intimate setting of a hotel room at the Moxie Chattanooga, Rick shares his journey, his family’s musical legacy, and the timeless energy of the blues.
But it’s more than just music. It’s a celebration of history, culture, and connection—where the blues go beyond the notes, touching on healing, struggle, and the power of shared experiences.
Recorded on location with immersive sound, this episode brings you close to the music and the spirit of the place, as Rick reflects on his personal story, the history of blues in Chattanooga, and the universal soul of this American art form.
A special thanks to Rick Rushing for joining us on this episode.
PLAN YOUR TENNESSEE MUSIC JOURNEY
Discover more about the musical heritage of Chattanooga and the state of Tennessee at Tennessee Music Pathways. Plan your own trip to experience these stories and sounds in person.
FOLLOW THE TENNESSEE MUSIC PATHWAYS
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tnvacation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tnvacation YouTube: https://youtube.com/tnvacation
Newsletter: tnmusicpathways.com
CREDITS
This series was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.
Aaron Millar wrote and hosted the series, with Jason Patton engineering and producing. Check out our other shows at armchair-explorer.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
In this episode, we journey into the wild, rugged landscapes of Iceland through the eyes of renowned photographer and filmmaker, Chris Burkard. From an unplanned surfing adventure under the Northern Lights to his grueling exploration of Iceland's remote "Forgotten Coast," Chris takes us on a path of discovery and inspiration.
We explore the vast beauty of Iceland—from icy fjords and glacial rivers to volcanic black sand beaches—and reflect on the transformative power of nature. Get ready for a deep dive into the heart of exploration, where nature's raw forces meet the human spirit of adventure.
Highlights from the Episode:
Surfing Under the Northern Lights
Chris recounts a wild surfing trip to the West Fjords, where an unexpected storm nearly derailed the adventure—but the payoff was worth it when they found themselves surfing under the Northern Lights.
The Forgotten Coast Adventure
After years of flying over Iceland’s "Forgotten Coast," Chris sets off to explore it on the ground—battling harsh weather, dangerous river crossings, and raw wilderness.
Risk, Reward & Connection to Nature
A reflective moment as Chris explains the importance of immersing oneself in nature to fully advocate for its preservation and to experience it deeply.
Watch Chris' Latest Film: The Forgotten Coast
The Forgotten Coast captures the raw beauty of Iceland’s most isolated coastline. A journey full of unexpected moments and incredible landscapes. Watch it now at ChrisBurkard.com and check out Chris’ Instagram @chrisburkard for his stunning photography and more.
Follow Us:
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com
CONNECT WITH US:
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than let the algorithm guess (wrongly) and miss out on our weekly content.
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.
A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us.
October episodes:
ADVENTURE: Adventure filmmaker Chris Burkard takes us surfing in the Northern Lights, and bike-rafting along Iceland’s 300-mile Forgotten Coast.
PERFORMANCE: We head to Chattanooga, Tennessee - one of the original homes of The Blues -for a hotel room jam, and interview, with local Blues legend Rick Rushing.
IMMERSION: Hear the alternative story of the Oregon Trail, told On Location in Eastern Oregon by an elder of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. We Will Never Fade is the title, and spirit, of this rarely told history of the West.
BUCKET LIST: Host Aaron Millar tells us about the most spectacular place he’s ever stayed. Sheldon Chalet is perched on a nunatak in the middle of the Ruth Glacier, looking out to the eastern face of Denali, and the Alaskan Range.
JOURNEY: Travel writer Alex Robinson takes us on a canoe journey through the lakes and rivers of Ontario, Canada, and discovers a deep connection to nature and the thrill of white-water canoeing.
IMMERSION: Discover the story of the female St Patrick, in an immersive On Location journey across Ireland. St Brigid’s story was buried for over a millennia, but now it’s discovered, it’s set to take on Patrick, and his worldwide famous day.
***
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Reviewing the show helps other people discover it and helps us continue to produce it. If you like episode, please consider a quick review on your favorite podcast platform. You don’t have to write anything just click those five (hopefully) stars!
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Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
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Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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Before movie star colonies, country clubs and pool parties, the first people to lay claim to Palm Springs were the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians. The spring waters were sacred to the local tribes, and today people from around the world visit the area to take in its healing waters.
But there’s wellness in more than just the water. The desert surrounding Greater Palm Springs is believed to hold a special energy. It’s something you can feel when you come here. The wide-open expanses lifting away stress and worry, like a warm desert wind.
So, take a deep breath, because in this episode, we’re going to relax, refresh and recharge. We take the sacred waters at the Spa at Séc-he, join a local tribe member for Bird Song at the source of the spring, take part in a sound bath, and discover how the stars and night sky affect your body and mind.
Recorded on location in immersive surround sound, this episode is designed to give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real.
Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:
- Daniel Spencer from the Spa at Séc-he
- John Preckwinkle III from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Liz Cortez from Heart and Sol Yoga
- Ron Treat, from the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory
- Caitlin from Sky Watchers Star Tours
PLAN YOUR GREATER PALM SPRINGS TRIP
Our On Location episodes are designed so that you can experience everything you hear. Check out the links above, or find out more at VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com
FOLLOW ARMCHAIR EXPLORER
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
You Tube: @armchairexplorer
Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com
Follow us on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode. Review us and you will be blessed with good travel karma.
CREDITS
This series was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker wrote and hosted the series. Jason Paton did the field recording and produced the show, along with Aaron Millar. And Charles Tyrie helped with audio editing. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com
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In this Bucket List episode, host Aaron Millar recounts the most audacious, tipsiest, and ridiculous hike of his life: a 100-mile pub crawl across the entire length of the South Downs National Park, near his hometown of Brighton England.
“Should you ever happen to find yourself walking with only one boot on in the middle of the night,” Aaron writes, “the one thing you don’t want to read when you open the guidebook is – ‘the path climbs gently through a field of stingy nettles and large piles of cow dung.’ Nonetheless, having undertaken the challenge of walking the entire 100-mile length of the South Downs Way, from Eastbourne to Winchester, this was precisely where I found myself on only my second day on the trail.”
The South Downs Way has been walked by traders, drovers, and pilgrims for hundreds of years. Because of that a network of old Coaching Inns has sprung up along the trail where weary travelers could rest for the night, grab some dinner and pint of ale. Centuries later many are still standing, and it’s possible to walk the entire trail stopping at them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a few drinks in between.
100-miles – shoeless or not – is a long way, but it’s worth every inch of the effort because this part of the world is overflowing with gentle landscapes, ancient history, and warm welcoming people. Not to mention a good pint or two.
DO THIS PUB CRAWL YOURSELF!
You can find out more information about the South Downs Way, and South Downs National Park at www.southdowns.gov.uk
It’s possible to work out the route of the pub crawl yourself, or drop Aaron a line for the insider tips: [email protected]
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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On today’s bucket list episode, we are following award-winning travel writer James Stewart as he attempts the ‘Everest of Cage Dives’.
In the Neptune Islands of Australia, home to the most great white sharks on the planet, there is a cage dive that drops you all the way to the ocean floor. And it was set up by the man who survived the shark attack that inspired the movie, Jaws.
This adventure should be on the bucket list of any ocean adventure fan. But it’s not for the feint hearted. Listen in and see if you would dare to take on the most intense great white shark experience on the planet.
Highlights include:
Hearing the story of one of the most horrific great white shark attacks of all time
Learning about the story of Rodney Fox, how he became the inspiration for Jaws the movie, and went on to invent cage diving.
Finding out what it feels like to descend to the bottom of the ocean floor as seven great white sharks circle you on all sides.
Finding out about great white shark science and conservation
Note: Many cage diving trips are unethical, Rodney Fox's are the gold standard in conservation. Listen to the episode to find out why, and what to look out for when booking your trip. Book this trip directly: rodneyfox.com.au.
Follow James Stewart for more ocean adventures: @itsjamesstewart
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
They call it The Land of Stone and Light because of the way sunlight plays on its rocky terrain. It is a geological tapestry of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, home to one of the richest fossil beds on the planet. The Lakota people called it Mako Sica, which is where it got its name. But there is nothing bad about the Badlands.
Recorded on location in immersive stereo surround, join presenter Brian Thacker on a journey through South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. We’ll find ancient fossils and murder pigs, become an unwelcome visitor in a prairie dog town, and go horseback riding through an endless sea of grass under the shadows of rocky buttes straight out of a western movie.
Welcome to the Land of Stone and Light, where bad means good.
FIND OUT MORE
Our on location ‘Immersion’ documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Go to travelsouthdakota.com for everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure.
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode. Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Aaron Millar was executive producer.
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“… tied up at the pier was this all-black pirate ship with the Jolly Roger flag at the bow. It was menacing as hell, and I walked up to the superstructure, and there on the on the outer bulkhead, was all these skulls and crossbones. They were the names of all ships these guys had sunk or rammed on the high seas.”
In 2005, adventure journalist and best-selling novelist Peter Heller, spent six weeks on board the eco-pirate ship Farley Mowat, fighting the Japanese whaling fleet.
Led by Captain Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, their mission was to disrupt, ram or sink the harpoon boats and factory ships that hunt and kill hundreds of whales each year.
Some people called them eco-terrorists, others hailed them as heroes. Battling Class 7 and 8 gales, and 35-foot-high seas, this is their story. You’ll have to make your own mind up.
CONNECT WITH PETER HELLER
Peter Heller is a beautiful writer, as well as an accomplished adventurer. His novels fuse both these passions seamlessly, transporting you to wild and beautiful places, whilst keeps you page-turning on the edge of your seat. Find out more about his books at peterhellerauthor.com
His latest novel, Burn, is about two men—friends since boyhood—who emerge from the woods of rural Maine to a dystopian country racked by bewildering violence.
#FREEPAULWATSON
At the time of publication Captain Paul Watson was being held in jail awaiting extradition to Japan where he faces up to 15 years in prison for the work he did on this mission, and others since. Find out more at paulwatsonfoundation.org
WHALE CONSERVATION:
Find out more at seashepherd.org
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.
A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us.
December episodes:
ADVENTURE: Whale Warriors
We join best-selling author and activist Peter Heller on board an eco-pirate ship as they battle illegal Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.
IMMERSION: Ancient Kingdoms
We cross the Arabian desert to the city of Tayma, take part in the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, and explore one of the largest oases in the world.
BUCKET LIST: The Everest of Cage Dives
In the Neptune Islands of Australia, home to the most Great White Sharks on the planet, there is a cage dive that drops you all the way to the ocean floor. And it was set up by the guy who survived the shark attack that inspired the movie, Jaws.
IMMERSION: Welcome to the Badlands
Join best-selling travel author Brian Thacker on a journey deep into the Badlands of South Dakota. We find ancient fossils on hiking trails, become an unwelcome visitor in a prairie town, and go horseback riding through an endless sea of grass, straight out of a western movie.
WANDERLUST: The Curiosities of Christmas Island.
We sit down with travel journalist Martin Symington to hear about his journey to one of the most remote places on Earth. No, Santa doesn’t live there. Yes, David Attenborough thinks it’s awesome.
BUCKET LIST: 100-mile Pub Crawl
Host Aaron Millar takes us on a 100-mile pub crawl along the South Downs Way, a long-distance footpath that crosses the South Downs National Park in England.
IMMERSION: Wellness in the Desert
We’re back with Brian Thacker in search of some New Year’s nature-inspired wellness: healing waters, indigenous bird song and Joshua Tree National Park at night.
***
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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“The thing about eating a meal with people is it breaks down barriers … But then beer elevates that to the magic of the intoxication of a shared experience. That is why beer and pizza go well together - the primal solving of the human conflict problem and the primal mysticism, paired perfectly.” – Tony Schultz, Stoney Acres Farm
Here’s to those who Wisconsin … that’s what they say in this part of the world. Because traveling here is not so much about exploring a place as discovering a mindset.
In this two-part documentary series, recorded on location, we’ll be searching for that Wisconsin state of mind. Today we’ll be looking for it through the lens of its food. But this episode is as much about community and culture as it is eating well.
They say we are what we eat, and if that’s true then tracing the history of food also tells the story of a place, and its people.
We’ll be throwing kerosene on bubbling cauldrons, figuring out how to use a traditional Oneida corn pounder, and meeting the organic farmers who have marinara in their blood. I hope you’re hungry because dinner is about to be served.
This episode was recorded on location during a weeklong road trip through the state. We hope you enjoy our journey, and if it inspires you to take one of your own – you can. All our on-location documentaries are designed to be trips that you can repeat exactly as we did it – or just pick the stuff you love. Go to travelwisconsin.com to find out more.
Thank you to our guests:
Kirby Metoxen, council member of the Oneida Nation
Lea Zeise from the Oneida Emergency Food Pantry
Becky Webster from Ukwakhwa Farm
Jeremy ‘torch’ Klaubauf at the Old Post Office Restaurant in Ephraim
and Tony Shultz, and the whole crew, at Stoney Acres Farm
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Aaron Millar, wrote and presented the episode, and produced it with Jason Paton. Brian Thacker led our pre-production. Ally Nisbet did the field recording. And Charles Tyrie did the audio production and sound design.
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Palm Springs is a must-visit for cinephiles, history buffs, adventure seekers, architecture enthusiasts and foodies, but this desert city is better known as the home of glitz and glamour.
Today, we are stepping back in time to when Palm Springs was Hollywood’s favorite hideaway, when mid-century architecture shaped the town and suavely clad folk sipped martinis by the pool. In this episode, we’re going to visit Frank Sinatra (or his house and favorite restaurant at least), tour the Shag House with Shag himself, meet Barbie and Elvis for dinner and craft cocktails with Palm Springs very own Mr Tiki.
Recorded on location in immersive surround sound, this episode is designed to give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real.
Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:
- Our guide Kip Serafin from the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation
- Artist and style king Josh Agle, better known as Shag
- Barbie queen and Modernism Week CEO Lisa Vossler Smith
- Dan Ruiz from the Ingleside Inn
- Brian Mitchell, the food and beverage manager, and all the staff from Melvyn’s
PLAN YOUR GREATER PALM SPRINGS TRIP
Our On Location episodes are designed so that you can experience everything you hear. Check out the links above, or find out more at VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode; Jason Paton did the field recording and audio production; and Aaron Millar was the executive producer . Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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“People can't believe how we live out here on the land, and under the stars. Maybe it's just the freedom of it. Once you get that red dirt in your blood and your socks, you can't get rid of either one of them. It just stays with you, and you’re going to find that out if you stick around very long.”
Norris Church, Kanab
The Western is as finely layered as the red rock deserts and dusty towns that serve as their backdrop. Ever since they first appeared on the silver screen, Westerns have been rife with opposing viewpoints, contradictions and complexities as varied as the people who watched them.
Gunslingers, shoot outs, declarations of love and revenge – the heroes and villains of Western movies have come to define the American psyche in ways that no other genre ever has.
This is the first of our insight episodes, audio documentaries that dive deep into the subjects that make places come alive: from anthropology and history to music, art and more. But today, we’re going to the movies.
Utah celebrates 100-years of movie magic this year. It has served as the backdrop for everything from alien planets to Jurassic worlds. But it’s most famous for the Westerns that were shot here. It’s easy to see why they were. Walk amongst the high buttes and slot canyons of Utah, and it’s hard not to feel like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid might jump out at you at any minute.
This episode will take you to the places where some of the most iconic Westerns were shot, from Monument Valley to Kanab. We’re going to dive into the past and learn what it was really like making them and explore how the films made here have helped to shape a vision of the old west – good and bad – that has spread around the world.
Whether you’re a movie buff or you’ve never watched a Western before, we guarantee after listening to this you’ll be itching to hop on a horse and ride off into the sunset.
PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP
To make this episode, we visited Monument Valley and Kanab, both beautiful places we highly recommend. If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah. International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with lots of other bonus experiences too - just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays or learn more about all the incredible destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media @VisitTheUSA.
Thank you to the guests who featured in today’s episode:
Norris Church with the Adventure Tour Company in Kanab adventure-tour-company.com
Andrew Patrick Nelson, Film and Media Arts Chair at the University of Utah. Check out his podcast, How the West was Cast.
Dennis Judd, Kanab movie expert
CREDITS
This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was the in-field producer and wrote the episode. Jason Paton did the recording, mix and sound design. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive producer. www.armchair-productions.com
CONNECT
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma! Leaving a review of the show will bring you even more.
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
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“I'm dangling 250-feet above a canyon, and I'm about to get dropped. This is what AlUla is all about. It's got desert treasures, it's got 200,000 years of history, but it's also got adventure. And we're going to start ours by soaring through the air. Are you ready? Let's do this …”
Aaron Millar, host
In this series, we’re going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert layered in 200,000 years of human history.
But, until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary, recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real.
Each episode in the series explores the destination through the lens of a different element: the heritage of Earth, the community of Water … and today, the adventure of Air.
Highlights include:
Flying over the UNESCO world heritage site of Hegra in a hot air balloon – only a handful of people have ever visited this ancient city. Even less have seen it from the sky.
Climbing via ferrata to the top of a 250-foot canyon and then screaming all the way down.
Off-roading on sand dunes through one of the most deserts in the world.
Stargazing with Bedouins and hearing their legends of the stars, which they used as a map to guide them through one of the most inhospitable places on Earth.
FIND OUT MORE
Our on-location Immersion documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode. Find out more at ExperienceAlula.com. Check out @experiencealula on Instagram, Facebook and X for more inspiration and ideas.
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“There was one time when one of the young wolves was licking my face, and his canine went up my nose, and I was like, oh, okay, don't move. He wasn't trying to bite me; it was just
excitement. But it was an awesome, eerie, and strangely wonderful experience.”
- Jamie Dutcher
Before the arrival of European settlers, it is estimated as many as 500,000 wolves roamed freely across the continental United States. By the 1970s, after decades of systematic eradication, there were fewer than 1000 left.
And despite the fact that our best friends, the dog, are descended from them to this day they
are often thought of as nothing more than vicious, bloodthirsty killers and a danger to livestock
and people. Filmmakers Jim and Jamie Dutcher wanted to show another side to this iconic
predator, and in doing so perhaps change people’s minds and help protect wolves from
extinction.
But to do that they needed to get close. So, in 1991, beneath the towering peaks of Idaho’s spectacular Sawtooth Mountains, they set up a remote tented outpost where they could
bring together a pack of wolves in an enclosed territory, while accepting Jim and Jamie as just another part of their world. The Dutchers would spend the next six years Living with the Wolves.
This is their story, and the story of the Sawtooth Pack.
FIND OUT MORE
Find out more about Jim and Jamie’s foundation, and how you can help, at
LivingWithWolves.org
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If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right
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Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
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Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar presented the show,
Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet
Chap.
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At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.
A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us.
October episodes:
ADVENTURE: Wildlife film makers Jim and Jamie Dutcher spend six years living with a pack of wolves in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.
IMMERSION: We go on location to the Arabian deserts of AlUla in search of adventure and find out what it feels like to crash land a hot air balloon.
IMMERSION: Discover the Golden Age of Hollywood in Palm Springs, California: shag houses, Mr. Tiki and Sinatra’s favorite haunt.
ADVENTURE: We join best-selling author and activist Peter Heller on board an eco-pirate ship as they battle illegal Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.
IMMERSION: Thanksgiving Special all about food: sacred corn, fish boils, and pizza farms.
***
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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“I was lying in a coffin in the catacombs beneath London Bridge while a clairvoyant called to the
spirits around me to make themselves known. To say this was not a normal Saturday night
would be to grossly understate the point.”
And so begins, the second of our Halloween specials – a bucket list ghost hunt in the London
Tombs.
When these ancient catacombs were being excavated in 2007, they were found to house the
remains of plague victims who had been buried there centuries before. The builders working at
the time reported numerous strange goings on and insisted on working in pairs for fear of being
alone in those dark recesses.
Today, it is purported to be one of the most haunted places in the city and home to many
trapped souls including one particular menace known only as ‘Shadow Man’.
Told by host Aaron Millar, this is the story of a paranormal investigation he took part in while
on a Halloween assignment for a UK newspaper. Everything that is told here is true, and not
exaggerated. And whether its ghosts, imagination or the power of the mind, things happened
down there which Aaron, a skeptic, still can’t fully explain.
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If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right
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Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the
show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist
Sweet Chap.
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They called it the ‘End of the Line’. For over a century, Brushy Mountain prison held some of the most violent murderers, rapists and serial killers in the country. If you wore out your welcome at another prison or your crime was among the most unspeakable committed, this was where you ended up. And once you walked through the doors, almost no one walked out.
Located in the remote hills of Eastern Tennessee, the prison was closed in 2009. But the ghosts of the brutality that was committed there still remain. Today, the grounds hold the world’s first (legal) prison whisky distillery, and without a doubt the scariest and most ingeniously located. Because after touring the prison, there’s only one thing you need: a large shot of their specialty – ‘End of the Line Moonshine’.
This immersive episode, recorded on location in the prison itself, will take you from the cell blocks, where conditions were said to be worse than a Siberian labor camp, to the mines where prisoners were literally worked to death, and finally into ‘The Hole’ where inmates were kept in solitary confinement, in complete darkness, in a cell 4-ft wide and 8-ft long.
“You think you can handle it,” one former inmate said. “Think again, son. Everyone breaks.”
FIND OUT MORE:
This scene was taken from a trip we did following the Tennessee Whisky Trail. If you like music and whisky, we highly recommend it tnwhiskytrail.com.
Visit the prison and drink some excellent whisky at Brushy Mountain Distillery. Brushymtndistillery.com
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If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the episode, Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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“So, take down your box and bow, and play the strings. Whistle up your travellin’ tune. Listen to the sound the water makes, in the Diamond Stream.”
Ed Snodderly, The Diamond Stream
This episode is the first in our Performance series, where we showcase music from around the globe. Today, we’re joined by Tennessee Music Legend Ed Snodderly at his live music venue The Down Home, in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Ed describes himself as a songwriter with a strong Appalachian sense of place. His songs ring in the old, the odd and in a non-sentimental way Ed calls it American Southern, “cause that sounds really cool.”
In 2020, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award from the Southern Region of Folk Alliance, and the third verse of his song “The Diamond Stream”, which he performs here, is permanently displayed at the Wall of Honor in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.
But today’s not just a music performance. We sat on the stage with him, and as he played, we talked about life, music, and everything in between. It was one of those moments, when something amazing happens on the road that is completely unexpected but ends up being one of the highlights of the whole trip.
FIND OUT MORE
Discover more of Ed’s music at edsnodderlymusic.com, or listen on soundcloud.com/edsnodderly
Ed is co-founder of The Down Home, a world-renowned music venue located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Stop by if you’re passing through downhome.com
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.
Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar presented the show, Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.
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