Travel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) This is part two of an overview of my recent trip to the Caucasus region of Eurasia, and covers the five days I spent in the country of Georgia, mainly the capital city Tbilisi. I also talk about far too much cheese and garlic, the worst beer I've ever had in my life, Topics discussed in this episode are: * Audio quality of recent episodes * Problems when your debit card gets cancelled * Arrival in Tbilisi * First experience with Georgian food * Transport in Tbilisi * The Georgian National Museum * Beer and bars in Tbilisi * Uplistsikhe - the city built into a sandstone hill *...
info_outline Two days in AzerbaijanTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) So, as you know, I've recently been away for two weeks, ostensibly to attend the Traverse Travel Blogger Conference, which this year took place in Tbilisi, in Georgia. I've never been to that party of the world, and it'd always been on my list. I clearly went at the wrong time of year, but that's just what happens sometimes. This is going to be the first of a couple of pods about the trip, and concentrates mainly on talking about the conference itself, the background to why I went, and on my first couple of days travelling, mostly spent in Azerbaijan. Topics discussed in this episode...
info_outline Love and Sex on the RoadTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) It's coming up to Valentine's Day (and Quirkyalone Day), so this feels like the right time to issue an episode all about love, sex, and illicit encounters while travelling. Obviously there's content warnings in here, mainly for, well, sex and kink, but I do always try to keep it quite light-hearted. One might well ask how an AroAce can talk so much about this subject. Well. Topics discussed in this episode are: * Full Swap Radio * Meeting people in backpacker hostels * Dating apps * Why I don't use dating apps but might use hookup apps * Staying safe on the road * Interesting hookups...
info_outline Travel Best Of ListsTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) Of course it’s the New Year, and as such, the travel world is plastered with lists of ‘where to go in 2024’, ‘best places to visit in 2024’, and the like. Now, I have to say I’ve never been terribly fond of these sorts of things on a fundamental level for a number of reasons. I mean, sure they provide a good quick way of inspiring people, especially people who are relatively new to travel, but sometimes I feel that they tend to be quite … well, have a listen and see if you agree with me. Topics discussed in this episode are: * Back to Glasgow for re-coloured hair * My...
info_outline Hanno The Navigator - A Case Study of Instagram v RealityTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) And so to the second part of 'let's make a podcast that's going to cause more unfollowers than followers'. Mind you, let's be honest, I've had several podcast episodes like that, and nothing untoward has happened. Maybe I should be more controversial. There again. I wasn't originally sure what to do for this episode. I toyed with the idea of doing one on 'ancient and mediaeval Travel Bloggers you need to know about', but I realised it would require far too much research in the time I had available. However using the very first one, Hanno The Navigator, as a 'hook', I realised I could...
info_outline Mistletoe and WhineTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) Well, you may be pleased to know I survived my trip to SE Asia. But it was a close-run thing as you'll hear at the start of this episode. Anyway. It's Christmas. I should do a pod about this time of year. And this is one I've cobbled together at the last possible moment. I think I might well whine a bit more than usual in it. But it's fine; this isn't my time of year by definition. Topics discussed in this episode are: * The most 8 minutes I've ever had on a plane * My Christmas is low-key * 100 Countries by Age 50 * American Christmas Music Radio * Whamageddon! * Christmas trees *...
info_outline Pride and Prejudice and MotorbikesTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
info_outline Lao Please Don't RushTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) As I'm currently away on a backpacking trip around South-East Asia, it makes sense to issue a podcast episode about the previous time I went to this part of the world (mainland, anyway, not the many islands off the coast) - back in 2012 to Laos and Cambodia. This episode is specifically about the Laos part of the trip; the subsequent Cambodian adventure will be my featured in next podcast. A PDF transcript of this podcast will be available when I return, for ... admin reasons. As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a...
info_outline Running While TravellingTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) I've been meaning to do a pod specifically about running for a while; it's something that I mention quite often in my housekeeping and I've also tangentially talked about it in smaller sections on pods covering a wider remit. As such, some of what I'll talk about you'll have heard before, but I felt it was the right time to cover this topic again now. Topics discussed include: * My purple hair * All the ways I've been social this month * Cross-Country running at my secondary school * Why I rarely run when travelling * Meeting up with other runners on the move * Running clothing and...
info_outline The Merchant NavyTravel Tales From Beyond The Brochure
Hello :) Well, this is an unusual episode in several ways, but the main one is the relative lack of personal updates and housekeeping. If you want to know what I’ve been up to this past month, now would be a great time to sign up to my monthly Newsletter, deets below! Now, I’m aware I don’t talk about my background or my family much, save for the occasional regular subtweet to my my mother. But anyway. A couple of years after I was born, my mother re-married. And Gary, the chap she married, had an interesting job – he was a refrigeration engineer in the Merchant Navy. While he’s long...
info_outlineHello!
This month has included Pronoun Day, Coming Out Day, and Asexual Awareness Week, amongst other things. It's been a big month for self-awareness. Following on from my previous episode on 'Coming Out' to yourself with neurodiversity, this episode is on 'Coming Out' to yourself with a non-standard sexual or gender identity. I also go into some of the mental health concerns, and talk about how very often coming out to yourself makes you realise the clues had been there for years, it was just a case of recognising them for what they were.
Topics discussed include:
* What I did last weekend (it involved beer and broken planes)
* 'Coming Out' to myself as Asexual
* Little boxes, little boxes ...
* 'Coming Out' to myself as Demiboy Non-Binary
* Cultural Appropriation and being 'enough'
* How having a good community around you helps
* The benefits of a good pronoun
* Compulsive Heterosexuality is still a sexuality
* The overlap between sexuality and mental health issues
* Coming Out' to others as Asexual, compared with being Lesbian and Religious
* I don't want to make a scene about it all
* 'The Clues Were There And I Really Should Have Known'
* I'm really not a typical occupant of a male body
* Would it have made any difference had I realised earlier?
Contributions in this episode come from: Sarah and Kayla (the two hosts of the Sounds Fake But Okay podcast); my friend Kira; Miranda Knudtson from Instagram; and an online friend called Katelyn.
A PDF transcript of this episode is available.
As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a comment or let me know. The pod has a Facebook group you can join, too.
Until next time, bye for now. :)