The Travel Diaries

Today’s guest is someone who has quite literally reached the very top of the world. And if his name isn’t immediately familiar to you, I can almost guarantee you’ll know some of his extraordinary work.

Jimmy Chin is one of the world’s most accomplished adventurers. He’s a professional mountaineer, climber, skier, National Geographic photographer and Oscar-winning filmmaker. He’s spent more than two decades exploring some of the most remote and dangerous corners of our planet, achieving feats that most of us could barely begin to imagine.

He’s completed pioneering climbs across the Himalayas and the Karakoram, and his photographs have graced the cover of National Geographic. But it’s perhaps his filmmaking that has brought his extraordinary world to a wider audience. Alongside his wife, Jimmy directed Free Solo, the breathtaking documentary following climber Alex Honnold as he attempts to scale Yosemite’s enormous El Capitan without ropes. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019. Together, they’ve also made the acclaimed documentaries Meru and The Rescue, about the incredible rescue of a boys’ football team from a flooded cave in Thailand.

I met Jimmy in London while he was promoting his latest film, Everest: The Other Side, which is in cinemas now. It tells the deeply moving story of ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson, and their seemingly impossible dream of skiing down the treacherous north face of Mount Everest. It's a film about love, loss, resilience and the lengths to which humans will go in pursuit of a dream.

This interview was recorded during a busy film press junket, so we weren't in our usual studio environment, and the sound quality isn't quite up to our normal standard. But I really didn't want you to miss the opportunity to hear from someone quite so extraordinary.

So, from Yosemite to the Himalayas, let's get started on the travel diaries of Jimmy Chin.

Destination Recap:
Minnesota, USA
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
El Capitan, Yosemite, California, USA
Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan
The Himalayas, Asia
Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA
Teton Range, Wyoming, USA
Canadian Rocky Mountains, Canada
Mount Everest, Nepal/Tibet
Lhotse, Nepal/Tibet
Mount Everest North Face, Tibet
Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Everest: The Other Side, is out now.

With thanks to...

SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here.

UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com

If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.

If you've enjoyed today's episode, please do subscribe to The Travel Diaries and leave us a rating or review. It really does make such a difference in helping other people discover the podcast.

And if you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I'm @hollyrubenstein on both, and I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks so much for listening, and I'll see you then.
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Hello and welcome to The Travel Diaries Unpacked, the show where we bring you the latest travel news, trends, inspiration and insider tips from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

Today, I'm joined by someone who really does have her finger on the pulse of the travel world: Jacqui Gifford, Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure, one of the world's most influential travel magazines.

Jacqui first joined me on The Travel Diaries back in 2020, and goodness, how much has changed since then! She's been in London for Travel + Leisure's inaugural international World's Best Summit, held at The Dorchester this week, bringing together some of the biggest names in hospitality and travel to explore the trends shaping the future of the industry.

And that's exactly what we're diving into today. From the rise of coolcations and the return of slow travel to multigenerational holidays, the impact of AI and what truly exceptional hotel service looks like. Jacqui also shares some of her most memorable recent trips, including a spectacular escape to Brazil, a very special journey aboard Britain's newest luxury sleeper train, and the London hotel that reminded her what great hospitality is really all about.

It's a fascinating conversation packed with travel inspiration and some genuinely brilliant insights into how and why we're travelling.

Destination recap

London, England
The Bahamas
Albany, The Bahamas
Rosewood Baha Mar, The Bahamas
Alaska, USA
India
Rome, Italy
Rome Cavalieri, Rome
Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, England
The Lake District, England
Cornwall, England
Wales
Cartmel, The Lake District
Brown’s Hotel, London
Raffles London at The OWO
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Iceland
Vancouver, Canada
British Columbia, Canada
Stockholm, Sweden
Toronto, Canada
Muskoka, Canada
Italy
Greece
Spain
Portugal
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, St. Moritz
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz
Santa Catarina, Brazil
Awasi Santa Catarina, Brazil
São Paulo, Brazil
Palácio Tangará, São Paulo
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Tulum, Mexico
Cartagena, Colombia
Four Seasons Hotel Cartagena, Colombia
Bermuda
Hamilton, Bermuda
Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
Africa
Egypt
Easter Island, Chile
Machu Picchu, Peru
Australia
Peru
Uzbekistan

A huge thank you to Jacqui Gifford for joining me again on The Travel Diaries. I always find it so fascinating hearing her perspective on where the travel industry is heading, and I particularly loved what she said about there being no right or wrong way to travel. Sometimes the most meaningful experiences are the simplest ones.

As always, if you enjoyed today's episode, please do follow the podcast and leave us a five-star rating or review. It really does make such a difference.

And don't forget, I'll be back on Tuesday with another episode of The Travel Diaries.

Until then, happy travels!

With thanks to...

SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here.

UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com

If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.

I’ll be back on Tuesday.
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Today I'm joined by one of the funniest women in British comedy, Maisie Adam. Since winning the prestigious So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, she's become a familiar face on shows including Mock the Week, Taskmaster and Last One Laughing, as well as selling out her own stand-up tours across the UK and beyond.

Born and raised in North Yorkshire, Maisie's career has taken her all over the world, and as you'll discover, she's an incredibly enthusiastic traveller. Today, we're heading from her childhood holidays in Blackpool and Tenerife to the cobbled streets of Prague, a solo interrailing adventure through Italy, her love affair with New Orleans, and a rather unfortunate case of mistaken identity in Norway.

I loved this conversation, and I hope you will too.

Destination Recap

Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Harrogate, England
Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire, England
Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley, England
Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, England
Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire, England
Goathland, North Yorkshire, England
Whitby, North Yorkshire, England
Humble Pie 'n' Mash, Whitby, England
Whitby Abbey, Whitby, England
Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, England
Berlin, Germany
Prague, Czech Republic
Milan, Italy
Venice, Italy
Pisa, Italy
Florence, Italy
Naples, Italy
Sorrento, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Bourbon Street, New Orleans, USA
Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, USA
Preservation Hall, New Orleans, USA
Garden District, New Orleans, USA
Kristiansand, Norway
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Brazil

If you'd like to see Maisie live, she's currently touring the UK with her brand-new stand-up show, Whatsherface, with dates running through to March 2027. You can find all the dates and book tickets at maisieadam.com. You can also check out Maisie's brilliant podcast, Big Kick Energy, wherever you get your podcasts.

With thanks to...

Visit Isle of Wight - from breathtaking coastal scenery and beautiful beaches to charming villages, exceptional local food and unforgettable experiences, all just a short journey from the mainland. Start planning your island escape at visitisleofwight.co.uk.

SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here.

UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com

If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.

I’ll be back on Sunday with a new episode of Unpacked with Travel & Leisure Editor, Jacqui Gifford.

If you've enjoyed today's episode, please do subscribe to The Travel Diaries and leave us a rating or review. It really does make such a difference in helping other people discover the podcast.

And if you'd like to find out who's joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I'm @hollyrubenstein on both, and I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks so much for listening, and I'll see you then.
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Hello and welcome back to The Travel Diaries Unpacked, your weekly weekend dose of wanderlust.

Joining me this week is Isabella Craddock, she’s the founder and editor of Near+Far magazine, former editor at Condé Nast Traveller Middle East and the Middle East Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Hotels. Raised between Cape Town and the UK, and now based in Dubai, Isabella comes from a family of hoteliers, so you could say that a love of travel and beautiful hotels is quite literally in her blood.

Today, we’re heading north to the Arctic Circle, as Isabella takes us to Tromsø in Norway and shares the extraordinary experience of witnessing the midnight sun.

For my Hotel of the Week, we're swapping Norway for Paris, as I share the details of a very special stay at the iconic Hôtel de Crillon.

We’re also discovering a completely different side of Dubai, as Isabella takes us to the rugged mountains of Hatta and a brand-new luxury glamping retreat.

And we have our listener Q&A.

Destination Recap:

Tromsø, Norway
Sommerøy, Norway
Alta, Norway
Svalbard, Norway
Hôtel de Crillon, Paris, France
Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France
Bar Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France
Bar Hemingway at The Ritz, Paris, France
Hatta, Dubai, UAE
Caravan by Habitas, Hatta, UAE
The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
Kyoto, Japan
Vienna, Austria
Schloss Fuschl, Salzburg, Austria
Moar Gut, Grossarl, Austria
AKI Family Resort PLOSE, South Tyrol, Italy

Make sure you check out Near+Far, for lots more inspiration, particularly if you're planning a trip to the Middle East.

With thanks to...

SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here.

UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com

If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.

I’ll be back on Tuesday.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by entrepreneur, TV personality and crafting queen, Sara Davies.

Sara founded Crafter’s Companion while she was still at university, turning an idea into an international, multimillion-pound crafting business. She went on to become the youngest-ever female investor on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den, was awarded an MBE for services to the economy, and swapped the boardroom for the ballroom on Strictly Come Dancing.

We recorded this episode a few weeks ago in central London, and Sara was such a lovely person to spend time with, with an infectious enthusiasm for travel.

And her travel diaries are full of adventure. We’re heading from the beaches of the Scottish islands in a campervan built by her dad and trekking on the great wall of china to the northern lights in Norway and the backstreets of Kyoto.

Destination recap:

Yorkshire Dales, England
Lake District, England
Isle of Skye, Scotland
Fidden Farm Campsite, Isle of Mull, Scotland
Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, England
Wray Castle, Lake Windermere, England
Ullswater, Lake District, England
Pooley Bridge, Cumbria, England
Park Foot Holiday Park, Ullswater, England
Ullswater Wake & Surf, Cumbria, England
Tromsø, Norway
Sommarøy, Norway
Bergen, Norway
Alta, Norway
Ice Hotel, Alta, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Denmark
Lapland, Finland
Norwegian Fjords, Norway
Southampton, England
P&O Cruises Iona, Norwegian Fjords
Caribbean
Tokyo, Japan
Shinjuku Station, Tokyo, Japan
Kyoto, Japan
Tokyo Skytree, Japan
Okinawa, Japan
Osaka, Japan
Japanese Alps, Japan
Great Wall of China, Beijing, China
Himalayas, India
Delhi, India
Brecon Beacons, Wales
Greece
Turkey
Croatia
Sicily, Italy
Peligoni, Zakynthos, Greece
River Ganges, Varanasi, India
Delhi, India
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
West Coast, USA
Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Sara's new book Crafting For All Occasions is out now. And don’t forget to check out her podcast, Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcasts.

With thanks to...

SANI - Discover what’s new at Sani Resort for 2027, including stunning new family suites and exclusive early booking offers, with savings of up to 15%. Explore the offers here.

UNA - Discover your next Italian short break with UNA Italian Hospitality at unaitalianhospitality.com

If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.

I’ll be back on Sunday with a new episode of Unpacked.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.