Ep 181 Part 1 - Flesh-Eating Crabs, Legendary Pub Crawls & Immersive Travel Storytelling w/ Aaron Millar (The Armchair Explorer Podcast)

Part 1 - Flesh-Eating Crabs, Legendary Pub Crawls &amp; Immersive Travel Storytelling w/ Aaron Millar (The Armchair Explorer Podcast)In this wildly entertaining and deeply insightful episode, James sits down with&nbsp;Aaron Millar, award-winning travel writer and host of&nbsp;The Armchair Explorer Podcast&nbsp;— once named the best travel podcast by&nbsp;The Guardian. From&nbsp;epic pub crawls across England&nbsp;to one of his podcast guests surviving a&nbsp;flesh-eating crab attack&nbsp;in South Africa, Aaron shares his most unbelievable stories, creative processes, and philosophy behind storytelling that&nbsp;feels like travel.We dive into:Aaron’s early adventures hiking the Swiss Alps as a teenHis unconventional journey from the music industry to travel journalismThe 100-mile South Downs pub crawl that kickstarted his writing careerHow blagging a “galactic safari” in Tenerife got him published in&nbsp;The Sunday TimesThe gruesome true story of one of his podcast guests&nbsp;getting eaten alive (partially) by crabsWhy immersive audio is the future of travel storytellingTips for aspiring podcasters and travel writersHow storytelling can challenge life norms and inspire changeA philosophical look at why travel changes peopleAaron’s professional writing has appeared in major publications such as&nbsp;The Times,&nbsp;The Guardian,&nbsp;National Geographic Traveller, and&nbsp;Conde Nast Traveller. He's been a regular columnist and feature writer covering adventure, sustainability, and culture, and has also authored several travel books. Aaron brings a rare blend of narrative skill and on-the-ground experience that makes his work both entertaining and deeply human.🎧&nbsp;About&nbsp;The Armchair Explorer PodcastThe Armchair Explorer&nbsp;is an award-winning travel podcast that brings the world’s most inspiring adventures to life through&nbsp;immersive storytelling, cinematic music, and real traveler voices. Hosted by travel writer&nbsp;Aaron Millar, each episode is crafted like a documentary — designed to transport you to wild, remote, and fascinating corners of the planet, all from the comfort of your headphones.Named one of&nbsp;The Guardian's best travel podcasts,&nbsp;The Armchair Explorer&nbsp;isn't just about places — it’s about the&nbsp;emotions, transformations, and deeper connections&nbsp;travel can inspire. Whether it’s horseback riding from Canada to Brazil, cage diving with great white sharks, or stargazing in the highlands of Tenerife, each episode takes you on a journey you’ll never forget.We had such a good time recording this episode that we came back a few days later to complete Part 2, which will be out next on Winging It. We will delve further into Aaron's podcast, exploring the importance of immersive storytelling, the differences between work and leisure travel as a travel professional, the emotive truth rather than visual spectacles, and more about Aaron's travels. Whether you're into&nbsp;epic travel mishaps,&nbsp;audio storytelling tips, or&nbsp;just want to hear a grown man outwit a swarm of crabs, this episode has something for you.Armchair ExplorerWebsiteInstagramApple PodcastsSpotifyTimestamps00:00 – Jeb Corliss and the Flesh-Eating Crabs Story01:21 – Welcome to the Winging It Travel Podcast02:00 – Aaron's Podcast Praise + Thoughts on El Salvador04:09 – Aaron’s Life in Colorado &amp; His Move from London05:40 – Growing Up in Brighton06:45 – Hiking the Swiss Alps with His Dad10:06 – Riding the Bernina Express &amp; UK Travel13:30 – From Music Industry Burnout to Travel Writing15:00 – 100-Mile South Downs Pub Crawl17:00 – Blagging the Sunday Times Feature20:15 – Advice for Freelancers and Creative Risk-Taking21:36 – Music Industry Burnout &amp; Guitar Chat22:55 – Can Big Ideas Work in Podcasting Too?26:10 – The Power of Immersive Storytelling in Audio32:27 – How He Got Started in Podcasting During COVID34:14 – Why Audio Beats Video in Some Ways36:26 – Production Tips, Tools &amp; First Episode Regrets38:40 – The Guardian Names&nbsp;Armchair Explorer&nbsp;Best Travel Podcast40:28 – What&nbsp;The Armchair Explorer&nbsp;Is Today42:09 – Finding New Stories &amp; Wild Ideas43:29 – Re-telling the Jeb Corliss Crab Story Again46:35 – The Awe vs. Madness of Adventure48:43 – The Treadmill of Expectations &amp; Choosing a New Life Path50:46 – Personal Identity &amp; Travel’s Role in Rewriting the Script52:26 – From Congo River to Southeast Asia: All Adventures Matter53:32 – The End of the Pub Crawl54:45 – What Kind of Traveler Are You Now?55:48 – Camping Alone &amp; The Power of Solitude57:02 – Smartphones, Travel, and the Lost Art of Surprise58:57 – “Where’s Wallace?” &amp; Traveling Blind01:01:23 – Trusting People While Traveling01:02:40 – Memory, Presence &amp; Repeating Old Trips01:04:34 – The Adventurists &amp; Real Adventure01:05:36 – Culture Shock in Morocco01:08:08 – Reverse Culture Shock &amp; Patagonia Reflections01:09:50 – Wrap-Up and Preview for Part Two--------------------------------------------------------------Voyascape: Travel Podcast Network - https://voyascape.com/Winging It Travel Podcast - WebsitePlease leave a review and rating wherever you get your podcasts!--------------------------------------------------------------Winging It Travel Podcast CreditsHost/Producer/Creator/Composer/Editor - James HammondContact me&nbsp;- [email protected]&nbsp;Social Media&nbsp;- follow me on:InstagramTikTok&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;--------------------------------------------------------------Support My Podcast - MembershipsPatreon -&nbsp;HereBuy Me A Coffee -&nbsp;HereAffiliate Links&nbsp;If you click one of the below to book something, I get a tiny commission, which helps the podcast.Book Flights with Skyscanner - Here&nbsp;Use Revolut Travel Card&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBook Your E-Sim With GigSky&nbsp;- Here Book Hostels With Hostelworld&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBooking.com&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBook Experiences With Viator&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereDiscovery Car Hire&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBook Buses With Busbud&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBook Trains With Trainline&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereTravel Insurance with SafetyWing&nbsp;-&nbsp;HereBook Flights With Expedia Canada&nbsp;-&nbsp;<a...