Travel Lights

Join Stephen on a hot and humid hike in Hong Kong. There's Ian Fleming, fantastic views towards the South China Sea, and a lot of sweat.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

It's time to get stuck into a new travel project! Join Stephen as he introduces the A Lap of Scotland: A man, a GoPro and a Dacia Duster. The idea was to record beautiful footage from Scotland's edges - the coastline and the border roads, perhaps inspiring more journeys or just to give you a chance to see this beautiful country from the comfort of your screen. See the links below for more.A Lap of Scotland Part 1 (South Queensferry to the English Border) with a jazzy soundtrack: https://youtu.be/Qp21ZyviwjU?si=fbfg-eLBy87s5m2NA Lap of Scotland Part 1 (South Queensferry to the English Border) with a rock soundtrack: https://youtu.be/9HXz1HR9_0s?si=cLHGN3cbVZTiMyIzA Lap of Scotland Part 2 (Lamberton to Gretna) with a jazzy soundtrack: https://youtu.be/JQRUxxbwWvc?si=xpuF1iJ6BsaaHQK0A Lap of Scotland Part 2 (Lamberton to Gretna) with a rock soundtrack: https://youtu.be/ZLa2sifA3zkInstagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Reflecting on his overland journey from Kazakhstan to Scotland, Stephen discusses both the high - and low - lights of the trip, as well as offering some advice about the practicalities.Mentioned in the show:The Man in Seat 61: https://www.seat61.com/index.htmlCaravanistan (Central Asia Travel Forum): https://caravanistan.com/forum/Paul Theroux: https://www.paultheroux.com/Matthew Woodward (link to Amazon author page - own website appears to be down): https://tinyurl.com/455n8rujMonisha Rajesh: https://monisharajesh.com/Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

With the finish line in sight, Stephen enjoys a few hour among Amsterdam's cyclists and voyeurs, before a leisurely crossing of the North Sea brings him to a hipster coffee shop in Newcastle.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

A quiet evening on an efficient European train... is what Stephen thought he was getting when he booked the Nightjet service from Vienna to Amsterdam. It wasn't quite how it turned out. Listen now to found out how the night unfolded.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Willkommen in Wien! Stephen arrives in the Austrian capital, home to great music, great films and great cakes. You might want to grab a nice slice of something rich and moist before you listen...Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Two trains, three capital cities. Hear Stephen's sketches of a sleepy overnight train ride from Bucharest to Budapest, a confused wander around the Hungarian capital, and then a short but strange trip to Vienna.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

The journey continues on and into beautiful Bucharest. Join Stephen for superlative architecture, unwarranted negativity towards railway station clientele, and, of course, a decent cup of coffee.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Coach travel may lack the appeal of journeying on the rails, but sometimes it's the only option. Stephen continues his journey from Kazakhstan to Scotland by taking an overnight bus between Turkey and Romania, crossing Bulgaria and getting to know his fellow passengers into the bargain.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

No train journey from Asia to Europe would be complete without a stop in Istanbul. Join Stephen as he sketches out the scammers, wanders the sights and hunts out a cup of government-approved coffee.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Join Stephen for a delightful slice of slow travel on the world-famous Doğu Express. This popular railway highlight conveys him, a a pace far more leisurely than the 'Express' in its title would have you believe, from charismatic Erzurum to the Turkish capital, Ankara. From there, it's a brisk high-speed train to one of the world's great cities: Istanbul.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Stephen's in the Eastern Anatolian city of Erzurum. Famous for it's castle, kebabs and, er, being the spot a long-distance cyclist was killed over a hundred years ago, the place may be cold, but it's warm welcome and graceful architecture charm anyone who passes through.Don't forget to say hi on Instagram at Travel_Lights_Podcast.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Leaving Tbilisi behind, join Stephen for days 9 and 10 of his overland-ish trip from Kazakhstan to Scotland. This episode features a train ride through Georgia up to the Black Sea resort of Batumi, a border crossing into Turkey, and an epic bus ride to the historic city of Erzurum. There's plenty of majestic scenery and light-hearted observations along the way. Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

We're onto our third country of the trip: Georgia! With a night and a day to explore Tbilisi, join Stephen as he samples the wine and coffee the city has to offer, stumbles across some unexpected but welcome jazz, becomes a listening board for a stranger, and gets a surprise late-night knock on his hotel door...(Friendly note: there are two 'naughty' words in this episode - nothing too obscene, but sweary words nonetheless)Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Join Stephen on his way out of Baku and up to the border with Georgia. There are flags, wild dogs, a cellophane breakfast and a taxi driver war correspondent, not to mention a grim crossing at the famous Red Bridge.Music on this trip was mostly provided by the wonderful Vulfpeck - just the thing to liven up a quiet Sunday morning!Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

It's day 7 and we're in Baku, the City of Winds. Braving the cold, Stephen and indefatigable guide, Kamil, explore the Azerbaijan's enigmatic capital.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Stephen arrives in Aktau, an industrial city in far western Kazakhstan, and spends the day desperately searching for something to love about the place.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Stopping off on his journey across Kazakhstan, Stephen finds himself in the ever-so-slightly mysterious city of Turkistan. An important Islamic pilgrimage site and increasingly important tourism hotspot not far from neighbouring Uzbekistan, hear about the city's challenging taxis, its labyrinthine bazaars, and well, a giant golden egg.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Join Stephen on an overnight sleeper train, leaving Almaty in the wee sma' hours and arriving in the Silk Road city of Turkistan the next afternoon, skirting Kyrgyzstan. With a suspicious carriage attendant and a mysterious top bunk, there's plenty of intrigue despite the private compartment.Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.

Welcome to the first part of the Eurasian rail adventure in whichI try to get from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to Edinburgh, Scotland, without flying. In this episode, hear about abseiling pizza deliveries, what it means to terrenkur, where to find the best coffee(s) in Almaty, and how not to pay for your groceries in a Kazakh supermarket!Along with the sounds of the city, I listened to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue - as many might say, the finest jazz recording of all time - while walking around Almaty. You might want to listen to it, too. Instagram: travel_lights_podcast Subscribe for instant notifications when new episodes are released. Thanks, and happy travels.