My guest today is Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer, New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning Netflix host, and a record-breaking endurance cyclist. In fact, he holds three Guinness World Records for distance cycling, having pedalled across the globe to over 70 countries. Travel is not just a passion of his - it’s the lens through which he’s viewed, explored, and helped reimagine how we live our lives.

It was during these epic adventures that Dan’s curiosity about longevity began to take shape. And that curiosity eventually led to one of the most fascinating and impactful projects of our time: The Blue Zones. Working alongside National Geographic and a team of medical researchers and demographers, Dan set out to discover the secrets of the world’s longest-lived people. What he found were five extraordinary regions, in Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece and a religious community in California - now famously known as the Blue Zones - where people weren’t just living longer, they were thriving into their 90s and 100s.

What’s so remarkable is that these individuals weren’t pursuing health - they were simply living in environments that naturally supported well-being. Think: plant-based diets, daily movement, strong social ties, and a deep sense of purpose.

His findings became international bestsellers and his Netflix documentary Live to 100 introduced Blue Zones to a worldwide audience. and He’s back this summer with a new cookbook, Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals, to help us all cook like the world’s healthiest people.

His travel diaries today take us from the jungles of the Congo, and the plains of the Sahara, to the lakes of Guatemala, and the islands of Japan. There was so much to cover, and I was so fascinated by all of Dan’s insights, that we actually lost track of time, and so we’re going to have to do a part 2 one day to find out his worst travel experience and hear a little bit more about his Mexican hidden gem. But nevertheless, I can’t wait to dive into his story with you, let’s buckle up and get started.

Destination Recap:

• Boundary Water Canoe Area between US and Canada
• Alaska, USA
• Cycling from Alaska to Argentina
• Cycling from Minneapolis, Minnesota to St Paul, Minnesota, around the world
• Cycling Tunisia to South Africa
• Sahara Desert, Africa
• Siberia, Russia
• The Congo, Africa
• Okinawa, Japan
• Oaxaca, Mexico
• Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
• Chetumal, Mexico
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Dan's new book Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals is out on September 2nd in the US, and September 8th in the UK.

With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to a brand-new season of The Travel Diaries podcast. Today’s guest is the brilliant Sam Heughan. Sam is best known as the star of Outlander, the historical drama that’s become nothing short of a global phenomenon. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling novels, the series blends romance, adventure and time-travel against the backdrop of Scotland’s most breathtaking landscapes.

Now having just wrapped the filming for its final season, Outlander has not only shaped Sam’s life and career - it’s also driven record-breaking tourism to Scotland as fans follow in the footsteps of its characters. Even if you’ve never watched the show, its cultural impact is impossible to ignore. Outlander has become one of the most-watched dramas worldwide - bringing Scottish history, folklore and scenery to millions - and transforming Sam into one of the most recognisable faces on television.

You’ll hear today that in a way, travel has shaped every part of his story: from his childhood in rural Dumfries and Galloway to filming across Scotland and trekking as far as Mt Everest. Whether it’s sipping coffee in Cape Town, diving with sharks in New Zealand, or discovering secret beaches in Sydney and Hawaii, Sam’s passport is as well-stamped as they come. He's an author, entrepreneur and adventurer. He hosted a hit travel series Men in Kilts, wrote a travel memoir, Waypoints, and he's the driving force behind his award-winning spirits brands The Sassenach Whisky and Sassenach Gin. His brand-new book The Cocktail Diaries, a collection of recipes and stories inspired by his favourite drinks and places, is out this September.

I caught up with Sam halfway across the world to talk about the places that matter most to him.

Destination Recap:

• Sydney, Australia
• Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Isle of Eigg, Scotland
• Hemel Hempstead, England
• San Francisco, USA tour
• Scotland, Outlander shooting locations
• The Green Welly, Glencoe, Scotland
• The King House Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland
• Mt Everest, Nepal
• Hawaii, USA
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Deluxe Coffeeworks, Cape Town, South Africa
• Willoughby & Co, Cape Town, South Africa
• Babylonstoren, Western Cape, South Africa
• Tamarama Beach, Sydney, Australia
• New Zealand
• Santa Cruz, California
• Bali, Indonesia
• Indian Himalayas

Sam’s new book, “The Cocktail Diaries” is out in September and is available to preorder now.

You can discover The Sassenach, Unique Spirits, here.

With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s bonus Destination Special we’re heading to Ireland, one of my favourite places in the world. Ireland has this special kind of magic. It asks you to slow down, to dig beneath the surface, to chat to the people behind the bar and to take your time - to walk, to wander, to just sit and soak it all up.

Joining me is someone who knows the country inside and out - the brilliant comedian and actor, Ardal O’Hanlon. You’ll know Ardal, of course, from TV's Father Ted, where he stole the show as the endlessly lovable Father Dougal - and from the extremely popular BBC series Death in Paradise, where he swapped windswept clifftops for tropical crime-solving in the Caribbean. He’s also an incredible writer, stand-up, and most recently, travel presenter, in The Emerald Isles, his BBC series which explored Ireland’s lesser-known islands, uncovering their culture, music, and wild beauty.

In this episode, Ardal shares the places in Ireland that have stayed with him, from childhood summers in Galway and Donegal to his all time favourite destination, a lunar landscape in County Clare, and my favourite part of the episode, his hidden gems, which really bring to life some of the wild islands off the mainland that he visited while making his TV series - a lot to add to your bucket list. We talk about the joy of slowness, the quirks of island life, and his new tour - Not Himself - which he’ll be taking across the UK and Ireland soon.

So whether you’re planning a trip to Ireland, dreaming about one, or you’re just here for the stories - settle in and enjoy!

Destination Recap:

• Crockwell, Galway, Co. Galway
• Connemara National Park, Co. Galway
• Magheragallan Beach, Gweedore, Co. Donegal
• Errigal Mountain, Co. Donegal
• The Burren, Co. Clare
• Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry
• Great Blasket, Co. Kerry
• Tory Island, Co. Donegal
• Rathlin, Co. Antrim
• Sligo, Co. Sligo
• Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford

Visit Ireland.com for more inspiration planning your trip.

Ardal is heading back on tour this autumn with his brand new stand-up show, Not Himself. You can find all the tour dates and ticket info at ardalohandlon.com.

Thanks so much for listening today. I’ll be back with a brand new season - Season 15 - in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, come and follow me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein - and you’ll also find me on TikTok.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.