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0:06

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0:10

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1:00

Discover the real Italy with Cittalia,

1:03

the UK's leading Italian holiday

1:05

specialist. Head to cittalia.com, that's

1:08

c-i-t-t-a-l-i-a.com to find

1:11

out more. Thank

1:13

you to Cittalia. Hello

1:26

and welcome to the travel diaries

1:28

podcast. I'm your host journalist Holly

1:30

Rubinstein and here each week I'll

1:32

be speaking to a very special

1:34

guest about the seven chapters in

1:37

their life's travel diaries. From their

1:39

earliest childhood travel memory and the

1:41

first place they fell in love

1:43

with to their hidden gem and

1:45

what's at the top of their

1:47

travel bucket list. We'll be uncovering

1:50

their adventures around the world and

1:52

the travel experiences and destinations that

1:54

have shaped their lives. Today

1:56

We're joined by one of the most

1:58

recognisable faces of British. Tv and

2:00

the delightful Alex chains he I stayed

2:03

seen a couple of weeks ago face

2:05

to face up be Kensington Hotel in

2:07

London. Alex has been geek a presenter

2:09

of the Ones I since Twenty Ten

2:12

a daily magazine size here in the

2:14

Uk which is broadcast every week night

2:16

on Bbc One. It's a British institution

2:18

that has become a staple. In

2:20

so many households. Alex hales

2:23

him while screw up bilingual fluent in

2:25

both English and Welsh, she tells us

2:27

today about half past experience a T

2:29

V taking part as a contestant and

2:32

a reality show and Mcaleese as how

2:34

that led to none other than dizzying

2:36

and look cool and visualizing have final

2:39

university exam. She shares her journey to

2:41

the once a sofa which included hosting

2:43

a travel show but she could say

2:45

spot A of travel and ah she

2:48

traveled all around the walls with her

2:50

husband. And three children and.

2:52

Alex takes us today on a

2:55

journey from rural Wales she coastal

2:57

France. The rolling country side of

2:59

it lead to the branches of

3:01

our isn't say sit back relax

3:03

and sauces. Alex

3:09

says the welcome to the traveled I read

3:11

for cause that is so nice to meet

3:13

you. how are you A while I'm very

3:15

well and it's lovely to be on this

3:17

podcast I'm an avid listener on I Love

3:19

and nine month travel to meet a new

3:21

Holly is a very much a treat to

3:23

slow burn. So. Lovely the to

3:26

say and I mean I feel like we

3:28

couldn't the that she says no Best a

3:30

day to record because it is horrible pounding

3:32

London right outside and we're in the site.

3:34

Beautiful! Three. In the Kensington and

3:36

Or Hindi and. Sports it's a

3:38

far off lands will kind of toddler

3:40

are you day? before we get started,

3:42

you know I've changed. I guess because

3:44

you change when a family comes part

3:47

of the picture I'm in. But the

3:49

thing I love about travel. Is

3:51

been able sue of it's a

3:53

leave your daily life behind on

3:55

you can become whoever you want

3:57

to be here in this new

3:59

place. And I think

4:02

the reason my husband and I are together is

4:04

because he is, he loves travelling.

4:08

I mean he's basically, yeah, he's

4:10

a little sort of nomad, you

4:12

know. And before... He's from

4:14

New Zealand. He's from New Zealand. He travelled all

4:17

the way over from there. Yeah and I guess,

4:19

you know, the fashion there is to leave at

4:21

quite an early age and to

4:23

come to Europe and he, his parents

4:25

are English, so he had family here,

4:27

so it made sense. And

4:29

then he worked on some of the

4:31

super yachts in Parma and had a

4:34

great time. Like the low deck. Exactly.

4:38

He did many ski seasons. I

4:40

mean I call him Judah Chalmers.

4:42

Now younger listeners won't get

4:45

that, but it's this ladies holiday show

4:47

on BBC One back in the day

4:49

because everywhere I suggested, like, yeah, I've

4:51

been there. So it's quite

4:53

difficult to find places that he hasn't

4:55

been. Yeah, does he mind going back?

4:57

He doesn't. He loved it.

5:01

Or if he thinks it might be a

5:03

different holiday, maybe now with the children. Or

5:07

with a different budget. Or with a different

5:09

budget, exactly. And that's quite nice actually, you

5:11

know, to go back and do it slightly

5:13

differently. But he is

5:15

a huge sort of fan of travel

5:18

and sometimes he pushes me out of

5:20

my comfort zone. But

5:23

I think that's what connected us, is

5:25

that sort of thirst for adventure, I

5:27

suppose. Yeah, well that's so lovely. What

5:29

was the first trip that you did

5:31

together? Together. Oh

5:34

goodness me, we went to Lake Como just

5:37

for a weekend. We'd only been

5:39

together for about, I don't know,

5:41

five, six weeks. Oh, that's

5:43

really early. Yeah, and we just went for

5:46

three nights. Yeah. And it

5:48

was absolutely wonderful. But you know, we were in

5:50

the early days. There

5:52

was a lot of wine involved. We

5:54

got on a boat and went to a little

5:57

sort of Village called Bellagio, which

5:59

is on the. Like Uribe to fall.

6:01

Stunning! And we found this bar

6:03

that you could sit right by

6:06

the lake on the sun was

6:08

going down. It. Was so

6:10

nice and the wind was delicious.

6:13

And. We drank too much wine. by the

6:15

end they were feeding us pizza because

6:17

they were worried about surface a high. you

6:19

get that? Other than we went back

6:21

to this it of the the ferry

6:23

report on the guy looks to disney said

6:26

what you mean you've missed the last

6:28

ferry it's gone and cause there's not

6:30

another ferry until six o'clock in the morning.

6:33

So we slept on a Ben

6:35

Standards We found like this really

6:38

don't see. Didn't z night club

6:40

stay there until it closed. Had

6:42

a great time. Damn same and luckily

6:44

it was quite house. Mississippi just slept on

6:47

the bench. I got this looks like families

6:49

say that yeah that's kind of like a

6:51

real juxtaposition of like a they liked ultimate

6:53

Glauber and then an eye to the bed

6:55

so I know loads of people are like

6:57

all yeah.for George Clooney less enlightened a while

7:00

I didn't see any of the has s

7:02

s I select some about assists the i

7:04

guess what you say that set up set

7:06

you up so that spirit of it's and

7:08

eight really dead and you know we always

7:11

think back to that might and laugh our

7:13

socks. Off because actually that really does

7:15

some us up having a great

7:17

time. Miss the ferry? basically us.

7:19

in a nutshell. Say

7:22

we gave that see the very beginning Now

7:24

Alex council on as if have a diaries

7:27

and that's your earliest house. Had trouble memory?

7:29

what would that be? Well I mean when

7:31

we were little mom and dad's and have

7:33

lots of money so they weren't big holidays

7:36

the ones Amish holidays I don't think I

7:38

went abroad. Ah,

7:40

Intel. While. I

7:42

went to France for the first time at

7:44

about eight. But. I don't

7:47

think I went abroad to. Love is

7:49

about fourteen. no less. maybe twelve am

7:51

on. We went to my old guy.

7:54

been so my earliest memories

7:56

of traveling mom and dad

7:58

were quite cool they had

8:01

a VW Caravanette and That

8:04

is how we went to school as well,

8:06

which was sub-ideal All

8:08

of you packed in all of us and the

8:10

neighbors and mummies to drive us to school in

8:12

this white and orange VW camper

8:15

van which was dad's pride and

8:17

joy He absolutely loved it, but

8:19

those were our holidays So we

8:21

would go to Pembrokeshire an awful

8:23

lot and then you know They got

8:25

a little bit more adventurous and we traveled around the

8:27

UK And it was one of those

8:29

where the roof extends so my sister and I would sleep in

8:32

the roof And then we had a little

8:34

awning on the side and then the

8:37

first time we went to this campsite in

8:39

Timbe I tripped over

8:41

the awning and I

8:43

broke my arm My

8:46

mom and dad were like absolutely not

8:48

you're fine. This holiday is not big

8:50

really We are not on

8:52

our first camping trip going to A&E you're

8:54

fine Obviously we went to

8:56

be close and like yeah, she's fractured it

8:58

but yes, so my earliest memories are camping

9:01

and basically doing the whole coast of Pembrokeshire

9:04

in Wales. I remember being in a

9:06

place called Solver, which is a very

9:08

very pretty place And it was so

9:10

windy though we were eating beans on

9:12

toast in the Caravanette in the camper

9:14

van and the

9:17

whole roof Started to

9:19

come apart from the rest of

9:21

the van because it was so windy And

9:24

mum and dad were hardcore, but at that point they

9:26

went Right, maybe

9:28

we should pull the roof down and probably go home

9:32

You know, so there was a lot of kind

9:34

of rainy weekends But actually, you

9:36

know, my sister and I have the

9:38

best memories at that time. Did you

9:41

enjoy them? Yeah, loved it. Mum is

9:43

very very organized So she could pack

9:45

that camper van like you wouldn't believe

9:47

she had a system She had lists

9:50

and it was amazing because everything is minute, you

9:52

know, the wardrobe is minute You've got a little

9:54

stove to cook on but she knew

9:57

in it or you go to a campsite and then

9:59

I know that No, you have to go to

10:01

the loo outside. Yeah. I mean, I shouldn't say

10:03

this on a podcast, but one of my memories

10:06

is hearing dad pee into a bucket

10:08

in the evening. In the evening. Because

10:11

he couldn't be bothered to go all the way to the

10:13

loo. Guys have it so much more easy, don't they? But

10:16

it was all that, you know, going to

10:18

wash the dishes and going to get water

10:20

and all of that. And we just absolutely

10:22

love it. And it's something that I would

10:24

like to replicate with my children later

10:26

on. I'm not brave enough to take them

10:28

yet to four and seven. No. But

10:31

maybe in a couple of years, that is something

10:34

that we'll definitely do. I'd love to go to

10:36

Scotland and, you know, maybe

10:38

not. You get those really pimped out campervans

10:40

now. In a campervan. Yeah, I wouldn't go

10:42

in one that small because I think four

10:45

is probably the max, even though they're very

10:47

into it. Yeah. Yeah. But I think in

10:49

a more sort of deluxe

10:51

version, I'd be in.

10:54

Yeah. I mean, it's such a

10:56

popular trip. And in fact, I was

10:58

going to ask you about Wales in

11:00

general, because it comes up so much

11:02

on the podcast, often as people's earliest

11:04

childhood travel memories, because, you know, is

11:06

that going off in a campervan or

11:08

piling into the back of the car and

11:11

driving off to the coast? Yeah. But knowing

11:13

Wales like you do, where are

11:15

your kind of favorite spots? Like what are

11:17

the places that you

11:19

think are the kind of creme

11:21

de la creme for Wales tourism?

11:24

Well, there's one place in particular

11:26

that we go to at least

11:29

once, if not twice a year as a

11:31

family. We were there over Christmas just been.

11:34

And it's a little town called Newport and

11:36

it's not the Newport where the GLC are

11:38

from. Let's not mistake it for that

11:40

one. It's in Pembrokeshire. And

11:43

it's a little town with

11:45

the most gorgeous beach. So

11:47

the beach is completely flat.

11:50

And up until recently, you could drive

11:52

onto it. Now this

11:54

sounds super boring, but as

11:57

parents with young children, that is a... dream

12:00

to drive onto the beach open

12:02

the booth all the

12:04

stuff you know all the games all the picnic

12:07

yeah because it has it like schlep

12:09

down a mountain or something exactly surfboards

12:11

all of it and we never travel

12:13

lightly and so that that is

12:15

amazing and it's a safe beach you can see

12:17

them more or less from one end to the

12:19

other you know the waves

12:21

aren't big it's just gorgeous and

12:24

always quiet so

12:26

that is i think one

12:28

of my favorite places in the world

12:30

um and on a monday there's a

12:32

little french market there it's just a

12:34

gorgeous place so that is very special

12:36

to us did you go there on

12:38

holiday when you're little was it near

12:40

to where you live yes it was

12:42

near um and

12:44

we sort of traveled all around there but now

12:47

we've kind of honed in on it and it

12:49

suits my sisters got older children and it

12:52

just suits the whole range of ages you

12:54

know my parents come and there's a big

12:56

gang of us but we always go there

12:59

as i say at least twice a year and

13:01

we absolutely love it it's nia sin david oh

13:04

it sounds so special definitely one to add

13:06

for maybe a summer holiday

13:08

break yes so

13:11

chapter two alex is the first place that you

13:13

fell in love with where would that be well

13:16

this was a difficult one and i thought

13:18

long and hard but i think the first

13:20

time i remember sitting

13:23

outside this lovely cafe

13:25

on the side of a cliff thinking this

13:28

is pretty much the closest place to

13:30

heaven i've ever been so far and

13:33

that was in sarento unbelievable

13:37

i think the amalfi coast it's

13:40

predictable but it's beautiful

13:43

yeah you know and i remember

13:45

going to positano and having

13:47

pasta and there was the opera

13:50

singer singing in some courtyard

13:52

opposite i mean it's just

13:54

beautiful isn't it so romantic

13:57

i have never stayed on the amalfi coast

13:59

i've gone on to Capri.

14:01

Oh yeah. I've never stayed

14:03

there and actually there are

14:05

a couple of hotels I'd love to visit there and

14:07

I was trying to work

14:09

out whether I could ever navigate

14:12

the Amalfi Coast with a pram. What

14:14

do you reckon? Do you think I

14:16

could? Oh I mean with

14:18

one child. With one. Yeah yeah. So in

14:20

a pram. Yes I mean it's quite

14:23

steep in past. That's why I think this was

14:25

quite seppy isn't it. Oh and the other thing

14:27

was actually I do remember

14:29

ruining a pair of shoes because it's

14:31

all cobbled in Sorento

14:34

and so do not take a pair of

14:36

heels. Yeah. And you know and now I'm

14:39

never wear heels anyway anymore really but

14:42

yeah it's all cobbled so a pram if

14:44

you're trying to get a baby to sleep.

14:46

If they like motion. If they like motion.

14:48

Ideal. If they don't. It's

14:51

not ideal. So what

14:53

trip was that part of? So

14:55

I went there with a friend

14:57

of mine when we

15:00

were about 22? Quite

15:02

young 21, 22. And

15:07

we went over to Capri as well only

15:09

for the day and I've got a funny

15:11

story because in my kitchen drawer I've got

15:13

the keys to one of the toilets on

15:15

Capri. Basically because you go there don't

15:17

you. We were in the square and

15:20

I don't think the

15:22

restaurants of the bar have their own loo's

15:24

or something but the public loo you have

15:26

to ask in the restaurant for the key.

15:28

The official key. The official key and my

15:30

friend asked for the official key and I don't

15:33

know what they've done since then because we

15:35

brought the key home with us. I believe

15:37

there's definitely a trip where you need to go

15:39

back to be reunited with that loo and

15:41

see if that key works. See if the

15:43

key still fits. And how they've you know how

15:45

they've managed all this time without this loo

15:47

key. But yeah and Capri was

15:49

standing in. I mean I haven't stayed on

15:51

Capri and I would love to. Yeah but

15:53

I use it. It's amazing. But

15:56

then yeah. Very very pretty

15:58

but I'd like to do that. maybe

16:01

as just a grown-up trip, just the two

16:03

of us at some point. Yeah, it has

16:05

that kind of slightly adults only vibe and

16:07

also on Capri you can't drive around, it's

16:10

just a little windy

16:12

road. Yeah, a little buggy kind of thing you go

16:14

around on. Because when you come off the boat you

16:16

sort of have to climb, don't you? Yeah. And it

16:18

was quite a long walk, I remember, steps to

16:21

sort of the square at the top of the hill

16:23

but it always stun in, isn't it? It

16:25

is, I mean, Italy is

16:27

the most mentioned destination on the

16:29

podcast. Is it? By far

16:31

Italy, then Japan, but Italy number one. But

16:34

it's not surprising, is it? Because it's got

16:36

so much to offer and

16:38

like the Amalfi Coast, it's

16:41

like one that stands out to

16:43

people. It's so romantic, it's so ironic.

16:45

It's iconic, isn't it? But the thing

16:48

with Italy though, and I love Italy

16:50

and I'll come to Italy in one

16:52

of the next chapters, but I'm just

16:55

so annoyed and those are people

16:57

listening I will be like, God.

17:00

But I really wanted to go

17:02

to Puglia for ages and

17:05

now every man on

17:07

his dog is going to Puglia. Like

17:10

those Instagrammers, and you know I'm not

17:12

great at Instagram, but

17:15

I mean they've got a lot to answer for.

17:17

Now everybody's going to Puglia. So I

17:19

went last October. Holly, there you are,

17:21

you're one of those. I'm one

17:24

of the culprits. Honestly though, I cannot

17:27

recommend more going, oh I guess the

17:29

kids being in school, October half term.

17:31

Oh lovely. Yeah, I mean basically just

17:33

going that little bit out of season,

17:36

I didn't come across hardly

17:38

any Instagrammers or selfie sticks even in

17:40

the famous Alberobello, which is the one

17:42

with all the Trudy houses, you know,

17:45

that amazing fairies town, the

17:47

hotel, village. And it was like 22, 23

17:50

degrees. I at the time last year

17:53

waxed lyrical about going at that time

17:55

slightly out of season, but things are

17:57

still open. So I'd say If

18:00

you want to go, still go. It's so good for

18:02

families. Yeah, I think we will go. But again, I

18:05

was thinking either May half

18:07

term, finally, or the October,

18:09

just not quite after. And

18:12

also, I think it might be too half as well.

18:14

Yeah, because it's very south, isn't it? Yeah,

18:16

so south. Yeah, it's a great, it's

18:18

a great destination and very

18:21

different and contrasting to other parts of

18:23

Italy as well. Yeah, that's a good

18:25

tip. Yes. Lovely. As we're

18:27

talking about falling in love, when

18:30

did you first fall in love with TV and

18:32

kind of know that that was a path that

18:34

you wanted to follow? I

18:37

think it was when

18:39

I was about five, four or

18:41

five. Yeah. And I was

18:43

watching playschool. And,

18:46

you know, when I was little, children's

18:49

TV would only be an hour at

18:52

lunchtime and an hour after school or

18:54

whatever. And mum

18:56

would sit me in front of

18:58

the TV while she made my

19:00

lunch after we'd been to playgroup

19:04

or whatever. And I

19:06

remember thinking, these

19:08

people don't look like they're doing

19:11

a job. These people look like

19:13

they play all day. And I

19:15

suppose it started from there. But

19:17

coming from South Wales, I never

19:20

said to mum and dad, I want to be a

19:22

TV presenter, because that

19:24

would have sounded mad. They

19:27

would have just gone, oh, there you are, then. Okay.

19:31

And so what are you actually going

19:33

to study, though? And I was, you

19:35

know, I was very nervous, very shy

19:37

as a young child. And

19:40

it just didn't, both things didn't

19:42

fit, I suppose. But

19:44

then I went to uni,

19:47

found some really great

19:49

friends. And I used to do some sort

19:51

of promo work, you know, like

19:54

dressing up as a dolphin

19:57

to promote dolphin friendly tuna. That sort of thing.

20:00

of thing. Hot. Very hot.

20:02

Yeah. I think I was standing in

20:04

like supermarket for years giving out leaflets

20:06

about this, that and the other. Yeah.

20:08

Those used to be my kind of

20:10

holiday weekend jobs to get me through

20:12

uni. And one day

20:15

that agency rang and they said they

20:18

wonder whether you'd like to go and audition to be on

20:20

a game show. I was like

20:23

alright then. So off I

20:25

went on a bus to Cardiff to

20:27

the Angel Hotel and they got us

20:29

doing all sorts of things. And

20:31

then they invited me to the next round which is in

20:33

London. And before I knew

20:35

it I was on a beach in Magaluf with

20:38

I think about another 40

20:40

young people. All under about 23.

20:42

And it was

20:44

sort of this game show on the beach. Davina

20:47

McCall was the host and I did my

20:49

finals out there as a result which is

20:52

a really long story. A

20:54

mad story. I heard

20:56

about this. So you were out there

20:58

and Davina was invigilating my

21:01

final exams. Exactly. Not many people can say

21:03

that. No. What does she, where do you

21:06

see her now? Like how do you think

21:08

it's hilarious? Because the first time she came

21:10

on the one show she said Alex you

21:13

are the same Alex aren't you? I went

21:16

I am. So basically

21:18

when so I was

21:20

about 21, well

21:23

yeah it must have been last year of uni. And

21:26

Davina and Julian Clary

21:28

were presenting this game

21:30

show. And initially my

21:32

tutor said of course you

21:34

can't go because your finals clash

21:36

with their filming dates. And

21:39

I said oh come on just let

21:41

me go. And this went on for ages

21:43

and finally they gave in and they said

21:45

right fine. We'll fly your papers to Magaluf

21:48

and then you will sit in a gym

21:50

there and you will do them at the

21:52

same time as your friends in Wales. But

21:56

not sober. I

21:58

know mum and dad are like oh no. she is

22:00

not gonna revise is she? And

22:03

Davina McCall was my invigilator and

22:05

it's just nuts

22:07

I mean luckily I passed. Mum and dad would

22:09

have had a heart attack otherwise but

22:12

when I saw Davina she was just she

22:14

said oh my gosh you

22:16

are the same one I said I am the same

22:19

one but at the end of the film and she

22:21

was so lovely because she gave everybody a little card

22:23

and I've still got the little Miss Sunshine card that

22:26

she gave to me with a little note in it

22:28

and I always looked at her and thought she's

22:31

great at her job that's what I want to

22:34

be and I think that was

22:36

probably the moment I thought right and

22:38

then I went on to present a

22:40

similar show but in the Welsh language

22:43

for SLC which is kind of the Welsh Channel

22:45

4 same sort of show like

22:47

a dating game show on the beach in Magalufe

22:49

so I've spent a lot of time in Magalufe

22:51

oh my goodness so tell me about your

22:56

all-time favorites and hidden gems of Magalufe

22:58

now JK oh my goodness are there

23:00

some parts that you think stand out

23:02

as being? Well I tell you what

23:05

I love Mallorca yeah yeah and we've

23:07

had many nice holidays in Palma yeah

23:09

and there's this one hotel and I

23:12

think I don't know whether

23:14

it's still there I think it's called something

23:16

like Portofino which obviously doesn't lend itself to

23:18

Mallorca but anyway and it's

23:21

only two stars but I remember seeing

23:23

it on a website and thinking they

23:25

look so lovely and I

23:27

said come on let's risk it for a biscuit we go

23:29

in there it was the best

23:32

hotel oh so pretty across the road from

23:35

the beach and

23:40

there's I don't know whether you've been to

23:42

Palma but there's this long stretch where you

23:44

can sort of cycle and walk past the

23:46

Cathedral into town yeah and this hotel is

23:48

just sort of set back a bit from

23:51

that path and opposite is

23:53

this bungalow and it's

23:55

the most amazing fish restaurant on

23:57

the beach oh it's

23:59

amazing So I think that

24:02

holiday really taught me that you don't have to spend

24:04

a lot of money. You just have to do a

24:06

lot of research. You know this more than anybody else.

24:08

But there's loads of places in the land. I think

24:10

Mallorca is a beautiful place. But

24:13

Margalith, not so much. No. It's

24:16

just foam party hell, isn't it? How did you

24:18

do on the one that you were competing on?

24:21

Oh, fine. I mean, so you... Was there

24:23

like a winner or...? We were split in

24:25

two nations. So England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales.

24:28

Oh, okay. I can't remember. It's

24:30

all a bit of a haze, but we had

24:32

a great time. And is that

24:34

where you were then kind of spotted to

24:37

be a TV person? No. I

24:39

then went back to Wales and I became

24:41

a researcher. I was a terrible researcher. And

24:45

I worked for an independent company and it was

24:47

kind of a slide indoors moment because I applied

24:49

to do a post grad in journalism. And

24:53

I couldn't believe it when I

24:55

got accepted because it was

24:57

quite gruel in the interview process, but

24:59

they accepted me and they offered a

25:01

scholarship. And I thought, wow, my mum

25:04

and dad are like, this is amazing. I

25:06

went, yeah, it

25:08

is amazing. But I've been

25:10

offered a job with an independent television company.

25:12

And I think I'm going to do that.

25:15

And the man who owned the company had interviewed

25:17

me from his bath. So I'd sat

25:19

on the landing and he was in the bath. I mean, we

25:22

didn't think that would be happening anymore. No, exactly.

25:25

Those were the days. But

25:28

I decided to take the

25:30

job. And now

25:32

a mum and dad beside themselves, they thought,

25:34

oh my goodness, at least if you want

25:36

to work in Tally, do journalism. But

25:39

since then told me that it would be

25:41

all right. And I

25:43

didn't want to present the news unless I could

25:45

be like Kate Aidy because she was my like

25:47

heroine. But

25:50

I thought chances of that are slim. So

25:52

I'll go and start working. I think I just

25:54

wanted to earn money by that point and

25:57

get back in. Yeah. But for

25:59

a long time. time I looked after their children and

26:01

cleaned their house. That's basically what

26:03

I did as a runner. But

26:06

then, you know, developed into research. Wasn't

26:09

brilliant at that either. I

26:12

never forget the twin towers, you know,

26:14

the day they came down. And of

26:16

course, everything stopped and everybody sort

26:18

of turned and he was on in the office. And

26:21

then somebody went, Alex,

26:23

then. Well, I

26:25

just snuck out. So I was an oasis

26:27

buying an outfit because we did work, do

26:29

that night. So that

26:31

was the type of research I was. It

26:33

did go down well. It didn't go down

26:35

well. I was eventually fired, but I went

26:37

back on the Monday hoping that they wouldn't sort

26:39

of notice and they're like, Oh gosh, they

26:42

forget. They just said,

26:44

Look, we've got this commission for this program.

26:46

Do you want to do

26:49

sort of a taster tape and, you know,

26:51

do a little screen test? And

26:53

I thought, Oh gosh, do you think? And they

26:55

said, Yeah, we do think as opposed to being

26:57

a researcher. So I did.

26:59

And that's where it started. It started

27:02

from there. Well, come back to that

27:04

amazing trajectory, but we'll pause to

27:06

move on to chapter three. Okay. And

27:09

that is the place where

27:11

you learn the most about

27:13

yourself. I mean, obviously, Magaluf

27:15

was pivotal. Is

27:17

there another destination that also stands out?

27:20

Yes, massively. I think

27:22

there was one place where I changed. I was

27:24

31 years old and

27:27

I had taken part in a series,

27:35

which was all filmed on a ranch.

27:38

Oh yeah. And it was called the

27:40

Magnificent Seven. It was filmed on a

27:42

ranch in Arizona and

27:45

it was a beautiful ranch.

27:47

And I always recommend those holidays

27:50

now. We've done them since and

27:52

absolutely loved them. But my

27:54

friend rang me one morning and said, right,

27:56

Al, this director is going to call you

27:58

and he's going ask you

28:00

whether you can ride a horse and

28:03

you are going to say yes. I said

28:05

but I can't, I'm a bit scared

28:07

of horses. He said don't worry we'll have a

28:09

great time just say yes and then we'll deal

28:11

with it afterwards. So

28:14

sure enough about an hour later the phone went

28:17

can you ride a horse? Yep.

28:22

So me though just you know and

28:24

so I thought I better get some lessons.

28:27

So I did some lessons with my best

28:29

friend lover. I said come on me and

28:31

you I need to go and do some

28:33

lessons. Yeah. And we had lessons in a

28:35

place called Olgmore in South Wales which is

28:37

on the beach. Actually a beautiful place to

28:39

go for a trek. If you're ever staying

28:41

in South Wales check out

28:43

Olgmore they take you through this nature reserve

28:45

and onto the beach. Oh wow. And if

28:48

you're good at riding you can gallop along

28:50

the beach they don't mind. Oh quite

28:52

free and easy. That sounds wonderful. It's lovely.

28:54

Most people go to like Indonesia to gallop

28:56

on horses on the beach. Yeah no. But

28:58

you can do it in Wales. Olgmore is

29:00

the place. So we

29:03

did some lessons. I wasn't very good. Next

29:06

thing we were flying into Phoenix and

29:08

then we went to Arizona to this

29:10

ranch and they so tastefully done.

29:12

I mean maybe they're not all but they you

29:14

know they very rustic

29:16

it's very outdoorsy obviously but

29:18

done so nicely. Yeah.

29:21

And I remember never having

29:24

slept as friendly as that

29:27

because it was so quiet and you're

29:29

so active in the day but up

29:31

until then I was quite a city person.

29:35

I always thought because I suppose growing up in

29:37

South Wales and I was always frustrated and I

29:39

wanted to live in London and I wanted to

29:41

be in a city and I

29:43

changed after we were there

29:46

for three weeks and I changed after those three weeks and

29:48

I thought actually the countryside

29:51

and nature is what it's about.

29:54

And you know as one of these who wouldn't go

29:56

out without makeup I guess that's growing up through your

29:59

20s isn't it. and not quite

30:01

knowing who you are as a person. And

30:03

all of that changed on that holiday. And

30:07

did you spend all of the

30:09

time on the ranch? Or did you kind

30:11

of explore the local area? Yeah,

30:13

we did explore the local area. And we went

30:15

to one place, and I wish I remember what

30:17

it was called, and there'd be somebody listening to

30:19

this now, going, oh, it's that place. But

30:21

there's one place not very far

30:24

away where they've tapped all the

30:26

stores exactly how they were, asking

30:29

the day. And that's where all

30:31

the cowboys going by, they are gear. So

30:33

they took us there, and we were sort of, you

30:36

know, booted and suited and booted with

30:38

cowboy boots, the proper jeans, because they

30:40

have to be of a thickness, the

30:43

shirts, the hats, the sets. Oh, it

30:45

was so brilliant. And you felt like

30:47

you were on a film set. And

30:50

of course, there was a slight problem in that I

30:53

couldn't ride a horse. And next thing

30:55

I knew, because there's no, you

30:57

know, you don't wear a riding helmet. They don't believe in

30:59

them. You've just got a set-sun on. And

31:01

next thing I knew, I was galloping

31:03

at pace on this massive horse across

31:06

a plane in America. And

31:09

I thought, well, I'm just gonna need to hold on. And

31:12

the saddles, they are slightly different. They're a

31:14

little bit more like sort of armchairs. They're

31:17

bigger with what they call this pummel

31:19

in the middle. And I just held

31:21

on for dear life. But actually,

31:23

it's funny, isn't it? Because when your back's against the

31:25

wall, suddenly you find ways

31:28

of dealing with it. And I

31:30

came away absolutely loving it. Really? So it

31:32

gave you a passion for horses and riding.

31:34

Yeah, well, we did cattle drives and they'd

31:36

be like eight hours. He'd be on horseback

31:39

for eight hours. Oh, that's intense. And then

31:41

he'd sort of swing your leg over

31:43

to get off and you just couldn't walk, you know,

31:45

you're so stiff. Yeah. And

31:47

then we'd spend the night drinking

31:49

straight whiskey, obviously, around the fire.

31:51

I mean, it sounds so cliche,

31:53

but that is what it's like.

31:55

And we did some big skies.

31:57

Big skies, we camped outdoors. like

32:00

you had to have these alarms

32:02

because there's mountain lions like whistles

32:04

and stuff it

32:06

was just amazing and I can still

32:08

there was a smell of something and

32:10

I think it was this particular mint

32:12

that grew everywhere and whenever

32:15

I smell that it takes me right

32:17

back to that ranch it was incredible

32:20

it sounds absolutely wonderful I think

32:22

that for UK listeners

32:24

going to like New

32:27

Mexico Arizona Utah Wyoming

32:29

Montana those kind of

32:31

those states it's not always

32:34

like that high on the list sometimes

32:36

because obviously can fly I think direct

32:38

to Denver and you can fly directly

32:40

potentially to Phoenix I'm not sure maybe

32:43

it was Denver that we flew into you might

32:46

be right but they

32:48

are just some of the most beautiful landscapes

32:51

in the world oh I mean in the

32:53

evening when the Sun sets in and you're

32:55

riding past the rocks

32:57

that are bright red in that light

33:00

you've never seen anything like it yeah

33:03

you know and cattle drives through this

33:05

sort of wild rugged landscape down

33:07

these really steep ravines you know and you'd have

33:09

to sort of stop

33:11

yourself from obviously tipping over the horse but

33:14

all of that on the horses would

33:16

come back and their shins would all

33:18

be grazed because they'd be walking down

33:20

these ravines and then up the other

33:22

side and my shirt would be ripped

33:25

because we'd be galloping through these trees

33:27

and you've got caught in the branches

33:29

but it was just the best experience

33:31

ever it sounds absolutely

33:33

absolutely wonderful and before

33:36

you then were you know plucked

33:38

to be on the one show obviously

33:40

I think you've spoken

33:43

before about how a lot of people think that

33:45

you kind of came out of nowhere but you

33:47

were actually paying you know you're doing learning

33:49

your craft paying your dues on Welsh

33:51

TV for a number of years a

33:54

decade am I right thinking that

33:56

you presented a travel show at one point yeah

33:58

and that was lovely So what we

34:00

would do on that travel show, a

34:03

lot of it was sort of weekends, you know? And

34:05

we would do a low budget version

34:08

and a high budget version. That's so

34:10

nice. So my co-presenter, a lovely man

34:12

called Aled Sam, who's a dear friend,

34:14

we had such fun together. But inevitably,

34:16

he'd be like, I am not sleeping

34:18

in a chateau. You can go there.

34:21

You're young enough. I'll go in the

34:23

hotel. So you always got the

34:25

budget up? It was always me in the budget,

34:27

but we had a great time. And actually, you

34:29

know, saw some places doing that

34:31

show that was, you

34:34

know, just, I'd never been to

34:36

Berlin, for example, you know, and that has

34:38

definitely got a little, that's got a funny,

34:41

not a funny, it's got a unique

34:44

vibe, a feeling to

34:46

it, which I loved. But

34:49

I'd never been anywhere like it.

34:52

And Gothenburg was another place that I,

34:54

you know, wouldn't have considered really, but

34:57

absolutely loved it. And off the coast of

34:59

Gothenburg, you go on sort

35:01

of a day ferry and there's this incredible

35:04

island where these sort of, where

35:06

they have these sort of weatherboard

35:09

houses all painted in different

35:11

colors and a big forest in the middle.

35:13

Oh, wow. And it's just

35:15

stunning. The Swedish islands really appeal to

35:17

me because they all go there on

35:19

their summer holidays, don't they? Sounds

35:22

absolutely fantastic. What a cool experience to

35:24

have had. It was lovely. And he,

35:26

you know, he's quite a lot older,

35:29

but gosh, we used to get

35:31

on like a house on fire, you

35:33

know, good travel companion. And that's what

35:35

travel is all about, isn't it? Yeah.

35:37

Going with somebody you can, you know,

35:39

enjoy the experiences with. Yeah, absolutely. And

35:42

so fast forward to the

35:44

call when you were

35:47

asked to join the one show. How

35:50

did it feel? I

35:53

mean, in a nutshell? Well,

35:55

it has been quite a long and

35:57

drawn out audition process. And

36:01

when they first called, I thought

36:03

this is some sort of prank call. Well,

36:06

I just assumed also that they were looking

36:08

for a reporter. And I thought, well,

36:11

I can see that, you know, somebody maybe

36:13

to do local films in Wales or in

36:15

the Cardiff area. And so

36:17

when I got to London the first time, they

36:19

said, well, we're looking for a main anchor. And

36:23

I said, well, are you sure? And

36:26

they said, well, yeah, would you like to do

36:28

a screen test? And I said, well, of course.

36:31

And I don't know from the minute I

36:33

sat on that sofa doing a screen test.

36:36

I knew that. It

36:39

was going to be a job that

36:41

I would do for a long time. Really?

36:43

Yeah, it's funny, isn't it? The team was

36:45

so nice. They were so welcoming. I didn't

36:47

feel nervous. I don't

36:49

know. There was just sometimes you just know. Yeah,

36:52

definitely. And I think you can

36:55

get that and from

36:57

your co-presenters as well. Everyone

36:59

is definitely like, yeah, innately

37:01

nice. I mean, obviously, when

37:03

Dolly Parton comes and I'm

37:05

like, oh, I love you, Dolly. You

37:08

know, I think she's heard me say

37:10

that about eight or nine times. But

37:13

once the first time she came on, she let

37:15

me sit and watch her put her makeup on.

37:18

So she does her own makeup and her own hair.

37:21

Really? Wow. And she

37:23

came in completely barefaced,

37:25

still absolutely gorgeous. Yeah.

37:27

And I was super naive. I was new to

37:29

the job and we just got

37:31

chatting and she said, well, you know, sit down, I

37:33

said, well, I don't want to intrude because obviously, you

37:35

know, you're about to do your makeup. She said, oh,

37:37

I don't mind. And

37:40

she just started sort of

37:42

painting her face, you know, and so

37:45

warm and lovely. And there's no wonder

37:47

she's so well loved because actually all

37:49

of those lovely qualities and

37:51

her way just comes across, doesn't it?

37:53

That's why people love her. Yeah. You

37:55

know, and she was so comfortable in

37:57

their own skin. Yeah. Yeah. So

38:00

it's so true. I mean reflecting on

38:02

I Imagine that like

38:05

even so even me when I think back about

38:07

all the kind of junkets and things that I

38:10

used to do When I was an entertainment reporter,

38:12

I sometimes see people on

38:14

TV and I'm like, oh, yeah, I interviewed them

38:16

Oh, it's even actually a couple of times But

38:18

when you kind of go in and go out

38:20

they it can sometimes wash over you a little

38:22

bit and I think that's it Exactly, you know,

38:24

lots of people will ask are Out

38:27

of all these sort of Hollywood a-listers that

38:29

you interview who is your favorite? Um, my

38:32

mind just goes to mash potato. I'm thinking

38:35

I don't know who's on the show last night It's

38:37

like doing an exam and then you forget

38:39

about it. And then you're on your cramming

38:41

a person yeah, and

38:45

You know some people are sticking the mind

38:47

for You

38:49

know different sorts of reasons. Maybe we've had

38:51

a chat after the show about something

38:53

that connects us or you know

38:56

Tom Hanks came on and he

38:58

was so lovely with this little

39:00

girl who she had autism But

39:02

she loved to write stories and

39:04

all she wanted to do as

39:06

a typewriter an old-fashioned typewriter Yeah,

39:09

and he had a room of them. He does

39:11

have a room. Yeah, like antique ones. Yeah, and

39:13

he posted a

39:15

typewriter To this

39:17

young girl off his own back never to

39:19

be mentioned again But we

39:22

knew that you know We found out that he'd done that

39:24

because he asked for the address etc. And I just

39:26

thought ah, there's a gem He's

39:28

so funny. I always say he's a nice person.

39:31

I've interviewed as well apart

39:33

from you What

39:36

about like an interview though that

39:38

you think about the most is that one I

39:40

suppose the ones that I've been Slightly

39:44

awkward for some reason or

39:46

another the ones that stick out because normally, you

39:48

know It is pretty

39:50

smooth sailing. Yeah, and I

39:53

think people forget that we are live So

39:57

hard, we've got sort of four minutes

40:00

five minutes to get the best

40:02

nuggets from whoever it

40:05

may be and sometimes

40:08

that's hard because they're coming into

40:10

a show that we as British

40:12

people know it's established

40:14

we know what the format is but

40:16

of course especially when they're on Zoom

40:19

or something from California and

40:21

you know suddenly they live on the telly

40:23

and they've not been warmed up those

40:26

are hard yeah so Jared

40:28

Leto for example mm-hmm nightmare

40:31

yeah I'm hoping

40:33

he never listens today.

40:36

Well he was dressed as one of the three

40:38

musketeers for a start. I

40:41

mean he looked gorgeous obviously and

40:43

I think he was all part of

40:45

his kind of Gucci sponsorship or something

40:47

but he was just cold and it's

40:49

very hard to warm somebody up when

40:51

you know through his

40:53

screen yeah and it's happening in

40:56

real time and he

40:58

just did not want to play ball

41:00

you know no and so he's

41:02

off the Christmas card list no more Jared

41:06

Leto for us. I'll cross him off by

41:08

a dream guest wish list as well. But

41:10

I have to say you know I have

41:12

been pleasantly surprised and I can say hands-on

41:14

heart that 99% of

41:16

the people that we interview are

41:19

genuinely nice and lovely

41:21

that is so good. And I

41:23

always watch to see how they

41:25

interact with the production staff

41:27

and our camera crew and that's a

41:30

real tell and they're always nice to

41:32

us because they think oh god you're

41:34

asking the questions but

41:37

you know 99% of the

41:39

time they come onto the floor they

41:41

chat to everybody and it

41:44

sort of restores your faith in humanity

41:46

people are nice. Today's episode is supported

41:48

by Airbnb and what a great partnership

41:51

if you're a long time listener of

41:53

The Travel Diaries you probably know that

41:55

we love to put our home on

41:57

Airbnb when we're traveling like last autumn

42:00

and we took the family to Puglia we

42:02

put our house on Airbnb when otherwise it

42:04

would just be sitting empty which meant that

42:07

we earned some extra money that went towards

42:09

our flights and maybe some souvenirs too. Hosting

42:11

on Airbnb for us is also a family

42:13

affair my mum is an Airbnb super host

42:16

she regularly has guests stay in her little

42:18

chalet in her garden and my dad who

42:20

lives in France has his home on Airbnb

42:22

so that when he comes back to visit

42:24

he is earning some extra money while he's

42:27

away. My dad is 80 and

42:29

he only started hosting on Airbnb a couple of

42:31

years ago so hopefully that shows you how

42:34

straightforward the whole experience is he found it

42:36

so easy to list his house that I

42:38

think he's got all his pals signing up

42:40

now too and it really is straightforward you

42:42

can choose whether you want to rent out

42:44

your entire home or just

42:46

some rooms Alex and I for example list

42:49

our spare bedroom and that works really well

42:51

for us so if you have a trip

42:53

coming up and you want to earn some

42:55

extra money while you're away your home might

42:57

be worth more than you think find out

43:00

how much at

43:02

airbnb.co.uk/host that's airbnb.co.uk

43:06

forward slash host thank you

43:08

to Airbnb yeah

43:10

right we move on then Alex to

43:12

chapter four and that

43:14

is your all-time favorite destination

43:17

ah this is really hard and you know

43:20

what after talking about gosh places

43:22

around the world I'm gonna

43:25

say well I'll give you two because we've

43:27

already spoken about one Pembrokeshire in

43:29

West Wales is one because

43:32

it's a place I know we'll keep going

43:34

back to forever it's the place where I

43:36

want my children to find

43:38

that connection with Wales it's really important

43:41

to me I mean they

43:43

are English of course and you know

43:45

they have grown up in

43:47

West London but that's the place

43:49

I want them to feel

43:51

like it's somewhere special and look back

43:53

at in years to come and think

43:56

oh we had a lot of, god it makes

43:58

me emotional, we had a lot of had lots

44:00

of happy times there. Yeah. That

44:03

is the sentimentality of

44:05

a destination. And I suppose we used

44:08

to travel for, and we still travel

44:10

for pleasure, of course, but we'd look

44:12

at all these magazines and then I'd

44:14

cut out places that we wanted to

44:16

go. And I

44:18

think all of that will come back at some point. But

44:21

for now, it's very much family-focused.

44:23

Yeah, and you're creating these special

44:26

memories. Exactly. And yeah,

44:28

there's nothing, I imagine there's nothing more magical

44:30

than being in a place that means so

44:32

much to you, to your parents, and

44:35

then seeing your children fall in love with

44:37

it in the way that you fell in

44:39

love with it and watching your family that

44:41

you've created, it must be really,

44:43

really special. And I think

44:45

that's difficult for Charlie because my

44:47

husband, he's from Auckland, even

44:50

though his parents are English. And

44:54

I think that's difficult for him because

44:57

you want your children to feel that

44:59

connection with the place that you're

45:01

from as well. And it's

45:03

much more difficult, of course, when it's the

45:06

other side of the world. But when they're

45:08

older, we will go, it's an incredible country.

45:11

One minute you can be swimming in the sea, the

45:13

next minute skiing, you know? And it's

45:15

only a short flight away. It's

45:17

incredible, a very, very pretty country.

45:20

People say it's like Wales on steroids.

45:24

But it's, I mean, a lot of steroids. It's,

45:28

you know, everything's much bigger. And

45:30

as the children grow, you know,

45:33

we will visit more often, but

45:35

the distance makes it hard. And

45:38

that's why even Charlie's come round

45:40

to the fact that Pembrokeshire is where it's

45:42

at, where our happy place is from now.

45:45

Yeah, and obviously you've mentioned

45:47

you have three kids. I'm

45:50

always very interested to chat to

45:52

parents of three children about how

45:55

the logistics works. I feel as

45:57

though transitioning from two to three.

46:00

We. Suddenly you're outnumbered.

46:02

Like do you have

46:04

any. Tips and it

46:06

i at well as your experience. Been

46:09

traveling at the family as with three

46:11

kids, the family five. we've always been

46:13

quite adventurous because I think. For

46:16

me is the best. Part of

46:18

being a parent is choosing which

46:20

parts of the world you can

46:22

show them, teaching them see in

46:24

their reaction to try a different

46:27

food, meet him, different types of

46:29

people see, and all these different

46:31

sites I'm in. For me that's

46:33

the real bonus. Have been a

46:35

parents? yeah I'm I'm so we

46:37

are quite adventurous. you know when

46:40

they were little. Are we

46:42

to detach the stroller? And.

46:45

He didn't attend one of the finale that

46:47

was race yeah on one I was working

46:49

Nasa Charlie few out with him on his

46:51

own on than he had to go back

46:54

for works I flew back with him on

46:56

my own. I was also prakken him through

46:58

the online because but you know. I

47:00

always think once you're on a plane on the door

47:03

shut. What's the worst that

47:05

can happen? You can get off, need to

47:07

deal with it and grit your teeth. yeah.

47:09

Ration of the flight? Yeah yeah. and it

47:12

because you can really get very anxious about

47:14

new see parents and they've got these babies

47:16

on I think you know And of course

47:18

we all feel like that because he didn't

47:21

want to disrupt other people flights as out

47:23

that actually does not much you can do

47:25

about it. Shut the door, let's get into

47:28

the sky and then see what happens and

47:30

look forward to was on the other side

47:32

that yeah and it's worth it. In L

47:34

nine times out of ten you to get

47:36

to the destination, nothing else. That

47:39

was a bit tricky. That. We've

47:41

forgotten about it and it was so

47:43

worth it to be. you know, wherever

47:45

you are back. Having said that, now

47:47

that we have got three and. We

47:50

tend to favor from. Right?

47:53

The Ff Ff Ff

47:55

And. I. Think a part

47:57

of that is as a replicated. We

48:00

did. Your children. And I

48:02

can on whether everybody does that. but certainly

48:04

for me, We've. Got such my

48:06

sister happy memories of been the first,

48:08

Get the bragged in the morning and

48:10

Boston the end of the biggest golf

48:13

on. Get the fresh klaxons you know?

48:15

or a try under a crap for

48:17

the first time or you know, insane.

48:19

A. Naughty Conference and. And

48:21

francis such an amazing can trick

48:23

as massive is same service Very

48:26

much to say our say these

48:28

are so what exactly is north

48:30

and south of France is incredible.

48:33

Is. Very. Pricey as well. And

48:36

we came to hold for the first. Okay,

48:39

know the South East by. Of

48:41

eat her. Away from nice conform to

48:44

pay the other side you're on.

48:47

A fun holiday You can hire. A

48:49

really lovely big house. And

48:52

initial tall people or whatever than a

48:54

be like so thousand pounds the to

48:57

eat. Any kind. I

48:59

give it up now and. And

49:01

we started taking the ferry over. To. France.

49:05

Really well I've ever overnight one

49:07

or know sweet think in this

49:09

year that will go down to

49:11

and some time than do that

49:13

long for. Yeah yeah but we

49:16

usually crossover drew some Marlowe right

49:18

arm and a gun. Or

49:20

you travel is nearly as exciting for

49:22

the children as the actually get in

49:25

the here. You know they just love

49:27

the ferry. It means you can pack

49:29

all yourself into the back of the

49:31

car. Yup See a guy who mayonnaise?

49:34

Yeah, you're traveling face the air gap.

49:37

Love from A. We did it we

49:39

went on the ferry, slept over not

49:41

and the fiery i say slapped and

49:43

them a little sleep and excitement. I'm

49:46

in a major story Magical to be

49:48

on this boat with a was. sleeping

49:50

and then we traveled around such a

49:52

the north in normandy went to various

49:54

camp site them and i did have

49:57

a fit when got to the first

49:59

com signed and there was not even electricity.

50:02

So you had to boil your own water

50:04

on fire and with three young children, that

50:06

was tricky. But Charlie's like, it's good

50:08

for us. It's good for us to be at

50:10

one with nature. And don't worry, because I've got

50:12

this new- That's the cue we had in. Yeah,

50:14

and I've got this new gadget. He's

50:17

probably waiting to work it out. He thinks he's

50:19

the gadget. Bad rules. Yeah. And

50:22

so, but the big skies in the night

50:24

and being able to kind of, we

50:28

took a telescope with us because Ted loves

50:30

astronomy and being able to

50:32

sit there in the night and just, you know, there's

50:35

nobody else in this field and just

50:37

look up at the stars. I mean, that is

50:39

amazing. And those are the moments really. And

50:41

it nearly doesn't matter where you are in

50:44

some respects as long as you're out

50:46

in the open. Yeah. But we

50:48

traveled around and then we sort of went

50:51

to Yielderay, which I loved. Oh, it's been

50:53

on my list for ages. I really love

50:55

to go. You need to go to Yielderay.

50:58

It's so easy. Well, you cycle everywhere. Yeah, you

51:00

cycle everywhere. It's so easy to get to. From

51:02

La Rochelle, you nip across the bridge and

51:05

you can fly directly to La Rochelle, quick

51:07

fly. Yeah. Or if

51:09

you're like us, you drive and take

51:11

the whole scenario with you. And

51:14

then you cycle everywhere. And

51:16

it's just, it's

51:19

lovely, because actually we don't see lots of cars.

51:22

People take the car to the supermarket, but that's about

51:24

it. So

51:27

you can cycle to the beach. You've got to then get

51:29

used to packing what you need for

51:31

the day or the bike. Yeah, so it's like everybody's got

51:33

a rak sack with their bits in it. But

51:35

you cycle through vineyards and oh, it's

51:37

just lovely. Oh, it sounds beautiful. Start

51:40

for an ice cream. Yeah.

51:43

Tranquil. And it's different to a lot

51:45

of other places I've been, actually. It's

51:47

quite unique Yielderay, even though it's France,

51:50

but being an island set apart,

51:52

it has got its own identity.

51:55

Well, I mean, that is very much,

51:57

I say, a French hidden gem. Chapter

51:59

five. is your hidden gem? Is

52:01

it was it Ildere? What is your

52:03

choice? Well I'm gonna say, controversially, back

52:05

to Italy. I said we'd come back

52:07

to it. Yeah. But there's a region

52:09

in Italy called, and I don't know

52:12

whether I'm saying it right, probably not,

52:14

but it's Limarche. Oh okay,

52:16

I don't know. So, exactly. And I

52:18

didn't. And when my parents in law

52:20

suggested that we spend some of their...

52:23

I thought, oh no,

52:25

where's this now? And they were like, we've done

52:28

loads of research, that's where we

52:30

go in and we hire the house and we did a

52:32

lot of driving. Oh

52:34

my goodness, it's so beautiful. So

52:37

is it, is it what region?

52:39

So it's between Tuscany and Umbria.

52:41

Okay. And because it's

52:45

quite quiet, because not many people

52:47

know about it, it's

52:49

very very reasonable. You can have

52:52

the most amazing meal, and it's

52:54

all hilltop. So

52:56

there's lots of these villages

52:58

and towns on the

53:00

top of a mountain. Do you know what I mean

53:03

in Italy? Totally, yeah. Where on a hot day

53:06

that you can see the mist kind

53:08

of rising up in the mornings in

53:10

the valleys. And all the restaurants have

53:12

got these incredible views over the valley

53:14

below. And you

53:16

know, just really nice produce, super

53:18

fresh, because it's all grown in

53:20

these valleys below. And

53:22

I don't think we

53:24

paid, there were four adults, and I don't

53:27

think we commented on this when we were

53:29

there. We didn't pay more than 70 euros

53:33

for any meal. And that

53:35

was why in all of it... So

53:39

yummy, right? Because it's so

53:41

yummy. Yeah. And just really

53:43

beautiful little market towns. It's

53:45

on the Adriatic coast, and

53:48

so it can be quite windy. I think height

53:50

of summer is a good time to go there.

53:53

But it's very easy to

53:55

navigate and to drive around. You can pop

53:57

into Tuscany as well. Lovely.

54:00

But you don't have the prices of

54:02

Tuscany that slightly removed and so it

54:04

is easy to get to you

54:06

at where I was. You fly into

54:09

Ancona airport unclear Iran and we high

54:11

as a car. Yeah and yeah

54:13

we just drove thought three weeks. And.

54:16

I in and out we say imagine you have

54:18

more of an authentic experience as well as it's

54:20

less touristy cause you're kind of like you know

54:22

not surrounded by those of other person speaks of

54:25

know we didn't see one. British bars are not.

54:27

Well that's a bad thing but no we didn't

54:29

see anybody see I'm. On. All the

54:31

restaurants are full of Italians. That was

54:33

one restaurant though we went to which

54:36

apparently had been recommended. This and my

54:38

father in law all over and it

54:40

looked like sort of them. A

54:43

little chef you know little chef like

54:45

yeah like age or that yeah they

54:47

still exist atheism now we throw them

54:49

little safe because they were so expensive

54:52

animate ever. We went to visit of

54:54

road size place and he said i've

54:56

heard the past is amazing on the

54:58

chef come out the kitchen and amazonia

55:00

manning super. Drunk and he was

55:02

like you on shuffle. And

55:05

I saw no luck. Absolutely amazing amount

55:07

of like looks really great man here.

55:09

he so drunk he dropped the truffle

55:11

this big bowl of truffle on the

55:14

floor and then proceeded to pick it

55:16

up and great did over all our

55:18

pasts. As a such a next day

55:20

we were all six as die oh

55:22

my god of avoid down the road

55:25

side fab fit but we went to

55:27

see you and I can't remember what

55:29

they call. you might know the you

55:31

go to somebody is essentially their house

55:33

and it's like. A farm stay nearly

55:36

as they do a me I am

55:38

like a mess area yes and we

55:40

went to lots of those on the

55:42

food was off the charts so you

55:45

know people think they know it's silly

55:47

and you know it's it's on it

55:49

or it's beautiful. but it's quite nice

55:51

sometimes to go to somewhere where hasn't

55:54

been spoiled by tourists so more a

55:56

great hidden gem. The same key I

55:58

let out a last well will remain

56:00

hidden gem now we shall see a

56:03

poem arcade be over. announcer says that

56:05

if it's a very much in contrast

56:07

and are penultimate chapter is chapter six

56:09

and that is your was travel experience

56:12

or the place to eat. never go

56:14

back to. I

56:16

feel really mean saying this about anywhere

56:19

because I think every last has golf.

56:22

It's. Lovely past see know something

56:24

about it to a you can find some

56:26

things I love. The. Place

56:28

of struggles most to is

56:30

is jim. Yep!

56:34

Chips Chocolate? not that much

56:36

Als yeah Bruce was lovely

56:38

up and only got some

56:41

lovely chocolate from that. That's

56:43

a weird leave. The. We

56:45

went to ascend to park. In

56:47

Belgium. And. Actual center park and

56:49

Axelsson Spock. I get a bullet

56:52

sad in out over here. In

56:54

lots of people that center box. But.

56:56

We felt well it might be. A

56:58

different experience to go to somewhere in

57:01

Europe and you know have all the

57:03

amenities and we went over October half

57:05

term on the kids. absolutely loved it.

57:07

You know the besides they were all

57:09

the staff. The thousand. Itself.

57:12

I I just couldn't get on board with

57:14

the not not, does she know I know

57:16

a couple of Belgian sale and I think

57:18

that they kind of a? Do

57:20

they? Yeah, they don't mind. They.

57:22

Don't mind it that we feel that

57:25

way. It was quite am stock. Yeah.

57:28

Yeah, yeah, I went on the Eurotunnel on it

57:30

took us. I mean, it was so convenient to

57:33

get to. I guess

57:35

a lot that's just a lot of

57:37

kind of bureaucracy going on there and

57:39

kind of political stuff. Yeah, their it

57:41

is. It's allies like a whole damn.

57:43

That's the place I probably wouldn't rush

57:45

to and done that I tell you

57:48

though. I just got back from the

57:50

most amazing family friendly, a towel and

57:52

year at the I just actually think

57:54

that your kids are. They have a

57:56

easy for, has cooled some movies and

57:58

it's in the dollar. My ah

58:00

I'm but ask is recommended This

58:03

really of i got a is

58:05

actually makes i. Have

58:07

never been to send to Park so

58:09

I don't I don't know, I don't

58:12

think it's like sense part I say

58:14

this. but I mean so lots of

58:16

people like Centre backs on that. Absolutely

58:18

yes. If I'm being honest, a Waltham

58:21

for us. Yeah, we don't like organized.

58:24

Yes, we like some been a little

58:26

bit more than eight and while. I

58:29

suppose some people may be view it

58:31

as quite organic. For us, we

58:33

like them than a little bit. rougher,

58:36

You know another on the edges

58:38

rustic as a bit in their

58:40

little bit more am and so

58:42

especially for charlie is really wasn't

58:45

his thing but then somebody else

58:47

suggested this hotel. And.

58:50

Might be on the list for the summer.

58:53

Ah a yeah be great again the summer

58:55

we without see like when all the little

58:57

kids are getting off this a time It'll

58:59

nasri slave and they teach them from two

59:01

and a half years I'll oh my goodness

59:04

highly little father's just like going down and

59:06

it's like you know a stone's throw from

59:08

my you're having breakfast it's said i called

59:10

kinda hotel. Oh okay though they are hotels

59:12

the are. Primarily.

59:15

Of as he focused on the children

59:17

here for this one the so unbelievably

59:19

sheath like it was all like candy,

59:22

minimalist in tears that I beautiful scan

59:24

Detroit had the most incredible kids club

59:26

I've ever seen in my entire life

59:28

like I was age so you kind

59:31

of jealous I wasn't a child. see

59:33

all banks take them he's so days

59:35

you know just p to masters wherever

59:37

you are. I would say that the

59:40

and skier back and my understanding is

59:42

that the ski area around the. Hotel

59:44

isn't like the best skiing

59:47

but it's great. That

59:49

the little flights within the hotel is gray

59:51

if you want your kids to learn to

59:53

ski and like of really like nurturing. small

59:55

easy environment with like a little magic carpet

59:57

and stuff. So yeah I mean I'll be

59:59

like. There I actually have like

1:00:01

three or four friends that I've

1:00:03

already that his and well on

1:00:05

our bucket list is a holiday

1:00:07

because my husband can ski very

1:00:09

well. I've never been skiing you

1:00:12

know the neither am I really

1:00:14

appeals to me and fresh air

1:00:16

and you know feel like you've

1:00:18

done something to deserve a glass

1:00:20

of wine exact day and auto

1:00:22

club day that I just feel

1:00:24

in my i'd really love the

1:00:26

children's experiences but that sounds perfect

1:00:28

because somewhere. Where. You're not

1:00:30

track in earnest doesn't become hard work because

1:00:32

with very young children get them in all

1:00:35

the gear and then getting them to learned

1:00:37

to ski. I mean I'm

1:00:39

on board with this. Oh yeah Ali

1:00:41

yeah and you know I have you.

1:00:44

the overseas are sending time ago children

1:00:46

the it also always includes seventy. I

1:00:48

was a free trial lawyer a week

1:00:50

if it were to we both sides

1:00:52

I write i am so say that

1:00:55

sour the bucket list that where else

1:00:57

are finals outs Alex is how to

1:00:59

seven and that's the destination that you've

1:01:01

always wanted to go to. top of

1:01:04

your bucket list. Oh wow. I

1:01:07

think on I know a lot

1:01:10

of your listeners say this I

1:01:12

think is Japan's This is. What

1:01:15

right? I mean? Obviously. It

1:01:17

sounds like the best place in the love when I.

1:01:21

Am I on? see the

1:01:23

blossoms? I'm obsessed with problems

1:01:25

and I just think it.

1:01:27

you know culturally as wow.

1:01:29

so different to everywhere around.

1:01:31

Yeah, and so that pretty

1:01:33

much my top. But.

1:01:36

I. Think. We. Will So lucky

1:01:38

to be able to travel in a

1:01:40

Monday when you know that pandemic god.

1:01:42

I hate that word even. but you

1:01:44

know we really. I think. Remembered.

1:01:48

How lucky we'd been up until that point

1:01:50

to be able to travel freely And we

1:01:53

all really missed it here. And

1:01:55

so. It I.

1:01:57

Think it's a it's such a big

1:01:59

part of life. You work to experience

1:02:02

something new. That's how I say it

1:02:04

and if we take it the children

1:02:06

to show them something new. And.

1:02:08

So a bucket list for me as

1:02:10

kind of his extensive because it's as

1:02:12

many places as we can possibly fits

1:02:15

in between now on the end of

1:02:17

our days about hand you know, yeah

1:02:19

and I think every every way as

1:02:21

got their. Advantages Disadvantages

1:02:23

every everywhere from than lovely

1:02:26

about it. Part. From Belgium.

1:02:29

If If If if. Ah

1:02:32

thank you so much Alex and that such

1:02:34

lovely words to end on this I like

1:02:36

now. Yeah loud pleasure I've I've enjoyed this.

1:02:38

I feel like I've had to like a

1:02:41

mini holiday. just be in here talking about

1:02:43

the my I says enough of you know

1:02:45

brings back so many nice memories. It's lovely

1:02:47

for all those were your wonderful travel diary.

1:02:50

Thank you so much! On to. Ah,

1:02:57

he's bank he Sir Alex adjoining me

1:02:59

on the Travel Diaries. Alex is just

1:03:01

as lovely, as friendly as she is

1:03:04

on the Tv with all of her

1:03:06

guests and we can Twelve hours. It

1:03:08

was a really, really lovely time. Things

1:03:10

so much for the thing today. If

1:03:13

you'd like to hear more from the

1:03:15

focus, don't forget to hit subscribe or

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if you can't wait till then remembered

1:03:39

as The Sauce Ten Seasons to catch

1:03:41

up on that's a that one hundred

1:03:43

and fifteen episodes to keep you busy

1:03:45

that day to get that all the

1:03:48

destinations mention by my guess are included

1:03:50

in the episode show notes here on

1:03:52

your podcast app and listed on my

1:03:54

website The Traveled I read podcast.com Thanks

1:03:56

again everyone. Take care and will be back.

1:03:58

Next week. Today's

1:04:15

episode is supported by Air Bnb and what

1:04:17

a great partnership! If you're a long time

1:04:20

listener of the travel diaries you probably know

1:04:22

that we love to the our home on

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ebay and be when the traveling like Los

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dos him and littered with how many superior

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we put our house on ebay and be

1:04:31

when otherwise it would just be sitting empty

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which meant that we earn some extra money

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that went towards our flights and maybe since

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even is T posting on ebay and the

1:04:40

for us is also a family. A Sad

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My mom as an Air B N B

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C behaves she regularly. Has guess they in

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her little Sally in her garden and my

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dad he lived in France has his home

1:04:50

on ebay and be said that when he

1:04:53

comes back to visit he is earning some

1:04:55

extra money while he's away. My dad is

1:04:57

eighty and he any started hating on ebay

1:04:59

and be a couple of years ago so

1:05:01

hopefully that says he has straightforward the whole

1:05:03

experience is he found it so easy to

1:05:06

list his house the I think he's got

1:05:08

all his pals signing up now t and

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it really is straightforward. You can see whether

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you want to rent out your entire home

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or just some. Ruins Alex and I for

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example list ah, spare Bedroom and that

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works really well for us. So if you

1:05:21

have a trip coming up and you

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want to earn some extra money while you're

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away your home, I be worth more

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than you think. Find out how much at

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Abbey and be okay to eat. A forward/hey.