In this episode, we talk to expert travel writer and house DJ Barbara Woolsey.

Barbara is a culture and travel writer who splits her time between Bangkok and Berlin. She has authored several Lonely Planet Thailand guides and covered the country for Atlas Obscura, Thrillist and more. Barbara is also as DJ (known as Babxi), playing house and disco in famous nightclubs in Europe and SE Asia.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• How you can earn good karma by paying to release a captive animal
• Where you’ll find a menu including duck in bile and pig brain with chilli
• Why you shouldn’t go around touching people on the top of the head

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Barbara’s picks on the pod website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

You can read Barbara’s latest travel articles at barbarawoolsey.com — or listen to Babxis’s music at soundcloud.com/babxi. She’s also on Facebook and Insta

Planning to travel to Thailand? Buy Barbara’s brand new Lonely Planet Thailand book (or wait for her Thailand’s Islands & Beaches book — it’s out this summer)

If you’re interested, this is the Pyongyang skyscraper Joe talked about in the ep

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this ep, we talk to writer, podcaster and travel consultant Mandy Sinclair.

When Mandy relocated to Marrakech in 2011, she launched a travel blog and podcast called Why Morocco. She also founded Tasting Marrakech, offering food and cultural tours of the city. While Mandy no longer lives in Marrakech, she often returns and worked on the latest Lonely Planet Morocco guidebook.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Where you can go to create your own unique perfume
• Why you don’t have to pay a fortune to attend a film premiere
• Which unusual flavour of milkshake is a big hit in Marrakech

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Mandy’s picks on the pod website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Venture over to Mandy’s website — mandyinmorocco.com — to read her blog articles, listen to her podcast and learn all about her Tasting Marrakech tours

There are also links to her freelance writing. Articles we mentioned on the pod:

• Where to Find the Best Street Art in Marrakech - Culture Trip
• How to spend a day in trendy Sidi Ghanem - The Independent

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local Andalusia travel blogger Molly Sears-Piccavey.

Originally from Nottingham, England, Molly has lived in Spain since 1998 and now resides in Granada, Andalusia. She is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about local gastronomy, history and culture. Read her blog at piccavey.com or reserve one of her Spain Food Sherpas tours in Seville, Granada and Málaga.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Why not all men in pointy hoods are members of the KKK
• How a sprinkling of sheep brains and testicles can pep up an omelette
• When your mum’s savage insult hurts more than a military surrender

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Molly’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Read her latest Spain blog articles or follow her on Facebook, X or Instagram

Here are a couple of the blog articles we mentioned on the pod:

• Spanish Christmas Lottery – Why is it such a big tradition?
• Street Food in Spain – Snack like a local in Granada

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local travel YouTuber and blogger Jessica Cutrufello.

Jessica runs the YouTube channel A Wanderlust for Life — as well as the blog of the same name. She relocated from the mountains of Virginia to the lowlands of the Netherlands in 2014. Having called Amsterdam home for the last decade, she is passionate about helping others to discover the best of her adopted city.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Where to go for a reminder that you’re crawling with microbes
• Why eating and drinking on the go can result in some funny looks
• How the Old Town was built on top of submerged wooden stilts

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Jessica’s picks on the pod website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Check out her YouTube and blog, and follow her on Insta, X and Facebook

Here are three ways to get more travel content from Jessica:

• Read Jessica’s European travel articles at www.awanderlustforlife.com
• Watch Jessica’s travel videos at youtube.com/awanderlustforlife
• Let Jessica help you plan your trip at www.thatch.co/@awanderlustforlife

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local travel journalist and tour guide Pelu Awofeso.

Pelu is a culture and travel writer and contributor to Lonely Planet and Medium. A winner at the CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards in travel reporting, Pelu is also the author of several Nigeria travel books — his latest, One for the Road, is out now. He regularly guides tourists around Yorubaland and Nigeria.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Where to pick up monkey heads, snakes and other ‘fetishes’
• Why you shouldn’t ask a tour guide to go to Makoko floating village
• How an ancient Yoruba city was the place where the world began

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Pelu’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

You can read his travel articles about Nigeria on the Lonely Planet website.

His books are available in various places. Head to Amazon to buy Nigerian Festivals, Route 234 and Tour of Duty. Visit Rovingheights Books to get White Lagos and 9 Degrees North. And nip across to Paystack for One for the Road

Want to book Pelu as your Lagos tour guide? He’s on Facebook, X and Insta

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In this episode, we talk to local expert and travel journalist Nicky Swallow.

A musician by training, Nicky Swallow first moved to Florence in 1981 to play in the opera orchestra. She tried bruschetta drizzled with newly-pressed, grass green olive oil early on, and was hooked. She has been writing about Florence for the past 20 years and continues to travel extensively throughout the country.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• How Florence’s medieval football match gets surprisingly violent
• Which of a cow’s four stomachs tastes best with salsa verde
• Why you should ignore a Hollywood star’s wine-drinking advice

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Nicky’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Read Nicky’s travel articles in all the big publications, including The Telegraph, Condé Nast Traveller, The Guardian, AFAR, Travel + Leisure and The Florentine

Her latest book, Cala di Volpe, is available on Assouline Press or from Amazon

Classical music fans should also check out her festival: Incontri in Terra di Siena

You can also follow Nicky on Twitter (X) and Instagram. Connect with Joe by following him on X or Insta — or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert Ann Abel, senior writer at Forbes Travel.

Ann Abel is an American travel writer who’s now called Lisbon home for nearly seven years. She’s travelled to more than one hundred countries and written for publications including Forbes, Robb Report, Departures, Condé Nast and Afar.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• How sardines and barnacles are at the heart of local festivities
• Which iconic part of the Lisbon landscape is completely fake
• Why ordering a ‘large beer’ is the ultimate tourist giveaway

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Ann’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Ann on instagram.com/abeltotravel or visit her website: ann-abel.com

Here are the two Forbes articles we mentioned on the pod:

• This Wildly Creative Chef Is Putting New Zealand On The Culinary Map
• Berlin's Creative Dining Scene Is Still Going Strong

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert Mark Baker, writer for Lonely Planet.

Mark Baker is a travel writer, blogger and author with a penchant for offbeat stories and forgotten places. Originally from the United States, he now calls Prague home. In addition to writing Lonely Planet Slovenia, he’s also the author of Lonely Planet Prague & Czechia. Follow his work at markbakerprague.com

In this episode you’ll find out…

• How Jason (of ‘and the Argonauts’ fame) founded Ljubljana… maybe
• Why ‘hot horse’ is a more literal description than ‘hot dog’
• Where you can cycle and kayak through miles of underground mines

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Mark’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Mark on X and Insta and check out his blog: markbakerprague.com

Mark’s latest Lonely Planet Slovenia guidebook is out in spring. Pre-order now

Better yet, if you read Czech, buy his book! It’s Čas proměn (Time of Changes)

Want to know more about Mark’s espionage entanglement? Follow these links:

• Part 1: Introducing 'Inter' — the start of a five-part blog series
• True Spies podcast: Operation Inter

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert and freelance writer David McElhinney.

David is a Northern Irish journalist and editor based in Tokyo and Belfast. Since first moving to Japan in 2018, he’s written travel articles — as well as pieces on Japanese art, culture and current affairs — for the likes of Lonely Planet, Tokyo Weekender and CNN Travel. He’s currently working on a guidebook to Japan.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Where to witness the genitalia-celebrating Festival of the Steel Phallus
• Why curry bread and pit-viper liqueur beat salted squid guts
• How rockabilly and jazz music have found a loving home in Tokyo

…and so much more.

You’ll find all David’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Read his articles for Tokyo Weekender and check out his freelance website

Here are a couple of the Japan-focused articles we mentioned on the pod:

• Spirituality Without Religion on the Kumano Kodo
• In Praise of Silence: Japan’s Ancient Relationship to the Absence of Noise
• Jazz Kissa: A Musical Culture Unique to Japan

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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

In this episode, we talk to local expert Emily Lush, blogger at Wander-Lush.

Emily Lush is an Australian writer and photographer who has lived in Georgia since 2020. Her travel blog, Wander-Lush, is the internet's most comprehensive resource for travelling in Georgia and the South Caucasus. Her work has also appeared in publications like CNN, National Geographic, and Condé Nast.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• When it pays to walk into random people’s apartment buildings
• How Tbilisi paid a high price for failing to restore a Shah’s testicles
• Why you should never eat your dumplings with a knife and fork

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Emily’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Emily on X and Instagram or follow her Wander-Lush blog on Facebook

Here are the three Tbilisi travel guides we mentioned on the podcast:

• 52 Unique Things to Do in Tbilisi: The Ultimate Guide
• Buy the Digital Nomad Guide to Tbilisi on Gumroad
• The Tbilisi City Guide — coming soon on Wander-Lush

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert and freelance journalist Mark Pickering.

Mark moved to Prague 14 years ago to teach English and eat his body weight in fried cheese. When he's not babbling excitedly to students about literature, he writes travel and lifestyle articles for the likes of The Guardian and VICE, delving into the dark crevices of Czech Republic and its wonderful sub-cultures.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• When two men urinating in public has nothing to do with a stag party
• Why ‘pickled cheese’ is a lot tastier than it sounds
• What to say (or not to say) when going to the toilet

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Mark’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Mark on LinkedIn or discover The Little Book of Czenglish on Facebook

Here are a few of Mark’s Czech travel articles we mentioned on the pod:

• I Went to an Illegal Pig-Killing Party — VICE
• A David Cerny sculpture walk in Prague — The Guardian
• I Went on a Tour of Prague's Drugs and Prostitution Hotspots — VICE

You can hear Joe’s ‘straight up’ Prague picks on DK’s Where to Go podcast

Follow Joe on X and Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert Pat Yale, author of Following Miss Bell.

After a career in the travel industry, Pat became a Turkey guidebook writer for Lonely Planet. She lived for almost 20 years in a cave house in Cappadocia, but now resides in Istanbul. Her new book Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell was recently published by Trailblazer.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Which annual festival features men pretending to whip themselves
• Where to get the tastiest spit-roasted sheep intestines in the city
• Why you should think twice about blowing your nose in Istanbul

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Pat’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Pat on x.com/patyale or check out her website: www.patyale.com

You can also buy her book, Following Miss Bell: Travels Around Turkey in the Footsteps of Gertrude Bell, on Trailblazer, Amazon or at your local bookshop

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we talk to local expert Jason Moore, host of Zero to Travel.

After a decade on the road as a nomad — before it was cool — US-born Jason moved to Norway and created the top-rated Zero To Travel Podcast (10 million downloads, 700+ Five Star Reviews). In it, he shares thoughtful interviews, unconventional perspectives and actionable advice to help you travel the world on your terms.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Which travel writing guru introduced Jason to an unusual artwork
• How wrongly-prepared lutefisk (dried ‘funky’ fish) can kill people
• Why locals don’t talk to each other on the street… but you should

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Jason’s picks on the podcast website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Jason on Instagram and check out his podcast at zerototravel.com

You can also check out his Oslo-based band Laundry House on Spotify

Here are a couple of the Zero to Travel episodes we mentioned on the pod:

• Travel Legend Rick Steves
• Top 5 Alternative European Destinations with Joe Reaney

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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In this episode, we’re talking to local expert Will Noble, features editor for Londonist.

As well as writing and editing articles for Londonist, Will has also written for the likes of CNN Travel and The Independent. He loves exploring all corners of the capital, but especially its pubs, comedy scene and his hometown of Croydon.

In this episode you’ll find out…

• Which famous singers donated their faeces to a London museum
• Why one London church is periodically crammed with clowns
• What deep-fried bull testicles and a raw-egg cocktail have in common

…and so much more.

You’ll find all Will’s recommendations up on our website: www.strangeoldworld.com

(LINKS DON'T WORK ON YOUR PODCAST PLATFORM? THEY'RE ALL AT WWW.STRANGEOLDWORLD.COM TOO)

Follow Will on x.com/willrnoble or check out his latest articles at www.londonist.com

Here are the two Londonist articles we mentioned on the pod:

• Brewery Taprooms In London: A List Of Every Single One Of 'Em
• A Chance to Visit the 'Roman' Bath In Strand Lane

Follow Joe on X or Instagram or get in touch at info@juniorproductions.co.uk

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Every fortnight, a local travel expert will reveal some of the peculiar sights, offbeat activities, bizarre traditions and downright-odd delicacies that make their hometown tick.

The first episode is out next Tuesday 7th November 2023 — subscribe now so you don't miss it!

Find out more about the show at www.strangeoldworld.com. Or follow @StrangeOldJoe on Twitter/X and Instagram.

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