During this strange time we all need something to help transport us back to reality. Whilst I didn’t have loads of trips booked in for 2020, we have recently cancelled our upcoming Interrail trip which would have taken us around southern Germany, Austria, northern Italy and to the lakes and mountains of Switzerland. I’m pretty gutted about it but there we go.
Whilst travel plans may be on hold for now, we could all do with a bit of an escape from the confines of our house or local area. With this in mind I’ve put together a list of my favourite travel TV shows to transport you during lockdown. So put the kettle on, get comfy and get ready to escape..
TV Shows to Transport you during Lockdown
Travels with my Father
Presented by comedian Jack Whitehall and his dad Michael, you can expect a light hearted watch as you follow the duo on their travel. Season one sees Jack take his father on a traditional ‘gap year’ experience around Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The show even inspired us to do a thing or two when we were in Thailand last year, and we followed in Jack and Michael’s footsteps and visited Koh Panyee, the floating village. Season two is based in Eastern Europe with Michael planning the route through Germany, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. The last season takes the duo to America.
The Grand Tour
Introduced to me by Jack, the motoring/ travel show follows Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May as they rampage around the world in an array of different vehicles. In more recent series, they have travelled to Namibia, Vietnam and Mozambique to name a few. It really allows you to see distant countries and scenery, the only question is how long can you put up with Clarkson’s humour…?
Our Planet
If you love listening to Sir David Attenborough, then you will love Our Planet which takes its audience to different corners of the world to discover the most amazing natural events. The show reveals the key issues that are threatening the existence of life on our planet in an ever-changing world. Not only does this show highlight some of the most captivating animals and scenery in the world, but it also reveals the true issues facing our world at the moment.
James May: Our Man in Japan
If you like the Grand Tour then you’ll like this series which follows James May around Japan. May travels by land, sea, air (and go-kart) and tries cutting-edge Japanese cuisine, sumo wrestling and he even attends a penis festival. It really was one of the funniest shows I have seen in a while and has made me want to visit Japan all the more. That being said, I feel that I have a new-found appreciation for the country and culture from just watching this short series – let’s hope there is more.
Race Across the World
A current favourite of ours, Race Across the World is just what it says in the title, a race in which teams of two travel across an area of the world. Their aim is to be the fastest to reach their destination using any method of transport other than a plane, and no smartphones are allowed! This year the teams started their race in Mexico City and are travelling through South America to reach Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world, located in Argentina. Last year the teams started in London and headed east to their final destination, Singapore.
Blue Planet II
There are few programmes that capture a nation quite like Blue Planet 2. It really brought plastic pollution right to our doorstep, and gave people the necessary motivation for dealing with the crisis now effecting our Oceans. As well as this, the series is filled with stunning cinematography from aquatic ecosystems across the world, allowing you to immerse yourself in coral reefs, rock pools and even the deep sea.
Planet Earth
Planet Earth and Planet Earth II travel you across the world to see all of its natural spectacles. It transports you from the coldest blizzards to the warmest deserts, allowing you a glimpse of different worlds that you may not have even known existed. A particular highlight has to be the episode ‘caves’ where you are thrown into the heart of a Mexican Cenote, a cave network created when an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
Simon Reeve
Last year Jack and I completely demolished Simon Reeve’s documentaries. We followed Simon as he travelled the length of the American continent (from Alaska to Costa Rica) in his most recent show The Americas. But there is so much more of him out here including Tropic of Capricorn, Equator and Meet the Stans. Simon really offers you a real insight into the country, including the culture, landscape and politics. If you love travelling, these are the shows for you.
Walking the ___ with Levison Wood
Another travel show obsession of ours last year started when we discovered former paratrooper Levison Wood’s series of travel documentaries. Levison transported us from our living room to some amazing places; we walked the Nile and the Himalayas, discovered the Americas, trekked from Russia to Iran, and travelled through the Arabian Peninsula; a 5,000-mile journey that saw Levison travel through 13 different countries.
Michael Palin
If you, like me, love Monty Python and travelling and somehow wish you could get the best of both worlds, Michael Palin has done countless travel documentaries where he brings the faraway place right to your living room. Some highlights have included North Korea, the Himalayas and the Sahara. A personal favourite has to be ‘Full Circle’, an old school show dating back to 1997 where he travels around the rim of the Pacific. It is a breath-taking journey which shows you parts of the world which seem inaccessible to many of us in the United Kingdom.
Michael Portillo Railway Journeys
My parents introduced me to these shows a few years back, actually when I was planning our trip to California. I was itching to get to San Francisco and so the show really allowed me to travel there, albeit for half an hour. Portillo has a unique and wonderful ability to truly send you to the place you are interested in and makes you feel that you are walking alongside him. Plus, I have been on interrail trips since I was six; train journeys have many special memories for me.
Sacred Wonders
So many of the world’s best-known sights have been built due to and inspired by faith and religion. Narrated by Sue Perkins, this series transports you to some of the most spectacular places on earth and reveals the amazing things people do for faith. Highlights of the series for me are the stunning Angkor Wat Hindu-Buddhist temple in Cambodia, China’s Shaolin Temple and the beautiful Nachi Falls in Japan.
Dark Tourist
A rather different sort of travel programme sees presenter David Farrier investigate so-called ‘dark tourism’. David visit locations associated with death and destruction including Medellin, once known as the most dangerous city in the world thanks to the activities of Pablo Escobar and his Medellin Cartel, and Tomioka in Japan, which was evacuated during the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Did you know that I also vlog my travel adventures? Here’s a sneak peek at what we got up to in Thailand:
My Travel Tips and Recommendations
Flights
My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.
Accommodation
Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.
Things I can’t travel without
As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my
- Canon EOS M3
- GoPro Hero5 Black
- I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro
Travel Insurance
It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.
You can also find me on social media: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the post! If you have any questions or have any suggestions to add to the list above please do get in touch in the comments below.
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Love Victoria X
