Earthoria Travelcasts

Earthoria P39: Eco Yoga Park, Argentina

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 05:25:00 GMT

This podcast was recorded over the three weeks I spent volunteering at an Eco Yoga Park near General Rodriguez, 60km west of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Run by Hare Krishna devotees, and known by its other name Nueva Vrindavan, the Eco Yoga Park proved to be a wonderful break after nearly 8 months on the road. At only US $12 a day for food accommodation and yoga and meditation classes, it was also great value.

Show notes

As it's a longer podcast than normal, I thought I'd include a summary of contents with approximate timings:

0-7 mins - Introduction, temple sounds, why I came to the Eco Yoga Park
7-9 mins - Temple Service sounds
9-19 mins - Interview with Svayam, a Hare Krishna Monk/Devotee
19-21 - Hatha Yoga session
21-29 - Tour of the Eco Yoga Park grounds
29-39 - Inteview with Jameson & Laura, two volunteers
39-44 - Sounds, music....

Earthoria P38: Bolivia

Wed, 6 May 2009 12:35:00 GMT

In this Podcast from Bolivia I head from Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca (birthplace of the Incas) to La Paz, the capital (and highest capital city in the world), where I go on a mountain biking trip down the most dangerous road in the world - the Death road. Finally, I head to Potosi (highest city in the world), then onto the Salar de Uyuni salt flats in the south of Bolivia.

Earthoria P37: South Peru - Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Machu Picchu

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:44:00 GMT

Podcast I made on a gringo trail tour of Southern Peru taking in the Colca Canyon, Puno, Lake Titicaca and the floating islands, before making my way to Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and finally - Machu Picchu - the awe inspiring ancient Inca citadel.

Earthoria P36: South Peru - Lima, Nazca and Arequipa

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 03:20:00 GMT

Visit www.earthoria.com for the photos and videos

This podcast is part one of a series of two podcasts Iâll be making in Southern Peru, and it begins in Lima in the Plaza de Armas. I then head down underground into the catacombs of Monasterio de San Francisco - the old cemetery of Lima - and resting place of an awful lot of bones. I then head to the coast at Miraflores, and to the super cool Larco Mar bar complex.

The following day is museum day, with trips to Museo Larco Rafael Herrera - home to 50,000 pre-Colombian pots, and a fabulous and famous collection of erotic ceramics, and later on to the âmainâ museum in Lima - Museo de la Nacion.

Following Lima, I get a bus 9 hours south to Nazca and take a rollercoaster flight over the Nazca lines, then head on another 10 hours South to the beautiful Colonial town (and UNESCO World Heritage Site) of Arequipa 2300m up in the Andes where I visit some frozen 500 year old Incan ice mummies in Museo Santuarios Andinos, and finish the podcast in the incredible 16th century âcitadelâ Monasterio de Santa Catalina.

This podcast will be followed by another podcast from Southern Peru in the next couple of weeks covering the Colca Canyon, Puno, Lake Titicaca, and Cusco, followed by a long stay helping to develop an Eco-yoga community in the Sacred Valley outside Cusco, where I hope to finally get a chance to learn and practice yoga, and also learn about eco-building and organic cultivation.

Earthoria P35: North Peru

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:01:00 GMT

This podcast covers Northern Peru, starting at Chiclayo I head out on a tour to the 1500 year old Moche ruins at SipÃn. Following this, I head three hours down the coast to the town of Trujillo, where I visit the Chimu city of Chan Chan, the largest Adobe (mud) city in the World and around 1300AD home to 60,000 people.

Just outside Trujillo, and near to Chan Chan are the Huacas (sacred places) of the sun and moon - Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol. These structures are also Moche adobe pyramids from about 800AD, and Huaca del Sol is the largest single pre-Colombian structure in Peru - built from an estimated 140 million adobe bricks.

I finish the podcast in Huanchaco, 12km north of Trujillo. Huanchaco is a fishing town of about 12,000 inhabitants, that has now become well known thanks to three things - its reed fishing boats, its lovely beach and its fabulous surfing.

Earthoria P34: Studying Spanish in Cuenca, Ecuador

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 11:56:00 GMT

Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage city, founded in 1557 by the Spanish, about 10 hours south of Quito in Ecuador. I chose to study here following my Spanish studies in Guatemala as Guatemala and Ecuador are the cheapest places to study, and with the 'cleanest' spoken Spanish in Latin America.

Earthoria P33: Colombia to Ecuador overland

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:56:00 GMT

Join us on another travel podcast as we head south from Popayan and the San Augustin Valley of the Statues in Colombia down to Ipiales on the border with Ecuador and the miracle center of Santuario de Las Lajas. Following Colombia, we head to the famous indigeous artisans and livestock markets at Otavalo in the Ecuadorian Andes, listen to some indigenous bands, and finish the podcast off in Quito, the old colonial capital of Ecuador.

Earthoria P32: Amazon river boat trip, Brazil

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:03:00 GMT

We made this podcast on a 6 day boat trip upriver from Manaus in the Amazonas region of Brazil, to Tabatinga, on the Peruvian / Brazilian border.

In the podcast we discuss how to find a boat in Manaus (Brazil), the costs of river boat travel, hammocks Vs. cabins, being a vegetarian onboard (and general food options), and the risk of malaria and using anti-malarials like Larium. We also report live after our boat suffered a break down and started drifting downstream out of control!

Visit Earthoria Travel Podcasts to see photos and videos of this river boat trip.

Earthoria P31: Los Llanos, Venezuela

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 15:40:00 GMT

Podcast made on our tour of Los Llanos in Venezuela, one of the most ecologically rich areas on earth. Listen to the sounds of the Los Llanos wildlife by night, audio includes piranha fish jumping from the river at night.

Earthoria P30: Cartagena, Colombia

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 14:22:00 GMT

Founded by the Spanish in 1533, Cartagena is Colombiaâs and possibly Latin Americaâs finest Colonial city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shortly after it was founded it became the main Spanish port on the Caribbean coast, and was used to store gold and other treasure plundered from the Indians before it was transported back to Spain.

In this podcast we discuss finding accommodation in Cartagena, we record the sounds of the old town at night, and finish off with a discussion sitting on top of Castillo San Filipe â the largest Spanish fort built in the Americas.

Earthoria Travel Podcasts

Earthoria P29: Panama City

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 04:23:00 GMT

Podcast made from Panama City Old town and the Panama Canal at Miraflores lock. Join Thomas and Tina in month 4 of their Latin America travels & listen to the sounds of Panama...

In this podcast you will hear the sounds of the docks, a street musician, some street performers, the Panama Canal and we discuss some of the âpersonal securityâ issues you need to be aware of if you decide to visit Panama City (following the robberies of two friends in a week).

Earthoria P28: Isla de Ometepe, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:23:00 GMT

Isla de Ometepe and San Juan del Sur are two of the emerging tourist destinations in Nicaragua. We begin this podcast with sounds from the trip between Granada and Isla de Ometepe by boat, and finish up on the beach in San Juan del Sur via Maderas volcano & the jungle.

Earthoria P27: Granada and Leon, Nicaragua

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 03:29:00 GMT

Granada and Leon in Nicaragua and two of the oldest and most beautiful colonial cities in Nicaragua and Central America. Join Tom and Tina on a tour of Granada - listen to the sounds of the market, a town centre parade, and a chat on the shores of Lago de Nicaragua.

Earthoria P26: Story of a Guatemalan war victim

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:15:00 GMT

In Spanish only. The story of a Guatemalan war victim. Kidnapped and tortured by the army, Filipe was shot twice and witnessed the execution of some of his fellow prisoners. Un victima de la Guerra civil en Guatemala conta su historia en Espanol.

Earthoria P25: Learning Spanish in Guatemala, Episode 3

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 17:44:00 GMT

We have now entered week 5 of our Spanish studies at the Co-operative of Guatemalan Spanish Teachers in San Pedro La Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. This podcast contains an update on our wonderful new house by Lake Atitlan, plus a trip to a cemetery during a fiesta for the dead. We finish up by discussing how the Spanish studying is going.

Earthoria P24: Learning Spanish in Guatemala, Episode 2

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:29:00 GMT

Thomas and Tina move in with a Guatemalan family in their second weekâs Spanish course at the Cooperative Spanish Language School in San Pedro La Laguna, on the shores of lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

Earthoria P23: Learning Spanish in Guatemala, Episode 1

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:44:00 GMT

This podcast was made as Thomas and Tina embark on their first weekâs Spanish course at the Cooperative Spanish Language School in San Pedro La Laguna, on the shores of lake Atitlan in Guatemala. We'll be publishing a new episode each week that we study here. Next week: Living with a Guatemalan family.

Earthoria P22: Arrival in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:03:00 GMT

Tina and Thomas arrive in Lake Atitlan, a beautiful lake in the Guatemalan highlands surrounded by volcanoes where they will be studying Spanish at the Cooperative Spanish School, San Pedro for several weeks and living with local families.

Earthoria P21: La Antigua, Guatemala

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Thomas and Tina arrive in La Antigua, Guatemala at the start of their journey through Central & South America. La Antigua is the cultural centre of Guatemala - a stunning Spanish colonial town, surrounded by volcanoes and founded in 1543.

Earthoria S08: The sounds of Thailand

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 08:33:00 GMT

Sounds only. This audio compilation contains radio clips, sounds recorded in our street, music recorded at our local temple, insect noises and lots more. The final song is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the friends I made in Thailand.

Earthoria P20: Spain celebrates Euro 2008 football win

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:12:00 GMT

This podcast is a bit of a departure from the usual in more senses than one. Firstly, it's from Spain and secondly it's not about enemas, or massages... it's about 'the beautiful game' - football. It features the sounds of the Spanish celebrating their Euro 2008 win in Vejer de la Frontera, a small town in Andalucia in Southern Spain.

Earthoria P19: Leaving Thailand

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 12:52:00 GMT

Tina discusses the highs and lows of her time in Thailand, as well as her reasons for moving on. We then receive a blessing from a monk at Wat Phratat Doi Suthep, the temple on the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai.

Earthoria P18: Audio diary of a CELTA course in Chiang Mai

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 12:02:00 GMT

Tina and I did the intensive 4-week CELTA (TEFL) course with ECC in Chiang Mai, Thailand over two consecutive months. CELTA qualifies you to teach English to adults and is recognised as one of the best English teaching qualifications in the world. We made this audio diary along the way.

Earthoria P17: Erotic oil massage course, Chiang Mai

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:12:00 GMT

In Tinas last week in Chiang Mai, we went to Sabai De Ka Thai Massage to do a one day sensual oil massage course with a lovely Thai lady called Kloy. What a way to spend a day....!

Earthoria P16: Meditation retreat with Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai

Wed, 21 May 2008 08:59:00 GMT

Tina and I go on the Wat Suan Dok meditation retreat. The retreat is organised through the Wat Suan Dok Monk Chat program, and it departs from Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai, Thailand at about 2pm every Tuesday.

Earthoria S07: Our cat goes into labour

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:17:00 GMT

Our Thai cat 'Pudsey' goes into labour in Chiang Mai and makes some extraordinary sounds.

Earthoria S06: Storm in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:35:00 GMT

Sounds only. It is coming to the end of the dry season, and Chiang Mai has just been subjected to several weeks of intense heat, hardly relieved at all this year by Songkran, the water festival. It has been so hot that I have started to find it quite difficult living here. A good nightâs sleep has become a thing of the past, and you find yourself sweating around the clock - you wake up damp, and go to bed damp. Not very pleasant at all!

Last night the weather finally broke, and the sounds you hear in this audio file are the sounds of the first storm following this build up. Iâm happy to say itâs now gray with temperatures probably back around 30 degrees again! Bring on the rainy season!

Earthoria S05: Chiang Mai street sounds 1

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:56:00 GMT

Sounds only. This was recorded in our street in Chiang Mai, Thailand at about 6pm on a weekday night - in early April. Every night the cicadas start screeching at about the same time, and in the background (if you listen carefully) you can hear the sounds of the local community 'announcer' chatting away through the loud-speakers strategically positioned on lamp posts at the end of our road.

Earthoria P15: Pai, Thailand

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Pai (pronounced 'Bai') is a small town in northern Thailand about 140KM north of Chiang Mai on the main Chiang Mai - Mae Hong Son route. Years ago Pai was a quiet market village, mainly inhabited by Shan people, but nowadays it thrives on tourism thanks to its arrival on the 'backpacker map' of Northern Thailand. Nowadays both Thai and foreign tourists are making their way to Pai in droves - the numbers of Thai tourists has increased dramatically since 2006 after Pai featured in two popular, Thai-made romantic movies. There are also frequent music festivals held in Pai - including the Pai Reggae Festival that also features briefly on this podcast.

Earthoria S04: Sounds of the lotus swimming pool in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 07:13:00 GMT

Sounds only. This was recorded on a Saturday afternoon in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I had gone to the pool to relax and wind down after a hugely stressful month, and this is what I was subjected to....

Earthoria P14: Care for Dogs - dog shelter, Chiang Mai

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Tina visits Care for Dogs, a dog shelter based outside Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Earthoria P13: Pun Pun - Sustainable organic farming in N. Thailand

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 07:39:00 GMT

In this podcast, I met up with Peggy and Jo - the two founders of Pun Pun organic farm and restaurant from the Chiang Mai area, Thailand. During the interview, we discussed their views on Sustainable living and farming, Earthen house building, how they started out, and the philosophy and vision driving their work.

Earthoria P12: Visa run to Mae Sai & Tachileik, Burma

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:25:00 GMT

If you are a foreigner living in Thailand, you'll probably be familiar with the concept of a 'visa run'. Depending on what visa you enter Thailand with, you may be required to leave Thailand after 30, 60 or 90 days. There are a few points that you can do this, but two of the most common are the crossings at Mae Sot and Mae Sai. Both these crossings require that you walk over a bridge, enter Burma and get your passport stamped.

This month I decided to do my crossing at Mae Sai as it can be done in one (albeit long) day from Chiang Mai. 13 hours later I returned home.

Earthoria P11: Safe Haven Orphanage, Thailand

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 04:25:00 GMT

This Podcast is a short interview I did with Tasanee founder of Safe Haven Orphanage on the Thai/Burma border. It was recorded in December whilst motorbiking around Northern Thailand with my sister. The interview is also contained in the much longer Podcast 1483km by motorbike in North Thailand. Any questions or comments, please post them on our blog at: www.earthoria.com

Earthoria S03: Vegetarian restaurant in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 13:44:00 GMT

Sounds only. I recorded this at around 7.30pm on a weekday night at our local vegetarian restaurant on Suthep Road in Chiang Mai. I popped to the restaurant and had a Khao Soi - one of the traditional northern Thai 'curry' dishes. Dinner cost 25THB (about $0.60) and was incredibly tasty. As I ate I was treated to some wonderfully cheesy background music, as you will hear in the recording!

Earthoria P10: Koh Lipe island, Thailand

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 09:54:00 GMT

Join us on Koh Lipe, a small island surrounded by emerald green seas and coral in Southern Thailand. Koh Lipe lies in Satun Province, near the Tarutao National Marine Park, on the Andaman (west) coast of Thailand adjacent to Malaysia. This podcast was recorded over a 2 week period during Christmas and New year 2007/2008.

Earthoria P09: 1483km by motorbike in North Thailand

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:00:00 GMT

Last week I completed a long, 1483Km motorbike trip with my sister Laura through Northern Thailand.

Starting from Chiang Mai, we headed North East through the mountains to Mae Hong Son (via Pai), before heading South about 650KM along the Thailand/Burma border via Mae Sot to our final destination - Umphang. Surrounded by national parks and wildlife reserves (and classified as a UNESCO World heritage site), Umphang is one of the most beautiful but least accessible districts in Thailand.

Earthoria P08: Loi Krathong Festival in Sukhothai

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:39:00 GMT

Come with us to the Loi Krathong festival in the ancient Thai capital of Sukhothai. Loy Kratong is a yearly festival celebrated on the full moon in November in Thailand. This podcast begins before I traveled to Sukhothai, sitting on a sunny bank by a lake in Mae Sot near the Burma border, and ends with a firework display in the Old City of Sukhothai, before returning to Chiang Mai.

Earthoria P07: The wild Sunflower fields at Doi Mae U-Kho

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:55:00 GMT

Join us on a road trip to the wild sunflower fields of Doi Mae U-Kho in Northern Thailand (Mae Hong Son province). The sunflower fields bloom during November and early December, painting the entire mountain of Doi Mae U-kho in gold. The flowers are also known as Bua tong in Thai or Golden lotus and are actually Mexican sunflowers. This podcast includes a stop off in Mae Sariang and a visit to Ob Luang National Park.

Earthoria P06: Coffee enema - do it yourself at home

Sun, 4 Nov 2007 04:34:00 GMT

Tina explains how to do a detoxifying Coffee Enema yourself at home...

Earthoria P05: Peace in Burma protest

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 05:51:00 GMT

Last Friday evening, I raced down to the Three Kings Monument in Chiang Mai to meet Tina and attend the Peace in Burma protest. This podcast includes an interview with Su Su, a founding member of Youth Solidarity in Burma, plus an interview with two Cambodian Monks at Wat Suan Dok.

Earthoria P04: The Sunday Market, Chiang Mai

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:54:00 GMT

Every Sunday Chaing Mai hosts a huge art and crafts market called The Sunday Market. We headed down there to try and capture some of the atmosphere...

Earthoria S02: The sounds of Ob Khan National Park, Chiang Mai

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:30:00 GMT

Sounds only. A few minutes of the sounds of Ob Khan National Park, South of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Earthoria P03: A night-time motorbike trip to the Brasserie through Chiang Mai

Sat, 8 Sep 2007 12:03:00 GMT

Last Friday evening I decided it was far too long since I went to the Brasserie - a Jazz/Blues bar on the river Ping in Chiang Mai, Thailand - so I rode across the city on my motorbike attempting to ânarrateâ on the way.

Earthoria S01: Night time sounds in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 02:11:00 GMT

Sounds only. This was recorded from outside our house in Chiang Mai. We fall asleep with these sounds every night - from the Cicadas and barking dogs on a dry night, to thousands of mating frogs after the rains, it is never quiet outsideâ.! Is it any wonder we both sleep with earplugs?!

Earthoria P02: Whirling Dervishes of Rumi from Turkiye

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 02:10:00 GMT

It was a rainy Thursday evening in Chiang Mai, Thailand and we had heard the day before that at Payap University there would be a free performance by some Turkish Whirling Dervishes.

Earthoria P01: Thomas teaches Tina to ride a motorbike in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 02:05:00 GMT

Tina has been wanting to learn to ride a proper motorbike for a while now, so on a cloudy Saturday morning in Chiang Mai, I gave her some lessons in the road that we live in.