Ruth Millington's Extreme Holidays Podcast

In May 2019, world traveller, the Barefoot Backer, undertook an epic 57-day, 952-mile trek from the furthest Easterly point of Great Britain to the furthest Westerly point. Few people had walked the route before, but it wasn’t the only challenge BB, a somewhat inexperienced trekker, faced.  As his name would suggest, BB’s goal was to walk as much of the route barefoot whilst at the same time dealing with his dyspraxia, a condition which affects physical coordination and spacial awareness.Carrying all his equipment and part wild camping, learn what inspired BB to undertake the challenge, how he planned his route, and the logistics and difficulties he faced each day whilst catching a glimpse of Great Britain in all her glorious geographical and climatic extremes.You can follow BB on Twitter: @rtwbarefootAlso, check out BB’s podcast:https://traveltalesfrombeyondthebrochure.libsyn.comYouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RTWBarefootWebsite:https://barefoot-backpacker.comProduction (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: Greensleeves / What Child is this? Piano - Celtic Harp & Violin by JuliusHFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

TO WIN A ONE-YEAR POWER PLAN THROUGH HELPYOUFIND.ME, SHARE VIA MY SOCIAL LINKS BELOW A TIP FOR TRAVELLING SOLO SAFELY.In this episode, I’m delighted to have back in the studio Kyle Henning (Episode 23: Cycling Solo From Djibouti to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro). He’s joined by his friend, James Stevenson, to discuss their new extreme travel challenge: to journey from the lowest point to the highest point of the 21 highest islands in the world. Varying between 3,000 to 5,000 metres and each with its own challenges, Kyle and James will attempt to summit the islands by various means, including cycling, on foot and skis. Find out what inspired them to take up this new challenge, how they prepared and trained for it, the equipment they are taking and how they have been getting along so far.You can follow Kyle on Instagram at @FromAfarBook or email him at [email protected] you can catch up with James on Instagram: @mywaywardsoles, @21islands or via his website: waywardsoles.netProduction (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: Motivation Epic Inspire by LiteSaturationFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

In this episode I’m joined by the writer, Alison Jean Lester, who, in 1985 at just 19 years old, spent a year studying at Peking University and travelling through China. Pre-Tiananmen and seeing a side of China few foreigners have experienced, Alison discusses how she adapted to the Chinese way of life, the challenges, and the extraordinary encounters she had with its people and the state, including a trip into Tibet. Alison also discusses her latest novel, The Sound of It  (available at https://www.benchpressbooks.com).Alison Jean Lester is the author of the novels Lillian on Life, Yuki Means Happiness and Glide; the memoir Absolutely Delicious: A Chronicle of Extraordinary Dying; and the short story collection Locked Out: Stories Far from Home. Her new novel, The Sound of It, came out in December 2022. Born in the US, she was educated in the US, the UK, China and Italy, and has subsequently lived in Taiwan, Japan and Singapore. She is now in England.www.alisonjeanlester.comhttps://linktr.ee/alisonjeanlester Production (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: chinese-oriental-tune-04-12064 by AntipodeanWriterFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

In this episode, Hannah Scott interviews Ruth Millington about her five week trip to Colombia. Learn about what inspired her to go, the route she took, and tips and advice on how to stay safe in this fascinating and diverse country.Production (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: cumbia-colombiana-2713 by JuliusHFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

This year's Extreme Holidays Podcast Christmas Appeal is in aid of Juana Flores Vegas who was my guest on Episode 19: Sailing the World.  This brave and adventurous lady is facing a new and extreme personal challenge. Earlier this year, just a few months after she got married, Juana received the devastating news that she had stage 4 bowel cancer.  In this episode, I speak to Juana and her wife, the artist, Hannah Scott, about Juana's diagnosis and the funds they are raising so that Juana can receive some life-saving treatment back in Spain.YOU CAN DONATE TO JUANA'S LIFESAVING TREATMENT HERE:https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-juana-liveFOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT HANNAH'S PAINTING/AUDIO RECORDING INSTALLATION IN AID OF JUANA, CHECK OUT THE LINK TO HER WEBSITE: https://www.hannahscott.com/portfolio/short-walks-in-an-ideal-mediterranean-forest/Extracts from the art installation are reproduced with the kind permission of Hannah Scott, all rights reserved.Production (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: Angels We Have Heard On High Cold by Julius HFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

In 1984, the writer, Sandra Jensen, disillusioned with life, put on her backpack and went off to travel the world. Her first stop was Sri Lanka, but with little funds to support herself, she soon fell into the dark world of travel scams. In this insightful and moving account, Sandra discusses the widespread practices throughout Asia in the 1980s, the risks she took and whether she fell prey to the very person she trusted when offered the opportunity to make some money from selling rubies.You can follow Sandra and learn more about her work at:Website: https://www.sandrajensen.netInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandra_a_jensenFB: https://www.facebook.com/SandraAJensenProduction (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: Cold Mind Enigma - Loopable by GioeleFazzeriFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

Season 3 of my Extreme Holidays Podcast is returning shortly.  Listen to the trailer to find out about more upcoming, exciting and life-changing travel stories! You can also hear about our special Christmas Appeal for Juana Flores Vegas who was my guest on Episode 19 (Sailing the World) and is facing a new and extreme personal challenge after being diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.  Production (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusH Find out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

The Extreme Holidays Podcast is one-year-old!  Thanks to everyone who has tuned in this past year.To celebrate, listen in to some of my previous extreme traveller guests discuss the one thing they could change to make travel more enjoyable and sustainable. It's a light-hearted look at what even the most experienced travellers can sometimes get frustrated about!This is also the last episode of the current series.  For updates on when the podcast will be returning, don't forget to follow me on my social media links below.  See you soon!A special thanks to:Hannah ScottJustin BarkerGail AldwinElicia MillerClive MarsdenEllis CharlesworthPeter H. FogtdalSarah TinsleyClementine SmithClaudia StachelhausDavid T. GarrisonSuzanne BuchananGraydon HazenbergIan PilbeamDr. Kimberley BrownJuana Flores VegasRyan BiddulphGreta WilliamsSophie CapitoKyle HenningJames StevensonProduction (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: inspiring-cinematic-uplift-piano-short-8701 by Daddy's MusicFind out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

What does it take to fulfil your dream of travelling from the lowest to the highest point in Africa?In January 2011, Kyle Henning left the shores of Lake Assal, Djibouti (508 feet below sea level), destined for the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (19,341 feet above sea level). For sixty-eight days, he travelled by bicycle and on foot to connect the lowest point on the African continent to the summit of its highest mountain, following the Great Rift Valley from the Afar Depression through the Horn of Africa. Traveling alone after finishing his Peace Corps service, he faced the physical demands of cycling through four countries, growing uncertainty as the Arab Spring gripped the continent, and the effects of his own post-traumatic stress from four intense years of working in crisis/disaster management in the USA and his international work in the Peace Corps.  We also discuss how his 10-year-old beginner mountain bike stood up to the harsh road and weather conditions, the kit he took, how he made provisions for water and food, and some of the hair-raising experiences he had cycling including being chased by a local woman with a seven feet spear, before being met with the ultimate challenge: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro!Kyle Henning was worn in Buffalo, New York, USA, and has spent part of his career working in the Peace Corps service and has recently returned to Washington after being based in South America for the Department of State.  You can follow Kyle on Instagram at @FromAfarBook or email him at [email protected] Links: "From Afar" by Kyle Henning is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats:https://www.amazon.com/Afar-human-powered-adventure-continent-mountain-ebook/dp/B0946CXP7Q  100% of profits from sales of "From Afar" go to two charities: New Day Children's Centre, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia: https://ndccethiopia.org.uk/ AmeriCorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team: https://www.americorps-stl.org/ Production (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer, host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusH Additional Music: African-rythmn-african-groovy-sport-stomping-music-2062 by REDproductions&Find out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/

What’s it like to be an expat child?We often hear stories about expat adults living abroad, but rarely do we hear about expat children. In this episode, I’m delighted to be speaking to one of my best friends, Sophie Capito, who I met whilst I was working in London in the 1990s.  Sophie was different to anyone I had met before. I found her interesting and endearing, particularly when I discovered she had been an expat in Japan for a large part of her childhood.  Little, though, did I understand the extent of the challenges she faced during her childhood and beyond.  Sophie reveals the trauma she endured leaving England and her two elder sisters (who were at boarding school) behind, how she integrated into a new schooling system and the family adapted to Japanese society.  We also discuss some of the amazing family holidays she went on, including China in the early 1980s, and examine whether expat children can ever fully integrate back into their own country when they eventually return home.  Sophie also gives lots of tips on moving abroad with kids.Sophie Capito works as a Sports Therapist. She also loves to travel and has visited multiple countries in Asia including Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali and Singapore, and the United States and Europe, and is looking to explore many more.  You can find Sophie at www.sophiecapito.co.ukProduction (for this episode)Creator, producer, writer and host: Ruth MillingtonMusic credit: Epic Orchestra - Blockbuster Adventure Music by JuliusHAdditional music: Koto and Shamisen Loop by Zagi2Find out more at www.ruthmillingtonauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthmillingtonauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthMillington1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.millington.52/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-millington-54915b24/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSSupport the ShowSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ruthmillington)SponsorA huge thanks to today’s sponsor HelpYouFind.Me Find out more at https://helpyoufind.me/Extreme10 and get a 10% discount when you sign up! Share Your Story  Have an extreme travel story to tell? Contact me at: https://ruthmillingtonauthor.com/contact/