S6 E1 • Mainland Greece

Christina Chang journeys through Greece, the cradle of the ancient world which has an archaeological legacy bearing testament to its varied past.

Première diffusion : 24 mai 2002

S6 E2 • Ireland

Traveller Ian Wright journeys through a land which, though ripped apart by political conflict, is renowned for its hospitality. The spirit of good time is known only in Ireland as the craic. Ian begins his trip on the spectacular Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, boasting a geological wonder known as Giant's Causeway. The origins and name of this rocky landmark are enshrouded in myth and speculation, though Ian has his own theories. Belfast is the city where Northern Ireland's political troubles have been most intense. Ian takes a cab ride through the city and learns about the perils of Belfast life, and the terrifying events his driver has witnessed. That evening Ian tours the lively bars and clubs of the city on a mission to discover for himself the true meaning of craic. From Belfast Ian heads south towards Dublin. His journey takes him through the county of Armagh - known as bandit country due to the troubles - where he joins a game of road bowls. He also takes a detour to Boa Island in Fermanagh in order to visit a statue called Janus - a 2000 year old fertility symbol which was one of the first Christian burial sites. When he finally reaches Dublin Ian spends the evening at the Dublin Music Centre, hotbed of burgeoning Irish talent following in the footsteps of the internationally successful band U2. Also on the entertainment agenda is the semi-final hurling match between Kilkenny and Cork. It's the world's oldest surviving stick and ball game, faster than hockey and even more violent then rugby. Ian travels by train to Cobh in County Cork, a seaside town which was once a major shipping port and final resting place of victims of the Lusitania, sunk by a German submarine in the first World War. While he's in the vicinity of Cork Ian visits Blarney Castle, Ireland's most popular tourist spot where each year thousands come to kiss the Blarney stone, reputed to give you the gift of the gab. Not that Ian needs it! From Cork Ian gets on his bike and heads for the border with Kerry, where Gaelic is the first language and where the scenery, dotted with Celtic ruins, is regarded as the most beautiful in Ireland. Thirty miles off the coast of Galway lies Inishmor, the largest of the three Aran Islands and the location of bronze-age archaeological site Dun Aengus. Every year there's a festival in Inishmor to celebrate traditional island life. Ian takes part in a boat race in flimsy vessels which were used for hunting whales until the beginning of the 20th century. After the festival everyone joins in the caille, a traditional celtic knees up. Back on the mainland Ian hikes through the wilderness of Connemara and Donegal. The farmers of Connemara eke out a living cutting fuel from the century old peat bogs. Ian hears amazing local legends and reports of centuries-old articles being preserved intact in the peat. Next day he enlists a local fisherman to take him out in his boat to fish for mackerel near Slieve League Cliffs, before attempting a gruelling hike up Croagh Patrick, where Ireland's patron saint Patrick spent 40 days fighting serpents and demons in 441. At the end of July thousands of barefoot pilgrims hike to the top to pay homage to the saint. The final leg of Ian's journey takes him across the sea again to inaccessible Tory Island. The tiny island is famous because it has it's own king, a convivial fellow who makes it his duty to welcome visitors off the boat. The 125 strong community is thriving and has a school of artists. Local artist Anton Meaghnan gets his inspiration from the rich culture of mythology. He takes Ian to the wishing stone, where Ian ends his Irish adventure perched on the edge of a dangerous cliff, throwing stones at a wishing stone in gale force winds.

Première diffusion : 31 mai 2002

S6 E3 • Deep South USA

Ian Wright journeys through America's 'Bible Belt' - the Deep South, home to the civil rights movement, the American civil war, and blues, jazz and rock. His trip begins with a trek in the stunning Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee / North Carolina border. It's the most visited National Park in the country but there's still incredible remote wilderness and breathtaking vistas all the way to the top of Mount Le Cont. Driving south, Ian's first stop in North Carolina is Asheville. The town is best known for its home-grown entertainment and the lively mountain music festival in the summer. Back on the road he learns a little about the Cherokee Indians who lived in this region until the white man arrived, a whole tribe of Cherokees was to walk to Oklahoma. In Scottsboro, Alabama, Ian pays a visit the baggage reclaim superstore. Ian discovers there's thriving business to be made out of bargains and bizarre articles which never find their way back to their owners hands at airports all around the world. In the conservative, fundamentalist southern states of the 'Bible Belt' it is thought that the snake is the embodiment of the devil. Ian meets Reverend Carl Porter uses deadly snakes during his sermons, believing that if you can master a snake you can master the power of the devil. Not surprisingly, his five hour services have had a few casualties! Ian begins his day in Atlanta, gateway to the Deep South, with the ultimate southern breakfast of country fried steak and grits & gravy. Atlanta is the place where the world famous drink Coca-Cola was invented. The birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr, Atlanta's most famous son, is situated at the end of 'Freedom Walk'. The house is now a national monument. When he was shot dead in Memphis in 1968 his body was returned home and every year thousands of pilgrims inspired by dreams of interracial harmony pay their respects. From Atlanta Ian takes a greyhound bus to Tuskegee, Alabama, for the public reunion of America's first back fighter pilots, an annual air-show at Moton field. He's lucky enough to be offered a ride in an early training plane and learns a few tactical (but stomach-churning) manoeuvres. After heading south to the idyllic Gulf Shores, Ian spends a day witnessing a reconstruction of the last battle of the American Civil war. In 1865 the Confederates of the South finally surrendered to the Unionists of the North in Mobile Bay at Fort Morgan. That evening he joins the Florabama beach party where he learns the right way to eat crawfish - and the right way to toss mullet in the interstate mullet-toss between Alabama & Florida. The last leg of Ian's journey takes him via Vicksburg and the blues town of Clarksdale to Memphis, Tennessee. In Clarksdale he rents a room in the Riverside Hotel, once patronised by the likes of Sam Cook and Muddy Waters, and pays a visit to Wade Walten, the blues-singling barber at the only old style shave joint left in town. Ian finally arrives at his destination - Memphis, the city which flourished on the cotton trade of the Mississippi Delta. He's here for just one thing, though - Elvis week, an annual pilgrimage for thousands of fans in the week of the anniversary of the King's death on August 16th. On a Cadillac cab to tour he takes in the sights of the town: Elvis' childhood home, his school and Sun Studios, where Elvis recorded his first ever hit. The highpoint of the week, and the end of Ian's trip through the extraordinary southern states is a candlelit vigil attended by thousands, lasting throughout the night of August 16th.

Première diffusion : 7 juin 2002

S6 E4 • Sri Lanka & The Maldives

Traveller Megan McCormick heads beyond the southern tip of India, to two of the most beautiful tropical locations on earth: Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands. Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, has been an important trading port and commercial centre since the 1870s. It here that Megan begins her trip, travelling around town on a bajajs and sampling some exotic foods. From Colombo Megan sets our along the coast for Matara. On the way she sees toddy-tappers at work high in the coconut trees and stops off at Weligama, where the local industry is a peculiar type of fishing: stilt fishing. Megan wades out to the stilts embedded into the seabed and tries her hand with little success. Next day she reaches Matara and just outside the town is the temple of Wewurukannala, site of Sri Lanka's largest statue of Buddha. In Buttula Megan stays at a sanctuary called Yala Tissa. It's situated in the midst of beautiful countryside where reforestation programmes are in progress. She then takes a bus to Arugam Bay, a fantastic place for hardcore surfers but also an area which has been caught in the crossfire of the civil war between the government and Tamil rebels. Megan sees the evidence of political turmoil first hand when she takes a tour of the bombed cinema. From Arugam Bay Megan hitches a ride to Ratnapura, which means 'City of Gems'. This is the town where miners come to sell their gems to the dealers the most abundant being pink and blue sapphires and the occasional ruby. Megan goes down the nearby mine accompanied by a guide - it's a terrifying experience but they do find some topaz to reward their efforts. Megan then hires a car to drive up into the hills to visit the tea plantations. Also in hill country is Pinjnewala, home of the famous elephant orphanage. The parents of the orphan elephants have been poached for their ivory and Megan hears some incredible stories about the backgrounds of the animals that live here. A few miles up the road is Sigiriya, the site of an impressive fortress built in the fifth century by a king called Kadyapa. Kasyapa has seized the throne by plastering his own father into the wall alive, and when his brother fled to raise and army against him he built this impenetrable fortress on top of a massive rock. Some beautiful frescos depicting Kasyapa's favourite concubines remain from that time. Megan then visits Kandy at the time of Esala Perahera, the country's biggest festival where hundreds of elephants are dressed up in honour of Buddha's 'tooth relic' and paraded around the city for ten nights. Every night more and more dancers and elephants join the procession and it's a spectacular sight as the 'Maligawa Tusker', the chief elephant, carries a replica of the tooth around the city for three or four hours. The final leg of Megan's journey takes her to Male, the capital of the Maldive Islands. She finds a cheap package which includes accommodation and a safari boat, an ideal way to see the islands and do some spectacular diving. There's many different varieties of fish, including barracuda, fusiliers groupa and trumpet fish, as well as soft corals and lagodias. Megan ends her extraordinary journey on Dhangethi, a perfect island of tropical beauty.

Première diffusion : 14 juin 2002

S6 E5 • Bolivia

Presenter Ian Wright explores Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in Latin America but one of the richest in culture and landscape. His journey begins on Lake Titicaca. It's the highest navigable lake in the world and covers some 3000 square miles, linking Bolivia and Peru. The Island of the Sun is the place where the Inca Empire began and Ian learns that the first Inca married his sister, then convinced the people that they were the children of the sun god who had risen up from the lake. An hour by boat from the Island of the Sun is Copacabana, where every Sunday the locals bring their cars for a blessing by Father Bernadino. The ceremony is Christian but has its roots in the Inca tradition. From Copacabana Ian hitches a ride to La Paz where he hunts out some bargains at the Market of Sagarnaga. Next door is the Witches Market, the place to find bizarre cures for uncommon ailments, such as llama foetus. Ian flies to Sucre and plans to catch a bus to Potosi from there, however there's a bus strike and Ian has to spend the night at an enchanting hacienda just outside town. Next morning he resumes his journey and en route to Potosi he witnesses preparations for a bull fight. He also stops off Tarabuco, famous for its handmade clothes and weavings. At last Ian reaches Potosi, one of the richest cities in South America due to the discovery of silver in the 16th century, by a llama herder called Diego Huallpa. Ian plans to go underground and experience the mines for himself, but first he stops at the miners market to purchase gifts for the miners: cigarettes, alcohol, coca leaves and a few sticks of dynamite! Miners start their career at the age of 8 or 10. They are self-employed and gifts from visitors supplement their meagre incomes. During colonial times millions of African and Indian slaves died due to the harsh conditions in the mines. From Potosi Ian makes his way to Uyuni. Just outside the town is the largest salt flat in the world and Ian hooks up with a tour group to check out the immense salt lake which covers more than 4500 square miles. That night he stays at the Palacio del Sal - a hotel incredibly sculpted entirely from salt. Ian gets a ride to Uncia, where the fiesta of San Miguel is taking place. Allegedly the patron saint of Uncia fought off devils who were trying to attack the town using only his fiery breath. Thirty-six different groups perform a traditional dance and the participants' costumes become more and more extravagant as the day wears on. Next morning Ian follows a tip that a Tinku fight is taking place in a nearby village. Twice a year entire villages turn out to take part in a strange tradition where every family member pits their strength against the opposition. The blood that is inevitably spilt during the proceedings is considered a sacrifice to Mother Earth, but when things get too rough the referees intervene with their whips. After returning to La Paz by bus, Ian joins a group cycling to Coroico in the lush Yungas region. It's a 38 mile ride with a 2 mile drop in altitude, and is very narrow with a sheer drop below. Thankfully Ian negotiates it without incident and arrives in Coroico and basks in the fertile sub-tropical climate which is far more hospitable than the highlands. Ian ends his incredible journey by trekking to Huayna Potosi, one of the spectacular Andean peaks that overlook the city of La Paz.

Première diffusion : 21 juin 2002

S6 E6 • Madagascar

Presenter Ian Wright travels through Madagascar, 'the red island' 250 miles off the east coast of Africa. It's the 4th largest island in the world, with landscapes ranging from rainforest to arid desert, and animal and plant life found nowhere else in the world. His journey begins in Antananarivo (Tana), the capital of Madagascar. Here he learns about the unique history and culture of the Malagasy. The earliest rulers were the highland 'Merina' tribe, and the first king Andrianampoinimerina united the island by marrying one wife from each of the 12 tribes. His granddaughter, Queen Ranavalona, came to power in 1828 and became the most notorious ruler - she threw foreigners out of the country, banned Christianity and slaughtered her own people in the most brutal ways.

Première diffusion : 28 juin 2002

S6 E7 • World Food: Vietnam

Megan McCormick explores the foods of Vietnam. The Pho Binh noodle shop in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; imperial cuisine; traditional banquet hosted by the Flower Hmong tribe; seafood feast.

Première diffusion : 4 juillet 2002

S6 E8 • Micronesia

Megan McCormick discovers Micronesia, a little known region in Oceania consisting of over 2,000 islands and making up over a quarter of the world’s atolls. Making a splash: Megan hits the waves She begins her journey in Guam, the gateway to Fox Hill, which boasts one of the most important military bases in the Pacific. Megan is invited on board the USS Freight and Cable’, where she learns about how the island was liberated by the marines at the end of World War II. She also visits a traditional tattooist and learns about the art, which is indigenous to Micronesia.

Première diffusion : 11 juillet 2002

S6 E9 • Cambodia

Traveller Ian Wright ventures to the heart of south-east Asia, to Cambodia - a country which has endured a history of famine, civil war and mass genocide, but in recent years has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination. Ian starts his journey with a trip through the mango swamps to the oldest temple in the country. In the sixth century Phnom Da was the capital of the Chenla dynasty. Nowadays it’s home to a community of monks and nuns who invite Ian to stay overnight so that he can witness the Buddah’s Day celebrations the next day. From Phnom Da Ian travels to Kampot, at the foot of the Elephant Mountains. The mountain used to be a major Khmer Rouge stronghold but as Ian discovers from his Italian guide David, its now safe for trekkers and travellers to visit the extraordinary Bokor Hill Station, built by French colonisers in 1912. Cambodia’s trains are notoriously slow and it takes a whole day for Ian to reach the seaside resort of Sinhanoukville. He meets up with a group of tourists who have hired a boat to take them to the nearby island of Koh Rong, where a local chef prepares a fantastic seafood dinner for his guests. Next, Ian heads for the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. He hitches a ride with some members of the Mines Advisory Group who take him on a detour via one of the villages which the group is clearing of mines. It is estimated that there’s about 6 million unexploded mines in Cambodia, remnants of the fighting which has consumed the country for much of the last 50 years. Ian is dropped off at a killing field just outside the capital - one of the 450 sites where the Khmer Rouge carried out mass extermination of their countrymen by the most gruesome means. He meets Yuk Tang, a local historian who has been documenting the genocide for 20 years who tells him some poignant tales about the troubled times he has lived through. Ian finally arrives in Phnom Penh, where traditional arts and culture are enjoying a revival and after exploring the thriving central market he joins in the weekly rehearsal of the National School of Dance. That evening he has experiences Cambodian stand-up comedy at the restaurant where he has dinner...but he doesn’t get any of the jokes. Ian leaves Phnom Penh and flies northeast to Senmonorom, where he witnesses a hill tribe wedding. It’s a colourful affair which lasts the whole day and involves the slaughter of six different animals and consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. The last leg of Ian’s journey takes him up to Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s largest inland lake. He finds accommodation with a local family, then heads for the ancient site of Angkor, meaning ‘the city’. This huge complex of palaces and temples is 15 miles in length and 7 miles wide, and incorporates Lake Sra Srang, Ta Promh, The Bayon and Angkor Wat. It was built in the 9th and 13th centuries by the Cambodian kings and Angkor Wat itself is biggest religious site in the world, considered by some to be the eighth wonder, and for Ian it’s an awe inspiring end to his trip to Cambodia.

Première diffusion : 18 juillet 2002

S6 E10 • Eastern Caribbean

Justine Shapiro travels to the Eastern Caribbean, a 600 mile long group of islands also known as the Lesser Antilles. Most people think of the Caribbean as a luxury vacation destination for the rich and famous. But as Justine discovers, the Caribbean has a unique history and fascinating culture that will captivate the independent traveller.

Première diffusion : 25 juillet 2002

S6 E11 • Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg & Murmansk

Ian Wright journeys to Russia, the largest country in the world which covers more than 10 million square miles and spans 11 time zones. For 70 years travellers were unable to visit the then USSR, but since the collapse of communism Russia has become an increasingly popular destination. Ian begins his trip in Moscow, the most affluent city in European Russia. He visits the Kremlin, the seat of the Russian government, and takes a tour of the palaces, churches and bell towers. He witnesses the changing of the guards, sees Red Square and the tombs of Russian dignitaries, as well as the embalmed body of Lenin. Later that day he takes a tour of the rest of city on horseback. Next morning, Ian ventures out to the Izmaylovsky Market, which is held in the east of Moscow every Sunday. It’s a great place to find eccentric Russian souvenirs and communist memorabilia. Another relic of the communist era is Moscow’s impressive metro system: clean, safe and reliable, it was built in the 1930’s to showcase Soviet engineering, and is one of the great achievements of the Stalinist period. Ian heads out of Moscow to Star City, home of the Russian space programme. This was where Yuri Gagarin trained to be the first man in space in 1961. It was once a top secret location, but these days it’s open to tourists who want to try out simulated moon walking, tour a replica of the Meer space station and even experience zero gravity in a special training jet used to prepare cosmonauts for space travel. Ian takes the train from Moscow to St Petersburg, stopping off at the Monastery of St Boris and Gleb in Torzhok. Since the fall of communism, the Russian Orthodox Church is experiencing a revival and places of worship such as the wooden church built in 1742 are now being restored. He finally reaches St Petersburg, which is the second biggest city in Russia with a population of 5 million. When Lenin died in 1924 the city was renamed Leningrad but 65 years later the people of the city voted it back to its original name. St Petersburg is Russia’s most tourist friendly city - even though there is only one youth hostel here. The Russian Baroque palaces are the envy of the world and Ian hires a guide to take him to the fabulous former home of the Tsars, Winter Palace, which now houses a great museum known as the Hermitage. It was across the square from here that the Russian Revolution began, when, on the night of the 25th October 1917, the revolutionaries stormed the palace, arresting the government and installing the Soviet regime in its place, with Lenin as their leader. Ian pays a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, one of the first things built by Peter the Great after he founded the city in 1703. It’s a tourist attraction with a difference: a perfect sun trap and however cold it is, when the sun comes out in winter dedicated sun-worshipers strip off and line up against the wall. Before leaving town Ian has a night out, making his way round a few of the recently opened theme bars in town. For the final leg of his journey Ian flies north to Murmansk, the biggest city in the Arctic Circle. He has arranged a trip to the Lapland Nature Reserve, 150 square miles of arctic wilderness which is home to the Russian Father Christmas. Ian ends his trip to Russia in the town of Murmansk, celebrating the Festival of the North, which marks the end of winter. Revellers from all over, including Sami reindeer herders from Lapland, to take part in skating contests, the cross-country skiing marathon, hockey tournament, and even under water swimming below the surface of the lake.

Première diffusion : 1 août 2002

S6 E12 • Short History of England

Justine starts her historical journey dodging swords at the re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings, then travels up the coast to visit the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. Passing through London she takes a canal ride up to the Yorkshire Moors where she boards a double decker bus/hotel. Next stop Whitby, the eerie coastal town which inspired Bram Stoker to write the world famous horror story, “Dracula”. Then a stroll along the Roman built Hadrian’s Wall, a chance meeting with a Roman centurion, and a ride on a steam train before visiting Liverpool to pay homage to “The Beatles”. Venturing south in a vintage car into England’s West Country, Justine meets the very eccentric Marquess of Bath, and joins a pagan celebration in Glastonbury before ending her journey in Ottery St. Mary. Here fearless locals terrify spectators by running through narrow streets with huge, flaming tar barrels, to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night.

Première diffusion : 8 août 2002

S6 E13 • Southern Spain

Christina Chang travels to Southern Spain. Although these days it’s commonly associated with golf, fast food, concrete and spoiled beaches, it is one of the most beautiful and diverse regions in all of Europe.

Première diffusion : 15 août 2002