katia and kyliemac original version (VO)

In episode 476 we are thrilled to chat with Steve about the books we read and movies and tv shows we saw as children which have influenced (and continue to influence) our travel choices.

Things get real in episode 475 as we discuss how to help people and empathise with people who have just arrived in a new country without sounding like know-it-alls. We also talk about what was like when we first arrived in France - the difficulties we faced, the challenges we had to overcome, and how we came through the other side - and chat about how far we've come (or not come, depending on how you look at it). This episode was brought to you by the term "un nouvel arrivant" (a new arrival).

In episode 474 Kylie tells us about some special fencing classes she's been taking, which leads us to talk about the concept of travelling to learn, and where you might travel to and under what circumstances in order to learn to do particular things, then we talk about the idea of "experiential travel", and what it means to travel for unique local experiences rather than just sightseeing.

In episode 473 we talk more about our plans for episode 500, then discuss napping. Extensively. We wonder who would use the ZZZ Zen Bar in Paris where you can take a nap, and get very excited about the nap pods you can find in some airports around the world.

In episode 472 Katia talks about meeting a listener of the show, we reveal our plans for episode 500 (how do YOU deal with the crazy person sitting next to you on the plane? Tell us now!), we talk about white night and trying to find a taxi, and Autolib', the new short term car rental scheme around Paris, inspired by the Vélib.

In episode 471 we continue our discussion about travel choices, including travelling with a guide and the importance of a good travel agent when organising a complex trip. We then revisit the concept of the all-inclusive trip, and reconsider the pros and cons of this sort of travel depending on the goal of the holiday.

In episode 470 we get excited about the rapidly approaching episode 500, then after talking about wedding celebrations, we chat about the way we organise our travel plans today and how that has changed over the years.

We continue our chat with Ryan in episode 469, as we discuss the trauma of blocked adult content, then Ryan tells us how he chose his recent travel destinations, Macedonia and Kosovo, how he met the Macedonian basketball team, what the accommodation was like, and his dreams of opening a dive shop on Lake Ohrid, then we talk about how hard it would be to work in the air service industry.

In episode 468 we're delighted to welcome Ryan back to the studio, and after a discussion about poms and broccoli and the name of the cocktail we made last week, we chat about Ryan's recent adventures, including doing a mountain marathon in England, drinking in bars in Kosovo and lying on Macedonian beaches.

In episode 467 we talk about the pros and cons of all-inclusive travel vs traveling with no organisation at all - we share our experiences and discuss whether we're willing to travel like that.

Armed with delicious birthday cocktails in episode 466, we ask listeners to suggest a name for our latest concoction, discuss what the show would be called in French, talk about how we respond when asked what it's like living in France, Kylie recounts an encounter she had over a métro ticket, then we chat about the journées du patrimoine.

In episode 465 we continue to get silly with Frog, and Katia talks about discovering an amazing wine cellar filled with history, which leads to a discussion about the physical impact of the various world war on France, then we talk about the difficulties of finding party games that can be played in mixed culture/language groups.

We're thrilled to have Frog in the studio with us for episode 464, and we continue talking about what we did over the summer - visiting Châteauneuf-du-Pape, lots of wine tasting, staying in a gay-friendly b&b, spending quality time with Ann and Chris, encountering scorpions, cooking, swimming, ice-cream making, dining with Kristin & Jean-Marc Espinasse, visiting the Ab Fab castle, and stereotypes of Provence.

In episode 463b we're thrilled to present an interview (in French) we did in the Pays Basque with Ramuntxo, a piment d'Espelette farmer, the owner of the Atelier du Piment! If you don't speak French, skip ahead to our summary of the interview in English. You'll learn more than you ever thought you could possibly know about the famous piment d'Espelette, the chilli that comes from the town of Espelette! And we make lots of mistakes in French. Please forgive us. We've still got lots to learn!

In episode 463 we talk about our trip to the pays Basque using a homemade guide book, then we discuss the pottok (or pottokaks), language, accents, regional pride, a trip to San Sebastièn, tapas eating (also known as pintxos) and eurogaming.