You should have been there

Professor of philosophy, Emily Thomas, is today's guest. Our discussion includes the importance of cannibalism for John Locke's theories, an eighteenth century pile-on involving Mary Wollstonecraft's life and Emily's thoughts on her recent trip to Malawi. The photo of Malawian rock art is shown courtesy of UNESCO

Dr Andrew Stevenson, senior lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University discusses his book "The Psychology of Travel" published by Routledge. Types of traveller and different ways of travelling are on the agenda.

Discover declassified train carriages, how to walk in the shoes of others and enjoy a race across Europe to Leipzig. And Simon leaves the podcast.

Aided and abetted by listeners, we present some suggestions of how to navigate Paris, where to stay and what to see.

The accordion music was provided by Accordion-music-clean.wav by eyenorth -- https://freesound.org/s/482213/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

We discuss football journeys, near and far, and hear from fans who have stretched the limits of credible travel to get to a match abroad.

We ask if this label really means anything, and continue to probe the EES database debacle and the axolotl conundrum. Plus, the latest in our search for the perfect guided tour.

On College Green in London's Westminster, surrounded by historic buildings, we talk to Frances Linzee Gordon about what it takes to become an elite, Blue Badge Guide, and the challenges that lie in wait when you begin working. Find a guide who suits you at britainsbestguides.org

Authentic dragons, astonishing temples, beguiling coastlines and great food. Find out whether one of the region's 11 countries floats your boat.

We mull over the concept of over-tourism, its causes and effects as well as some remedies. Why not try the place next door, for instance?

We shine a light on the world's many and varied straits- not just that one. Are they an underappreciated geographical feature?

We explore the delights- natural, culinary, architectural and cultural- of the colourful Mexican state of Oaxaca.

We plot a route across Mexico's mighty metropolis, taking in its many marvels

We consider the perils of venturing off venturing off the beaten track, talk to an adventure tour organiser facing up to current hazards in Venezuela, Iran and now Greenland, and we meet..... the axolotl.

Do you recognise this flag? It's one of the destinations that Simon found out about at the Adventure Travel Show in London. We discuss real travel adventures where the guide books run out as well as less challenging but still unusual places away from the crowds.

We assess the past year in travel and anticipate the next one, with thoughts on destinations and technology as well as the giving of some self-indulgent travel presents.

Amazing travel experiences in which the laws of time are challenged , castles like "pastry shops for the soul" and the glacial progress of the new European Exit/Entry System.

We chat about the Sagrada Familia, the National Monument of Scotland and confront the brave new world of "frictionless travel" as promised by facial recognition technology

We discuss Spain's wealth of dramatic castles- the best to visit, the best to stay in and the one where you'll find the best pastries

Simon reports on his recent journeys to Lebanon, Northern Cyprus and Moldova. Also, we discuss the timeless allure of castles.

We try to make sense of the new entry /exit system that will affect UK travellers to Europe's Schengen area: what is it? when will it start? what will it mean for travellers, apart from delays?

Join us for a brief but steep hike through the Pyrenees in the footsteps of exiles and refugees and the hoofprints of sheep, cows and isards.

Join Simon and Mick on the nearest thing to a hill climb that South London can offer. But will it be a suitable rehearsal for their forthcoming trek in the Pyrenees?

We get to grips with two very different travelling dilemmas: can you get to the middle of nowhere and how can you combat the trickery and duplicity of car hire firms?

We track down traditional Spanish houses, search for great Airbnb's and report on a green ferry service across the Channel-by yacht.

We showcase listeners' anecdotes about bewildering showers, linguistic confusions and unexpected strandings. Thanks to Ginger Hendee for the photo (on Unsplash)

Simon enjoys Lithuania and falls prey to creeping delays and dynamic currency conversions during a whistle stop European tour. Meanwhile Mick takes part in a race across southern England- accidentally.

An underwhelming new dawn for our railways, an inadvertent phone error by an airport boss and the unveiling of a "slow" race across the world.

We talk about the challenges of settling into French village life, review races across the world and wonder why we need a new airline linking the UK with the USA.

Join Simon on his tour of beautiful Croatian Islands and share your thoughts on holiday souvenirs, Voyages a trois and "Trevi Fountain wishes" for ways to make travel better.

Electricity blackouts, cancellations, widespread delays............We discuss how to hedge your holiday bets in an era of chaos and confusion. The photograph is of a work by the Argentinian artist, Pablo Suarez.

Enjoy our guide to the varied and often surprising charms of the country at the heart of Europe, and just a train ride from the UK.

One of the delights and challenges of a trip abroad is deciding where to eat. We discuss listeners' opinions on what to look for and what to avoid!

Mike Parker, author of the best selling "Map Addict," joins us to share his love affair with maps and his thoughts on the politics of cartography and the strong feelings that it provokes.

Author and professor, Jean Mcneil, joins us to talk about her new book, Latitudes, and leads us into some of the world's great wildernesses. Danger, adventure and thought-provoking reflections pepper the book, which is published by Barbican Press

Which country should you choose for your first visit to South America? We assess the attractions and weigh up the pros and cons of four big-hitters: Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.

We discuss legendary music museums, Chinese airlines, sustainable breakfast buffets and the pros and cons of travelling with donkeys. Thanks to Florian Giorgio for his photo on Unsplash

Foragers take on anti-foragers in the great breakfast buffet debate, we continue the train limerick challenge and feature a topical update on romantic destinations. The website for info on the Robert Louis Stevenson trail is chemin-stevenson.org and thanks to Jill Sauve for her photo on Unsplash

We welcome Mark Smith, well known as "the man in seat 61" to discuss the bicentenary of the first official railway journey, a gift from the UK to the world. Mark's guide to rail travel is at www.seat61.com And thanks to Roland Lösslein for his photo on Unsplash

We discuss the possible impact on travel to the USA of the impending Donald Trump presidency while Simon reports from Florida on the often fraught interaction between humanity and manatees. With thanks to NOAA for the photo of a manatee and her calf.

Simon and Mick share their favourite travel moments from 2024- best views, meals and cultural encounters- before looking forward to 2025. Happy New Year, fellow travellers!