TV shows that inspire you to travel.

Hello, my lovely life-lover crew! I hope wherever you are in the world, you are having a great time fulfilling your dreams or getting inspired to pursue your dreams and goals. 

And talking about inspiration, a question that always comes up is: what inspires you every day? Or more specifically: what inspires you to travel? That is what I will talk about this month: what inspires you to travel and what TV shows can help with that.

By Pat Aguilar

@pataguilar_

I guess we need to go back in time to when we were children; who didn’t listen to stories about unknown lands or read books about mysterious lands across the ocean? We listened to stories about other cultures, and they seemed so far away. But thanks to technology, that distance became shorter. We were able to see these unknown lands, colors, and cultures, and those dreams that we never thought were going to come through start turning into a possibility.

Even today, some of our most beautiful childhood films can be visited and translate to real life through Disney parks (Tip: Check out Disneyland Parks around the world –see pricing for Costco Disneyland tickets today if you’re looking for deals).

I remember that I kept seeing the same place over and over in different TV shows and movies until one day it hit me: I wanted to see Central Park with my own eyes. I wish I had a fancier story, but inspiration comes in different ways: books, stories from other people, and TV shows and movies. Who didn’t dream about going to London to Platform 9 3/4 and taking the train to Hogwarts? And who didn’t jump up and down when they realized that they could take that train? Or dreamed about Northern Ireland, Croatia, and Spain with certain scenes in Game of Thrones? Or fall in love with the diversity of wildlife and the natural world, thanks to the documentaries of Sir David Attenborough? Because inspiration comes in many forms, it could be a place that gives you an emotion, it could be food, a hike, a photograph, a new place to swim, etc. So, for that reason, I will bring you a few TV shows that can help to bring that inspiration to you, that little extra push to jump into a new adventure.

Let’s talk about something I know: food. Here, my friends, we have the amazing Anthony Bourdain. His shows are not exactly cooking shows, as many people think, because he is a chef; he explores places through food and culture. He says that he explores the world to “eat and drink with people without fear or prejudice… they open to you in ways that somebody visiting who is driven by a story might not get,” and I agree. 

Another one that has caught my attention is Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. If you have a strong curiosity and a strong digestive system, this is your show. Chef Andrew travels the world in pursuit of unusual and regional cuisine. Something I like about this show is that he always shares the story behind every dish; you know how much I love storytelling.

Chef James Beard doesn’t travel solo. He is joined by writers, activists, artists, and even other chefs in his show Ugly Delicious, exploring the world and using food as a vehicle to break down cultural barriers and misconceptions we might have about different cultures.

If you are not conquered by your stomach like me, a way to start dreaming of your next destination is through travel-destination shows. This is a good way to get an idea of places you can visit and things to do while you are there, and here are a few that have a little twist in how they present this travel destination:

Top Gear: you might have heard this is a car show, and that is correct, but a few seasons have been filmed overseas traveling through countries on modes of transport that haven’t been created for that specific task. In Top Gear: India Special, they go around India, driving second hand British cars for tasks they normally weren’t used for. For example, in one challenge, they join the Dabbawalas, a group of people who deliver food tins between homes and offices. They used their cars to deliver the lunch boxes/tins whilst trying to navigate through the busy streets of Mumbai, a task that is normally performed via train in India.

Departures: if you are looking for some low-cost inspirations, this is a must. The crew is two guys and a cameraman going around the world with their backpacks. They have a great dynamic. One of the hosts is more intellectual and into the culture of the place they are visiting, while the second host is a little bit more foolish and prefers a few drinks and games, so you have two sides of the coin. The great thing about this show is that it not only shows you the highlights of traveling, but also shows the unexpected adventures that you might have, which helps keep things more real, adventurous, and exciting.

Fan of motorcycles? Maybe not, but if Ewan McGregor is on one… maybe you will change your mind. Long Way Round is not as recent but is a great show. In Long Way Round, they travel from London through Europe and Asia, crossing the Bering Strait to Canada and the US. There were some crazy situations, like being hosted by a mafia boss in Ukraine. In another season, Long Way Down, they drove through Africa, and in Long Way Up, they drove up from Patagonia to California. Now that is a trip I would do!

Simon Reeve has a few documentaries that I am sure will kick in your travel bug. In the Americas, you can see him hiking through the Rocky Mountains or discovering a tropical paradise in Costa Rica. His other documentaries include the Caribbean, Australia, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. 

Looking for a challenge? In Race Across the World, you will see teams trying to go from point A to point B with limited cash, no smartphones, and no internet access, for an off-the-grid adventure. I should mention that points A and B are not close to each other. In one of the seasons, point A was Mexico City and point B was Ushuaia in Argentina. 

So there you go, my life-lover friends. There is something for everyone to find inspiration: food, transport, wildlife, adventure, you name it, and I’m sure you will find the right show for you. You just have to be ready to dive into the rabbit hole and pack your bags!

Let us know what your favorite travel show is, or maybe a movie that inspired you to take that leap of faith and start your travel journey.

Until next time!

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