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00:00Hello and welcome to The Weekend Travel Show with me, Kim Marsh and Richard Arnold.
00:14We'll be with you for 16 minutes of globetrotting holidays as some of our favourite celebrities try out a host of different locations.
00:20Speaking of which, have you booked your holidays?
00:22I've not actually, no, I've not.
00:24I think my 13-year-old's probably going to have some really good ideas though.
00:28Probably expensive ones, don't you know?
00:30Well, hopefully we'll drum up some ideas for you on today's show.
00:33We're meeting five new faces who are navigating the waterways of France on a barge.
00:38George and Larry Lamb have festival fun in the Peak District.
00:41And Susan Kallman shows us how to live our best life in Croatia.
00:45But, before all that, there is no mistake in where we are starting our travels today.
00:51Look at that view. It can only be Australia, of course.
00:54Come between me and the Pacific Rim, Kim, and you'll have a fight on your hands.
00:57I tell you, it could turn ugly.
00:59Sydney Harbour Bridge. I've been lucky enough to do that climb, and it is beautiful up there.
01:03The views are absolutely staggering.
01:05But you can feel the traffic thundering beneath your feet.
01:09So, if heights are not for you, possibly not the best thing to do.
01:12But it is magnificent.
01:13Well, I've never been, but it's definitely up there on my bucket list.
01:16So, I cannot wait to see what our cruising queen, Jane MacDonald, has got to show us.
01:21The shell-like roof of Sydney Opera House is famed the world over.
01:27It was designed in 1957 by the Danish architect Jorn Udsen.
01:32So, that's this week's pub quiz question sorted.
01:35And it was opened in 1973 by none other than Her Majesty, the Queen.
01:44If it's good enough for Liz, it's good enough for me.
01:48We're outside this iconic place, and I'm going to take you and me inside.
01:53So, come on. Come on.
01:55The only way to see behind the scenes is to book yourself a tour guide.
02:01Talking of which...
02:02You must be Bella.
02:03Hi, Jane.
02:04Hi.
02:04How are you?
02:05I'm really well.
02:06Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Sydney Opera House.
02:08You're very welcome.
02:09So, are we going to go and have a look now?
02:10Let's rock and roll.
02:11Come on.
02:12I've always wanted to perform here, and to get this close, I'm in my element.
02:16Oh, wow. Look at this.
02:19Welcome to the northern foyer of the concert hall.
02:21Oh, my goodness me. It's gorgeous.
02:23Look at this carpet.
02:24Just hang on.
02:25I've got a thing about carpets.
02:27Oh, my God.
02:28That's so gorgeous.
02:29Look at the purple.
02:31Be my guest.
02:33Very regal, very 70s.
02:35It is.
02:35You see, that's why I'm so at home on this.
02:38Shut your face.
02:40But it's...
02:40It's nice carpet, that, isn't it?
02:43It is.
02:43Okay, I'll admit, there are other things to marvel at here.
02:47Oh, Bella.
02:48Look at that backdrop.
02:50That is fantastic.
02:52Look at that.
02:54Come and show me the concert hall.
03:00Let's go.
03:00Follow me.
03:02The six stages play host to over 40 shows a week.
03:06That's more than 2,000 every year.
03:09Welcome, Jane, to the concert hall.
03:11Oh, my goodness.
03:13It's massive.
03:15If you don't fancy a bone-shaking show, there's always opera on the other stages.
03:23The acoustics are great here as well, aren't they?
03:25Yes.
03:26Do you know, this is where I'm most at home, is on the stage.
03:29Yeah?
03:30I just love to sing.
03:31It's just a fantastic thing.
03:32You like to sing?
03:33Would you like to sing now?
03:34Oh, I can't.
03:34This is an opera place.
03:36It's opera.
03:36Do whatever you want.
03:38Yeah, well...
03:39Lots on you.
03:40Oh, I can't, not now.
03:44Oh, mio babino caro, mi piace bello, bello.
04:00Oh, I've sang.
04:02I've sang at the opera house, at the Sydney Opera House, in the opera place.
04:06You're welcome.
04:07No, you're used to hearing professionals, so don't worry.
04:09I've stood on that stage, and I've sang a little bit, and it was a proper dream come true.
04:14I have to say, I'm slightly in love with Sydney Opera House now.
04:19I could stay here forever, but sadly, the fat lady has already sung on my time in Sydney,
04:25my chariot awaits.
04:26This fabulous vessel is going to be our home for the next 16 days, and that's a lot of pants.
04:37Come on, bring it on.
04:4011 decks high, the Nordam is equipped with two pools, a spa, casino, and even a basketball court.
04:47Plenty to keep you busy, not to mention the nine bars, nearly enough to occupy me.
04:54Hello.
04:54My Australasian adventure has officially begun.
04:59Bring it on.
05:01That's it.
05:01We're sailing away.
05:03Cocktail in hand.
05:04We're just about to go under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is one of the most famous in the world.
05:10It's exciting, innit?
05:11Woo!
05:12I think we can say that, as far as sail-aways go, this one's pretty spectacular.
05:19Ha-ha!
05:21Oh, God, look at how tight is that?
05:24Oh!
05:26Hey!
05:29That was pretty hairy, wasn't it?
05:32That was pretty hairy.
05:32Oh, my goodness me.
05:36That's pretty special, isn't it?
05:38That's pretty special.
05:38Ha-ha-ha!
05:46She's my world, she's my night, my day.
05:49Jane MacDonald, what a set of pipes she's got on her.
05:52Can you imagine gracing the stage of the Opera House?
05:55Ooh, imagine that.
05:56That would be wonderful.
05:57I'd love to do that.
05:58I need to go, Richard.
05:59Perhaps you can take me one time.
06:01Yeah, good luck with that.
06:02It was great to see Jane bidding farewell to Sydney with a healthy-sized cocktail in her hand.
06:06It was.
06:06Even in the absence of pyros.
06:07But we haven't bid farewell to Jane yet, have we?
06:09We have not, no.
06:10She will be back later, getting very close to some unusual animals in a wildlife sanctuary,
06:15after which I'm sure she's going to need another healthy-sized cocktail.
06:19That's our Jane.
06:19Also coming up, we'll be cruising down the waterways of France with five slightly nervous celebrities.
06:30Welcome back to the Weekend Travel Show.
06:33Earlier on, our Jane MacDonald took us down under in Australia,
06:36and later she'll be docking her cruise ship in Tasmania.
06:39Dream of a trip.
06:40Lovely wines there.
06:42But first, it's time to join five new famous faces.
06:45Talking of famous faces, did I tell you about the time Sue Cleaver and I were...
06:48OK, wrong crowd.
06:50My goodness me.
06:51You did, babes.
06:52Yeah, a few times.
06:53Anyway, the lovely Sue is not amongst our celebs, sadly.
06:56But Tom Conti, Penny Smith, Tony Christie, Tessa Sanderson and Dermot Gavin more than make up for her absence.
07:03Penny Smith and I almost go as far back as Sue Cleaver.
07:06Honest to goodness, please be quiet.
07:08Well, she and her team of intrepid travellers are about to get to grips with a couple of cruises in France.
07:14Not a holiday I have ever tried out.
07:17Is anybody a seasoned sailor?
07:20No.
07:21I've done it before, but I'm not hardly seasoned.
07:24I've sat on the front of places and drunk things.
07:26All that we're missing now is a barge or two.
07:31Look, look, look, look.
07:32Are these ours?
07:34Oh, look at that.
07:36Oh, I like that.
07:38Not what I was expecting at all.
07:40I was expecting a long, old narrow boat.
07:44Yeah.
07:45I think it's going to be nice when we've hung out washing out.
07:47Yeah, I can see my white front trailing behind the boat.
07:51Nice to meet you.
07:53Hello.
07:54Nice to meet you.
07:55So if you'd like to come on board and have a look?
07:57We would love to come on board.
08:01These boats are called cruisers.
08:03Oh, wow.
08:05Oh, Penn, look at that.
08:06Oh, I think we need to just take care of this.
08:09Oh, look at this.
08:11Who's going to have this one?
08:12Well, we, yeah, I think we'll have this one.
08:13Yeah, we'll have this one.
08:14Yeah, yeah.
08:15No discussion.
08:16It's drinks at theirs and food at theirs, and then we'll just come over here and see.
08:19Actually, we'll just pass the drinks through the window.
08:21Yeah.
08:22Our boat is magnifique.
08:28Well, that's what it's called.
08:29Are we ready to go?
08:30Yep.
08:31The boys are on mystique.
08:33It's too early to tell if they're fitting names, but at about 15 meters long, there'd be a lot of boat to sink.
08:40You're supposed to spend the first half hour writing your name in the water.
08:44Have you seen my name?
08:45No.
08:46So if you just stop steering there, you'll find it comes round.
08:50You've got to give it time to come round.
08:52Now, can I remember how to do this?
08:59Water?
09:00No, still got it.
09:02I think you should have a blazer and a cap for a top.
09:09We've had a nice stretch of water with nothing in the way, and now we've got a bridge coming up.
09:15We've got a lock around the corner.
09:17We've got lots of boys to look out for.
09:19Just great.
09:23Our first pressurized maneuver, and yours truly gets to play guinea pig.
09:27Keep going like this, straight.
09:29A few seconds, you need to put the rudder full left.
09:32This?
09:33No, the rudder.
09:36No, no, back in with the throttle, and no, leave the wheel.
09:40Yeah, okay.
09:41Always on that.
09:42Reverse, reverse, reverse, and push the nose.
09:46Are we taking water?
09:51Reverse.
09:52Had that been a driving test, it would have definitely failed me.
09:56Now, who was the one making it go like that?
09:59Was that Dermot?
10:00I, yeah.
10:01That was you, was it?
10:02Now, we just have that lock standing between us and the rest of the adventure.
10:06So, for the first one, we should let the, it's ladies first, we should let them do it, shouldn't we?
10:10Okay, stop joking.
10:12Let's go working.
10:14Yeah, it shouldn't prove too difficult with guidance.
10:16Oh, Lord.
10:18Oh, why did you put me down here?
10:20Drive in.
10:21Oh, my God.
10:22Hold boat steady with ropes.
10:29Close rear gates.
10:35Open valves to raise water level.
10:39Open front gates.
10:41Drive out.
10:42Nothing to it.
10:43Well, with the help of instructors anyway.
10:46Okay, go on then.
10:47You show your leg and I'll do a thumbing.
10:49No one wants to see my leg.
10:52Can I just get on here?
10:53Yeah.
10:56We'll see you at the next stop.
10:59Charming.
11:00We've only just met and Tom's already forgotten me.
11:03We need to park there.
11:04Oh, I thought we were.
11:05No, no, we need to park.
11:07I'm sorry.
11:09We need to park.
11:10Reverse, reverse, reverse.
11:14This is as far as we go for the day.
11:17But it does mean that the apron strings are about to be severed.
11:22So, now I'm going to leave you and now you are on your own.
11:26No.
11:26Say that again.
11:28Are you serious?
11:29We're not yet born.
11:30Oh, you couldn't.
11:31You think this crowd of pirates is ready for the open water bus, do you?
11:35We will see.
11:36That's it.
11:38Thanks.
11:39We'll miss you.
11:39We'll miss you.
11:39We'll miss you.
11:40Enjoy.
11:41Bye.
11:41Take care.
11:43I'll tell you what, that manoeuvre into the lock, that looked pretty stressful, didn't
11:47it, eh?
11:48Reverse, push the nose, don't touch the rudder, touch the rudder.
11:52I don't know.
11:52I couldn't cope.
11:53Well, the instructor was quite stern, wasn't he?
11:55It was really, yeah.
11:56See how they get on next week when they let loose on their own.
11:58But now it's back to our Jane MacDonald, who's left Australia and she's headed to Tasmania.
12:02Yes, and she's about to discover what a wombat is.
12:07I'm just looking at tomorrow's trip that I'm going on, which is to Bonnarong Wildlife Sanctuary.
12:14And it says here, you'll be fascinated by Tasmania's native and endemic species.
12:20That flipping thing looks a bit frightening.
12:23That Tasmanian devil looks a bit fierce.
12:26Saying that, it might look at my face and think the same.
12:29Wombat, sort of in the name, bat, a kidney.
12:36Is that a bat, is it?
12:39What is a wombat?
12:43Anyway, I'm absolutely shattered, so night-night.
12:46See you tomorrow.
12:52Woo-hoo!
12:53Welcome to Tasmania, you little devils.
12:56Let's go see some wombats.
12:58Well, not only wombats.
13:01This place provides a refuge for a whole range of injured animals, with an army of passionate
13:06volunteers nursing them back to health before returning them to the wild.
13:11I'm here at Bonnarong Wildlife Sanctuary.
13:14So, Greg.
13:14Hey!
13:15Pleasure, great to have you here.
13:16Great to see you, thank you.
13:18Bought the sunshine with you.
13:19Trying my best.
13:20Love it, let's go make some animals, eh?
13:22From four legs, to two legs, to no legs, all animals are given a warm welcome here.
13:29So, this is not a zoo, is it?
13:31No, very different.
13:32Most of our animals are a bit different to the other kids at school.
13:35So, some are missing a leg, others are blind in one eye.
13:38Every animal's here for a reason, and they're some of the animals I want to introduce you
13:42to today.
13:42Oh, look!
13:44This is a...
13:45A wombat.
13:46That's a wombat?
13:47That's right.
13:47This is a very young wombat, an orphan wombat.
13:50So, her mum was hit by a car, unfortunately, which is why she's here.
13:54But it's not what I thought a wombat was going to look like, I'll be honest.
13:56What did you think?
13:57I thought it was a bat.
13:58Yeah.
13:59I thought it was a bat.
14:00I did.
14:01They grow their wings when they're a little bit...
14:02No, that's a lie.
14:03That's a flat out lie.
14:04Are you keen to play with one?
14:06If you like, yeah.
14:07Absolutely.
14:07Are they all right to play with?
14:08Absolutely.
14:09Look, they only really attack the English.
14:11No, they're fine.
14:12Absolutely.
14:13So, let's go and have a play.
14:14All right.
14:16Here we go.
14:17You'll be calling me the wombat whisperer by the end of this.
14:19Have a seat there.
14:21And pop your legs out this way.
14:23This is a good time to mention she's only killed three people this year.
14:26Oh, stop it, Greg.
14:28I bet people are coming up now and thinking I'm a wombat.
14:31Although, I feel more like a dingback sat here.
14:34Here she comes, little munchkin.
14:35Hello.
14:37Hello.
14:38How you doing?
14:39So, this is Willow.
14:41So, you can give her a bit of a pat now.
14:42She's nice and relaxed.
14:45There you go, Willow.
14:46They're not nervous, I guess, around people.
14:52Apart from me.
14:54Maybe wombat whisperer was a bit premature.
14:57I will mention that they do bite a little bit, but it's only playbiting.
15:00They're not dangerous to us.
15:01It's more things like fences, for example.
15:03They'll push straight through.
15:04Ow.
15:05Are you scared?
15:06Just bit me there.
15:08It's a love bite, I promise.
15:09No, it's not.
15:09It's a love bite.
15:10It is.
15:12Stoof.
15:13That would have been a bit of a shock.
15:14And I've still got the Tasmanian devils to come.
15:20So, have you met Tassie devils before?
15:21No, I've only seen the cartoon.
15:23What do you think, compared to the cartoon?
15:24A little difference?
15:25Yeah, I mean, they're so cute.
15:27Look at it.
15:28It's just cute.
15:28It's lovely to see these poor animals getting looked after so well.
15:34But if there's one species you just have to see when down under, it's these.
15:39Kangaroo yummies.
15:40Right.
15:40So, the way we feed them, we just pop a little bit in our hands, and you just stable it right
15:44out of your hands.
15:45And it's not my experience today.
15:47I'm going to let you feed them.
15:48Absolutely.
15:49I'll go first.
15:50He's a big boy, isn't he?
15:51I'm not sure about this.
15:52Once bitten and all that.
15:53Now, come and be brave.
15:55Your turn.
15:56I don't think I can.
15:58Oh, look at...
15:58Oh!
15:59No, I'm just kidding.
16:01I just can't help myself.
16:03I look on your face every time.
16:05Not helping, Greg.
16:06Not helping.
16:08Hello.
16:09Hello there.
16:11Oh, look.
16:12There we go.
16:13You've redeemed the experience after the wombat attack, my kangaroo.
16:16That's true.
16:17Good boy.
16:19Good boy.
16:20You've done well.
16:22Done very well.
16:22You didn't take off up the hill.
16:24No, I didn't.
16:25I'm so pleased.
16:26So the next lesson is how to ride a kangaroo.
16:28You ready for that one?
16:28Yeah, all right.
16:29Yeah.
16:30Not today.
16:31Grab the saddle.
16:33Get me on the EMU.
16:35I've really enjoyed this experience.
16:37It's a beautiful part of the world.
16:39And to meet someone as passionate about their job as Greg is has been a great pleasure.
16:45Well, I've encountered a lot down under, but never a quadruped with short, muscular legs.
16:52So I know the park keeper was a little bit fussy about that.
16:54So bats and wombats, they're clearly not the same thing.
16:57Yeah.
16:58Wings on wombats and saddles on kangaroos.
17:00Kind of sounds like an outtake from the sound of music, that, doesn't it?
17:03Yeah.
17:04Flex your pipes, Kim.
17:04Let's hear it.
17:06Oh, wasn't he?
17:07He was.
17:07He was a joker.
17:09But joking us out, I'm not sure that Jane and Willow go hand in hand.
17:13No, I don't think Willow the wombat was that keen on Jane MacDonald.
17:16Anyway.
17:16But it's not all exotic foreign travel.
17:19We are also holidaying on home turf.
17:21Where you and I were our happiest when we were younger.
17:24Indeed, we were, yes.
17:25Possibly just by the beach.
17:27But would we have ever travelled inland like George and Larry Lamb, who are exploring the Peak District?
17:32And it's festival season.
17:34The lads are on fit.
17:35The stunning Peak District National Park sits smack bang in the middle of the UK.
17:47The Peak District's in the sunshine.
17:49Tell me about it.
17:50Can't be beaten.
17:52You can't whack it.
17:54The peaks just keeps on giving.
17:58Especially in spring, when it hosts a staggering number of traditional village festivals.
18:03And we've come just at the right time.
18:07Yes, mate.
18:08Festival season.
18:08Festival season's on.
18:10It's amazing how all these traditions keep going, isn't it?
18:14It's probably to do with the fact that we're in this kind of separate part of Britain.
18:19Hills and valleys and little lost areas that are nothing like what goes on elsewhere.
18:27And so it is different here.
18:29No doubt about it.
18:30One festival that's totally unique to the peaks is well dressing.
18:35Oh, look, that was a well just there.
18:38And another one, Dad, look.
18:40Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:41Harking back to pagan times, the villagers decorate their wells with natural materials like flowers, wool, seeds and stones to give thanks for the water.
18:51Alice.
18:53Alice in Wonderland.
18:54Got the amazing looking things.
18:56Yeah.
18:56Got all the bunting up, mate.
19:00Yeah.
19:01I have to say, when I was here before, I had no idea it was like this.
19:05As well as being a tourist hotspot, the Peak District is still very much a working environment.
19:12And this next festival celebrates its farming heritage.
19:15Ashford in the water, the epicentre of sheep dipping.
19:19This is it.
19:20This is where it all began.
19:21Yeah.
19:22We might have started out here, George.
19:24I'm in front of you, Daddy-O.
19:27To find out more, we're meeting up with festival chairwoman Roz and her son, Daniel, at the family tea room.
19:34Hello.
19:35Hi.
19:36Hello.
19:36So, we see there's a festival going on.
19:39Absolutely.
19:40Yeah.
19:40Sheep dipping.
19:40Sheep dipping.
19:41Absolutely.
19:42How did it start?
19:43Oh, long, long, long time ago.
19:46A couple of hundred years ago.
19:47Did it?
19:47Yeah.
19:48You used to bring all the sheep from all the villages in the hills down into the river, chuck them in, because you got paid a bit more for a clean sheep rather than a muckie sheep.
19:58And then you just kind of scrub the sheep?
19:59Yeah.
20:00You pick it up.
20:01And you're in the water.
20:01Do you wear waders?
20:03No.
20:03No.
20:04So, what do you wear?
20:05Just underpants.
20:05Yeah.
20:06Just deal with it?
20:07Just deal with it, yeah.
20:08Just roll your trousers off.
20:09Yeah.
20:10If you fancy a go, and wash the sheep.
20:12The old baby lamb washing the sheep, right?
20:15This promises to be wet and wild.
20:20So, I'm bagging a prime spot with the other festival goers on the aptly named Sheep Washing Bridge.
20:27Right, boys.
20:28How are we doing?
20:29You've got a new recruit.
20:31Hey, I'm George.
20:32Nice to see you.
20:32All right.
20:33Wicked, George.
20:34How are you doing?
20:34You all right?
20:34Nice to see you, man.
20:35You all right?
20:35Yes, sir.
20:36And these are the sheep, yeah?
20:37Yep.
20:37I can't wait to watch my sons wrestling with the sheep in the river.
20:41Quite interesting.
20:42He loves animals.
20:43It's, they're quite frisky when they get in there.
20:46And they're in the river, they do what they want.
20:48You're just holding them on at least, basically.
20:50They're swimming, so you're basically guarding them.
20:52Gotcha.
20:53You've just got to stand there and shake them about a bit.
20:55Rub them.
20:56Yeah, give them a good fettle.
20:59Good fettle, all right.
21:00Good fettle.
21:01All right, let's get fettling, boys.
21:03Wait up.
21:05Go on, then.
21:06Hold on.
21:07No one mentioned gymnastics.
21:12I can't cartwheel, so we don't need to do that.
21:16Oh, God.
21:18Come on, George.
21:20Just amble down, yeah?
21:24Oh.
21:26That is freezing.
21:27It's not very warm, is it?
21:29Right.
21:30Let's do it.
21:30Let's get some sheep in, boys.
21:32Here we go.
21:36All right, George, grab it.
21:40Each one of the sheep weighs between 80 and 100 K.
21:46So they've got quite a handful there.
21:49It's on me foot.
21:50Come on, don't you?
21:51You've got an anchor on you.
21:57Turn that one through her.
21:59Can you do it all?
21:59Well, George gets acquainted with the woolly locals,
22:03I'm having a chat with a more distinguished Mr. Brocklehurst,
22:06a retired local farmer now in his 90s.
22:13Presumably, this started when you back were a lad, yeah?
22:17I mean, would you have taken part in this yourself
22:19when you were a young boy?
22:21Oh, yeah.
22:21You did, yeah?
22:22Yeah.
22:23Every day of school.
22:25Take her on, George.
22:26John.
22:27So how many sheep would they have done in the old days here?
22:30In a day?
22:30Yeah, yeah.
22:31A few hundred.
22:34You wouldn't want these 300, would you?
22:36You've had Mr. Brocklehurst nod of approval here
22:39as a sheep washer.
22:40Oh, he looks a very dirty sheep.
22:51I don't know where he's been rolling.
22:54Very good.
22:54Go on.
23:00You ready?
23:01In the olden days, Colonel Wise, who lived in the village then,
23:06he used to bring the barley wine down
23:08for the guys to have a drink while they were doing the sheep.
23:13Where's the barley wine now?
23:14Where's the barley wine?
23:15Hey!
23:16How's that now?
23:22Well, this has certainly been memorable.
23:26I never thought a wash and a scrub could be so exhausting.
23:31Right, ladies and gentlemen,
23:33if you'd like to put your hands together,
23:34a big thank you to the guys for all the help they give us.
23:41Come on.
23:45That's it.
23:45Well done.
23:47Well done, mate.
23:48Well done.
23:49Well done, boys.
23:50Well done, mate.
23:51How do you think I did that, boys?
23:52Yeah, you're well.
23:52Yeah?
23:53Not bad at all.
23:53Same time.
23:54You're all right?
23:54You have me back?
23:55Yeah, yeah.
23:55Definitely.
23:56Perfect.
23:58Now, if you fancy seeing these fascinating local traditions
24:02at any of the many festivals in the Peak District,
24:04just head over to our website for more information.
24:06Well, we've still got plenty more to come
24:08as we travel to the Adriatic
24:10in the company of the lovely Susan Kalman.
24:12And we finish up in Sri Lanka
24:14watching Alexander Armstrong get completely relaxed.
24:17Welcome back to the Weekend Travel Show.
24:26Kimma, you ready for a bit of glitz and glamour?
24:28Always, babes, yeah.
24:29Good, because we're about to see the glamorous side
24:31of Susan Kalman as her cruise weighs anchor
24:34in the Bay of KOTOR on the coast of Montenegro.
24:38We're going to need a bigger map.
24:39We definitely are.
24:41One of the biggest joys of a cruise
24:54is waking up to something new each day.
25:00And this morning, that something is utterly sublime.
25:04Last night, I read my little cruise magazine
25:09that comes through the door.
25:10I always do.
25:11You always should.
25:12And it said specifically, set your alarms early.
25:15You'll get some incredible views
25:16as we sail into Montenegro.
25:20And they weren't wrong.
25:28The majestic bay of KOTOR
25:30is often called Europe's most southerly fjord.
25:33And the rugged mountains certainly lend it
25:35more than a touch of Nordic glamour.
25:40The deck is buzzing with people
25:42because it is absolutely extraordinary.
25:47I'm going on my very own personal speedboat trip
25:50around the stunning bay of KOTOR.
25:55Known locally as the Boca,
25:57this trendy destination has become something
26:00of a hotspot for Instagram influencers.
26:03I quite fancy giving that high living lifestyle a go,
26:11so I'm off to find something suitably cheaty to wear.
26:18Nice bags.
26:21Not really a fancy bag, lady.
26:22I like a sensible rucksack
26:24that you can have an emergency kit in.
26:26But I can't risk a fashion faux pas today.
26:31I don't enjoy a flip-flop.
26:34See when I'm out and I see someone in a flip-flop,
26:36I worry for their safety.
26:39I'm sure there must be something safe
26:41and stylish here for me.
26:43I bet you my mum's have put a scarf over her head at some point.
26:50Right.
26:51So I'm thinking...
26:52I'm thinking I'm on a speedboat.
26:55Oh, I'm going for glamour.
26:56Do I just look sensible?
26:58I think that's all right.
26:59So what's the plan for today?
27:03What are you doing?
27:04Well, I've got this because I'm going, I think, on a speedboat.
27:07Oh, wow.
27:07And I thought that would make me look quite, you know...
27:10Fabulous.
27:11Fabulous, that's it.
27:12I wanted to look fabulous.
27:13So that'll work, won't it?
27:15Yes, of course.
27:16I hope you have lots of fun.
27:19So after a quick change into my speedboat chic new look,
27:22I'm ready for Montenegro.
27:24But is Montenegro ready for me?
27:36I know, you're thinking,
27:38who's this glamorous lady in my lovely headscarf?
27:44Montenegro is all about the glamour.
27:46Super yachts, wonderful, fancy people.
27:49So, as a treat to myself, I'm having a fancy day.
27:55Honestly, the folks back home are going to be thinking
27:57something's doing well for themselves.
28:05Speedboat skipper Peter has been scudding around these waters for years.
28:10So I'm sure he's met more than a few fashionistas.
28:14If you don't know,
28:16an Instagram influencer is somebody who, like,
28:19kind of shows what they've got,
28:21tries to get people to live their lifestyle.
28:24Hold on, I'll give you the full effect.
28:26Right?
28:31Definitely the full Grace Kelly.
28:37I'm even pouting.
28:38I didn't think being on a speedboat in Montenegro would make me feel this good.
28:56I feel amazing.
28:57I'm going to try my first Instagram influencer post.
29:12It's all about the attitude.
29:16My selfies aren't exactly making the splash I hoped for yet.
29:20Right, unlike Susan, I do enjoy a fancy bag and a flip-flop.
29:28But I'll tell you what, that headscarf was a good buy, wasn't it?
29:31Didn't it look good, though?
29:32Have you ever been to that part of the world?
29:33I haven't. Have you?
29:34No.
29:35Finally, we've found a place you've not been to.
29:39I watched Casino Royale.
29:40That was in Montenegro, wasn't it?
29:42Well, yeah.
29:42With Daniel Craig.
29:43She did look very much at home on that one, though, didn't she?
29:46Very relaxed, our Susan.
29:47But not as relaxed as Alexander Armstrong is hoping to be.
29:50He's in Sri Lanka, about to undergo some Ayurvedic treatments.
29:53Oof, sounds painful.
29:56I'm heading to the outskirts of Kandy,
29:58to a jungle retreat that specialises in Ayurvedic treatments.
30:04Apparently, places like this are hugely popular with Europeans,
30:08seeking what they regard as an alternative form of well-being.
30:13Doctor.
30:13Hello.
30:14How do you do?
30:15Fine. How are you?
30:16I'm very well indeed.
30:17Right.
30:17Very nice to meet you.
30:18Me too. Take a seat.
30:20And give a hand, please.
30:21Right hand.
30:22This one.
30:23You are kappa pitta.
30:27Your body constitution according to air, fire, and water.
30:31Water and fire. No earth or wind.
30:34Therefore, we have some packages here.
30:37The seven days, 10 days, 14 days, 21 days.
30:41We do.
30:41Normally, every night, we give anima.
30:44That rubber catheter, we put the anus.
30:46And put the oil.
30:47Increasement of doses.
30:49What's that?
30:49Push. Push inside.
30:51Push inside.
30:51Right?
30:52And put the oil to help.
30:53Okay, yes.
30:54Push inside.
30:55Good luck with that.
31:01I'm now heading for some sort of treatment.
31:05I'm trying not to think too hard about what form that might take.
31:08Unfortunately, I don't have 14 days, but I've been told they're going to ram in as much as possible, as it were.
31:18Oh, for my feet?
31:28This is for me to chew down on while he gets the enema sorted.
31:31I mean, anything could happen here.
31:32I've been told I'm about to undergo a rejuvenation process called Navarra Kitsi, a treatment made up of eight different stages.
31:43What's that?
31:44I imagine this is what a cricket bat feels like.
31:48I'm going to be beautifully seasoned when this is done.
31:52Where herbs, oils and spices will be applied in every way imaginable.
31:56Oh, this is fun.
31:58This is a torture chamber now, I think.
32:00It's slightly like someone's about to saw me in half.
32:04It's like sitting down to a banquet where you have no idea how many courses there are going to be.
32:13Ah, lunch.
32:15Wonderful.
32:18After sweating it all out in the steam bath,
32:20or headgear,
32:22a paste of boiled gooseberries and a host of oils I can't pronounce are put on my head
32:26that are said to have cooling effects.
32:28Then after we put you, herbal bathtub.
32:32Lovely.
32:33Crikey, look at this.
32:35Great sarcophagus.
32:40Into the bath we go.
32:49Smells of what you would hope a sort of woodland river might smell of
32:53if it wasn't so full of other unmentionables.
33:00Believe it or not, this is deeply relaxing.
33:02It's how I imagine wine feels when it's mould.
33:11Is this coffee and mince now, or is this just a little sorbet before the main event?
33:16It's not a tool unpleasant.
33:18These funny little sponges are warm, and they're being sort of pounded into me to spread the goodness around a bit.
33:27But these are no regular sponges.
33:30They're filled with a special type of rice, called navara, meant to reduce joint pain.
33:35Ooh, cut open like a haggis.
33:38Oh, wow.
33:40Right, this is fantastic.
33:42Like having a risotto rubbed into you.
33:46Hello.
33:46How are you?
34:00How's the feeling of treatment?
34:01Wow, I feel spoilt rotten.
34:03You're totally covered by herbal milk rice.
34:06Yeah.
34:07And we call the navara kisi treatment full body scrub.
34:10Right?
34:10Then you have to sit down.
34:12We have to hear herbal tea.
34:13In this time we use pure cow milk for you.
34:16Oh, thank you.
34:17As a herbal tea.
34:18It's very good for internal and external cooling.
34:21Okay, thank you.
34:21We call it cleansing.
34:22Cleansing?
34:23Yes.
34:28If you're watching this and thinking you've just had half a ton of rice pudding massaged into you,
34:33don't start saying that.
34:35You're feeling wonderful.
34:36I am feeling wonderful.
34:37I feel 20 years younger.
34:40Anyway, I'm just going to go back down into my porridge.
34:44Not too hot, not too cold.
34:47This porridge feels just right.
34:49Now, I love a spa as much as the next person, but that...
34:55It did.
34:56It did look like porridge.
34:58It really did look like porridge.
34:59I'm not entirely convinced that I would be totally relaxed.
35:01And I don't know, again, if it's a British thing.
35:04It's like running a bath, getting very excited, getting in it, and then going,
35:07oh, actually, I'm too hot.
35:08I'm going to get out.
35:09And so you book a spa treatment with every anticipation of enjoying it.
35:12And then the sign of a good massage is, you know, you don't think you're relaxing.
35:16You don't think you're relaxing.
35:17And then you wake up.
35:18And it's like they put you under for about an hour, but you feel incredibly refreshed.
35:22Yeah, I like a good massage as well.
35:24I always opt for, like, something like a hot stone massage or something like that.
35:27But you know what I hate is when they don't get the pressure right.
35:30Yeah.
35:30I don't like if, you know, if you wanted you to take all me, babes, I'd ask you.
35:35It's a highway coming up.
35:38We'll be back with Alexander.
35:39He'll be treating us to a very different view of Sri Lanka as he takes voyage in,
35:43oh, what a dream, a hot air balloon.
35:45Welcome back to the Weekend Travel Show.
35:53It's great to have your company.
35:55So we have been around the world in this episode.
35:58Jay McDonald has taken us to Australia.
36:00Susan whisked us to Montenegro.
36:02And as if that wasn't enough, taken to the peaks on our very own shores with George and Larry Lamb.
36:07And we're ending on a high now, quite literally, back in Sri Lanka with Alexander Armstrong.
36:11He's continuing his efforts to completely chill out by taking to the skies.
36:16You see that?
36:16I'm up at the crack of dawn.
36:22I've heard of a guided balloon route that takes us over elephant country.
36:28I'm intrigued to see how elephants share this land with man outside the national parks.
36:36I mean, there's nothing about this that isn't fascinating.
36:38I've never been up in a balloon before.
36:40I've never seen how they build them up with air.
36:44Wow.
36:45And, of course, it's a good excuse to try something new.
36:48I mean, when we first arrived, this was just flat, a sort of flat old balloon, flaccid on the field.
36:54And now, look, they've put some air in it.
36:56We've built a cathedral.
36:59Element of big top here as well.
37:00Oh, my word.
37:03I felt that.
37:05I think they know we're in here.
37:06Manning the ship today is pilot Justin Moore, who's been ballooning across Sri Lanka for almost two decades.
37:20We'll just go through important things with you.
37:22OK, yes, good.
37:23First thing is, once you're in the basket, please stay in the basket.
37:26Right.
37:27And you obviously know what you're doing.
37:28Is that a joke?
37:30Right, we'll warm things up and we'll go for a little jolly.
37:36At the moment, you feel like a marshmallow.
37:40A little bit, yeah.
37:48OK.
37:48Oh, Lord, look at this.
38:03Look how quickly we go up.
38:08As well as the promise of elephants.
38:10If you look directly down that way, you'll see the cigareer in the distance there.
38:13I do.
38:14There it is.
38:15Justin's giving me a view of Sri Lanka's ancient hilltop city.
38:20Oh, it's just so beautiful.
38:22This time of day, just as everything's waking up.
38:31You can hear everything starting to come to life.
38:44Children waking up.
38:45Dogs waking up.
38:48Occasionally, a roar of a peacock.
38:51Someone's saying, breakfast.
38:52A lot of people live around here.
39:03It seems extraordinary to think elephants could be roaming around beneath us.
39:07It's a mix of urban landscape, patchy jungle and paddy fields.
39:13You can see how easily these two worlds collide.
39:16Can you see right below us now?
39:23See the elephant prints?
39:25Oh, I see.
39:26Footprints down here, apparently, are elephant footprints.
39:30I mean, an elephant's area is about 22 kilometres.
39:33So, keep your eyes peeled.
39:35We're not always lucky.
39:36You've been doing this for quite a number of years, haven't you?
39:50Just a few, since I was 17.
39:52Really?
39:52It's 41 years.
39:5441 years of ballooning.
39:56I'd like my office.
39:57I've never been up in a balloon before.
39:59Every part of this is an adventure.
40:02I'm right now, what's so beautiful is just seeing so many birds.
40:10There are these wonderful, white, sort of, egret-looking birds.
40:14And various waterfowl going off, flying below us.
40:18I mean, look at the colours of them.
40:21Our balloon trip is coming to an end.
40:26And it's a shame we didn't see any elephants.
40:29But that's because they're wild animals, roaming free.
40:32That's the way it should be.
40:34It's funny.
40:37Sanjay, who I met in Colombo at the beginning of my adventures,
40:40he said, if you want the magic of Sri Lanka to work on you,
40:44you have to chill out.
40:49And, yeah, the magic of Sri Lanka is working on me.
40:52But when the magic's this strong,
40:53I think it would work on you whatever frame of mind you're in.
40:55There's just that little bit of, ooh-hoo-hoo, and we've got to land.
41:00Just a tiny bit of adrenaline still coursing through the system.
41:06And I've barely scratched the surface of what Sri Lanka has to offer.
41:10Well, do you know, even though Alexander didn't see any actual elephants,
41:18just seeing their footprints across that field was absolutely amazing, wasn't it?
41:22It's magical, isn't it?
41:23It really is.
41:24And as Alexander says, if you want the magic of Sri Lanka to work on you,
41:27you've got to chill out.
41:28Yeah, and he's done everything he can to do that, hasn't he?
41:30Anything on this show taking you fancy, Richard?
41:35I have to say the balloon ride.
41:37Yeah.
41:38If you've ever been lucky enough to do one, you're floating around.
41:41It's absolutely, even if you're afraid of heights, it's extraordinary.
41:43And it's not just the views.
41:45You literally, and I know this is a cliche,
41:46you feel like you're floating on air.
41:48I did it once, Sober Wine Country, in Victoria,
41:51you know, over the skyline of Melbourne.
41:53And most recently, it was in Scottsdale, Arizona.
41:56And it was, obviously, you've got to get up quite early,
41:58and the wind's got to be going in the right direction.
42:00And I took a friend for his birthday, and we took off,
42:02and the rest of the balloons didn't.
42:04We were just really lucky to have caught it at the right time.
42:07Of course, when you're in the wicker basket,
42:09and everybody else is on the ground, you think,
42:10is there a reason they're on the ground?
42:13But it was beautiful.
42:15I reckon you'd love to go down under.
42:17We opened with Australia, and you said you'd never been,
42:19and I would dearly love to take you.
42:21Yeah, I'd love to go there.
42:22I just would love to.
42:23It's definitely right at the top of my bucket list, for sure.
42:25We hope you've enjoyed travelling around the world with us.
42:27Come back next week when Jane MacDonald explores the paradise of Barbados.
42:31Susan Kalman has a blooming good time in Amsterdam.
42:35With her clogs on.
42:36Our dynamic duo George and Larry Lamb seek out adventures in Wales.
42:39And Nick Knowles shows us just how memorable a holiday in the snow can be in Norway.
42:44We'll see you soon.
42:46We'll see you soon.
42:46We'll see you soon.
42:48We'll see you soon.
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