Hello :)

I often say "Everywhere Is Interesting", but what do I mean when I say that? What makes a place 'interesting'? Or rather, given any random place in the world, what can make you 'key in' to that location over and above any other? Of course, this could be very personal, or at least subjective, so when I say 'Everywhere Is Interesting', what I mean is that there is something everywhere, in every place, that someone is going to have a connection to, or is related to a hobby or interest that someone has.

Topics discussed in this episode are:
* Why I was too busy to release this episode on time
* A refresher about Hometown Travel
* Travel for hobbies and interests
* Vicarious travel through music lyrics
* Every song and TV series is set somewhere
* Travel to film and video locations
* Overtourism

A PDF transcript of this podcast is available.

As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a comment or let me know. I have a newsletter with extra content, and where I'll be mentioning future podcast episodes if you want to make your own contribution.

I also have a Patreon - if you like what you hear, and want to access exclusive content (or just to show your appreciation), then head on over.

Contributions in this episode come from:
* Amanda, who has a website at Not A Ballerina,
* Claire, who blogs at Curious Claire, and
* Rebecca, who can be found at Almost Ginger

Until next time, bye for now. :)

Hello :)

So, despite recently moving out of Salford, I felt it was an interesting enough place to do a podcast about. Partly because 'Everywhere is Interesting' and my VA wanted me to prove it. And what could be more interesting than the location of the world's first municipal public park, the world's first bus route, the world's first street lighting, and the world's only canal swing bridge. And the UK's most polluted river, but let's not talk about that, and anyway the other half of it is in Manchester.

Topics discussed in this episode are:
* Running along country lanes
* A potted history of the Salford area
* Salford Central ... isn't
* Salford Quays - the posh bit
* Canals and Rivers and Bridges and Hotels
* Old and Listed Buildings
* Peel Park
* Vimto
* A short overview of Salford Pop-Culture from The Smiths to Coronation Street
* Salford Firsts

A PDF transcript of this podcast is available.

As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a comment or let me know. I have a newsletter with extra content, and where I'll be mentioning future podcast episodes if you want to make your own contribution.

I also have a Patreon - if you like what you hear, and want to access exclusive content (or just to show your appreciation), then head on over. For this pod I've uploaded about 9 mins of extra content all about Salford's pubs, which I thought would make the episode too long for no real advantage, but which I might use in a future episode. Who knows!

There are no contributions in this episode, although my VA does purposely misrhythm a song lyric at the beginning.

Here, by the way, is my YouTube Short about Salford Lad's Club.

Until next time, bye for now. :)

Hello :)

Given recent big concert tours, it feels like the right time to do an episode on 'travelling for music'. It's a subject I didn't think I'd have a lot to say about, given I don't often go to concerts even locally, never mind for travels, but the more I thought about it, the more interesting comparisons and contrasts I could find between my trips.

Topics discussed in this episode are:
* My first concert (Heavenly, 1992)
* The first concert I travelled for (Bon Jovi, 1995)
* Travelling to Paris to listen to French singers ...
* ... three times
* You Look Like Taylor Swift
* Other ways of travelling for music
[This latter point will be expanded and the episode re-uploaded once I get a further contribution]

A PDF transcript of this podcast is available.

As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a comment or let me know. I have a newsletter with extra content, and where I'll be mentioning future podcast episodes if you want to make your own contribution.

I also have a Patreon - if you like what you hear, and want to access exclusive content (or just to show your appreciation), then head on over.

Contributions in this episode come from:
* my old schoolfriend Alistair,
* Claire, who blogs at Curious Claire, and
* Juliet, who can be found at I Am A Polar Bear

Until next time, bye for now. :)