The Thinking Traveller

Flanked by the towering Andes to the east and the wild Pacific Ocean to the west, the impossibly dry Atacama Desert is the spectacular result of this unique geography.  Despite its aridity, the Atacama region was first occupied by humans over 10,000 years ago and this hyper arid environment has subsequently allowed for the preservation of materials that most archaeologists can only dream of.

In this episode we are joined b...

Founded in 1485 by Henry VII, the Tudor dynasty, although short lived, was coloured by rebellions, conspiracies, challenges to succession, and fear of further civil war. From historical research to popular novels, TV series and even a West End musical, the Tudor period in England continues to hold an amazing fascination

In this episode, Dr Lauren MacKay delves into the history (and truth) of this infamous dynasty. Lauren i...

The Lombardy region of Italy, bordered on the north by Switzerland and south by the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, has a fascinating and complex history.  But where did the name Lombardy originally come from? 

The Lombards were a Germanic tribe who fought their way across Europe during the Early Middle Ages, before settling on the northern part of the Italian Peninsula where they would establish a powerful kingdom that ...

In the lead up to the Sydney exclusive exhibition 'Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs' at the Australian Museum, we are joined on this episode by Egyptologist Dr Bill Manley as he provides a fascinating insight into the Pharaoh who continues to enthral, more than 3,000 years after he ruled Egypt. Known as Ramses the Great, Ramses II was one of the most powerful and influential Pharaohs to have ruled Egypt in its Golden...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter talks with Kaye Tuckerman, who played Broadway in the Donna Summer Musical! - and has appeared in exte...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with showbiz icon Caroline O’Connor, who has played Broadway 3 times - in ‘Chicago’, ‘A Christma...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with Michaeljon Slinger. Born in Queensland, Michaeljon found himself studying in New York in hi...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter talks with Amelia Cormack, who has played on Broadway over the past year in the Tony Award winning Bes...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with Hayden Tee. Hayden is currently touring Australia in the new Musical phenomenon - & Jul...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with Maree Johnson, who opened the premiere Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera in...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with theatre great Tony Sheldon, who triumphed as Bernadette in the musical PRISCILLA QUEEN OF T...

Tune in to this special Broadway Spotlight series, brought to you by Peter Eyers, host of the STAGES podcast. In January 2024, Peter will be leading a 10-day tour to sample the best of Broadway and New York - alongside a host of cultural experiences at museums and galleries populating The Big Apple.

In this episode, Peter chats with Carmel Dean. Carmel a composer/lyricist, arranger, music supervisor/director, and conductor...

Cuba is one of those destinations that, merely by its name, conjures up images of vibrant art, soul stirring music and colonial streets populated by enormous ancient Chevrolets. But what is the real story of Cuba and what is Cuba like today?

In this episode we are joined by Dr Stephen Wilkinson - Chairman of the International Institute for the Study of Cuba - to discuss. Stephen first visited Cuba in 1986 and has been trav...

Since the first official excavations in 1748, Pompeii has captured the popular imagination of the Western world, and there has never been a better time to visit with new finds still emerging in the current excavations.

Much of the site, which for many years was closed to the public, is now accessible and some of the new impressive finds can be viewed in situ or in the newly re-opened museum on site.

In this episod...

When Masada was excavated in the 1960s, Israel was a very new country (less than 20 years old), full of immigrants from many different backgrounds, and was struggling to find an identity beyond being the homeland for the Jews after the horrors of the Holocaust.

One of the reasons that Prof. Yigael Yadin went to dig at this forgotten site was to create a social link with the ancient Jewish state that was destroyed by the Ro...

From primary school, all Australian school children learn about the sacrifice of the first Anzacs at Gallipoli. However, it's sometimes surprising to learn that Australians have served in battles and wars in every corner of the globe for over 200 years, participating in some very unexpected conflicts.

From the tale of Sub-Lieutenant Dick Pirrie, the first Australian killed during the D-Day Allied assault on the Norman...

There are two great theatre districts of the world – The West End in London and Broadway in New York. It can be argued strongly over which is the more dominant or important, but in popular culture Broadway shines brightest. So iconic did the lights of Broadway become that when they were dimmed during World War I, public demand forced the federal government to increase the city’s coal ration so that the lights could be restored.

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) is one of the most significant figures of the Ancient World, whose legacy is both far reaching and profound.

His 13-year reign as the king of Macedonia forged one of the largest empires in history and is said to be the start of the Hellenistic period. Mythologised as a classical hero and considered a military genius by many, there are now quite divergent opinions on his rule and its lasting...

At is heart, Vienna is city of palaces and gardens, museums, music and tradition. For more than 400 years it was the jewel in the glittering imperial crown of the Habsburgs.

However, there is also another side to Vienna - one that is less well-known and less visited. The Wiener Moderne refers to a short cultural era around the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries that saw an astonishing period of creativity in V...