Part 1 - Flesh-Eating Crabs, Legendary Pub Crawls & Immersive Travel Storytelling w/ Aaron Millar (The Armchair Explorer Podcast)
In this wildly entertaining and deeply insightful episode, James sits down with Aaron Millar, award-winning travel writer and host of The Armchair Explorer Podcast — once named the best travel podcast by The Guardian. From epic pub crawls across England to one of his podcast guests surviving a flesh-eating crab attack in South Africa, Aaron shares his most unbelievable stories, creative processes, and philosophy behind storytelling that feels like travel.
We dive into:
- Aaron’s early adventures hiking the Swiss Alps as a teen
- His unconventional journey from the music industry to travel journalism
- The 100-mile South Downs pub crawl that kickstarted his writing career
- How blagging a “galactic safari” in Tenerife got him published in The Sunday Times
- The gruesome true story of one of his podcast guests getting eaten alive (partially) by crabs
- Why immersive audio is the future of travel storytelling
- Tips for aspiring podcasters and travel writers
- How storytelling can challenge life norms and inspire change
- A philosophical look at why travel changes people
Aaron’s professional writing has appeared in major publications such as The Times, The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller, and Conde Nast Traveller. He's been a regular columnist and feature writer covering adventure, sustainability, and culture, and has also authored several travel books. Aaron brings a rare blend of narrative skill and on-the-ground experience that makes his work both entertaining and deeply human.
🎧 About The Armchair Explorer Podcast
The Armchair Explorer is an award-winning travel podcast that brings the world’s most inspiring adventures to life through immersive storytelling, cinematic music, and real traveler voices. Hosted by travel writer Aaron Millar, each episode is crafted like a documentary — designed to transport you to wild, remote, and fascinating corners of the planet, all from the comfort of your headphones.
Named one of The Guardian's best travel podcasts, The Armchair Explorer isn't just about places — it’s about the emotions, transformations, and deeper connections travel can inspire. Whether it’s horseback riding from Canada to Brazil, cage diving with great white sharks, or stargazing in the highlands of Tenerife, each episode takes you on a journey you’ll never forget.
We had such a good time recording this episode that we came back a few days later to complete Part 2, which will be out next on Winging It. We will delve further into Aaron's podcast, exploring the importance of immersive storytelling, the differences between work and leisure travel as a travel professional, the emotive truth rather than visual spectacles, and more about Aaron's travels.
Whether you're into epic travel mishaps, audio storytelling tips, or just want to hear a grown man outwit a swarm of crabs, this episode has something for you.
Armchair Explorer
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Timestamps
00:00 – Jeb Corliss and the Flesh-Eating Crabs Story
01:21 – Welcome to the Winging It Travel Podcast
02:00 – Aaron's Podcast Praise + Thoughts on El Salvador
04:09 – Aaron’s Life in Colorado & His Move from London
05:40 – Growing Up in Brighton
06:45 – Hiking the Swiss Alps with His Dad
10:06 – Riding the Bernina Express & UK Travel
13:30 – From Music Industry Burnout to Travel Writing
15:00 – 100-Mile South Downs Pub Crawl
17:00 – Blagging the Sunday Times Feature
20:15 – Advice for Freelancers and Creative Risk-Taking
21:36 – Music Industry Burnout & Guitar Chat
22:55 – Can Big Ideas Work in Podcasting Too?
26:10 – The Power of Immersive Storytelling in Audio
32:27 – How He Got Started in Podcasting During COVID
34:14 – Why Audio Beats Video in Some Ways
36:26 – Production Tips, Tools & First Episode Regrets
38:40 – The Guardian Names Armchair Explorer Best Travel Podcast
40:28 – What The Armchair Explorer Is Today
42:09 – Finding New Stories & Wild Ideas
43:29 – Re-telling the Jeb Corliss Crab Story Again
46:35 – The Awe vs. Madness of Adventure
48:43 – The Treadmill of Expectations & Choosing a New Life Path
50:46 – Personal Identity & Travel’s Role in Rewriting the Script
52:26 – From Congo River to Southeast Asia: All Adventures Matter
53:32 – The End of the Pub Crawl
54:45 – What Kind of Traveler Are You Now?
55:48 – Camping Alone & The Power of Solitude
57:02 – Smartphones, Travel, and the Lost Art of Surprise
58:57 – “Where’s Wallace?” & Traveling Blind
01:01:23 – Trusting People While Traveling
01:02:40 – Memory, Presence & Repeating Old Trips
01:04:34 – The Adventurists & Real Adventure
01:05:36 – Culture Shock in Morocco
01:08:08 – Reverse Culture Shock & Patagonia Reflections
01:09:50 – Wrap-Up and Preview for Part Two
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Winging It Travel Podcast Credits
Host/Producer/Creator/Composer/Editor - James Hammond
Contact me - jameshammondtravel@gmail.com
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