Word Travels

- Season 3

(2010)

Not to be confused with the US state, Georgia has a rich medieval history, complete with weapons and folklore. As Robin suits up in traditional costume to learn the art of battle, Julia discovers her inner head banger with the help of local rockers, and online social networks. Top up the journey with a discovery that the region is the birthplace of wine and oh the celebration to come.

What is an active volcano if not the perfect slope to ride down? Robin hikes to the peak of Cerro Negro to feel the heat and the thrill of sandboarding while Julia investigates the story of fair trade coffee. From soil to cup she learns how consumer choices back home impact a small coffee-growing community. Emotions run high as Robin and Julia examine the controversial trend of poverty tourism, when they visit families making a living inside Managua's garbage dump.

Chile's miles of coastline, soaring Andean peaks and parched desert, invite Robin and Julia to to explore it all Fulfilling a life long dream, Robin cat-boards high in the snowcapped Andes. At sea level Julia explores Chile's cultural capital to find out what attracts so many artists to this region. When the writers head north to the Atacama Desert they experience scenery so breathtaking and a sunset so inspirational it leaves them pondering life and the future.

Italy in the summer is a challenge not only for travelers but even more so for writers hunting down a never-been-told-before story to pitch, write, and sell. Julia finds a gladiator school that teaches Roman history in a truly hands-on environment. Robin heads to the "Engine of Europe" and the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories, hoping to test drive the world's sexiest automobiles. Since Italy and food are one in the same, together our hosts slurp their way through Modena, home to the other black gold, balsamic vinegar.

Few landscapes are as awe-inspiring as the Canadian Rockies, so if there's a story to be found, it's likely on these peaks. Julia and Robin climb aboard a helicopter for the breathtaking experience of heli-yoga. Then, back on earth, sort of, Julia visits the town of Vulcan, famous for its Star Trek-based tourism. And since this is the wild wild Canadian west, Robin tries his hand at some real-life ranching

Russia presents its challenges for journalists filming a TV show, but even with the red tape and permits stories must be found. Julia investigates the black market for sturgeon caviar while Robin takes a deeper look into majestic Moscow metro. Together they get an exclusive glimpse into the reality of space travel, visiting the Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City.

The moment you step onto the island of Barbados you are wrapped in warmth, sun, and surf, but for travel writers filing stories that means turning vacation activities into story ideas. Robin attacks the turquoise waves from various angles with a Bajan surfing legend while Julia spends a little time up-close and personal with endangered, Hawksbill Turtles helping to send them off on their incredible life journey.

Robin and Julia head to Terceira, an emerald island in the Azores, for the thrilling summer festivities. Only here do bulls roam the streets, the beaches, and arenas, daring locals, and travel writers, to stare them down. Back over the North Atlantic to Lisbon, our writers explore alternative city tours, including a remarkable sightseeing tour that offers no sight at all.

The traffic, chaos, and 3000 years of bureaucracy can take their toll, so Robin and Julia choose to belly dance over the Nile. After a visit to the pyramids, Robin heads south to the Sinai desert for fun with an ATV, dirt bike, and dune buggy while Julia, following in the footsteps of her travel writing mother, learns about Egyptian aromatherapy and its role in modern day spa life.

Travel writers need to look beyond resorts. Under old mats in a small hut, Julia finds a delicious story in the form of furry guinea pigs. Robin heads to the mountains to meet a shaman, only to discover he's been cursed. Together they visit local markets, party buses, and cacao plantations, discovering that there's more to Ecuador than the Galapagos Islands.

Heading to Lapland, Julia confronts Santa Claus with some unanswered childhood questions. Robin turns the economic recession into an opportunity, by writing a story about exploring Helsinki one of Europe's most expensive cities on just 20 euros a day. Together, under the Midnight Sun, things get sweaty when the writers strip down to understand the tradition of Finnish smoke saunas.

Robin and Julia head to the Masai Mara National Park for the legendary migration of the wildebeest. While the largest movement of animals on earth parade by, Robin reflects on his African roots, and Julia her love for Africa. Together, they relish the opportunity of staying in a luxury safari lodge, learning traditions from local Masai villagers, and the etiquette of game viewing

Robin and Julia arrive in North Africa for a challenging press trip. Shepherded to beautiful Roman ruins, they discover that old rocks can wear thin. Within the confines of a jam-packed schedule and the pressures of a boisterous local guide, their road trip becomes a hunt for something beyond the ruins of empires lost.

Africa is in dire need of good stories, and both writers are determined to find them. Julia explores the cosmopolitan side of Nairobi when she finds a local fashion designer determined to put Kenyan fashion on the international stage. Robin investigates the Flying Doctors, Africa's largest air ambulance service, encountering its inspiring characters in the streets, the hospitals, and the air.