There’s plenty of variety in this episode. Aussie contributor John Crook heads across the Tasman Sea in this week’s edition, To start the show he reviews its award-winning Marlborough wines. Later in the program he tours the South Island and interviews Debbie Rhodes of the Transport Museum at Lake Wanaka and then Peter Morrison of The Classic Villa, Christchurch. Our European contributor Frances Beasley has all the latest deals in the United Kingdom (although some of them are not for bargain hunters). The US team, Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull discuss some of their favourite types of holidays and destinations.

Our Aussie wine buff John Crook starts off this week’s program with a review of Koonowla product from the Clare Valley in South Australia. European correspondent Frances Beasley then updates listeners on the Eurostar rail service between London and Brussells or Paris. From the studios of AM-1290 in Santa Barbara, Arthur von Wiesenberger chats with station personaly Michael Cervin who is visiting the Okaganan Valley winery district of British Columbia (Canada). John Crook follows this segment with a couple of interviews he recorded on his recent New Zealand South Island holiday. Firstly he chats with Ron Peacock of Firodland Lodge and then meets Tom Butler who runs Gracemere, about 90 minutes out of Christchurch.

First segment in this edition features Aussie rovivng reporter John Crook reviewing Mrs Wigley Muscata - another good Australian drop of wine (despite its funny name)! Our French-based correspondent Frances Beasley heads out of her Dordogne home region to explore the historic town of Correze in central France. John Crook then reveals plans to launch a new luxury train service in India, titled Maharajah Express, early next year. This should prove a popular way for tourists to see the sights of the sub-continent! From the US studio (in downtown sunny Santa Barbara) guest hosts Martha Bull and Peter Noone chat with Sue Frausse, who has recently returned from an Arctic cruise. To wrap up the show, John Crook sends us an ‘audio postcard’ from the snow resort of Falls Creek, Victoria.

On this show I firstly introduce  John Crook and his weekly wine segment, this time focusing on Stockman’s Ridge wines, Australia. You can get your own piece of ‘bush prose’ placed on one of their labels in a current competition. We then head to the US studio where Martha Bull and the irreverent (and irrepressable) Peter Noone chat about Telluride, an interesting town near Las Vegas, Nevada. Frances Beasley then takes the mic to report on fig season in France. John Crook returns, this time with news on an interesting Adriatic Sea cruise itinerary. The final segment features US host Arthur von Wiesenberger giving his impressions on Portland, Maine. Thanks for listening!

-Ren Zwiers

To start the show, our Aussie roving reporter John Crook reviews Mud House Wines from New Zealand. Following this, Frances Beasley reports on the Donkey Festivals of regional France (which she calls home these days). John Crook returns to  interview Suzie Mathers and David Sommerville, two of the stars in the current national touring musical production of ‘Mama Mia’ in Australia. From the US studio, Arthur von Wiesenberger chats with Santa Barbara TV news reporter Martha Bull about her recent week-long stay in a Tuscan villa (Italy). Lucky girl! Don’t forget to bookmark our new ‘easy to remember’ domain name, travelradioaustralia.com which will take you straight to this home page. We hope yo enjoy the show!

CRN (Australia) broadcast date: 14 October 2009

In this edition, John Crook reviews Jacobs Creek 2005 St Hugo Cab Sav. Arthur von Wiesenberger and Peter Noone chat with US author David Farley about his search for a holy relic (would you believe Jesus’ foreskin?). Frances Beasley takes us surfing in Biarritz (yes, they do surf in France). Martha Bull and Peter Noone chat with Kent St John of gonomad.com who has recently returned from Brazil.

John Crook reviews Jim Barry 2007 Lodge Hill Chiraz. Arthur von Wiesenberger and Peter Noone discover the eastern seaboard of the United States. Frances Beasley reports on the annual hunting season in rural France. John Crook has news of a fundraising tour visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Broken Hill. From the US studio in Santa Barbara, hosts Arthur von Wiesenberger and Peter Noone chat with guest Max Hartshorne about the latter’s home base, New Jersey coast.

John Crook chats with John Dixon, GM of Werribee Mansion hotel (Victoria, Australia). Frances Beasley takes us to Kenbu Kenya (East Africa). Arthur von Wiesenberger (with the help of a couple of studio guests) interviews Bonny Tsui, author of a book on Chinatowns in  the US. John Crook sends us an audio postcard from Canberra (Australia).

John Crook reviews a drop of Tyrrells Chiraz from the Hunter Valley (Australia). Arthur von Wiesenberger chats with Kent St John about a recent trip to Beijing and Shanghai. John Crook promotes Windourie Week festivities (NSW, Australia). Frances Beasley describes the current blackberry gluttony in her home region in France. John Crook sends an audio postcard from Phillip Island (Victoria, Australia).

John Crook visits Werribee Zoo in Victoria (Australia) and chats with new director Sally Lewis. US host Arthur von Wiesenberger chats with studio guest Peter Noone (of Herman’s Hermits) about Lausanne Switzerland and its magnifient Beau Rivage Palace hotel on Lake Geneva. Frances Beasley explores Bosham on the south coast of England. John Crook reviews Taylor’s Wines from the Clare Valley (South Australia).