Experience the world from your sofa | Part 1

If (like us) travel is the pick-me-up that gets you through the winter months (or any month, for that matter!), then being cooped up in the midst of a global pandemic can feel more than a tad frustrating.

If you’re laying low, why not let the world come to you instead?

We’re a travel company made up entirely of travellers. That means, our specialists aren’t just wizards at planning holidays, they’re also pretty nifty at soothing those itchy feet with all kinds of travel-inspired goodness.

To help you get that little bit closer to the destinations you’ve been dreaming of visiting, we’re doing a weekly round-up of our favourite  TV programmes, films, books and recipes that’ll whisk your mind away to far-away lands.

The best travel programmes, films, music, books, recipes, apps and more

Virtual tours

In this digital age, you don’t even have to set foot outside to visit your favourite places. With Google’s Arts & Culture App, there’s a whole world of digital tours to choose from – from the MET in New York City, to the Hermitage in Russia. And if you’re desperate to “travel” further afield, then why not take a virtual holiday to some of our favourite destinations around the world? Dive into a 360° view of the Galapagos islands, where iguanas bathe in the sun. Fly over the snow-blanketed canyons of Bryce Canyon National Park in the USA and get lost in a world of rainforests, volcanoes and waterfalls in Indonesia. Trust us, it’s highly addictive!

TV

One of our favourite shows on the box right now is Race Across the World on BBC2. This series (which airs every Sunday evening at 8pm) follows a group of travellers as they race each other overland from Mexico City to Ushuaia, Argentina. They can choose any route they want but there’s just one catch… no flights or smartphones allowed! We’ve got bets on our favourites in the office, but whose team are you on?

Psst… You can catch up on all the latest episodes of Race Across the World on BBC iPlayer. And if you get completely addicted, you can also watch episodes from the previous series which follows travellers from London to Singapore.

Film

With the likes of Netflix, Now TV and Sky at our fingertips, there’s a never-ending supply of films to indulge in while we hunker down over the coming weeks and months. One of our top choices to watch right now is Only Yesterday, an animated story by the legendary animation company, Studio Ghibli. Following the story of Taeko, a young woman from Tokyo who visits relatives in the Japanese countryside, this is a ‘coming-of-age story’ meets ‘grown-up drama.’ Prepare for heaps of nostalgia and scene-upon-scene of visual artistry.

Music

If you’re partial to a spot of Classic FM’s Most Wanted, then this next suggestion may not come as a big surprise. John Barry’s soundtrack to the film Out of Africa is the ultimate musical escape into the wild. Classic FM call it “the perfect example of a composer managing to capture pictures in sound.” In fact, it’s generally thought to be one of the greatest scores ever written. So pop the kettle on, turn the stereo up and close your eyes as you’re transported to the African Savannah, with brass fanfares, strings, woodwinds – the lot!

Books

In January 1952, 23-year-old Che Guevara embarked on a journey with his mate, Alberto Granado, to explore South America on La Poderosa (“The Powerful One”) – a 500cc Norton. The diaries he wrote en route tell tales of their adventures, disasters and discoveries along the way. This book is a firm Rickshaw favourite, reminding us just how much travel can change you.

Foodie favourites

Gordon Ramsay, watch out! Now that we’re all stuck at home, it’s the perfect time to brush up on those culinary wizard skills. We love sharing recipes around the office. So here’s a foodie favourite from our marketing pro, Hannah.

Vegetable Rösti with a smoky roasted salsa

Breakfast? Starter? Snack? You decide. Here’s a tried and tested Swiss recipe, borrowed from Áine Carlin’s ‘Keep it Vegan’

Salsa ingredients:

150g Cherry tomatoes, halved
½ Teaspoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and roughly chopped
1 Red chilli, deseeded if preferred, and roughly chopped
1 Garlic clove, roughly chopped
½ Teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rösti ingredients:

1 Large courgette, grated
1 Large carrot, grated
1 Baking potato, grated
Pinch of white pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

How to make it:

• Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/gas mark 6.
• Pop the tomatoes on a baking tray. Season, sprinkle over the sugar and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and half the oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes and set aside to cool.
• Add the tomatoes, red peppers, chilli, garlic and smoked paprika into a blender along with the remaining oil, season and blitz to a coarse sauce.
• Place the grated vegetables in the centre of a clean tea towel, pull the edges together and squeeze out all the extra liquid from the veg. Place in a large bowl, and stir in the white pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Stir well to incorporate.
• Heat the remaining oil in a medium pan. Shape the vegetable mixture into individual patties using your hands and add to the pan. Cook over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes or until they begin to brown on the underside, lifting gently with a spatula to check. Carefully flip over the röstis to cook on the other side.
• Once they have browned on the other side (this will take a further 5–10 minutes), serve hot with the salsa and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.

Bon Appétit!

More inspiration, coming soon

Liked our travel-inspired round-up? Pop back next week for another round of inspiration, with our top picks of the best film, TV, books, music and more to keep you entertained.