Rapport and the Real Answer

iPod Traveller

As a show about Europe, iPod Traveller has a pretty expansive scope: the range of topics is seemingly endless, so if you're not interested in one show you may be in the next.

It has a very promising opening: a very dynamic tune to kick things off. The dueling host model, Andrea the American and Nick the Brit, is entertaining. Nick plays the more knowledgeable one, while Andrea is kind of silly and bubbly. They have a good rapport.

Their "shout out" to credit listener comments is clever in that their listeners most likely love to hear about themselves, but it's kind of laborious if you're not listening for your own name/comment. However, I congratulate Andrea and Nick for doing an excellent job of promoting their show as they seem to have an abundance of listeners and loads of feedback from them.

But it takes them nearly 12 minutes (out of 30) to get into the real topic of each show: the destination.

By coincidence, the first episode I listened to was about Budapest. Nick and Andrea start by talking about how to get here and the numerous low cost airlines.

I must say I appreciated Nick's candor in his answer to the following: What's your favorite thing in Budapest?

"The women," he answers emphatically.

Nick, however, backpedals and says its really the thermal baths that are his favorite thing. In general, the picture they paint about the baths is okay, but they're sometimes weak on the specifics. They tell us, for example, that most of Budapest's thermal baths emerged in the 1920s. Hmmm. Did someone say "Turkish Occupation"? Well, don't expect them to be the ultimate authorities on every destination - overall the general information they provide is good.

iPod Traveller is an entertaining podcast that intrigues with various destinations and would definitely be a good supplement to your guidebook.

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