The Blogger and the Radio Show

When the locals’ favourite Bondi FM closed down, a gap was left where there was once a much loved community radio station. So two guys, Chris and Strachan, decided to launch a new station called Bondi Beach Radio, enlisting Bondi FM’s manager Nat and most of the favourite station DJs.

Chris knew that what the new schedule needed was a show that plugged into Bondi’s travel scene. Bondi is, after all, Australia’s most iconic beach, and where many a traveller heads straight off the plane. But they needed a host: someone as into music as they are into travel.

Thankfully Chris and I have a mutual friend.

Lynne and I were in New York together last year and share a love of the intrepid, and she was aware of my passion for indie music too (likely through the spam-scale music review posts I’d been doing of late, since I started writing for the blog Repeat Button late last year) so she gave me a word up to Chris. And the next thing, I’m talking to him about a possible direction for the show.

What kind of travel did you want to focus on?

We discussed a format where all aspects of the travel scene are explored, from country profiles to travel news, the best travel apps or how to take great photos of your trip, and interviews with everyone from the average traveller to the experts. A show where international destinations were as key as representing #Bondi and wider Sydney.

With a focus on indie music, the show was also to feature new music from here and overseas, with a look at where the music is from (though somehow when it comes to indie music, Brooklyn seems to get an unfairly large representation).

So in addition to speaking to bands about their newest tracks, I would get them to spill their travel tales from the road, the festivals they’ve discovered, other bands they’ve met and the music influences they picked up along the way.

Musicians do, after all, spend a whole lot of time on the road.

Katie Mayors, host of Wanderlust

How have you found the role of radio DJ on a travel show?

Within a few weeks I was on air, nervous, but excited as hell. And in the four or so months the show has been on air, it’s burst travel into my life every week.

I’ve been able to interview some of my favourite travel writers, Ben Groundwater and Brendan Shanahan, chat with adventurer Tim Cope about his amazing travels on the trail of Genghis Khan, do a live update from the Rock en Seine music festival in Paris, as well as do an interview from a ferry on the azure waters of Croatia.

Who else have you spoken to in the travel space?

I’ve spoken to a Bondi surf instructor, a guy who works at the local backpackers, people putting on Bondi theatre, and a foodie about the best eats around town. I’ve also spoken to bands such as Watussi, Loon Lake, The Trouble with Templeton, and many more.

And then I had one of my favourite shows yet – talking travel writing from two perspectives – that of Sue White who is a freelance writer for places like the Sydney Morning Herald, as well as teacher of travel writing at Australian Writers’ Centre; and of course yourself from the award-winning blog that people now find themselves reading.

After speaking with you, I’ve decided to get my own blog off the ground and shoot for my travel #writing dreams. I was so inspired. 

A room with a view – iconic Bondi Beach in the distance

Having appeared on the show and after tuning in on a regular basis, I’d thoroughly recommend taking a listen for your own weekly hit of travel which, if I’m honest, I don’t think I’ve heard on other radio stations.

Tune in to #Wanderlust on Bondi Beach Radio, Wednesdays 6-8pm either through the website here or via TuneIn here because, in Katie’s words, “there is still so much ground to cover so come along for the adventure”.

To hear my radio interview, here’s the link again – Wanderlust Session 18 Oct 2013 – Travel Writing, Blogging, Expat Adventures.

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