Far From Home

About

An immersive travel and culture documentary podcast where Peabody award-winning public radio journalist Scott Gurian reports fascinating stories from faraway places and makes you feel like you’re really there! On past episodes, he’s road tripped 18,000 mi. (29,000 km) from the UK to Mongolia and back, visited Iran as an American tourist, wandered through abandoned buildings in Chernobyl, and participated in a hallucinogenic healing ceremony in Peru. Learn more and view bonus content at farfromhomepodcast.org

Far From Home: Season 1 Trailer
On the first season of Far From Home, I take an 11,000 mi. / 18 country road trip in a ridiculously tiny car
01: Getting Started
The story of how this whole crazy adventure came about.
01a: Bonus Episode
A bonus episode featuring me being interviewed on The Backgrounder podcast.
02: What Kind of Car Do You Drive to Mongolia?
We make the most important decision of our entire trip: what kind of car to drive.
03: What Will We Eat?
We figure out what two pescatarians will eat in the meat-loving countries of Central Asia.
04: Final Preparations Before the Big Day
We make final preparations before setting out on our 11,000 mile journey.
04a: For a Good Cause
I travel to Haiti to introduce you to the charity we'll be supporting on our trip.
05: Hitting the Road
After a year of planning, we go to southern England to embark upon our journey.
06: Mad Dash Across Europe
We overcome our fears and throw our plans out the window as we drive across Europe.
07: The Real Rally Begins
The roads get rougher and our journey becomes more interesting in Eastern Europe.
08: Not What We Expected
Our road trip continues across Turkey, and we're surprised by what we see.
09: An Eye-opening Experience
As American tourists, we’re pleasantly surprised by how welcome we feel in Iran.
10: Culture Clash
We visit Iran's holiest mosque and break down again while driving across the desert.
11: Just Plain Weird
We visit Turkmenistan, a profoundly odd country where we feel like we’re being watched.
11a: Bonus Episode – Voices From the Door to Hell
A bonus episode of conversations with other rally teams at Turkmenistan’s Door to Hell.
12: Breaking Down
A mechanic in eastern Turkmenistan repairs the hole in our radiator, but our car still won't start.
13: Should We Stay or Should We Go?
After our car breaks down in Turkmenistan, we run into trouble trying to get it fixed
14: From Bad to Worse
After towing our broken down car to Bukhara, Uzbekistan, we finally get a proper diagnosis of what's wrong with it.
15: Whatever It Takes
While we wait for our car to be repaired in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, we encounter an endless list of unexpected challenges.
16: The Roads Get Rougher
We drive along the Afghan border on one of the most spectacular and potentially dangerous roads in the world
17: Stranded
After camping at 13,000 feet, our car refuses to start, and we get stranded in the most remote place we've been.
18: Wrong Way
After being told our car is on its last legs, we face several new challenges: climbing to the top of a 15k ft. mountain pass and getting horribly lost.
19: One Surprise After Another
Borat jokes aside, Kazakhstan turns out to be fascinating, friendly, and full of surprises.
20: The Going Gets Tough
We finally arrive in Mongolia and see that its notoriously bad roads live up to their reputation!
21: A Costly Mistake
After our cars get stranded in Mongolia, we contact the embassy and wait for help to arrive.
22: The Longest Day Ever
A combination of bad decisions and really bad luck lead to a complicated rescue and a really long day!
23: The Finish Line!
After 53 days and 11,000 miles on the road, we finally near the finish line of our journey!
24: Looking Back
I look back at our 11,000 mi. journey and discuss what it was like returning to everyday life.
Far From Home: Season 2 trailer
We venture to more far-flung places and continue telling stories off the beaten path
Visiting Chernobyl
I take a trip to Ukraine to visit the abandoned villages surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
The Largest Fish Market in the World
I attend the early morning tuna auction at Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market before it closes for good
Learning to Throat Sing
I visit the remote Russian republic of Tuva to learn about the traditional music and take a throat singing class
Another Brick in the Wall
In Belfast, walls and fences continue to divide Protestants and Catholics, 20 years after fighting officially ended.
Medicine Man
I go to Peru and tag along with a traditional medicine man as he searches for a stone with magical powers
Ayahuasca
In Peru, I attend a traditional healing ceremony where people drink a hallucinogenic potion called ayahuasca
Ayahuasca - bonus episode
My friend Dennis tells the story of the time he tried ayahuasca in Peru, and how it didn't affect him either.
Before It's Too Late
I travel to Cambodia and visit places that are no longer the way they used to be
Balloon Hats
The remarkable story of Addi Somekh's worldwide travels, spreading peace and joy through balloon hats
Haiti: Ten Years Later
A decade after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, I revisit my reporting and get an update on the situation
Meet Your Maker
On this episode, I share listener comments, respond to some questions, and talk more about my background
Mother Russia
I enlist the help of an American journalist in Moscow to help me interpret and understand Russian culture
Junkanoo
A visit to the annual Junkanoo parade in The Bahamas, an all-night celebration of music and dance
Revisiting Iran
A story from my drive across Iran in the summer of 2016, when I met the friendlist people in the world
Touring North Korea with The Radio Vagabond (bonus episode)
A story from The Radio Vagabond podcast about what it's like to visit North Korea as a tourist
No Place Like Home
We hear from an American traveler who was stranded abroad as a result of coronavirus
Finding the Helpers (with The Bittersweet Life)
We hear how COVID-19 is affecting Italy, and we listen to an episode of The Bittersweet Life podcast
Pandemic Diary (with On Spec)
Journalist Fariba Nawa tells me how COVID-19 is affecting Turkey, and she shares an episode of her podcast, On Spec
Traveling While Black
Funny and sad stories of what it's like being an African American traveling in their own country and abroad
Double Your Bubble, Double Your Fun
Canadians in Newfoundland try an experiment in social distancing that forces them to make difficult decisions
Green Book
A digital travel safety guide for African Americans and members of other marginalized groups
The Island No One Owns
A collaboration with Planet Money to tell the story of Barbuda, whose communal land system is under threat
COVID Stories Part 1
Friends and colleagues around the world share their stories from the pandemic and the lockdown
New Orleans 15 Years Later
On the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I revisit some conversations I had with New Orleanians following the storm
COVID Stories Part 2
More friends and colleagues from around the world share their stories from the pandemic
Day of the Deceased
I visit one of the world's largest cemeteries in Peru, where people come to pay respects to their loved ones
Close to Home
In this era of COVID-19, you don't necessarily have to travel far away to go on an adventure
Japarican Christmas
A mash-up of cultures celebrates the holiday season on a tropical island
Foreign Correspondence
The backstory of how Far From Home host Scott Gurian got into journalism
Te Araroa
Justin and Patrice's hike across New Zeland ends up surprising them in all the best ways
The Sounds of Silence
One of the overlooked impacts of COVID-19 is that it's changed the way the world sounds
Revisiting Belfast
We get an update on the recent riots in Belfast and listen back to a documentary I produced for 99% Invisible
Oklahoma City
Stories from the Oklahoma City bombing, which took place on April 19th, 1995
Revisiting Chernobyl
On the 35th anniverary of Chernobyl, I revisit an old episode about the time I visited the site of the disaster
COVID Stories Part 3
Friends and colleagues from Africa, Europe, and the Americas share updates from the pandemic
Tuning in the World
Shortwave and pirate radio aficionado David Goren shares recordings he's made monitoring the airwaves
Out of Your Comfort Zone
Stories from travelers whose plans went horribly awry
Revisiting the Mongol Rally
Looking back on my road trip to Mongolia, 5 years later
Stockholm Norms (with Here There Be Dragons)
Podcast host Jess Myers shares her recent episode about the pressure Swedes feel to conform
The Stories of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Family members of 9/11 victims tell the story of why they're calling for peace
How did I end up here?
What starts out as an ordinary sushi dinner with co-workers turns into an unforgettable adventure
Playing Tour Guide (with The Radio Vagabond)
I show a world traveler some lesser-known attractions around my own city of New York
COVID Stories Part 4
The latest installment in my series checking in with colleagues around the world living through Covid-19
Cell Phone Santa
An act of Christmas charity goes horribly awry
Revisiting Central Asia
In light of recent developments in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, I revisit some earlier episodes
Ukraine
Conversations with Ukrainians in the Midst of a War
Refugee Stories
While Ukraine captures all the world's attention, refugees from other places share their stories
What Shelter Means to Me
How do you "shelter in place" during a pandemic if you don't live in a typical home?
Ayahuasca Reexamined
I take another look at my series of stories on my visit to a hallucinogenic healing ceremony
The Salvage Car Silk Road
I follow the journey of a totaled Lexus from Turkmenistan back to a driveway in suburban New Jersey
Turkmenistan Revisited
My friends and I visit Turkmenistan, a profoundly odd country where we feel like we're being watched
Off the Beaten Jack
Brit Jack Boswell takes an Amtrak train across the country and discovers the real America
Stranger in a Strange Land
An American expat describes life in New York, life in the Netherlands, and getting caught in between
18 Years in Rome (with The Bittersweet Life)
Tiffany Parks, co-host of The Bittersweet Life podcast, discusses life as an American expat
Stories From Flyover Country
Two stories I reported many years ago when I lived in Oklahoma
Prison Rodeo
A visit to the world’s only behind-the-walls prison rodeo, where inmates compete for prizes
Every Country Without Flying
The story of a Danish explorer who spent close to a decade traveling the world to set a new record
Eclipse Chaser
A field trip with my brother to northern New England to experience a total solar eclipse
Season 4 Trailer
A new season of episodes coming Tuesday, October 8th
Freetown Christiania
After more than 50 years, Copenhagen's famous anarchist commune faces an uncertain future
Christiania bonus episode
More content I didn't have room to include in my documentary about Christiania
Canadian Cuisine
I visit Toronto to try to solve the mystery of how exactly to define Canadian cuisine
Winging It
A recent interview I did with the Winging It Travel Podcast
World Reacts to Trump
A montage of voices from around the world reacting to the recent U.S. election
Christmas in Puerto Rico Revisited
A mash-up of cultures celebrates the holidays on a tropical island
Man Without a Country
The story of a young Russian journalist now living in exile
Hitting the Ice
How a hockey team represents the hopes and dreams of the people of Quebec
Foreign Aid
Voices from around the world reflecting on the loss of crucial U.S. humanitarian assistance
Citizen of the World
The story of Garry Davis, who renounced his American nationality for world peace
Balloon Hats (repeat)
Addi Somekh traveled the world, spreading peace and joy by making balloon hats
Human Library
A visit to a special library in Denmark where the "books" are people
On the Ground in Ukraine with Terrell Jermaine Starr (with Making Peace Visible)
A conversation with a Black American journalist covering the war in Ukraine

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