World travels shared in podcast
"That Blind Woman" Julie Woods and husband Ron Esplin host The World in 360 Minutes on OAR FM. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Though Julie Woods and husband Ron Esplin have seen the world through different eyes, they bring a shared vision to a new radio show and podcast series on OAR FM.
The World in 360 Minutes is a 36-part exploration of the couple's globetrotting adventures.
Each group of 10-minute episodes in the series is connected through a common theme, starting with "Around the World in 80 Minutes", which focuses on Ron's eight decades of international travel.
By the age of 10, Ron had been around the world one and a-half times by ship, crossing the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
By age 80, the tally of countries Ron has visited is 80, many with Julie, who is blind, as his travel companion.
Travelling by land, sea and air, Ron recorded his impressions of the sights he saw through watercolour paintings, some of which feature in the couple's recently published book Around the World in 80 Years.
Julie's travel tales are informed by sound, smell, touch and taste. Her plan is to have brought her own tourist tally to 60 countries before her 60th birthday in January, 2026.
The radio and podcast series features the pair in lively conversation about their experiences.
The World in 360 Minutes airs on Saturdays at 10am on 105.4FM and 1575AM.
Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz and other major platforms.
A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at www.oar.org.nz
By Jeff Harford,
Community liaison, OAR FM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Sister-cities relationships explored in podcast
Nathan Woodfield hosts the Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Podcast on OAR FM. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A new radio show and podcast is exploring the rich cultural connection between Dunedin and its Japanese sister city, Otaru. The programme is hosted by Nathan Woodfield, secretary of Dunedin-Otaru Sister Cities Society. Growing up in Osaka, he lived there until age 10, when his parents returned to their New Zealand homeland. He subsequently returned to Japan to work in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, which is aimed at promoting grassroots international exchange between Japan and other nations. The first episode of the series featured a conversation with Bronwyn Thomson, a local high school teacher of Japanese language. Ms Thomson talked about her experience learning the language, and shared stories from her visits to Japan. In episode two, Mr Woodfield told his own story and covered some of the history of Otaru. He said he was looking forward to speaking with Dunedin locals who have a Japanese connection, and to people from Dunedin now living in Japan. The podcast will also promote local events, such as the Hiroshima-Nagasaki 80th Memorial Photo Exhibition to be held at the H.D. Skinner Annex, Tūhura Otago Museum, in August. "It's really special that from 10,000 kilometres away we can join in a global call for peace." Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Podcast is broadcast every fourth Monday at 6pm on 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from and other major platforms. A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at By Jeff Harford
Otago Daily Times
01-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Gold Guitars final crowd drawcard
The 50th annual MLT Gold Guitar Awards Senior Finals began impressively last night with a sold-out stadium and a jam-packed lineup of country music's finest. The event is the big finale for the Bayleys Tussock Country music festival, and what a show it promised to be for the 1100 people in attendance. Musicians brought their very best to the Gore Town & Country Club, all vying for their place among New Zealand country music royalty. There were plenty of home-town heroes such as the Mitchell family, with twins Nicola and Maegan competing against their father Ron in the singer/songwriter section. Notably Ron's daughter and the twins' sister Jenny Mitchell won the overall award back in 2017, setting a high watermark for the country music family. Fan favourite Jeremy Hantler, of the Harmonic Resonators, wowed the audience during the Traditional section, with an impressive show of vocal range and control. Australia sent over a bit of strong competition too, in the form of Jon Collins. The grand prize for the Senior category is $3000, a Martin D-28 Satin Acoustic Guitar, a fully produced single and publicity package as well as other prizes to help the winner's career. The winner will also be flown out to the 2026 Tamworth Country Music Festival to show off the fine work of the Gold Guitars. Finalists and winners were yet to be announced at the time of writing, and convener Phillip Geary said this year it was a strongly contested competition. "It's going to be a very close call this year. "Some years we can see it from the first audition, but this is a lot tighter. The quality is high, very high," he said. Mr Geary had a lot to celebrate, with sold-out shows across the block like the 50th anniversary Golden Guitars show on Thursday, which featured 22 past Gold Guitar winners. Heavy hitters from past and present set a high bar for the competitors, showing exactly what it meant to take up the mantle of winning the award. Mr Geary knew what the Gold Guitars meant for a young musician — a chance to rise the ranks into country music royalty. "This is a steppingstone for anyone who is serious about their career, and their music," he said.
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Boosting coverage of creative sector
DCC Ara Toi Creative Partnerships advisers Sean Norling and Amie Taua host Ara Toi On Air on OAR FM. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Dunedin's creative sector is receiving greater coverage on OAR FM. Ara Toi On Air is a fortnightly programme dedicated to highlighting the dynamic arts scene in Otago. Hosted by Dunedin City Council Ara Toi Creative Partnerships advisers Sean Norling and Amie Taua, the radio programme and podcast opens a window to community arts projects across various disciplines, local practitioners, cultural events and the broader arts ecosystem. Each episode features interviews with local artists, or segments covering local arts projects. The show is further enriched by a broad selection of local music, showcasing the diverse talent and depth from the region. Recent episodes have included chats with Christine Keller about The Loom Room, with Jones Chin, publican of the Crown Hotel, and with Peter Porteous, organiser of the biennial Dunedin experimental music festival Lines of Flight. Creative Partnerships supports Dunedin creative practitioners with guidance, resources, and advocacy so they can do what they do best. The team develops and maintains relationships with external creative institutions and agencies, internal DCC teams, and the local creative communities. Ara Toi On Air is broadcast every second Thursday at noon on 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from and other major platforms. A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at
