Wild Chats with Ben Southall

Join Ben Southall and bestselling author, journalist and endurance expert Alex Hutchinson for a fascinating conversation about curiosity, exploration and why stepping into the unknown might be one of the most important things we can do for our brains.

Alex, author of The Explorer's Gene and Endure, explains why humans are naturally driven to explore, how modern technology is quietly removing uncertainty from our lives, and why getting a little lost could actually make us happier, more resilient and more creative.

Connect with Alex:
Website: https://www.alexhutchinson.net

🎙️ Hosted by
Ben Southall from Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com/
Wild Earth Australia: https://www.wildearth.com.au/

Join Ben Southall and mountain guide, climber, backcountry skier and K7 Adventures co-owner Lewis Foster for a conversation about growing up in Australia's alpine country, finding purpose in the outdoors, and why wild places continue to shape who we are.

Raised in Thredbo by ski-loving parents, Lewis spent his childhood exploring the Snowy Mountains long before he realised how special they were. From skiing and snowboarding to climbing, mountaineering, highlining and backcountry travel, he shares the adventures, mistakes and lessons that led him from mountain kid to outdoor guide and adventure business owner.

Connect with K7 Adventures:
https://www.k7adventures.com
https://www.instagram.com/k7adventures

Learn more about the Wild Winter Immersion:
https://explore.k7adventures.com/wild-winter-immersion

🎙️ Hosted by
Ben Southall from Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com/
Wild Earth Australia: https://www.wildearth.com.au/

Join Ben Southall and filmmaker, long-distance hiker and storyteller Bart Schrijver for a conversation about life on the trail, the freedom of walking, and how adventure can shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

From hiking the 3,000-kilometre Te Araroa Trail across New Zealand to solo journeys through the remote landscapes of Norway, Bart shares how long-distance walking became a path to self-discovery, creativity and a completely different way of living. They explore the mental challenges of spending months on the trail, the surprising lessons that come from solitude, and why some of the most important adventures happen inside your own head.

Bart also takes us behind the scenes of his award-winning films, including Human Nature and his latest release, The North, a cinematic journey through the Scottish Highlands. He shares what it's really like to create films in remote wilderness, carrying everything on foot, working with tiny crews, embracing unpredictable weather, and capturing authentic stories in some of the world's wildest places.

Connect with Bart:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartschrijver1
Tuesday Studio: https://tuesdayfilm.com/
Watch Human Nature: https://tuesdayfilm.com/human-nature/
Watch The North: https://tuesdayfilm.com/the-north/

🎙️ Hosted by
Ben Southall from Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com
Wild Earth Australia: https://www.wildearth.com.au

Join Ben Southall and adventurer Alastair Humphreys for a conversation about big expeditions, small adventures and why the outdoors doesn’t have to be far away, expensive or extreme to change your life. From cycling around the world and walking across deserts to the rise of microadventures, Al shares how curiosity, storytelling and paying attention to nature can help us reconnect with the world around us.

Connect with Al: https://alastairhumphreys.com
Buy his new book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Unwilded-Natural-Without-Noticing-Matters/dp/1785634836
Check out the beer can camera: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXrpldrDU3G/

🎙️ Hosted by
Ben Southall from Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com/
Wild Earth Australia: https://www.wildearth.com.au/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Adventure and Micro-Adventures
05:04 The Journey Begins: From University to Adventure Travel
10:51 Cycling the Karakoram Highway: A First Big Adventure
16:10 The Evolution of Adventure Storytelling
21:53 Challenges in Adventure: Pushing Boundaries
28:07 The Future of Adventure and Storytelling
33:17 Final Thoughts and Resources for Adventure Seekers

Ben Southall sits down with Wild Earth’s own Danielle Lewis to unpack the wild, exhausting and addictive world of adventure racing. As Wild Earth’s retail area manager and an experienced adventure racer, Danny has taken on everything from 24-hour races to multi-day expedition events across Australia and New Zealand.

In this episode, Dani shares what it's really like to race through remote terrain, navigate under pressure, paddle through freezing conditions, battle sleep deprivation, and keep moving when everything hurts. She also reflects on her recent race in New Zealand, where a brutal ocean paddle, rough surf and a frightening emergency moment pushed her team to their limits.

🎙️ Hosted by
Ben Southall from Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com/
Wild Earth Australia: https://www.wildearth.com.au/