Tales from the Departure Lounge

Frequent Flyers Club (Your Stories) April 2023

• Andy Plant & Nick Cuthbert • Season 1 • Episode 0

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Under the threat of a new, rival podcast, Andy hits back with some lyrical firepower. For those who aren't aware, including Andy it would seem, the primary aim of a 'diss track' is to verbally attack another artist - you've been warned. 

We also discuss the LinkedIn debate around a grab-bag and a door wedge (see Episode #7) and reflect on the inspirational guests we've spoken to over the last month. Mentions from Michael Maine (The WorldGrad), Kevin Dunn (UWE) and Sara Sandford (Edified). It gives us a warm fuzzy feeling to know you are listening. You complete us. 

Remember to send in your stories to sickbag@talesfromthedeparturelounge.com 


Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Wow. Sign up to my funky Frequent Flyers Club. Sign up to my funky Frequent Flyers Club. Wow.

Andy:

Welcome to a Special Frequent Flyers Club episode.

Nick:

this is the segue episode we do each month where we look at your stories and hear from the listener community. but I'm saying I think this is more of an emergency meeting, actually, Andy.

Andy:

Yeah, we are cross, aren't we, Nick?

Nick:

somebody has come up with a rival podcast to tales from the departure lounge.

Andy:

It's called Pack Your Bags, it's created by TUI and, hosted by Russell Kane. For legal reasons. It's not a copy of our podcast, they're competitors who, who just so happen to have come up with. An incredibly similar formula, after we created ours. That's all.

Nick:

It does bear a strong resemblance to what we've been doing.

Andy:

it says each episode, our guests will surprise Russell with their three must pack travel items. Sounds familiar. Um, from nostalgic mementos to practical accessories, they will give us an insight into their greatest travel adventures and misadventures. Hmm. And how these experiences have, have enriched their lives. What a great idea

Nick:

Yeah.

Andy:

had independently.

Nick:

Well, stuff's going down and, uh, we haven't, I can't tell myself seriously today.

Andy:

Stuff is going down.

Nick:

Ah, okay. I think you're being too nice about this. Andy, I think you're being too diplomatic. I think what we've gotta do is combat, the threat of Russell Kane, the clear and present danger. And what we have been doing is booking some of the best non-G guests we could find. So we had Jeff Wilson, who is, A wildlife film producer who's worked with Netflix, b BBC on frozen planet, Disney, and he was absolutely brilliant.

Andy:

Amazing episode, if you haven't got it yet.

Nick:

And then we had Alex Beard, who is B BBC radio four presenter and author of Natural Born Learners. Check it out. Um, and he had these amazing tales of traveling around the world looking at teaching and learning styles.

Wow.

Nick:

Whilst we've been doing that, the audience has delivered taking us over 3000 download streams. Thank you so much to everybody who's listened. And you, Andy, have been, preparing a disc track, which is gonna lay down the law

Andy:

Let's hear it. But I, I didn't really understand what you meant. By a disc track, Nick. I was, I was slightly upset, when I wrote this just don't be alarmed, if you find, this track, a little bit edgy.

Wow.

Andy:

Big sigh. You know that feeling you get when you're not really mad about something, but just slightly disappointed, like remembering it's bin day, then forgetting to put the bin out and then hearing the bins being collected when you're still in bed or like opening the dishwasher and finding that it hasn't quite cleaned the plates and now you have to do them all by hand anyway. Or maybe something not very specific like, I don't know when a famous comedian you really admire on a holiday company whose all inclusive holidays you've enjoyed with your family, collaborate to create a travel related podcast that's incredibly similar to yours. You know that feeling. No, but it's something like this. Slightly upset, just a little bit miff, slightly upset on the margins of Earth. Months ago we started a show about travel education. Thought we'd give it a go with crap jingles and even weaker. Uh, Didn't know what we were doing when we started with Mar Edwards heard some amazing tales. We worked hard to promote, even dressed as Chippendales for a raffle. Slightly upset. Poor man's Chippendales upset. So was the audience. Days ago ti my bonds I tree. I got a. Text from Nick who said, I had to see what Russell Cain and two we had done. I love them both. This must be fun. When I saw it was a podcast, my smile reduced. It was similar to ours, but professionally produced upset. A real comedian. Are you joking? Slide me upset. We can't take this line down. Laying this track down to one you. Kane, I've had a feeling of mild disdain. You vexed me, made me want to hit the sherry, but I'm sure this feeling's temporary. I told my mom what you have done, she said, it must be nice to have a successful son, slightly upset even My mom likes you upset. Can you please slightly upset my mom's sausage? Upset visits the vet, you hear me, Russell Kane, we're coming for you. I hope someone falls asleep in the front row of one of your current Essex variant tour gigs. Although we both know that won't happen because you're incredibly funny and tickets are still available, everyone. And Toy, I hope somebody leaves a four star of review instead of a five star review on one of your package deals because there aren't enough sun lounges around the infinity pool at one of the fabulous hotels you have in your portfolio. And I hope it rains in creek this summer. Sorry. I dunno what came over me there. I think I went too far. I'm just slightly upset. Big sigh.

Wow.

Nick:

What the hell was that?

Andy:

Uh uh Was it too aggressive?

Nick:

what were you smoking when you made that? Um, you, you didn't, you definitely don't understand the principle of a dis track mate. I think it was far too complimentary, both about TUI and Russell Kane's comedy.

Andy:

I'm not a very confrontational person, Nick.

Nick:

You definitely got the Snoop vibe. Your flow is amazing. I've gotta give you credit there, but you was just,

Andy:

I had a lot of fun making it anyway.

Nick:

it is brilliant.

Andy:

I'm not a musician. It's obvious, isn't it?

Nick:

You are an artist, formally known as Andy. alright, fine. I'm moving on. So what's in the sick bag this week?

Andy:

we've had a message to our inbox, haven't we, Nick?

Nick:

We have indeed. We've had a message from Michael Maine who is the Vice President of University Partnerships North America at the world grad, and he says, Nick and Andy, I wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much I enjoy the podcast. Having worked in international education for over 20 years, I know that good travel stories are the true currency of our industry. He also describes himself as a road scholar, is a new terminology for us.

Andy:

road scholar, like R O A D.

Nick:

Yes, like a road warrior, but less aggressive.

Andy:

Yeah, that's a good play on words cuz if you can obviously be a Rhodes scholar, is that what he mean is, is that what he means?

Nick:

oh, I'm not sure I took it. As less road warrior and more as road scholar. Being a learning

Andy:

I think it's a, I think it's a play on words. I like it.

Nick:

went over my head.

Andy:

So that goes to show, all you need to do is send in, uh, an email that's complimentary of what we do and we'll, we'll read it out.

Nick:

We'll fudge it.

Andy:

Some of the comments in the last month have been around what our guests have mentioned, particularly around the grab bag that Rachel mentioned, and the door wedge as well. They caused a bit of a stir and a lot of our fellow travelers have been saying these are essential, um, when they travel. Kevin Dunn said, my grab bag became a thing after my luggage was lost between Jakarta and Bangkok, and I turned up an exhibition with no banners, no tablecloth, and I was donning shorts, t-shirt, and flip flops. Never again. I said, well, until the next time it happened. I'm not sure that's a grab bag, Kevin. That's just, that's just being under prepared with your wardrobe.

Nick:

Hmm. I think people would be split between leisure wear on flights, including flip flops, uh, and, business attire. I was always taught that I should be smart, casual, at least just in case this scenario happened and I lost my luggage.

Andy:

Some people think they're more likely to get bumped up to business class as well if they look smart.

Nick:

Sarah Sanford, she, replied to the door wear image saying, when I first started in international recruitment, I remember my predecessor had left one of these in the desk drawer and I wondered what it was for and it didn't take me long to realize this seems to be a thing. People passing on the door wedge, uh, through generations of road scholar.

Andy:

Yeah, maybe they should sign it before they pass it on. See how many people get the wedge through the years.

Nick:

Two things here. One, when I uploaded a picture of a door wedge to LinkedIn, it did say to me, is this relevant to your work and should you be doing it? And look how relevant it is. the LinkedIn ai, just couldn't understand the depth of what I was posting. The other part I think about this is it's a shame that the door represents mortal fear of being attacked whilst you're sleeping

Andy:

such a an everyday object representing so much terror. I'm surprised that all of our LinkedIn posts don't get that response from the ai. has a penguin holding a logo, got anything to do with your work? Has a Cuban cigar, I think we can test this further with, a group of nudists in a boat.

Nick:

So this hasn't been the most positive episode, but I feel like, we are fighting back and we are also, protecting one another

Andy:

I feel like we've called out Russell Kane. I'm sure he'll be in touch. His people will call our people. You know, they'll probably want to compensate us in some way. Maybe they wanna promote, uh, sponsor one of our episodes. Um, I'm sure good will come of this. Nick.

Nick:

Having been the founding fathers of the Ed Trek genre, I welcome them in and I think that definitely if they want to offer an all-inclusive to Benor, I'd be happy to sit at the negotiating table.

Andy:

We're all part of one big podcast family.

Nick:

I know what you're doing here. It's like a Trojan horse technique, aren't you? You think that if we become friends with Russell Kane and tui, we might take some of their audience over to our podcast.

Andy:

thinking that, but that's a great idea.

Nick:

So thanks again for listening. And remember, you can email us at Sick Bag Tales from the departure lounge.com. Where we love to hear your stories and feedback and comments. But I think now people can send in their suggestions for jingles, uh, songs of revolution. Andy, I think you're taking requests, aren't you?

Andy:

That's right. Yeah. I can't guarantee that they'll be listenable,

Nick:

well, safe travels everyone.

Wow. Sign up to my funky Frequent Flyers Club. Sign up to my funky Frequent Flyers Club. Wow.

Nick:

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a type nine production for the pie.

People on this episode

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Andy Plant

Host
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Nick Cuthbert

Host