In this week’s podcast host/producer Ren Zwiers opens the show and presents the latest travel news.

Frances Beasley then visits a wine and food show in Munich, Germany where she discovers the merits of salt from the Kalahari.

The final segment is a recent grab from our sister program in the US, ‘Around the World‘. Co-hosts Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull chat with regular contributor Max Hartshorne from Gonomad.com about Maui, Hawaii.

• Ren Zwiers has news of an exciting new public concourse to be constructed fronting Kings Cross Station, London.
• Munich-based reporter Frances Beasley has tales of snow, avalanches and more snow in her part of Europe.
• Ren Zwiers chats on the phone to Sydney-sider Jane Tara, a well-travelled children’s author who runs a website which provides games, tips and more on travelling with children. Check out itcheefeet.com for more details.
• Diane Covington visits France (segment courtesy of Aroundtheworldradio,com)

• Ren Zwiers has info on what’s new in the Whitsundays region, Queensland
• Frances Beasley provides some interesting facts on the Bolshoi Ballet.
• From our US sister show, Around the World, Karen Ensign visits China.
• Ren Zwiers gives an insight into the renewed popularity of Bed and Breakfast establishments in Europe.

This week we introduce a new shorter and snappier format for the show. Travel Radio Australia is now available only as a podcast via our websites travelradioaustralia.com; travelwithren.com; travelcastnetwork.com and as a download from the iTunes store. We appreciate all the online listeners we have collected to the show over the past four years and hope to build the audience even more in time to come. Although the show is no longer a weekly event like it has been for the past decade (and longer), it will appear here on a regular basis, so keep checking back, or even better, subscribe and you’ll never miss an episode.

On this edition host Ren Zwiers has some travel news involving a wayward tourism manager in Croatia who has been sacked for her comments about Aussie visitors to her country; Frances Beasley celebrates the Christmas season in Munich, Germany and in the final segment, Ren offers some cruise specials from an Australian-based agency.

After more than a decade on the airwaves in Australia we have come to the end of an era. This is the final show to be broadcast on Community Radio Network stations throughout Australia. The show will take a few weeks break over the festive period and return early in 2012 as a semi-regular podcast available on this site as well as several others and, of course, through iTunes. I would like to thank the countless program managers and others who have supported the show in its lengthy career. I look forward to producing and hosting brand  new episodes featuring our regular team of contributors in January 2012. Until then, I hope you enjoy this show!

-Ren Zwiers

Here’s the rundown on this edition….

• Frances Beasley discovers the popularity of Australian wines in Europe and particularly her home country of Germany.
• John Crook chats with his ‘cruise junkie’ mate Phil Kirby about his latest adventures on the high seas.
• From our US affiliated show ‘Around the World’, Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull discover the Kohala Coasy, Hawaii.

• John Crook chats with Australian wine ambassador George Samios.
• Frances Beasley goes ‘arty’ in Munich, Germany.
• Kent St John visits Montpellier, France.

• John Crook reviews Stockman’s Wines from Australia.
• Carrie Blanc reports on her travels to Maui, Hawaii.
• Frances Beasley’s topic for the week: ‘Wellness in Switzerland’.
• Irish-based contributor David Gordon visits northern England.

• Frances Beasley explains how you can catch a wave in the middle of Munich, Germany.
• Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull take us touring to Spain (in and around Cadiz).
• John Crook interviews Peter Perry, the director of the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum, Victoria (Australia).

• John Crook reviews Lowe Wines from Mudgee (NSW, Australia).
• Jack Bonney describes his home city, Anchorage Alaska.
• Frances Beasley chats with Hans Peter Groot from Constantia Wines at an industry function in Munich, Germany.
• Gonomad.com editor Max Haratshorne visits Wales (UK).

John Crook reviews wines from Kingston Estate (South Australia).

Jennifer Merin travels to some of the popular film locations.

Frances Beasley describes St Leonard’s Day celebrations in Germany.

Bruce Sallam takes listeners skiing in Canada.