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EXCESS BAGGAGE
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 Listen to Excess Baggage for
14 AprilÌý2007
SIBERIAN POSTCARDS
Richard Wirick and his wife decided to adopt a child from Russia.Ìý They travelled toÌý in Siberia and Richard’s thoughts on the region, its myths and culture are compiled in his book entitledÌýOne Hundred Postcards from Siberia.
FAMILIES
Sandi Toksvig speaks to two families who have undertaken unusual journeys.Ìý
Justin Leighton and Maia Sissons recently took their young daughters and Maia’s mother on a mission to find the spot that is the centre of Europe.Ìý
Phillida Eves and her husband Tedd Hamilton left their home in Ireland four years ago to live a peripatetic life on a yacht sailing around the Mediterranean, but will they continue to the Red Sea and try and circumnavigate the globe?
Presented by Sandi Toksvig
Photo:ÌýÌýJustin at the 'centre of Europe' - Ochsenwasen, Meerholz (Courtesy of Justin Leighton)
This week's guests:Ìý
Richard Wirick is a lawyer in California as well as the author of poetry, journalism and fiction for a variety of magazines.Ìý His latest book One Hundred Siberian Postcards is made up of 100 short chapters, poetic, fictional, mythological, historic and factual based on his experiences inÌý adopting a daughter.
The adoption process gave Richard an insight into the culture and life in Siberia in a way that he wouldn’t have seen as a tourist.Ìý Richard’s adopted daughter has now been living in the US for 2 years.Ìý A Russian au pair teaches them Russian as Richard hopes to take her back regularly to Siberia.
One Hundred Siberian Postcards
Publisher: Telegram Books
ISBN-10: 1846590159
ISBN-13: 978-1846590153
is from Galway and was a primary school teacher. Her husband Tedd Hamilton is an Australian marine diesel engineer who works on luxury yachts. In 2001 they bought a yacht to sail round the Mediterranean. They finally set off with their three children and springer spaniel dog, in July 2003, enjoying the summer in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.Ìý Their firstÌýintention was to stay in the Mediterranean but as time went on decided to go further, possibly round the world.
They are currently wintering in the Red Sea at El Gouna - a holiday resort on the Gulf of Suez opposite Sharm el Sheik.Ìý This summer they will head back up to the Mediterranean through Suez and spend the summer in Turkey but are still tempted by the idea of heading on to India.
is a photographer who has documented many of the most dramatic moments in Europe’s history including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the spread of democracy into Eastern Europe, war in the Balkans and conflict and resolution in Northern Ireland.Ìý Maia Sissons is a freelance journalist who before having her children managed projects advising governments around the world on economic and institutional issues.
Twenty two years ago Justin was on an assignment in Poland about life behind the Iron Curtain; He saw a sign on an iron post in the snow by a bus stop saying ‘You are now in the centre of Europe’.Ìý This intrigued him and he resolved to try and track down the real centre as it now is.Ìý It proved a tricky endeavour as ‘the centre’ depends on what is defined as Europe.Ìý If one chooses it as the European Union, then the centre keeps moving as more countries join.Ìý In fact there are well over a dozen sites that are contenders for the title.ÌýÌý
Justin and MaiaÌýtell of their travels with two small children and Maia’s mother in a Land Rover through Poland, Germany and Lithuania.
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| PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES |
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 Sandi Toksvig:
The daughter of a foreign correspondent, Sandi has been travelling all her life more info |
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