Review: Travel Man (Weekly Quarantine Series)

Are you looking for a unique prospective on travel, perhaps not seen since the days of Anthony Bourdain? I present to you…Travel Man, a multi-series travel show that can be streamed on Hulu.

The only reason why I came across this show is simply because I logged into Hulu, and searched for “travel show.” I did not think that in doing so, I would find an impressive series that presented the world of travel in a perspective you wouldn’t often see on a network show.

What sets Travel Man apart is the host Richard Ayoade’s no-nonsense approach to traveling with a dash of British dry humor. The premise is 48 hours aka a weekend away to a destination that can be easily reached from his home in the UK by plane. Ayoade does not pretend to be impressed or even to enjoy traveling altogether. He goes at his own pace and make it known when he “doesn’t” enjoy something. This is a refreshing departure from the usual travel show where the host typically appears to be wildly impressed with everything that crosses their path.

The streets of Barcelona with La Sagrada Familia in the background, Unsplash.com

In the first episode, Ayoade travels to Barcelona for the weekend with guest Kathy Burke. A common theme in each episode is that some of the activities will be outside of Ayoade’s comfort zone/interests and vice versa for the guest. For example, their first stop was one of the most visited museums in Barcelona, the Barcelona Football Club Museum.

“With no emotional connection to football whatsoever, Kathy and I are uniquely placed to dispassionately survey this cathedral to the art of ball kicking…The website advertises this as a tour of emotion. Boredom is an emotion, isn’t it?“
Richard Ayoade

During their weekend away, they manage to experience a Catalonia wine tasting, walk down La Rambla, visit the famous La Sagrada Familia, and visit the beach by way of a scenic cable car. (By the way, I have personally done all of these activities myself, and it is well worth it!) At one point, they visit the very modern restaurant Uma and attempt to enjoy what looked like a 6 course tasting menu.

“I feel like this is the kind of meal other people would bore you about.”
Richard Ayoade

They did at least attempt the challenging menu, but acknowledged that some of these restaurants seem to purely exist for the vain to post on Instagram, but may not actually be tasty or fulfilling. Ayoade and Burke tackle travel in the best way. They are willing to try something they wouldn’t normally do, but are not afraid to let the audience know how the experience is truly affecting them.

I find a show like this far more helpful when attempting learn about a location I plan on traveling to. The traditional travel shows tend to paint a picture perfect image that differs greatly from a typical experience.

I highly recommend binging Travel Man on Hulu during your quarantine to get an honest and comedic take on your next bucket list vacation.