The World in 360 Minutes

Painting of RMS Ruahine in the Panama Canal by Ron Esplin

In this first episode discover how Ron Esplin travelled one and a half times around the world by the time he was ten years old. Find out this young boys joy at the sound of the steel drums, the taste of his first banana and his one big memory of the ancient city of Pompeii.

Painting of Earnslaw, Queenstown NZ by Ron Esplin

In this second episode discover how Ron Esplin, despite staying in New Zealand for his teenage years, managed to get free travel. Find out his disappointment when a “tua” finally arrived in Queenstown. What did he think it was going to be, and, what did it turn out to be?

Painting of Frogner Park, Oslo, Norway by Ron Esplin

In this third episode discover how many countries Ron visited in his third decade. Find out what language was not popular to speak at that time, who were the gruffest people in Europe, and what’s the one word Ron used to describe Liechtenstein.

Painting of 63 Pacific Street, Dunedin, NZ by Ron Esplin

In this fourth episode hear all about Ron’s family life back in Dunedin and how he walked the streets to get a job. Even though this decade involved no overseas travel, discover what quirk enabled Ron to find adventure on his own two feet.

Painting of Hong Kong harbour by Ron Esplin

In this fifth episode Ron travels to Asia and America experiencing electronics and discovering the marketing magic of Akio Morita. Ron’s country count shoots up by nine, join him to find out what he thought of China in 1986, and of Bali, before it became a destination of choice.

Painting of University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ by Ron Esplin

In this sixth episode Ron heads to the Cook Islands with two of his daughters before going to the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia where another was competing. Running features heavily in this episode, so find out what a doorman at a Los Angeles hotel said to Ron when he returned from a morning run.

Painting of 759 Highgate, Maori Hill, Dunedin, NZ by Ron Esplin

In this seventh episode Julie Woods came along and the pair set themselves a goal of visiting the Seven Wonders of the World. Recall Ron’s memory of his mother telling him about Petra in Jordan, and listen to him describe the light as it shone on their fourth Wonder of the World.

Painting of Charles Bridge, Prague, Czechia by Ron Esplin

In this final episode discover the 17 countries that took Ron to 80, including what he thought of the Canadians, Budapest and the Baltic states. You’ll zip up the UK from Lands End to John O Groats , dash down the Rhine-Main-Danube and end up in Russia. Before you know it, you’ll have been around the world in 80 minutes.