Subjects: Travel

Join Valerie Pringle as she discovers the hidden treasures of Panama. In this episode, Valerie finds herself immersed in the diversity of a country known mostly for the Big Ditch. Of course, the Panama Canal is something that has to be seen, and Valerie manages to get an up-close look at this engineering marvel. But Panama is also known for its natural beauty and Valerie experiences a canopy tour of the jungle from an unusual vantage point: a zip line. One of the highlights of this trip is a visit to the Achatupu Kuna village on the San Blas Islands. Among the warm and gracious people of the village, Valerie explores her inner Kuna woman.

In Morocco, old and new collide, yet somehow meld, to create a land that is thoroughly modern as well as steeped in history. Valerie walks among such beautiful architectural and historical sites as the Koutoubia Mosque. She gets lost in the circus of the Place Djemma el-Fna and scours the Medina to find the tannery. You won’t believe what makes Moroccan leather so buttery soft! Valerie explores Fez and Marrakesh, meeting the people- and a few of the animals – along the way. Follow along with Valerie as she journies to Africa.

Lebanon often conjures up images of a war-torn land decimated by fighting, but Valerie discovers there is much more to this part of the world. The Lebanese are hard at work restoring the structures that have been damaged by fighting, and from the ashes rise new buildings. Valerie delves into the long and tumultuous history of a land that boasts the largest and best-preserved Roman Temple anywhere (Baalbek), as well as a city with 7,000-year-old roots (Byblos). Explore with her the visual wonders of the Beiteddine Palace, Pigeon Rocks and the Jeita Grotto. Experience the magic of the land that brought us Kahlil Gibran and continues to guard the Cedars of the Lord. Beautiful and inspiring, Lebanon is one of the extraordinary places included in the second season of Valerie Pringle Has Left the Building.

In this episode, Valerie explores the best of what Queensland has to offer. She is pampered, educated and entertained at the Daintree Eco-Lodge and Spa, a resort built on stilts amidst a lush rainforest. Here she is able to experience the cuisine, flora, fauna and art of this ancient rainforest located in the World Heritage Daintree National Park. Valerie can even tell you what a witchetty grub tastes like! Outside the soothing isolation of the Daintree, Valerie takes a river tour and also encounters animals ranging from crocodiles to snakes to spiders – she even shares a meal with tropical birds. Finally, no trip to Queensland would be complete without a journey to the world’s largest system of coral reefs, the Great Barrier Reef.

How will Valerie survive in the harsh land of Outback Australia? Very well, thank you! She experiences life as a ranch-hand, tries her luck at catching the fabled barramundi and shares space with more animals than she can possibly flee. This is wild Australia and from the breath-taking Katherine Gorge to the animal-centric Crocodylus Park, Valerie is surrounded by vast blue skies and the rugged people who inhabit this part of the Land Down Under.

In a land far, far away, Valerie discovers the pristine waters and easy-going attitude that define the Cook Islands. Not quite like Hawaii and not really Tahiti, these islands have a personality all their own. Here, Valerie learns about folk medicine and organic farming from one of the island’s best-known figures. She also enjoys a traditional feast, where meat and vegetables emerge from a sand pit perfectly cooked. Come along to church on Sunday and marvel at the voices lifted by faith. And just off the shores of the main island Rarotonga, Valerie loses herself in the most beautiful place on earth: Aitutaki.