Compilation 2017 The Travel Show

Now on BBC News, The Travel Show.

Wow! That's just a taste of what's

coming up in the next half-hour, as

we take a look back at some of the

best bits on what has been a truly

memorable year. It's taken us to all

four corners of the world, we've met

some amazing people with some

fantastic stories. But first, let's

kick off with these ones. In a

moment we've got me fishing for my

lunch here in Finnish Lapland and

then Rajan gets to be the first

member of the public to take a ride

on Europe's tallest and fastest

rollercoaster. But first, back in

January Henry travelled to Turkey to

explore a massive underground city

recently found, that is slowly

revealing some fascinating stories

about the country's history.

Wow, look at all of this. I find it

hard to believe that people were

living on top of year and all of

this was actually hidden, so they

had no idea this was here. That is

insane! Wow, that ceiling is unique.

What's all this?

This is a mystery

and according to the scientists, the

modestly dates back to the sixth

century A.D.

. The winding tunnels

and hidden openings offered

protection from attacking armies.

Wow! Look at that! I've actually

heard of this spot because all of

the archaeologists were very excited

about this.

This is a church, an

underground cave church, dating back

to the 12th century.

Going forward

there are plans to turn sections of

the cave network into an

archaeological park with art

galleries and boutique hotels.

Authorities hope to open it to the

public in 2018 when visitors can see

the excavations in their full glory.

It is -13 degrees Celsius today and

guess what I've got lined up? It's a

great way to keep warm. If you are

called, do that!

Yeah.

The real

thrill here is actually trying to

catch fish with a rod. Can I have a

go?

Yep.

There are fish below are

swimming under one metre of ice.

Well done!

It's getting tougher now.

Ahh!

There's layers under, so...

AH!

See I did all the hard work and then

you did a little bit! Give me some

reindeer hide! There's a real

emphasis on low impact tourism here,

which is playing a big part in

protecting this fragile Arctic

ecosystem. My technique here,

multitasking.

More chances to get

fish.

Fishing isn't just done for

the tourists, it's a real fact of

life for many of the people who live

here. With only a handful of shops

around, most fish still have to be

caught rather than bought, otherwise

nobody is.

Did we get a fish?

Look

at that!

It's a pike.

And it's been

messing up my net.

So fish and

potatoes on Monday, potatoes and

fish on Tuesday...

Wednesday, may be

reined -- reindeer bits, Thursday

fish and potatoes.

Good diet!

This is a well-established theme

park, Spain's biggest, in fact, and

they get about 4 million visitors a

year, but now they are building

something that they say will take it

to a different level and will give

us one of the most amazing

experiences in the world. I've come

to Ferrari land, licensed by the

famous car brand just as the

finishing touches are being put to

the site days before the launch.

There are 11 rides here in total,

but one in particular is holding the

limelight as the main attraction. A

velocity accelerator ride called Red

Force. Two years in the making, it

now Europe's and fastest ever

rollercoaster. 112 metres high and

the speed of 180 kilometres per

hour. That's zero to 280 in five

seconds flat! Let's do it! I was

going to get the best views from the

front. You feel the force on your

face as well. Right. There's a loose

bolt. Should I be... Hands up?

Eyes

wide open. You don't want to miss

it.

I'll try my best!

See if you can tell the difference

between the seasoned coaster and the

rookie TV presenter. I knew you

wouldn't be able to.

Oh! What the hell! You know, over

the past year we estimate The Travel

Show team have clocked up over 60

countries, travelled through 24

different time zones, countless

times, to give you some of the best

stories from all over the world.

And here is a couple where we met

some truly inspirational and

remarkable people. In a moment we

will see Rajan report from Big E a

national park in western India,

where he went on patrol with the

real-life cat women who helped to

protect the endangered Asiatic lion.

But first, earlier this month I

headed to America to join disabled

athletes from across the globe who

travelled to Maryland to take part

in a championship that pushes them

to the limit and beyond. The working

wounded games has adaptive athletes

compete across a range of Wadi

building and weightlifting

challenges.

Volunteers!

Most Para-sport is

categorised by ability, but the

Working Wounded Games are different.

I modified rules for each individual

athlete, they encourage people a

range of capabilities to compete

together.

Let's go!

And 118-year-old competitor is

getting a lot of attention. Tell me

what you were trying to do.

Me and

my coach are trying to figure out a

way to do pullups because I'm not

able to do it yet.

And it's mainly

because of your right-hand?

There's

no strength in it.

Nora has never been able to complete

a pull up. Unless she can now figure

out a way, she'll finish last in

this round. This is going to be a

real challenge for her, physically

and mentally. Go, go, go! Yeah! Two

in a row! How many had she done?

There's no let up. It then on to the

rest of the workout.

Yeah!

You were crying, you had tears. Your

coach was hugging you. Why were you

so emotional?

It's OK, take your time.

Was that the first time you've been

able to do pullups? Its Norwegian

power!

Definitely.

On average, the unarmed ranges cover

25 kilometres a day and have to

tackle than snakes, leopards and

poachers, as well as lions. If they

did get agitated, how would you be

able to tell from the animal? How

would you know if you are safe,

being disclosed to the animal? --

this close.

And it did get dangerous for her

early in her career.

Applications from women for these

posts have rocketed and the ranges

are role models and trailblazers in

the region today. Look at that

mouth! The good news is that from

what is being in danger of

extinction, numbers have climbed to

over 500. The next much more welcome

problem is if the sanctuary is

actually big enough for their

growing population.

Up next, a couple of films that put

my fellow presenters to the test.

Back in September, Carmen faced her

fears and took on some of Japan's

more challenging traditional dishes.

First, racking January we skipped a

hotel and arranged for Christa to

spend the night in a draft English

church instead. Thankfully she

survived, but I'm not sure she'll be

booking again next year. I am here

for a spot of champing, church

camping. It's available at 12

district venues around the country.

Beautiful and agent sites that are

rarely, if ever, used as places of

mass worship any more. A very big

place. Money raised from champers

like me means the building is saved

from a slow and inevitable decline.

Somebody at the pub told me that

tonight is supposed to be the

coldest night of the year, so that's

good, as I head into my unheated

church room for the night.

I've got my air bed... Sleeping

bag... I've just got into bed and

it's quite... I'm quite comfy,

actually. Quite cosy, given how cold

it is and I can see my breath. I'm

going to try to go to sleep now. And

try and forget that I am entirely

surrounded by graves. It is quite

cold. I notably quite cold. I think

a jolly good reason that champing is

usually only done during the summer.

Deciding to come champing in the

dead of winter was a really terrible

idea.

octopus. Here in Tokyo, this is the

world biggest fish market. The early

morning tuna auctions are the

biggest attraction. But just the

sheer range of creatures here makes

for fascinating browsing. This is

also fresh. I think I need something

with a kick. The outer market is

where you can try some of the more

exotic flavours. This is fish

fermented with its own entrails in a

salty liquid usually made from

wheat, miso and sorely. -- soy.

(LAUGHS)

wheat, miso and sorely. -- soy.

(LAUGHS). Very strong! It is really

chewy, really, very very strong.

Calm and they're taking on some of

Japan's more challenging taste. --

Carmen. To finish off this special

look back at 2017, here are some of

my personal favourites of the year.

Over the past 12 months we have been

so privileged to really see up close

some amazing animals, all over the

world and meet the people who live

and work alongside them. I can't

think of a better way to finish the

programme then to share with you

some of those stories again.

Look at that! They are so cute! I'm

amazed at how much banana a little

monkey like that can eat.

(LAUGHS)

amazed at how much banana a little

monkey like that can eat.

(LAUGHS).

That monkey must have eaten at least

ten bananas.

They can eat more than

ten.

The villagers here believe these

monkeys are sacred. There are two

types, they are slightly -- one is

slightly more aloof. Harming either

species is strictly thick forbidden

under local law. Which means each

village has become a century. The

monkeys here I love so much, that

once they die they are given a

proper burial.

The monkeys belong to

the gods, so the villagers have to

stay with the monkeys peacefully

here. If we harm them, we get on

Richmond from the gods. So we have

to stay with them peacefully, and

that is why the monkeys are unique

-- punishment from the gods. That is

why the monkeys are unique from

other parts of Ghana.

What kind of patience do you have?

We have all kinds of illnesses,

sicknesses, nice wins, gunshot wins,

some have -- knife wounds. Some have

diary -- dairy, constipation,

cataracts, some have cancer,

tumours. The most difficult case are

the victims of landmines.

This

elephant, each day starts with her

prosthetic leg being fitted, so she

can go and have her breakfast. Adult

females weigh just under three on

average. -- three tons. So the press

is needed to give vital lever to

your other three legs which are

under enormous pressure not -- the

prosthetic is needed. How long did

it take her to get used to the dross

that it?

Five to seven days.

The

focus here is working with elephant

owners in the community to work with

any animal that needs attention.

They also have a nursery section and

I am fortunate enough to be able to

see...

We are about to release Oberon from

the basket. I have untidy and, he is

wearing the transmitter on his tail,

that is so I can find him if he

flies away. Reddy, guys? Five, four,

three, two, one...

Amazing. Well done.

Oh yes.

Peter

has helped to hand rear these birds

from birth and the bond of trust

between them is vital. It is clear

that the him the Falcon's welfare is

paramount and months of work goes

into training the birds to get the

news to the sights and sounds of the

balloon and its passengers.

If

practised correctly, these birds are

in good shape.

The bird is not

suffering?

Absolutely.

What more

could you ask for? Unique

experience, beautiful animal. That's

it for our look back at 2017 here on

the Travel Show. We have had such a

great time seeing even more of the

world and being able to share that

with you guys, and I hope you have

enjoyed not just following me but

the rest of the Travel Show team to

as we explore the world together.

Please make sure you join us again

in 2018, but in the meantime, all

that remains is the me to say

goodbye from here in Finnish Lapland

and join the rest of the team

wherever they are in the world in

wishing you a happy and healthy New

Year. Goodbye.