the story pilgrim

I Am Here

Send us a textThere are moments in life when something you’ve quietly hoped for arrives, and then disappears before you can even hold it. In this intimate spoken reflection, I sit still for once, without footsteps or ambient sound, to explore what happens in that fragile space between joy and loss.This filler episode isn't about walking, but about being. I am here. It's about the strange in-between, when you think you want something, prepare for it, tell yourself not to get attached, and then find yourself utterly changed by its arrival… only to watch it vanish. What follows isn’t grief, exactly. It’s something quieter. A pause. A numbness. A moment when language fails, but awareness doesn’t.Hopefully with warmth, a little bit of wit and most certainly honesty, I reflect on how these private moments ripple through love, friendship, and creative life, how they shape the stories we tell and the people we become. There’s mention of awards and recognition, but only as backdrop; the real story lies in learning to stand still, to accept uncertainty, and to whisper, despite everything: I am here.“Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” — Rainer Maria Rilkethe story pilgrim — sharing sacred stories on the pilgrimage through life.

Olly Mann: Designed Wit

Send us a textBroadcaster, columnist and podcast pioneer Olly Mann joins me for a heartfelt walk through Letchworth Garden City — the town that shaped his voice, his worldview, and, eventually, his marriage.As we stroll through tree-lined streets and past Edwardian ideals, Olly reflects on growing up in Letchworth, attending St Christopher School, and his early rise as “the voice of the voice” on the school newspaper. We talk about the strange fate of childhood friendships, how meeting Helen Zaltzman at Oxford changed everything, and how he found his footing at the dawn of podcasting.Along the way, I ask him when he’s felt heard, what’s still ahead, and whether the goldfish rumour is true.It’s a delightful episode full of warmth, wit, and memory — and the perfect way to close Season One.

Santo Domingo de Silos: Sad Hill

Send us a text“There are two kinds of people in this world… those who remember, and those who forget.”At Sad Hill Cemetery in northern Spain—a once-forgotten film set brought back to life—memory takes centre stage. In this episode, I walk through Santo Domingo de Silos and into the story-soaked silence of Sad Hill, where fiction, history, and grief blur at the edges.I meet Nick and Noah, a father and son from Belgium making a quiet pilgrimage in memory of Nick’s brother, Tim. I speak with Sergio Garcia and Raquel from the Asociación Cultural Sad Hill, who led the painstaking restoration. And I sit down with Clemente, an 82-year-old shopkeeper whose life has spanned dictatorships, revolutions—and one unforgettable Western.This isn’t nostalgia. It’s not tourism. It’s something older. A reminder that some places—real or imagined—hold onto the stories we can’t let go.

Amsterdam: Weighty Wonders

Send us a textAmsterdam, solo travel, creative freelance work, podcasting, and a one-day pilgrimage through planes, trains, and introspection. In this milestone 50th episode, I take you with me on a whirlwind trip to Amsterdam — a city full of bridges, bikes, and bewildering signage. But I wasn’t there for sightseeing. I was there for one small, video job... that turned into something oddly reflective.From check-in to coffee, rain to runway, this episode muses on why even the smallest journeys can carry weight. What happens when you give a whole day to a job that takes just hours? What remains after the doing is done? And why does Todd always win the final word?Thanks for sticking with the story pilgrim for 50 episodes — sharing sacred stories on the pilgrimage through life.buen camino, and keep listening.

Myself: Between Departures

Send us a textStandby duty, airport chaos, a medical emergency mid-flight, cancelled trips to Dubai, JFK and Japan, and still somehow... total silence. In this episode of the story pilgrim, Darren takes you on a journey through three days of standby with a major airline — from being called up two minutes into shift for a flight to Istanbul (complete with an in-air seizure) to sitting in the office surrounded by cancelled flights and unrealised missions.What starts as a routine work block turns into a reflection on duty, productivity, and the strange pressure of self-imposed deadlines — all told from kitchens, gardens, and walks with Todd. It’s dry, deep, funny, and just a little existential. Waiting has never sounded this thoughtful.