Hi there travel aficionados, I’ve got another interview for you today. It’s with Jules Lund, who is a presenter on the Australian travel television show called Getaway.
For those of you who live outside of the geographical arse end of the world, a job as a Travel Television Show Presenter on Getaway would make any travel addict drool, as their presenters go to all sorts of great places around the globe so that you can get itchy feet for a big trip overseas. And they get paid for it!
Anyway, here it is!
Jules Lund talks about Travel Television Show Presenting!
The Travel Tart: Hi Jules, thanks for the opportunity to chat. First of all, how did you score this travel television presenting gig? I’m sure there are loads of people who are keen to find out how to be one!
Jules Lund: I’d like to say because of ‘talent’, but the truth is, I was in the right place at the right time. As soon as I was old enough to travel by myself, I backpacked around the world for 8 months, which lead to an opportunity travelling with the X Games and hosting a 6 part travel/action sports series. When that was done and dusted, an audition for Getaway came up, and I was able to give it everything I had.
The Travel Tart: I had a crack at a presenting gig this year for an online feature. It’s something I had never done before, but the camera crew were great and gave me some great tips. I did stuff up a lot of times, but it’s amazing how a good edit job can make an amateur almost look professional! How did your first shoot for Getaway go, and how many takes did you have to do?
Jules Lund: I was a bit of a psycho when it came to preparation. I used to pay my cousin to film me doing pretend pieces to camera out in the street. I was so easily distracted in the early days, so one of my regular self-assigned exercises was to stand in the automatic sliding doors at a supermarket during peak hour. I’d be constantly abused as people tried to push past, not to mention the occasional door slamming on me from both sides, but I figured if I could stick to my script and not take my eyes off the camera under that sort of pressure, I’d be prepared for anything. It set a solid foundation, but in answer to your question – yeah… I still stuffed up a humiliating amount on location… and yeah… editors are a hack presenters best friend.
The Travel Tart: I’m sure that presenting on the road has its pitfalls. What has been the funniest thing that’s gone wrong on a Getaway shoot (well, one that you’re allowed to say!)
Jules Lund: I had a shocker shoot in New Zealand one year. Day 1 left me with giant purple bruises on each thigh from being taught the Haka by a Maori Warrior. Day 2 saw me scolded from the knee down, as I buried myself in the piping hot Rotorua mud baths for an overly-ambitious piece to camera. Day 3 I went over the front of my mountain bike as I flew down the side of a volcano, leaving me with 13 stitches in my arm. Then by the time Day 4 came, I was relieved it was only a visit to a Kiwi bird enclosure. Although when the handler gave me a chick, it scratched the @#$ out of my hand. None of that was funny to me, but the crew got their money’s worth.
The Travel Tart: Just wondering, does Catriona Rowntree stay in anything less than 6 star? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her stay in a backpackers for her segments! You’re the one that seems to rough it all the time!
Jules Lund: I used to think that too, but Catriona does as many caravan parks as I do. I made sure of that in my contract. But I’ve only recently figured it out. When I do a fancy hotel, I usually turn up in jeans and sneakers. So the editors just cut me out since I effectively look like I’m about to rob the joint.
The Travel Tart: One thing that we have in common is that we’ve cracked a rib. Mine was from sandboarding in Namibia and heavily hitting a quad bike track. I was in pain for weeks. Beer can only reduce the pain by so much! How’s yours at the moment?
Jules Lund: Triple T… I feel your pain. I couldn’t lie on the left side of my body for over 4 months. I should’ve made up a cool story like that for my injury. I suffered from an acute case of PFO (Pissed and Fell Over).
The Travel Tart: Have you ever had a death curse thrown at you whilst travelling? I received on from a hustler in Tangier, Morocco who said that he wished that my bus would crash and I was the only one who would die after I didn’t pay him for advice I didn’t need or ask for!
Jules Lund: He sounds like a real charmer. I haven’t had a death curse, but I’ve met plenty of hustlers – unfortunately none of the magazine variety. On my first night O.S as a 19 year old, I found myself at Venice Beach late one night. This dreadlocked wizard-looking homeless man, said that for $10 he could tell me what day I was born (give or take 3 days either side) and also where I got my shoes. Impressed (and naive) I paid the miracle man for his remarkable 6th sense… only to have him say “You were born on a Wednesday. And where ya got ya shoes? On ya feet”.
The Travel Tart: from your previous shows (eg. Things To Try Before You Die), you’ve done a few thrill seeking things. I’ve done a bit of that, like bungee swings, sky diving, and risking my life on suicidal mini bus taxis in Africa. What’s been the single adventure travel activity that you felt had a ‘Crap Your Pants’ rating of 10 out of 10?
Jules Lund: I did this Para-Bungy thing in Cairns and I quite literally nearly crapped my pants. I’m not even sure what I would’ve done if I did $#!% my pants. It’s been a while. But picture this… you sit in a massive throne on the back of a speeding boat, which is lifted in the air by a massive parachute. When you reach about 300 ft in the air – like a normal parasailing adventure – you then get the signal…. to jump towards the ocean head first!!!!!! So you’re free falling up and down, held in the air only by a piece of material that stays in place because you are being dragged so fast by the boat. It also happened to be the first time I had buggy-jumped so naturally I was in foetal position once the recovery boat collected me. The producer came over and said “Nice work. Two more times and we’ve got enough angles”. Never again.
The Travel Tart: Ha ha, gold! Thanks for your time Jules, and happy travels!
Jules Lund: The pleasures mine.
More Travel Television Show Stuff!
Check out more on being a Travel Television Presenter in Presenting on TV and Radio: An insider’s guide.
Also see The Travel Bug Interview and Reality Trip.
Ha ha, great interview – great questions and answers! Might have to audition to become a Travel TV presenter!
Sounds like a hard life….!