Michael Palin

Palin's Himalaya is an inviting starting point for travel television in which conversation matters as much as the route. His gentle humour gives guides, hosts and fellow travellers room to become people rather than scenery. The landscapes are spectacular, but the pleasure is often a smaller exchange that changes the mood of the journey. Watch for his willingness to look uncertain and accept help; that makes the encounters feel more companionable than a display of personal conquest.