In 1962, Calder joined the
Woodcraft Folk and travelled with the group to the
Lake District. That same year, after
the USSR sent nuclear warheads to Cuba, Calder's parents decided that with
Gatwick Airport only two miles away they were in the line of a potential Soviet target. He attended
Thomas Bennett School in Crawley. Calder's first job was a cleaner for
British Airways at Gatwick and later as a security guard. He began writing budget travel guidebooks during this period, starting with the ''Hitch-hiker's Manual: Britain''. He later studied for a degree in mathematics at the
University of Warwick, while also indulging his love of hitchhiking around Europe. At one point he was the holder of the record for the quickest hitchhike between
Land's End and
John o' Groats. After university, Calder briefly taught mathematics in Crawley before getting a job as a radio engineer with the
BBC in London. Calder wrote several books and series of guides including the ''Traveller's Survival Kit
series and Backpacks, Boots and Baguettes''. His first broadcast as a travel expert was on
Simon Bates' programme
Studio B15 on
BBC Radio 1 in 1980. Calder became travel correspondent for
The Independent in 1994 and shortly afterwards began presenting for
BBC 2's
Travel Show alongside
Penny Junor until the programme ended in 1999. He then contributed to several
BBC 1 shows, including
Perfect Holiday and
Departure Lounge. Calder presented the final film in the last edition of the long-running
Holiday programme in 2007. At
The Independent Calder introduced his
strapline "The man who pays his way", reflecting his unwillingness to accept gifts from the travel industry. Calder's articles have featured in many publications including
Condé Nast Traveller,
The Evening Standard,
High Life (BA’s inflight magazine), and the trade publication
Travel Trade Gazette. He continues to contribute to various
BBC programmes, including as the 'Global Guru' on BBC News'
The Travel Show and on
Rip Off Britain. He is also a presenter of short films, and as an expert providing advice to consumers. He regularly comments as an expert on travel issues for other radio and TV stations, including for Channel 5 on their ''Britain's Travel Chaos - How To Save Your Summer
documentary in 2022. Calder presented The Travel Show'', a weekly travel phone-in on the London talk radio station
LBC, for four years until April 2012. He has a weekly podcast called "You Should Have Been There". ==Family==