Kelly Tolliday is the founder of Transform With Travel, a professional travel advisor and wellness travel expert with over a decade of industry experience, a retreat facilitator and 500-hour registered yoga teacher, and a podcast host. She has traveled to more than 45 countries and lived across four continents, including extended time in Australia, Thailand, and Costa Rica. 

In this episode, Kelly walks through the step-by-step system she uses to plan bucket list trips and how anyone can apply the same framework to start planning their own dream trip today. 

Kelly reframes the entire planning process in a way that most of us haven't considered, and it changes not just where you end up going, but how you show up when you get there. She also makes a strong case for why the best travel experiences often come from letting go, even when every instinct is telling you to hold on tighter. You'll not only get Kelly's framework, but destination recommendations and a call to action at the end that I hope you follow through on. 

What's one destination that's been sitting on your bucket list for way too long, and what's actually been stopping you from booking it? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why asking "what do I need right now?" is the most important first question in trip planning 

• How to use urgency as a real planning tool, and why some destinations carry a genuine now-or-never factor 

• Why mapping out your full route, including transfer time and cost, is often the step that saves the most money 

• How slow travel creates more space for the unscripted moments that people end up talking about for decades 

• Why booking independent, locally-owned tour operators almost always leads to more memorable experiences than going with the bigger names 

• How to approach accommodations with a "sense of place" mindset 

• Advice on when hiring a professional travel advisor makes sense versus planning a bucket list trip on your own 

• Why we both agree that physically demanding adventures should move to the top of your list sooner rather than later 

• Hidden gem destinations worth visiting now, including a little-known Thai island that has somehow stayed off the radar 

• How to reset your mindset when things go sideways on a trip 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Transform with Travel 

• Instagram 

Want More? 

• Live Your Bucket List w/ Ryan Jacobson 

• Curiosity As Your Travel Guide + Exploring Overlooked Destinations with John McKenzie 

• 7 Must-Visit Destinations for 2026 (Get There Before the Crowds Arrive!) with Lyn Hughes 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-hosts Gunnar Garfors and Jacqui Kunz are back to share part two of their overland travel adventure through West Africa, covering the final stretch of their seven-country journey through Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. 

If you've ever been curious about what it actually takes to travel overland through West Africa, this episode gives you the unfiltered picture. You'll walk away with concrete tips on visa strategy, border navigation, shared transport logistics, and honest guidance on when to push through and when to bail and book a flight. Beyond the tactics, Gunnar and Jacqui model what it actually means to travel slowly and patiently through challenging terrain, staying flexible when things go sideways. If you're considering overland travel in West Africa or anywhere similarly complex, this episode cuts through the romance and gives you the real picture. 

Have you ever had a travel experience where everything went wrong and it somehow turned into the best story you came home with? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Gunnar Garfors is a Norwegian traveler, journalist, and author who became the first person to visit every country in the world twice. He is known for seeking out unusual routes and lesser-visited destinations, often traveling far beyond typical tourist paths. Jacqui Kunz is a full-time traveler who has explored more than 100 countries and was named “World’s Most Intrepid Traveler” in 2023, recognizing her commitment to exploring challenging destinations and traveling well off the beaten path. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Sierra Leone's land border crossing was a surprisingly smooth and welcoming experience 

• What Freetown is really like to explore, from the historic Cotton Tree to its beaches and police checkpoints 

• Why the city of Bo is worth a stop, and where to go nearby to see diamond mining 

• How a fellow passenger buying Coca-Cola at the border kiosk resulted in an overnight stay between two countries in mosquito country 

• Why Monrovia has a surprisingly American feel and where to stay, eat, and get cash 

• When it makes sense to give up on overland travel and just book a flight 

• How paying for an extra seat in a shared taxi can save your sanity, and why the "imaginary bag fee" is a negotiation you can usually win 

• Why timing your trip just after the rainy season can make roads far worse than expected 

• How Gunnar ended up in a Norwegian hospital with malaria, and why taking preventatives seriously is not optional 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Gunnar’s website 

• Gunnar on Instagram 

• Jacqui on Instagram 

• iOverlander 

Want More? 

• Overland Travel in West Africa Across 7 Countries (Part 1) with Gunnar Garfors & Jacqui Kunz 

• 5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron 

• Adventure and Conservation - A 6,000 km Tuk-Tuk Journey Through Africa 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Kristina Wachter is an award-winning professor, bestselling author, and CEO of Cross-Culture Connections. With over 25 years of experience in cross-cultural communication and education, she developed the Culture SPIN Method, a four-step framework trusted in 54 countries to help individuals and organizations turn cultural differences into genuine human connection.  

In this episode, Dr. Wachter walks us through her Culture SPIN Method and how it applies directly to travelers who want richer, more meaningful experiences on the road. She uses real-world business stories, her own travel mishaps, and a live case study with Jason to bring the whole thing to life. 

If you've ever shown up somewhere and felt like you were missing something, like you were skimming the surface of a place rather than really getting into it, this conversation is for you.  

Dr. Wachter breaks down the cross-cultural communication tips every traveler can actually use, from how to research a culture before you go, to how to recover gracefully when you inevitably get something wrong. Whether you're planning a two-week trip or building a life abroad, there's a lot here to chew on. 

What's a cultural moment from your own travels that surprised you or changed the way you see things? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why the Culture SPIN Method starts with looking inward at yourself before you ever look outward at another culture 

• How to build a personal "cultural Venn diagram" that maps your interests onto a new destination to create real connection opportunities 

• Why one U.S. executive unknowingly drank $300,000 worth of tea in a single business meeting, and what he did next that actually saved the deal 

• How a single joke in South Korea cost a businessman millions of dollars in 30 seconds, and what that means for travelers too 

• Advice for doing genuine cultural research before a trip, including reading fiction, watching local media, and finding primary-source content 

• Why "winging it" is one of the most common and costly mistakes people make when traveling or moving abroad 

• How to handle cultural mistakes with humility and recover without losing the connection you're trying to build 

• Why cultural agility, the ability to pivot and adapt without beating yourself up, is one of the most valuable skills any traveler can develop 

• What "cultural courage" really means and how acting deliberately outside your comfort zone invites reciprocity and deeper human connection 

• Why Rick Steves' idea of traveler responsibility hit home for Dr. Wachter 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Cross-Culture Connections 

• Culture SPIN: Your 4-Step Toolkit for Global Leadership and Cross-Culture Success 

• Get Dr. Wachter's free Cultural Courage Guide: ⁠info@crosscultureconnections.com⁠ 

Want More? 

• 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Abroad (Or Traveling Long-Term) with Chrishan Wright 

• Top 10 Challenges Of Living Abroad with BoTik Quest 

• Building a Life Abroad, Culture Shock, and Big Leaps with Traveling Jackie 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarika Bansal is a travel writer, editor, and former editorial director of Afar magazine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Vice, and she focuses on ethical storytelling, global perspectives, and the deeper impact of travel. She currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya, with her family. 

In this episode, Co-host Paige McClanahan talks with Sarika Bansal about how travel shapes us, from living in Kenya to trekking in the Everest region, and how those experiences influence the way we think about travel itself. 

This conversation explores what happens when we shift from collecting places to truly engaging with them, and how that shift can completely change the way we experience travel. Sarika shares stories from her own journey, from trekking in the Everest region to building a life in Kenya, and reflects on how stepping outside your comfort zone can reshape your worldview in unexpected ways. We also get into the idea of country counting, the value of returning to places, and how different stages of life influence not just where we go, but how we show up when we get there. 

What do you think matters more in travel, the number of places you visit or the depth of your experiences? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Co-host Paige McClanahan is a writer, editor, and former journalist based in Paris, France. As the author of The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel, Paige is passionate about making sure our travels have a positive impact on the world. Get in touch and follow her on Substack. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Sarika’s move to Nairobi reshaped her daily life, pace, and perspective 

• What drove her to travel writing and how growing up between the U.S. and India influenced her approach to storytelling and travel 

• What a “questionable” volunteer trip taught her about ethics in travel early on 

• How trekking in the Everest region while pregnant forced her to slow down 

• What it’s like exploring quieter trails, monasteries, and local life beyond the Everest “highway” 

• How climate change is visibly impacting fragile destinations like Everest Base Camp 

• Why the idea of “country counting” breaks down when you question what it means to visit a place 

• Sarika’s analogy between travel metrics and personal health, and why both can become misleading 

• How different life stages, like traveling with kids, change how and where you explore 

• Unexpected ways to experience Kenya, from DIY safaris to birdwatching and coastal towns 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Castle Forest Lodge 

Want More? 

• Ethical Wildlife Tourism With Kristen Diederich 

• The World’s Most Traveled Person on the Ethics of Gamifying Travel, Best Regions in the World, and Why To Keep Traveling With Harry Mitsidis of NomadMania 

• How To Be a “New Tourist,” the Powers and Perils of Tourism, Embracing Tourist Traps, and the Impact of Travel With Paige McClanahan 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sofia and Teague are a couple who left behind demanding careers, including law and personal training, to travel the world for a year. This conversation gives you a full arc of a transition to travel story, from fear and uncertainty to growth, burnout, perspective shifts, and ultimately redefining what “home” and “work” mean. You’ll hear how they saved money quickly, traveled on a budget, worked abroad, navigated relationship dynamics, and what surprised them most along the way.

What part of your life might be ready for a transition, even if you don’t know exactly what comes next? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why the hardest part of long-term travel often happens before you ever leave
• How they saved $25K in a year to fund their trip (and what made it possible)
• What it actually feels like in the first few weeks on the road, including the uncomfortable parts
• How their expectations of travel compared to the reality after a full year abroad
• Why working abroad became the key to slowing down and enjoying the experience
• What happened when they decided to travel separately for part of the journey
• How letting go of identity, jobs, and “normal life” reshaped how they see themselves
• The moment they realized travel had changed their relationship in a lasting way
• What they didn’t expect about returning home after a year of travel
• Why knowing you can always leave again changes how you approach life and work
• And more!

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
• Workaway
• Couchsurfing
• Trail Wallet
• WhatsApp
• MapsMe
• Trekking Nepal- Audio Adventure Series

Want More?

• Transition To Travel: From Big Salary to Frugal Travel Life
• Transition To Travel: Single Mom + 3 Kids Move to Mexico (Jenita's Story)
• Transition To Travel: Radical Life Change For World Travel w/ Jordan & Tyler

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten.
• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Roerick is a long-distance hiker who has traveled more than 12,000 kilometers on foot across countries and continents. Since 2019, she has completed trails like the Pacific Crest Trail, the Colorado Trail, the Hexatrek in France, Te Araroa in New Zealand, and sections of the Transcaucasian Trail. Through her solo journeys and films, she shares stories about resilience, self-trust, and choosing a life shaped by curiosity and courage. 

Co-host Dianni Hall talks with Lauren about how to start thru-hiking, what solo trail life actually feels like, and how to move through fear, discomfort, and self-doubt one step at a time. 

You’ll hear how Lauren went from zero backpacking experience to long-distance trails by breaking intimidating goals into smaller, doable pieces. She shares what training really matters, what gear is actually worth prioritizing, how trail community works, and why thru-hiking can build self-trust in a way few other experiences can. If you’ve been curious about how to start thru-hiking but feel intimidated, this episode will give you a realistic way in. 

What’s one uncomfortable thing you’ve been wanting to try, and what would your version of the first step look like? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Co-host Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, freelancer, and host of the While She’s Away podcast, where she interviews women on their travel experience and expertise to help women live their best lives exploring the world. Learn more about her work here. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How doing a 100K with only six weeks of training (and despite hating running) changed her confidence 

• Why Lauren often takes a “how hard can it be” approach to new challenges 

• How she went from having no backpacking experience to taking on the Pacific Crest Trail 

• Why breaking big goals into smaller steps makes thru-hiking feel possible 

• What the mental challenges of solo hiking really look like, and how she works through them 

• How thru-hiking builds self-trust and strengthens your intuition 

• What role fear plays on the trail, and how to move through it instead of avoiding it 

• How to start small, even if it’s just sleeping outside for one night 

• How to choose your first trail based on your goals, time, and experience 

• What kind of training and gear actually matter, and what you can skip 

• How Lauren approaches content creation on trail without losing presence in the moment 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• YouTube 

• Instagram 

Want More? 

• Hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland with Lynne Nieman 

• A 2,190+ Mile Mother-Son Adventure: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail after a Decade of Nomadic Family Travel with Jessica and Largo Sueiro 

• Hiking the Camino De Santiago, Painting Your Travels, Letting Curiosity Rule, and Tiny House Living with Kari Gale 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes this month to help kickstart your plans in 2026. In this series, we interview a guest both before and after their travels (or during if it's long-term), so we can see how it all panned out and how travel has changed them. 

Becca Hall is a long-term traveler who left a high-paying nonprofit tech job in San Francisco to pursue a life of indefinite travel. We talk about how she saved $30,000 in just a year and a half, why she travels as if she doesn’t have that cushion, and the psychology behind adopting a frugal travel mindset. She also shares what surprised her most after leaving her job, including the months it took to mentally decompress from work stress. Later, we catch up a year and a half into her journey to hear how things actually unfolded, from bartending and working festivals in Australia to building out her own van and redefining what freedom looks like on the road. 

What surprised you the most in Becca's journey? What was your biggest takeaway from today's episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Becca chose to act like her savings didn’t exist, even after putting away $30,000 

• How a no-frills travel mindset helped her save money long before she ever left home 

• What happened when cheap travel started costing her more energy than it was worth 

• Advice for navigating solo female travel, couchsurfing, and gut-check moments on the road 

• The surprising emotional hangover that followed quitting a job she was desperate to leave 

• Why earning less money ended up feeling like a better deal 

• How festival work and bartending became part of her long-term travel strategy 

• What pushed her from backpacking burnout into building a van in Australia 

• The unexpected lessons she learned from creating a home on wheels by herself 

• Why taking a break can feel strangely difficult when you’re traveling full time 

• How she decided whether bringing a laptop was freedom or just extra baggage 

• What indefinite travel taught her about pace, pressure, and finding her own version of flow 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Becca on Instagram 

• Mint.com 

Want More? 

• Transition To Travel with Lance Wright 

• Transition To Travel: Radical Life Change For World Travel w/ Jordan & Tyler 

• Transition To Travel: Single Mom + 3 Kids Move To Mexico (Jenita's Story) 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Schluter is an award-winning, National Geographic published photographer and writer, and the founder of Hello From A Stranger, a project built around spontaneous travel, portraits, and conversations with people he has just met. Through that project, he has traveled across 21 countries, created thousands of conversations and portraits, given a TEDx talk, published a book based on the work, and is now making a documentary. 

In this episode, Adam shares how a period of heartbreak, depression, and isolation pushed him to buy the cheapest ticket he could find and start talking to strangers while traveling. That simple decision eventually turned into Hello From A Stranger, Monday Night Dinners, and a larger mission to help people feel seen. 

We get into what travel can open up when you use it intentionally, not just to see a place, but to connect more deeply with the people in it. Adam talks about what he learned from being an introvert in unfamiliar places, why vulnerability worked better than trying to sound polished, and how genuine conversations helped him find purpose when he needed it most. We also talk about how he brought that same spirit home by inviting strangers to dinner, eventually building a recurring community gathering that now draws hundreds of people. If you’ve ever felt lonely, wondered how to meet people more naturally, or wanted to recreate a little of that hostel-kitchen magic back home, there’s a lot in this one. 

Trigger warning: This conversation includes honest discussion of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide. If you’re struggling, call or text 988 for support. 

What would change if you approached one stranger this week with a little more curiosity and a little less fear? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• The breaking point in Adam’s mental health, and how he navigated depression and isolation 

• Why buying the cheapest flight he could find became the start of an unexpected journey 

• The importance of creating a framework around his travels and what happened when he started intentionally talking to strangers 

• Why Adam’s first attempt at approaching strangers failed, and what finally worked 

• How vulnerability and awkward honesty opened the door to deeper conversations 

• Why solo travel can still feel lonely, and how to move beyond “ghost mode” while traveling 

• The story behind Monday Night Dinners, and how inviting strangers over changed his community 

• Why a simple conversation might matter more than you think 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Hello From A Stranger 

• Documentary Trailer 

Want More? 

• 100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav 

• How to Be a “Supercommunicator” and Connect with Anyone (At Home or on the Road) with Charles Duhigg + The Best of Baltimore, MD 

• Bicycling Across the USA Without Money in Search of Human Connection With Daniel Troia 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lance Wright is a longtime higher education professional and the creator of The Midlife Crisis Traveler, where he shares the story behind taking a major travel leap in midlife. At the time of this episode, he stepped away from his role at Colorado State University to take a seven-month trip, and that experience led him to rethink work, identity, and how he wanted to live. 

This conversation gets into the real stuff behind long-term travel. Lance shares what it was like to ask for time away from a job he actually loved, how he and his wife navigated his decision to travel solo, and what helped him through the lonely stretches on the road. We also talk about minimalism, masculinity, identity, and the surprising clarity he had when he got home. 

What chapter in your life might be ready to close so a new one can begin? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Lance finally stopped waiting and committed to a seven-month trip 

• How he negotiated a leave of absence from a job he genuinely enjoyed 

• Advice for talking with your spouse about a solo long-term trip 

• What Albania taught him early on about connection and loneliness 

• How local tours, cooking classes, and Workaway helped him meet people 

• Why travel pushed him toward minimalism and a simpler lifestyle 

• How the trip reshaped his thinking about work, masculinity, and identity 

• What happened when he came home and realized he needed a new chapter 

• Why trusting your own travel style matters more than following someone else’s plan 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• The Midlife Crisis Traveler 

• Tours By Locals 

Want More? 

• Transition To Travel: Radical Life Change For World Travel w/ Jordan & Tyler 

• Transition To Travel: Single Mom + 3 Kids Move To Mexico (Jenita's Story) 

• Transition To Travel: From 9-5 To Biking The USA with Joe Ferrara 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gunnar Garfors is a Norwegian traveler, journalist, and author who became the first person to visit every country in the world twice. He is known for seeking out unusual routes and lesser-visited destinations, often traveling far beyond typical tourist paths. Jacqui Kunz is a full-time traveler who has explored more than 100 countries and was named “World’s Most Intrepid Traveler” in 2023, recognizing her commitment to exploring challenging destinations and traveling well off the beaten path. 

In this episode, co-hosts Jacqui and Gunnar share stories from the first leg of their West Africa adventure across seven countries, covering Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea. 

They talk about what it’s really like to travel overland in West Africa, from chaotic border crossings and broken buses to incredible landscapes, unexpected friendships, and the patience required to move through the region. 

If you’ve ever wondered what travel in this part of the world actually feels like on the ground, this conversation gives you a candid look at the challenges, surprises, and rewards of exploring West Africa slowly. 

What kind of travel experiences become possible when you stop rushing and embrace the unpredictability of the journey? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why traveling overland in West Africa requires a completely different mindset about time and planning 

• How local minibuses work, and why you may be waiting a while to get going 

• What it’s like traveling upriver in The Gambia to visit River Gambia National Park and see chimpanzees 

• Why going inland in The Gambia offers a very different experience from the coastal resort areas 

• How to navigate crossings, visas, and illegal stamp fees that travelers are sometimes asked to pay 

• What happened when their bus broke down and the driver abandoned it on a remote road 

• How unexpected delays led to shared rides, new friendships, and memorable moments with local travelers 

• Why Guinea-Bissau ended up being the biggest surprise and favorite country of the trip 

• What it’s like traveling through Guinea’s highlands on roads compared to a motocross track 

• Why slow, overland travel creates deeper connections with people and places along the way 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Gunnar’s website 

• Gunnar on Instagram 

• Jacqui on Instagram 

Want More? 

• 9 Ways Travel Will Change You + Lessons from Cycling Africa and Visiting 95 Countries with Alex Hennock 

• 5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron 

• Adventure and Conservation - A 6,000 km Tuk-Tuk Journey Through Africa 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world. 

In this episode, Caitlin and Janessa share what it’s like spending a season in a southern hemisphere coastal hub and time in a vibrant Latin American capital known for culture, markets, and museums. You’ll get Caitlin’s solo travel hot take and the #1 travel mistake she keeps repeating so you don’t have to, and hear from Janessa on her perfected expense tracking system with tips for self-employed travelers. 

What’s one “comfort” you’re keeping in your travel life right now, even if it costs a little more or takes up a little more space? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Considerations for making Cape Town a long-stay base, what to expect in the cultural capital of Mexico City, and a magic town you may want to add to your Mexico itinerary 

• Why it’s so easy to keep falling for the budget airline trap and more hidden fees you need to be aware of  

• Why you should always check your entry stamp and never assume you’ve been granted the maximum tourist stay 

• Janessa’s system for remote work and travel budgeting, including expense tracking apps, annual reviews, tax set-asides, and building a DIY PTO fund 

• Why Caitlin says she hates solo travel (yet still thinks everyone should do it), and why we need to redefine what “solo” means 

• A common travel mistake and what it can reveal about the expectations we carry into travel 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Caitlin on Instagram 

• Janessa on Instagram 

• TravelSpend 

• Trabee Pocket  

Want More? 

• Going Nomad with Jason Robinson 

• Joys of Solo Travel with Manjinder Kang 

• Remote Roundup: True Costs of Long-Term Travel, Taxes & Borderless Living, an Underrated Productivity Habit, + More (October 2025) 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

• Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After saving for two years, Helen Lin and her former husband, Tim, put their life into storage, rented out their home, and quit their 9–5 jobs to take off on a mini-retirement traveling around the world. They documented their 25+ month adventure across 26 countries on their YouTube channel, Helen and Tim Travel. Along the way, their relationship was reshaped by the experience, and they ultimately returned home divorced, still grateful for the journey they shared. 

In this episode, Helen shares what it actually looked like to plan and take an extended trip as a mini retirement, including the practical runway, the emotional realities, and the unexpected ways long-term travel can impact your relationships. 

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking months off to travel, this conversation gives you a grounded look at what it takes to make it happen and what you might learn about yourself along the way. Helen talks about building a financial runway, using local guides to lower the friction of adventure travel, and why campervan trips can be their own logistical puzzle. We also get honest about the parts people rarely post, stress, mental health, and the way constant proximity can intensify relationship dynamics. Plus, Helen shares destination recommendations and the practical systems that helped them stay on the road, including earning 1.5 million credit card points over five years to offset major travel costs. 

If you took a mini retirement, what would you want it to help you rethink about your life right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Helen thinks “mini retirement” beats waiting for traditional retirement 

• How increasing your savings rate can create a real travel runway 

• Advice for choosing destinations around seasonality and the adventures you want most 

• How guided trips can reduce risk and planning overwhelm for big hikes and outdoor goals 

• What Helen learned from campervanning in Norway and New Zealand, and what she’d plan differently 

• How long-term travel can amplify relationship patterns, for better or for worse 

• Why “wherever you go, there you are” applies to mental health on the road 

• How to think about boundaries and personal space when traveling with a partner 

• How Helen and Tim earned about 1.5M points and miles over time to support their travels 

• What it looks like to come home and build a new chapter after a life-shifting trip 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Instagram 

• Helen and Tim Travel 

• Waves of Color 

Want More? 

• How to Win at Travel with “The Points Guy” Brian Kelly 

• Travel Is Your Birthright: Breaking Free from “Too Broke to Travel”, Travel Hacking (Without Credit Cards), and Solo Travel in 90+ Countries with Shakeemah Smith 

• How to Plan Your Camino + Going Beyond the Camino Frances (Secret Routes, Donkey Highways, and Spain’s Hidden Village Network) with Shawn and Lainey 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

• Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we talk about the personal shift that makes solo travel possible, how to travel for free without credit cards, and what it’s really like to move abroad and build a life in the Caribbean. 

Shakeemah opens up about calling off her wedding three months before the big day, boarding her first solo flight to Paris in the middle of heartbreak, and realizing she didn’t know how to be alone. What follows is a conversation about self-trust, identity, and deciding to meet the “2.0 version” of yourself instead of waiting for permission. 

We also get tactical. Shakeemah shares the exact systems she used to earn airline miles through everyday expenses like gas, groceries, utilities, and dining. And we talk honestly about leaving the U.S., adjusting to island life, and what it means to create safety and belonging on your own terms. 

If you’ve been waiting for the right time, the right money, or the right person to travel with, this one might challenge that story. 

Who would you become if you stopped waiting and just went? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How growing up near New York City shaped her worldview and early curiosity about the world 

• Why ending her engagement forced her to confront her fear of being alone 

• The insights and exercises that helped Shakeemah move from emotional dependence to independence and from fear to self-trust 

• Why she believes solo travel is a fast track to trusting your instincts and enjoying your own company 

• The moment she decided to build a framework to help others take their first solo trip 

• How she turned 34 countries’ worth of lessons into a structured framework for new travelers 

• The overlooked airline shopping portals that generate miles without opening new credit cards 

• How to earn flights from gas, electricity, and everyday bills you’re already paying 

• The mindset behind “bills to boarding passes” and why it works long term 

• Why she moved to Antigua and Barbuda during 2020 and what that decision taught her about safety and lifestyle design 

• The cultural adjustments of living on island time and navigating life as an American expat 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Travel Like a Bawse 

• Bills to Boarding Passes FREE masterclass 

• Instagram 

Want More? 

• How to Win at Travel with “The Points Guy” Brian Kelly 

• Seizing Your Opportunity to Travel, Saving Money as a Solo Traveler, Lessons from a Career Break, and How to Figure Out What You Want (In 60 Seconds) with Leslie McKellar 

• 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Abroad (Or Traveling Long-Term) with Chrishan Wright 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

•  Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places with Atlas Obscura Podcast 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elaine Sciolino is a veteran journalist and author, former Paris bureau chief for The New York Times, and the writer of several books about France, including The Seine, The Only Street in Paris, and Adventures in the Louvre. She has lived in Paris for over two decades and brings history, culture, and personal insight into every story. 

Elaine joins co-host Paige McClanahan to explore Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum, diving into the history, hidden artworks, and practical strategies for making the most of your visit. 

You’ll hear why the Louvre is more than just a building with the Mona Lisa and how its role in French history makes it extraordinary. Elaine demystifies visiting the museum, from understanding crowds and lines to discovering lesser-known works like Titian’s Man With a Glove and what she calls the “undiscovered Mona Lisa.” She shares crowd-beating strategies, best days and times to visit, and surprising places within and around the Louvre where peace and beauty await. You’ll get insider stories on heists, hidden collections, and how even children can be captivated by Egyptology and Islamic art sections that most tourists miss out on. 

When you visit a major museum like the Louvre, do you tend to focus on the most famous works, or do you prefer to explore what’s less obvious? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Co-host Paige McClanahan is a writer, editor, and former journalist based in Paris, France. As the author of “The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel”, Paige is passionate about making sure our travels have a positive impact on the world. Learn more about her work here. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How the Mona Lisa came to dominate the Louvre’s identity, and why that fame is both a blessing and a burden 

• How the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa helped turn her into a worldwide obsession 

• The surprising historical roots of the Louvre as a royal palace and revolutionary museum 

• Lesser-known treasures, “undiscovered” masterpieces, and quieter sections of the Louvre worth seeking out 

• The unexpected history of France’s crown jewels, including how many were sold off and ended up in the United States 

• The story behind the recent crown jewels heist and what it reveals about museum security 

• How the right membership, 1:1 consultation rooms, and alternative museums can transform your experience of Parisian culture 

• Future plans for the Louvre’s expansion and what that could mean 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Elaine’s website and books 

• Louvre Museum 

Want More? 

• 5 Unexpected Things to Do in Paris and 3 Hidden Gems in France with Paige McClanahan 

• How To Explore Paris Like a Local, Working on Hospital Ships, and Becoming an Expat on a Mystery Visa With Jay Swanson 

• 9 Best United States Museums and Advice for Fostering Your Creativity with Bob Eckstein 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places on the Atlas Obscura Podcast 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sharon Kaufman is a licensed local guide in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and founder of MyLjubljanaTour.com. Originally from Israel, she moved to Slovenia with her family on what was meant to be a one-week vacation and ended up building a new life there. Today, she leads free and paid tours focused on helping travelers experience Ljubljana through local stories, food, and everyday culture. 

In this episode, Sharon shares about her spontaneous family move to Ljubljana, how she built a life and business there, and her top hidden gems and local tips for experiencing the city like a resident, not a tourist. 

If you’re planning a trip to Slovenia or curious about what makes Ljubljana special, this episode is packed with practical recommendations. Sharon walks us through lesser-known places to explore, affordable ways to get around, unique food experiences, art districts, scenic viewpoints, and easy nature escapes right from the city. You’ll also hear how her perspective as a local guide shapes the way she helps travelers connect more deeply with the city. 

Which of these Ljubljana, Slovenia, experiences would you want to explore first? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How a one-week family vacation unexpectedly turned into a move to Slovenia 

• What Sharon quickly learned about daily life, culture, and work-life balance in Ljubljana 

• How intuition and local conversations shaped her decision to stay 

• How she transitioned from online coaching to becoming a licensed local guide 

• One of the most affordable and fun ways to explore the city 

• Where to get sweeping views of Ljubljana without crowds or ticket lines 

• A hidden market area with local food and unique vending machines that most visitors walk right past 

• A hidden alley filled with public art, symbolism, and a secret pub 

• An alternative art district shaped by activism, creativity, and nightlife 

• A cafe locals love for great coffee, healthy food, and a relaxed vibe 

• An easy forest hike just minutes from the city center, plus what to eat at the top 

• The best times of year to visit Ljubljana and where to go beyond the city 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• MyLjubljanaTour.com 

Want More? 

• Top 10 Iceland Hidden Gems (Highlands, Hot Springs, and Hidden Canyons) + Building a New Life Abroad with Jewells Chambers from All Things Iceland 

• 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Abroad (Or Traveling Long-Term) with Chrishan Wright 

• Top 10 Reasons to Love Living Abroad with Botik Quest 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places on the Atlas Obscura Podcast 

• Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kim joins me to talk about her personal and professional evolution from mom and fiction writer to author and storyteller, tackling one of the world’s lesser‑known environmental crises: the human‑elephant conflict. 

This conversation moves beyond travel storytelling to explore deep themes of identity, fear, and the bravery required to act. Kim shares how she navigated self‑doubt, embraced vulnerability, and found strength through community. Listeners will gain insight into the realities of conservation work, especially the nuanced human‑elephant relationship in the Eastern Himalaya. You’ll also learn how storytelling and openness can bridge cultural gaps and inspire action for coexistence. Specific personal stories, like balancing motherhood with fieldwork, and philosophical reflections on the space between are woven throughout. 

What’s one fear you’re holding that might be the gateway to your next big chapter, and how might acknowledging two truths about it help you move forward? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How Kim’s childhood and family travels shaped her perspective on exploration and meaning 

• Why Elephants in the Hourglass became both a conservation story and personal memoir 

• What Kim learned about fear, confidence, and taking action in big life transitions 

• The role of mentorship and community in pursuing meaningful work 

• How cultural assumptions about motherhood impacted Kim’s work and identity 

• What the space between means and why it matters in our relationship to nature 

• The complexity of human‑elephant conflict and why simple narratives fall short 

• How language and framing influence conservation and public perception 

• Why holding opposing truths is essential to peaceful coexistence 

• Practical takeaways on curiosity, empathy, and openness in travel and life 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Kim’s website 

• Instagram 

• Elephants in the Hourglass 

• Wildlife Trust of India 

Want More? 

• Living in Ecuador, Indigenous Communities, Rainforest Conservation, and Cultural Experiences With Photographer Mark Fox 

• 100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav 

• Myanmar’s Secret Railways: Uncovering Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Oppression with Clare Hammond 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Atlas Obscura Podcast - Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John McKenzie is a long-time traveler and curious explorer who shares stories and insights from off-the-beaten-track destinations around the world. Through his content and curated CuriosiTrips, he aims to expand others’ sense of what’s possible by encouraging a more curious, open approach to travel. He’s also a new contributor to National Geographic, writing the sections on Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia for The Traveler’s Atlas of the World. 

In this episode, John and I sit down in person to explore the concept of curiosity as a travel compass, why some destinations gain reputations that don’t match reality, and how community and mindset shape meaningful journeys. 

Travel is often framed around checklists and highlights, but John reframes it as a curiosity‑driven practice that enriches both travel and everyday life. You’ll hear how to exercise your curiosity muscle, embrace spontaneity, and responsibly explore destinations often overlooked or misunderstood. From challenging trips like Somalia, Ethiopia, and Syria to cultural discoveries and approachable recommendations like Malawi and Cuba, this conversation offers both a practical perspective and philosophical encouragement for travelers of all experience levels. 

What is one place you’ve always been curious about but haven’t yet visited, and what’s holding you back? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How boredom and routine kick-started John’s curiosity and exploration 

• What approaching travel with openness rather than rigidity can uncover 

• Why connecting with others who’ve done what you want to do helps normalize the goal 

• How travel to “dangerous” or misunderstood places can be both safe and rewarding 

• The mindset shift from chasing destinations to pursuing meaningful experiences 

• How John defines “meaningful” in his own travel, and why that matters more than ticking boxes 

• Examples of destinations that surprised him and recommendations for your own curious travels 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• John’s website 

• Instagram 

• National Geographic Traveler’s Atlas of the World 

• Extraordinary Travel Festival 

Want More? 

• 7 Pro Tips For Traveling In Dangerous Countries w/ Bjorn Palsson 

• Independent Travel as a Female in Afghanistan, Hitchhiking Iraq, and Ex-Pat Life in Sudan with Jacquelyn Kunz 

• The World’s Most Traveled Person on the Ethics of Gamifying Travel, Best Regions in the World, and Why To Keep Traveling With Harry Mitsidis of NomadMania 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Atlas Obscura Podcast - Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chase Vondran is a full-time travel creator and writer based in Chicago who helps transgender and gender-diverse travelers explore safely while advocating for greater inclusion in the travel industry. After an eight-year nomadic journey spanning 20+ countries, they now focus their work on queer travel, small queer towns, and inclusive travel guides. 

In this episode, co-host Dianni Hall sits down with Chase to talk about queer travel in the U.S., exploring small queer towns and gayberhoods, and understanding the realities and joys of traveling as a trans person. 

This episode offers a rare glimpse into queer communities thriving outside of major cities and highlights unexpected destinations where queer people not only exist but also flourish. Chase shares personal stories from their travels as a trans person, the differences in how the world treats them before and after transition, and what travelers should consider when seeking inclusive spaces. You’ll discover resources, tips for finding queer communities, and the emotional power of feeling seen. Whether you’re a queer traveler, an ally, or curious about inclusive travel, this conversation expands how we think about travel, identity, and belonging. 

How has travel helped you better understand experiences different from your own? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Zero To Travel co-host Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, and host of the While She’s Away podcast. Learn more about her work here. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How travel gave Chase space to explore queerness and identity away from home 

• What it feels like to find queer community for the first time while traveling 

• Why places like Puerto Vallarta have become historic hubs for queer travelers 

• How the absence of visible queer community can change a travel experience 

• How queer history, artist communities, and other factors have helped shape small inclusive towns across the U.S. 

• Why destinations like Saugatuck, Michigan and Eureka Springs, Arkansas defy expectations 

• How Chase’s travel experiences shifted after coming out as trans and  

• What safety, visibility, and respect look like when traveling as a trans person and how it differs from traveling as a woman 

• Why small, community-driven queer spaces matter just as much as big cities 

• How to find queer community anywhere using apps, events, and local businesses 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Dianni on Instagram 

• Chase on Instagram 

• Everywhere Is Queer 

• Quouch 

Want More? 

• Choosing a One-Way Ticket Over a Master’s Degree + Lessons From 6 Years of Evolving Travel with Dianni Hall 

• Top 7 Cities for LGBTQ+ Travelers and Finding Your People Around the World with LGBTQ+ Travel Expert Alicia Valenski 

• LGBTQ+ Travel and Making A Difference with Ravi Roth 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, podcaster, and podcast producer. She’s the host of While She’s Away, a podcast highlighting stories and advice from women travelers around the world. After choosing a one-way flight to India instead of enrolling in graduate school, Dianni spent six years traveling full-time across 30+ countries while building a freelance career and exploring what it means to find home.

In this episode, we explore how Dianni’s travel lifestyle has changed over time, from solo backpacking and volunteering abroad to building a freelance career and eventually settling into a home base in Brooklyn.

Dianni shares specific lessons from various phases of travel, including navigating her first solo trip, volunteering in an ashram, adjusting to slow travel, and balancing travel with long-term stability. She offers honest reflections on managing anxiety while traveling, the importance of community, and what it means to reimagine one's identity when traveling full-time comes to an end.

What’s one travel experience, big or small, that changed the way you see the world, and how did it shape who you are today? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn:

• How religious/spiritual curiosity shaped her decision to go to India
• What she learned from living and volunteering at an ashram
• What it felt like to “accidentally” become a full-time nomad and how teaching English in Spain opened doors to long-term travel and career growth
• Advice for navigating anxiety before and during travel, and how reframing your inner dialogue can make all the difference
• What solo travel taught her about confidence, community, and intuition
• The difference between feeling “at home” somewhere and choosing to build a life there
• Why returning to familiar places revealed a deeper need for belonging and community
• What drew her to Brooklyn, and how queer community became a central part of her rooted life
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• While She’s Away Podcast
• Dianni on Instagram
• Bar Lunatico
• Boyfriend Co-Op

Want More?

• Solo Traveling Europe and “The Stans” in a Campervan with Maria Glaser
• Joys of Solo Travel with Manjinder Kang
• Seizing Your Opportunity to Travel, Saving Money as a Solo Traveler, Lessons from a Career Break, and How to Figure Out What You Want (In 60 Seconds) with Leslie McKellar

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lyn Hughes is the founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine and a leading voice in adventure and cultural travel journalism. She’s spent decades curating destination guides, championing responsible travel, and sharing stories that inspire deeper exploration.

I catch up with Lyn to explore her curated list of the best places to travel in 2026 and why you should prioritize these destinations for the new year or near future.

Lyn shares standout destinations including remote wilderness routes, under‑the‑radar cultural hubs, and wildlife-rich regions. She shares personal stories, explains why there is urgency around some of these locations, and gives insight into how we can engage more meaningfully and responsibly when we visit. If you're thinking ahead to your next big trip, this episode offers thoughtful guidance and some surprising ideas.

Which types of destinations spark your imagination right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Wanderlust creates future‑looking destination lists and how they’re curated
• How to balance adventure, accessibility, and sustainability in trip planning
• Advice for travelers seeking lesser‑known but rewarding places
• What Lyn looks for in a truly special travel experience
• How one rugged road trip remains one of her all‑time favorites
• Why wildlife travel can reshape how we see the world
• How curated content and AI might impact your next travel search
• What role community‑based tourism is playing in new travel trends
• Personal travel picks from a legendary travel editor
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Wanderlust Magazine
• Wanderlust: Off the Page podcast on Apple, Spotify

Want More?

• Top 7 Travel Trends for 2025 with Lyn Hughes
• Top 10 Places We’re Dying To Visit That We’ve Never Been
• 14 Best of “The Best Places to Travel in 2025” (Jason’s Picks)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you appreciate your traditions as if you were a traveler seeing and experiencing them for the first time? Have a wonderful Holiday wherever you are, my friend!

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

What are your Holiday traditions? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Resources:

• Subscribe to our FREE newsletter

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Caitlin and Janessa in this year-end Remote Roundup to explore personal reflections, unexpected lessons, goal-setting alternatives, and favorite travel moments from 2025. 

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

Caitlin and Janessa talk about identity, growth, community, habits, and how their remote lives are evolving as they plan for the new year. You'll walk away with insights and practical ideas for reflecting on your own year and setting more intentional goals, whether you're traveling full-time, working remotely, or simply ready for a reset in 2026.

What’s a moment from your 2025 that made you feel most yourself? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• The top Zero To Travel episodes for 2025 and why they’re worth a re-listen
• 5 non-cliche reflection questions to look back on your year with more depth
• Alternative intention-setting ideas for 2026 that go beyond resolutions and “word of the year” trends
• What the “new place, new me” trap is and how it can quietly derail goals for travelers
• Fun travel superlatives from their year, from best coffee culture and unexpected destinations to top meals and views
• And much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Caitlin on Instagram
• Janessa on Instagram

Want More?

• 14 Best of “The Best Places to Travel in 2025” (Jason’s Picks)
• Top 10 Reasons to Love Living Abroad with Botik Quest
• The 5 Best Hacks of “All the Hacks”: Travel, Money & Life Optimization with Chris Hutchins
• How to Navigate Transitions and Design Your Life (Without the BS) with Lauren Handel Zander
• Profiling Every UN Nation (In Alphabetical Order), Travel through Geography, Lessons from 10 Years of YouTube Success with Paul Barbato of Geography Now

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don Jenkins is a 27-year high-school teacher from Washington state who spent a full academic year in Norway through the Fulbright Roving Scholar Program. Based in Oslo but constantly on the move, he traveled the country visiting schools and giving workshops on American history and government, reaching thousands of students along the way.

This episode explores Don’s journey as a cultural ambassador, educator, and traveler. We talk about the surprising differences between Norwegian and American school systems, how living abroad shifts your view of home, and what it takes to build connection across cultures - whether you’re in a classroom, a sauna, or a sawed-off tuk tuk.

Whether or not you’re a teacher, Don’s experience is full of lessons on curiosity, communication, and how to embrace the unfamiliar. From practical travel tips to deeper reflections on history, education, and societal values, this episode is a reminder of how much growth comes from stepping outside your bubble.

What’s one lesson you’ve picked up while traveling that changed how you see your home? I'd love to hear about your experience, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Don took a sabbatical to teach abroad in Norway for a year
• How his “roving teacher” job works and the logistics of living in Oslo while visiting 30+ schools
• Surprising insights about Norwegian classrooms, school culture, and community values
• How to implement cultural lessons at home, even if you’re not a teacher
• What it means to be a “mini ambassador” and have real conversations about your home country
• Budget-friendly tips for traveling in Norway, including food hacks and local apps
• The role of curiosity in building connections while traveling
• Why honest history matters, and what happens when we don’t teach the full story
• How being away from family for so long can be hard and insight on managing travel fears
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Don on Instagram
• American-Scandinavian Foundation
• Fulbright Roving Scholars
• Too Good To Go App

Want More?

• Cracking the Cultural Code, Ethical Travel To Indigenous Areas, & Life in Norway With Lorelou Desjardins
• Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway
• Walking the World: A Deeper Exploration of Culture and Community with Chris Arnade

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kenny Dunn is the founder of Eating Europe, a food tour company that has guided over 400,000 travelers to the best local eats in 17 of Europe’s greatest cities since 2011.

In this episode, Kenny shares 11 European dishes you must try before you die, including cultural context, restaurant tips, and personal stories from his years of travel. 

Kenny explains how each dish connects to its place and people, how everyday locals enjoy them, and shares his go-to spots for trying them. To add a little flavor, we also pair each dish with a movie or TV show to turn your meal into an experience if you want to make these at home!

Which dish would you travel for or try to recreate at home? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• The famous British snack that was originally invented as a travel food
• How a Spanish street food became a spicy, deep-fried bomb of flavor
• The story behind a French sandwich that inspired a monster version in Portugal
• How one Roman specialty turns a humble vegetable into something unforgettable
• Where to find the prettiest open-faced sandwich in Scandinavia
• The sandwich Anthony Bourdain called “a monument to excess”
• How a single dish became the pride of Prague’s holiday tables
• What to expect when you try Florence’s most local sandwich
• Why a herring might be best enjoyed standing up in Amsterdam
• Tips for cooking a few of these at home (and when not to bother)
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Eating Europe
• Eating Europe on Instagram

Want More?

• Top 8 Food Hacks in Europe: How to Find Authentic Culinary Experiences on the Old Continent with Kenny Dunn
• Top 10 European Food Experiences With Kenny Dunn From Eating Europe
• Sicily Uncovered: Street Food, Wine Regions, and the Art of Slowing Down

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

In this episode, they’re reporting in from two wildly different corners of the world with stories, struggles, and insights about what it actually looks like to live and work abroad right now, plus a practical holiday wish list.

Caitlin and Janessa open up about the hard choices digital nomads face around holidays, family, and missing big life events. They talk about the growing trend of unexpected remote careers and explore how people are adapting traditional jobs to fit this lifestyle, a conversation about the myth of the laptop-on-the-beach image that won't die, and more. 

What has been your biggest struggle being away from home when you travel? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Bangkok’s scale, café culture, and mall scene work so well for remote living

• How Oaxaca brings together community, creativity, and tradition, especially around Day of the Dead

• How Caitlin pulled off a cheap(ish) last-minute flight to Asia with an airport transfer hack

• What it’s really like to grieve major life moments from abroad, and insight into deciding when going home makes sense

• Thoughts on how to take traditional skills and repurpose them into location-independent careers

• An honest take on the “laptop on the beach” stereotype (and why it’s still everywhere)

• A holiday gift guide with digital nomads in mind

• Two travel fail stories that involve passports, bowel movements, and a nearly missed bus in the Italian countryside

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Caitlin on Instagram

• Janessa on Instagram

Want More?

• Remote Roundup: True Costs of Long-Term Travel, Taxes & Borderless Living, an Underrated Productivity Habit, + More (October 2025)

• Building a Travel Lifestyle: Digital Nomadism, Slow Travel, Exploring Latin America with Kyle Cohenour

• From Expat to Digital Nomad: Finding Your Travel Rhythm, Balancing Burnout, and the Digital Nomad Lifestyle with Kristin Wilson

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gunnar Garfors is an author, journalist, and the first person to travel to every country in the world twice. Jacqui Kunz was named “World’s Most Intrepid Traveler” in 2023 and is also well on her way to visiting every country in the world.

In this Zero To Travel Host Collective episode, Gunnar and Jacqui go through ten of the world’s most difficult countries to visit from a visa and access standpoint.

Gunnar and Jacqui share their personal experiences and insights navigating the world’s hardest-to-enter countries, especially from the perspective of American and Norwegian passports. You’ll learn not just where the access is difficult, but why - whether it’s politics, reciprocity, red tape, or safety concerns - and what it says about global mobility. They also explore the ethical side of “ticking countries off the list” and how that mindset can warp the meaning of travel.

If you were to visit one country that you know is extremely hard to get into, which country would it be and why? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn:

• Why your passport dramatically affects your ability to visit certain countries
• How political tensions between nations influence visa rules and travel bans
• Advice for Americans trying to enter countries that officially don’t allow them
• Why some countries like Turkmenistan or Libya require government approval before you can even apply
• What Gunnar did after being rejected six times for a visa to Turkmenistan
• How Jackie’s educational work raised red flags with the Iranian authorities
• How to travel ethically to countries with problematic governments or ongoing conflicts
• Tips for minimizing risk and maximizing cultural exchange in restricted destinations
• What it really means to have “been” somewhere (and who gets to decide that)
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Gunnar’s website
• Gunnar on Instagram
• Jacqui on Instagram

Want More?

• Independent Travel as a Female in Afghanistan, Hitchhiking Iraq, and Ex-Pat Life in Sudan with Jacquelyn Kunz
• How To Get Off The Beaten Track with Gunnar Garfors
• Traveling the Equator and Polar Circle (Top 5 Countries to Visit) + How Climate Change Impacts Locals with Gunnar Garfors

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why would someone choose to travel to the world’s most dangerous places?

Today I’m joined by Jacquelyn Kunz, the first female to travel independently through Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control. In this episode, Jacqui shares some of the toughest moments from her time in Afghanistan, what led her to move to Sudan, and her life as an expat. We also talk about what it was like to hitchhike in Iraq and how these experiences have shifted her outlook on life.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Do you consider yourself a risk-taker? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you will share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune in to Learn:

• What Jacqui considers the ultimate traveler fantasy
• Her favorite places to visit and what attracts her to more extreme foreign destinations
• Insight into the experience of being a woman in Sudan
• How Government censorship and surveillance impact a society
• Why Jacqui chose to move to Sudan (and her family's reaction)
• Life in Sudan with political instability, and how she fits into society
• Why a foreign woman is considered an "honorary man," and how this impacts her relationship with Sudanese women
• How these experiences changed her perspective on life and relating to others
• Insight into finding the courage to take a different path
• Jacqui's best advice for safety and her thoughts on being a risk-taker
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Subscribe to our FREE newsletter
• Learn more about the conflict in Sudan
• Connect with Jacqui on Instagram
• Listen to Laundry House on Spotify and follow us on Instagram

Want More?

• 7 Pro Tips For Traveling In Dangerous Countries w/ Bjorn Palsson
• Travel In The Middle East with Genevieve Hathaway
• What Is “Happiness”? Discovering Meaning On The Silk Road w/ Will Rickard

Thanks to our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Robinson is the founder of The Nomad Experiment and author of The Beginner Traveler’s Guide. After digging out of debt and selling his home, he now travels full-time while living with type 1 diabetes. 

Jason joins me to explore his updated beginner travel guide, how the nomad lifestyle has become his way of life, and how we can all learn to travel more intentionally, even when the path to getting started looks different for everyone.

This episode is packed with real talk and actionable advice for anyone looking to start or deepen a travel-centered lifestyle. Jason shares the exact mindset shifts and tactical steps that helped him go from zero international travel to spending more than half the year abroad. You’ll learn why co-living can be a better fit than hostels, how to realistically assess your finances before you leap, and what it takes to travel while managing something as serious as type-1 diabetes. 

We also get into the harder stuff - burnout, identity, letting go of expectations -and why treating travel like an experiment may be the most freeing approach of all.

What’s one small step you can take this month toward your travel‑oriented life? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why getting your passport is the easiest first move toward travel
• How to start travelling from exactly where you are (not waiting for “perfect”)
• Why choosing the right accommodation style (hostel vs co‑living) matters for long‑term travel
• How to build a financial base that supports a travel lifestyle—not traps you
• The conversation you need to have with friends or family about your priorities
• How to recognise and navigate travel burnout or lifestyle shifts
• Mindset tips for travelling with a medical condition, or any “extra” in your life
• Where Jason wants to go back (and why slower travel matters)
• How to frame your worst‑case/best‑case list so fear doesn’t hold you back
• The one mindset change that turns travel planning into travel living
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Jason on Instagram
• The Nomad Experiment
• Type 1 Diabetes Travel
• Learn to Travel Basics

Want More?

• Going Nomad With Jason Robinson
• Life As An Experiment w/ Jason Robinson
• Rock Bottom To A Life of Travel w/ Francis Nayan

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ll hear about seven out-of-the-ordinary destinations spanning all seven continents to help you plan for the coming year and beyond. Whether it’s beach life, mountain hikes, big cities, or relaxing getaways, there’s something on the list for everyone. We’ll also talk about his upcoming project, share plenty of stories, and he’ll let us in on a fun travel concept you’ll want to steal and use with your friends.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Where are you headed first? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• The ROI of travel and why you should explore out-of-the-box destinations
• What makes this overlooked part of this Caribbean island worth a visit 
• How to have an authentic South American river adventure
• An African country ideal for extreme sports and coastal wildlife
• The vastly underestimated European country that has something for everyone
• A fun way to plan trips with your friends (You’ll want to steal this!) 
• An affordable, diverse, and mountainous country along the Old Silk Road
• An underestimated Asian country rich in culture, innovation, and amazing food (It’s his favorite big city in the world!)
• A small but incredible Pacific island kingdom for an alternative to Fiji
• His bonus destination for an affordable Maldives experience
• Gunnar’s new book and his thoughts on climate change
• And so much more

Resources:

• Subscribe to our FREE newsletter
• Visit Gunnar’s website
• Follow him on Instagram and TikTok
• Listen to his podcast

Want More?

• Visiting Every County In The World…TWICE! With Gunnar Garfors
• How To Get Off The Beaten Track with Gunnar Garfors
• Part One: The First Person to Travel to Every Country Without Flying (In a Single Journey) With Thor Pedersen

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thibault Constant is a French train enthusiast turned entrepreneur who built a following of 300k on his YouTube channel, Simply Railways. He’s the author of Trains de Nuit and co-founder of Nox, a new sleeper train company aiming to revolutionize overnight travel across Europe with affordable private rooms.

In this episode, host Paige McClanahan speaks with Thibault about the rising demand for night trains in Europe, the design and mission behind his upcoming sleeper train company, and why privacy, practicality, and sustainability are reshaping how we move through the world.

You’ll hear why a new wave of travelers are choosing overnight rail, how the travel experience shifts when you’re able to rest, reflect, and arrive ready to go, and what it takes to build a better sleeper train from the ground up. Thibault shares the key barriers that have kept night trains from breaking through in recent decades, and how his company, Nox, is working to overcome them with smart design and realistic pricing. Whether you’re curious about slow travel, concerned about flying’s climate impact, or just want to know what it’s like to wake up in Sicily after sleeping on a train ferry, this episode offers both practical insights and pure travel inspiration.

If you could take one of Thibault’s recommended overnight train journeys tomorrow, which would you choose and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts, and hope you’ll share by sending an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How growing up in northern France inspired Thibault’s lifelong love of trains

• Why he started his YouTube channel, and how it became a full-time job

• What led him to co-found Nox, a new sleeper train company launching in 2027

• Why most night trains today fail to deliver on sleep, and how privacy changes everything

• The real reason night trains declined in Europe, and what brought them back

• How the climate crisis is pushing more travelers to rethink short-haul flights

• What makes overnight train travel a win–win for comfort, convenience, and carbon

• Thibault’s top 3 night train routes in Europe, and his favorite long-haul ride in North America

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Paige McClanahan’s website

• Paige on Instagram

• Thibault on Instagram

• Simply Railway YouTube

• Trains de Nuit

• Nox Sleeper Trains

Want More?

• Sustainable Travel 101 (How to Be A Better Traveler) With Richard Hammond

• Train Travel Around The World w/ Mark Smith

• World Tour for Climate Change: Hitchhiking, Biking, and Low-Carbon Travel With Megan Routbort

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly⁠ - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paige McClanahan is the author of The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel. She is an American journalist based in France and a regular contributor to The New York Times, where she reports on the impacts of tourism. She is also the host of The Better Travel Podcast, which aims to make sure that our travels have a positive impact on the world. 

We talk about the evolution of tourism as context to how it got to where it is today, the consequences of travel on local communities (good and bad) and what we can do about it, and insights into how we can become what Paige calls a “new tourist.” She also shares a behind-the-scenes look at how she wrote this book and used her professional journalism skills to her advantage.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

How will you become a “new tourist?” I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• The evolution of tourism and travel and why it’s so complicated
• How guidebooks and social media have shaped the industry
• The complexities of influencers and why we are all influencers in some way
• How destinations can minimize the negative impact of tourism and promote responsible travel
• The fantasy of tourist traps and how tourism affects the quality of life for residents
• How she approaches serendipitous moments and genuine connections as an author
• The impact of AI on the future of tourism
• Insights on navigating digital nomadism and its effects on residents
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Paige’s website
• Get a copy of her book, The New Tourist
• Listen to The Better Travel Podcast
• Follow her on Instagram
• Check out the book Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?
• Take a MasterClass
• Transcribe with Trint

Want More?

• Is Your Summer Vacation Destroying The Planet? w/ Seth Kugel
• Avoiding The Instagram Trap w/ Kashlee
• Conscious Travel Mindset With Robin Greenfield

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steph Dyson is a travel journalist, guidebook author, and founder of the website Worldly Adventurer. She has spent nearly a decade living and travelling across Latin America, including three years in Chile, and is the author of Moon Chile With Patagonia & Rapa Nui (Easter Island).

In today’s episode, we explore Chile’s incredible geographic and cultural diversity through seven hidden‑gem destinations, with stories and advice for exploring them responsibly.

Steph breaks down her favorite hidden corners of Chile, from wild Patagonia to volcano climbs, ancient mummies, and the vibrant island culture of Chiloé. You’ll hear tips for hitchhiking the Carretera Austral, visiting Indigenous communities with cultural respect, and building a flexible mid-range travel budget in Chile. We also talk about how to approach destinations more consciously as travelers, not just tourists. 

Plus, you're going to hear Part 2 of the Best in Travel Tech series!

What’s the one hidden gem you’ve discovered in your travels (or want to discover) that changed how you think about a place? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How a burned-out teacher bought a one-way ticket to Bolivia and ended up building a new life across Latin America

• What makes the Carretera Austral a must‑visit, and why she recommends you hitchhike

• How Chile’s wine valleys offer cultural and culinary depth beyond the typical vineyard experience

• How the Mapuche people in the south of Chile maintain ancient traditions, and how travellers can engage respectfully

• How to choose when to travel in Patagonia to avoid crowds and still get wild‑land experiences

• How to climb a volcano near Pucón and what to expect (terrain, season, logistics)

• Why a remote island like Chiloé delivers cultural and natural surprises that few visit

• Advice for budget mid‑range travellers in Chile: transport, accommodation, local costs, and how to balance comfort with adventure

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Get your Being Box

• Stephdyson.com

• Worldly Adventurer

• Moon Chile: With Patagonia & Rapa Nui

• Worldpackers

• Workaway

• Pangae App

• Meetup

Want More?

• Top 7 Grand European Journeys With Lucas Peters

• Peru’s Hidden Gems, Why NOT to Hike the Inca Trail + Amazing (Less Crowded) Alternatives with Heather Jasper

• Building a Travel Lifestyle: Digital Nomadism, Slow Travel, Exploring Latin America with Kyle Cohenour

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”

• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this month’s episode, Caitlin and Janessa swap stories on budgeting, daily tradeoffs, and what it takes to feel comfortable in constant motion. You'll hear their thoughts on shifting priorities, overlooked productivity habits, tax residency trends, and why your “normal” might not be so normal elsewhere.

Remote Roundup is a new monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

What’s something you’ve either given up (or refused to give up) to make remote work and travel sustainable for you? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Janessa’s experience traveling and working on Vancouver Island

• A simple travel item that can seriously improve your remote work (that we often ignore), and how small comforts can make or break your productivity

• What to consider before making borderless tax or residency moves

• The hidden tradeoffs behind minimalist living on the road

• Why your priorities might shift the longer you live as a nomad

• What remote workers are getting wrong about cost-of-living savings abroad

• The unexpected mindset shift that happens when you stop “vacationing” and start living

• Which everyday habits feel surprisingly hard (or freeing) to give up

• Cultural quirks that can challenge what you thought was “normal”

• One playful question that reveals way more about someone than you’d expect (steal this!)

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Caitlin on Instagram

• Janessa on Instagram

Want More?

• Remote Roundup: Intentional Travel, Nomadding Berlin, Work Setups, Co-Living Trends, Overhyped Destinations (September 2025)
• How To Find Balance and Be Productive Working Remotely w/ Liam Martin from Running Remote
• Top 11 Digital Nomad and Remote Work Visas for Relocating (2025 Edition) + Where to Consider Relocating (And Why) with Tim Marting from Citizen Remote

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Moon Travel Guides: USA National Parks Hiking - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order of Moon’s latest book and other guides.
• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heidi Niklaus is the founder of Heidi Runs Abroad LLC, where she helps travelers, expats, and digital nomads maintain their wellness routines on the road. With a background in higher education at Rutgers University, she pivoted into fitness instruction, became a long‑term traveler, and is now planning her move to Sofia, Bulgaria.

In this episode, Heidi shares how a divorce, a career pause, and a couchsurfing connection sparked a global lifestyle. She also shares her active travel and fitness adventure bucket list, ranging from volcano sunrises and glacier kayaking to a marathon under the midnight sun.

You’ll hear how Heidi traded structure for uncertainty and why she now helps travelers maintain their wellness routines on the road. She shares practical insights on how to blend movement with exploration, and why fitness doesn’t have to take a back seat just because you're abroad. Heidi’s bucket list and personal stories will challenge how you think about travel and inspire you to create your own list of active travel adventures.

What’s one adventure you’ve always thought about doing, big or small, that would get you moving and exploring? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How couchsurfing and solo travel unlocked a new chapter for her

• Why fitness wasn’t always part of Heidi’s life, and how she made that shift

• Advice on staying active and finding the balance while traveling (even on “vacation”) • The difference between intentional exercise and being physically active while traveling

• Why labeling your trip a “runcation” or “active adventure” actually matters

• The seven fitness adventures on her bucket list (plus three bonus picks)

• How movement during travel doesn’t need to be a “workout”

• Nutrition tips to balance indulgence and wellness abroad

• How to start your own bucket list to help you prioritize your travels

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Being Box

• Heidi’s website

• Instagram

• VoiceMap walking tours

• Peaks of the Balkans

Want More?

• Top 10 Health and Wellness Destinations (The Best Places To Live In The World) with Nina Butler

• Staying Healthy and Stress-Free While Traveling With Kirsten Pontius

• Greatest Hits: How Travel Can Improve Your Mental Health With Gilad Gamliel

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Moon Travel Guides: USA National Parks Hiking - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order of Moon’s latest book and other guides.

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”

• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Frye is a travel and outdoor writer who grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and now lives in North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. His latest book with Moon Travel Guides, USA National Parks Hiking: The Top 100 Trails, covers 100 hikes across 40 U.S. national parks.

Jason takes us through some of the best hikes in America’s national parks, broken down into three helpful categories: the iconic must‑do trails where the views are legendary but the crowds may be heavy, the lesser‑known trails inside the big parks where you can find solitude without sacrificing scenery, and the true hidden gems tucked away in lesser‑visited parks waiting to be discovered. 

Whether you’re an experienced hiker or someone who just wants to get outside and explore nature, Jason shares practical tips on how to avoid crowds, pick a hike that fits your comfort level, and get the most out of your park visit. 

Plus, we have part one of our bonus three-part mini series, Best in Travel Tech!

What’s the best hike you’ve ever done in a national park, and what made it memorable for you? I'd love to hear what about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why hiking down into a surreal red-rock landscape full of spires and silence can feel like a private wilderness escape

• Why the right timing in one of the most visited parks in the country can make all the difference 

• Why the annual U.S. National Parks pass is still one of the best travel deals in America

• How to identify lesser­crowded trails in major parks, and what to do when you arrive and the parking lot is full.

• Safety tips for extreme terrain, wild weather, and remote locations that catch many hikers off guard

• Why “just try” might be the most important mindset to take into the backcountry

• A short trail that leads to an unforgettable view, yet barely anyone talks about

• Why national parks aren’t just about nature—they’re also about culture, history and the stories of people and place beneath the landscapes.

• Which resources Jason uses to scout, prep, and get the most out of every national park trip

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Moon US National Parks Hiking: The Top 100 Trails

• Jason on Instagram

• National Park Service

• Recreation.gov 

• AllTrails

• Google Explore

Want More?

• Hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland with Lynne Nieman

• A 2,190+ Mile Mother-Son Adventure: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail after a Decade of Nomadic Family Travel with Jessica and Largo Sueiro

• How to Plan Your Camino + Going Beyond the Camino Frances (Secret Routes, Donkey Highways, and Spain’s Hidden Village Network) with Shawn and Lainey

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL”
• Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Moon Travel Guides: USA National Parks Hiking - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order of Moon’s latest book and other guides.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir is an Icelandic author, speaker, and creative leader known for popularizing the concept of InnSæi, the Icelandic approach to intuition. She spent years working in international development (including the UN) before shifting into coaching, writing, and teaching how to access inner wisdom. Her book InnSæi: Heal, Revive, and Reset with the Icelandic Art of Intuition draws on psychology, neuroscience, poetry, and cultural insight.

In our conversation, Hrund talks about what intuition is and isn’t, and how her InnSæi framework can help us reconnect with it. 

We explore how intuition is both real and learnable, and how it can work alongside logic to guide big life choices, including where and how you want to travel. You’ll get practical tools to calm your nervous system, tell the difference between fear and true inner signals, and create space in your day-to-day life to actually hear and trust your intuition.

What decision or longing is tugging at you these days, and how can you use your intuition to help guide you? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How InnSæi maps to “the sea within,” insight, and seeing from the inside out

• Hrund’s definition of intuition as the efficient use of unconscious information 

• When intuition is most reliable and when emotional states might cloud it

• Two powerful journaling practices to sharpen self-awareness and help decode your inner signals

• A simple breathing technique to calm your system before a decision

• How to show up grounded in meetings, creative tasks, and travel decisions

• How intuition and creativity are intertwined, and how to create structure to channel them

• Why self‑trust and confidence in your own judgment matter more than any external validation

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Hrund’s website and book

• InnSæi course

Want More?

• Using Intuition to Make Tough Decisions, Learning to Surrender, Discovering Purpose, and Living Your Best Life with Amrit Sandhu from Inspired Evolution

• How to Flourish in 2025: 5 Pillars of Well-Being with Pat Sperry

• How to Navigate Transitions and Design Your Life (Without the BS) with Lauren Handel Zander

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• CREATOR: The Podcast - Join host Ross Borden as he uncovers how top creators built six-figure incomes from beach cafes, mountain peaks, and everything in between. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heather Jasper is a travel writer and photographer who has been based in Cusco, Peru, since 2019. She has written for BBC Travel, Fodor’s, Frommer’s, and other major outlets, leading readers off the beaten path across Peru.

In this episode, we dig into why Heather believes it’s nearly impossible to hike the Inca Trail ethically, and she offers lesser-known, more respectful alternatives and hidden gems across Peru.

This episode may help you become a better traveler and make more informed decisions. Heather explains why the system behind the Inca Trail, from permit quotas to porter treatment, is deeply flawed. You’ll hear exactly what red flags to look for when choosing a trekking company in Peru and what questions to ask before booking. We also explore alternative routes that offer just as much beauty with less harm, plus other parts of Peru that travelers often skip entirely.

What’s one assumption you hold about a destination you’re planning, and how might you challenge it? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How Heather built a career in travel writing while living in Peru (and her thoughts on AI!)

• Why she says the Inca Trail is almost impossible to hike ethically

• What happened during the pandemic that sharpened her view on porter welfare

• How to spot an “unethical” trekking company just by their marketing or photos

• The surprising reason why smaller trekking agencies tend to be more ethical

• Specific treks in Peru that bypass the worst of mass tourism

• Hidden destinations in Peru beyond Machu Picchu - art, desert, rainforest, and religious tourism

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Heather’s website

• An Ethical Guide to Hiking the Inca Trail

• Horizon Guides Alternatives to the Inca Trail

• Instagram

Want More?

• How to Plan a Hike on the Inca Trail, Winning $500,000 on a Game Show, Learning from the Past with Philip Gibbons

• Nomadic Matt on “How to Travel the World on $75 a Day,” Budget Travel, and Finding Your Balance While Traveling

• DIY Adventure: Around the World in a $100 Car, the Pan-American Highway in a School Bus, Community-Powered Travel with Global Convoy Founder Joel Chevaillier

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• CREATOR: The Podcast - Join host Ross Borden as he uncovers how top creators built six-figure incomes from beach cafes, mountain peaks, and everything in between. 

• Atlas Obscura Podcast: Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Williams is the founder of Desert Island Survival, an adventure travel company that maroons people on desert islands, and the winner of the TV survival show Alone UK 2023.

In this episode, Tom traces his path from wealth management to remote survival guiding, explains how he designs his desert island expeditions, and shares the deep transformations that he's witnessed in his participants.

Tom shares how he went from being at the bottom of his class and experiencing childhood bullying in England to walking to the North Pole, becoming a dive master, and launching a wilderness survival business. He breaks down how Desert Island Survival trips work, why they’re structured the way they are, and what makes the format accessible even to beginners. You’ll hear real stories of guests who made dramatic life changes afterward - quitting jobs, leaving relationships, transforming their health - not because they were promised transformation, but because of what happens when you slow down and reconnect with your primal self. Tom also shares business lessons from starting small, building around passion, and growing with intention.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. What travel experiences have changed your life? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you will share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why a trip to Honduras at 20 shifted Tom’s identity and changed the course of his life
• How walking to the North Pole helped him build the resilience to start a business
• What inspired him to leave a finance job and build Desert Island Survival from scratch
• What actually happens on the island and why it’s designed to feel like raw adventure, not hardship
• The “non-negotiables” that make each trip feel special, accessible, and transformative
• What it means to go back to “layer zero” of technology and why that’s so powerful
• How Tom finds untouched islands in a mapped world, and what makes the perfect location
• What he’s learned from growing slowly, staying picky, and building around passion
• Why following your dream isn’t always about success
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Tom's website
• Tom on Instagram
•  Desert Island Survival
• Tom’s book recommendations:  Humankind, Sapiens, At Home,  438 Days

Want More?

• 3 years Alone On Foot: An Interview With Sarah Marquis
• Finding Your Island Paradise: An Interview With Alex Sheshunoff
• How To Hike The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail)

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.
• CREATOR: The Podcast - Join host Ross Borden as he uncovers how top creators built six-figure incomes from beach cafes, mountain peaks, and everything in between. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cédric Pages is the founder of WhatToDoRiviera.com, a local tour entrepreneur driving discovery across the Côte d’Azur by partnering with small operators and curating authentic experiences.

In this episode, we dive into seven hidden gems of the French Riviera that most visitors miss, plus Cédric’s journey from IT to tour guide and how he’s building a travel business that’s rooted in human connection.

Cédric shares seven of his favorite French Riviera hidden gems, including secret coastal walks, ancient monasteries, and even a solar-powered sailing experience. You’ll hear what makes the region so unique, how to explore it without breaking the bank, and why most visitors miss its most memorable spots. 

Which of these hidden gems are you most excited to explore, or which region have you discovered that surprised you? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How Cedric turned a single walking tour into a platform supporting local guides and curated experiences across the Riviera
• A coastal walk that offers dramatic sea views, rare flora, and villa-lined cliffs
• An under-visited nearby island that still houses monks and produces local wine and olive oil
• The story of a tiny, family-run vineyard still using centuries-old winemaking methods
• Why a scenic train ride turns a Riviera base into an unexpected mountain gateway
• What it’s like to glide silently along the coast on a solar-powered boat
• How one inland river canyon makes for an epic full-day adventure
• Which town Cédric recommends as your base, and when it actually makes sense to move
• The biggest assumption people make about French hospitality and how to break through
• Advice for building a travel business that connects you with people, not just tours
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Cédric’s list of French Riviera hidden gems
• What To Do Riviera
• Instagram

Want More?

• How to Plan Your Camino + Going Beyond the Camino Frances (Secret Routes, Donkey Highways, and Spain’s Hidden Village Network) with Shawn and Lainey
• 5 Unexpected Things to Do in Paris and 3 Hidden Gems in France with Paige McClanahan
• How To Explore Paris Like a Local, Working on Hospital Ships, and Becoming an Expat on a Mystery Visa With Jay Swanson

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.
• CREATOR: The Podcast - Join host Ross Borden as he uncovers how top creators built six-figure incomes from beach cafes, mountain peaks, and everything in between. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remote Roundup is a new monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

In this episode, we talk about how adding intentionality to your travels can completely reshape your experience as a digital nomad, and how the right tools, communities, and mindsets can turn a place from “just okay” to somewhere you thrive. 

We reflect on how our experiences of a popular European city have shifted over time, share the realities of finding remote work setups that actually support this lifestyle, and unpack the growing trend of pop-up co-livings. You’ll get our honest take on destinations that look perfect on Instagram but don’t always hold up in real life, and how to think differently about where (and why) you go next.

What’s one experience, community, or personal goal that could guide your next destination? We’d love to hear about it, and hope you’ll share by sending an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How Berlin won Caitlin over on her second visit, and what makes it a compelling nomad base
• The gear and simple upgrades that can make remote work more comfortable and sustainable on the road
• Why pop-up and self-organized co-livings are on the rise and how they’re creating more organic, affordable, and aligned ways to live and work together
• How choosing a purpose or focus for your travels can lead to deeper connections, routines, and a more memorable time
• Which popular destinations are overhyped, and how expectations shape our experience
• A fun round of Would You Rather” that can help you reflect on your own travel values and priorities
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Caitlin on Instagram
• Janessa on Instagram
• Instagram vs Real Life article

Want More?

• Remote Roundup: Future Hotspots, Productivity Experiments, Digital Nomadding 2.0 (August 2025)
• Digital Detox: Downsizing Your Digital Life to Create Freedom + Reboot Your Lifestyle Business with Corbett Barr
• Co-living 101: How to Build Community While Traveling + the Future of Remote Work with Fabio and Juls

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.
• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jacob Lemanski is an engineer-turned-world traveler who bicycled 38,000 miles over 999 days, crossing six continents and circling the earth twice. After returning home, he turned his travel journal into a video podcast, How To Move The Stars. He also founded an art and clothing company inspired by the experience and now runs a bike touring business in Colorado.

Jacob shares what it was like to travel without a finish line and how it reshaped his entire approach to life and adventure.

He reveals how three years of solo, open-ended travel deepened his understanding of presence, identity, and emotional endurance. You’ll hear what it took to stay on the road for 999 days, the personal cost and reward of extreme solitude, and how returning home led him to reshape his life through creativity, entrepreneurship, and reflection. This episode challenges conventional ideas of success and shows what’s possible when the journey itself becomes the destination.

What’s one journey you’ve been holding back from because you felt you needed a clear goal or endpoint? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• What inspired Jacob to leave home without a destination and why he expected to quit much earlier

• What it’s like to live without a schedule for three years and how that changes your sense of time

• What the trip taught him about limits, identity, and emotional endurance

• The emotional impact of returning home after years of open-ended movement

• How Jacob turned thousands of journal pages into a long-term podcast art project

• Why he built a giant ant farm, and how psychedelics helped him process the trip

• His best advice for aspiring long-distance cyclists and building a trip around your personal limits

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Jacob’s podcast, How To Move The Stars

• Ant Life psychedelic art and clothing

• Mountain High Bicycle Tours

Want More?

• Lessons From Caring for the Dying and Bike Packing 18 Countries With Jerry Kopack
• 7 Bike Rides of a Lifetime With National Geographic’s Roff Smith
• Bike-Packing Scotland and Breaking Free of Cultural Expectations with C.D. Seventeen

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.
• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Brills is a long-time digital nomad, international entrepreneur, and co-founder of Pamoja Safaris, a locally run company offering custom wildlife safaris in Tanzania. Over the past 20 years, he’s lived at the intersection of travel, business, and service — running trips, participating in charities, and creating a location-independent lifestyle before “digital nomad” was a common phrase. 

This episode is both a guide to planning a world-class African safari and a behind-the-scenes look at how Scott built a thriving travel-based business from scratch. 

Whether you're dreaming of lions in the Serengeti or wondering how to design your own unconventional lifestyle, this conversation delivers both practical insights and personal inspiration. If a safari is on your bucket list, you’ll learn how to plan smart: when to go, where to go, what it should cost, and what red flags to avoid. And if you’ve ever dreamed of building your life around travel, Scott’s story is proof that it’s possible, even without outside funding, marketing spend, or a fixed address. 

What would building your life around travel look like, and what’s one step you could take today? What element of a Safari is the most important to you? I'd love to hear what you think and hope you will share by sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• What makes Tanzania a world-class safari destination 

• How Scott co-founded a safari business through a single serendipitous encounter 

• Key factors that affect safari pricing and how to keep costs down without sacrificing quality 

• When and where to go for the best wildlife, weather, and experience 

• Why guide quality is the single most important factor in a great safari 

• What to look for in ethical safari operators (and how to avoid greenwashing) 

• How Scott ran his business for over a decade on referrals alone 

• The origin of his travel obsession and how it shaped everything 

• What “building a life around travel” actually looks like, practically and emotionally 

• Advice for travelers considering a leap into remote work or entrepreneurship  

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Learn about Pamoja Safaris 

• Scott’s website 

• Pamoja on Instagram 

• Scott on Instagram 

Want More? 

• 9 Ways Travel Will Change You + Lessons from Cycling Africa and Visiting 95 Countries with Alex Hennock 

• Adventure and Conservation: A 6000 km Tuk Tuk Journey Through Africa 

• 5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron 

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney Laschkewitsch is a serial inventor who, with no prior experience, licensed six products after facing 51 rejections. Now, Courtney helps everyday inventors bring their ideas to life and earn passive income through the free resources on her website, Serial Inventing, and the company she works for, inventRight.

Courtney lays out the inventRight 10-step product licensing business model and shows how she went from zero experience to multiple licensable products. We dig into what realistic timelines, costs, and mindsets look like when you want to bring your product idea to market by licensing instead of manufacturing.

Courtney explains how licensing can let someone else build your idea while you collect royalties from anywhere in the world. You’ll learn not just the mechanical steps, but why so much of your success depends on persistence, handling rejection, and building skills many people overlook. She’s honest about the financial realities - what small checks look like, what good deals look like - and what terms in contracts you should always negotiate. If you want a clear, actionable path toward turning ideas into income without a massive risk, this episode gives you that roadmap. 

Do you have a product idea that could help you earn passive income while you travel? I’d love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share them sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why product licensing can let you earn passive income location‑independently without owning inventory or manufacturing 

• The first three foundational steps: doing market research, checking for prior art/patents, and defining what makes your idea unique 

• How to build prototypes or virtual models to show your concept 

• How to write a one‑line benefit statement and develop an effective sell‑sheet  

• Common myths around patenting and protection: what it does, the costs, limitations, and when it’s essential 

• How to build a hit list of companies, reach out sensitively to avoid unsolicited idea policies, and follow up well 

• Key negotiation levers beyond royalty rates: territory, exclusivity, distribution, wholesale vs net sales 

• How to decide when an idea is worth continuing vs when to shelve it, and how to improve your process as you iterate 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Courtney’s website 

• The Serial Inventing Podcast 

Want More? 

• How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns 

• 10 Key Principles That Built a $40M Business While Traveling with Dan Demsky 

• How To Run A Profitable Local Business From Anywhere In The World w/ Neel Parekh 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Abandoned shares his passion for urban exploration, including stories of some of his most challenging journeys, most cherished experiences, and all about the URBEX movement. 

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to visit lost parts of society and want to know more about finding beauty in decay, then you don't want to miss this episode. We discuss how Greg discovered a new perspective on life through urban exploration, what inspired him to adopt this lifestyle, the unwritten rules of URBEX, and how to begin your own journey.

Have you ever participated in urban exploration? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Tune In To Learn:

• What happened when Greg was arrested by the Chinese secret police
• How to follow proper etiquette when doing urban exploration
• When and why Greg fell in love with urban exploration
• The video game that inspired Greg to visit Chernobyl and start his journey
• How to start out on your own urban exploration adventure 
• Why it's important to find a balance between sharing locations and keeping undiscovered places off the map
• What makes photography an important part of the process for Greg
• The most challenging urban exploration experiences Greg has ever encountered
• Why Greg feels that URBEX has given him a new life purpose
• The hidden meaning behind Chasing Bandos
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Check out Greg’s Website
• Listen to the Chasing Bandos Podcast
• Instagram

Want More?

• How To Get Off The Beaten Track with Gunnar Garfors
• Getting Off The Beaten Path with Travel Writing Legend Joe Cummings
• Hidden Paths and Sacred Rides with Mike Brcic

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nat Eliason is an entrepreneur and author based in Austin, Texas. Over the past decade, he’s built a career that gives him location freedom through writing, course creation, and now fiction. His debut sci-fi novel Husk: Book 1 of the Meru Initiative, was released in May 2025. 

In this episode, Nat returns to share his experience transitioning from nonfiction writer to sci‑fi novelist, revealing the counterintuitive strategies he used to launch Husk and build momentum in the noisy creator economy. 

Whether you're building a location-independent business or launching a creative project from anywhere in the world, Nat shares how to take control of your output, challenge “start later” thinking, and embrace the long game. He also opens up about what it takes to be patient in a fast-moving digital world, how he used an experimental marketing mindset to sell his products and books, and the often unseen emotional work of building something sustainably. 

What’s one creative project you want to launch? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Nate’s journey as an entrepreneur and author, and how he constructed the fictional world of Husk 

• Insight into balancing the joy of the journey with your bigger goals 

• Why starting creative work before feeling "ready" may be your strongest move 

• How to think like a business even while focusing on fiction or creative work 

• Why Nat says newsletters and funnels are out and where you should focus instead 

• The creative way that Nat sold his preorders instead of launching through Amazon 

• Advice for staying motivated before your work gains traction  

• How the "prep trap" holds creators and entrepreneurs back, and how Nat learned to bypass it 

• Nat’s favorite fiction book recommendations 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Visit Nat’s website 

• Get the book, Husk 

• Instagram 

Want More? 

• Lessons From Winning and Losing Millions in Crypto, How To Find Fulfilling Work, Advice for Transitioning to a Creative Career, and Creating Unlimited Upside With Nat Eliason 

• How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns 

• An Interview With John Craigie: Notes From The Road 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this series, Aaron is going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert, layered in 200,000 years of human history. 

Until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day, only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. 

Highlights Include: 

• Exploring the ancient city of Hegra. Built by the same people who built Petra in Jordan, Hegra is every bit as spectacular, but only visited by a handful of intrepid travelers. 

• Visiting Jebel Ikmah, a library of ancient inscriptions carved into stone that reveal life in the desert more than 2,000 years ago. 

• Riding Arabian horses to petroglyphs in the desert (and nearly falling off). 

• Meeting a herd of overly friendly camels, with a taste for microphones. 

• Learning from rawis, local storytellers, about the history of the incense road, a vast trading route that passed through Alula and changed the face of Arabia forever. 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Listen on Apple, Spotify 

• ExperienceAlula.com 

• Instagram, Facebook, X 

• Armchair Productions 

• Armchair Explorer Podcast 

Want More? 

• Top 3 Life Lessons from the World’s Greatest Adventurers with Aaron Millar (Host of the Armchair Explorer Podcast) 

• Travel To Utah: Fireside Dances, Ancient Ruins, and the Beauty of Hózhó (Balance) 

• Exploring San Francisco by Cable Car 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martin Vrana is the founder of Lost Paradise, a boutique resort he spent nearly 15 years building from scratch on a small island off Bali’s coast. Born and raised in Scandinavia, Martin left a safe life behind to follow an adventurous dream, one that taught him resilience, determination, and the art of creating a life on his own terms.

In this episode, Martin tells the story of how he turned a blank plot of land into Lost Paradise resort, through three jobs, relentless determination, and years of overcoming logistical, emotional, and cultural challenges.

Martin shares the raw truth behind building Lost Paradise from the ground up: the emotional cost, the logistical nightmares, and the relentless mindset that carried him through. You’ll hear how he navigated burnout, sacrificed relationships, and lived off-grid with no electricity, all while staying anchored to his vision. This story isn’t about overnight success; it’s about what’s possible when you refuse to quit.

What wild dream or goal of your are you ready to make happen? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why he kept the journey secret (even from his own mother)
• How sourcing reclaimed wood across Indonesia became an epic logistical feat
• What it felt like to work 450 hours a month to fund a project you’re not sure will succeed
• How natural disasters and COVID unexpectedly pushed the project forward
• The emotional toll of isolation, stress, and living off-grid in a half-built bungalow
• How Martin became part of the community, learning language and culture on the ground
• Why he calls himself a modern-day adventurer, not a social media entrepreneur
• What building Lost Paradise taught him about success, freedom, and fulfillment
• How he’s recovering from the journey and what he’s dreaming up next
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Lost Paradise Resort
• Martin on Instagram
• Watch the YouTube documentary

Want More?

• 100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav
• How To Go Sailing Around The World with Brian Trautman
• Bicycling Across the USA Without Money in Search of Human Connection With Daniel Troia

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our debut episode of Remote Roundup - a new monthly series exploring what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

Caitlin Sunderland is the associate producer, and Janessa is the partnerships manager of the Zero To Travel podcast. Both are digital nomads who’ve embraced the ups and downs of remote work life from all over the world.

Caitlin and Janessa open up about navigating burnout, experimenting with work routines, their thoughts on where nomads will be heading next, and what it means to be a “digital nomad 2.0.” You'll hear real stories and reflections on money, mindset, productivity, identity, and the emotional shifts that come with long-term travel. 

What did you think of this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts, and hope you’ll share by sending an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why one underrated city could be your ideal remote base outside of the Schengen Zone
• How 4‑hour work containers and energy management can boost focus
• Advice for experimenting with your routines (without the guilt)
• Our predictions for the next digital nomad hubs
• What it means to build a sense of stability and home on the move
• A wild café policy that had us doing a double-take
• What rapid‑fire questions reveal behind the scenes of Zero to Travel
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Caitlin on Instagram
• Janessa on Instagram
• Rogue Roundup article
• Cal Newport Deep Work

Want More?

• Two Paths to Location Independence and Travel (No Skills Required) With Caitlin Sunderland and Janessa Klatt
• Building a Travel Lifestyle: Digital Nomadism, Slow Travel, Exploring Latin America with Kyle Cohenour
• The Reality of Digital Nomad Life (Warts and All) With Steph and Dalt

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Danehav is a Swedish documentary filmmaker known for embarking on a bold quest to create 100 short films revealing the everyday impact-makers whose stories remain untold. Based in Stockholm and often traveling worldwide, Robin explores humanity, creativity, and empathy through compelling, intimate films.

In this episode, Robin shares how the “100 Documentary Project” began, what fuels the journey, and why storytelling rooted in purpose can reshape our lives.

Robin shares how a one-year TV course and leap from IT sparked his filmmaking path and why his “100 Documentary Project” became both a purpose and a personal challenge. You’ll hear what it means to reframe your side hustle as your main work, and how traveling to places like Uganda and Bali shaped his storytelling. Robin opens up about the emotional depth he seeks in his subjects, why integrity matters more than clicks, and the biggest creative lesson travel continues to teach him. Whether you’re a storyteller, creator, or traveler, you’ll walk away with new insight into the value of empathy and everyday impact.

What hidden stories in your life or community deserve to be shared?  I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why a dinner with a pasta maker in Lisbon led Robin to start his filmmaking quest

• How counting down from 100 shaped the structure and mindset of the project

• Advice for identifying emotional moments even when subjects are camera‑shy

• Why reframing the side hustle as your main purpose can change everything

• How storytelling connects emotion and deeper impact

• How travel constraints sparked creative solutions on location

• How collaborating with a mission‑driven coffee company enabled an unforgettable shoot in Uganda

• Tips for filming long‑form with limited gear and adapting when tech breaks

• Insight into the editing grind, the “80/20 rule,” and the tweaks that take the longest

• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Robin’s website

• YouTube

• Instagram

Want More:

• Making IMAX Films Around the World, Mindful Travel, and Working with Jane Goodall with Mike Day

• Beyond the Summit: Climbing Mt. Everest, Filming at 29,000 Feet, a Cultural Journey through Nepal, and Taking Your Childhood Dreams to Heart with Alex Harz

• Immersion Travel: Becoming a Porter in Nepal with Nate Menninger

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Beth Santos started a travel blog, her goal was to challenge norms by exploring the diverse and shared experiences of women traveling the world. It has since morphed into Wanderful, an international community and social network with over 40,000 active members composed of women and non-binary people of all ages and backgrounds. Aside from this booming online community, Beth has also created WITS Travel Creator + Brand Summit, the Bessie Awards, and the first-ever outdoor women’s festival.

This episode is all about rethinking what it means to travel and how the narratives we tell (and believe) can exclude so many people. Beth and I get into how she reconnected with her Portuguese heritage and how that led to a life of travel and leadership. She shares her story of moving to São Tomé and Príncipe in her early 20s, the emotions around not speaking the language of her own family, and how she eventually turned those early experiences into a powerful global community.

We talk a lot about what it means to lead with vulnerability, how to build safe and inclusive spaces, and why the dominant solo female travel narrative is way too narrow. Beth also opens up about entrepreneurship, failure, and parenting as a founder. 

What are some ways you can create a safe space for others? I'd love to hear some of your ideas and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why "travel" isn’t about miles traveled, but the challenge to your assumptions
• How Beth’s heritage and a two-year stint in São Tomé shaped her journey
• Advice on using vulnerability to build authentic, enduring communities
• How solo female travel is often framed as either romantic or frightening—and why that’s incomplete
• Why women dominate travel decisions and how that shapes industry narratives
• How Wanderful links women around the globe with real, local advice
• How to hold space as a leader—even if "failure" occurs
• Why the life of a traveling entrepreneur and motherhood aren’t mutually exclusive
• The story behind Wanderfest—the first outdoor travel festival by and for women
• Why breaking the rules empowers people to be themselves

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Check out the Wanderful community 
• Learn more about Beth Santos
• Connect with Beth on LinkedIn

Want More?

• Inspiring Female Adventurers Series: Around America And Beyond with Renata Chlumska
• How Words Can Shape Your Life w/ Stephanie James
• Choosing The Travel Life w/ Rachel Hill

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hutchins is the host of the “All the Hacks” podcast, where he distills practical strategies across life, money, and travel. An optimizer by nature, Chris has saved millions by breaking down every aspect of life to maximize happiness at the lowest cost.

Chris joins me to share the top hacks from his podcast - life-changing mindset shifts that shape how we experience travel, time, and value.

You’ll hear how he uses travel as a lens for smarter life decisions, from taking second trips to embracing intentional spending. We talk about the emotional side of optimization, how to avoid over-optimizing, and why some of the best “hacks” are actually mindset shifts. If you've ever questioned whether squeezing in that extra flight or saving those extra points was worth it, this conversation might change how you travel and live.

What’s one tiny hack you’ve adopted that’s unexpectedly amplified your joy or efficiency? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why returning to the same destination can unlock a more meaningful travel experience

• How buying back your time (groceries, errands) can pay more than saving money

• When it's smarter to spend money instead of optimizing every detail, especially in different seasons of life

• Surprising things you didn’t know you could negotiate and how a simple ask can save thousands

• Why buying airline or hotel points during promotions can open up luxury travel for a fraction of the cost

• How to spot deals that aren’t just discounts, but potential income streams with a little creativity

• The mindset shift from deal-hunting for its own sake to building long-term value in how you spend and live

• A simple way to search for unclaimed money that might literally have your name on it

• Chris’ favorite tools and tech to save time, money, and mental energy with almost no effort

• Why the best hacks are the ones aligned with your time, energy, and priorities - not just your wallet

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Listen to All the Hacks podcast

• Coyote game

• Die with Zero by Bill Perkins

• The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom

Want More:

• How to Win at Travel with “The Points Guy” Brian Kelly

• Top 8 Food Hacks in Europe: How to Find Authentic Culinary Experiences on the Old Continent with Kenny Dunn

• 10 Key Principles That Built a $40M Business While Traveling with Dan Demsky

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Dorthe is my wife and travel partner of over 11 years, and a Norwegian local with roots in Trøndelag.  

In this episode, Anne and I share the story of our recent open-ended family road trip through Norway. We talk about the lessons we learned along the way, sharing insights that can be applied to anyone planning a more relaxed, rewarding road trip, whether in Norway or somewhere else. 

If you’ve ever dreamed about traveling Norway without spending a fortune, this conversation offers a real-world example of how to make it work. You’ll hear about the small, in-the-moment choices that shaped each day, the unplanned stops that became highlights, and how following the weather brought a sense of ease and adventure to the whole trip. We’ll also talk about the joy of connecting with friends along the way, the simple comfort of cabin stays, and why embracing flexibility over a fixed plan deepened our connection to every place we visited. 

What’s a spontaneous road trip or travel adventure you took that surprised you by how well it flowed? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why letting go of a rigid schedule created our best family memories 

• How weather reports guided our route more than any app ever could 

• The exact approach I used to politely get a hotel refund 

• How overpacking led to lessons for smarter packing next time 

• Why cabins felt more authentic than hotels 

• The power of paper maps and local advice 

• What it’s like to wild-camp at 900 m with kids 

• How visiting friends became our travel anchor 

• How an unplanned ferry ride led to one of Norway’s most beautiful beaches 

• What it felt like swimming with our kids in Norwegian fjords and lakes 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Stiklestad Viking Experience 

Want More? 

• America’s Greatest Road Trip! Key West to Deadhorse: 9,000 Miles Across Backroad USA With Tom Cotter 

• 2,000 KM on Foot From Oslo to the North Cape (With a 4-Year-Old, Husband, and Dog) + Making Big Life Changes With Ingrid Alm 

• Top 10 Road Trip Albums With Jason Law from Festy GoNuts 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lelde Benke-Lungevica is a Latvian writer and cultural storyteller who was born in Australia and moved back to Riga in her teens. Since 2013, she’s run the blog Life in Riga, offering a personal and authentic look at life in Latvia’s capital through stories, guides, and reflections on identity and homecoming.

This episode explores what makes Riga unique and how to see the city (and beyond) through local eyes.

You’ll hear Lelde’s top tips for exploring Riga off the beaten path, how Latvia’s seasonal rhythms shape daily life, and the local wellness ritual that might just change how you travel. She shares everything from the best markets and bakeries to an unusual national pastry and a coastal trail that stretches for over 1,000 kilometers. If you're looking to travel deeper and more intentionally, these hidden gems in Riga, Latvia, will give you a new way in.

What’s one lesser-known destination where you’ve felt a deep connection to the local culture? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Lelde moved back to Riga after years abroad, and how it shaped her sense of home

• What to do beyond Riga’s Old Town (and why it matters)

• How Riga’s past and present shape its identity today

• Advice for souvenir shopping that supports local makers

• How to explore Riga’s lesser-known beaches and hiking routes

• Why bakeries became a lifeline during Latvia’s economic crisis

• How Latvian cider culture is quietly booming

• Where to experience Latvia’s contemporary art scene without a national museum

• What “pirts” means, and why this wellness ritual might surprise you

• How to escape Riga and explore the rest of Latvia with just a few days

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter

• Life in Riga website

• Live Riga tourism website

• Visit Riga Facebook Group

• Latvia Expats Facebook Group

• Zuzeum Art Centre

• Kim? Contemporary Art Centre

• Riga Neighborhoods Project

• Baltic Coastal Hiking Route

• Agenskalns Market

• Sidrerija

Want More:

• World’s Cheapest Destinations + Traveling Europe on a Budget (2025) with Tim Leffel

• Solo Traveling Europe and “The Stans” in a Campervan with Maria Glaser

• Discovering The Hidden Europe with Francis Tapon

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Gibbons is a 68-year-old traveler, podcaster, and former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire winner who just got back from hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu at the time of this recording. 

In this episode, Philip walks us through the whole experience, from the planning process and permit system to the physical demands, group dynamics, costs, and what he'd do differently next time.

Philip shares what worked, what surprised him, and all the practical stuff that online forums and tour companies tend to gloss over. Whether you're just starting to dream about Machu Picchu or deep into planning mode, this episode will help you feel more prepared (and more excited) to go.

Have you hiked the Inca Trail or visited Machu Picchu? What was your experience like? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Philip chose the 5-day, 4-night route over the standard 4-day trek
• How to avoid a miserable early-morning line at Machu Picchu
• The best time of year to hike for safety, views, and weather
• Why the altitude and terrain are more intense than most expect
• How to choose a trekking company and avoid overpriced “luxury” options
• What Philip spent and where he splurged (and saved)
• Tips for avoiding food poisoning and staying healthy on the Inca Trail
• How a $30 private tent upgrade changed everything
• Why trekking poles are essential gear, even for the young and fit
• How winning $500,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire changed Philip’s life
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Philip’s website and podcast
• Philip on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
• Hiram Bingham Trail - PeruRail Info
• Inca Trail Permits Info - Peru Tourism

Want More?

• A 2,190+ Mile Mother-Son Adventure: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail after a Decade of Nomadic Family Travel with Jessica and Largo Sueiro
• Trekking from France to Austria (Using Hand-Drawn Maps from Locals) + Advocating for Torture Prevention Around the World with Ben Buckland
• Hiking the Camino De Santiago, Painting Your Travels, Letting Curiosity Rule, and Tiny House Living with Kari Gale

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conor Knighton is an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning and the bestselling author of Leave Only Footprints. After a personal breakup and some professional uncertainty, Conor pitched an idea that turned into a once-in-a-lifetime journey to all 59 national parks - a mission that transformed his life.

In this episode, Conor shares how the trip came to be, the people and parks that changed him, and why structure and singularity can create deeper travel experiences. He also offers practical advice for making the most of your national park visits, especially when you want to avoid the crowds.

If you’ve ever wanted to build a long-term travel journey around a specific goal, Conor’s story shows how powerful that can be. He opens up about the personal challenges that led to the trip, how he pitched it to CBS, and what it was really like to live on the road for a year. Along the way, he shares travel-tested tips for navigating national parks, connecting with strangers, and building a meaningful solo travel experience. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

What’s the most powerful travel experience you’ve had in nature? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

• How Conor transitioned from acting to TV journalism
• What sparked his idea to visit every U.S. national park in one year
• Why structure and a mission can elevate your travels
• How he funded and planned the yearlong journey
• Advice for navigating national parks without the crowds
• What to do on “lazy” travel days and why they’re important
• The best gear and apps for park-based road trips
• How to balance travel and content creation
• Stories of the inspiring people he met along the way
• Reflections on uncertainty, risk, and reinvention
• And so much more

Resources:

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• ConorKnighton.com
• Instagram

Want More?

• RV´ing Across America: A Quest To Visit All 50 States w/ Alyssa Padgett
• Reading a Book from Every Country in the World: A Year-Long Quest of Understanding with Ann Morgan
• How a Quest Can Improve Your Life (And Travels), Metaphysics, Letting Go of Beliefs That No Longer Serve With Derek Loudermilk

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paige McClanahan is a journalist and author of The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel. She’s spent years reporting for The New York Times and has lived in France for seven years. Her work explores tourism’s power to shape communities and how we can all travel more consciously. 

In this episode, Paige shares five unexpected and meaningful things to do in Paris that you’re not likely to find in a guidebook. We also talk about three offbeat places in France that are worth exploring if you want to go beyond the usual stops. 

You’ll learn how small things like saying “bonjour” can shift your whole experience, and how curiosity can lead you into everything from revolutionary history to North African hammams to street art scavenger hunts. Paige brings that perfect mix of local insight and traveler perspective that makes these suggestions feel not just interesting, but personal and lived-in. 

What are the most unexpected places you’ve discovered while traveling, and what made them stand out to you? I’d love to hear about them, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Paige’s favorite Paris park feels like a secret escape in the city 

• How a hammam visit near the Grand Mosque can open your eyes to Arab culture in France 

• Why “bonjour” and “au revoir” might be the most important words you say in Paris 

• How to explore the French Revolution using a free app on your phone 

• Advice to uncover Black history in Paris through immersive tours 

• Tips for engaging with France’s diversity and colonial history through travel 

• How to join a real-life street art scavenger hunt across Paris 

• Where to go in the French Alps besides Chamonix 

• What makes La Rochelle an underrated coastal gem 

• Why Lille is a culture-rich city most tourists skip 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter  

• Paige McClanahan on Instagram 

• Paige’s website and The New Tourist book 

• Parc des Buttes-Chaumont 

• Rosa Bonheur Bar 

• Grande Mosquée de Paris 

• Parcours Révolution App 

• Black Paris Tours (Ricky Stevenson) 

• Le Paris Noir Tour (Kevi Donat)  

• Flash Invaders street art app 

Want More? 

• How To Be a “New Tourist,” the Powers and Perils of Tourism, Embracing Tourist Traps, and the Impact of Travel With Paige McClanahan 

• 3 Travel Trends You Should Know w/ Paige McClanahan 

• How To Explore Paris Like a Local, Working on Hospital Ships, and Becoming an Expat on a Mystery Visa With Jay Swanson 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card – Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Moon Travel Guides – Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corbett Barr is an OG in the lifestyle business world, being a seasoned entrepreneur, creator, and technologist. After stepping away from the startup grind in search of a more balanced life, Corbett did a complete digital reset. He wiped away all the digital noise, keeping just one social media platform, which helped him refocus and recommit to ONLY the things that genuinely brought him joy. 

In this episode, we explore the concept of a “digital reboot,” how our online lives impact our real-world experience, and what it looks like to live more intentionally in the digital age, especially if you're building a business. 

Corbett opens up about the stress of entrepreneurship, the emotional weight of maintaining an online presence, and how minimizing his digital footprint helped him reconnect with what matters. You’ll hear real talk about creative burnout, finding balance between work and life, and how to rethink your relationship with social media and technology without burning it all down. We also talk travel, sabbaticals, pickleball, and how to design a business that fits your life, not the other way around. 

Did this episode inspire you to do your own version of a digital reboot? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why putting "lifestyle first" should always be the foundation of your decisions 

• What Corbett learned from the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley startups (and why he walked away) 

• How to communicate effectively with your partner when making major life or career changes 

• Why managing your “runway” (aka your savings) is essential 

• How to rethink your digital habits and start your digital reboot from a lifestyle perspective 

• What happened when Corbett deleted all his social media, and what he learned about identity, presence, and pressure 

• The unexpected power of visualizing a better future and recommitting to work you thought you might leave behind 

• A simple framework you can use to make any decision with more clarity 

• Where Corbett lands on the “pursue your passion vs. chase the opportunity” debate 

• What makes life in Mexico so magical 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

Want More? 

• The Location Free Lifestyle With Melody From Black Digital Nomad 

• Saying "Yes" to Full Time Travel with Christina McEnvoy 

• 7 Pro Tips For Finding A Perfect Work/Life/Travel Balance w/ Kelly Claus & Jeremy Enns 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shawn and Lainey are the husband-and-wife team behind Days We Spend, where they share stories and videos about their experiences walking Caminos and slow traveling across Europe. Both are experienced travelers -Lainey is a swing dance teacher who once built a global dance tour from scratch, and Shawn is a writer and creative whose love for "not hiking" somehow led him to walk over a dozen pilgrimages. Together, they’ve built a lifestyle around the kind of travel that slows you down, invites connection, and helps you hit the reset button on life. 

In this episode, we explore the modern pilgrimage lifestyle and why walking across Spain (or Portugal… or France…) might be the most human thing you ever do. 

Shawn and Lainey share an honest, down-to-earth look at what it’s actually like to walk a pilgrimage route, from navigating albergues to letting go of itineraries. You’ll hear what draws people to walk hundreds of kilometers (sometimes again and again), how to plan a Camino no matter how much time you have, and why these long walks are more about transformation through stillness than any big dramatic revelation. Whether you're craving community, solitude, or just a break from the algorithmic noise of modern life, this one will leave you thinking about what it means to just… walk. 

What kind of reset are you craving right now, and do you think a slower, more intentional kind of travel could help you find it? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Lainey’s first Camino de Santiago completely changed how she viewed Spain 

• How Lainey and Shawn went from New York hustle to full-time pilgrims 

• Advice to anyone who thinks they’re “not a hiker” (and why Shawn still doesn’t identify as one) 

• What makes the Camino different from other travel experiences 

• How walking helps you reset physically, mentally, and emotionally 

• Why the Camino doesn’t have to be life-changing to be meaningful 

• How to plan a Camino if you only have 1 or 2 weeks off 

• Why the Camino Primitivo might be your perfect first (or second) pilgrimage 

• Logistics tips: booking, WhatsApp hacks, and when to ditch your plans 

• How to avoid crowds and find less-traveled but equally beautiful routes 

• What it’s like to walk with a partner (and even a donkey!) 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Days We Spend website 

• YouTube 

• Instagram 

• Buen Camino App 

• Wise Pilgrim App 

• Gronze 

• Los Pueblos Mas Bonitos de Espana 

• The Chemin du Puy (Via Podiensis, Le Puy Camino, GR65) 

• The Way of Compostela 

Want More? 

• Hiking the Camino De Santiago, Painting Your Travels, Letting Curiosity Rule, and Tiny House Living with Kari Gale 

• How to Plan a Trip to Europe in 2025 with Lynne Nieman 

• Walking Europe’s GR5, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Wise Strength With Kathy Elkind 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Rickard is the author of The Silk Road to Happiness, a book born from his solo journey through the “Stans" - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan - on a quest to explore happiness through travel, conversations, and culture. After leaving a prestigious corporate career in Sydney, he hit reset, taking only a backpack and a big question on the road: What is happiness? 

In this episode, Will and I unpack the complex relationship between travel and happiness, and what he discovered by going off-grid in some of the world’s least-visited countries. 

If you’ve ever felt torn between being grateful for what you have and craving something more, this conversation might hit home. Will doesn’t offer a tidy formula for happiness, but instead, he shares five powerful themes that emerged during his journey - from purpose and minimalism to gratitude and detachment. We talk about how travel can shift your perspective, why sometimes you just have to book the flight, and how embracing discomfort can lead to deeper meaning. Plus, we explore how moving abroad redefined my own ideas about happiness. 

What’s something you’ve learned about yourself while traveling that changed the way you define happiness? I'd love for you to share your thoughts by sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Will walked away from a “dream” corporate job to explore the Silk Road 

• How a photo on Instagram sparked a life-changing decision 

• What the “anti-bucket list” is and how it might reshape your goals 

• Advice to anyone stuck in a career rut and wondering what’s next 

• Why pursuing “more” isn’t always a bad thing—and when it is 

• How five schools in Afghanistan changed Will’s view of purpose 

• Why these little-visited countries offer some of the most generous hospitality 

• Insights from ancient philosophy (and a scary night on the Pamir Highway) 

• The difference between enthusiasm and passion when it comes to career 

• How practicing gratitude—especially while traveling—can shift your mental state 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Will's book The Silk Road To Happiness 

• Follow Will on Instagram, LinkedIn 

Want More? 

• The power Of Death In Life with Gentle Rebel Bronnie Ware 

• How To Add More Play Into Your Life w/ Jeff Harry 

• Sweet Ass Strategies For Achieving Anything Fast w/ Heath Armstrong 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy McAlindon, better known as Andy the Highlander, is a Scottish tour guide, author, actor, and storyteller whose passion for Scotland’s history and culture has captivated millions online. From learning to sword fight on the set of Outlander to guiding travelers through hidden villages and ancient rituals, Andy’s journey is all about bringing Scotland’s living traditions to life. 

In this episode, we explore Andy’s transformation from electrician to beloved Highland guide and content creator, and his best advice for experiencing Scotland beyond the tourist traps. 

Andy shares the raw story of how he found purpose through grief, what he learned about work and resilience from his dad, and how stepping into the Highlander role helped him fall deeper in love with his homeland. We dig into the lesser-known places to go, local festivals to plan around, cultural traditions you’ll want to bring home, and the magic of slowing down to connect with real people. Whether you’re planning your first trip or just want to daydream about wild glens and cozy pubs, you’ll come away with practical tips and a new perspective on what travel in Scotland can really mean. 

What’s one local tradition you’d love to borrow from Scottish culture and weave into your own life? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Andy swapped a career as an electrician to become Scotland’s most recognizable Highlander 

• How a tragic loss unexpectedly led him to the stage and ultimately to the screen  

• What it was like sword fighting for Outlander and how that shaped his tours 

• The lesser-known places that need to be on your Scotland list 

• How Andy balances sharing Scotland’s hidden gems while protecting them from overtourism 

• Advice on hiking the West Highland Way without the rookie mistakes  

• Why staying in a bothy or croft helps you experience Scotland like a local 

• How handfasting ceremonies and sharing a ‘quake’ cup reveal the heart of Scottish connection 

• What local foods, drinks, and live music spots make your trip unforgettable 

• How to support local communities and keep Scotland’s spirit alive when you visit 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Highlander Tours 

• Lochs and Legends book 

• Andy the Highlander on Instagram 

• TikTok 

• YouTube 

Want More? 

• Hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland with Lynne Nieman 

• Bike-Packing Scotland and Breaking Free of Cultural Expectations with C.D. Seventeen 

• Lessons From Running Every Street In Glasgow, Scotland w/ Michael Shanks 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Levan Giorgadze is a theater-trained tour guide and founder of Tbilisi Free Walking Tours, where he shares Georgia’s rich history and culture with travelers from all over the world. A passionate ambassador for his homeland, Levan’s deep knowledge and playful storytelling have made him one of the most sought-after local guides in the region.

In this episode, we’re talking all things Georgia (the country!), from ancient wine traditions to offbeat Soviet architecture, cultural quirks, and tips for connecting with locals in Tbilisi and beyond.

If you’re planning a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia or curious about why it’s become one of the most talked-about destinations, this episode is a must. Levan shares what makes the city so special, from it’s special amber wines made in underground clay jars to off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods and other hidden gems in Tbilisi. You’ll learn why you should never cut a khinkali and what it’s like to lead a free walking tour in Tbilisi for nine years. You’ll get insider tips on the best local wine bars, Soviet-era architecture, and how to connect with locals on a deeper level. Whether you're after a cultural travel experience or just want the best Tbilisi travel tips, this episode will help you see the city like a local.

What do you think makes a place truly unforgettable - the food, the people, the stories, or something else entirely? I'd love to hear what you think, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Georgian amber wine might be the oldest winemaking tradition in the world 

• How Georgia's diverse microclimates shape its food, nature, and wine 

• Advice to connect with locals (and maybe get invited to dinner) 

• What travelers can learn from locals, and what Levan’s learned from travelers 

• Why you should never cut a khinkali dumpling 

• How Levan started one of the first free walking tours in Tbilisi 

• Hidden gems in Tbilisi, including the SkyBridge and Soviet-era print house 

• Why the “Chronicle of Georgia” monument is worth the trip out of town 

• Where to find the best markets, street food, and people-watching opportunities 

• What to bring home from Georgia besides a bottle of wine 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Tbilisi Free Walking Tours 

Want More? 

• Top 10 Health and Wellness Destinations (The Best Places To Live In The World) with Nina Butler 

• Exploring Kyoto Japan, Creative Expression Through Street Photography, Connecting With Your Heritage Abroad with Taro Moberly 

• Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonty Crane is a New Zealand-based traveler, guidebook author, and longtime advocate for meaningful, off-the-beaten-path travel. With over 75 countries under his belt, he’s currently volunteering in Timor-Leste, where he’s helping promote sustainable tourism while living the slow travel lifestyle.  

In this episode, we unpack what makes Timor-Leste one of the most under-the-radar travel destinations in the world. From coral reefs and dramatic mountain landscapes to warm, welcoming locals and a fascinating (if difficult) history, Jonty gives us a deep look at what it’s like to live and travel there and why more people should consider visiting. 

We talk about the difference between traditional tourism and slow travel, and how living and volunteering in a place like Timor-Leste can offer deeper insight, stronger connection, and more personal transformation than a quick trip ever could. Jonty also shares his favorite things to do in the country, what to expect when traveling there, and how to navigate the lack of infrastructure without losing your mind. Plus, you’ll get three of his top picks for other lesser-visited destinations that are worth the effort. 

Have you ever traveled somewhere that felt like a true hidden gem? What made it special for you? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Timor-Leste gets so few tourists and why that’s part of its magic 
• How it feels to be one of the only foreigners in a place (and how locals respond) 
• What slow travel really means, and how it compares to traditional tourism 
• Advice for traveling in places with limited infrastructure (and why it’s worth it) 
• Jonty’s take on authenticity, cultural connection, and purpose-driven travel 
• The best things to do in Timor-Leste, from coral reefs to mountain hikes 
• What it’s like volunteering abroad and “working” while exploring 
• Why slow travel doesn’t have to mean doing nothing 
• A peek at Timor-Leste’s rich history and resilient spirit 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Jonty’s website and Instagram 
• Exploring Timor-Leste website 
• Jonty’s books on Timor-Leste 
• Exploring Timor-Leste Podcast 
• TikTok 
• YouTube 

Want More? 

• Exploring Tibet with Robert Kelly 
• Top 10 Hidden Gems: East Africa (Beyond the Safari) and Transitioning to Travel With Sasha and Megnote Lezhnev 
• Here Not There: Alternative Destinations With Less Crowds (And Meaningful Experiences) with National Geographic Author Andrew Nelson 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Loudermilk is a coach, adventurer, podcaster, and bestselling author who helps coaches, healers, and creators become global thought leaders. After leaving behind a PhD program, surviving a life-threatening blood clot, and traveling the world for years, Derek rebuilt his life on his own terms.  

In this episode, Derek and I explore five “thought reversals” to help you in your hero journey, especially during times of big transitions or when you’re feeling stuck. 

I loved this conversation because it’s packed with practical ways to reframe the stories you tell yourself, and it’s a great reminder that a lot of what holds us back happens in our heads. You’ll hear Derek’s wild backstory, how he rebuilt his identity after losing everything, and what it looks like to live more freely by dropping the old scripts. If you’ve ever felt caught between wanting more adventure and wanting stability, or if you’re curious how to “be lazy” in a way that actually helps you succeed, there’s something here for you. 

What old script are you ready to rewrite? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why focusing on money might be keeping you broke 

• How Derek survived a 20% chance of living and used it to start over 

• The mindset shift to stop thinking your way out of every problem 

• How to work from who you want to be (instead of where you’re stuck) 

• Why dropping your past identity can free you to travel (and live) better 

• How “lazy” CEOs actually get more done 

• Why your attention and your questions shape your reality 

• Practical ways to tap into luck, synchronicity, and abundance 

• How to balance family, travel, and the pull to put down roots again 

• Derek’s simple advice for crossing time zones with less stress 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Derek’s website 

• The Derek Loudermilk Show 

• Instagram 

Want More? 

• 16 Mindset Hacks To Help You Travel Long Term 

• Exploring Your Limiting Beliefs & Finding Your Purpose w/ Kathleen Sinclair 

• How To Add More Play Into Your Life w/ Jeff Harry 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephan Kesting is an accomplished martial artist, firefighter, wilderness explorer, and the author of Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic. You might know him from his popular jiu-jitsu videos and teachings at Grapplearts, but Stephan’s story goes far beyond the mat. After surviving a life-threatening kidney disease and receiving a transplant from his brother, Stephan set out on a 1,000-mile solo canoe expedition through Canada’s remote Subarctic - a journey that became both an epic adventure and a profound exploration of mortality, identity, and what it means to truly live. 

In this episode, Stephan and I dig into what it takes physically, mentally, and emotionally to embark on a solo wilderness journey in the face of mortality and grief. 

Stephan’s story will inspire you to rethink your own limits. You’ll hear how he navigated a rare kidney disease that threatened his identity as a martial artist and outdoorsman, and how facing death up close became the push he needed to tackle a dream he’d been putting off for years. From his raw reflections on loss and resilience to his honest look at fear, self-doubt, and satisfaction versus happiness, Stephan’s insights will stick with you long after you’ve listened.  

Whether your version of adventure is paddling 1,000 miles alone or just stepping outside your comfort zone, this conversation might just give you that nudge to get started. 

When was the last time you answered your own call to adventure? What did it teach you about yourself? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Stephan walked away from a career in physics and ended up studying botany in the Arctic 
• How growing up with a foot in the city and a foot in the wilderness shaped his love of the outdoors 
• The surprising overlap between martial arts and wilderness survival 
• How polycystic kidney disease forced Stephan to confront his mortality and identity 
• How he planned and trained for a 1,000-mile solo canoe expedition after a transplant 
• What it’s like to be alone in the Subarctic for weeks, battling harsh weather and self-doubt 
• Why he believes satisfaction matters more than happiness when it comes to big goals 
• How the wilderness has helped him process grief and loss 
• Practical advice for anyone who wants to dip their toes into solo outdoor adventures safely 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Stephan’s website 
• Essential Wilderness YouTube 
• Instagram 
• Perserverence book 

Want More? 

• The Power of Death in Life with Gentle Rebel Bronnie Ware 
• Beyond the Summit: Climbing Mt. Everest, Filming at 29,000 Feet, a Cultural Journey through Nepal, and Taking Your Childhood Dreams to Heart with Alex Harz 
• Cross Country Canoeing: 7,500 Miles Into the Soul of America + an Unconventional Life of Travel With Neal Moore 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. 
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackie Nourse, aka Traveling Jackie, is an adventure travel pro, host of JUMP podcast, tour leader, and storyteller who’s built a life around helping people explore the world boldly and authentically. With over 20 years of travel under her belt, Jackie’s led countless group trips, launched two podcasts, and built a passionate community of travelers who seek adventure and growth.  

In this crossover episode, Jackie and I reflect on our first in-person meetup in Norway and dive into what it means to design a lifestyle you love, raise a family in a new culture, and face fear head-on. From raising kids in the forest outside Oslo to climbing Europe’s highest sea cliff with a serious fear of heights, this episode explores the intersection of travel, courage, and personal transformation. 

This episode offers a personal look into what it means to build a new life in a different country, from navigating culture shock to raising bilingual kids and finding your own rhythms far from home. Jackie also shares a powerful story about doing something she truly didn’t think she could do: climbing Europe’s highest sea cliff on a via ferrata, despite having a serious fear of heights. Her reflections on fear, courage, and support are deeply relatable, whether you're standing on a cliff face or facing something uncertain in your own life.

What’s one moment in your life when curiosity helped you say yes to something scary? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Jackie decided to design an off-the-beaten-path adventure through Norway 
• How I ended up living in Oslo (and what I love about it) 
• Advice to anyone considering a move abroad, especially with a family 
• How “friluftsliv” shapes Norwegian life and values 
• What it’s like to raise kids in a forest-filled neighborhood outside Oslo 
• Why self-designed lifestyle checklists help you reverse-engineer the life you want 
• How public transport and local access shape rural Norwegian life 
• What via ferrata is (and why climbing one on a cliff face isn’t as relaxing as it sounds) 
• How Jackie faced a phobia head-on and climbed the highest sea cliff in Europe 
• Why small choices (like buying gloves) can snowball into big courage 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Jackie’s website 
• JUMP Podcast 

Want More? 

• Top 5 Hidden Highlights Around the World with Jackie Nourse from JUMP Adventures 
• The Best Of Argentina w/ Jackie Nourse 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rikke Bisgaard-Svensen is the co-founder of Copenhagen Free Walking Tours and a self-described travel addict whose life has revolved around two things: taking off to faraway lands and sharing her love for her hometown. What started as a side hustle born out of winter-season job loss turned into a 13-year journey building one of the most beloved free walking tour companies in Denmark. 

In this episode, we’re exploring the evolving spirit of Copenhagen and sharing 10 Copenhagen hidden gems for travelers who want to see the city like a local, plus the surprising backstory behind Rikke’s tour company and how she fell into entrepreneurship. 

If you want to experience Copenhagen beyond the usual sights, Rikke brings the kind of insight only a longtime local can offer. You'll hear about troll hunts in the suburbs, the deeper meaning behind a now-vanished statue, and what it’s really like to build a business in a country where modesty is a cultural expectation. Along the way, we talk about the unique Danish relationship with happiness (hygge), and hanging out in cemeteries (yes, really). 

What’s your favorite hidden gem in your hometown that you wish more people knew about? I'd love to hear what it is, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How Couchsurfing led to launching a tour company 
• Why she never imagined becoming an entrepreneur (and what changed) 
• How “janteloven” impacts ambition and leadership 
• How Copenhagen has transformed over the past decade 
• Where to find Copenhagen’s hidden troll sculptures (and why they matter) 
• The oldest amusement park in the world, and it's very unusual location 
• How locals use cemeteries as parks (and what that says about death) 
• An alternative to the famous Little Mermaid statue 
• Where to get the best smørrebrød, cinnamon snails, and pastries in town 
• Advice to anyone wanting to run a travel business 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Copenhagen Free Walking Tours 
• Forgotten Giants 
• Donkey Republic bike-renting app 
• I Am Queen Mary 
• Københavner Cafeen 
• Hart Bageri 

Want More? 

• New Zealand: Top 10 Hidden Gems, Campervan Lifestyle (Tips and Tricks), and Doing Life Differently With Lisa Jansen 
• Top 5 Hidden Gem Film Locations For Travelers w/ Rebecca Almost Ginger 
• Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is debt stopping you from traveling? What if the life you’ve been told to want is actually the thing that’s breaking you?  

That was the reality for Annette and Daniel Fortner of Chase for Adventure, a couple who sold everything, paid off $70,000 in debt, and hit the road full-time - not because they had it all figured out, but because they knew they couldn’t keep living the way they were. Their journey into long-term travel started with depression and burnout, and turned into something entirely different. 

Annette and Daniel share the full story behind their decision to leave behind high-paying jobs and a “successful” lifestyle in favor of travel, healing, and freedom.  

This conversation goes way beyond the typical “how we quit our jobs to travel” story. You’ll hear what it’s like to hit emotional rock bottom and use travel as a lifeline, not just a lifestyle. Annette and Daniel open up about their mental health, the practical steps they took to make long-term travel financially doable, and what it’s really like to work, live, and grow alongside your partner 24/7. Their story is raw, funny, thoughtful, and full of honest reflections that anyone thinking about big life changes will relate to. 

What’s one belief about success you’ve outgrown? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why depression and burnout led Annette to rethink everything 
• How Daniel's emotional struggles surfaced after they hit the road 
• How they paid off $70,000 in debt and saved $16.5K to start traveling 
• Advice to couples traveling and working together (without losing their minds) 
• Why setting “hammock time” saved their relationship 
• The financial realities of long-term travel and how they tracked every dollar 
• How to decide how much savings you need to leave and when it’s enough 
• Remote work tips to fund a travel lifestyle 
• Why Southeast Asia was key to stretching their budget 
• Places that blew them away, and a surprise detour with 10 rescue dogs in Thailand 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Find Annette & Daniel at ChaseForAdventure.com 
• Follow on Instagram 
• Facebook 
• YouTube 
• ActionForDogs.com 

Want More? 

• An Unconventional Approach to Challenges, Maximizing Travel With a Full-Time Job, Advice on Publishing, Creating Solo Travel Magic With Jen Ruiz 
• From Expat to Digital Nomad: Finding Your Travel Rhythm, Balancing Burnout, and the Digital Nomad Lifestyle with Kristin Wilson 
• Lessons from Quitting a Job and Selling Everything to Motorcycle Around the World with Mike Barr 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alicia Valenski is an American writer, editor, speaker, and author of the groundbreaking new LGBTQ+ travel guide with Lonely Planet that explores 50 of the most queer-friendly destinations around the globe. Now living as an expat in the Netherlands, Alicia brings a unique and deeply personal lens to her work as an autistic, bisexual woman and passionate advocate for inclusive travel. 

In this episode, Alicia shares her top seven LGBTQ+ destinations. We talk about what it means to feel truly comfortable in a place and why inclusive travel benefits everyone.  

Alicia talks about growing up in a small town, navigating cultural expectations, and finding the courage to live differently. Her journey shows how traveling with intention can change not just your perspective but your life. The insights she shares about creating safe spaces for the most marginalized groups offer a powerful reminder: when a place works for those often overlooked, it works better for everyone, including solo travelers, women, and anyone who's ever felt out of place. 

Have you ever visited somewhere you immediately felt like you belonged? Where was it, and what made it feel that way? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Alicia and her partner chose the Netherlands as their home base, and what makes Dutch culture feel “just right” 
• How growing up in a conservative area shaped Alicia’s perspective on travel, identity, and chosen family 
• Why moving abroad was both a logistical challenge and an act of self-acceptance 
• Why travel is different for LGBTQ+ folks, and how “feeling welcome” can’t always be assumed 
• Advice for queer travelers who are new to travel and how to stay safe while still being yourself 
• The story behind her LGBTQ+ travel book, and why it centers diverse voices within the community 
• Her top 7 queer-friendly cities  
• Tips for navigating sensory overload while traveling as a neurodivergent person 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Visit Alicia’s website 
• Grab the Lonely Planet LGBTQ+ Travel Guide 
• Alicia’s article in Attitude Magazine 
• Everywhere is Queer app 
• transequality.org 
• ILGA world maps 
• Equaldex 
• Moonlight experiences  
• Quouch 

Want More? 

• LGBTQ+ Travel and Making A Difference with Ravi Roth 
• Travel on the Spectrum: Embracing Autism + Neurodivergence with Dan Bird 
• Getting off the Beaten Path With Travel Writing Legend Joe Cummings 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After eliminating alcohol, Margaret rediscovered her joy for travel, so much so that she started Alcohol-Free Adventure Retreats (AFAR), where she helps women rediscover and challenge themselves by embracing travel without alcohol. 

In this episode, Margaret shares her 10 expert tips on alcohol-free travel, and we talk about why this may be something you’d want to consider trying yourself.  

Whether you’re sober-curious or just interested in a different travel experience, Margaret’s tips are valuable in many situations. In addition to Margaret’s advice, we have a deeper conversation about living in an alcohol-centric society. You’ll learn about some of the benefits of the sober-curious movement and sober travel, why committing is sometimes easier than moderating, how to avoid decision fatigue while traveling, and plenty more. 

Are you considering going alcohol-free on your next trip? If you already travel without alcohol, what do you enjoy the most? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Margaret decided to change her lifestyle and how the sober-curious movement allows you to experiment with alcohol-free living  
• How traveling with the intention of eliminating alcohol can add another layer of transformation and self-exploration to travel 
• The problem with alcohol culture in Western society 
• How to best prepare before your trip and why having the right mindset is so important  
• The advantages of sober travel and five easy things you can do to help your trip run smoothly  
• Why building identity-based habits can help you embrace a new lifestyle or culture 
• My experience with alcohol-free living and why committing 99% is so much harder than 100% 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Subscribe to our FREE newsletter 
• Learn more about Margaret and AFAR 
• Connect with Margaret on Instagram and Facebook 
• Join Margaret’s Facebook group, Teetotaling Travelers 
• Check out the books, Quit Drinking Without Willpower, This Naked Mind, Quit Like a Woman 

Want More? 

• From $12 In Savings To Living Your Travel Dreams w/ Matt Fetbrandt 
• The Call Of Adventure with Brendan Leonard 
• Staying Healthy and Stress-Free While Traveling w/ Kirsten Pontius 

Thanks to Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jewells Chambers is the creator and voice behind All Things Iceland, a podcast and YouTube channel that helps people experience Iceland beyond the tourist trail. Originally from New York City, Jewells moved to Iceland in 2016 after falling in love with an Icelander and has since carved out a meaningful life abroad, blending creativity, digital marketing, travel planning, and a deep respect for Icelandic culture.  

In this episode, we talk about what it’s really like to move to Iceland, how Jewells found her way into content creation, and her top recommendations for discovering Iceland's lesser-known destinations and experiences. 

If you’ve ever considered moving abroad, reinventing your career, or exploring Iceland beyond the usual tourist stops, Jewells’ story offers both inspiration and practical insights. We chat about embracing discomfort, building a new identity in a foreign land, and how creativity and authenticity have shaped her journey. She also shares a curated list of hidden gems in Iceland—from geothermal wonders to ghost towns—and offers practical advice on navigating Iceland's wild weather and unpredictable terrain. Whether you're planning your first trip or your fifth, you'll leave this episode with a fresh perspective and a bunch of new places to add to your Iceland itinerary. 

If you could slow down and live like a local somewhere (even for a little while), where would you go? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Premium Passport: 

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Jewells moved to Iceland and how love and logistics played equal roles 
• What it was like adjusting from NYC hustle culture to Iceland’s work-life mindset 
• How moving to Iceland changed how she views her home country 
• How she carved out a creative niche in a foreign country without a plan 
• What most travelers miss when visiting Iceland and why the highlands are so underrated 
• How the Icelandic mindset of “þetta reddast” (it will all work out) reshaped her life 
• How a rainy, rough hike turned her into an outdoor enthusiast 
• Advice for dealing with Iceland’s intense weather and road conditions 
• Where to find hidden hot springs, ghost towns, and fjords with almost no crowds 
• Pro tips for driving in Iceland’s highlands (and why your car insurance matters!) 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Check out Jewell’s website and podcast, All Things Iceland 
• Jewell’s ultimate packing checklist 
• Schedule a trip-planning call 
• Iceland map and travel resources 
• Subscribe on YouTube 
• Follow on Instagram 
• Get Jewell’s Top 10 Iceland Hidden Gems list 

Want More? 

• Top 10 Hidden Gems: East Africa (Beyond the Safari) and Transitioning to Travel With Sasha and Megnote Lezhnev 
• The Hidden Gems of Andalusia: Discover the Spain Most Travelers Miss with Lucas Peters 
• Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! 
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gunnar Garfors is the first person to travel to every country in the world not once, but twice. He’s a Norwegian adventurer, journalist, and author whose latest project took him across the equator, the Arctic Circle, and the Antarctic region to explore the lived experiences of climate change. His new book, Mellom Linjene (Between the Lines), captures these human stories behind the headlines, showing us how the changing climate is affecting the lives of fishermen, farmers, city dwellers, and Indigenous peoples from the Amazon rainforest to the ice desert of Greenland. 

Gunnar shares his experience researching and writing his book and recounts the very real ways climate change is reshaping the planet’s most climate-vulnerable zones. We talk through five of his favorite countries along the Arctic Circle and the equator, weaving together adventure, personal stories, and eye-opening conversations with locals on the ground. 

Gunnar’s first-person encounters with reindeer herders, farmers, fishermen, and locals living at the edges of the world help paint a fuller, more human picture of what’s happening. You’ll hear how polar bears are wandering into villages in search of food, why Amazonian ferry rides matter, and what it’s like to get called out on the Congo River for representing the global north.  

How is climate change affecting the places you care about or the way you think about travel? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Premium Passport: 

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Gunnar retraced his steps across 21 countries and Antarctica despite already visiting every country twice 

• What ticks, shifting seasons, and reindeer behavior are revealing climate changes in Finland 

• What a screaming fox in Canada had to say about a massive landslide and how melting snow and rising rivers are reshaping northern communities 

• How the Amazon River’s disappearing waterways are affecting transportation, food access, and entire communities 

• Why fishermen in São Tomé and Príncipe are traveling farther for fewer fish, and what a disappearing rainy season means for daily life 

• What it’s like to spend five days on a cargo barge in the Congo (with very little food and a lot of humidity) 

• How climate change is forcing rural farmers in the DRC to question the cause and confront visitors with unexpected responsibility 

• Why telling personal stories might be the most powerful way to talk about climate change 

• Advice to travelers who want to get out of the Western bubble and witness these changes firsthand 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Visit Gunnar’s website 

• Follow on Instagram 

Want More? 

• Top 7 Up-And-Coming Destinations to Visit (Before They Get Crowded) With Gunnar Garfors 

• Visiting Every County In The World…TWICE! With Gunnar Garfors 

• World Tour for Climate Change: Hitchhiking, Biking, and Low-Carbon Travel With Megan Routbort 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of The Power of Habit and his latest, Supercommunicators. He's spent years exploring the science of communication to find out what separates those rare, magical conversations from ones that leave us disconnected or misunderstood.

In this episode, we explore how communication really works - what’s happening in our brains during conversations, the skills that make someone a “supercommunicator,” and how to have more meaningful, connected interactions no matter where you are in the world.

If you’ve ever left a conversation wondering why it didn’t land the way you wanted or if you’re trying to get better at connecting with people across cultures, relationships, or work, this one’s for you. Charles shares practical frameworks and surprising science-backed insights that help you show up better in any conversation. Whether you're navigating conflict with your partner or chatting with a stranger abroad, this episode is full of takeaways that’ll make you rethink how you communicate.

PLUS, stick around on the backend for a special segment on the best things to do, see, and eat in Baltimore, Maryland.

What’s one small shift you could make to be more present and connected in your conversations this week? I'd love to hear what you took away from our talk, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Charles and his wife spent six months surfing in El Salvador and living in Costa Rica
• How living abroad shaped his worldview as a journalist
• What led Charles to write Supercommunicators after the success of The Power of Habit
• How to identify the 3 types of conversations (and why mismatching them causes conflict)
• How to ask deep questions that invite real connection
• Why “looping for understanding” is a powerful listening tool
• How vulnerability really works in our brains, and why energy matching is a powerful way to build trust and connection
• Why we’re all supercommunicators already 
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Charles’ website
• Subscribe to his Substack
• Follow on Instagram

Want More?

• Strategies for Living an Unconventional Life with Ingrid Alm
• Rick Steves On the Hippie Trail (The Making of a Travel Writer) with Special Guest Host Eric Weiner
• How to Navigate Transitions and Design Your Life (Without the BS) with Lauren Handel Zander

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com
  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fabio and Juls are the co-founders of Casa Basilico, a pop-up foodie co-living experience designed for digital nomads who crave meaningful connection, delicious food, and a vibrant sense of community. As full-time travelers and friends-turned-business-partners, they’ve hosted over 200 nomads around the world, using shared meals and creative adventures to turn strangers into family. 

We dive deep into the world of co-living: what it means, why it’s catching on, and how food, friendship, and shared experiences can lead to some of the most powerful travel experiences. 

If you've ever wondered what it's like to stay in a co-living space or dreamed about building your own travel-inspired community, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look. Juls and Fabio share honest, hilarious, and heartwarming stories from the road, including why cooking together is their not-so-secret weapon for connection, what happens when your car breaks down on the way to a surprise helicopter ride, and how they create spaces that feel like home, even when you’re far from it. You'll walk away with a better understanding of how co-living can deepen your travel experience, along with practical tips if you're considering trying it yourself. 

What do you think makes a place feel like home when you're traveling? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Premium Passport: 

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why co-living is more than just shared housing for digital nomads 
• How Juls and Fabio stumbled into the co-living scene and ended up launching Casa Basilico 
• What sets co-living apart from hostels and Airbnbs 
• How long-term stays create deeper connections (and why short-term may not cut it)
• Advice to find a co-living space that fits your vibe, goals, and lifestyle 
• Why Fabio’s pasta dinners became the foundation for building community 
• What it’s like to run a surprise weekend adventure (including a busted car and a helicopter) 
• Why choosing lesser-known destinations creates richer experiences (+ destination recs) 
• The future of co-living and why pop-ups and hybrid models might be the next big thing 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Check out Casa Basilico 
• Follow on Instagram 

Want More? 

• What Does “Home” Mean For Nomads w/ Diego Bejarano Gerke 
• Top 11 Digital Nomad and Remote Work Visas for Relocating (2025 Edition) + Where to Consider Relocating (And Why) with Tim Marting from Citizen Remote 
• How to Be a Digital Nomad With Kayla Ihrig 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! 
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hunter Noack is a classically trained pianist and the founder of IN A LANDSCAPE, a one-of-a-kind outdoor concert series that brings a 9-foot Steinway grand piano into the great outdoors. Instead of setting up traditional speakers at every show, audience members are given wireless headphones, allowing them to wander freely through the landscape while listening. 

Since its launch, the project has reached over 75,000 people through more than 300 concerts in some of the country’s most awe-inspiring settings. By combining music, nature, and community, Hunter is redefining what a classical concert can be - and who it’s for. 

Hunter shares the origin story of IN A LANDSCAPE, how it’s evolved over a decade, and how art can shape the way we connect with nature, place, and each other. 

If you’ve ever dreamed of merging your creative passions with travel or building something that feels meaningful, this episode will hit home. You’ll learn about the challenges (and magic) of taking a concert piano off the grid and how he balances artistic integrity with logistics, grants, and the realities of funding a big idea. You'll also hear how nature shapes his music, his relationships with local communities, and his broader view of what it means to be human today. 

There’s insight here for anyone creating something unconventional, trying to reconnect with nature, or simply curious about how a piano ends up in the middle of the desert. 

If you were to reimagine something in your life, whether that’s travel, work, or relationships, what would it be? What would that look like? I'd love to hear more about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Premium Passport: 

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why he left the traditional concert hall behind to perform in deserts, forests, and county parks 
• How a single grant launched an idea and insight on using grants to fund creative, unconventional work 
• How nature influences the way he plays, from wind gusts to bug cameos 
• What it takes to haul a 1,200-pound Steinway up a mountain (and why it’s worth it) 
• The story behind one surreal concert on tribal land that left everyone speechless 
• What performing across the American West has revealed about the country’s beauty, complexity, and common ground 
• Why artistic projects need real critique (not just applause) to evolve 
• Hunter’s favorite overlooked spots in the American West you should visit 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Learn more about IN A LANDSCAPE 
• Watch Hunter’s TEDx 
• Follow Hunter on Instagram 

Want More? 

• Following Inspiration Towards A Life Of Travel with Mark and Steffi (The World’s Only Chapman Stick Duo) 
• Passion Mashin´: Combining Travel With Your Other Interests, Embracing Limitations, Lessons From 13 Years of Travel With Adrian “Ady” Parzentny 
• How to Travel Using Artist Residencies (Even if You’re Not an “Artist”) + a Creative Approach to Life With Mi’Jan Celie Tho-Biaz 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! 
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. 
• No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Kosciesza did just that with three friends and a dream to make a documentary out of it. Back in 2008, these four 20-year-olds set off from Chicago with their skateboards pointed toward New York City. A decade later, that wild ride became Shred America, a raw, DIY travel film packed with lessons they never saw coming. 

We’re digging into Mike’s adventure, the long road to making Shred America, and what it takes to turn a crazy idea into something real, especially when you don’t feel fully prepared.  

Mike’s story is a reminder that you don’t always need a perfect plan to start something meaningful. You’ll hear about what it takes to follow through on a wild vision, the lessons that come with looking back on your younger self, and why doing something imperfectly can lead to your most unforgettable adventures. We also get into the unexpected challenges of documenting a trip like this, what it’s like to finish a film a decade after shooting it, and why a little rebellion can take you a long way. 

Would you ever go on a trip without much planning, just to see where it leads? Or have you done something similar before? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. 

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• Why Mike and his friends decided to skate from Chicago to NYC in the first place 
• How picking a departure date changed everything 
• What went wrong with their original film plan, and how they adapted 
• How the team pushed through injuries, burnout, and zero navigation skills 
• Why a random guy in a bathroom helped save their trip 
• What it’s like editing a film of your 20-year-old self, ten years later 
• Advice to anyone dreaming up a bold idea but unsure how to start 
• How filming organically added authenticity (and chaos) to the journey 
• Why they turned down film festivals and opted for DIY distribution 
• How rebellion and risk-taking shaped their travel and creative paths 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Watch Shred America 

Want More? 

• 900 Miles Biking (With No Clothes, Money or Bike!) 
• Cross Country Canoeing: 7,500 Miles Into the Soul of America + an Unconventional Life of Travel With Neal Moore 
• Walking the World with Alexander Campbell and Tom Turcich 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! 
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. 
• No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Oliver is the founder of BMore See More, a nonprofit organization empowering minority male students in Baltimore City to become local and global leaders through education, mentorship, and travel. A seasoned traveler who’s visited over 60 countries, Brian always finds himself returning to Baltimore and has become a voice for reframing how people see his home city by highlighting the stories, neighborhoods, and experiences that show its full heart and charm.  

In this episode, Brian shares his list of seven hidden gems in Baltimore and gives us a local’s perspective on what makes the city so magnetic.  

If Baltimore isn’t already on your travel radar, this conversation may change that. Brian gives us a tour of the city’s most vibrant spots, from the best place to watch fireworks to where you can get lost in local food culture. He talks about how neighborhoods shape identity, why steamed crabs are more than a meal, and how seeing the world has deepened his love for home. You’ll leave this episode with a fresh sense of what makes a city truly worth exploring and how travel can spark both global and local change. 

What’s one city that surprised you in the best possible way, and what made it so memorable? I’d love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Premium Passport: 

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How a childhood of road trips sparked his lifelong love of travel 
• What makes Baltimore’s people so memorable to visitors 
• Why the neighborhoods are the heart of the city, and how to explore them 
• Advice to get the most out of your first crab feast (and why it’s more than just a meal) 
• Why Camden Yards changed the game for stadiums across the U.S. 
• The local museum that tells 400 years of African American history in Maryland 
• How to use the water taxi like a local and why everything is better from the water 
• Where to find authentic food, murals, music, and community in Charm City 
• How travel inspired Brian to launch BMore See More for youth empowerment 
• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport 
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 
• Plan your trip to Baltimore 
• Visit Brian’s website 
• Learn about BMore See More 
• Follow Brian on Instagram 

Want More? 

• Only in Wisconsin 
• 5 Reasons To Visit The Florida Keys 
• 9 Best United States Museums and Advice for Fostering Your Creativity with Bob Eckstein 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order. 
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! 
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership. 
• No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lynne Nieman is the founder of Wander Your Way, a podcast and website dedicated to helping you explore off-the-beaten-path destinations throughout Europe. As a professional travel planner, Lynne combines her passion for Europe and off-the-beaten-path exploration with her expertise in creating personalized travel experiences.

In this episode, Lynne shares her experience hiking the West Highland Way in Scotland - what the trail is like, how to prepare for it, and why this iconic hike is well worth adding to your travel list.

She walks us through the mental and physical challenges of solo hiking, the beauty of trail life, and how she handled the unexpected. We talk about the deeper lessons that emerged from letting go of perfection to embracing a slower, more personal pace. You'll also hear about Lynne's plans for making a living with travel, how a trip to Europe changed both of our lives, and more.

What is in your travel box? What does the experience look like? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why giving yourself permission is half the battle to pursuing your passions and creating your future
• What made Lynne fall in love with Europe and what makes walking one of the best travel experiences
• Logistics for hiking the West Highland Way, including when to go, how to prepare, and costs
• Why it's important to tailor the hike to your needs
• How this experience reshaped her relationship with travel and self-trust
• Her favorite stories from the trail
• How creating a "box" for your trip can be a fun and rewarding way to design your travels
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Find Lynne on her website
• Listen to Wander Your Way
• Follow Lynne on Facebook, Instagram
• Walker Ways
• West Highland Way website

Want More?

• You're Coming Hitchhiking Around Scotland With Me
• Hitchhiking Stories From Scotland
• Ireland: Travel, Music, and History w/ Garvan Rushe

Thanks To Our Sponsors:

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis Sherry is a longtime traveler and entrepreneur who’s spent over a decade building a life centered around freedom, travel, and location independence while helping thousands of others do the same. He’s the founder of the Extra Pack of Peanuts blog and podcast, co-founder of the Location Indie community, and co-creator of Camp Indie, an adult summer camp for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and adventure-seekers.

In this episode, Travis and I explore the concept of lifestyle design and how it’s evolved since the early days of digital nomadism.

You’ll hear what lifestyle design really looks like in today’s world of remote work, shifting values, and growing responsibilities, and how our own definitions of freedom have changed over the years as dads, business owners, and travelers. We reflect on what still holds true, what no longer fits, and what it takes to stay aligned with what matters most as you design your own version of your “best” life.

How has your definition of freedom or success evolved over the years and what does your ideal lifestyle look like now? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why “lifestyle design” in 2025 is more about values than travel hacks or passive income
• The surprising things we both no longer prioritize when it comes to freedom and success
• What we’ve learned about redefining productivity, especially after becoming parents
• What to consider if you’re feeling burnt out, uninspired, or out of sync with your goals
• Why slow travel still wins out and how technology is sabotaging our freedom
• How we both think lifestyle design will evolve in the next 5–10 years and where we see the movement going
• The trade-offs to consider when designing a non-traditional lifestyle
• Advice for anyone feeling stuck or questioning their current path
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Travis’ website, Extra Pack of Peanuts
• Check out Location Indie
• Come to Camp Indie
• Tim Ferriss’ Ideal Lifestyle Costing

Want More?

• Jason’s Travel Wish List (Come Along and Dream with Me) with Special Guest Host Travis Sherry from Extra Pack of Peanuts
• How to Leverage Real Estate to Fuel Your Ideal Travel Lifestyle (5 Expert Strategies) With Travis Sherry
• From Expat to Digital Nomad: Finding Your Travel Rhythm, Balancing Burnout, and the Digital Nomad Lifestyle with Kristin Wilson

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• No Fixed Address - Listen to No Fixed Address, a travel podcast that’s your backstage pass to the world's hidden gems. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bronnie Ware is an author, songwriter, speaker, and free spirit devoted to helping others find the courage to embrace life on their own terms and live without regrets. Her international bestselling memoir, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, has been translated into 32 languages and has a movie in the pipeline. Bronnie spent much of her life traveling nomadically and now has a home base in rural Australia.

In this episode, we talk about what those final life lessons can teach us about living more freely, creatively, and intentionally, especially when it comes to crafting a life filled with meaningful travel.

This conversation is a reflection on what it really means to live life on your own terms. Bronnie shares how she embraced her creative self later in life, the lessons she’s learned from the dying, and the surprising relationship between death and joy. If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, felt stuck in the “wrong box,” or wondered how to start living more authentically, Bronnie offers wisdom that might just change the way you think. We also talk travel, belonging, and why courage is always rewarded, even when the outcome looks different than you expected.

What’s one truth you’ve learned through travel that continues to shape how you live today? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• How Bronnie went from banking to bestselling author and the process she followed to commit to writing a book
• What a “gentle rebel” really is, and why it fits Bronnie so well
• Why growing up on a farm led to her propensity for travel
• How she launched on a creative journey and embraced her new identity later in life
• How self-doubt shows up and what to do when it tries to stop you
• How she reframes challenges through a soul-level lens
• Why travel will help you get to know yourself in a different way and uncover what really makes you feel at home
• How courage, even when it’s quiet or imperfect, always pays off
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Bronnie’s website
• Get your copy of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
• Listen to Bronnie’s albums Songs For The Soul and Sun Showers

Want More?

• What Happens When You Die? (Part One): A Journey to the Other Side with Peter Panagore
• Lessons From Caring for the Dying and Bike Packing 18 Countries With Jerry Kopack
• What Is “Happiness”? Discovering Meaning On The Silk Road w/ Will Rickard

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Harvilla has been a professional rock critic for 20+ years whose writing has appeared in Pitchfork, Spin, and Rolling Stone. He is also the host of the hugely popular podcast 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s and author of a book by the same name.

In this episode, Rob shares his ultimate 90s road trip playlist along with a fun conversation about the inevitable intersection of music and travel.

Rob shares his thoughts on how music embeds itself into our lives, the lost art of mixtapes, and how road trip playlists define our travels. Plus, we swap stories about the bands that made us fall in love with music in the first place.

What song would you add to this list? Is there an album that instantly transports you back to a specific time and place? I'd love to hear what it is, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now

Tune In To Learn:

• Why road trips and music are so deeply connected
• The power of nostalgia and how music imprints on our memories
• How the shift from physical albums to streaming changed the way we experience music
• The role of critics in shaping music culture
• What it was like to live through Brooklyn’s indie rock explosion in the 2000s
• How Rob picked the songs for 60 Songs That Explain the '90s (and why that number quickly expanded)
• If he could time travel to one concert in history, which show Rob would pick and why
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Rob’s website
• Best Travel Songs of the 90’s Spotify playlist

Want More?

• Top 10 Road Trip Albums With Jason Law from Festy GoNuts
• America’s Greatest Road Trip! Key West to Deadhorse: 9,000 Miles Across Backroad USA With Tom Cotter
• Life-Changing Trips, Interviewing Music Legends, Backpacking the World, and Fostering Transformative Connections with Tony Fletcher

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ll hear science-backed strategies for boosting happiness, why now might be the time to take action on a second passport, a few under-the-radar travel destinations you’ll want to add to your list, why college towns can make great travel destinations, and more.

What’s your takeaway from this episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• How a pine tree sparked two powerful questions for making big decisions
• Why happiness by subtraction might be more effective than adding more to your plate
• How dual citizenship pathways are tightening and why you might want to move quickly
• Advice to find new travel inspiration through "otherworldly" destinations
• Why this city might just be the ultimate food destination
• The unexpected perks of visiting college towns (beyond cheap eats and sports games)
• What countries topped the list for best places to raise a family and why I think they missed a few key ones
• How to quickly check if you’re owed money when your U.S. flight is delayed or canceled
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• 11 Ways to Be Happier
• Italian Citizenship Article
• Best Cities for Food
• Otherworldly Destinations
• Best College Towns
• Countries for Raising a Family
• Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard
• Best Travel Cards

Want More?

• Listener Questions: Reverse Engineering a Move Abroad, How to Choose a Location-Independent Business, and Smart Ways to Travel a Continent
• Hell on Earth: Top 7 Otherworldly Destinations with Erika Engelhaupt

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Law and his wife Kelly are the duo behind Festy GoNuts and GoNuts Marketing, the ultimate resource for enhancing your music festival experience. They’ve been to countless festivals, created a tight-knit community of festival lovers, and know exactly what it takes to go from a good time to a legendary one.

In this episode, they're sharing their top 11 music festival tips to rock the experience - from campsite best practices to festival fashion to embracing your "fest self."

You’ll get practical advice for planning, packing, and participating in a way that turns a few days of live music into an unforgettable adventure. Jason and Kelly’s tips aren’t just about gear and logistics but connection, community, and letting your guard down in the best way possible.

 What music festival are you looking forward to? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why doing your homework before the festival can save your whole experience
• How to set up a campsite that feels like home (and why it matters)
• Advice to make new friends through games, shared meals, and theme nights
• What it means to build a “team” and create your own mini tribe
• How to add some flair and bring out your wild side
• How to let go and fully enjoy the moment
• Stories from staying up all night until sunrise (and why it's worth it)
• How to carry your "fest self" energy into your everyday life
• And much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit their website
• Northwest String Summit
• Fruition String Band
• How To Recover From A Music Festival
• Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Want More?

• Top 10 Road Trip Albums With Jason Law from Festy GoNuts
• Music Festivals 101: Travel, Culture and Music With Festy Go Nuts
• Ireland: Travel, Music, and History w/ Garvan Rushe

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica and Largo are part of the adventurous WorldTowning family, who’ve been living a full-time travel lifestyle for over a decade. From sailing across the Atlantic to road-tripping Europe in an RV, they’ve redefined “home” and “school” many times over.

Jessica and her son Largo share their experience tackling one of the USA’s most iconic long-distance hikes: the Appalachian Trail. We talk about what led them there, what they expected, and how it all unfolded over nearly 2,200 miles of trail from Georgia to Maine.

This conversation isn’t just about hiking but navigating challenges, family dynamics, and transitions. You’ll hear how Jessica and Largo balanced remote work and school on the trail, how it deepened their relationship, and why this adventure changed how they view their home country after a decade abroad. From logistical headaches and emotional breakthroughs to unexpected trail magic, this episode shows that you don’t need ideal conditions to pull off a bold adventure.

If you had six months to disconnect from your normal life and reconnect with nature, how would you spend it? Who would you take?  I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

• Why they decided to hike the Appalachian Trail with limited experience
• Largo’s experience growing up nomadic and how it’s shaped his mindset going into a challenge like this
• What it took to balance school, work, and 2,000+ miles on foot
• How thru-hiking impacted Jessica’s health, mindset, and work habits
• How Largo ended up hiking solo and what that was like for him
• What surprised them most about returning to the U.S. after 10 years abroad
• How the trail community and “trail magic” kept them going
• What changed in their relationship after six months in a tent together
• Advice to parents on adventuring with teens and letting them lead
• And so much more

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit their website
• Following WorldTowning on Instagram
• Watch on YouTube
• Listen to their podcast, The WHY Matters

• 10 Years on the Road, Self-Care for Long-Term Travelers, Excitement and Challenges of Different Travel Modes, and Creating Your Own “Dream Day” with Will and Jessica Sueiro
• World Towning: 5 Years Of Full-Time Travel
• Worldschooling 101, Leveraging FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early), and Family Travel Advice with Maxwell Lee

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Nate shares the wild story of becoming a porter in Nepal, working side-by-side with local Nepalese porters on a 23-day trek. We talk about how he pulled it off, what it taught him, and the unexpected impact it had on his mental health, perspective, and purpose.

Nate's experience challenges a lot of what we assume about ethical travel, cultural immersion, and even our own motivations as travelers. We unpack what it means to be fully present in a different culture, the power of learning a local language, and how intention and humility can open doors to deeper connection. Whether you're planning a trek in Nepal or just thinking about how to be a more thoughtful traveler, this episode will give you a lot to chew on.

How have your travels challenged your assumptions about other cultures? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why he chose to live the experience instead of just documenting it
• How he taught himself Nepali in a matter of weeks
• The surprising benefits of taking a two-week vow of silence
• How the idea for the film came together and what it took to actually make it happen
• What really goes on behind the scenes in Nepal’s trekking industry
• The economics of porter life and why many actually lose money on treks
• Advice to travelers on tipping, hiring porters, and doing ethical research
• How immersive projects can create access to authentic cultural experiences
• Why communication is the key to better travel
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Nate's website
• Watch The Porter
• Follow The Porter Film on Instagram, YouTube

Want More?

• Trekking Nepal Series
• From Wall Street to Nepal, Life-Changing Moments, and What It Means To Have Enough With James C. Hopkins
• Beyond the Summit: Climbing Mt. Everest, Filming at 29,000 Feet, a Cultural Journey through Nepal, and Taking Your Childhood Dreams to Heart with Alex Harz

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clare Hammond is an award-winning investigative journalist currently working with Global Witness to expose the issues relating to natural resources, conflict, and corruption. In 2016 while working in Myanmar, she discovered an obscure map showing a web of railways that weren’t shown on any publicly available maps. This compelled her to spend three months traveling these mysterious railways to uncover their purpose and the stories surrounding them. Her investigation took five years to complete and form the basis for her book  "On the Shadow Tracks: A Journey Through Occupied Myanmar."

In this episode, Clare shares her journey from financial journalism in Hong Kong to uncovering the hidden infrastructure of Myanmar’s illicit economy. She takes us behind the scenes of her investigative work, the ethical dilemmas of reporting from conflict zones, and what she learned from traveling the forgotten railways of Myanmar.

This episode will challenge the way you think about travel, journalism, and the unseen forces that shape the world. Clare’s firsthand accounts of reporting on corruption, conflict, and human resilience reveal the power of storytelling to bring hidden truths to light. 

Have you ever traveled somewhere that changed the way you saw the world? What stories did you uncover? I'd love to hear about them, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

• Why she chose investigative journalism and how she transitioned from financial reporting to uncovering corruption
• The story behind Myanmar’s secret railway lines and how she discovered them
• The role of forced labor in Myanmar’s infrastructure projects and its lasting impact
• How investigative journalists assess personal risk when reporting on dangerous topics
• Why Myanmar remains a complex and challenging place for travelers today
• The importance of trusted news sources in an era of misinformation
• The resilience of communities living under systemic oppression and what we can learn from them
• The future of investigative journalism
• What keeps Clare motivated in her long-term projects
• And so much more

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Clare’s website
• Follow Clare on Instagram
• Learn more about Global Witness
• Dustin Main’s This Myanmar Life 

• Up and Coming Destinations: Myanmar with Dustin Main
• Dark Tourism and the Complexities of Dark Destinations with Professor James Treadwell
• How To Be a “New Tourist,” the Powers and Perils of Tourism, Embracing Tourist Traps, and the Impact of Travel With Paige McClanahan
• Walking the World: A Deeper Exploration of Culture and Community with Chris Arnade

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Linda Sarris is a Sicilian travel expert, private chef, and the author of three Moon Travel Guides covering Sicily and Southern Italy. After building her career as a private chef in New York City, she followed her passion for food and culture to Palermo, Italy, where she’s been based for the past eight years. Today, she runs a food and wine-focused travel business, offering immersive experiences that help travelers taste and explore Sicily like a local.

In this episode, we explore what it’s like to visit Sicily through a local lens: where to eat, what to drink, and how to be in a place that runs on a different rhythm.

Linda shares her favorite street food, the wine regions worth a detour, and how Sicilian life has shifted her relationship with time, connection, and even ambition. You’ll get insider secrets to authentic Sicilian cuisine, practical advice for planning your visit, and more.

What makes you most interested in visiting Sicily? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why Sicily captured Linda’s heart (and kept her there)
• How to navigate Sicilian street food culture and what to try first
• What makes Sicilian wines special and the best way to experience them 
• What you can expect to spend on accommodations, transportation, and food
• Tips for avoiding tourist traps and finding hidden gems
• The subtle differences between mainland Italy and Sicily
• Why Sicily’s slower pace can shift your whole mindset
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Linda’s website
• Follow Linda on Instagram
• Grab her Moon Travel Guides

Want More?

• Top 10 European Food Experiences With Kenny Dunn From Eating Europe
• Discovering The Hidden Europe with Francis Tapon
• How to Plan a Trip to Europe in 2025 with Lynne Nieman

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lucas Peters is a tour operator and award-winning travel writer. His latest book with Moon Travel Guides explores the magic of southern Spain, sharing the must-see highlights, unique experiences, and the best local flavors of Seville, Granada, and Andalusia.

In this episode, Lucas unpacks the culture and history of Andalusia and shares the top experiences that make this region of Spain a must-visit.

Lucas shares fascinating insights into Andalusia’s history, explains why its cultural blend is so unique, and offers practical advice for travelers to experience Spain beyond its usual tourist spots. You’ll get a taste of Analusia’s food scene and local hotspots, and discover how to embrace the Andalusian way of life.

What makes you most excited about visiting Andalusia? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• How Spanish, Moroccan, and Arabic cultures have blended over the centuries
• Why Andalusia is one of the best-value destinations in Europe
• The magic of tapas culture in Granada (and how to eat well for cheap)
• Lucas’ favorite historic sites that will make your jaw drop
• What makes the Caminito del Rey one of the best walks in all of Europe
• The best way to explore the region and visit Andalusia’s most beautiful white villages
• Where to experience a more authentic flamenco show
• Lucas’s favorite secret beach that only locals know about
• Festivals and celebrations that are worth planning a trip around
• Alternative places to stay as a slowmad or digital nomad (instead of Barcelona)
• Important considerations and tips for making the most of your Andalusian adventure
• What popular tourist spot Lucas suggests you should skip
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Grab the Moon Travel Guide
• Visit Lucas’ website
• Travel with Journey Beyond Travel

Want More?

• Top 7 Grand European Journeys With Lucas Peters
• Morocco Travel: Beyond Marrakech w/ Lucas Peters
• Top 8 Food Hacks in Europe: How to Find Authentic Culinary Experiences on the Old Continent with Kenny Dunn

Thanks To Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Demsky is the co-founder and CEO of Unbound Merino, a premium Merino wool clothing brand that has redefined minimalist, high-performance fashion. Dan has built Unbound Merino into an eight-figure global business while working fully remotely as a digital nomad. Since launching via a highly successful crowdfunding campaign, Unbound Merino has grown to be a $40M global brand beloved by travelers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to simplify their wardrobe with sustainable, multi-functional clothing.

In this episode, Dan shares how he built Unbound Merino, the mindset shifts and tactics that helped him succeed, and the lessons he learned from running a business while traveling the world. 

Dan breaks down the realities of entrepreneurship, from validating an idea to choosing a product, hiring, and staying motivated when things get tough. He also shares the challenges of managing a growing brand while staying true to a lifestyle of adventure and exploration. 

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a digital nomad, or just someone looking for inspiration to take the next step, Dan’s story offers insights and practical takeaways on business, lifestyle design, and the power of taking risks.

What’s one small step you could take today to move closer to your dream lifestyle? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Tune In To Learn:

• How Dan and his co-founders built a brand without prior industry experience
• Why he believes everyone should start a business with their best friends, despite the challenges
• Why getting brutally honest feedback is crucial and how to actually use it
• How a simple mindset shift helped Dan take the leap into entrepreneurship
• Why one of the biggest lessons in business came from a failed product idea
• The biggest factor that helped Unbound Merino stand out in a crowded market
• The surprising way travel influences decision-making as an entrepreneur
• How to handle risk and uncertainty without letting fear hold you back
• The one thing Dan believes every aspiring entrepreneur should prioritize
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Check out Unbound Merino
• Follow Unbound Merino on Instagram
• Fairing
• Scaling Up

Want More?

• How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns
• Traveling on $10 a Day to Building a 7-Figure Business with The Broke Backpacker Will Hatton
• Building, Growing, and Enjoying a Successful 7-Figure Lifestyle Business with Dan Andrews from Tropical MBA

Thanks to Our Sponsors

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ingrid Alm is an adventurer, writer, and mom who has made it her mission to challenge the conventional rules of life. Ingrid has walked, paddled, and biked thousands of miles with her family in tow, proving that parenthood doesn’t mean putting dreams on hold. Her latest book, Vi Skulle Hatt Mer Tid (We Should Have More Time), dives into how families and individuals can break free from societal expectations and create a life filled with more play, connection, and meaning.

We talk about everything from rethinking family life and education to how slowing down and embracing uncertainty can lead to more fulfillment. Ingrid shares insights from her own experiences and research, offering a different way to think about what it means to truly live.

Ingrid’s insights will challenge the idea that productivity equals worth and offer practical ways to create a more playful and intentional life. We discuss the power of saying no, the importance of boredom, and why redefining success might just be the key to a happier existence. Whether you’re a parent, an adventurer, or someone looking for more meaning in your days, you’ll find plenty to reflect on in this episode.

What’s one societal "rule" you've questioned or broken in your own life? How did it change your experience? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

• Why traditional ideas of success may not lead to fulfillment
• How travel and adventure can be integrated into family life
• The role of play and boredom in mental health and creativity
• How to set personal values and create a life that aligns with them
• Why saying “no” can be a revolutionary act
• The benefits of taking a gap year at any stage of life
• How to balance structure with spontaneity when raising kids
• The neuroscience behind stress, relaxation, and making big life changes
• Why disconnecting from technology can help us reconnect with ourselves
• Lessons from Ingrid’s latest adventures across the U.S. and Norway
• And so much more

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Visit Ingrid’s website
• Follow Ingrid on Instagram

• 2,000 KM on Foot From Oslo to the North Cape (With a 4-Year-Old, Husband, and Dog) + Making Big Life Changes With Ingrid Alm
• How To Add More Play Into Your Life With Jeff Harry
• Choose Travel NOW! Lessons from the World’s Longest Honeymoon with National Geographic Authors Mike and Anne Howard of HoneyTrek

• Unbound Merino - Use code ‘TRAVEL10’ to get 10% off your Unbound Merino order.
• Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today!
• Harvest Hosts - Use code TRAVEL20 for 20% off your Harvest Hosts membership.
• Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com.
• Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I answer listener questions to help you take a more intentional approach to designing your travels and location-independent lifestyle.

You'll hear my thoughts on why you should reverse-engineer your travels and choose a destination based on your unique needs. If you're feeling stuck on what kind of location-independent business to start, I'll share a simple, fun litmus test to help you find the right fit. And if you're wondering how to travel across Asia or any continent without burning out, I'll tell a story from my time in Cambodia that completely changed my perspective on slow travel.

Plus, is watching moose cross a river for 500 hours the most relaxing thing you might do this year?!

What questions do you have on travel or the digital nomad lifestyle? I'd love for you to share them by sending me an audio message.

Premium Passport:

• Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now!

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• Sign up for our FREE newsletter
• Budget airlines in Asia

Want More?

• 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Abroad (Or Traveling Long-Term) with Chrishan Wright
• How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns
• Southeast Asia Travel: Getting Off The Banana Pancake Trail