Zero To Travel Podcast : National Geographic Type Adventures, Lifestyle Design Like Tim Ferriss Plus Inspiration Like Ted

What does it take to plan a long distance walk such as Europe's GR5 and what are some things you might learn along the journey? Kathy Elkind shares her experience walking the Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France for over three months with her husband. She is also a teacher of mindful self-compassion and gives us examples of how a long-distance walk gives you opportunities to practice compassion. This episode is packed with practical advice on how to plan a long distance journey, overcome the challenges of traveling with a partner, and how to be more compassionate towards yourself. We also explore wise strength, suffering, slow travel, and why “to walk a country is to see a country.” Have you ever embarked on a long-distance journey? I'd love to hear about your experiences and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive cont

Looking for inspiration to make your travel dreams a reality in 2024? To kickstart the new year, we're republishing some of our Transition to Travel episodes! What one thing can help you travel more and lead to a whole new travel adventure? Transitioning to a life of travel can be difficult, scary, and even intimidating. Making that leap is a HUGE decision, one that Joe Ferarra didn't take lightly when he left his job and completely changed his life around to bike around the USA. Tune in to hear Joe's story, gain a new perspective, and learn what you can do (better) during your own transition. You'll hear what it was like before Joe left, and then we reconnect six months later to find out how it went! Check out these before and after photos of Joe! Tune In To Learn: How you can redefine home Ways to overcome your fear of leaving a steady paycheck What you can do to create a travel-based lifestyle How to embrace your adventure and enjoy it How weird things can make fun stories (think Bigfoot) Biggest cha

How often do you find yourself getting off the beaten path, and how have those experiences shaped you? In this episode, I have travel writing legend Joe Cummings as my guest, who wrote the very first Lonely Planet Guide book to Thailand back in the early '80s. We dive into what that was like, talk about what guidebooks have done to travel (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and the benefits of getting off the beaten path. He shares tons of stories that encompass his entire travel writing career, including one with Mick Jagger! What is your favorite travel story? I'd love to hear about it and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. This is a republished episode from 2020. Tune In To Learn: What led Joe to Bangkok How we went from Quaker College to a travel writing rockstar Finding the balance between feeling and communicating in guidebook writing The good, the bad, and the ugly of guidebooks on travel Joe's advice on finding and getting off the beaten path on your travels How travel has changed

Looking for inspiration to make your travel dreams a reality in 2024? To kickstart the new year, we're republishing some of our Transition to Travel episodes! What can you radically change in your life to help make travel happen for you? Tune in to get the scoop on Jordan and Tyler's "before and after" of their extended trip through South America. You'll hear all about what life was like leading up to their travels, and then we'll catch up with them after their trip to hear about their experience and what it was like when they got back. See how Tyler was able to radically change his life and learn how he and Jordan were able to set themselves up for travel. This will truly show you the impact that travel can have on your life! Tune In To Learn: What it was like building up to their drastic transition and the sacrifices they had to make How they decided on where to travel, and how they budgeted for a three-month trip How their life has been since returning How their plans and budget actually held up Their

Looking for some wild and wacky restaurants to visit on your travels? La Carmina has a passion for subcultures and “alternative beauty” around the world. She’s an award-winning travel and gothic fashion journalist, author, blogger, and TV host, appearing on Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Travel Channel, among others.  In addition to this list, La Carmina and I talk about her unique approach to travel and how her interest in subcultures influences her passion for these unusual dining experiences. You’ll get her advice on creating your own success and tips for seeking out alternative experiences at home or wherever your travels take you. What’s the quirkiest spot you’ve been to? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for on

Are you considering making a pivot in life or business? Do you want to create more time freedom to travel and focus on the things you love? Jenny Blake is a podcaster and author of three award-winning books, including Pivot and Free Time, and the newsletters #PivotList and Time Well Spent. After working at Google for five years in coaching and career development, she now utilizes her skillset to help people move from friction to flow and make changes in their lives that give them more freedom.  This episode is packed with advice on tackling pivots from both a mindset and practical perspective to create a life that aligns with your goals and values. Jenny shares how to identify when it’s time to pivot, what you can do to start taking action without all of the pressure, how to balance listening to your intuition with making “smart decisions,” and much more. What pivots do you want to make? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Her 51/49 appr

We're pulling an episode from the archives this week! This episode was originally published in 2020. How important has "play" been in your daily life? Jeff Harry is the king of play (and shimmies). As a coach and international speaker, he travels the world talking to major companies like Google, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines about how to tap into their true selves while embracing their happiness and fulfilling lives. We as adults spend a lot of time pretending to be important, serious grownups, but it's when we let that facade down and just play, that's when the real magic begins to happen. Jeff and I get into how play and travel mix, the importance of unleashing our inner child for both our physical and mental health, and how play can help you find your purpose in life. I hope you walk away from this episode with permission to play more and enjoy a little more "you" time. What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Will you be allowing yourself more play in your day-to-day life? Let me know by sendin

Do you really need medical insurance when traveling or working abroad? SafetyWing cofounder and CEO Sondre Rasch gives us the 411 on travel insurance and the unique offerings that SafetyWing provides for nomads and remote workers/teams. Sondre covers the essentials of travel insurance, and we talk about his approach to leadership as a CEO who is leading the charge of the digital nomad and remote work movement. We explore the challenges around where remote work is going and what SafetyWing is doing to be a part of the solution, including its mission to create a global social safety net and build the first country on the internet! When has travel insurance helped you out on your travels? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for onl

How can we look back in history to find inspiration and motivation for our next move forward? Today, Adrien Behn joins me to talk about the incredible journey of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two female writers who raced each other around the world in 1889. Adrien Behn is the host of the Strangers Abroad podcast and the newly released non-fiction narrative podcast, A Race Around the World: Based on the True Story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland. In this episode, Adrien gives us an overview of how their incredible adventure began, her creative process for developing the podcast, and how she relates to it as a world traveler herself. We have a deeper conversation around the art of storytelling, finding your voice, and the lessons from this journey that can inspire us today. What did you take away from Nellie and Elizabeth’s story? Is there a historical moment that’s inspired you? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to th

It’s our 10th annual Norwegian Christmas Spectacular! Get ready for some good humor, holiday cheer, and a funny surprise as Anne Dorthe and I take a look back on a decade of our favorite holiday moments and share our top 10 Norwegian Christmas traditions.  What are some of your holiday traditions? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1. Tune In To Learn: One of my most unforgettable Norwegian Christmas moments Why Santa won’t be bringing us gifts here in Norway and my big Santa fail The Santa Clause vs Julenisse throwdown Norwegian Christmas food and drink traditions (Christmas soda?!) My favorite part of the holiday Our top 10 Norwegian and family traditions And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium

Encountering animals on our travels is one of the most life-changing experiences we can have, but how can we do it in a more ethical and responsible way? Kristen Diederich is with me today to talk about ethical wildlife tourism and how to be more informed when choosing our animal experiences. Kristen is the founder of Compassionate Travels, which focuses on crafting ethical, wildlife-centric adventures for responsible, values-driven travelers. As an animal rights advocate and well-traveled adventurer, she has first-hand experience on the scale of animal suffering in the tourism industry and the challenges of finding experiences that don’t contribute to it.  Kristen and I discuss the complex issues around common experiences like elephant riding, taking photos, feeding and touching, and even cultural experiences like dog sledding. She shares the concept of “welfare washing” and why even some of the most seemingly ethical sanctuaries or rescues are still causing harm. You’ll learn how to identify truly ethical s

How can you use travel as an intentional tool for growth? Today, I’m joined by Nina Butler to learn about retreat planning and how you can create transformational travel experiences for yourself as a solo traveler or as a facilitator for a group. Figuring out how to harness the power of travel to transform is what Nina Butler does best. She went from a high school dropout to working and sailing around the globe on private yachts at 16 to eventually getting a Ph.D. in philosophy. She became a yoga instructor and launched her retreat business, InRetreat, which crafts immersive transformative travel experiences designed to open the mind and expand the heart. Nina shares some powerful concepts around intentionality and how to set the framework for a transformational experience. She gives plenty of advice on curating your own retreat-like experience, and we dig into the business side to talk about things like what to avoid doing as a facilitator, how to scout for locations, and the most powerful tools to promote y

Do you aspire to be a digital nomad? Today, I’m talking with Steph and Dalt to hear about their journey to becoming digital nomads as a couple and the realities of living the lifestyle. Steph and Dalt share what led up to their decision to live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the magical (and maddening) experiences they had in this digital nomad hotspot, and the health scare that ultimately cut their travels short. You’ll get tips on traveling with your partner, working from Asia while being time-dependent, and dealing with medical issues in a foreign country with language barriers. This episode is packed with lessons about leaning in, exploring new opportunities in life and business, and personal growth. What have been the highs and lows of your digital nomad life? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to ans

Today, I’m joined by Will Hatton to hear about his adventures traveling the world on $10 a day and how that led to the creation of one of the world’s largest travel blogs, The Broke Backpacker.  Will has been traveling the world for 15 years, launching nine different businesses during that time. As a serial entrepreneur and founder of The Broke Backpacker, he’s passionate about showing that travel is possible no matter your budget, as long as you’re willing to get out of your comfort zone.  In this episode, Will talks about why his solo trip through India was so transformative in creating a life of travel, his experience hitchhiking in Pakistan and Iran (and marrying the girl he met on the road), and why extreme budget travel in far-flung lands is the ultimate tool for personal development. We talk about the realities of what it took for him to build his blog to seven figures while living a travel-based lifestyle, his most recent project opening Bali’s first custom-designed and built coworking and coliving ho

From glamping to co-living to Airbnb and other short-term rentals – the list of unique places to stay during your travels is endless! Peter Fabor is with me today to discuss the alternative hospitality scene and its revolutionary impact on travelers, investors, and industry enthusiasts. Peter is a trailblazer in the modern age of hospitality and remote work. In 2014, he founded Surf Office, which organizes productive, authentic, and effortless company retreats around the globe. Their mission is to empower companies to bring culture, innovation, happiness, and productivity to their work and lives. Peter and I talk about how these alternative accommodations can enhance your travel experience and the impacts of the industry on destinations and tourism as a whole. We also talk about the current and upcoming hospitality trends (that may give you your next big idea) and plenty of advice for starting your own hospitality business.  What has been your favorite alternative stay? Have you been considering starting your

Today, I’m joined by Nikki Vargas to explore how her relationship with travel has developed and changed over the years and the impact it’s made on the trajectory of her life.  Nikki is the senior editor at Fodor's Travel, a bestselling author, and a public speaker. Her recent book, Call You When I Land, whisks readers away through the countries that brought her new love, self-discovery, and the inspiration to launch the first feminist travel publication, Unearth Women.  In this episode, Nikki talks about her new memoir, that time she called off her wedding two weeks before the big day (and the consequences), and how she’s built a career as a travel journalist. She shares her experience in reconnecting with her Columbian roots, advice for making tough decisions and living a life of travel, creating your own path to break into an industry, and much more. How has travel influenced making hard decisions in your life? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium

Is a trip to Africa on your list? Today, I’m joined by Sasha and Megnote Lezhnev to get their list of the top 10 hidden gems in East Africa.  In this episode, Sasha and Megnote talk about what it took for them to take a career break to travel full-time as a family and share practical advice for anyone wanting to do the same. You’ll learn about their connections with Africa, Sasha’s nonprofit that helps to reintegrate former child soldiers and refugees, and how they’re helping others get off the beaten path and explore hidden gems all over the world. You’ll learn about a standout Ethiopian destination that you won’t see on any other top lists, an incredible (and affordable) place to experience gorilla trekking, lively cities, towns, and local scenes that deserve to be a main attraction of your trip, and so much more! What spots are you adding to your Africa itinerary? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To T

Are you considering becoming a digital nomad or curious about the lifestyle? Kayla Ihrig is with me today to talk about the digital nomad lifestyle and the realities of working and living on the road.  Kayla's a remote worker and business owner who's been living and traveling abroad since 2017, when she bought a one-way ticket out of the US. She's since traveled to a few dozen countries, earned a second nationality, and written the book How to Be a Digital Nomad. In this episode, Kayla shares her journey to becoming a digital nomad and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the lifestyle. You’ll hear about the question she obsessed over that led to her decision to travel, her advice on building a reliable income, ways to keep travel interesting after doing it long-term, the concept of lifestyle deflation and preparing for going abroad, and much more! Whether you’re already living the life or just getting started, there’s something in this episode for everyone. Where are you in your digital nomad journe

Alastair Humphreys is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year who decided to trade in his grand adventures for spending an entire year roaming the local map he lived on, measuring just 20km. He’s cycled around the world for four years, raced a yacht across the Atlantic, canoed 500 miles down the Yukon River, and walked the length of the Holy Kaveri River in India (just to name a few!). So why would someone like Alastair want to explore a single map, just one tiny area at a time near their home? You’d be surprised to discover the kind of impact this could have on someone. In this episode, you’ll hear about his unexpected adventures and the lessons from his experience, learn why adventure really is a mindset, and get practical advice for exploring your own local map. How did this conversation change your perspective on travel? Will you explore your local grid? Use #singlemap on social media if you do! I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport

Today, I’m joined by Too Fly Foundation Co-Founder and Director of Brand Strategy Brandon Miller to learn how his transformative travel experiences led to his work in travel inclusion and creating a world where every student has the opportunity to travel. The Too Fly Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide passports, travel grants, and educational experiences for students in underresourced communities.  In this episode, Brandon shares why it’s important not only for their students to see the world but for the world to see their students. We talk about the challenges of travel for these communities, how he went from a fun idea with friends in a bar to advocating for systemic change, and their experience on The Kelly Clarkson Show. This conversation offers valuable perspectives on supporting travel equity, fostering inclusion, and always staying curious. How can you bring awareness to travel equity and inclusion on your adventures? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share