🍷 Episode Show Notes

Sip & Tell: Wine, Travel & Connection with Maria “The Wine Blonde” Valetta

Wine doesn’t have to feel intimidating—and this episode proves it. 🍇✈️

In this conversation, Cheryl sits down with Maria Valetta, better known as Maria The Wine Blonde, to talk about wine as a gateway to travel, culture, connection, and unforgettable experiences.

Maria is a certified sommelier, global traveler, Vegas food-and-wine insider, published author, and wine educator known for making wine approachable, fun, and unintimidating. Together, we sip, swirl, and explore how wine can help us slow down, connect more deeply, and quite literally travel the world through a glass.

During the episode, we taste wines from Master the World, a woman-owned company offering curated blind-tasting kits that allow you to explore global wine regions without committing to full bottles—perfect for learning, experimenting, and entertaining at home.

🥂 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How to taste wine confidently (look, sniff, swirl, sip—no snobbery required)
• How to tell if a wine is “off” and what to do at a restaurant
• Why dry Riesling deserves a second look
• Common food & wine pairing myths—debunked
• Why sauce matters more than protein when pairing wine
• How to talk to a sommelier without feeling awkward
• Maria’s favorite wine regions around the world
• Underrated wine destinations most travelers overlook
• Why wine is one of the most powerful connectors of people, place, and memory

🌍 Wine Regions Discussed

• Douro Valley, Portugal
• Bordeaux & Saint-Émilion, France
• Rioja & Galicia, Spain
• Piemonte (Barolo & Barbaresco), Italy
• Walla Walla Valley, Washington
• Greece (Assyrtiko & indigenous varietals)
• England (emerging sparkling wine regions)

🍇 Connect with Maria

Follow Maria for wine education, travel inspiration, and effortless entertaining tips:
👉 Instagram: @mariathewineblonde

🧭 Companion Blog: Discover Lesser-Known Wine Regions

Love uncovering places beyond the usual wine routes?
Cheryl’s companion blog dives into lesser-known wine regions around the world—perfect for travelers looking for authentic, uncrowded, experience-driven destinations:
👉 https://nostalgictravelco.com/multigenerational-family-vacation-blog/

✈️ Ready to Plan Your Own Wine or Culinary Adventure?

If this episode has you dreaming of vineyard views, tapas crawls, and immersive food-and-wine travel, Nostalgic Travel would love to help you craft a journey that’s as meaningful as it is delicious.

🍷 Drink what you love.
🌍 Travel with intention.
💬 Share this episode with a fellow wine or travel lover—and don’t forget to subscribe.

Cheers! 🥂

Travel Trends 2026: Asia’s Luxury Boom & the Train Renaissance

Travel isn’t just bouncing back — it’s being rerouted.

In this Travel Trends update, we explore two powerful shifts shaping how people are traveling heading into 2026. Long-haul confidence is returning with a surge in interest across the Asia-Pacific region, while closer to the ground, train travel is stepping into the spotlight as a smarter, more seamless alternative to short-haul flights.

Together, these trends reveal a traveler who values ease, experience, and intention over speed alone.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why Asia-Pacific is now the fastest-growing travel market in the world
• How luxury travel in Asia has grown over 90% since 2022
• Why Asia is redefining modern luxury travel through culture, design, and precision service
• The shift away from traditional Western luxury destinations
• What today’s affluent travelers really want from high-value travel experiences
• Why train travel is replacing short-haul flights across Europe and beyond
• How airlines and rail companies are coordinating instead of competing
• What air + rail partnerships mean for seamless trip planning
• How luxury train travel is shaping a new definition of slow, intentional travel

Why this matters:

These trends aren’t just about where people are going — they’re about how and why they travel. Asia-Pacific is setting the global standard for experience-driven luxury, while trains are reshaping mobility by prioritizing comfort, connectivity, and city-center access. Together, they point to a future where thoughtful planning matters more than ever.

Final takeaway:

The future of travel isn’t air or rail — it’s air and rail.
And luxury isn’t about showing — it’s about feeling.

If one of these trends sparked an idea for your next trip, let’s turn that inspiration into a plan.

👉 Subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint for more travel trends, insights, and meaningful travel conversations.
👉 Share this episode with someone who loves staying ahead of where travel is headed.

Thanks for listening — and I’ll see you in the next one.

Custom Travel Is the New Luxury: Inside Avanti Destinations with Gina Bang

What does custom travel really mean—and why is it becoming the new definition of luxury?

In this episode of Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint, Cheryl sits down with Gina Bang, Sales & Marketing Manager at Avanti Destinations, to explore how personalized, immersive travel experiences are reshaping the way we see the world.

With over 22 years at Avanti and more than 40 years of company experience behind her, Gina shares insider insights into how custom itineraries are designed, how travelers can avoid overcrowded destinations, and why meaningful connections—not checklists—are the heart of unforgettable travel.

This conversation is a must-listen for travelers who want to go deeper, travel more intentionally, and create journeys that truly reflect who they are.

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why custom travel is the new luxury—and what that really means
• How independent travel helps combat overtourism
• The rise of blended trips (study abroad drop-offs, destination weddings, business + leisure, pre/post cruises)
• How Avanti partners with travel advisors behind the scenes
• What makes a destination a good fit for sustainable, immersive travel
• Trending destinations for 2025–2026
• Lesser-known destinations travelers often overlook
• Why meeting people and embracing the unexpected makes travel transformative

🌍 Destinations Discussed

• Europe (Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, UK, Germany, Greece)
• Japan & Thailand
• Australia, New Zealand & Fiji
• Iceland
• Vietnam
• Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile & Argentina
• Singapore

🧭 Key Themes

• Customization over cookie-cutter itineraries
• Sustainability and responsible tourism
• Cultural immersion and authenticity
• Small-group and private travel experiences
• Travel as connection, not consumption

✈️ Notable Takeaways

From Aboriginal cultural partnerships in Australia to food tours that open doors to local life, Gina explains how thoughtful travel design creates deeper understanding and lasting memories.

📌 Resources & Links

• Learn more about Avanti Destinations: https://www.avantidestinations.com
• Interested in planning a custom trip? Reach out to Cheryl for personalized travel planning

🔔 Stay Connected

If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint for weekly conversations with destination experts, travel insiders, and industry leaders.

Have a destination or travel style you’re curious about?
✨ Cheryl would love to help you bring your travel vision to life.

Solo Female Travel: From Fear to Freedom with Amanda Black

Have you ever dreamed of taking a trip completely on your own—only to talk yourself out of it?

In this inspiring episode of Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint, Cheryl Johnson sits down with Amanda Black, founder of the Solo Female Traveler Network, the world’s largest global community of women who travel solo.

This conversation reframes solo female travel—not as something risky or lonely—but as an act of courage, freedom, healing, and connection.

Amanda shares how grief led her to her first solo journey, how a life-changing experience in Honduras sparked the creation of a global sisterhood of over 550,000 women, and why belonging isn’t something you find—it’s something you build.

Together, Cheryl and Amanda explore how meaningful connection, intuition, and off-the-beaten-path travel can transform not just how we travel—but how we see ourselves and the world.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why solo female travel is about freedom, not fear
• Common misconceptions about women who travel alone
• How grief and major life transitions can spark transformational journeys
• The importance of trusting your gut while traveling
• What actually helps women feel safer on the road
• Why connection is a critical ingredient in meaningful travel
• How shared experiences (“shared firsts”) build lifelong bonds
• Why supporting women-led and local businesses changes everything
• Great starter destinations for first-time solo travelers
• How travel can foster gratitude, empathy, and global perspective

🌍 About Amanda Black

Amanda Black is an entrepreneur, community builder, and global connector dedicated to empowering women through travel. She is the founder of the Solo Female Traveler Network, the largest community of women who travel solo, and the creator of Kindred Community, which focuses on women-only connection retreats rooted in shared experiences.

Her work centers on helping women travel with confidence, curiosity, and courage—while building meaningful connections across cultures.

🔗 Connect with Amanda

🌐 Websites
• https://meetamandablack.com
• https://thesolofemaletravelernetwork.com

📸 Instagram
• @solofemaletravel

🧭 Free Resource
• Take the Solo Travel Destination Quiz on the Solo Female Traveler Network website (no email required)

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

If this episode inspired you or made solo travel feel a little more possible, be sure to subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint for weekly conversations about meaningful travel, cultural connection, and experiences that change us.

And if you know a woman who’s been dreaming of taking a trip of her own—share this episode with her. It might be exactly the encouragement she needs.

Until next time—
✨ Keep exploring
✨ Keep learning
✨ Keep choosing experiences over fear

🧭 Show Notes

Luxury travel isn’t just about five-star hotels—it’s about expert planning, trusted partnerships, and thoughtful details that turn a trip into an unforgettable experience.

In this episode of Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint, Cheryl sits down with Francisco Rello, Business Development Manager at Classic Vacations, to pull back the curtain on what really elevates a vacation—from VIP hotel recognition to rising global travel trends and the power of working with a travel advisor.

With nearly a decade in the travel industry (and a background as a Disney Cast Member!), Francisco shares behind-the-scenes insights on curated travel experiences, advisor-supplier collaboration, and why travelers who value service, experiences, and peace of mind are turning back to expert planning.
✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What luxury travel really means today (and why it’s different for every traveler)
• How Classic Vacations partners exclusively with travel advisors to deliver seamless, VIP-level experiences
• Why small details—welcome amenities, celebration notes, personal recognition—make a big impact
• Top trending destinations travelers are loving right now
  (Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean—and even Africa safaris!)
• Underrated and second-city destinations to avoid overtourism
• Why experiences now matter more than “just the hotel”
• How sustainability is shaping the future of luxury travel
• When the best time to book a vacation really is (hint: it’s not just about price)
• Why booking online can’t compete with having a travel advisor in your corner

🌍 Destinations & Trends Discussed:

• Europe’s continued popularity (Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal)
• Multi-island Hawaii travel without a passport
• All-inclusive travel in Mexico & the Caribbean (plus the rise of niche groups like pickleball travel!)
• Africa as an emerging bucket-list destination
• Tahiti & Fiji as underrated dream escapes
• Hotels evolving into experience-driven destinations

🎧 Why This Episode Matters:

If you’ve ever wondered why some trips feel effortless while others feel overwhelming—or how luxury travel has evolved beyond price tags and star ratings—this conversation explains it all. It’s a must-listen for travelers who want meaningful experiences, expert guidance, and travel done right.

✈️ Ready to Elevate Your Next Trip?

If today’s episode inspired you to plan a more thoughtful, stress-free vacation, connect with Cheryl Johnson of Nostalgic Travel. From honeymoons and milestone celebrations to bucket-list journeys, Cheryl partners with trusted suppliers like Classic Vacations to create trips that feel personal, polished, and unforgettable.

👉 Subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint
👉 Leave a review if this episode helped you travel smarter
👉 Share this episode with someone dreaming about their next getaway

🧭 Episode Description

Some trips change what you see—but some people change how you see the world.

In this heartfelt episode of Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint, Cheryl is joined by three longtime friends and fellow educators—Ale, Loida, and Victor—for a powerful conversation about a student exchange program that transformed far more than itineraries.

Together, they reflect on building a people-first, homestay exchange between the U.S. and Spain—one rooted in trust, curiosity, and genuine connection rather than agencies or transactions. What began as a professional collaboration became a decade-long partnership that reshaped how they taught, traveled, and connected with students across cultures.

This episode is a love letter to the educators, host families, and students who proved that meaningful travel starts with relationships.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• How this U.S.–Spain exchange program first began
• Why free, curiosity-driven homestays made all the difference
• The “secret sauce” behind a program that lasted over 10 years
• Cultural surprises between American and Spanish students
• How exchange travel changed the way these educators teach
• Language learning, vulnerability, and fearless communication
• Why trust between educators is essential for successful exchanges
• How everyday moments—markets, meals, transit—became the most powerful lessons

🌍 Key Takeaways

• The most impactful exchange programs are relational, not transactional
• Host families who want to host create deeper cultural immersion
• Travel experiences outside the classroom reshape empathy and teaching
• Cultural differences are best understood through shared daily life
• Some of the most meaningful lessons happen far beyond textbooks

💬 Favorite Quote

🎧 Listen & Watch

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube
https://youtu.be/5nu9RnvsvJY

🔔 Subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint for more stories about culture, education, and travel that truly changes lives.

🤝 Join the Conversation

Would you host a student just for the experience—not the money?
Who is someone who changed the way you travel, teach, or see the world?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

One Trip. A Bigger World. | Launching Youth Exchange Collective

What happens when a student steps off a plane into a country they’ve only seen in textbooks—and realizes their world just got bigger?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint, Cheryl is joined by Alej, a former colleague and educator, and Sarah, a former student whose life was transformed by a high school exchange experience. Together, they reflect on the trips that shaped their lives and announce the launch of Youth Exchange Collective, a new initiative dedicated to making international exchange experiences accessible to all students.

This conversation goes beyond travel—it’s about confidence, cultural immersion, language learning, lifelong relationships, and the belief that every student deserves the chance to see the world before they leave high school.

🌍 In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The moment a student realizes their world just got bigger
• Why home stays and immersion experiences go deeper than traditional student tours
• How exchange travel builds independence, confidence, and global awareness
• The long-term impact of student travel—years and even decades later
• Language learning through real-world experience (and plenty of humble pie)
• Why financial barriers prevent too many students from accessing these opportunities
• The mission, vision, and goals behind Youth Exchange Collective

🎓 What Is Youth Exchange Collective?

Youth Exchange Collective is a nonprofit initiative focused on accessibility, equity, and global citizenship. Its mission is to reduce financial barriers for students who want to participate in international exchange programs by providing:

• Student scholarships
• Teacher and school partnerships
• Fundraising opportunities
• Cultural preparation resources
• Mentorship from former exchange students

Alej and Sarah both serve on the board and share why this work is so close to their hearts.

✨ A Powerful Takeaway

Student exchange programs don’t just create memories—they create confident, curious, globally minded adults. The impact doesn’t end when the trip is over; it shapes how students see themselves, their abilities, and their place in the world for the rest of their lives.

🤝 How You Can Support the Mission

If this episode inspired you, here are a few ways to get involved:

• Donate or sponsor a student
• Share the Youth Exchange Collective mission with schools and families
• Volunteer or support future events
• Follow and engage on social media
• Subscribe to the podcast to stay updated on opportunities and impact

🌐 Website: youthexchangecollective.org

🔔 Stay Connected

If you believe travel is the best education, don’t forget to:

• Subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint
• Share this episode with educators, parents, and community leaders
• Follow along as Youth Exchange Collective helps the next generation see the world

Because sometimes, one trip really can change everything.

Episode Overview
What’s the most meaningful gift you’ve ever received? Chances are, it wasn’t something wrapped in a box. In this episode, Cheryl and Brittany dive into the gift of travel—not just as a vacation, but as a life-changing experience that shapes who we are.

From standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon or climbing the pyramids of Teotihuacan, to multi-generational trips and student exchanges that transform classrooms into the real world, this conversation is all about why experiences matter more than things—and how travel creates memories that last a lifetime.

You’ll also hear how to “gift” travel in ways big and small, from local staycations and one-tank road trips to bucket-list adventures and multi-gen journeys that bring families closer together.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why experiences outlast material gifts (yes, there’s actual neuroplasticity involved!)
• How travel reshapes your brain, your worldview, and your sense of what’s possible
• The difference between simply “going on a trip” and truly experiencing a destination
• Core memories:
  • Brittany’s first trip to the Grand Canyon and that “wow, we’re really here” feeling
  • Cheryl’s early travels to Teotihuacan, Chichén Itzá, and Europe as a high school grad
  • Family trips to Disney, the beach, and a multi-gen summer getaway that three generations still talk about
• Why experiential learning matters for students (and how travel brought history to life)
• How homestays and cultural immersion changed everything for Cheryl’s student groups
• The shift from “stuff” to experience-based gifting—and why people are craving meaning over more things
• Practical ways to gift travel: staycations, road trips, train journeys, spa days, cooking classes, and more
• Multi-generational travel: how to create bonding experiences that kids and grandparents will never forget
• Real talk about travel compatibility: what happens when your travel styles clash
• Tips for planning meaningful travel gifts with the help of a travel advisor

Who This Episode Is For:

• Families who want to create core memories instead of clutter
• Grandparents, parents, and caregivers looking for meaningful gifts for kids or grandkids
• Friends who are “over” swapping candles and sweaters and want to gift shared adventures instead
• Teachers and educators curious about experiential learning and student travel
• Anyone who’s ever felt changed by a trip—and wants to bring that magic into their gift-giving

Resources & Ideas Mentioned:

• Homestay programs and cultural exchanges for students
• Multi-generational family trips and reunions
• Staycations in your own city or nearby destinations
• One-tank road trips for weekend getaways
• Train journeys and scenic rail routes
• Cooking classes, paint-and-sip nights, wine country getaways, spa days, and more

Ready to Gift Travel?
If this episode has you thinking about gifting an experience instead of another “thing,” I’d love to help you plan it. From staycations to European adventures, I work with families, couples, and groups to craft trips that are meaningful, memorable, and aligned with your budget.

👉 Learn more or start planning:https://calendly.com/cheryl-nostalgictravelco/30min

Stay Connected

• 💻 Website: https://nostalgictravelco.com/
• 🎧 Subscribe to Cheryl’s Travel Blueprint on your favorite podcast app
• 📺 Watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgicTravelCo
• 📩 Join my email list for travel tips & inspiration: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Q1QBelP

If this episode inspired you, share it with someone you’d love to travel with.