After an invite to walk the Camino from Kevin Kelly, Steph and Cal ended up on an unplanned month in Portugal, Morocco, France, and Spain. In this episode, we cover cruising the Portuguese coast in search of surf and the less-touristy towns beyond Lisbon and Porto, Cal's solo surf mission through Morocco, and why Basque Country, with its its world-class food, charm, and surf became one of our new favorite places. Steph's Camino trip with Kevin Kelly gets its own episode.

Resources:

• ✨ Basque Country recommendations ✨
• Corinthia (Lisbon)
• Costa Fria (Ericeira)
• Octant Duoro (Duoro Valley)
• Surfer's Lodge (Peniche)
• Taberna do Ganhão (Peniche)
• Graham's Port (Porto)
• Amouage (Taghazout)

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

In Part 3 of our East Africa series, Steph and Cal walk through how they'd plan a trip to East Africa after spending 26 days across Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. We cover when to go, how to think about safari (luxury, budget, or somewhere in between), gorilla trekking logistics in Rwanda, which non-safari stops were worth it (and which weren't), and practical tips on visas, packing, and money. If a trip to Africa feels off-limits or overwhelming to plan, this one is for you.

Resources

• Asilia (safari company)
• Gorilla Family List
• Lensrentals
• Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
• Kiambethu Tea Farm
• Arusha Coffee Lodge by Elewana
• Habesha (Ethiopian Food Nairobi)
• Cultiva Farm Nairobi

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

After two weeks on safari in Kenya and Tanzania, Steph and Cal spent a week in Rwanda — a last-minute addition that ended up being their favorite leg of the trip. In Part 2 of our East Africa series, we cover the history and lasting impact of the Rwandan genocide, what Rwanda is like today, and a special experience visiting gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.

Resources:

• Gorilla Families in Volcanoes National Park
• Machete Season by Jean Hatfield
• We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch
• Hotel Rwanda (movie)
• Zipline (drone delivery company)

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

Last summer, Steph and Cal spent 26 days traveling through East Africa, including a safari through the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, and Rubondo Island. In Part 1 of this three-part series on Africa, we cover what life on safari is actually like — from watching a fresh lion kill and getting mock-charged by an elephant to walking on foot through the bush and visiting a remote fishing village where most locals had never left the island.

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

Steph and Cal spent 8 days on a boat in the Galapagos Islands with 14 strangers, a local guide, and exotic animals that barely noticed their presence. In this episode, we cover what boat life is actually like, the wildlife moments that blew our minds, a wild experience with scopolamine, and why the Galapagos Islands might be the best place on Earth to see nature as it was before humans took over.

Resources:

• Recommended boat

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

A year ago, Steph ran her first half marathon and crushed it. Five months later, she ran her first full marathon and spent seven miles puking her way to the finish line. In this episode, we cover what went wrong the first time, how she retrained, and whether she hit her goal on her second attempt — a birthday marathon in Sacramento, complete with custom rap jingles and live race-day updates.

Resources:

• Runna

Disclaimer: This episode and all episodes of the SYDLIS podcast are not affiliated with Steph's work at Nvidia and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice.

Steph and Cal are back to take stock of a wild 2025 — the wins, the bad experiments, the money mistakes, the obsessions that stuck, and the questions that refused to go away. From health and work to travel, marriage, and what comes next, this episode is a reset and a preview of the season ahead.

Resources:

• Surferdiary.com 🌊
• Build your own apps course

Quick note: This episode was recorded in December 2025. Much has changed in that month, including that Steph is now at Nvidia! All content published on the SYDLIS podcast (past/present/future) is unaffiliated with Nvidia.

Technology has enabled more people than ever to support their lives via online side projects. Steph is one of the people who understands this world well, having created multiple six-figure projects over the last few years.

In this episode, Cal interviews Steph about her perspective on bringing an idea to life, managing your psychology, maintaining a reputation, how to price projects, and doing all of this while working a full-time job.

• Check out Internet Pipes: https://internetpipes.com/
• Discount Code: SYDLIS

Resources:

• Josh Pigford's project list
• Pieter Levels’ project list
• Pat Walls’ project list