Prepaying for travel extras feels like smart planning. Until you lose money because your plans change and there are no refunds.

Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond trade travel updates and money lessons, starting with Crystal's quick February return to Barbados. She chose an Airbnb near the beach with a pool over an all-inclusive resort, made grocery runs to cook her own meals and avoid overindulgence, and learned a hard lesson about dangerous winter waves and riptides. Going out before lifeguards post red flags? Bad idea.

They compare Airbnb costs to all-inclusives and note that Airbnb quality can be a gamble without solid reviews. You might save money or you might end up somewhere disappointing with no recourse.

Then Crystal recounts her return flight nightmare. Major delays, buying a last-minute Frontier ticket to get home, and losing money after prepaying for a checked bag she couldn't use due to customs and liquids logistics. That sparks a broader debate: when does prepaying for travel extras save you money, and when does it backfire?

Joe shares his Disney World trip centered on standout resort restaurants and explains the 60 day reservation advantage (but only if you're staying on property). He also notes that Hyatt rewards earn more free nights than other programs but elite status resets yearly, which changes the calculation.

They preview upcoming travel including Salt Lake City, possible Morocco, Santa Fe, a Beirut/Istanbul contingency plan, and Alaska, plus touch on weather-disrupted trips and resorts reopening in Jamaica.

What You'll Discover:

• When prepaying for travel extras saves money and when it costs you

• The real costs of Airbnb versus all-inclusive resorts in Barbados

• Why Airbnb quality is a gamble without solid reviews

• Beach safety lessons about riptides and winter waves

• How Crystal lost money on a prepaid checked bag due to last-minute flight changes

• Disney dining hacks including the 60 day reservation advantage for on-property guests

• Why Hyatt rewards earn more free nights but status resets create trade-offs

• How to handle major flight delays and last-minute rebooking

• Upcoming travel destinations and contingency planning

• Weather disruption strategies and resort reopening updates

This Episode Is For You If:

• You've lost money on prepaid travel extras when plans changed

• You're debating between Airbnb and all-inclusive resorts

• You want Disney dining tips that actually help you get reservations

• You're planning beach trips and want to stay safe in the water

• You're curious about hotel loyalty programs and whether status is worth it

• You believe learning from others' travel mistakes beats making your own

Question for You:

What's the biggest travel prepayment mistake you've made? Lost money on a checked bag? Prepaid a hotel you had to cancel? Drop your story in the comments because Crystal's Frontier experience might save another traveler from the same fate.

What happens when you stop treating retirement like an ending… and start treating it like an expedition?

On this episode of Stacking Adventures, Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond connect with retirement mindset mentor George Jerjian (creator of the DARE Method) from London to unpack the 80-day, around-the-world journey that reshaped how he thinks about identity, courage, and life after 55.

George didn't just plan a bucket-list sprint. He worked with a travel agent, chose mostly countries new to him, and intentionally left space for serendipity. Along the way, he learned to stop "ticking boxes," listen to his body, skip prepaid tours when needed, and even find peace wedged into a middle airplane seat. Because sometimes the biggest shift isn't geography—it's mindset.

This isn't just a travel story. It's a retirement reset.

• Why George chose unfamiliar destinations to stretch himself

• How leaving room for spontaneity created the most meaningful moments

• Why slowing down and listening to your body matters more than "getting your money's worth"

• Reflecting on Nelson Mandela's legacy at Robben Island

• Five days on safari in Timbavati near Kruger—witnessing both the beauty and brutality of nature

• What wild places teach us about humility and resilience

• The Great Barrier Reef near Hamilton Island (yes, wetsuits required—sharks and jellyfish are real)

• Melbourne's Immigration Museum and Australia's "populate or perish" story

• Driving the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles

• Why exploring national identity helped George reflect on his own

• Digging hot-water pools on Coromandel beaches

• The train ride from Christchurch to Greymouth

• Milford Sound, the Southern Alps, and swimming with dolphins in Kaikōura

• A Māori dance lesson that challenged the need for approval (hint: wrist-shaking beats applause)

• Learning from a samurai historian in Kanazawa about service in Japanese culture

• Visiting Hiroshima after reading John Hersey's Hiroshima

• What rebuilding after devastation teaches about forgiveness and human strength

• Vancouver's rain-soaked greenery

• The sleeper train to Jasper

• Banff, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway

• Quebec City's French character and layered history

George closes with a simple but powerful idea: travel restores awe—and awe restores perspective.

For listeners in that 55–75 sweet spot (and honestly, anyone thinking about what's next), George shares how extended travel can:

• Help you shed old identities tied to work

• Build courage in small, repeatable ways

• Reframe uncertainty as adventure

• Replace "What am I without my job?" with "Who do I want to become?"

Retirement isn't a withdrawal from life. It's a redeployment.

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal?" listener game (she's not in the continental U.S. or Aruba…)

• A nod to the show's Gear of the Day archive at stackingadventures.com/gtd

• George's memoir recommendation—his own book, Odyssey of an Elder: Around the World in 80 Days, written so you feel like you're traveling beside him

If you had 80 days and the courage to go somewhere unfamiliar, where would you go—and what part of your identity might you leave behind?

Share your answer in the comments or in the Stacking Adventures community. Because sometimes the biggest journey isn't around the world.

It's into the next version of yourself.

Want to travel more without overspending or falling for tourist traps? In this episode of Stacking Adventures, Crystal reports back from the Travel & Adventure Show in Washington, DC, breaking down what the experience is really like, whether the upgraded ticket was worth it, and what she'd absolutely do differently next time (hint: show up early and never skip the insider perks).

Crystal and Joe swap travel confessions, talk about navigating crowds and convention chaos, and share how small detours can transform an ordinary trip into a memorable adventure. Along the way, the conversation turns practical, focusing on smarter ways to plan trips, stretch travel dollars, and discover destinations you might never have considered.

What the Stacking Adventures traveler will take away from this episode:

• What a major travel show is actually like and how to decide if attending one is worth your time and money

• Why arriving early can completely change your experience, from smaller crowds to better vendor conversations and bonus perks

• How upgraded passes can pay off when they include seminars, early access, and food that offsets the ticket cost

• The value of talking directly with destination experts instead of relying only on online research

• How adding small, unexpected detours can dramatically improve road trips and create memorable experiences

New destinations and ideas added to Crystal's travel list:

• Alaska trips focused on viewing the Northern Lights

• Tuscany cycling vacations through Pedal & Sea Adventures

• European Christmas market itineraries explored by train through Rail Escape

• Jamaica experiences beyond resorts, including private Blue Hole excursions

• Hidden-gem domestic travel, including Moundsville, West Virginia's mix of history, quirky attractions, and outdoor stays

• Scenic driving routes like Oklahoma's Talimena Drive as a stress-free alternative to major highway routes

Smart travel planning tips you can use immediately:

• Setting Google Flights price alerts to track airfare without constant searching

• Enrolling in the free government Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for travel alerts, safety updates, and easier passport assistance abroad

• Evaluating travel swag, deals, and promotions without getting distracted by flashy booths

• Using train travel and regional transportation to simplify European itineraries

• Thinking beyond headline destinations to find better value and fewer crowds

Meaningful travel conversations from the show floor:

• How tourism initiatives in places like Zanzibar and Tanzania support local youth and communities

• Opportunities through AFS Intercultural Programs for study abroad, hosting exchange students, and scholarship-supported cultural exchange

• How travel perceptions often lag behind reality, especially after major weather events or news cycles

Because every adventure needs a little fun:

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal Trying to Travel?" guessing game

• Funny moments from the convention floor, including murals, test drives, and unexpected wins

• Travel stories that prove the best memories often come from places you never planned to stop

Your next adventure starts here:

Share your own travel stories and submit destination guesses for a chance at Stacking Adventures swag! Here's the URL for either: StackingAdventures.com/MyStory.

Because the goal isn't just to travel more, it's to travel smarter, connect more deeply, and come home with stories worth telling.