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  • How Group Travel Transformed a Small-Town Wisconsin Writer with Mel Ripp
    2025/10/08

    Mel Ripp is living proof that travel doesn't just take you places - it fundamentally changes who you are.

    In this episode, we're talking about the kind of transformation that turns a "nice girl from Wisconsin" who dreamed about faraway places while reading encyclopedias into someone who casually drops "when I was in Cuba last month" into everyday conversation. Mel joined her first group trip to Morocco in fall 2023, and I've had a front-row seat watching her completely come out of her shell through travel.

    What I find so fascinating about Mel's journey is how she went from being terrified of traveling with strangers to prioritizing travel over bathroom renovations (her words, not mine). We're diving into the magic of group trip dynamics, what it's like to shit on the side of a Moroccan highway with complete grace, and how stepping outside your comfort zone changes everything about how you show up back home in Door County, Wisconsin.

    Credit card recommendations:

    Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve

    Capital One Venture

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    • Mexico City: Oct 26 - Nov 3, 2025
    • Cuba: Jan 4 - 11, 2026
    • Kenya: March 25 - April 4, 2026
    • Morocco: April 10 - April 19, 2026

    Links & Resources (Mel):

    • Learn more about Mel: workwithpeapod.com
    • LinkedIn: @melissaripp
    • IG: @peapodmel

    Links & Resources (Laura):

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    52 分
  • Rediscover Yourself After Divorce: Travel, Confidence, and Starting Over with Julie Danielson
    2025/10/01

    Julie Danielson is the kind of person who reminds you that it's never too late to completely reinvent your life - and that sometimes the scariest decisions lead to the most transformative chapters.

    We're diving into navigating divorce and rediscovering who you are on the other side. Julie went through her own divorce at 37 with two young kids, and she's now the founder of the Get Over Divorce Collective, helping women transform one of life's most difficult transitions into an opportunity for growth.

    I was on Julie's podcast almost two years ago sharing my own divorce story, so this conversation feels like a full circle moment. We're talking about how travel can be a catalyst for healing, why your comfort zone will shrink if you don't intentionally stretch it, and the difference between destructive escapism and soul-healing exploration.

    Links & Resources (Julie)

    • Learn more about Julie: getoverdivorce.com
    • Facebook group: Thriving Community: Women Supporting Women Through Divorce
    • Get Over Divorce podcast

    Links & Resources (Laura)

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    45 分
  • From Havana to Spain: A Cuban Guide's Journey to Freedom w/ Andrés Asevis
    2025/09/24

    Andrés Asevis is one of those rare people who can show you the soul of a place while being completely honest about its realities. He's a published author, a painter, a singer, and an incredibly knowledgeable guide - but more than that, he's just an absolute joy to be around.

    My travelers fall in love with him because he's fun, crazy intelligent, and has this way of making you feel like you're exploring Cuba with a friend rather than just following a guide around. What makes this conversation especially meaningful is that after years of dreaming and waiting, Andrés has finally gotten his Spanish citizenship and is about to embark on the biggest adventure of his life - leaving Cuba for the first time.

    We're talking about what it's like to live in Cuba versus visit it, the reality of Cuban daily life beyond what tourists see, and what it means to chase your dreams across an ocean. This is a story about resilience, creativity, and the courage it takes to start over in a completely new country at 38 years old.

    Upcoming Cuba Trips:

    • Cuba: December 27, 2025 - January 3, 2026
    • Cuba: January 4 - 11, 2026 (with Dawn + Mel)

    Links & Resources (Andrés)

    • Follow Andrés on Instagram: @andresasevis (bookstagram account with personal stories)

    Links & Resources (Laura)

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Cuba Travel Note: If you have unused medications (prescription or over-the-counter), consider bringing them on your next Cuba trip or sending them to Laura - they make an incredible difference in Cuban communities where pharmacies are often empty.

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you're listening.

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    52 分
  • Brazil Pantanal Travel: Jaguars, Cowboys & Travel Writing with Journalist Steph Dyson
    2025/09/17

    Steph Dyson is a travel writer and journalist from the UK behind Worldly Adventurer, a website that gets over a million visitors a year and focuses on sustainable adventures in Latin America. Having lived in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia over the past decade, Steph is basically the queen of off-the-beaten-path South American travel.

    We recently got back from an incredible fam trip to the Brazilian Pantanal together with the Adventure Travel Trade Association, where we bonded over jaguar sightings, cowboy culture, and getting absolutely demolished by mosquitoes. What I love about Steph is that she understands travel isn't just about collecting passport stamps - it's about those deeper connections and stories that unfold when you really immerse yourself in a place.

    We're diving into what it's really like to make a living as a travel journalist in 2025, the challenges of AI disrupting the industry, and how to balance promoting amazing destinations without contributing to overtourism. Plus all the juicy details from our Brazilian adventure and why you should never visit the Pantanal during wet season.

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    • Brazil

    Links & Resources (Steph)

    • Learn more about Steph: worldlyadventurer.com
    • Moon Chile Guidebook
    • Instagram: @worldlyadventurer

    Links & Resources (Laura)

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    47 分
  • Solo Travel for Military Spouses: Breaking Free from Traditional Expectations with Kimberly Kephart
    2025/09/10

    In this episode, I'm talking with someone who proves that adventure doesn't have an expiration date. I met Kim Kephart last year at a travel conference in Spain, and we connected instantly because she's just refreshingly real about the messy, beautiful side of creating your own path.

    Kim is a solo travel writer, hiker, and military spouse who's basically the poster child for writing your own story. She's lived across Europe and Asia, built a travel blog and career while navigating the unique challenges of military life, and is passionate about showing women that it's never too late to choose adventure over convention. Through her blog, Kimberly Kephart Travels, she helps women build confidence through travel, especially those who feel like they've somehow missed the right window for bold choices.

    We're diving into her journey from following someone else's timeline to creating her own path, why the best time to start your adventure might be right now, and how she's carved out independence while moving countries every few years. Plus, we're talking about that invisible permission we think we need (spoiler: we don't) and why the grass isn't always greener - even when you're living in Europe.

    Guest Bio

    Kimberly Kephart is a travel writer, solo hiker, and unconventional military spouse who's contributed to Stars and Stripes Europe and Military Families Magazine. After years of moving across Europe and Asia with her husband's military career, she learned to carve out her own path through solo travel and hiking. She shares her adventures and hard-won wisdom on her blog, Kimberly Kephart Travels, showing others they can do it too - even when they have no idea what they're doing yet.

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    Georgia: October 3 - 12, 2025

    Links & Resources (Kimberly)

    • Instagram: @kimberlykepharttravels
    • Facebook: @KimberlyKephartTravels
    • Website: kimberlykepharttravels.com

    Links & Resources (Laura)

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    43 分
  • Camp Lola Whiskey: Pickle Fountains, Phone Casualties, and Post-Camp Tattoos
    2025/09/03

    What happens when 30 adults decide to recreate summer camp magic with craft cocktails and zero adult supervision? You get epic storms, spontaneous tattoos, a pickle fountain malfunction, and the kind of weekend that makes you believe strangers can become family in 72 hours.

    This week I'm sitting down with three brave souls who survived our inaugural Camp Lola Whiskey in the Wisconsin Dells - Troy from Milwaukee (who proved engineers can be the life of the party), Rachel from Michigan (who said yes to adventure with just two days' notice), and Megan from Texas (who got an old fashioned tattoo before catching her flight home because that's apparently what you do after Wisconsin camp).

    We're breaking down everything from Chef Hannan's mind-blowing food that had people comparing camp to "a wedding in the woods," to the borderline tornado that turned into the weekend's most bonding moment, to the cow hunting game that nearly started a camp civil war. Plus we're talking about Troy's secret life as camp's unofficial intern, Rachel's musical chairs injury, and how a single tarot card survived a storm to become the perfect camp memento.

    If you've ever wondered what happens when you combine Wisconsin hospitality, craft cocktails, adult games, and Mother Nature's wildest mood swings, this episode is your behind-the-scenes pass to the chaos.

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    • Camp Lola Whiskey 2026

    Camp Sponsors Mentioned:

    • Siren Shrub
    • Dancing Goat Distillery
    • Beren's Old Fashioned Brandy
    • Driftless Glen Distillery
    • 45th Parallel Distillery
    • Lazy Coconuts
    • Olympia Granola
    • Viiq Wellness

    Links & Resources (Laura):

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    38 分
  • Travel Insurance Explained: with Erin Fish from Wanderwell
    2025/08/27

    Erin Fish is my travel insurance partner, and before you roll your eyes thinking this is just a boring sales pitch - hear me out. This is one of those partnerships that happened organically because Erin genuinely gives a shit about travelers and the world, not just profits.

    Erin co-founded Wanderwell Travel Insurance, a certified B Corp that's legally required to consider their impact on travelers, employees, and the planet. While most travel insurance companies feel designed to collect your money and find creative ways to avoid paying claims, Wanderwell actually walks you through the process like humans instead of robots.

    We're diving into why travel insurance isn't just another expense to grudgingly add to your trip budget, but actually one of the smartest investments you can make in your adventures. From the traveler stuck in a Thai hospital with dengue fever to someone whose entire European itinerary got derailed by a massive air traffic control meltdown - Erin's seen it all.

    This conversation covers the real stuff: when you actually need coverage, the difference between travel insurance and your credit card "coverage," and why some claims involve people sleeping outside under desert stars (you'll have to listen for that story).

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    • Morocco: April 10 - April 19, 2026
    • Cuba: Dec 27, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026
    • India: Feb 25 - March 7, 2026
    • Kenya: March 25 - April 4, 2026

    Links & Resources (Erin):

    • Get travel insurance through Wanderwell
    • Learn more about Wanderwell
    • Follow Wanderwell on social: @go.wanderwell

    Links & Resources (Laura):

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    1 時間 7 分
  • Travel Anxiety: Be Prepared Without Being Paranoid with Casey Hanisko
    2025/08/20

    Casey Hanisko is one of those women in the travel industry who I genuinely look up to - the kind of leader who makes you think, "I want to be like her when I grow up."

    We're diving into something that's keeping a lot of us up at night - how do you keep exploring the world when it feels like everything is falling apart? Casey has spent over 25 years building and leading teams in the adventure travel industry, and she's got the perspective we all need right now.

    I really wanted to pick Casey's brain about this: How do we navigate our fears about traveling when the news cycle feels relentless and the world seems more uncertain than ever? We're talking about the difference between smart risk management and letting fear hijack your passport, plus some seriously questionable decision-making that led to the best travel stories ever.

    Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

    Cuba: Dec 27, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026

    India: Feb 25 - March 7, 2026

    Kenya: March 25 - April 4, 2026

    Morocco: April 10 - April 19, 2026

    Links & Resources (Casey)

    • Learn more about Casey: caseyhanisko.com
    • LinkedIn: @caseyhanisko
    • Leading Naturally newsletter
    • RISE Travel Institute
    • Adventure Travel Conservation Fund
    • Casey's Blog Post: Scared to Travel Right Now?

    Links & Resources (Laura)

    • Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
    • Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
    • Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
    • Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
    • Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
    • Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

    Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

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    49 分