エピソード

  • Hiking the Pacific Coast Trail + Lessons for Planning an Extended Off-Grid Adventure with Nina Butler

    Hiking the Pacific Coast Trail + Lessons for Planning an Extended Off-Grid Adventure with Nina Butler
    2026/10/13
    What does it actually take to step away from work, home, and your phone for five months to walk from Mexico to Canada? Nina Butler is originally from South Africa and is the founder of InRetreat, a boutique travel and wellness company that runs small-group and private retreats in eco destinations around the world. A yoga teacher with a PhD in philosophy, she spent several years living in Oslo, Norway, before moving back to South Africa. In 2025, she and her husband, Chris, thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, spending 150 days walking from Mexico to Canada. In this conversation, Nina and I talk about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and the planning behind it, from permits and visas to stepping away from work, budgeting, trail culture, and what five months off grid did for her mind, her marriage, and a big life decision. Most of us will never walk 2,650 miles, but plenty of us dream about carving out a real chunk of time to step away, and the logistics are usually what stop us. Nina’s story is a reminder that the planning phase can be its own kind of journey, and that the work of getting ready can leave your life better organized than you found it. There’s also something here about what happens to the mind when the noise falls away for long enough, and why a couple of weeks might not get you there. If you’ve been sitting on a big decision or a big trip, this conversation might be the nudge. Have you ever taken a big chunk of time away from everyday life? What did it change for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why a single social media post led to a snap decision to hike from Mexico to Canada What had to be locked in before Nina and Chris let themselves get excited How Nina prepared her business to run without her for five months What a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike cost them, and what drives the price up or down Why daily, old-school map planning made the trail more meaningful, not less What trail culture is really like, from trail angels to hitchhiking into desert towns How long it took for Nina’s nervous system to truly settle off grid How a months-long walk finally answered the question of where to live next Advice for sharing a tent with your partner for 151 days (and the fight that broke out over food) Nina’s top pick for a base town to get a taste of the PCT Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter InRetreat InRetreat Instagram Pacific Crest Trail Association FarOut Want More: Top 10 Health and Wellness Destinations (The Best Places to Live in the World) with Nina Butler How to Craft Transformative Retreats (For Yourself or Others) with Nina Butler Top 15 USA National Park Hikes: From Iconic Must-Dos to Hidden Wilderness Gems with Jason Frye Thanks To Our Sponsors Explore 100% human-made itineraries at exploreworldwide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 11 分
  • Top 7 Hidden Gems in Northern Norway with Joël Schwalenstöcker

    Top 7 Hidden Gems in Northern Norway with Joël Schwalenstöcker
    2026/09/22
    Norway is already known for its fjords, Northern Lights, and wide-open nature, so what makes Northern Norway an even better place to have it all to yourself? Joël Schwalenstöcker is a Northern Norway native who grew up in Tromsø with a German father and a French mother. For about 15 years, he has worked as a music agent, booking tours and shows for artists across Norway and Scandinavia. He is also the founder of Noraventura, which designs tailor-made trips through Norway for travelers who want to see the country beyond the usual tourist stops. Joël shares seven hidden gems in Northern Norway that most visitors miss, and why the region’s best-known spots have become so crowded. We also share Northern Norway travel tips on renting a car, packing for changing weather, and choosing when to go. Northern Norway is bigger, emptier, and wilder than most people expect, with the midnight sun in summer and the northern lights in winter shaping the rhythm of life there. It’s also a region where a short drive can change the entire feel of a trip. If you’re planning a visit, or you like the idea of seeing Northern Norway off the beaten path, this conversation gives you plenty to think about. Have you ever skipped the famous stop on a trip and found something you liked even better? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why a sailing trip toward the Arctic ended with Joël’s parents settling in Northern Norway for good How Northern Norway’s light, milder-than-expected climate, and freedom-to-roam traditions set it apart from the rest of the country Why the same few places dominate every search and social feed, and what that does to the travel experience Why the stretch of coast most people just drive through might offer the best mix of beaches and mountains in the country Where you can catch a concert inside a natural cave on a remote island community that has been inhabited for thousands of years What you’ll find when you turn right instead of left on a famous island chain How locals near the region’s biggest city escape to sandy beaches when the sun finally comes out How to trek the far northeast by following reindeer trails, close to the Russian border Advice on getting around, packing for weather that changes by the hour, and timing a summer trek to avoid the region’s fiercest insects How to get a real shot at the northern lights, plus one Lofoten stop worth adding to any itinerary Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Noraventura Unlisted Cheat Sheet (use code ZERO) Instagram Trænafestivalen Ytri Island Retreat Hov Gård Varangerhalvøya National Park Want More? Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway How To See The Northern Lights In Norway Top 7 Hidden Gems in Oslo, Norway with Curtis Rojak of Viking Biking Thanks To Our Sponsors Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Explore 100% human-made itineraries at exploreworldwide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    59 分
  • 8 Million Ways to Happiness (Wisdom from the Heart of Japan) with Hiroko Yoda

    8 Million Ways to Happiness (Wisdom from the Heart of Japan) with Hiroko Yoda
    2026/09/29
    Can you be culturally religious without being religiously religious? What if happiness had less to do with what you believe and more to do with what you notice? Hiroko Yoda is a Tokyo-born author, translator and folklorist who first came to the US at 17 as an exchange student in rural Indiana. She went on to earn a master's degree in international peace and conflict resolution and co-founded AltJapan, a localization company, with her husband. A former Tokyo editor for CNN Go and a certified Shinto cultural historian, she has coauthored several books on Japanese folklore and is the author of Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan. In this conversation, Hiroko and I talk about the Japanese idea of 8 million kami, how spirituality became part of everyday culture in Japan, and how travelers can visit Japan's shrines and temples with more understanding. Most of us grew up with the idea that you either believe or you don't. Hiroko offers a different way of seeing it, where Japanese spirituality and happiness grow out of a worldview that treats the sun, the wind, and even the words we speak with quiet respect. It's a worldview that shapes everything from how people eat to how they relate to nature, and it's hiding in plain sight for anyone traveling through Japan. Hiroko is honest that none of this makes life easy, which is exactly what makes her perspective feel useful. What's one small thing in your everyday life you could start noticing, and appreciating, a little more often? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: How an exchange year in rural Indiana in the 1980s sparked a lifelong mission to build bridges between cultures What the ancient concept of 8 million kami reveals about the Japanese worldview Why most Japanese people struggle to answer the question "Are you religious?" How a Shinto priest's definition of kami turns gratitude into a daily practice How losing her mother led Hiroko back to Japan's spiritual traditions What Japan's mountain ascetics, the yamabushi, can teach us about our place in nature Why the Japanese words for seafood and vegetables say so much about happiness How the Seven Gods of Happiness reflect Japan's radical inclusivity Advice for visiting shrines and temples respectfully, plus one major Tokyo spot Hiroko calls a textbook example of Japanese spirituality What a 107-year-old calligraphy master taught Hiroko about happiness and perspective Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Eight Million Ways to Happiness HirokoYoda.com Japan Happiness Newsletter Hiroko Yoda Instagram AltJapan Youth For Understanding Want More: Exploring Kyoto Japan, Creative Expression Through Street Photography, Connecting With Your Heritage Abroad with Taro Moberly How A Pilgrimage Can Transform Your Life w/ Paul Barach The Spiritual Journey + Travel and Creativity with Karan Bajaj Thanks To Our Sponsors: Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Explore 100% human-made itineraries at exploreworldwide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    59 分
  • Is Traveling to Every Country in the World Worth It? Less Crowded Destinations to Visit and the Joys of Unorthodox Road Trips with Ric Gazarian

    Is Traveling to Every Country in the World Worth It? Less Crowded Destinations to Visit and the Joys of Unorthodox Road Trips with Ric Gazarian
    2026/10/06
    Why have more people been to outer space than to every country in the world? Ric Gazarian grew up in Boston and spent years in financial services before a 2008 layoff sent him on a year-long trip and into a remote real estate business that has funded his travels ever since. He has now visited around 190 countries on his quest to reach all 193 UN member states. Ric hosts the Counting Countries podcast, organizes the Extraordinary Travel Festival, and has turned his tuk-tuk and rickshaw road trips through Cambodia and India into films. In this conversation, Ric and I talk about what traveling to every country in the world really involves, less crowded destinations worth visiting, unorthodox road trips by tuk-tuk and rickshaw, and how to get comfortable traveling to less visited places. Only around 500 people have ever been to every country on Earth, and Ric spends a lot of his time with them. That gives him a rare view of where the world's most traveled people actually go, and which places deserve far more visitors than they get. It's also a reminder that the best travel stories rarely come from the smoothest trips. If you've been craving something a little less mainstream for your next adventure, Ric makes a strong case for stepping a bit further outside your comfort zone. If you built a road trip around something you've never tried before, what would it be? I'd love to hear your ideas, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn What keeps Ric going on his quest to visit all 193 UN countries, and why some people give up along the way How the most traveled people in the world debate what actually counts as a visit How one book about a priest in the slums of Bangkok changed the course of Ric's life What Thailand's visa crackdown means for digital nomads and long-term visitors Where to find a Thai island with no 7-Eleven and barely a working ATM Why Ric calls Uzbekistan his favorite country in Central Asia, and the Tajikistan road trip he ranks as the best of his life How a $1,000 tuk-tuk that keeps breaking down can beat a luxury road trip Advice for getting comfortable with less visited countries, plus the safety systems Ric relies on Advice for leaving a career behind to take a year-long trip Which country surprised Ric most after he expected the worst Resources Sign up for our FREE newsletter GlobalGaz Counting Countries Podcast Extraordinary Travel Festival (code ZERO for $100 off!) Instagram Hit the Road Films Mercy Centre Mumbai Xpress Rickshaw Rally Every Passport Stamp Facebook Group Want More Visiting Every Country in the World…TWICE! With Gunnar Garfors Finding a Quest That Can Change Your Life: An Interview With Chris Guillebeau Independent Travel Gold With Graham Hughes Thanks To Our Sponsors Explore 100% human-made itineraries at exploreworldwide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 12 分
  • Top 7 Hidden Gems: Bosnia and Herzegovina (Focus on Sarajevo) with Local Experts Nermin and Kathrin Numic

    Top 7 Hidden Gems: Bosnia and Herzegovina (Focus on Sarajevo) with Local Experts Nermin and Kathrin Numic
    2026/09/08
    With centuries of layered history and some of Europe's most uncrowded natural beauty, why isn't Bosnia and Herzegovina on more travelers' radars yet? Nermin Numic grew up in Sarajevo and spent over a decade living and working abroad in South Africa and Europe, where he met his wife Kathrin, who is originally from Germany. In 2020, the couple returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the pandemic and decided to stay. They went on to found .Cheyf, a boutique travel agency built around the Bosnian concept of ćejf, showing travelers the local side of Sarajevo and the country beyond it. Nermin and Kathrin share seven hidden gems in Sarajevo, Bosnia, that most visitors miss, along with the history behind the city's mix of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Yugoslav influences. They also talk about day trips into the surrounding mountains, must-try local food, and starting a travel business together as a couple. Sarajevo is a city where four major religions have lived side by side for centuries, where the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand helped ignite World War I, and where the Bosnian War left scars that are still part of daily conversation decades later. Nermin and Kathrin don't shy away from any of that history, but they also refuse to let it be the only story visitors hear. By the end of this episode, you'll understand why they believe this is exactly the right moment to experience it for yourself. What's a place you discovered by accident that ended up being the highlight of your trip? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why Nermin and Kathrin decided to build their life and business in Bosnia after meeting abroad What the Bosnian concept of ćejf means and how it shapes the way they run their tours How Sarajevo's layout reveals itself once you leave the old town behind Why a quiet riverside walkway just outside the old town is worth the detour How a centuries-old bridge and a Viennese-style coffeehouse capture the city's cultural blend A thousand years of Sarajevo history, from the Bosnian kingdom through Ottoman rule, Austro-Hungarian rule, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that helped spark World War I Why Nermin and Kathrin built their tours around food and culture instead of the Bosnian War, and how that decision paid off Why a mountaintop observatory and a rooftop terrace offer some of the best views in the city How to see one of the world's most valuable religious artifacts during a narrow weekly window Advice for exploring the mountains, canyons, and villages just outside Sarajevo Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter .Cheyf Insgram Want More? Top 5 Alternative European Destinations (to Avoid the Crowds) with Joseph Reaney Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You'll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway Tbilisi Travel and Hidden Georgia Gems with Local Guide Levan Giorgadze Thanks To Our Sponsors Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間
  • 5 Techniques for Relearning to Read: Opening Up New Ideas About Yourself and the World with Ann Morgan

    5 Techniques for Relearning to Read: Opening Up New Ideas About Yourself and the World with Ann Morgan
    2026/09/15
    What happens when the way you were taught to read stops working the moment you step outside your own culture? Ann Morgan is a UK-based author, speaker, and editor best known for reading a book from every country in the world in a single year, a project she chronicled on her blog A Year of Reading the World and in her book Reading the World (published in the US as The World Between Two Covers). In her newest book, Relearning to Read: Adventures in Not-Knowing, she looks at what it actually takes to read well across cultural and linguistic lines. Ann returns to walk through five techniques for relearning how to read, covering how to notice your own hidden bias, why every reader fills in a story's gaps differently, what a book's assumptions reveal about who it expects you to be, and why this should all matter to us curious travelers. This conversation gets into something bigger than books: what it actually means to sit with not knowing, and why that discomfort might be exactly where the growth happens. Ann pushes back on the idea that understanding everything is the goal, and the reframe she offers reaches well beyond the page. If you've ever wondered what it actually looks like to get better at reading books from other cultures, this episode lays it out step by step. What's one time you filled in a story's gaps completely differently than the writer intended? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why the way Ann was taught to read stopped working once she started reading internationally How growing up in a culture that caters to you can hide how much of reading has been made easy for you Why she encourages readers to hold onto their questions instead of rushing to answer them How paying attention to what annoys you while reading can reveal a hidden bias Advice on knowing when to push through a challenging book and when to just put it down How noticing what a book explains, and what it assumes you already know, tells you who it was written for Why every reader fills in a story's gaps differently, and what that reveals about you How AI and shrinking attention spans are reshaping the future of reading and storytelling A story from Ann's recent trip to Greenland with her friend Tété-Michel Kpomassi, sixty years after his first journey there Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Relearning to Read: Adventures in Not-Knowing A Year of Reading the World Ann on Instagram Reading a Book from Every Country in the World with Ann Morgan Michel the Giant: An African in Greenland Want More: Traveling While Black with Nanjala Nyabola The Geography of Bliss With Eric Weiner The Vagabond's Way: Meditations on Wanderlust, Discovery, and the Art of Travel w/ Rolf Potts Thanks To Our Sponsors: Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Explore 100% human-made itineraries at exploreworldwide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 4 分
  • Kayaking the Mangoky (Madagascar’s Longest River) + Balancing Career and Travel with Oscar Scafidi

    Kayaking the Mangoky (Madagascar’s Longest River) + Balancing Career and Travel with Oscar Scafidi
    2026/09/01
    What does it take to become the first person ever to complete a full source-to-sea kayaking trip down Madagascar's longest river? Oscar Scafidi is a history teacher, travel writer, and expedition leader who has lived and worked across more than 30 African countries since 2006. He has written guidebooks to Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Tunisia, and holds a Guinness World Record for the first source-to-sea kayak expedition along Angola's Kwanza River. In 2022, he and a fellow expedition partner completed the first source-to-sea kayak trip along Madagascar's longest river, the Mangoky, an adventure now documented in his book and film. In this episode, I talk with Oscar about his years living and working across Africa, and the story behind his recent Madagascar kayaking adventure. This conversation moves between two very different worlds: the classroom, where Oscar spends his days teaching, and the wild, unmapped stretches of Africa where he pushes himself to the edge. There's a real thread of humility running through it, a reminder that no expedition succeeds without the people who make it possible along the way. It's also a great reminder that a regular person with a full-time job can still build a life full of big, audacious adventures. If you're drawn to stories of grit, humor under pressure, and what it feels like when a plan falls apart in real time, this one's for you. Have you ever pushed yourself into a situation where you genuinely weren't sure how things would turn out? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: How a string of rejected job applications accidentally launched a two-decade career in Africa What it was really like moving straight from Western Europe into a country facing serious political instability How teaching and travel writing compete for Oscar's time and attention Why staying humble matters when writing about places that aren't your own What it takes to prepare for a multi-week kayaking expedition with almost no prior experience How a mountain range with no water nearly ended the trip Advice for handling corrupt officials and checkpoint shakedowns without losing your cool Why local guides and communities deserve more credit than the explorers themselves What's next for Oscar's expedition career Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Watch the documentary Scafidi Travels YouTube Kayak the Mangoky Our Kids, Our Future Madagascar Want More? Top 7 Uganda Hidden Gems with Lynett Nakamanya Reconnecting to Nature with Adventure, Purpose, Fun, and Travelers' Curiosity with Alastair Humphreys Exploring Namibia: The Ultimate Road Trip, Uncrowded Safaris, and a Slower Pace of Life with Tuta Nangolo Thanks To Our Sponsors: Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 9 分
  • A Spontaneous Road Trip from Serbia to Vietnam + the Benefits of Unplanned Travel with Mia Kercher

    A Spontaneous Road Trip from Serbia to Vietnam + the Benefits of Unplanned Travel with Mia Kercher
    2026/08/25
    Why would anyone choose to travel across two continents alone, with nothing but a cat and no real plan? Mia Kercher is a copywriter, marketing strategist, and hypnotist who traveled overland from Serbia to Vietnam as a solo female traveler. She crossed twelve countries by car, foot, bicycle, and tuktuk, all with her cat, Cleo, by her side. Prior to this trip, Mia spent two and a half years backpacking through Europe, eventually settling in Serbia, where she built her energetic copywriting business, Evoke Writing. She recently finished writing a book about her journey. In this episode, I talk with Mia about her journey, including the weeks she spent in Afghanistan, and how she kept her business running while living off-grid. This conversation is about what happens when you choose curiosity over a plan. Mia's approach to travel has never been about research or certainty, and that mindset gets tested in a big way on this journey. We talk about the discomfort of being an outsider, the surprising kindness that can meet you in the most unexpected places, and how solo travel builds a kind of trust in yourself that is hard to find any other way. It is also a conversation about intuition, and how tuning into your subconscious mind can change the way you make decisions, both on the road and in business. What would it take for you to say yes to an adventure with no plan and no idea how it would turn out? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why Mia decided to leave her expat life behind and drive across two continents What it means to travel by "chaotic order" instead of a plan The single overlooked document that completely rerouted her entire trip How she prepared to enter a country most of her friends begged her not to visit What changed the moment she stopped fearing the attention she was getting everywhere she went The stranger who gave her a private tour most tourists never get to see A roadside encounter that turned from friendly to alarming in seconds How one man's dream of becoming an actor led to an unexpected fundraiser Her strategy for traveling with a pet without drawing a crowd, and when it backfired Mia's business strategy for making money on the road when she knows she's going to be off-grid or without wifi for a while And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Mia's website Instagram Substack Want More? Solo Traveling Europe and "The Stans" in a Campervan with Maria Glaser Overland Travel 101, the Pros and Cons of Full-Time Travel, and Favorite Hidden Gem Destinations With Eric Highland Road Tripping To India: Life On A Land Rover Overland Trip Thanks To Our Sponsors Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 9 分