Amidlife Traveler

Listen to local Vladmir talk about his home country of Bosnia, learning about day tours to visit Bosnia's Mostrar and Kravice Waterfalls from Dubrovnik Croatia. Vladmir describes different types of Bosian foods plus local beer and wine. Aftewards, listen to a conversation about a somewhat dissappointing day tour experience into Bosnia, that brings home the lesson that travel is not always pretty picutre perfect vacation fun. At the end of the day, the world is an interesting place and even unexpected detours like pouringn rain, and flat tires on your tour bus still lead to interesting experiences.

Hop in a taxi in Croatia for Dubrovnik travel tips fro local tour guide and driver, Vladmir. Hear about things to do in Dubrovnik, the Old Town City walls and the people of Dubrovnik. Then learn more about the Old City Walls and a Game of Thrones fimling location from podcast host Lora, followed by a trip into the Durbrovnik Beer Factory to learn about Croatian beers and what these locals think is the best thing about Dubrovnik. www.AmidlifeTraveler.com #croatia #travel #dubrovnik

Let's visit Dubrovnik Croatia and listen to Croatia local, Ivan, share about kayaking tours. Sea kayaking in Croatia is an amazing experience and in Dubrovnik visitors paddle by Old Town Dubrovnik, which was a Game of Thrones filming location as Kings Landing. Float and paddle alongside Kings Landing, which looks georgous at sunset! This kayak tour leaves and returns from another Game of Thrones filming location, (Pile Bay) for Battle of Blackwater Bay, and pretty much any beach or boat scene involving a dock. #dubrovnik #croatia #kayaktour #vacationideas #travel #bucketlist #goforit

Is a safari in South Africa on your bucket list? This one's for you! Get Africa safari vacation ideas and think about planning your bucket list Africa vacation experience in this short travel podcast. Hear advice from the adventurer and explorer Nick Bratton as he hears travel podcast host Laura H share her ideas on her bucket list Africa safari trip that she's been thinking about for years. Places talked about: South Africa, Cape Town, Kruger, Namibia, Dune 45, salt pans in Namibia, Etosha National Park, Botswana, Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and more. Show notes and bucket list Africa trip suggestions online at https://amidlifetraveler.com/plan-bucket-list-africa-trip-south-africa-namibia-botswana-zimbabwe-kenya-everywhere-travel-podcast/

This is a story about Africa and an adventurer named Nick.  It's a life story about family, travelling, growing up and discovering yourself through things like  exploring...and river rafting...and safaris...and stargazing.  Itls also got some great Africa travel tips. Hear a unique story of experiences in Africa told through the voice and opinions of Nick Bratton who (although American) spent much of his childhood in Africa exploring with his parents.  After college in the US, Nick returned to Africa  to be a river rafting guide on one of the most challenging rivers in southern Africa, the Tugela. Full show notes plus a curated list of Africa vacation packages and things to do in South Africa, Namibia, and Johannesburg online at https://amidlifetraveler.com/bucket-list-africa-adventures-and-river-rafting-w-nick-bratton-everywhere-travel-podcast/

In this podcast, we're back in Scotland again exploring the culture and the country through the stories, opinions and voice of a Scotsman. With Britain's Royal family all over the news these days with new babies and upcoming weddings, this short podcast episode is about the Royal Family from a different view. Through story and opinion, hear a Scotsman share about how he thinks Queen Elizabeth is a great lady... and why Prince Harry is his favorite. Along the way, you get to hear a story about a dinner party and a finger bowl, plus thoughts on how overbearing it could feel for the royal family to have to live their lives open to public visibility and scrutiny. With Britain's Royal Family all over the news these days, sending quick congratulations from our little podcast to out to Prince William and Kate Middleton for their newest family addition and to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for their upcoming wedding. May every one of you enjoy love and happiness together...

This is a story of a Mom and her teenage daughter who traveled together internationally for the first time when they hopped on a plane to Italy just a few short weeks after a high school trip was cancelled. It's about exploration and togetherness of shared family travel experiences, and how expanding family travels outside of the US can lead to great experiences. And about catching the world travel bug. Erinn's story of her first international passport stamp travel starts with taking her teenage daughter to Italy, then continues when she returns to Italy with her husband plus they tackle first time England and Iceland as well. Women Travel story. See show notes for this episode online at www.amidlifetraveler.com

Do you qualify to apply for Irish Citizenship? Maybe. Even if you were not born in Ireland, and your parents were not born in Ireland, you might be able to apply for Irish Citizenship if one of your grandparents was an Irish citizen who was born in Ireland. It's called Irish Citzenship through birth or descent. Explore this topic in a quick Ireland travel podcast episode. https://www.irishfamilyhistorycentre.com/ https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/citizenship-by-birth-descent http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent.html www.amidlifetraveler.com

This is a unique, virtual tour of the famous, EPIC Irish Emigration museum in Dublin, Ireland. As the world's first full interactive digital museum, this is an impressive stop on it's own. But, with 70 million people worldwide claiming Irish heritage it is also a beacon from a homeland with a rich tapestry of stories to share. EPIC is the story if Irish emigration and what happened across the world as a result of the Irish influencers worldwide who have shaped our modern societies through chartiable causes, scientific advances, sports, politics, literature and art. The museum opened in May 2016, starting around 350 on the list of things to do in Ireland. By October 2017, it was listed #8 on TripAdvisors list, and by Spring of 2018 it ranked #5. And, if you visit, you will see why too. While hopefully someday every person of Irish descent will have the opportunity to visit Ireland, as a placeholder we hope that you enjoy this unique opportunity to get a short audio tour from Rory Cummins of the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. Visit EPIC museum website here https://epicchq.com/ Show notes and other photos can be found here www.amidlifetraveler.com

The Ireland of the travel ads, with people absorbed in Celtic history yet enjoying the end of the day with a pint of Guinness in a pub is real... but it's not all of Ireland. For those who appreciate and enjoy being in nature with authentic connection experiences, there is more. There are trails to walk, mountains to hike, bike trails to ride, and oceans to explore by kayak. This is Ireland. An Ireland that the locals enjoy on weekends, and the tourists may happen upon an opportunity to join. One such opportunity is taking a tour with Atlantic Sea Kayaking in West Cork. You can find Atlantic Sea Kayaking online at TripAdvisor, Facebook, or their website www.atlanticseakayaking.com Show notes, links and photos from this tour and more ideas for Ireland hiking and kayaking adventure vacation tours are online at https://amidlifetraveler.com/kayak-tour-cork-ireland-active-adventure-vacation-idea/

Do you ever join bike tours or rent a bike to get around when you are on your vacation? We do!  And here's a virtual experience piece and advice for renting a bike and cycling in Killarney National Park in Ireland.  You'll learn about the two most popular biking routes in Killarney National Park (paired with map images below) and can then imagine yourself as part of  a ride, at a pitstop conversation that happened along the cross lines of  a lake shore, a view of Innisfallen island, a large lime kiln, and a peek-a-boo look at Ross Castle in the distance.   Our bike rental and friendly advice comes from the people at O'Sullivan's Cycling and you can find them online at www.osullivanscycles.com . The bike path map images that show the routes discussed can be found at our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com Thanks for listening!

Meet the Mitchell family from Chatanooga, Tennessee who has made a priority the past two years to explore the world together and seems to be having a great time doing so. During their kids' teenage years, the Mitchell's decided to spend the most of their time together as a family by not going on vacation to the same place twice. That decision led them to some amazing school break vacations, seeing about 10 different countries in the first two years. You get to meet the Mitchells at a stop between tours in Belfast, Northern Ireland where they had just finished a black cab political taxi tour with Amidlife Traveler podcast host Laura H. Everyone was on a day tour from Dublin, Ireland that that included not only Belfast and the political tour, but also stopped at the Titanic Experience and spent much of the day at Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and drove along some stunning countryside and ocean view roads Northern Ireland.

This is a ‘before and after’ story about travel transformation. It is about overcoming worry and fear while catching the travel bug. In this travel podcast episode, you will hear the story of Tristanne Edrina, who wanted to travel and explore the world. Despite the well-meaning worry advice from family and friends, she overcame her own fears and booked the trip. With Guatemala in Central America as Tristanne's “first adult passport stamp”, she shares her three favorite travel experiences in Guatemala such as hiking up a volcano to roast marshmallows, a thrilling zipline tour, and surprise restaurant experience. It’s a story of how she discovered empowerment and confidence through travel, plus what she changed in her life when she returned home. This Women Travel podcast episode also has reflective advice from Tristanne to her pre-travel self and to other women who are thinking about taking an international trip but may be worried or afraid to try... --- Women Travel is a travel podcast series that discovers and shares travel stories, experiences and advice from women who travel. It is hosted by Laura H. of the Amidlife Traveler podcast channel. See more episodes and information at www.AmidlifeTraveler.com Amidlife Traveler is about being Amid Life. Being present in the moment around you. A Midlife Traveler is um…. what people of a certain ‘vintage’ may call themselves.

You don't need to quit your job if you want to travel the world. Some people choose to do this, but you don't have to. It is possible to prioritize having world travel experiences in life while also having a career and family responsibilities. We're not saying it is easy, but it could be possible. Are you interested in travelling yourself? We hope so and wish you interesting experiences and wonderful memories to last a lifetime. If you're a busy person wondering how to fit some cool travel experiences in your life, hear travel stories from women world travelers Laura Hoffman and Cindy Loe as they share things they've done to prioritize keeping travel in their busy lives and how shared family travel experiences have inspired their kids plus changed the dynamic of family conversations. They discuss the choice to value experiences over things, each person shares a story of a favorite family vacation experience, plus their thoughts on going back to places they've already visited to experience them in new ways. About Us: Women Travel is a travel podcast series that discovers and shares travel stories, experiences and advice from women who travel. It is hosted by Laura Hoffman of the Amidlife Traveler podcast channel. See more episodes and information at www.AmidlifeTraveler.com Amidlife Traveler is about being Amid Life. Being present in the moment around you. A Midlife Traveler is um.... what people of a certain 'vintage' may call themselves. Cindy Loe is a travel guidebook writer, travel blogger and podcast with One Perfect Day In travel. You can find Cindy's travel blogs and podcasts online at www.OnePerfectDayIn.org and she has 15+ travel guidebooks on Amazon.com.

Are you looking for great vacation experiences in Ireland? If yes, then this is an episode for you! We sit down to chat and compare our '3 Best Experiences' from Ireland vacations along with Cindy Loe of the One Perfect Day In Travel (guide books, travel blog and a travel podcast). It was hard to limit to just three experiences, so there are some extras thrown in here.... Ireland vacation experiences include visiting ancient Ireland sites, taking a boat ride around the Eye of Ireland in a small town just outside of Dublin, enjoying Irish pub music / food / people, a museum in Dublin that has a collection of some of the oldest religious writings in the world amongst many faiths, the Dingle Peninsula, plus bike riding in Killarney National Park, hiking at Giant's Causeway, and kayaking on the Port of Cork.

An interview and live music of Allie Sherlock, the 12 year old talented singer busker from Cork Ireland who seems to be taking the world by storm at the moment. In this podcast episode, you will hear .... the music and voice of this remarkable 12 year old girl. Allie has become somewhat of an internet star after she started singing in public and busking on the streets of Dublin and Cork in Ireland. She started doing this for her love of music and singing, but once the videos of Allie Sherlock singing in the streets, the fame for her talent grew. With millions of view on YouTube and a huge Facebook Fan group, Allie hit the internet again of a different ink in the summer of 2017 when it was reported that she turned down the opportunity to fly to the US be on the Ellen Degeneres show. In Fall of 2017, on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Cork,we happened across Allie Sherlock doing a live performance. We hadn't heard of her before, but watching and listening held us captive. This podcast episode shares a viewpoint of the experience of that day, a live recording of her music (accompanied by a video on YouTube) as she sang Adele's song Million Years Ago. It was powerful. Allie's Dad, Mark Sherlock, took time to speak with us and then during a break also do a brief interview between songs. You can hear Allie and her Dad talk about how she got started in music after her Dad decided to take guitar lessons, the reactions of people who see Allie's performances, and Allie shares some of her current favorite artists. Enjoy! About Allie Sherlock: Allie Sherlock is a petite powerhouse with a huge smile and rich voice who is captivating people all across Ireland, and the internet. Allie is a busker, she performs on the streets of Ireland in both Dublin and Cork singing her heart out for the love of music and to sell CDs of her music. This podcast shares both a rare interview with Allie, and a song she sang in the city center of Cork Ireland. For more show notes and resources about this podcast visit www.amidlifetraveler.com. To get Allie's music on iTunes click here https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/allie-sherlock/1314464325

So, what’s up with Cork? Is Cork the capital of Ireland? Is it the Rebel County? The Republic of Cork? Why do Cork and Dublin have a rivalry? Should visitors include Cork in their Ireland vacation plans? What is there to do in Cork and why visit? When travel podcast host Laura planned her Ireland vacation, she included Cork but did not have activities planned other than a kayak tour. When asking about Cork from other visitors a common response was ‘Why are you going to Cork? What will you do there?” Turns out there are a whole bunch of reasons why Ireland visitors might want to add Cork to their Ireland vacation plans. This great travel podcast episode, you will hear 3 opinions of Cork Ireland; -American traveler Laura, from the Amidlife Traveler travel podcast -Irishman Patrick McGrath who lives in Killarney today but grew up in Rosscommon -Irishwoman Debbie B, who self-describes as “about as Cork as you can be”. The conclusion? Cork is amazing, and yes tourists visiting Ireland should plan to stop there. Why? There is a unique charm to the Cork area that is a mix of modern urban edge, with stately historic respect. Plus, it’s surrounded by beautiful countryside to explore and have active adventures. Show notes on this episode plus links to things to see and do in the Cork, Ireland area can be found at www.AmidlifeTraveler.com

This is a story about taking the courageous steps to make your life what you want it to be, and how travel can be a path to self-discovery and empowerment. Happy New Year from the Amidlife Traveler podcast! This episode is for anyone who has travel as a New Year Resolution…. or anyone who is interested in travelling and explore the world, but could use a little motivation or inspiration. In this travel podcast episode, you will hear the story of Rachel Hill. She is an inspirer and travel blogger with an online business built around travel and helping others. But she wasn’t always this way. Not too many years ago, Rachel had a successful corporate career earning 6 figures at a Fortune Top 50 corporation, but felt unfulfilled and anxiety ridden. Rachel made a courageous decision to walk away from that career to take a break, and found herself on a 3 month trip travelling in SE Asia by herself. That travel experience renewed Rachel’s strength, sense of self, and motivated her to build her life in new way. In this episode, you will hear Rachel’s story in her words. This episode is about life empowerment and enjoyment through travel experiences and you’ll get to learn about her travel blog www.racheltravels.com and her mission to share her love of travel and encourage people to explore the world. As with all of our podcast episodes, we post show notes and links to Rachels’ blog our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com. With that enjoy this episode… Happy New Year … and safe travels wherever you may go. QUOTES: “It was life changing…for me travel really changed my life” “When you get back… to your real world… or your real life, you have this new set of skills, and new set of confidence that you probably never even tapped into before.” “You don’t know when your last breath is, so you just may as well just live it the fullest…right?”

Local craft breweries are opening up across Ireland, and Cork is no exception. In this episode, hear about three of the largest and most popular craft breweries in the Cork Ireland area, and one that might also be putting out some form of Irish moonshine in the near future? Our Irish storyteller guest today is Debbie B., a Cork native and local who knows her stuff when it comes to things to do around Cork and where to discover and great local restaurants, pubs and of course, craft breweries. She is the food and beverage supervisor at the historic and iconic Metropole Hotel located in the city center of Cork. As a native of Cork and descendant of the famous Michael Collins, Debbie is smart, friendly and welcoming host who can easily help visitors find and enjoy what Cork has to offer. #tbexireland

Hear a Scotsman share about Scottish culture and Scottish Gaelic translation. More specifically about the historic divide and differences between mainland Scotland culture and history knowledge and the more remote Scottish Highland and Hebrides Islands where things like Scottish Gaelic language has remained woven into daily life and regional culture. This travel podcast episode is a is a rare treat that combines a personal story and also a brief audio lesson in Scottish Gaelic translation. For the Scottish Gaelic audio lesson, you’ll hear specific examples going back to city names in Scotland that were named originally in Gaelic and have certain meaning, but in today’s English speaking world we just think of that as the name of that city, without realizing the Gaelic roots and significance of why the city has that name. By personal story, you will hear a Scotsman's concern over the loss of Gaelic in Scotland over time, coming from a person who grew up speaking Scottish Gaelic. … QUOTES: “So, I do worry about the loss of certain things within the language.” “As the language changes, people just think it’s the name of something rather than having a meaning.” “Inver, in the Gaelic language means, at the end of water.” “So, it was a way of not just naming places, but giving them a description so that when people were traveling they could see it and they would find it.” “I worry that, through that, we'll lose, forget, why things were named and what they were called.” “Portree… it's called Port, as in harbor, and Ree as in the old Gaelic for king.” “I don't want them to be forgotten for that. For more detailed show note transcription of this travel podcast episode, please visit www.amidlifetraveler.com #travel, #travelpodcast, #visitscotland, #gaelic, #scottishgaelic, #scottishhistory, #scotland, #scotlandculture, #inverness, #portree, #alnwick, #learnaboutscotland

The TripAdvisor Effect: Should we trust all online reviews we read? And are the famous Fairy Pools in Scotland a made up story from tour guides? TripAdvisor has been in the news this week with breaking story across media sites about how one London man managed to get his garden shed listed on TripAdvisor as a restaurant then through a series of fake photos and reviews earned the coveted #1 ranking for best restaurant in London. If you haven’t heard the story, there are four articles at our website www.amidlifetraveler.com that you can get the details of, and it’s a good story. But what is the after-affect of this? Will it make people question or wonder more about the accuracy of online travel planning websites with ratings and reviews, such as TripAdvisor? 3 TAKEAWAYS (1)Tourists have Monkey-See / Monkey-Do habits Tourists tend to follow other tourists. While it can start at vacation planning by choosing destinations, hotels, and activities based on ratings of others, it continues into the vacation often with mindless tourist photo safari mentality that has so many people taking pretty much the exact same photos. (2) The internet is drastically shaping travel and setting expectations of tourists.   Travel booking sites with robust ratings and reviews are hugely influential for travelers for travel planning, for better or for worse.  (3) “The Fairy Pools” on Isle of Skye was a story made up by tour guides According to this pioneer tour guide who has led tours to the area for more than 10 years, there was not a place in the Isle of Skye named the Fairy Pools, until guides started to call it that. What began years ago as a story to share with groups of backpackers, has today evolved into a place topping many ‘must see’ lists for Scotland. For show notes and more information please visit www.amidlifetraveler.com #visitscotland, #travel, #travelpodcast, #FairyPools, #IsleofSkye, #Scotland, #scotlandtravel, #vacationplanning #tripadvisor

The craft beer movement is growing in Ireland, and tourist destination Killarney is not exception. Hear Killarney local Patrick McGrath talk about the craft brewing trend in Ireland, and notable craft breweries around Killarney area. Irish craft breweries mentioned in this episode; Torc Brewing, Killarney Brewing, 9 White Deer, Dingle Brewing Company, 8 Degrees Brewing, Cronin Cider and Stonewall cider. Show notes and links for additional information on our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com Guest note: Patrick McGrath manages The Ross hotel in Killarney, where the Lane Café Bar is located. Patrick is a wealth of information on trends including high expertise in trending movements in craft beer and spirits such as craft gin. Stephen is a very helpful bartender at the Lane Café Bar who often is serving up those Killarney Stout beers and breaking the news about no Guinness on tap. Host note: The topics and shows featured in our Ireland series are based on our real experiences and opinions, this is not a paid program. #craftbeer #craftbeerireland #guinnessbeer #killarneybrewing #travel, #travelpodcast #killarneynightlife #tourismireland, #tbexireland, #vacationplans #travelpodcast #amidlifetraveler #irelandtravel #enjoykerry, #killarney, #therosskillarney #therosshotel

Guinness, the iconic beer brand of Ireland, faces serious competition as local microbreweries are popping up in Ireland to bring a variety of new craft beers to for locals and tourists to enjoy. Listen to the story of the Lane Café Bar in Killarney Ireland and their bold move to replace the Guinness tap handle with locally brewed Killarney Stout instead. Told by local Irishmen Patrick and Steven, you’ll hear about the decision to make the change and what happened afterwards with some reactions from the locals (Spoiler alert: No Guinness? = Shocker). Show notes and links for additional information on our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com Guest note: Patrick McGrath manages The Ross hotel in Killarney, where the Lane Café Bar is located. Patrick is a wealth of information on trends including high expertise in trending movements in craft beer and spirits such as craft gin. Stephen is a very helpful bartender at the Lane Café Bar who often is serving up those Killarney Stout beers and breaking the news about no Guinness on tap. Host note: The topics and shows featured in our Ireland series are based on our real experiences and opinions, this is not a paid program. #craftbeer #craftbeerireland #guinnessbeer #killarneybrewing #travel, #travelpodcast #killarneynightlife #tourismireland, #tbexireland, #vacationplans #travelpodcast #amidlifetraveler #irelandtravel #enjoykerry, #killarney, #therosskillarney #therosshotel

Attention vacation planners! If Ireland is on your vacation list, then check out this episode which describes the top 'must see & do' day tour from Killarney Ireland (spoiler alert, it's the Gap of Dunloe), plus ideas for a recommended 4 day itinerary in Ireland using Killarney as your home base. As a follow to the history and perspective on Killarney that Allan O'Connor described in our last episode, this time you get to hear Allan's advice for vacation planning in and around the Killarney Ireland area. Attaractions include: Dingle Penninsula, the Ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park, and the famous Gap of Dunloe. Show notes and links for additional information on our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com Guest note: Allan O'Connor is helpful Killarney local who is featured in multiple episodes of Amidlife Traveler podcast. Allan works at the iconic The Killarney Park Hotel as Business Development Manager, where he spends much of his time helping people discover and enjoy what Killarney and Ireland has to offer visitors. Host note; The topics and shows featured in our Ireland series are based on our real experiences and opinions. This is not a paid program and is instead from our experiences in Ireland. #travel, #travelpodcast #, #tourismireland, #tbexireland, #vacationplans #travelpodcast #amidlifetraveler #ireland #travel #enjoykerry, #killarney, #killarneyparkhotel, #

Is Killarney the capital of tourism in Ireland? Listen to this episode and decide for yourself. Either way, Killarney is a pretty cool place to visit according to host Laura from the Amidlife Traveler podcast. In this episode, hear Laura share why she recommends travelers include Killarney if they are planning a trip to Ireland and the three things she really appreciated about Killarney from her visit. Then hear from Killarney local, Allan O'Connor about whether or not Killarney is the tourism capital of Ireland, and also the history of Killarney, including it's beginnings as a Victorian era, plus things to do in and around town. Show notes and links for additional information on our website at www.amidlifetraveler.com Guest note: Allan O'Connor is helpful Killarney local who is featured in multiple episodes of Amidlife Traveler podcast. Allan works at the iconic The Killarney Park Hotel as Business Development Manager, where he spends much of his time helping people discover and enjoy what Killarney and Ireland has to offer visitors. Host note; The topics and shows featured in our Ireland series are based on our real experiences and opinions. This is not a paid program and is instead from our experiences in Ireland. #travel, #travelpodcast #, #tourismireland, #tbexireland, #vacationplans #travelpodcast #amidlifetraveler #ireland #travel #enjoykerry, #killarney, #killarneyparkhotel, #

So many Americans today can either relate to, or wonder about, their Irish heritage. What does that mean? Should I go visit and check that out? We're proud of something that we may not even understand. AND.... that goes both ways. The Irish people love it when American's of Irish descent visit Ireland, explore their roots... and just take a moment to say hello. Why? Because maybe we're connected, that's why. Or, maybe the Irish are just nosy. Either way, with the ease of flying between the US and Ireland then why not go explore your Irish roots? Short travel podcast featuring Killarney Ireland local, Allan O'Connor. Full show notes, description and resource links available at www.amidlifetraveler.com

Ireland... the land of storytellers, beauty, charm... and flat out fun. Will you learn everything about Ireland in 10 minutes? No. But will you get a taste of it? Yes. This episode kicks off our Ireland storyteller series, with a short 10 minute preview to the next 25+ episodes in our Ireland series where we will share Ireland travel planning tips and you can discover the warmth of the country through the welcoming voices and stories of locals who live there and travelers who have been there. Enjoy!

Is Killarney Ireland haunted? Maybe. Is Ireland full of Celtic history? Definitely. A place rich with myth and legend, Ireland's stories (and ghosts?) continue on through generations. Listen to DB O'Connor (a seanchai -traditional Gaelic for keeper of old lore) as he explains the (original) Killarney Ghost Tour experience. Looking to read the full story/show notes and get links Killarney Ghost Tour website and their TripAdvisor reviews? Click the link below. https://amidlifetraveler.com/ep-17-killarney-ireland-haunted-db-oconnor-killarney-ghost-tour/

Did you know Edinburgh is one of the most haunted cities in the world? Neither did we. Hear about this gem, plus get the inside scoop on the ultimate vacation plan tool: Get Your Guide (GYG). Barely known to US travelers (but big in Europe!) GYG is a treasure chest of things to do worldwide from big attractions to small local authentic tours... like ghost tours, and whiskey tours, brewery tours, food tours, history tours, beach tours, hiking tours, walking tours....and on.

Viking tours are kinda cool, and the Viking Coast & Alnwick Castle day tour out of Edinburgh Scotland is no exception. As a follow on the previous Viking episodes, this one features the place... Lindisfarne. And the historic significance and story of Lindisfarne and St. Cuthbert which pre-dates it's later fame as the first known landing point of Norse Vikings in Europe.

Did early Vikings attack Christian churches to grab their wealth, or destroy the religion? An interesting perspective explaining how the multi-God beliefs of the Norse faith enabled their acceptance of Christianity as Norse Vikings both raided and settled across Europe.

Going viking? Or being a viking? Dirty pirates? Or noblemen? A short perspective on vikings as viewed from within their own time, and how today's modern history may remember them wrong. Recorded during a walk with a Scotsman at Lindisfarne UK, the first known landing point of Norse vikings in Europe.

What's the fascination about a man in choosing to wear a kilt. One of the first topics the podcast host was asked about when I returned home from a trip to Scotland was kilts. And in particular, what do they wear under them? Here to satisfy your curiosity are two very different replies from two authentic Scotsmen.

A Scotsman from the Highlands shares how he grew up wearing the kilt as normal part of life, plus the story of an awesome fashion-forward company, 21st Century Kilts.

Hear from a Scottish Highlander the continued importance of the Clan structure in Highland Islands area of Scotland, plus the honor and importance of being selected to compete in The Gathering of the Clans.

Hear a Highlander Scotsman's heartfelt opinions and experiences about The Highland Games and it's origins as The Gathering of The Clans in Scotland.

A humorous story of how one Scotsman first learned about Brexit... opinions on Brexit being a shambles and some challenges should Brexit happen. An episode on modern UK culture from the A Midlife Traveler season 1; Scotland.

After comedian Trevor Noah visited Scotland for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he shared his interesting experiences and observations in a show that you can find on Netflix. In this short podcast, listen to a Scotsman named James as he talks the truths embedded in Trevor Noah's observations... particularly on how the Scots have replace the word 'little with the word 'wee' in order to make things sound innocent. So what's the difference between "Going for a wee drink" and "Going for a pint"? Listen and find out.

From a farm in Scotland and a boy's first taste of whisky, to a mom's advice and witty observations, this short story just might make you smile.

Attention single malt whiskey drinkers; a shortage is coming in 2019/2020... and it's predicted that the Scots won't take it well.

Advice for tourists and travelers on how to embarrass yourself in Scotland if you decide to order single malt whiskey in a bar in Scotland.

Hear a Scotsman (who is passionate about his whiskey) explain why he and other Scots are heartbroken over Scottish distilleries selling out to global beverage companies. Learn the story one acquired whiskey brand that has lost a 140 year old market of drinkers in Scotland as a result.   Plus... Hello Asia ! So Japan won the whiskey in the world competition? What's up with that? From this episode: "We're a little bit heartbroken that some of these distilleries sold themselves out, really, you know?" "We can only produce with how much barley we have, and we can only produce what the traditional methods will allow." "In order to be classed a single malt Scottish whisky company, all the ingredients must be grown in Scotland." "In February of last year I could have bought a bottle of McCallen's 10 year standard for about 35 pounds a bottle. By the June the same year, it was 230 pounds a bottle, because they had flooded the foreign market with this whisky." "So if McCallen's don't do well on the foreign market, they've lost their customer base in Scotland. 'Cause we felt that was quite, well, quite rude." "Any time very expensive, private bottles of whisky went to auction, it's also been Japan that's bought them. So they've been perfecting their techniques in making single malt whisky." "The rules of the best single malt whisky in the world competition is a bit silly. You can only ever win it once. Which means, unfortunately, that at some point in time, the worst whisky in the world is going to win the best whisky in the world award."

Listen to our Scottish friend James explain whiskey aging and bottling dates, why bottling dates are precisely tracked and what the "Angel's Share" of whiskey is. Learn why it is such a big risk it is for whiskey distillers to go for that prized, high-value 50-year single malt whiskey. From this episode: "..the Government official can then take the count of the literage that went through that day and then count the bottles. If they don't add up, that whisky does not leave the distillery until they find the missing whisky." A 10 year cask will lose a third of the contents of the barrel to evaporation. We refer to that as the Angel's Share. It's quite nice. Hopefully I've lived a good enough life, I'll become a whisky angel. "If they unearth a 50 year and it tests below 39.5% alcohol it will not be classed as a neat spirit, therefore it cannot be classed as single malt and you've just wasted 50 years." "So it can be, you know, quite a skill, quite an art to make the whisky."

It does work. Whiskey is like a little time machine... just look at the bottling date and reminisce on your past about what you were doing at that time in your life. Then, the more that you drink, the more powerful the emotions will feel from that day. If you get to the very, very bottom of the bottle, whoa, the time machine is so powerful that you will have regressed right back to very early childhood. It's absolutely amazing, quite a romantic drink.

What is this podcast about? Who is this for? Why are we doing this? What will you hear? And WHY Scotland? A quick intro to these burning questions and more, in this short but awkward first podcast episode 000...