Intrepid Times

For people like travel writer Ash Bhardwaj, travel is the "driving force" that inspires and defines his life. But how do you balance the challenges and complexities of travel with the joys and demands of parenthood? This is a subject I am particularly interested in, having recently become a father myself! Ash and I sat down for a deep conversation about travel, parenthood in general, and fatherhood in particular. We spoke about the conspicuous absence of devoted fathers among the great travel writers of the last generation, the experience of traveling with children, and how being a Dad had changed Ash's approach to his career and profession as a travel writer. By Ash Bhardwaj: The paperback edition of "Why We Travel - 12 Reasons to Travel and What They Can Teach You About Life" is out now and available from Amazon and wherever good books are sold. This was a deep and unusual personal podcast, touching on topics we don't normally explore here at Intrepid Times. I am looking forward to hearing what you think!

There are plenty of guidebooks about Venice and Edinburgh, but have you ever wondered about Chelmsford or Sunderland? Ben Aitken has. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, we sit down with Ben, author of Shitty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung Cities. He discusses his fun, irreverent approach to travel that seeks joy in the most under-visited destinations. From working in a Poznan chippy to skiing in Sunderland, Ben shares stories from his offbeat journey through the places tourism forgot. We also discuss the art of attention-seeking to get published, how to come up with a provocative (but not off-putting) book title, and the painful process of recording an audiobook. Despite his cheeky demeanor, Ben's on a mission to prove that every place and its people are worth a visit. His work champions curiosity toward the overlooked places written off by major tourist guidebooks. In a world obsessed with hotspots, discover how joy can be found in that forgotten city up the road.

What drives someone to keep exploring the world — not for clicks or clout, but for something deeper? In this episode of the Travel Writing Podcast, we sit down with Shebs Alom — award-winning writer, broadcaster, and host of the Take a Wander with Shebs podcast — for an authentic chat about his journey as a travel writer. Shebs opens up about mental health, finding purpose, and rediscovering joy when travel is your job. We also peel back the curtain on PR travel trips, media award circuits, and the dangers Shebs has faced in his professional life. Plus, he reveals the secret of how he formed a connection with eminent British explorer, Levison Wood. Grab this opportunity to take a peek into the daily realities of life as a professional traveler.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of real-life violence. Listener discretion is advised, and this content definitely isn't suitable for children. We approach travel from a new angle in this episode of the Travel Writing Podcast. Dawn Barclay — suspense author, award-winning travel journalist, and true crime enthusiast — joins us to discuss her latest book, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover's Travel Guide to New England. Part travelogue, part criminal history deep dive, Dawn's book uncovers the darker side of New England. From haunted hotels and former prisons to crime scene landmarks and ghost tours, she maps out a chilling yet fascinating journey through the region's most notorious sites. In our conversation, Dawn takes us under the hood of her book. We chat about what draws people to dark tourism, how to write responsibly about real-life violence, and why true crime continues to captivate readers and travelers alike.

What is Eastern Europe, and does it still exist? Jacob Mikanowski set out to answer these questions and more in his book "Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land". In this episode of the Travel Writing Podcast, he shares how his Polish heritage, academic background, and personal travels shape his work. Staying in Warsaw at the tail end of communism, Jacob lived through Poland's transition from sleepy empty streets to the chaotic capitalism of the 1990s. He has since traveled across nearly every Eastern European country, exploring both their nuances and shared identities. His book is a personal farewell to an Eastern Europe that feels lost to history. Drawing on real anecdotes, he brings to life forgotten traditions, hidden secrets, and the cultural richness of an often-overlooked region. In our conversation, we consider what “Eastern Europe” really means, why the term remains controversial, and why Jacob believes its identity deserves to be reclaimed.

A contributor to the New York Times, National Geographic, BBC Travel, and Lonely Planet (to name a few), David Farley is living the travel writing dream. When his career was just starting, though, he didn't have a direct line to any editors; he had to prove himself. In this episode of the Travel Writing Podcast, he maps his rise from amateur to regular contributor to the biggest publications. This is your chance to learn how to get your foot in the door. Before you know it, you could be sent around the world to cover stories that will be read by thousands.

Dustin Grinnell's personal essays go deep into his psyche, exposing wounds and aspirations from deepest childhood, wrestling with illness, relationships, authority, and disappointments. While travel publications like Intrepid Times can be reluctant to publish these kinds of deeply personal memoirs/reflections (or, as Dustin calls it, autoethnography) Dustin's stories have achieved recognition and a wide audience, being published in Outside Magazine, Perceptive Travel, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Enquirer, and elsewhere. Dustin achieved this while maintaining a decades-long career as a marketing writer for major corporations and institutions. On the latest episode of the Travel Writing Podcast, Dustin talks about balancing his creative travel writing and introspective essays with his copywriting day job, how he makes his personal essays interesting and appealing to a wide audience, and the many lessons he has learned from writing, reading, and travel. Listen here on Intrepid Times or subscribe on Spotify or iTunes Dustin's book, published by Peter Lang, is Lost & Found, Reflections on Travel, Career, Love, and Family. It is available now.

Despite its UNESCO World Heritage medieval old city, Moorish cisterns, and delicious jamon iberico, Cáceres‎ in Spain's Extremadura still somehow manages to cling to that most overused of adjectives, 'untouched.' As tourists continue to swarm to Barcelona and Ibiza, Cáceres‎ gets on with the mysteries of normal life in one of Europe's best-preserved medieval towns. Troy Nahumko has been based in Cáceres for over a decade. A fluent Spanish speaker, he set out to unravel the mysteries of this ancient, storied, yet little-visited region of Spain. The result is Stories Left in Stone, Trails and Traces in Cáceres, Spain published by the University of Alberta Press. In the latest episode of the Travel Writing Podcast, Troy talks about getting the story behind the story in Cáceres‎, establishing himself as a travel writer, writing in both English and Spanish, getting his initial stories published in both languages, and the publishing journey and reactions to his book both at home and abroad. Listen here on Intrepid Times or on Spotify or iTunes.

The travel writing career has captivated many with the dream of scrawling notes on exotic train rides, sending off your narratives to venerable magazines, and collecting enough in fees and royalties to keep the journey going. But is that really what the life of a professional travel writer looks like today? Tim Leffel has been a full-time, professional travel writer since 2006 and literally wrote the book on the travel writing career, Travel Writing 2.0. In our conversation, he describes his own journey and gives an honest, no-nonsense overview of how today's travel writers actually go about earning money, growing their income, and paying the bills. 

When Ryan Murdock moved to Malta in 2011, he intended to write a "breezy island novel" replete with quirky characters and sun-soaked tranquility. He would go on to write a book, but it was not the one he imagined. In a book that is part thriller, but anthropological examination, and part tribute to the pioneering Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Ryan told a gripping tale that all serious readers of travel writing need to have on their shelves.

In 2015, having recently left her job at the International Bar Association, Rebecca Lowe was transitioning to freelance journalism. Aiming to collect stories from the Middle East to help build her new career path, she set out on an 11,000km, 20-country solo cycle ride from London to Tehran, via Europe, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Oman, the UAE, and Iran. The journey lasted a year, and collect stories she did. While she didn't originally intend for the journey to lead to a book, when the opportunity arose, she took on the project and wrote The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year. This podcast episode focuses on both her incredible journey through the Middle East and the book that came out of it. During the episode, Rebecca talks about how she approached the idea of risk vs. recklessness as a solo female traveler, what traveling through the Middle East as a woman was really like, the highs and lows of her journey, how she balanced out the seriousness of the problems facing the Middle East with a healthy sense of humor, and more. If you enjoy this episode, don't forget to review the podcast and subscribe -- it means the world!

Travel tends to offer rewarding, enlightening, and overall joyful experiences. We come out of them with fresh perspectives, new friends, and an increased understanding of our place in the world. But sometimes, travel is hard. It walks us into experiences that are frustrating, saddening, disappointing, or even dangerous. Once we've gone through these experiences, we may feel compelled to get them down on paper, to share them. Is there a good reason to do that? And if so, how do we cut through the emotional turmoil of the experience to get at the real story? These are the questions we tried to tackle on this week's episode of The Travel Writing Podcast. During the episode, we talk about why waiting a while after an experience can benefit the emotional process that needs to take place before writing, the reason negative travel experiences beg to be written, how we can imagine the experiences in a new light, how one can go about editing a story based on a negative travel experience, and more. If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review -- it means the world!

Inspired by a new translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson, Laura Coffey set off for an Italian island in order to find a renewed sense of freedom and clarity in the midst of extreme loneliness. What was supposed to be a short break turned into a six-month journey across towns and islands in Italy, Croatia, and Spain as she chased the myth of The Odyssey. Her attempt to live between myth and reality allowed her to cope with her father's worsening health, and the journey turned into her first travel memoir, Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, I spoke with Laura about her island journey and the resulting memoir. During the interview, we talk about how Laura developed her writing while working her day job in tech start ups, why myths and legends can so easily help us escape when the world feels strange and unreal, how Laura brought the joy of travel into a book that touches on some very sad moments, and more. For anyone who has struggled with grief and sadness, this episode offers a nuanced look at how we can learn to trust ourselves in the face of life's hardest moments.

Over the years, Mike Richards has been to over 150 countries, has written global political and economic research for renowned global research houses, and has become a meditation teacher. During his years of traveling, he's come to a simple conclusion: most people are good. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Nathan spoke with Mike about his new book, how traveling with his young daughter has helped him rediscover a sense of wanderlust, how a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan opened his eyes to people's true natures, how his work as a risk analyst shapes his travel experiences, what he's learning about connection and community through his travels to unlikely places, and much more. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review -- it means the world!

JT Genter didn't set out to become a digital nomad. He was working as a tax accountant when he and his wife decided they wanted to do some traveling. Looking for a way to reduce the cost of a trip to China, he discovered that signing up for one credit card could get them enough miles to fly round-trip for almost nothing out-of-pocket. As luck would have it, points and awards was a growing area of interest in the travel space, aligning perfectly with JT's experience in accounting and his love of travel. This intersection found him contributing as a freelance writer for The Points Guy, eventually earning a position as a full time writer for the publication and later as the editor-in-chief of AwardWallet, which has allowed him and his wife to travel full time. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Nathan and JT talk about how JT found his unique niche, why flying economy allowed him to get his foot in the door, how he keeps himself organized with a travel schedule that has him moving every few days, his approach to the boom in AI as the editor-in-chief of a growing publication, and more. If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!

Years ago, while hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, Tim Mathis became fascinated by the idea of the pilgrimage. It was spiritual but didn't have to be religious, and it was, it seemed, always transformative for those who made the journey. The experience stuck with him and led him to write a unique guidebook for those interested in tapping into the power of the Camino's long walk. The guidebook is called The Camino for the Rest of Us: A Comprehensive Guide to a Life-Changing Journey on the World's Most Approachable Pilgrimage and was the focus of this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast. During the episode, Nathan and Tim discuss why Tim decided to write a physical guidebook in the age of the internet, how "sacred texts" of all sorts can be guiding lights for us all, the idea of the “gap month” and how it can open space for change, the highs and lows of self-publishing, and much more. If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review!

In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Jennifer speaks with travel journalist Paige McClanahan about her new book, The New Tourist. From Hawaii to Saudi Arabia, Amsterdam to Angkor Wat, Paige has been witness to various approaches to tourism, which led her to question not only how governments are approaching tourism, but also her own actions and insights as a tourist. Her new book seeks to help those who love to travel become better and more conscientious tourists wherever they go. During the conversation, Paige discusses how the shift from the old to new tourist translates to travel writing; how social media has helped democratize the travel writing space; how the empathy we gain through travel may help us confront the challenges we'll face as a species in the coming decades; why questioning our motivations for traveling can be the first step toward becoming a better tourist; and much more. This is a great listen for anyone who loves to travel and wants to have a positive impact on the places they visit.

Many of the most well-known authors in history have struggled with their dark side, a struggle that so often provided the energy for great writing. This dark side is what Brad Kelly and his co-host Kevin Kautzman explore on their podcast Art of Darkness. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Nathan invited Brad on to talk about some of the authors that Art of Darkness has covered and how travel specifically played a role in the development of their creativity and writing. Brad also offered insight into how researching other authors has both helped and haunted his own writing.

The idea of sustainable tourism can leave a weird taste in your mouth, especially as the term is used incorrectly in all kinds of contexts and scenarios. But the idea, in its authentic form, is an important one, and one that we know many of our listeners are interested in learning more about, so we decided to tackle it on this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast. For this conversation, which we knew would need a nuanced and candid approach, we invited on Jeremy Sampson, the CEO of The Travel Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps the travel industry better manage its impact and improve local livelihoods. During the episode we talked about the important questions for travel writers to ask when writing about a destination, how the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action and Tourism has created and maintained momentum toward positive change in the tourism sector, how writers' ability to demonstrate nuance can be key in advancing positive tourism practices, and more.

Traveling is often full of joy and intrigue. Writing about those travel experiences can be difficult but almost always fulfilling. But editing...that's where writers tend to get stuck. Editing can feel not only overwhelming and intimidating, but also tedious. In this episode, Jennifer explores the reasons why editing can feel so tough, but also why it's one of the easiest ways to get across professionalism and interest, build trust with editors, and demonstrate that you care deeply about the story you're trying to tell. In the end, you don't have to be a professional editor in order to engage thoughtfully in the editing process, nor do you ever need to aim for perfection.

In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Nathan and Jen take on the daunting topic of AI. It's a topic that (understandably) makes writers, in particular, very nervous, considering the advances in LLMs. Should we be as worried as we are? Will AI actually ever be able to replace the need for writers, or is there something about the act of putting ideas on paper (or a screen) that is uniquely human? During this conversation, the hosts also explore how they have personally experimented with tools like ChatGPT, where they see the most promise, what a future in which AI can replicate human personality may look like, why grappling with words is (and may always be) a deeply useful exercise, and why they remain hopeful even as LLMs advance. If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!

On this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Nathan interviews travel writer, filmmaker, and storyteller Ash Bhardwaj. The conversation includes a discussion about the role hedonism plays in our motivation to travel, how seeking out the “other” can push us to travel to certain places, why a desire for self-discovery can be a powerful motivator, how certain types of disconnection can lead to the most meaningful travel experiences, and much more. The interview is built around Ash's new book, Why We Travel: A Journey Into Human Motivation.

In her recent interview with Nathan Thomas, travel writer Katie Silcox talks about the experience that made her realize she would have to discover her inner strength if she wanted to live abroad; the many ways that her versatile skill set has served her travel writing lifestyle; her advice for female travelers; why a bit of chaos and uncertainty can be a good thing; and much more.

Welcome to an unusual episode of the Travel Writing Podcast — Here, I take the mic solo, for what may be described as a rant but is hopefully more of an exploration of the pressures bearing down on travel writers in today's world. The perverse incentives of Search Engine Optimization and social media. The perils of perpetual connectivity. How can you write something that will last when your editor only cares about what's going to rank highly on Google? How can you tune in and be present in the moment, soaking up the wonderful strangeness of an overnight train journey when your phone is vibrating in your pocket, giving you instant access to everyone you know and, perhaps more damagingly, all the obligations of your sedentary life? I explore this in today's episode of the travel writing podcast. Have no fear — we return to our normal conversation and interview format from the next episode onwards!

We travel, we write, we read, and then we travel again. Does being immersed in the genre of travel writing as a writer and reader change the experience of travel? In this episode, the editors of Intrepid Times take a moment to think about how the travel writing we read inevitably influences the way we interact with the places and people we encounter while traveling. They discuss some examples of when reading about a place helped deepen their understanding, the possible dangers of reading about a place before going there, the power that travel stories have as part of a larger whole that is constantly informing and influencing travelers, and much more.

In this episode, Nathan interviews John Dolan, an American poet, author, essayist, and co-host of Radio War Nerd. John discusses how he ended up in New Zealand, Moscow, and later the Middle East and Indonesia; the event that had him on the edge of sacrificing his pursuit of the truth; the circumstances that led him to compile his travel stories into his recently published book Erdogan Pizza; why he developed a sense of black humor in his writing; and much more.

Tim Hannigan is back on the podcast to discuss one of the major ethical considerations in travel writing: the truth. In this conversation with Jennifer, Tim talks about the underlying tensions that make talking about truth in travel writing so tricky, strategies travel writers use to create a rhetoric of truth that readers can rely on, how the shifting definition of travel writing makes any conversation about whether it should be true or not a bit impossible, why what we leave out can be just as important as what we add in, Tim's view on why fictionalization in travel writing can be a slippery slope, and how new and experienced travel writers can audit their own writing to ensure any story stays as close to the truth as possible.

In this episode, the editors of Intrepid Times take a moment to analyze the travel writing tendencies that helped define 2023, as well as what they hope and expect for travel writing in 2024. The conversation takes a couple of interesting turns, including veering into a conversation about the benefits of traveling alone versus traveling with others. They also touch on the role that humor and fun can play in travel writing, as well as a few writing challenges they'd like to see the Intrepid Times community take on this year.

In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Mary Novakovich, an award-winning travel journalist, speaks about why she found the process of writing a book more “liberating” than her work with articles and stories; how she approached writing about members of her family, especially when thinking about traumatic events; how she attempted to find balance with the difficult history and the current culture of Croatia; how who you're traveling with affects the way you understand a place; and why writing both listicles and travel narratives has worked out so well for her.

In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, Harry Mitsidis, founder of NomadMania, talks about his personal motivation for visiting every country in the world twice, how his “addiction to movement” has driven his travels, how he maintains enthusiasm while constantly exploring, and why his recent trip to Ukraine was the most significant one he has ever done. He also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the voyage to one of the world's most remote islands where he met a mysterious world traveler who would ultimately inspire Harry's book, The Curious Case of William Baekeland.

In this episode, Scottish travel writer Jamie Lafferty discusses why travel writing is anything but "leisurely" work, how coming from a working class background shaped the trajectory of his career and the stories he chooses to write, why he loves to interview “upper class” people, and how a trip to cover every prefecture in Japan after the 2011 tsunami shifted the way he thought about his work and the impact it could have.

Between delayed flights, strange streets, new languages, and endless challenges, travel can feel like a nightmare for those who struggle with anxiety. But what if travel could actually be a kind of treatment? In this episode, Intrepid Times editors Nathan and Jen discuss the travel experience that tested Jen's developing anxiety management skills, the kind of preparation people with anxiety may need before travel, how to think of the challenges of travel as opportunities, why travel writing can enhance those skills and kickstart personal growth, and much more.

In this episode, Intrepid Times editor Jennifer Roberts and Dr. Jeffrey Skoblow talk about how learning to write is like learning a new language, why the choice of what you read can be critically important, the role that community plays in both reading and writing, and how presence and attention factor into both.

In this conversation with Intrepid Times' founder Nathan Thomas, Pier Nirandara explores how she taps into creativity even while working in the business world, what role awe has played in her life and writing, how she had to overcome imposter syndrome before finally calling herself a "writer," and more.

In this episode, Kapka Kassabova joins us for a conversation about her most recently published book, Elixir, the third in what will soon be a quartet set in the southern Balkans. She speaks about how the heartbreak that she found during her journey for the first book in the quartet prepared her emotionally for Elixir, why she always seeks out a guide during her travels, and why it's important for every traveler (and writer) to "own your wounds and your hopes."

Today's episode includes excerpts from two of the many masterclasses offered to students of Travel Writer Transformation, Intrepid Times' 8-week writing course. In the first excerpt, the Intrepid Times editors discuss the first paragraph of a travel story and how to make sure you grab readers' attention without giving them too much information. The second excerpt discussions conclusions and how writers can make sure they deliver on any goodwill they've built up throughout their story.

In this episode, travel writer Thom Brown discusses the process of tracking down a story in Mongolia, which led to his recently published story, "The Silicon Steppe." He talks about why the story he ended up writing was so different from his original idea, how he found contacts in Mongolia, and the various angles he had to consider while writing.

In this episode of the Intrepid Times Podcast, editors Nathan Thomas and Jennifer Roberts discuss a recent New Yorker article and ask the question, "Can travel change you?" They dig into the subtle and not-so-subtle changes that happen when we travel, explore the trials and tribulations of some of their early travel experiences, and offer ideas for how people can make sure travel changes them for the better.

In this episode, travel writer Tim Hannigan discusses his new book, The Granite Kingdom, based on his journey walking east to west across Cornwall. He explores why both inside and outside voices are needed in travel writing, the ethical issues around writing about those you meet while traveling, how to find balance with a sense of belatedness, and when the second person can be a great tool for writers.

Jennifer Roberts interviews Nathan James Thomas about his new book, Untethered.

The editors of Intrepid Times take you behind the scenes of their recent travel writing competition to offer insight on how finalists and winners are ultimately chosen.

Jennifer Roberts interviews Shafik Meghji, author of Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia.

On Becoming a Writer in 2023: A Conversation with the Editors of Intrepid Times by Intrepid Times

Jen and Nathan of Intrepid Times discuss Elizabeth Gilbert's wildly popular memoir, "Eat, Pray, Love," and its influence on the travel writing world.

In this interview, B.A. Van Sise discusses his upcoming book, Invited to Life, with Nathan James Thomas of Intrepid Times.

Nomads: Interview with Anthony Sattin by Intrepid Times

Nathan James Thomas, the founder and editor of Intrepid Times, interviews Jessica Vincent, an award-winning travel journalist and editor of The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century. Nathan and Jessica discuss how travel writing impacts the way we see the world and how Jessica and her co-editors chose the stories to be included in their anthology.

Today, we are celebrating 12 months of the Intrepid Times Private Writer's Club. To celebrate this milestone as we look back of one extraordinary and challenging year of travel writing, we are making a special exemption and releasing this recording publicly. For 10 more travel writing masterclasses like this, and monthly feedback on your travel writing, join at at: https://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club/

Many of us are diligent journal writers when we travel. And then we come home, and we stop. In this extract from the latest Writer's Club masterclass, British author Alyss Thomas explains why this is a mistake! In fact, you'll learn that, if you're a travel writer, keeping a journal even when life seems "dull" can transform not only your writing, but also your life. Enjoy! More about Alyss Thomas: https://journalwritingforsuccess.com/the-author/ More about Intrepid Times: http://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club

Here's an extract from the 4th Writer's Club masterclass where Intrepid Times editor Jennifer Roberts speaks about how writing can teach you things about yourself you never would have known. In the full masterclass entitled "Be Your Own Editor" you'll learn how to vanquish typos, avoid embarrassing mistakes, and eek the full power from your prose. It's easily the most detailed and info-packed lesson yet! To get access, join our Writer's Club at http://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club

Drawing on everything from Aristotle's "Poetics" to the hidden formula behind Hollywood blockbusters, in this masterclass we deconstruct the art and science of telling a compelling travel story. For the full audio lesson and PDF workbook, join us at http://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club