Kated Travel Podcast

Voluntourism has a bad reputation. But surely there can be some good in the intention to volunteer abroad? Today's guest is Susan Gisbon, author of the excellent book How To Be An Amazing Volunteer Overseas: Rules of the Road, Stories from the Field. In this episode she talks about an important paradigm shift and discusses the idea of cultural learning with host Stephen Bailey. When we travel we learn and for Susan, that needs to be the starting point for volunteers. Susan is an advocate for better voluntourism and also has some great resources on her website Amazing Volunteer. If you're not thinking about volunteering abroad then still take a listen, because this is a huge industry that can bring good.

Imagine travelling the world as part of your college or university program? Your host Stephen Bailey is wishing he was 20 years younger as he talks to Scott Marshall, director of Semester at Sea, a multi-country study abroad program. In this episode we discuss the benefits and challenges of studying abroad, student experiences in different countries, and what we can all learn when we travel and broaden our horizons.

World schooling? Your host Stephen Bailey is very curious, as he looks ahead at how you can keep travelling the world with children. Today's special guest is Bevin Clare, the world schooling expert from Ready To Roam Courses. She talks us through the benefits of teaching your children from different countries and the challenges they need to overcome. There's also practical information about getting started and some myth busting. Fascinating for everybody who loves to travel and has children.

Turkmenistan, an unusual country in Central Asia, dominated by two despot dictators. It's one of the craziest and strangest countries to ever visit. Your host Stephen Bailey recalls a trip to Turkmenistan, visiting the marble city of Ashgabat and a marble Olympic Stadium that's never been used. Stephen meets Turkmen people when staying in a homestay and contrasts local life and the bizarre capital Ashgabat.

While Angkor Wat is the famous world wonder, it is just one of the temples and palaces in the jungle near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Angkor Thom was the greatest Khmer capital of all, constructed during the 12th century by the great King Jayavarman VII. Now lying in an evocative state of ruin, it's a vast city of sculptural decorations and mazy rooms, visited on today's episode of the Kated Travel Podcast. Let's go on a 3-day journey through Angkor, in just 10 minutes with your host Stephen Bailey.

Join your host Stephen Bailey on a journey of discovery through the old medina of Marrakech. Embrace the sounds and smells of this mystical place Stephen travelled to Marrakech and was fascinated by a particular style of Berber storytelling, told on the city's main square and popular throughout Berber populations. In this episode he attempts to replicate this rhythmic style to share his own recollections of the city.

There's nothing more amazing than exploring the world through your children's eyes. David Delisle is today's special guest and he provides wonderful words of wisdom, encouraging us to be adventurous when we travel with kids. There's so much logic to David's advice as it cuts through typical fears and preconceptions, to showcase the incredible benefits travel brings to everybody in the family. David tells us how travel is also a great opportunity to teach children about managing their money, just one part of his advice in the graphic novel The Golden Quest.

In today's episode, travel author Tony Copeland-Parker shares the story of a nomadic life with his partner, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers. Running all over the world (literally), the couple have used travel to fight against disease, stimulating the memory with new places, experiences and social situations. It's a fabulous story showing another benefit of travel. Tony can be an inspiration to us all and you can learn more by reading his book Running All Over the World, which is also available as an audio book.

Vacation rentals are one of travel's fastest growing industries. Almost all of us have used one, although vacation rentals have been around for a lot longer than Airbnb. In today's episode we go behind the scenes of the vacation rental industry with Wolf Worster, Director of Partnerships at TurnoverBnB. Wolf shares his wisdom on the challenges, successes and changes that have taken place over the last +20 years. He also tells us how the vacation rental industry is likely to be in the coming years. It's great to learn about the small cogs moving this very active part of the travel industry forward.

Go walking with white rhinos in today's episode of the Kated Travel Podcast. First we walk in Zambia, close to Victoria Falls, for close-up encounters with a dozen enormous white rhinos. Then walk on the vast Namibian plains, with bushmen trackers helping lead the way towards the rhinos. It's hot, dusty and pretty scary, so buckle up for this short episode in the African bush, narrated by your host Stephen Bailey.

Sailing the Caribbean for three days would be wonderful. How about sailing the Caribbean for over three years. Today's special guest has lived on her boat with her five children for over ten years. She takes us on an inspiring journey through the islands, from Puerto Rico to Colombia and so many wonderful places in between. Tanya is the author of the award-winning book Leaving the Safe Harbour and also blogs about her experiences at TakeTwoSailing.com. If you have questions you can also connect with her directly on Facebook and Instagram.

How do you avoid the crowds on holiday? For your host Stephen Bailey there are three easy ways to do this. Travel to a less popular place, travel at a less popular time of year, and stay longer at your destination. Sounds simple right? It is and it isn't. This short episode should help you travel a little more authentically on your next trip, wherever it is in the world. Remember to rate and review if you're enjoying the show!

Travel to Australia's far north on today's episode, where you will find the Great Barrier Reef, the red Outback, tropical rainforest, waterfalls, wildlife and more. Today's special guest is Australian Asher Hooghiemstra, host of the excellent Explore Pod podcast. In this episode we talk kangaroos, helicoptering above the reef, taking a road trip and the wonderful diversity of North Queensland. You can also accompany this podcast by watching a video of Asher's road trip.

Travel to Tokyo, one of the wildest and most original cities in the world. Here you will find buzzing electronic neighbourhoods, manga cartoon porn departure stories, serene temples, fish markets and parks full of painted women. There really is a lot to discover, especially when you open small doors for a window into the city's soul. Join your host Stephen Bailey for this short journey into the Japanese capital, where everything is authentic expect the famous pedestrian crossing.

Travel to Croatia and taste your way around this country of tradition and diversity. From village experiences to vineyards and even Michelin-starred restaurants, today's special guest Neno Basic Kostadinovic guides us through a range of authentic Croatian experiences. Neno's company Taste Dalmatia creates tailored private trips for people wanting to explore and taste Croatia. Hear how tourism has developed in Croatia and the new wave of local experiences that are possible across the country.

What's the wildest thing you've ever done on your travels? For Kated Travel Podcast host Stephen Bailey it's snorkeling with humpback whales off the coast of South Africa. Getting close to such giant animals was frightening and one humpback whale showed exactly who ruled this marine environment. This is a short tale about jumping beyond your comfort zone and learning how to better respect the natural world. Remember, if you like the show hit subscribe and you won't miss an episode!

Imagine spending six months in a Buddhist monastery? Today's special guest Janet Brent did exactly that, in the Philippines. She speaks about her experience and how it changed her outlook on the world. By travelling we have an opportunity to experience different cultures and learn from what they have to share. Janet's story is a great example of this.  You can connect with Janet further on Facebook. And also follow her on LinkedIn, so you're first to know about her volume of semi-erotic fiction. 

How can we reduce our carbon footprint when we travel? The city of Valencia measured the footprint of its visitors and found that 81% of the carbon emissions were created by travelling to and from the city. So to counter that we can: 1. Stay longer (and also have the opportunity to travel deeper) 2. Always look to travel with more sustainable  transport - a train instead of a plane, a bike instead of a car. There's more, as your host Stephen Bailey tells his story, and how he has tried to reduce his carbon footprint. 

Today's special guest is the funniest travel podcaster we know. She's the flight attendant Betty Thesky and she shares her tales from 36,000 feet. Just give it a listen, you're going to love it.  More about Betty (and we know you want more...) The brilliant Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase podcast. Betty's BBC World Service Documentary.  The legendary book, Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase.  Betty and the Jets, the book. Betty's audio book, the Tar Collection.      

How do you pick your hotels? How did you pick your hotel for your last trip? Host Stephen Bailey explains how he has been choosing his accommodation for the last 15 years. He has two tactics and neither of them involve Tripadvisor.  Thank you for being a part of our travel podcast community. We're downloaded in over 100 countries and growing month by month. Don't forget to rate and review if you're enjoying the show. And hit subscribe so you never miss your daily travel inspiration. 

Suriname, a slice of South America on the Caribbean. Here you'll find a wild coastline, thick Amazon rainforest, a mix of cultures and a whole lot of space. Today's special guest Stephanie Mojica moved to Suriname and has so much to share about this mostly unknown destination. Stephanie is a writing coach and the author of the book Three Things You Must Know Before Writing Your Book, as well as the founder of Get Their Attention Now. You can also connect with Stephanie directly via Facebook and Instagram. 

The most authentic capital city in Europe? Madrid is a melting pot of different Spanish influences and a great city to get lost in. Join your host Stephen Bailey in exploring the backstreets and big museums, from Galician pulpo joints to the route of Cevantes. While Barcelona takes more visitor acclaim, Madrid is rare in that it isn't a touristic capital. And in these 10 minutes you'll hopefully find a lot to discover.

Today's special guest is the BBC travel presenter, book author and podcaster Alice Morrison. She's just finished a 7 1/2 month walk around Morocco with her camels.  Enjoy an incredible inside take on Morocco with Alice, from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara, overland adventures to vibrant cities, and the reasons this is such a wonderful country to visit.  Alice has an amazing spirit and her enthusiasm will surely inspire you to visit Morocco, where "life is more about being than doing." To hear, see and read more about Alice you can follow these links.  Alice's BBC2 documentary Morocco to Timbuktu.  Alice Morrison's three books, including Adventures in Morocco. The Alice in Wanderland podcast.   Alice Morrison's website. 

What's the best city in the world for food? For your host Stephen Bailey there is no doubt - it's Lima, the capital of Peru. Join this short journey into the restaurants and culinary brilliance of this underrated city, including ceviche and Nikkei, but not the famous Peruvian grilled guinea pig. Sure, other countries may have better overall cuisine. But for Stephen, nowhere else provides such creative gastronomy at a very affordable price. 

The pandemic has been incredibly challenging for all of us. Lockdown is hard at home. But what if you were locked down in a foreign country? What if you were visiting Vietnam when the pandemic hit, and ended up spending 18 months in Vietnam! That's the story of today's special guest Karen Yates, a passionate traveler and financial alignment coach. In today's episode she shares the highs and lows, the challenges and wonders of being stuck in Vietnam during the pandemic.  You can connect with Karen at inspiremymoney.com and also on Facebook. 

If you've travelled to over 100 countries and spent 15 years full-time on the road, you may think it's not necessary to use a travel advisor, agent or specialist. Your podcast host Stephen Bailey thinks differently. The more he travels the more he relies on specialists. Not because he can't arrange his own travels, but because these specialists can create a better travel experience for him. With examples from Rioja to New Zealand, Stephen explores the why and why not of getting somebody else to plan your travels.   

Discover New England in fall (autumn), when the region falls under a breathtaking spell of colour. Jeff Foliage and April Bielefeldt are today's guests, guiding us through the six New England states and where visitors can find the famous foliage. April guides photography tours around the region. Jeff is founder of the definitive guide to New England's Fall Foliage, JeffFoliage.com, full of reports, photos, videos and updates on the foliage season.

Travel to the Philippines and explore the vast and still mostly undeveloped island of Palawan. Stretching from the South China Sea to Borneo, Palawan is larger than most European countries. And other than El Nido and a World 7 Wonder cave, it remains an island of empty beaches, dirt roads and local life. Explore this island with your host Stephen Bailey and get a feel for that soft sand between your toes.  Remember, if you're enjoying the show do rate and review so we can spread the inspiration to more than 100 countries and grow our podcast travel community further.   

Travel to the Caribbean island of Dominca and enjoy nature, as we explore beaches, rivers, hot springs and volcanos on today's episode of the Kated Travel Podcast. Lynn Power is today's guest, an American who fell in love with Dominica and started a business on the island. Lynn founded Isle de Nature, creating luxury beeswax candles that smell like Dominica (and have successfully increased the island's bee population).  It's a fascinating insight into a Caribbean island that has not been developed for mass tourism and is not home to the big American chains seen else in the archipelago.  For the latest info on Isle de Nature you can see their Facebook and Instagram.

What's happened in the SE Asia tourism industry since the start of the pandemic? Nobody knows more about this than Hannah Pearson, founder of the tourism strategy and representation company Pear Anderson. She produces the superb, weekly Coronavirus SE Asia Travel Dashboard, as well as delivering a weekly 15-minute SE Asia Tourism Briefing on LinkedIn. In this episode, Hannah guides us through what has happened over the last 18 months and what is likely to happen in the coming months. It's a fascinating insight into a region's recovery and what the future will hold for the travel industry in South East Asia. To hear more of Hannah you can also listen to the excellent South East Asia Travel Show.  

What does it mean to travel like a local? And is it a good thing for everyone? Host Stephen Bailey welcomes Luke Hajdukiewicz from the travel app Bungi to discuss the good and bad of local travel. They talk about how local travel can democratize the travel industry and share the benefits of tourism to more communities. There are also a lot of tips on how you can travel more like a local, in any destination.

Spanish fiestas are wild. Think human pyramids, men dressed as devils jumping over newborn babies, and being chased through the streets of Pamplona by wild bulls. Oh, how about 120 tons of tomatoes creating the world's largest food fight. Every town and village in Spain has its own fiesta and the traditions are often very bizarre. Your host Stephen Bailey takes a look at the Spanish fiesta before recalling taking part in La Tomatina, a crazy food fight that's a lot of fun, but also causes acidic tomato seeds to burn into unprotected tear ducts. If you're enjoying the show make sure you rate and review. Thanks for listening and subscribing to the daily Kated Travel Podcast.

Host Stephen Bailey welcomes legendary travel blogger Monica Stott, founder of The Travel Hack, to the show, to talk about travelling with children. As a recent first-time father, Stephen is curious as to how his travel adventures can continue with a little plus one. Monica travels with her children aged 6, 4 & 2. She's full of simple and important advice on how to make travel easier and fun for the whole family. If you're inspired by Monica's words then do check out The Travel Hack, which is now both a travel and lifestyle publication, packed full of ideas and intrigue, especially for those with a young family.

Gorillas in the mist. Staring directly at you. Are you ready? Join your host Stephen Bailey on this evocative journey into the Ugandan mountains, trekking upon virgin trails to visit the largest primates of them all. Stephen shares the story of his most life-changing travel experience, narrating the impressions of a day with gorillas. So close your eyes and dream. Because for ten minutes you will be in East Africa, face to face with the greatest mammals to ever grace our earth.

Widely considered one of the world's best luxury hotels, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is a renovated Tuscan village, surrounded by vineyards and World Heritage nature. So who better to tell us all about Tuscany than Castiglion del Bosco director Maria Gasparella? She guides us through visions of Tuscany and how the region can both reflect and contrast traveller perceptions. Maria also shares the property's history, including a number of old farmhouses that have been converted into standalone villas, and 19 new suites in a new complex on the estate.

Your favourite daily travel podcast is back! Welcome to season 2 as your host Stephen Bailey takes you around the world, with special guests revealing where to go and what to do when you're in the know. This is a daily podcast for travel inspiration, with short episodes that travel the world with you. Join the community and don't miss a daily episode, as we once again travel to all the continents, with hoteliers, bloggers, guides, industry insiders and more.

Don't worry the podcast continues! Season 2 starts on September 20th!  It's been an incredibly journey since November, with 253 daily travel podcast episodes, with destinations and guests from all over the world. Did you listen to them all? Surely not! Not even host Stephen Bailey's mother has listened to them all. So that means in the next six weeks you have lots of opportunity to scroll back and explore your un-listened episodes.  Stephen is taking a six-week break as he becomes a father for the first time. 

The CEO of Intrepid Travel said that people on trips don't want to be burdened by being conscious, they just want to have a good time. Host Stephen Bailey fundamentally disagrees. Travel is an opportunity for us to be more conscious, to open our minds to the impact we have on our destinations, and just as importantly, the impact our destinations can have on us. We can all embrace a more conscious ways of travel, without losing the care-free feeling of an escape. Being conscious will help us have a more sustainable future and also helps to create a better travel experience, for you, the traveller. 

Iceland is the perfect combination of safe and amazing. That's the advice of our special guest Eric Newman, who wrote the colourful travel guidebook, Iceland With Kids. Eric provides a fabulous insight into Iceland as a destination for all ages, including lots of valuable planning tips and travel inspiration. Eric started the excellent website IcelandWithKids to share these tips and inspiration, and recently wrote the award-winning children's book, Lundi the Lost Puffin, based on the child heroes of Iceland. He's a fountain of knowledge and he shares this knowledge privately as well, through his trip planning service. 

Our favourite travel memories are often created when travel surprises us the most. In the 250th episode of the Kated Travel Podcast, host Stephen Bailey takes you to Nairobi National Park, where giraffe and rhino roam in the shadow of a bustling cityscape. Nairobi is a city that grew around the animals' realm and the national park proved to be one of Stephen's most unexpected and fascinating travel experiences. If you enjoy the podcast do rate and review, to help spread travel inspiration to more listeners.

How great is it to talk travel with a local! In today's episode host Stephen Bailey chats with passionate traveller Akshay Eden-Nigam about India, Akshay's home land. It's a brief and amazing insight into a country of contradictions, a country that can transform how you think. The complete travel story about India is a story impossible to tell, but these perspectives will give you inspiration around what to expect and how this country is different from everywhere else.

Beer, a universal drink that can taste a little different everywhere, a drink that can reflect cultures (unless you drink Heineken of course). Trying the local beer is an easy way to appreciate the local way in a destination. Host Stephen Bailey explores some of his favourite destinations for this, including the breweries of Cape Town, the choice of Bruges, dark beer in Stuttgart, micro-breweries in Boston, and a surprise in Namibia. 

Travel to the American West and explore the vast beauty of wild America, in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and more. Today's special guest is Kristen Cummings and she provides a wonderful insight into the remote American West, including its national parks, hikes, canyons and travel itineraries. There's even Route 66. Kristen's mantra is to travel without being a tourist, celebrated on her superb new blog Touristish. 

It's Yorkshire Day so close your eyes and travel to the British region known as "God's Country." Explore a fabulous coastline, discover post-industrial cities, visit market towns, try fish and chips, and taste local life in the Yorkshire Dales. Your host Stephen Bailey has his roots in Yorkshire and he does what most do on Yorkshire Day - proudly narrate what's great about this corner of the world.

Kashgar, a mysterious and legendary stop on the Old Silk Road, a city between north and south, east and west. Located in East Turkistan (now the Xinjiang region of China), Kashgar is home to the Uighur people. Your host Stephen Bailey recalls a trip to Kashgar and the incredible life and culture he found in the city's markets. For Stephen, it's important to share positive stories about sidelined people and cultures. And travel is a conduit from which to learn from different people and cultures around the world.

Can you take a two-month-old baby travelling? Too right you can. Today's special guest Iolani L. Bullock did exactly that, visiting Thailand, Japan and Singapore with her son Lenox. She provides practical tips to help people travelling with babies, and provides huge inspiration into what you can do with your baby. And the benefits travel can bring to children, especially when they are at such a young age. Iolani is the author of Lenox Takes Flight, a middle-grade book certain to inspire the traveller in a new generation of children. Support the project here.

Welcome to a different normal. Welcome to the highest country in the world, where the normal makes us think and contemplate. Lesotho is a small mountain country surrounded by South Africa, a place of galloping horses, young shepherds, unique culture and another kind of normal. Join your host Stephen Bailey in exploring this remarkable nation, where life and culture mostly continues in the same way it has for 150 years.

Imtiaz Muqbil has seen a lot in his 40 years as a travel journalist in the Asia-Pacific region. He provides an incredible lesson in tourism history, taking us from the groundbreaking 1987 Visit Thailand year to the 1992 visit ASEAN year, then the the successes and challenges that have come since. It's a fascinating insight into how tourism developed (for good and bad) in one of the world's most visited regions, including what we can all learn and build on given today's tourism challenges. For more insight from Imtiaz check out the excellent Travel Impact Newswire.

Embracing local food is such an essential part of any travel or holiday. Not just eating a pizza in Italy or tapas in Spain, but embracing all the local food, for good or bad. This is key to improving the sustainability of travel. Eating local food supports local farmers and communities, as well as minimising the carbon footprint of your meals. So while it's tempting to always want something from home, forgo your comforts and eat local. Host Stephen Bailey explains more in this episode.

This episode features travel words of wisdom from 15 guests who have appeared on the Kated Travel Podcast over the last four months. Essential listening, especially if you are feeling down. Featuring Olivia Blodgett, Mike Howard , Tamara Bee, Caroline Makepeace, Michelle Leach-Lewis, Dilo van Commane, Nathalie Deduck & Robson Cadore, Sherry Ott, Meg Jerryd, Chris McCaffrey, Renee Blodgett, Gabriela Markova, Jarryd Salem, Stephanie Lay, and Lina Stock.

Glasgow, a gritty and creative city in Scotland, that's far more interesting than its neighbour, Edinburgh. That's the opinion of host Stephen Bailey, who guides you through the sights and sounds of Glasgow in today's episode. From underground music venues to galleries and tenement houses, Stephen explores an untouristic destination that captures many hearts. While many visitors flock to the Scottish capital, why not travel to Glasgow instead, even if it's only for ten minutes in this episode of the Kated Travel Podcast.