The Trip That Changed Me

Colin O'Brady is probably best known for being one of the world's most recognized endurance athletes and explorers. He's a 10-time world record holder and two-time Everest summiteer, and the first person in history to cross the continent of Antarctica solo, unsupported and completely human-powered – an experience he wrote about in his best-selling memoir The Impossible First. In this episode, Colin shares the story of a post-college, round-the-world trip that, unfortunately, ended in tragedy. In Thailand, Colin was severely burned in an accident. His injuries were so bad that doctors believed he'd have trouble ever walking normally, but Colin proved them all wrong thanks to what he calls a “possible mindset.”  Esme and Colin also discuss rejecting comfortable complacency, the importance of goal setting, and the concept behind his latest book The 12-Hour Walk, which aims to inspire 10 million people to take a one-day transformative journey to conquer their minds and unlock their best lives. You can learn more about Colin by visiting https://www.colinobrady.com/. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Gabby Beckford is the Gen Z travel opportunity expert behind Packs Light, a content brand designed to empower others to seek risks, seize opportunity, skip debt, and see the world ASAP. Although Gabby was raised in a family of travelers, it was her first solo vacation – a backpacking trip through Iceland which she took right before starting college – that solidified her aspirations to see as much of the world as possible. Gabby is now a TEDx speaker and a travel expert whose work has been published in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and Huffington Post. In this episode, Gabby shares with Esme the highs and lows of her experience in Iceland and how even the terrible parts were instrumental to her personal development. Plus, how she used scholarships, grants, and contests to travel the world while in college, the transformative effects of solo travel, and how to cultivate a ‘why not me?' mindset and go after what you want in life.   You can find Gabby on TikTok and Instagram @packslight and visit her website packslight.com. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Rachel Signer was an aspiring author living in Brooklyn and cobbling together a living by freelance writing and working various jobs in hospitality when she was invited on a food and wine themed press trip to Burgundy and Paris. It was a trip that would affirm her deep appreciation for the French language, culture, cuisine, and wine – specifically, natural wine. Rachel spent the next few years following her heart, first to Paris where she dreamed of opening a bar with her best friend, and then to Australia to pursue a relationship with a natural winemaker – the story she recounts in her book, You Had Me at Pét-Nat: A Natural Wine-Soaked Memoir. As she tried to figure out which life path and which place to commit to, Rachel channeled her knowledge and her passion into launching a natural wine-themed publication, Pipette Magazine, and her own label of hand-produced natural wine, Persephone. In this episode, Rachel shares with Esme how that trip to France took her deeper into the world of wine and inspired her to move to Paris, the importance of listening to her gut and making inconvenient choices, and how a relationship with a city can be its own kind of love story.  You can find Rachel on Instagram @rachsig and her magazine at @PipetteMagazine, and purchase her memoir wherever books are sold or by visiting her website www.rachelsigner.com/book. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a composer and songwriter whose new age, ambient music has been featured in films, ads, tv shows, and on meditation apps like Insight Timer. Cheryl began music lessons as a toddler; since then, her career has taken her all over the world but it's always been unique places and experiences that inspire her most creative work – experiences like a nine-day, cross country train trip from New York to Los Angeles and back, during which she composed and recorded her new album, The Passenger. With nothing but a laptop and a USB keyboard, Cheryl created twelve tracks while passing incredible views and roving wildlife. In this episode, Cheryl shares the highs and lows of that journey, which served as a creative experiment and an opportunity to process grief following the recent loss of a dear friend. Plus, Esme and Cheryl discuss the magic of train travel, how being physically in motion gives us the momentum to get emotionally and creatively unstuck, and the importance of relinquishing control in travel and in life. To learn more about Cheryl and listen to her music, visit her website www.cbemusic.com and her Instagram @cbemusic. You can purchase The Passenger on Amazon at www.cbemusic.co/amazon. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure! 

Michael Baldwin is a luxury real estate agent who made a lucrative living in Texas until the financial crisis of 2008 temporarily derailed his career. Ever the optimist, Michael decided to use the opportunity to live abroad, and set about speed-dating all the international destinations within a four-hour flight of Houston. Ultimately, it was Los Cabos, Mexico that stole his heart. In this episode, Michael shares the story of road-tripping down the Baja California peninsula to start a new life in San José del Cabo, and why he's never looked back. Plus, Esme and Michael discuss Michael's ethos of turning lemons into lemonade, the logistics of setting up a new life in Mexico, and why the local community is what really makes a place feel like home.  You can learn more about Los Cabos by going to www.visitloscabos.travel/featured-offers/. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Ahmad Ward is the Executive Director for Hilton Head Island's Historic Mitchelville Park. If you've never heard of Mitchelville, then prepare for an eye-opening history lesson. Established in 1862, a year before Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, it was the first self-governed town of formerly enslaved people in the United States. In this episode, Ahmad shares how his five-year plan to exit the world of museums was quickly discarded when he began interviewing for a role at Mitchelville Freedom Park while on vacation in New Orleans. How a moving visit to the Whitney Plantation, the only Louisiana plantation that centers the experiences of the enslaved population, helped shape his ideas for the project. Plus, Ahmad and Esme discuss how to communicate hard topics in a palatable way, creating spaces for authentic expression and respectful listening, and the ongoing important work of highlighting Mitchelville, a piece of American history that deserves to be widely known, honored, and celebrated.   You can learn more about Mitchelville by visiting exploremitchelville.org. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Today's guest is Mario Rigby, an eco-explorer from Turks & Caicos who became famous in adventure-travel circles for walking the entire length of Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo. A goal-oriented mindset and ability to push his physical limits have always motivated Mario, who competed for the Turks & Caicos national track and field team in his youth. He was 30 years old and working for himself as a fitness coach in Toronto, Canada before the adventure itch sent him on a life-changing two-year journey through Africa, which he undertook solo and entirely on foot. In this episode, Mario shares experiences from his epic journey, from life-affirming encounters with locals and wildlife to near-death experiences, and the mental and physical fortitude it took to complete his mission. Plus, navigating sudden fame as the news of his trip spread across the continent, storytelling as a tool for encouraging courageousness, and the power of walkabouts as a rite of passage.  You can find Mario on Instagram @mariorigby. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Today's guest is Sebastian Modak, travel journalist and current editor-at-large at Lonely Planet. Born in the US to a Colombian mother and an Indian father, Sebastian was a world explorer from the get-go. During his formative early years, Sebastian's family moved to new countries frequently, giving him an ability to bond quickly with others and an aptitude for observing and appreciating other cultures – qualities that would serve Sebastian well when he landed a coveted job as the New York Times 52 Places Traveler in 2019. In this episode, Sebastian shares stories and lessons from the 52 weeks he spent visiting 52 different places, making lifelong friendships, and inspiring thousands of people through a constant stream of storytelling. Plus, how 52 weeks on the road impacted Sebastian's concept of home, his go-to tactics for finding a good story fast, and why being honest about your ignorance as a traveler is a shortcut to bonding with locals.  You can find Sebastian on Instagram @sebmodak. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure! 

Laura Edmondson is a digital creator, educator, organizer, podcast host, and owner of Cosmic Market, an online vintage jewelry shop. She's also one of those adventurous travelers living the van life dream, roaming around the US working remotely on projects she's passionate about with her two dogs, Willy and Stan. But before Laura set off for a life of endless freedom in her van, she was following a more traditional path. After graduating, Laura took a 9 to 5 job in education and tried to get excited about the same traditional milestones of adulthood that many people from her hometown were pursuing; the house, the spouse, the kids, the linear career. That all changed following a trip to France and Spain with a friend, which brought Laura to the realization that a life of travel, a life on her own terms, was what really made her soul sing. In today's episode, Laura and Esme discuss the logistics of life on the road, diversifying the van life and outdoor communities, and the importance of role models when we are seeking inspiration to go against the status quo.   You can find Laura on Instagram @laura.edmondson, learn more about her on her website lauraedmondson.co, and shop her jewelry @cosmicmarket.co.  Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!   

Andrew Carmines is a successful business owner and pillar of the community on Hilton Head Island, where he was born and raised. As the President of Hudson's Seafood House on the Docks, founder of the Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, and a board member of multiple conservation organizations, Andrew has his hands full these days... but he wasn't always so focused and together. After almost failing out of college, Andrew took a break from studying to train as a flyfishing guide in Cooper Landing, Alaska, a remote and wild area of the country ripe for adventure. Living in a trailer, experiencing close encounters with bears, and learning to navigate the churning Kenai River taught Andrew about his own capabilities, grew his confidence, and ultimately helped him thrive back at college and beyond. On this episode, Andrew and Esme discuss the ways Andrew's polite Southern upbringing has been an asset on both his travels and in his career, the ways Andrew's ADHD makes him particularly well-suited to extreme situations, and why you don't know good seafood until you've tried shrimp from the South California ocean.   If you find yourself on Hilton Head Island, make sure to stop by @hudsonseafood and learn more about America's favorite island by visiting https://www.hiltonheadisland.org/.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!      

You may already be familiar with today's guest, Brian Malarkey. He's a celebrated chef and TV personality, star of shows like Top Chef and The Taste, owner of multiple successful restaurants including the nationally acclaimed San Diego establishments Herb & Wood and Animae, and founder of Chef's Life, a range of delicious oils that will change the way you cook. After attending culinary school and finding the entire experience too rigid and precise for his creative tendencies, Brian seized the opportunity to travel Europe with his best friend, interrailing from Paris all the way down to Marrakesh. After getting robbed and beaten up on the first night, the two slowly earned their travel stripes, living frugally, trading tips with other travelers, and cooking delicious meals for entire hostels of people. In this episode, Esme and Brian discuss why traveling on a really tight budget is a great way to get to know a place and its people, how Europe taught Brian that simplicity is often the key to good cooking, and why so many chefs have larger than life personalities.   You can find Brian on Instagram @brianmalarkey, learn more about his cooking oils at www.chefslife.com and @chefslife.co, and next time you're in San Diego, be sure to visit @HerbandSea, @HerdandWood, and @Animae.SanDiego.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Remy Ruesenberg is a born and bred Las Vegan who grew up around the hospitality industry; Remy's mother worked at the Bellagio from the time he was born and Remy eventually followed in her footsteps, steadily working his way up from pool lifeguard to his current role: Director Of Hotel Operations at Park MGM & NoMad Las Vegas. In this episode, Remy shares a story that helped shape his ethos as a leader in the hospitality industry — a road trip through the UK and Ireland planned by his wife's grandfather. However, Grandpa's preferred way of traveling was to mostly wing it; walk up to a new village, stop into a pub for a pint with the locals, and ask around for places to stay that night. For Remy, it was a lesson in the joy of serendipity and a reminder that the ultimate hospitality is kindness from strangers. This was also the trip when Remy got down on one knee and asked his partner to marry him... in a Scottish castle, naturally!  

Chef and restaurateur Rose Previte was raised in a food-loving, Sicilian-Lebanese family in Ohio, and grew up working for her mother's Middle Eastern catering business. Her own first endeavor, Compass Rose, is a restaurant inspired by the extensive travel she did while living in Russia with her husband, who was posted there as a correspondent for NPR. Since then, Rose has opened a second critically acclaimed restaurant in DC called Maydan which earned a Michelin star in 2019.  In this episode, Rose and Esme discuss the ways that identity and culture are expressed through our cuisines, the amazing food-focused trip through North Africa and the Middle East Rose took with her Maydan team, and the experience of revisiting Lebanon with her twin aunts who, like many second-generation immigrants of their age from that part of the Middle East, were returning to their maternal homeland for the very first time. You can find Rose on Instagram @roseprevite and visit her restaurants Compass Rose and Maydan next time you're in DC.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Celebrated travel and food blogger Jodi Ettenberg shares not one but two life-changing trips on this week's episode. The first, a solo jaunt to Annecy while she was studying for her master's in France, signaled the start of Jodi's life as a devoted traveler. Jodi got the travel bug following Annecy, and after briefly taking a job at a law firm in New York, she began traveling full time, making a successful living from her blog Legal Nomads. The second trip, a visit to Brooklyn in 2017, during which she wound up in the ER, would effectively end a decade of international roaming. Jodi underwent a lumbar puncture to rule out a suspected condition, a fairly routine procedure that didn't go according to plan, leaving her virtually bedbound and in constant chronic pain from a spinal CSF leak. In this episode, Jodi and Esme discuss the power of storytelling, retraining the mind using Vipassana meditation, and making the choice to find gratitude, meaning, and beauty when life unspools in the most unfair way.   You can learn more about Jodi by visiting her website legalnomads.com and following @legalnomads on social media.  Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Jessica Blotter is a born entrepreneur and journalist who spent her early 20s trying to figure out how she was going to leave her mark on the world. The answer came during a cruise trip to Belize with her partner's family. Jessica adored the Central American country but was struck by the poverty, animal exploitation, and lack of sustainable ways to offer support. From this experience sprung Kind Traveler, the world's first socially conscious give-and-get hotel booking and media platform. When travelers book a hotel using Kind Traveler, they donate $10 to a local non-profit and in return, they receive exclusive rates and perks from the hotel; it's a win all-around. On this episode, Jessica and Esme discuss the moment some stray dogs gave Jessica the idea for Kind Traveler, how the heart-opening effects of travel encourage a more giving mindset, and why leading with a curious spirit is the best way to find your purpose.   You can learn more about Kind Traveler by following them on Instagram @kindtraveler and visiting their website kindtraveler.com.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Scott Neeson has lived many lives. He was born in Scotland and raised in Australia in a small industrial town with a high unemployment rate. As a young man, he managed to get an entry-level job as a movie theater projectionist, and from there had one of those legendary ascents to the role of President of 20th Century Fox International. It was as glamorous as you'd imagine - think private jets with Hollywood's biggest actors - but suddenly seemed insignificant after a trip to Cambodia in 2004. Shaken by a visit to a landfill where he saw hundreds of children scavenging to survive, Scott left his Hollywood career, moved to Phnom Penh, and founded the Cambodian Children's Fund, an organization that now educates almost 2000 children and supports families with community-based projects. Scott and Esme discuss the celebrity tantrum that gave him the nudge needed to quit and pursue his calling in Cambodia, the meaningful milestones that make the anxious, sleepless nights worthwhile, and the real secret to a happy life well lived.   You can find Scott's non-profit organization, Cambodian Children's Fund, on Instagram @cambochildrensfund and visit their website Cambianchildrendsfund.org.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

Travel blogger extraordinaire Brenna Holeman started traveling solo in 2006 and has since been to 103 countries, chronicling her adventures along the way on her blog This Battered Suitcase. What sets Brenna apart from other travel bloggers is her candid style of storytelling. Always personal, intimate and inviting, her work immerses you. In this episode, Brenna shares the story of her first solo trip backpacking around Europe and the ways it ignited her career as a travel writer. Esme and Brenna speak about Brenna's personal, confessional approach to blogging, the ways travel sets the stage for falling in love, and the joy of moving home to Winnipeg, Canada, after living in Japan and the UK for many years.   You can find Brenna on Instagram @thisbatteredsuitcase and visit her website thisbatteredsuitcase.com.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!    

This week's guest is the insanely talented Mari Andrew, a writer, artist, speaker, and our host Esme's personal favorite social media follow. She is known on Instagram for her beautiful watercolor illustrations and profound musings on life's messiest experiences. The success of her beautiful books, Am I There Yet? and My Inner Sky, are a testament to the fact that the more personal the experience shared by an author, the more universal it ends up being. Mari has always been a big traveler; specifically, she's always loved to travel alone, be the observer, soak up experiences, and channel them into her creativity. But a solo trip to the Greek island of Hydra changed that preference for aloneness. While exploring this idyllic island, so dazzlingly white she describes it as "diamond-like," Mari had the realization that beauty is made to be shared. In this episode, Mari and Esme discuss the shift from self-seeking to self-sharing, the hyper observational mindset travel creates and how it inspires art, and the ways that exploring new places helps us explore new sides of ourselves.   You can find Mari on Instagram @bymariandrew, and find her books and more information on her website bymariandrew.com.   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Our guest today is one of America's most beloved chefs, Marcus Samuelsson. Marcus is a man of many accolades; he's the youngest person ever to receive a three-star review from the New York Times and the winner of multiple James Beard awards including one for his PBS show, No Passport Required. He's been a judge on the Food Network's Chopped and authored several books including a best-selling memoir, Yes, Chef, and 2020s The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. When Marcus is not busy running multiple restaurants around the world, including his latest Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, he also hosts a podcast called This Moment with Swedish rapper Timbuktu. In this week's episode, Marcus shares a truly unique and personal story surrounding a trip to Ethiopia to meet his birth father. Esme and Marcus discuss his early experiences of cooking with his adoptive family in Sweden, how the diversity of New York City opened up possibilities for him as a young Black chef, and the importance of establishing a connection with our roots – be it a person, a place, or an idea.    You can find Marcus on Instagram @marcuscooks, listen to his podcast This Moment wherever you find podcasts, and be sure to grab his books including his latest, The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!   

Sarah Dusek is the co-founder of Under Canvas, the massively popular safari-style glamping company with locations just minutes from America's most iconic national parks. After turning Under Canvas into an Inc. 5000 company, Sarah set her sights on backing women-led businesses in South Africa with her private investment fund Enygma Ventures. Both of Sarah's companies were influenced by a trip to Zimbabwe in 1999; Sarah had just graduated and was taking six months to volunteer with a local organization during the AIDS crisis. Zimbabwe brought out the activist in Sarah and shaped her belief that changing the world starts with uplifting women. In this episode, Esme and Sarah discuss Sarah's passion for championing the underdog, the beauty of living and working in a place that's nothing like home, and being a lifelong voyager.  Follow Under Canvas on Instagram @undercanvasofficial and learn more about Sarah's investment fund Enygma Ventures by visiting enygmaventures.com.  Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!   

Ruben and Rachel, the couple behind the popular blog and Instagram Gamin Traveler, crossed paths for the first time when Ruben, who's from Spain, was exploring the Philippines. He was on a tight budget and used the site Couchsurfing.com to find free places to crash each night, which was how he wound up staying with Rachel. The two hit it off, fell in love, and in 2015, started backpacking together. The couple has now built a successful business monetizing their blog and social media and running an agency that helps solopreneurs follow in their footsteps. In this episode, Esme speaks to Ruben and Rachel about traveling on a budget, building a successful blog, finding time to just be a couple when you also run a business together, making long-distance relationships work, and taking an open-hearted approach to strangers.  Follow Rachel and Rubin on Instagram @gamintraveler and visit their blog at gamintraveler.com. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!   

If you like travel podcasts, then you may already be familiar with this week's guest. Jason Moore is the host and creator of the top-rated Zero To Travel podcast, on which he shares thoughtful interviews, unconventional perspectives, and actionable advice to help people travel the world on their own terms. He's also the co-founder of the Location Indie community and the Lifestyle Launch Academy, through which he's mentored hundreds of budding entrepreneurs, helping them build a side hustle and break free of their 9-5 so they can do more of what they love in life.  On this episode, Jason and Esme discuss the highs and lows of his first big solo trip backpacking through Europe on the Interrail. Ultimately, Jason says the experience made him determined to make travel part of his life in a more permanent way. If you've dreamed of becoming a digital nomad, this episode is a must-listen.  Follow Jason on Instagram @zerototravel and find out more about the Zero To Travel Podcast here. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Before Adrien Behn became a triple threat storyteller — writing, podcasting, and performing live — she worked with baked goods. Specifically, she made pies at a bakery in Portland, Oregon. Disillusioned by her job, her city, and her toxic relationship, Adrien decided to travel from Mexico all the way down to Peru. It was a trip that recalibrated her life entirely. Weeks into the journey, Adrien split from her boyfriend, discovered a passion and aptitude for storytelling, and began recording soundscapes and conversations from her travels — audio that would become her podcast, Strangers Abroad. She boasts that her tales have galvanized women to book one-way tickets and caused grown men to faint.  On this episode, Esme and Adrienne discuss using travel as an escape hatch when life is not going the way you want it to, the joy of traveling solo, and why she loves Utah more than any other state.   Follow Adrien on Instagram @strangersabroadpodcast to hear about her upcoming comedy shows and learn more about her podcast.   By the way, that Ira Glass quote Esme and Adrien were referencing will be sure to inspire you:  “Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years, you make stuff, it's just not that good. It's trying to be good, it has potential, but it's not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn't have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.”  Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting https://www.fulltimetravel.co/ and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Avid traveler and distance runner Liz Warner was on honeymoon in Namibia when she came up with the idea for Run to Reach – a global journey that would involve running 30 marathons in 30 different countries before her 30th birthday – all in support of women-focused NGOs around the world. Run to Reach went on to raise over 50,000 dollars, and would take her from the dense jungles of Sierra Leone to the central highlands of Afghanistan. Liz would wear out six pairs of running sneakers, burn 156,000 calories, spend the night in 64 different places and encounter infinite acts of kindness along the way. In this episode, Liz and Esme discuss running and traveling as a way to process grief (Liz ran her first marathon in Tokyo shortly after her father passed away), her deep love for Afghanistan, why travel is and will always be the best form of education and her victorious pivot after the pandemic canceled her final two races. Liz is the host of From Her View Podcast and founder of Run To Reach. Follow her journey on Instagram @runtoreach. Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting https://www.fulltimetravel.co/ and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!

The spirit of wanderlust has always been present in modern-day explorer Jacki Hill-Murphy. After many unfulfilling years working as an English teacher, Jacki made the decision to recreate the journey of Isabel Godin, an intrepid woman she had previously studied during her master's program. In 1769, Godin became the first European to travel down the Amazon river and the sole survivor of her 42-person, 3000-mile expedition. Following in her footsteps, Jacki braved piranha-infested waters in a dugout canoe, meeting locals and having extraordinary experiences along the way. Today's episode delves into the highs and lows of that adventure and the ones that followed, the intentions of female explorers and how they differed from their male counterparts, and what it is like to be a vegetarian in remote locations.   Jacki is the author of three books that reflect her empowering belief that adventures can be ageless. You can find her books and more info by visiting jackihill-murphy.co.uk   Learn more about Full-Time Travel by visiting www.fulltimetravel.co and follow us on Instagram @full_time_travel. Be sure to rate, review, and follow so that you don't miss out on travel tips, inspiration, and your potential next adventure!  

Eric Weiner, a travel correspondent for NPR, was experiencing a self-described midlife crisis when he came up with the idea for his first book: The Geography of Bliss. The project took him to the world’s most contented countries, including Bhutan, a place famous for its Gross National Happiness index. It was there he met Karma, a buddhist monk and academic who changed how Eric saw the world and how he defined happiness. Find out more about Eric, his work and his latest projects at www.ericweinerbooks.comJoin Eric for a writers workshop in BhutanBuy Eric’s latest book The Socrates Express

Back when John Hudson was a university student and aspiring pilot with the Royal Air Force, he naively volunteered for winter survival training in Germany. Armed with limited supplies, the goal was to travel stealthily through the freezing Bavarian wilderness while evading capture. It was an extreme challenge, but John had an unusual aptitude for it. Years later, he would go on to become the British Military's chief Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Extraction instructor, an author, and the star of Discovery's prime-time show 'Survive That' (AKA 'Dude You're Screwed' in the US).Learn more about John on his website: JohnHudsonSurvival.comFollow him on InstagramBuy John’s book from your local bookstore: How to Survive: Self-Reliance in Extreme Circumstances

Trigger warning: this episode includes descriptions of a violent attack. When Marta Tucci was living in London, pursuing a career in photography, a stranger forced his way into her home and attacked her. Left with PTSD and extreme anxiety, Marta was a shell of her former self. But, with the encouragement of those who know her best, she decided to face her fears head-on with a solo trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In the shadow of a city still rebuilding itself from past trauma, Marta worked on her own healing. A year later she would depart stronger, wiser, and with an established career as a documentary photographer.  See Marta's work at martatucci.comFind her on Instagram @martatucciVisit nayatraveler.com to learn more about traveling with Marta's team Check out @nayatravler on Instagram

Twenty years into a career as a jewelry designer and on the cusp of her 40th birthday, Amanda Keidan was feeling restless and ready for a new challenge when some friends invited her on a trip to the Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende to celebrate Day of the Dead. Five days later, she was smitten with the place and browsing real estate with the idea to open a boutique hotel. In 2019, Casa Delphine welcomed its first guests and a year later, despite the pandemic, the property has been celebrated as one of the hottest new hotels by Conde Nast Traveler.Find out more about Casa DelphineFollow the hotel in Instagram @casadelphineCheck out Keidan Jewelry

Legendary NHL defenseman, Chris Pronger, and his entrepreneur wife, Lauren, are the duo behind Well Inspired Travels – a boutique travel company that curates five-star trips with a health and wellness mindset. Before launching the company, both had brushes with injury and illness that served to highlight the ways travel and quality time with the people you love can aid healing.Learn more about Well Inspired Travels at wellinspiredtravels.comFollow Well Inspired Travels on Instagram @wellinspiredtravels 

After a New York psychic told Amy Chan – the heartbreak expert behind Renew Breakup Bootcamp – that a love curse was the cause of her romantic troubles, she promptly headed to Bali in search of spiritual guidance. After meeting with more than 20 balians (traditional Balinese healers), one particularly profound session appeared to lift the curse. Just four months later, Amy began dating her current partner. Learn more about Renew Breakup Bootcamp at renewbreakupbootcamp.comBuy Amy's new book: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062914743Follow Amy on Instagram @missamychan

*Please note, this episode was recorded before the lockdown and worldwide BLM protests.  Lillian Rafson was living in New York City in her early-twenties when she felt the itch to escape. She decided to travel before determining her next move. On today's episode, Lillian describes a summer of solo travel through Eastern Europe, during which she encountered the concept of surprise travel agencies for the first time. Lillian shares milestones from that journey – through the Pyrenees, Poland and Latvia – which led to a decision to move back to her hometown of Pittsburgh. Shortly after, Lillian hit the ground running with the launch of her business, Pack Up + Go – a surprise travel agency that’s now sent over 20,000 US travelers to 90 destinations nationwide! Learn more about Lillian and Pack Up + Go by visiting PackUpGo.com!

Like many people with an entrepreneurial streak, Andy Levine’s endeavors began at an early age. While studying for a degree in philosophy and business at Denver University, he attempted to organize a bike race (Levine jokes his true major was “fresh snow and mountain biking”), but it failed to get any traction. The day after his graduation ceremony, feeling unsure of his calling, Levine packed up his beloved bike and headed to Beaune, France. It would end up being the trip that defined his working life, inspiring the launch of his luxury adventure and cycling company, DuVine . In this episode, Levine describes the advantages of traveling by bike, from smelling the terroir and meeting locals, to exploring remote areas and making spontaneous pit stops. Find out what a typical day on a DuVine tour has in store, why he recommends that people do less planning in their everyday lives (and in travel), and his personal favorite tours depending on the season.Learn more about Andy by following him on Instagram @duvineandy and following DuVine @duvine! 

Fresh off The Bachelor franchise, Danielle Maltby (@dmmaltby) returned to her passion and calling as a NICU nurse, but thanks to newfound visibility from the show she also received some appealing new opportunities. One of them was to work with Lwala Community Alliance, a community-led effort to reduce maternal and child mortality in Kenya. On today's episode, Danielle describes the powerful two-week trip to Kenya that altered her perspective and encouraged her to live fully. She discusses the best way to use social media to spread the word, facing your fears head-on, and the complicated nature of volunteering with privilege.  

By society’s measures, Jackie Kai Ellis had an extremely successful life in her late-twenties; she was a designer, living with her husband in the beautiful city of Vancouver. Yet Jackie was struggling with depression and felt emptier than ever, trapped in a never-ending cycle of external validation. On today’s episode, Jackie shares the circumstances that led her to enroll in a Parisian patisserie school – an experience that restored joy for life and, most importantly, her sense of self. Jackie went on to separate from her husband, launch Beaucoup Bakery, write a cookbook and a memoir, and eventually relocate to Paris to start another business: The Paris Tours. Listen for Jackie's thoughts on how traveling forces you to be more present, the scariest part of making a massive life change, and why following your dreams, no matter how unrealistic they may seem, is the greatest privilege of all.

Mallory was born with an entrepreneurial spirit, and though she loved working with businesses to strategize and further their objectives, she was overworked and under-inspired at her New York advertising agency. After cancelling several solo trips due to the demands of her industry, she finally committed to a much-needed getaway in Morocco. On today's episode, Mallory shares experiences from that trip that inspired her to create Salam Hello – a textile company which champions the women artisans behind Morocco's famous rugs and pays them fairly for their work (something that’s outrageously rare in the current middle-man operated system). Learn how Mallory initially met the Berber women she works with now, why nights spent in the desert are different than the rest, and how spending time in Morocco "turns down the temperature" of her anxiety.

Jessica Nabongo (@thecatchmeifyoucan) has been traveling internationally since she was just four years old, born to Ugandan immigrant parents who were no strangers to adventure and exploration. At a young age, she set a lofty goal for herself – to travel the entire world – and officially met her goal at just 35 years old. On today’s episode, Jessica shares stories from her experience as the first black woman to visit all 195 countries and document her journey along the way. She describes how she became an accidental influencer, the planning that goes into each of her destinations (which surprisingly isn’t too much), and some of the countries that have far exceeded her expectations. Jessica shares a heartwarming story that inspired her to keep going when she was feeling understandably tired and overwhelmed during her journey around the world. And last but not least, who better to give the best tips on packing and deals than Jessica?

If you’ve ever wanted to capture a moment with a loved one while traveling, you’ve likely faced the awkward encounter of asking a stranger to take a photo, only to realize the final product is entirely subpar. On today’s episode, Nicole Smith shares how a reunion with her best friend in Paris gave her the idea for Flytographer, a company that connects travelers with local photographers around the world, capturing special moments and experiences in a way a selfie never could. While Nicole was satisfied with her career in tech and steady life back home in Canada, she couldn’t ignore the feeling that a need for better travel photography existed and ultimately decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Over the last six years, Flytographer has expanded to three-hundred cities across six continents and has been hailed one of the fastest-growing startups in Canada. Anyone who wants to make an impact on the world of travel or may have a business idea they just can’t shake, this one's for you.

As Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure, Jacqueline Gifford spends a lot of time out of office exploring far-flung destinations. It’s a career she pursued, in part, thanks to her parents, who encouraged Jacqui’s cultural curiosity from the get-go. On today’s episode, Jacqueline shares a nostalgic trip to Japan, the country where she was born, at a particularly pivotal moment: her own pregnancy. We discuss what it was like to visit her childhood neighborhood after a 20-year absence, how her memories both differed from and reflected reality, and her approach to balancing a busy work life with raising a child. Plus, hear Jacqueline’s number one travel tip and the surprising item she cannot travel without.

Back when feminist media company, Unearth Women, was just a twinkle in her eye, Nicole Vargas was an aspiring travel journalist trying to make it New York City. Immersed in the world of advertising and weeks from marrying a man who wasn't the one, Nikki took a solo trip to Argentina. On today’s episode, she recounts the journey that inspired her to quit her job, call off her wedding, and wholeheartedly pursue a career in travel writing. Nikki's story speaks to the importance of trusting intuition, doggedly chasing dreams, and summoning the bravery to start over. Plus, we discuss the next spots on Nikki’s travel bucket list and top tips for travel deals.

If ever you’ve found yourself directionless and uncertain of the future, you will relate to this week’s episode. Author Rachel Friedman shares the story of an impromptu trip to Ireland during her college years: an identity quest which changed her self-perception, brought an influential relationship into her life, and ultimately inspired her travel memoir, The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost. After arriving in Ireland with very few plans and feeling overwhelmed by the city of Dublin, Rachel headed to the smaller city of Galway (Incidentally 2020’s European Capital of Culture). It was there she befriended a girl named Carly, cultivating a friendship that trumped romance stories. Rachel discusses the beautiful way women look after one another, the importance of being a hometown traveler, and her top tips for aspiring travel writers. If you haven’t already, be sure to read Rachel’s first book, The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost, and her just-released second, And Then We Grew Up: On Creativity, Potential, and the Imperfect Art of Adulthood.

While the work of Atticus the poet is extremely famous (he’s written three NYT best-selling books and has 1.3 million Instagram followers), his identity remains a secret. The anonymous Canadian wears a mask for public appearances and has never revealed his real name. Not even to those fans with his words tattooed on their bodies. On today’s episode, Atticus reveals more of himself and his artistic origins, including the Hollywood “bad guy” who encouraged him to write, and the fleeting moment in Paris that inspired his very first poem (spoiler alert: it involves a beautiful woman). The trip highlighted a talent and passion for words he didn’t know he had. One that would send his life in a surprising new direction. 

If you’re a fan of ABC’s The Bachelor franchise then Ben Higgins will be very familiar to you. He was a contestant in The Bachelorette, star of The Bachelor, and now hosts The Bachelor Live On Stage and the Almost Famous Podcast (the theme of which is, you guessed it, all things Bachelor Nation). But Ben discovered his life’s mission long before he appeared on television for the first time. In today’s episode, Ben shares the first travel experience that showed him a world outside of his small town: a church mission trip to Honduras. This journey inspired him to pursue a compassion-driven life and ultimately to create his own company, Generous Coffee, as a way to support the Honduras-focused non-profit, Humanity & Hope United. A must-listen for anybody still looking for that one thing that makes their soul sing.

Gail Simmons is a Canadian food writer, cookbook author, and judge on BRAVO’s Top Chef whose love of food started as far back as she can recall. Since childhood, Gail regularly traveled with her family to South Africa, her father’s country of origin. On today's episode, Gail shares the myriad of ways the country sparked her early interest in the world around her and introduced her to new cuisine. The powerful sensory memories she developed have stayed with her to this day. From going on safari, to taking her first sip of wine, to witnessing apartheid, her trips to South Africa are a testament to the educational value of leaving one’s own bubble. It’s a lesson Gail now instills in her two young children, Dahlia and Kole.

Starting on December 12, we dive into conversations with entrepreneurs, activists, entertainers, authors, and everyday adventurers about the formative trip that changed the course of their lives. Tune in every other Thursday for a new travel story that will inspire you to take on the world.  First guests include: Top Chef's Gail Simmons, NYT Best-Selling poet Atticus, and former Bachelor star Ben Higgins. Subscribe here or wherever you listen to podcasts, and we'll see you on December 12. The Trip That Changed Me is produced by Full-Time Travel in conjunction with Podcast Nation. Follow along on Instagram at @full_time_travel.