Podcast appearances and mentions of Alastair Humphreys

Please make sure to click the 'Follow' the show - it really helps surface the show to a wider audience (which i thank you for!)What does it feel like to immersive in the landscape, to meet strangers with no barriers, to carry your home on your back and sleep under the stars? In this recap episode, adventurer and Desert Island Survival founder Tom Williams joins us to explore the raw intimacy of travel, from bike packing the Spanish coastlines to makeshift raft rides down the River Severn.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE Tom's passion isn't just for castaway survival—though that's his day job—it's for microadventures that anyone can begin. He shares his love for wild kayaking trips, inflatable river journeys, and a recent first-time bike tour across Spain. These aren't just travel stories. They're invitations to reconnect with our senses, our surroundings, and the strangers we meet along the way.And when it comes to giving back, Tom offers a deeply considered pay-it-forward: GiveDirectly (givedirectly.org), a nonprofit that sends money directly to people living in extreme poverty. No middlemen. No assumptions. Just trust in the agency of those who need it most. In Tom's words: “They don't lack motivation. They lack money.” You don't need to start with a grand escape. Begin with a weekend. Inflate a kayak. Ride your bike somewhere unknown. Share a meal with strangers. The more personal and low-to-the-ground the adventure, the more it opens you up. And as Tom puts it, “You smell the rosemary, you feel the landscape, and you can eat so much.”Resources & Guest Links:Tom Williams:Instagram: @tomwilliamsaloneWebsite: desertislandsurvival.comReferenced Charity:GiveDirectly: givedirectly.orgLearn more about the charity model: Doing Good Better by William MacAskillAdventure Mentions:Bike tour from Bilbao to ValenciaKayak microadventures in ChileSevern Estuary float trip (inspired by Alastair Humphreys' microadventure)Send us a textSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content. Follow us https://linktr.ee/adventurediaries for updates. Have a topic suggestion? Email us at ideas@adventurediaries.com. AdventureDiaries.com#AdventureDiaries #AdventureStories #NationalGeographic #Discovery #NaturalWorld

Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods?  After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep. Guest:  Alastair Humphreys, Author; Adventurer This episode also features field reporting from producers Austin Colón and Megan Biscieglia. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods?  After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep. Guest:  Alastair Humphreys, Author; Adventurer This episode also features field reporting from producers Austin Colón and Megan Biscieglia. Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you'll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Author, Adventurer and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys has gone from cycling the world, adventuring across India and rowing the Atlantic, to appreciating the micro-adventures available on our own doorsteps.He's so enthusiastic about finding the adventure in small things, that he's written a book on it entitled Microadventures - along with many more books - including the Wainwright Prize for Nature - nominated Local: A Year Exploring a Single MapAl is vegan for environmental reasons and admits that while the environment is important to him now, his younger self wouldn't have necessarily thought twice about hopping on a plane.We talk about favourite adventures, running with friends - or rather, a lack of them, and how at one point he would never have even considered talking on a vegan podacast!What's next for Al? That too is still a bit of a mystery, as he continues his writing, newsletters, speaking and social "influencing" while still very much deciding how his time is most worth-while being spent.Adventures await.Find out more on all Al's work at alastairhumphreys.comFollow him on Instagram at @al_humphreys

To celebrate a new year and new ideas, we bring you a conversation with Alastair Humphreys, adventurer, writer, and connoisseur of the microadventure. His new book, Local, flips the idea of what it means to explore on its head. Sometimes, you can go bigger by going smaller. Submissions for The Shorts are open through January 19, 2025. Learn more or submit your essay today. Support comes from Kuat Racks  Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today. Our book, States of Adventure, 30 stories adapted from The Diaries, is out in the wild. See if it's available on your local shelves or order it here: geni.us/StatesofAdventure

In this inspiring episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich sits down with National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Alastair Humphreys to explore how to break free from the constraints of everyday life and embrace adventure in meaningful ways. Alastair shares his insights into the barriers that often stand in our way—like money and time—and dismantles the myths that adventures have to be expensive or extravagant. From setting up a simple adventure fund to savoring the benefits of traveling cheap, Alastair highlights how small, intentional steps can lead to extraordinary experiences. Whether it's camping close to home or embarking on a low-budget global trek, he emphasizes that adventure is more about mindset than resources. The conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and practical advice for anyone looking to enrich their life. Alastair reflects on how cheap adventures offer a unique perspective on gratitude, the fleeting nature of time, and the richness of life's experiences. With anecdotes of walking, biking, and even wild camping, he invites listeners to think differently about what's possible with what they already have. This episode is a powerful reminder that life is ticking by, and the best adventures are often within reach when we choose to do more with the life we've been given. ** Get your copy of Grand Adventures here Get your copy of MicroAdventures here Learn more about Alastair here ** Download your free 1000 Hours Outside tracker here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/trackers Find everything you need to kick off your 1000 Hours Outside Journey here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/blog/allthethings Order of copy of Ginny's newest book, Until the Streetlights Come On here >> https://amzn.to/3RXjBlN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special bonus episode of the This is Money Podcast, Simon Lambert catches up with Alastair Humphreys about his quest to find adventure close to home. Alastair, a genuine global adventurer, who featured on our Making The Money Work Podcast series in 2020, recently published his book Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness. It told the story of his year spent swapping travelling the world for exploring the grid squares of the Ordance Survey map centred on his home location. In this extra podcast episode, we find out more about why he did it, what he learnt and how you could start your own money saving adventure on your doorstep right now.

Accomplished Writer and Adventurer Alastair Humphreys shares his insights and experiences from over two decades of exploration. From his four-year journey cycling around the world, to busking his way across Spain, to championing the concept of microadventures, Alastair has inspired countless people to embark on their own adventures.In this episode, Alastair talks candidly about the emotional highs and lows of adventuring, the challenges of returning to normal life, and the importance of mental health specifically when dealing with post-adventure blues. While his impressive Grand Adventure CV speaks for itself, Alastair has also shown the value of taking local adventures. He believes the thrill of grand journeys can be found in smaller experiences, such as ‘spending a night sleeping on a local hill.'We reflect on how seeking beauty and excitement close to home can fill the void left by big adventures, while also sparking a deeper commitment to advocating for our local environments. As Alastair shares, ‘Think global, act local.'Find out more about Alastair via his website, check out his books and follow him on instagram - @al_humphreys During this episode I mentioned the following guests and you can check out their episodes here:Claire WyattPeter GostelowDavid McCourtBig thanks to Old Man Mountain for supporting this episode of Seek Travel Ride. If today's stories have you dreaming of your own bikepacking or touring adventure, check out Old Man Mountain's tough, reliable bike racks—designed to handle any journey. Visit Old Man Mountain to learn more. Support the showEnjoying Seek Travel Ride? Buy me a coffee and help support the show!Thank you to RedShift Sports for supporting the show! - Check them out here Sign up to the Seek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail messageJoin the Seek Travel Ride Facebook group - Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideTwitter - @BellaCyclingWebsite: Seek Travel Ride Facebook - Seek Travel Ride

Et si l'aventure était plus accessible que vous ne le pensez ? Et si vous pouviez créer des souvenirs inoubliables sans partir à l'autre bout du monde ? Dans cet épisode, nous partons à la rencontre de Paul, un Français installé depuis 10 ans à Los Angeles, qui nous montre comment transformer notre quotidien en micro-aventures.Oubliez l'image de Santa Monica et son côté bling-bling. Paul (@ _easyadventures_ ) nous emmène dans les montagnes qui entourent la ville, son terrain de jeu favori où il alterne entre petites sorties et trails de 100km entre amis. De Yosemite au camping sous la neige, en passant par le vélo dans la Vallée de la Mort, Paul nous prouve qu'on peut vivre de belles aventures tout en jonglant avec une vie professionnelle active et une vie de famille.Car Paul n'est pas un aventurier professionnel. C'est un père de deux enfants qui travaille, se déplace parfois à vélo au bureau, et cumule finalement assez peu de kilomètres de course sur l'année. Mais il a compris comment s'offrir des parenthèses d'aventure qui créent des souvenirs mémorables.Inspiré par Alastair Humphreys, le roi de la micro-aventure, et Jesse Itzler, Paul nous partage sa vision accessible de l'aventure et comment il l'intègre dans sa vie quotidienne.

Join us for a woodland wander with adventurer, author and tree lover, Al Humphreys. The 2012 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year has cycled round the world, rowed the Atlantic and walked across India, but now focuses on pursuits closer to home. Pioneering the concept of microadventures, Al explains how exploring small pockets of nature in our neighbourhoods helps us to better connect with and care for the environment. He speaks of enabling young people to embrace wild places, and encourages us to take time to be curious and astonished as we discover new places on our doorstep. Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive. Adam: Today I am off to meet an author and adventurer, and there's a title you don't get to say, or indeed hear very much. He's the author of a whole ton of books, including Microadventures, which I want to talk to him specifically about, but also books called the Doorstep Mile, Local, There Are Other Rivers, Grand Adventures, Moods of Future Joys, Midsummer Mornings, Thunder and Sunshine, and I could go on and on. And I'm meeting him at a Woodland Trust site called Ashenbank Wood. It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is teeming with extraordinary wildlife. So we'll be talking a bit about the woods and a bit about the sort of adventures he's been on and the sort of adventures we might all be able to go on. Anyway, I'll let him introduce himself. Al: My name's Alastair Humphreys. I'm an adventurer and a writer and tree lover. Adam: Which sounds very exciting. So when you say you're an adventurer, what does that sort of mean? Al: Well, I was slightly hesitant to say that because I confess I feel more like an ex-adventurer, but I have spent pretty much all my career going off doing big adventures and then coming home and writing and speaking and making films about them. So they've gone ever smaller. I began by spending four years cycling around the world, I've rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, walked across the Empty Quarter desert, played my violin incredibly badly through Spain, and then gradually smaller onto what I call microadventures. So, encouraging people to find short, simple, affordable adventures close to home and squeezing around their busy daily lives. Adam: So that's interesting. You talk about the mini adventures. On a previous podcast we talked to the natural navigator, I don't know. Al: Ohh yes, Tristan. Well, he could tell you a lot more intelligent things than I can. He's great. Adam: No, but I think he took very much the similar view of yours. He went, I've done all these big adventures. But actually when you're doing these big adventures, it's all about tech, you know, and I needed satellite link ups and all sorts of stuff. And actually I wasn't, I was really looking at screens all the time. And he was going, the smaller adventures are actually much more revolutionary, because if you go low tech, that's a proper adventure. Just trying to find your way through a wood is a real adventure in a curious sort of way, even more challenging than doing something which sounds really flash. Al: Yes. And what Tristan's done fantastically is taking those skills from bigger journeys down to his literal daily life, hasn't he? If you, I get an e-mail from him, I think it's weekly or so and it just essentially says, where am I now and which way am I facing? And from his little clues in the local park, he can tell whether it's north, south, east, and west. Adam: Yes. No, you're right. I tried. I was very bad at that. And what I've learned, I've already forgotten. So tell me a little bit about why your connection to nature, then, how important that is to you, if at all. Al: So I had a nice, happy childhood growing up in the countryside, so as a kid I spent a lot of time running around the fields and woods and streams and things, so I suppose that hammers something deep into your subconscious, although you don't really notice it necessarily as a kid. Adam: Where whereabouts was that? Al: In the Yorkshire Dales. Adam: Ohh, God's own country. Amazing place. Al: Yes. Lovely part of the world. Yeah, so I really enjoyed that, and then my big expeditions, I've spent a lot of time in some of the world's really wild places and that's a fantastic backdrop to your adventures. But actually my – oh, and I also did a zoology degree. Although I found it incredibly boring, and now looking back I find it amazing that you can find something like that boring. But it's taken me stopping the big adventures, slowing down, paying attention to my local area to build a deeper connection with nature. And I don't know if that's partly just me getting old as well, I suspect there is an aspect of that. But whereas in my youth I was sort of cycling moderately quickly across continents and now pottering around small little parks and I have time to be astonished in a way that you don't necessarily when you're on a big A to B kind of journey. Adam: Yes, yes, there's the mechanics of getting you somewhere so challenging. Al: Yes, and you're on a mission. The mission is to go from A to B and not die, and to succeed. And that's all quite, and the backdrop of it all is this wonderful nature. But the things I've been doing more recently, then nature has come to the forefront. I'm not really doing any big, exciting mission. And therefore the paying attention to the small bits of nature and the changing seasons comes to the forefront. Adam: Yes, I did, I was just going to stop here. We're by one of the Woodland Trust sign posts about fungi and deadwood and the importance of that. We can talk a bit about that. But I was just thinking about what you said. I did an expedition across the Gobi in Outer Mongolia. I was working in Outer Mongolia, and it was, you're right, it was more interesting in retrospect. Because when I was there, we were just very concerned about the mechanics of the day. Getting through the day, making sure we weren't lost, getting food, all of that, rather than go ‘this is quite an interesting place'. Al: Yes. Adam: Whereas, because we didn't meander, you go, I think the importance of meandering and almost lost time, and in a way, I think, boredom. I mean, it was interesting to talk about kids, you know, I don't know if you've got kids, but I think there's a lot of pressure on people to keep the kids busy, get them to this class, to do this, do this, do this. Actually the importance of just going, you know, ‘they're bored now, they'll just go do something', is quite interesting. Al: Yeah. And I think that's a fantastic aspect of it, a bit of woodland like this, isn't it? Is to bring some kids here and essentially say there is nothing to do here, but equally you can do whatever you want. So go on, clear off. Off you go, go climb some of these trees, pick up some sticks, rummage around, see what you find. And that's the great thing of a woodland like this. Adam: Yeah. Do you have kids? Al: I do, yes. Adam: Well, how old are they? Al: Well, they are entering the dreaded teenage phase. So the um, it's really interesting, actually, because they're completely addicted to their screens and that would be their preferred choice would be to live in a damp, dark, smelly cave and never emerge. But when I drag them by their hair kicking and screaming into a wood like this, they're grumpy for a couple of minutes and then I just say clear off, go away and then they love it. And there's a real physical and mental transformation that's clear, when you can, once they get out here. Adam: Yeah. So I think that's interesting. And as a parent and everything, I just wonder what your take is on trying to engage a younger generation with nature and whether that's difficult, how you do it and whether we should be doing that, is that a concern of us or just, you know, let people do what they want? Al: I think it's a massive, massive concern and I also think it's extremely difficult. These screens are deliciously alluring. That's how they're designed. You know, if I was a kid today, I'd love to be just scrolling mindlessly through a thousand videos of people falling off their bikes. If it's endlessly addictive. So I think it's very, very hard and being a parent is exhausting. It's quite easy to not bother with the kicking and screaming, going to the woods, but I think it's really, really vital to do and the reward of when you get them out is of seeing how transformative that is for them, but also for yourself is really good. So yeah, I think screens are a massive problem. I think the nature disconnection of our society is a huge problem, both in terms of our physical health, our mental health, but also with our ignorance to the decline of species and the loss of wild places. So I think it's an enormous problem. Adam: And I mean you know, you're a broadcaster, you create a huge amount of content yourself. So I think there's an interesting question about how to frame that, because I fear then talking about all the trees are disappearing and wildlife is dying and that it turns, well, everybody, but perhaps especially younger generations off. They go, well if it's that blooming terrible, well, I'd just rather be on my screen. So how do you get that tone right, do you think? Al: That's a question that I've been thinking a lot about, particularly over the last year or so. I've just finished writing a book, which is all about exploring your local area, and when I wrote the book, in the early months of it, it was very much a moaning, ranting disaster book that everything's doomed and that it's all ruined. But as I was reading through my drafts, I was thinking, geez, this is this is, well, no one's going to read it for a start. But also, it's not going to encourage anyone. But as the project went on, I realised that I didn't need to frame it like that, because I could look at it another way, which was how much I personally was loving getting out into these small pockets of nature, what benefits I was getting and how much I was enjoying it. And then the more that I personally enjoyed it, the more I start to become connected and the more I start to care and the more hopefully I start to take action. So I think you're exactly right to try and frame it as a positive thing of saying hey, get out into X, Y and Z for these fantastic reasons and then hopefully the fixing the planet part will take care of itself, once there's enough people enthused. Adam: Yeah, interesting. Well, look, we'll carry on, but I said we stopped at this post. So the many dead and decaying trees you find here play a vital role in Ashenbank Wood's ecosystem. And that's a theme you'll see in lots of Woodland Trust places where deadwood is actually allowed to stay. In fact, it's not just allowed to stay, it's positively encouraged because of the fungi and the invertebrates, and then all the way up to the different sorts of animals that can live off that. So what looks like sort of untidiness is sometimes a real sort of oasis of life. Al: And this woodland here was completely smashed by the huge hurricane in 1987. So I think more than most woodlands, there's a lot of fallen down trees in this wood, which I suppose previously would have been carted off and chopped up for firewood or something. Adam: So let's, I mean, we're walking down this idyllic sort of dappled light, coming through the canopy of the still full roof of this of this woodland. So this is really idyllic, but take me somewhere else. So tell me about those adventures that you've had in these distant lands. Were there any particular that stand out for any particular reason? Al: Well, given that we're talking about trees, I spent 10 weeks, I think it was, on the frozen Arctic Ocean, up near the North Pole, which was a fantastic expedition itself, but the small detail that sticks with me now is that to get up there, you fly to Canada, then you fly to some smaller place in Canada and the planes gradually get smaller and smaller and the safety regulations get more and more lax till you're on the plane with people with rifles and harpoons and stuff. But up to this tiny little community right up in the north of Canada and the people - I went to visit the primary school there in the morning just to chat to the kids about my adventures and stuff. And they were chatting about my adventures and they were, the little kids there were amazed that I'd never seen a polar bear. And my riposte to them was along the lines of but you've never seen a tree! Where they where they lived, there were no trees, literally none above the tree line, and that really struck me, what it would be like to grow up in a place with zero trees. I mean, you get polar bears, which is pretty cool, but I'd be sad to have no trees. Adam: Yes, yeah, yes. And what was their view of that? Do they go well, I've never seen that, don't miss. Or were they interested in that? Al: Yeah, well, I guess everyone's normal is normal, isn't it? You know, they're going to school on skidoos and things like that. And so, yeah, it's just fascinating to see the different people's views of normal in the world. And before I started my big adventures, one of the motivating factors for me wanting to go off around the world was that I found where I lived incredibly boring, as a lot of young people do. Oh my goodness, where I live is the most boring place in the universe. I need to go far, far away. And it took me going far, far away to realise that actually the stuff I'd left behind is pretty fascinating in its own way. If only you're willing to pay attention to it. Adam: Yes, gosh, it sounds almost like a line from one of Tolkien's books. There you do a long adventure to find true interest is nearer to home. So I know you've written lots of things, but you've got a book just come out. So yeah, tell me, what's that book about then? Al: So I've written a book that's called Local, and it's about spending a whole year exploring only the single Ordnance Survey map that I happen to live on. So, the whole of Britain's divided up into about just over 400 Ordnance Survey maps. So wherever you live, you could go to your local bookshop and buy your local map. And what I'm trying to do is encourage people to do that and to realise how much new, undiscovered stuff is on their doorstep. Woodlands, footpaths, hills, fields but also towns, villages. What's behind the industrial yards? Like a proper exploring curiosity to your own backyard. Adam: And how much area does one of those maps cover then? Al: It's the orange Ordnance Survey maps. They're more detailed. So it's roughly 20 kilometres by 20 kilometres. Adam: Right. So a fair amount. Al: It's a fair amount, but I've also in previous time spent a year crossing an entire continent, so in that sense it felt incredibly tiny to me. And when I began the project, I thought ‘this map is so small, it's going to be so claustrophobic and so boring'. But actually, by the end of the year, I realise, wow, actually it's enormous. I haven't even begun to cover everything on the map. Adam: So what sort of things did you find there that was a surprise to you, then? Al: So what I did every week, I would go out once a week for the whole year and my rule was to explore one grid square a week. So a kilometre square chosen at random and the random was really important because if it wasn't random, all I would do is just choose all the nice bits of woodland around my map. But by making it random, it sent me off to towns and suburbs and motorway junctions and all sorts of random stuff. And I discovered a few things. The first thing I discovered was how little I knew this area that I thought I knew very well indeed. The second thing that I realised was that, yeah, of course it's nice to go out to woods and hills and streams and stuff, but also I was surprised how much I loved the forgotten grid squares, the abandoned bits, the broken down, fallen down, behind the warehouse kind of landscapes. Like what's behind the supermarket car park? And I found in these forgotten edgelands a real sense of wildness and solitude that I didn't get in somewhere lovely. And this wood we're in now is lovely, but you're not going to get much solitude. There's a lot of dog walkers wandering around. And whereas if you're sort of behind some factory and some regenerating thicket, you think, wow, no one comes here. This feels adventurous. This feels wild. No one on the planet knows where I am. I'm only 20 minutes from a massive city, so I really was surprised how much I liked the forgotten corners of my map. Adam: Well, it sounds romantic the way you describe it, but behind a dumpster or a big factory? I don't really want to go there. Al: Why not? Adam: Because it's not pretty. It's probably got some unsavoury characters hanging around there. It might be more dangerous than crossing, you know, at some wild tundra, so it doesn't attract. I mean, but it does attract you, genuinely? Al: I think I'd have agreed with you entirely beforehand. It seems much nicer to come to a pretty woodland and stroll around there. What surprised me was how rarely I saw people when I was out and about, and we live in a very crowded country. I live in a crowded corner of the country, and yet once I was off meandering, once you're slightly off the beaten track, it felt like I often had the place to myself. In terms of being scared, I never had any problems at all. But I was very conscious that I'm a six-foot-tall white man who's quite good at running and that the countryside in general is not equally accessible to everyone. That really struck home to me in the year, how the sort of privilege I have of being able to essentially wander wherever I want. And the worst thing that's happened, someone will say go away and I go, oh, I'm terribly sorry and be all sort of posh and cheerful and it'll be fine and that's not fair, and it's not right that there's that inequality. Adam: I wonder what you feel because we're talking now, a little after there was a big fuss in newspapers about Kirsty Allsop as children or a child who went off travelling and I think he was 16 or something like that. And it raised the debate whether that's right or wrong and people have their own views, it raised the debate about adventure, what it is, how much freedom we should give younger people. And there were lots of comments, you know, look back a generation, my parents' generation, you know, people of 17, 18 were fighting in wars. You know, the idea of going on Eurorail doesn't sound that adventurous by comparison. But it does engage with the natural world, doesn't it? You've done very adventurous things. What do you think about our position on safety now? The sort of vibe about that? Al: I think a relevant aspect of that discussion what we're talking about today is if you look at the roaming distances that kids have from home and you can see statistical maps of this online of how far our grandparents are allowed to go from home, you know, they'd get on their bicycle with a pickled egg and off they'd go for a month and then come home for their tea. All that sort of stuff. When I was a kid, I was basically in the Yorkshire Dales. I was basically allowed to go wherever I wanted, and then I'd just come home when I was hungry. And of course, I had no cell phone. And then kids today would not be generally allowed that sort of thing, and they're kept very much closer to home. And I think that trusting young people in wild places is an important thing to do. Adam: Well, on that note of wild places and adventure, we talked a lot about maps and if you want to visit Ashenbank Wood and are looking for a map, it is grid reference TQ 675692, map reference explorer 163, and OS land ranger 177. Good luck with finding this particular wood. I hope you enjoy it. And until next time, of course, happy wandering. Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Join us next month when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners and volunteers. And don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes or wherever you are listening. And do give us a review and a rating. If you want to find out more about our woods and those that are close to you, check out the Woodland Trust website. Just head to the visiting woods pages. Thank you.

The Outdoors Fix is a podcast to inspire you to make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. It's hosted by Liv Bolton. In this episode, Liv Bolton goes for a walk in Swanscombe Marshes by the River Thames in Kent with the adventurer and author Alastair Humphreys. Al's relationship with the outdoors has changed a lot over the years - he's been on extraordinary expeditions all around the world, travelling through over 80 countries by bicycle, boat and on foot, but more recently he's focused on spreading the message about embracing the outdoors and adventure where we all live, through his concept of Microadventures. Al's latest book, Local, which has been shortlisted for the 2024 Wainwright Prize in the nature writing category, saw him spend a year exploring a map of his neighbourhood - one grid square at a time. His passion about outdoors adventures that are accessible to all of us and possible within our current routines, is totally infectious and I've wanted to chat to him for years, so I hope you enjoy the episode! The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk Episodes in each series are released fortnightly. The next episode will be released on Sunday 13 October. You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. The post Alastair Humphreys: Author and adventurer getting more Local appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

Alastair Humphreys returns!!!!! In this exciting sixth appearance on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Alastair Humphreys, joins host Ginny Yurich to discuss his latest book, Against the Odds as well as his book Ask an Adventurer. This episode dives deep into the stories of 20 great adventurers who encountered failures and the lessons learned from their journeys. Plus, be inspired to live a creative life and walk your own path. Alastair redefines failure, highlighting that true adventures often deviate from plans and the possibility of failure is an inherent part of the adventure itself. He shares personal insights on living a life outside the box, balancing the romanticism of adventure with the reality of behind-the-scenes work. From his economical world tour to life lessons inspired by Henry David Thoreau, Alastair offers practical advice on living frugally to maximize freedom and time. He emphasizes the importance of being motivated by passion rather than money and the value of trying new things, even as adults. Alastair also explores the vulnerability of embracing new challenges, the joy of being a beginner, and the importance of efficiency in his current adventures. He touches on the power of reading, the randomness of an adventurer's life, and how to focus on controllable aspects while letting go of what can't be controlled. Tune in to gain inspiration from Alastair's two decades+ of incredible experiences, learn how to integrate adventurous living into daily life, and discover why failing is just another step towards success. This episode is a must-listen for anyone living a creative life and chasing their own path. ** Get your copy of Alastair's book Against the Odds here Get your copy of Ask an Adventurer here Learn more about Alastair here ** Download your free 1000 Hours Outside tracker here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/trackers Find everything you need to kick off your 1000 Hours Outside Journey here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/blog/allthethings Order of copy of Ginny's newest book, Until the Streetlights Come On here >> https://amzn.to/3RXjBlN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alastair Humphreys spent four years cycling round the world. He's rowed across the Atlantic, run a marathon in the Sahara and taken part in an expedition to the arctic. But we've caught up with him on an industrial estate on the edge of the city, to talk microadventures and the power of thinking small. See more of what Alastair's been up to or follow us on Instagram to see us out and about working on the podcast and discovering great new places. A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. Production by Clarissa Maycock and recorded by Marnie Woodmeade. Our theme music is by Billie Marten. 

Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods? After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep. This episode also features field reporting from Producers Austin Colón and Megan Biscieglia. Guest:  Alastair Humphreys, Author, adventurer It's time for our annual spring appeal! At Climate One, we believe in the power of open conversations to drive positive change. Through our thought-provoking discussions and interviews, we strive not only to raise awareness of climate issues and solutions, but to also empower individuals — like each of our valued listeners — to take tangible steps toward a more sustainable future.  You can show your support for Climate One by contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National Geographic Adventurer of the Year uncovers how to culture a mindset for adventure without breaking the bank. Alastair Humphreys is the author of my all-time favourite books on the topic of adventure and getting more out of life. He spent 4 years cycling around the world, and has rowed the Atlantic, ran the Marathon de Sables, and walked across India amongst numerous other adventures. Perhaps his greatest success, however, is pioneering the concept of micro-adventures, encouraging anyone to experience the outdoors and thrillseeking within an hour of their doorstep. Sponsor - Cozy Earth Luxury Bamboo sheets and Loungeware that become softer the more you use them. 35% off code 'GROWTH' - CozyEarth.com Connect with Alastair: Website - AlastairHumphreys.com Instagram - @Al_Humphreys Twitter - @Al_Humphreys Growth Mindset pod Sam Webster Harris explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. Success and happiness is a state of mind unique to ourselves and is our responsibility to create. Watch the pod - YouTube (Growth Mindset) Mail - GrowthMindsetPodcast(at)gmail.com Insta - SamJam.zen Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:10 Quick fire questions 05:11 How do you define success and happiness 06:03 What are your internal measures 07:13 Adventures 07:55 Why should we be adventurous 09:49 What were the things people need to hear on how to start an adventure 11:15 Microadventures 12:19 Hardest part of adventure is daring yourself to get out 13:24 3 biggest questions when it comes to time - calendar, routines, little margins of time 16:12 Money-to-adventure ratio 21:16 Follow up on other advice about money for adventure - Just GO 22:26 How does Alistair help people address those questions on expertise to be an adventurer 25:57 Mindset framework around finding a sustainable adventure and career 29:18 Going back, would Alastair done something different 32:25 Essay - A Thousand True Fans 34:32 Physical Flabbiness 35:02 Mental Flabbiness 35:20 Moral Flabbiness 36:38 How does Alastair deal with Mental Flabbiness 37:27 Habit Calendar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summer is coming soon, and for many that means vacation. While traveling far and wide can be an amazing experience, the carbon cost of traveling is significant. But what if we could rekindle a sense of awe in our own neighborhoods? After years of extreme expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spent a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. His new book “Local” is an ode to slowing down, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep. This episode also features field reporting from Producers Austin Colón and Megan Biscieglia. Guest:  Alastair Humphreys, Author, adventurer It's time for our annual spring appeal! At Climate One, we believe in the power of open conversations to drive positive change. Through our thought-provoking discussions and interviews, we strive not only to raise awareness of climate issues and solutions, but to also empower individuals — like each of our valued listeners — to take tangible steps toward a more sustainable future.  You can show your support for Climate One by contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back, Pathfinders! In today's show I sat down with Cory Mortensen. He is a best-selling author of three books. During this podcast, we discussed his first book “The Buddha and the Bee” and how a month long bike road across the United States changed the trajectory of his life. It was an inspirational show with tons of knowledge and insight from a very experienced traveler. Sources Cory's Website and Books ·        https://www.thebuddhaandthebee.com/ Applicable Blogs from Cory ·        https://www.thebuddhaandthebee.com/post/how-do-you-pack-for-a-trip-around-the-world References ·        https://www.sporcle.com/ Books Mentioned ·        The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer: https://amzn.to/3yptMs4 ·        Micro Adventures by Alastair Humphreys: https://amzn.to/4dDg2K9 ·        On The Road by Jack Herouac: https://amzn.to/44GfShd ·        Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer: https://amzn.to/3wMjotH ·        Blue Highways by William Least: https://amzn.to/44LunA7

Alastair Humphreys is an author and adventurer who has walked 600 miles across Southern India, ran an ultra marathon through the Sahara Desert, and hiked and rafted across Iceland. Alastair's newest wild idea is to embrace the concept of "microadventures," an adventure that is short, easily accessible, and affordable while still being fun, challenging, refreshing, and rewarding. Connect with Alastair: WebsiteInstagramOrder Alastair's new book, Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and WildnessThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesBirkenstockCheck out:REI Re/SupplyOutside in 5REI Co-op Adventure Travel

In this episode, we're excited about two new books: Piglet by Lottie Hazell and Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness by Alastair Humphreys. Then Dave tells us about the awesome Stanfords bookshop. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self. Links Piglet by Lottie Hazell — audiobook Piglet by Lottie Hazell — print Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness by Alastair Humphreys Stanfords Map and Travel Bookshop Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2024 Wikipedia: Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can find us at: Our site Instagram Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the 10 Adventures podcast! This week, I had an incredible chat with Alastair Humphreys, a true adventurer who's cycled around the world, walked across India, and rowed the Atlantic. Named National Geographic Adventure of the Year in 2012, Alastair has also championed microadventures and recently authored the book "Local," where he explores the 20-kilometer map around his home. It was a delight having Alastair on the podcast.   We dive into Alastair's evolving motivations over the 20 years of his adventures as he shares insights like the interesting contrasts between cycling the world solo and rowing the Atlantic with a team. His concept of microadventures encourages everyone to find small, achievable adventures in their daily lives, fostering a sense of exploration and curiosity. If you're intrigued, be sure to check out Alastair's website to learn more about his extraordinary journeys and his latest book "Local." Happy listening!   Explore Alastair's captivating book, available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Local-Search-Nearby-Nature-Wildness/dp/1785633678 Delve deeper into his adventures on his official website: https://alastairhumphreys.com/ Connect with Alastair on Instagram for a visual journey: https://www.instagram.com/al_humphreys/   About Us

Join host Ginny Yurich and renowned adventurer Alastair Humphreys in this captivating episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast. Against the backdrop of Humphreys' remarkable journey exploring a 20 km by 20 km grid square for an entire year, discover the magic of slowing down, embracing solitude, and finding adventure in the ordinary.  From the challenges of daily life to the joy of homemade soups and the beauty of micro-seasons, explore how nature's wonders are waiting to be uncovered right in your own backyard. Humphreys shares insights on fostering a deeper connection with your surroundings and infusing curiosity into the familiar. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that encourages you to seek the extraordinary in the simplicity of nearby nature. This episode is a celebration of the unexpected adventures that await, even when life seems routine. ** Purchase your copy of Local here >> https://amzn.to/3Iz0aKF Learn more about Alastair here >> https://alastairhumphreys.com/ ** Download your free 1000 Hours Outside tracker here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/trackers Find everything you need to kick off your 1000 Hours Outside Journey here >> https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/blog/allthethings Order of copy of Ginny's newest book, Until the Streetlights Come On here >> https://amzn.to/3RXjBlN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Unless we explore our neighborhood, we can't imagine what might be right under our noses, nor be able to celebrate it, mourn its demise, or take action.” –Alastair Humphreys In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Alastair Humphreys discuss the concept of his new book Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wilderness (1:30); what Alastair found on his close-to-home adventures in England (7:00); the surprises he found in industrial and post-industrial environments (13:00); how he learned to pay better attention to the natural environment in the areas he explored (19:30); “rights of access,” and how it affects hiking in Europe; and the idea of the “big here” versus the “small here” (25:00); how Alastair sought to embrace “stillness” during his experiment (33:30); how the changing of the seasons affected his experience of the local environments (40:30); and the role that imagination plays in having adventures close to home (48:00). Alastair Humphreys (@Al_Humphreys) is an English adventurer, author and motivational speaker. He is responsible for the rise of the idea of the microadventure – short, local, accessible adventures. His newest book, out this year, is Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness. Notable Links: Microadventure (local travel initiative) Industrial farming (agriculture practice) Souvenir, by Rolf Potts (book) Rewilding (conservation biology) Korean DMZ (rewilded demilitarized zone) Seek (nature identification app) Merlin Bird ID (birdsong identification app) On Looking, by Alexandra Horowitz (book) Henry David Thoreau (naturalist and essayist) Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard (book) Mary Oliver (naturalist and poet) Right of way (public right to hike on private land) A Journey Around My Room, by Xavier de Maistre (book) Traveling in Place, by Bernd Stiegler (book) An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris, by Georges Perec (book) Dustsceawung (Old English term for “contemplating dust”) Black Death (14th century pandemic) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

On this episode: our favorite episodes of 2023, format change, dogs, and another year in the books. It's our reflections on the year past, and a look ahead at what's next. In this Episode Top 3 Most Downloaded episodes from 2023 3 – Episode 86 – Carol Coyne on Thru-Hiking and Community 2 – Episode 87 – Nicole Antoinette on Writing, Hiking, and Self-Awareness 1 – Episode 83: Alicia Baker on Exploring Utah, Hiking with Dogs, and Guidebooks Our 2023 Highlights – A few of our favorite episodes Episode 78: The Knoth Family on Bikepacking Year-Round Episode 85: Benny Braden on Backpacking, Photography and Responsible Stewardship Episode 91: Elizabeth Person and the Art of Maps Episode 90: Kristen & Ville Lost the Map Episode 95: Alastair Humphreys and Adventures from Big to Micro Programming Changes for 2024 We are changing things up for our fourth year, switching to two “seasons” of episodes each year — one this spring launching in April and the second in September. And we're reserving the option of sneaking in a bonus episode in-between. What We Are Doing in 2024 Saveria with Adventurus Women has a bunch of trips, including the Tour du Mont Blanc at the end of September, and a trip to the Dolomites, AND their first “plus one” trip to Africa. Jeff is organizing the 10th year for the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series— a series of 17 regional, self-paced, self-guided hiking challenges. Plus he is leading his first big group trip… to Patagonia this March. Plus, getting together with Jason and friends to hike the Timberline Trail this summer. One of Jason's big film projects Free Outside is now out to rent and watch on Apple TV, Amazon and elsewhere. Check it out. Favorite Memories from 2023 For Jason, his highlight was backpacking to Miter Basin with friends (sans Jeff), and he's looking forward to spending more time on his photography in 2024. Saveria's 2023 highlight was her group trip to Africa, where she also leveled-up her camera gear. She's looking forward to the Tour du Mont Blanc. Jeff's highlight? Hiking the 192-mile Coast to Coast Walk across England (with no rain over 17 days!), and he's looking most forward to Patagonia next. Become a Patron The Almost There Adventure Podcast is and will always be free. If you'd like to help us keep the lights on, we are now on Patreon, where you can support our work with a buck or two (or more) each month. Send us some green and help us keep the pod rolling!  Connect with us! Like Almost There on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/almostthereadventurepodcast/ Follow Almost There on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostthere_ap/  Send us a voice message! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlmostThere Our Co-hosts Jason Fitzpatrick – IG: @themuirproject Saveria Tilden – IG: @adventuruswomen  web: AdventurUsWomen.com Jeff Hester – IG: @thesocalhiker  web: SoCalHiker.net Theme song by Opus Orange. Courtesy of Emoto Music.  The Almost There Adventure Podcast is a celebration of outdoor activities both local and epic. Discussing the big topics and talking to adventurers, artists, legends and activists within the outdoor community.

Alastair Humphreys is a British adventurer and author who famously spent over 4 years cycling round the world, a journey of 46,000 miles through 60 countries and 5 continents. This was followed by a walk across India, rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, running six marathons through the Sahara desert, a crossing of Iceland, busking through Spain and an expedition in the Arctic. Despite these massive adventures, Alastair is most famous for coining the concept of “microadventures” which earned him National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and numerous awards for his book of that name. The whole point of microadventures is that you do not need much time, money or specialized gear. A microadventure can be anything that feels fresh, new and challenging for you. This was the subject of our last conversation with Alastair back in 2019. You can listen to that here. Today we're talking about taking the concept of microadventures to a whole new level. Most recently Alastair has spent a whole year exploring the land within 10 kilometers of his home. Every week, he would pick a new place within that range to explore and camp. The change and perspective shift that he experiences through this adventure has caused a massive shift in his outlook, which we'll get into today.  Learn more about this experience through his new book, Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wilderness. You can also purchase Local here: Learn more about Alastair at alastairhumphreys.comPartnership Announcement! Adventure Sports Podcast is now part of the Outdoors.com podcasting network. Outdoors.com was founded by legendary outdoorsman and adventurer Bear Grylls. We believe that life is an adventure best lived boldly, with curiosity and eagerness to discover new places and follow the path less trodden.As a trusted voice for all things Outdoors, you will find news, product reviews, guides from experts, local hangouts, and more from top adventurers.Learn more about Outdoors.com here: https://outdoors.com/about-outdoors/Our Sponsors:* Check out Tecovas: http://www.tecovas.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

How well do you know the outdoor areas near your home? I don't just mean the obvious spots, I mean all of the spaces. And what would happen if you took the time to truly and deeply explore them? That's something British adventurer and author Alastair Humphreys set out to discover as part of a personal project that turned into his new book, Local. Dividing the region into one-kilometer grid squares, Alastair systematically experienced all of the outdoor spaces near his urban home, and in the process became not only more familiar with where he lived, but also grew a deep appreciation for the nature around him found in some of the most unlikely places. In this episode you'll hear all about Alastair's truly local adventure, plus some of the simple benefits of taking time to enjoy everything -- the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful -- that nature has for you close to home. Listen now! Connect with this episode: Follow Alastair Humphreys on Facebook Follow Alastair on Instagram Visit Alastair's website Buy Alastair Humphrey's new book, Local (affiliate link) Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook Some of the good stuff: [3:08] Alastair Humphrey's favorite outdoor space [4:02] Alastair's outdoor story [5:46] What “Local” is about -- project and book [8:37] What is “nearby nature?” [10:35] For the record, I don't have this outside my window [11:38] What did Alastair find during his project that surprised him? [15:21] Embracing technology to make outside time better [17:59] The inspiration to fix problems [21:55] A mind shift to gratitude and curiosity [26:12] Taking the time for adventures big and small [28:36] How anyone can get started on a project like Local [34:03] Alistair's favorite outdoor moment

Welcome to "The Freedom Project," a podcast that celebrates the spirit of adventure and those who live it to the fullest.  Today, we're honoured to welcome Alastair Humphreys, a man whose name has become synonymous with adventure and exploration.  Alastair, recognized as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, has inspired countless individuals through his incredible journeys and his advocacy for the natural world.  His adventures, which began in his youth, include the remarkable feat of cycling around the world and pushing the limits of human endurance and curiosity. He's not only an adventurer but also a storyteller, author, and filmmaker, capturing the essence of exploration in various forms.  His books have opened up new worlds to readers, and his monthly newsletter shares insights and inspiration from his travels.  Alastair's concept of 'microadventures' has encouraged people to find adventure in the everyday, challenging the notion that you need to travel far to experience the thrill of exploration. In this episode, we will dive deep into Alastair's life, exploring his early adventures like the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge at just nine years old, and his transformative cycling journey across continents.  We will also delve into his philosophies on living adventurously, caring for the environment, and finding joy in the small things.  His collaborations with brands to promote the concept of microadventures showcase his commitment to making adventure accessible to all. Join us as we journey through Alastair Humphreys' inspiring life, discovering how he has turned every challenge into an opportunity for growth and how he continues to inspire others to embrace the unknown.  Whether you're an avid adventurer or just someone looking for a little inspiration to step outside your comfort zone, this episode is for you.  

If you've been keeping your outdoor habit for awhile just like me, you might be looking for a way to give it a little boost. Or maybe you're new to this, but want to add a little spice or specific outings to your outdoor life. If that's you, this easy new outdoor habit I'm trying this year is probably the perfect fit. It's a simple, low time commitment and interesting option and I can't wait to see how it goes over the coming months. Want to join me? Learn all about it in this episode of Humans Outside. Listen now! Connect with this episode: About Alister Humphrey's “year in a tree” Join the Humans Outside Challenge Follow Humans Outside on Instagram Follow Humans Outside on Facebook Some of the good stuff: [:28] I was worried about getting stuck in a rut [:54] I was curious about forest bathing [1:22] And then I heard this idea from Alastair Humphreys -- brilliant! [2:19] How I picked my own version [3:24] Here's what I picked [4:05] Here's what I did while I was there [5:04] You should do this, too!

Author and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Alastair Humphreys stops by the studio to share adventures, insights, and stories with Doc. Settle in and buckle up as Al and Doc cover a lot of ground (and water!), discussing accidental cold soaking, rowing across the Atlantic after an invitation from a stranger, Caveman TV, cycling 46,000 miles across the world, banana sandwiches, pragmatic recklessness, the importance of being present, microadventures, and the curse and tyranny of the digital age. Epic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alastair Humphreys, the acclaimed British adventurer, inspires with his bold expeditions and passion for exploration. From cycling the globe to rowing across oceans, he champions "microadventures," urging us to find thrill in everyday life. His talks and writings ignite curiosity, showing that adventure isn't just about far-off places but lies in embracing the unknown nearby. He's a guiding voice, encouraging us to step beyond comfort zones and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary. Connect With Alastair Humphreys! instagram.com/al_humphreys Visit His Website to Learn More! alastairhumphreys.com CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction 01:51 - Alastair's Book: "Grand Adventure" 02:15 - Alastair's Adventure Heroes 04:03 - Alastair on Managing His Social Media Accounts 06:00 - How Does an Explorer Obtain Sponsors? 07:41 - What Does Alastair's Post-Adventure Life Look Like? 09:24 - Alastair on Preparing for Work and Adventure 11:41 - Rowing the Atlantic Ocean 12:29 - Alastair's Relationship with Death and Deathclock.com 15:29 - Alastair on Engaging in Dangerous Adventures 18:48 - Alastair on Staying Calm in Any Situation 20:45 - How Does Alastair Balance Fatherhood and Exploration? 23:45 - Alastair on Incorporating Fashion into His Adventures 25:50 - Exploring Your Own Locale 29:00 - Alastair on Discovering the Denehole in His Area 31:44 - Alastair's Thoughts on Sponsored Adventures 35:43 - Alastair on Managing Leisure Trips 37:22 - How Does Alastair Handle Work-Related Content? 40:42 - Alastair's Purpose and Goals in His Adventures 46:21 - Intentions in Every Adventure 48:35 - Pursuing Adventure as You Age 51:21 - Alastair on Sustaining Momentum in His Career 55:29 - Forging Your Path to Success 58:13 - Alastair's Weekly Newsletter 01:00:15 - What Books Is Alastair Currently Reading? 01:01:10 - Alastair's Bucket List Destinations 01:02:18 - Alastair's Recent Life Discoveries 01:04:27 - Alastair's Goals for the Next 6 Months 01:05:14 - Connect with Alastair Humphreys! 01:05:54 - Outro

When Alastair Humphreys was young, he craved something unknowable. That something - adventure, excitement, wisdom, whatever it was - was close. But he suspected that in order to find it, he'd have to step outside of the familiar shapes of his routines. He'd have to break free from the expectations of his friends and family, of advanced degrees and office jobs and apartment living. In his search for something, he moved to a rural village in Africa at 18. And after university, he cycled across 6 continents and pedaled the circumference of the globe. But he still hadn't quite found that something - and his quest for it would reveal a truth that would change everything. Whether you're looking for an epic saga about a cross-continental bike trip or the wildest story about playing the violin you've ever heard, you're going to enjoy this episode about the many types of adventure that exist, how we can have them, and why we need them. FIND ALASTAIR Learn more about Alastair, his adventures, and his books at his website, AlastairHumphreys.com, or follow him on Instagram @Al_Humphreys. Find his latest book, Local, wherever books are sold (though we recommend ordering from your local bookshop!). SOCIAL Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in for a brand new style of bonus episode! Doc gives you a fascinating glimpse into the personality of some of your favorite guests by asking . . . The Last 10!  This week's guest is author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alastair Humphreys is a man who has the word adventurer on his business card. He's adventured to the most incredible remote places, cycled across the world on a modest budget, crossed the ocean in a rowing boat, run across a desert, though his view of exploration changed as he sat in a small red tent in a remote part of Greenland. Now he champions micro-adventures, writing about and photographing more 'achievable' life experiences. Also today, fascinating Gambian traditions, a Nat Geo photographer's quote that nails, possibly, why making photographs is important and does adversity lead to stronger creativity? Links to all guests and features will be on the SHOW PAGE as always and my sincere thanks to mpb.com who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week.

On this episode: sheds, map grids, busking in Spain, and 5-to-9 adventures. We are talking with Alastair Humphreys, named as National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for his work on the concept of microadventures. He's had some big adventures, too, from cycling completely around the world in four years to canoeing 500 miles down the Yukon River. And along the way, he's authored 14 books inspiring people to find room for adventure in their daily lives. The funny thing about going all the way around the world is it makes you realize how little of the world you've actually seen. Alastair Humphries In this Episode Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle – Dervla Murphy Sir Ranulph Fiennes – explorer and author Benedict Allen explorersweb.com A single map In the US, you can download your map from the USGS for free Episode 25 – Kolby Kirk Seek and Merlin – apps to identify plants and birds The Coast to Coast Walk Episode 24 – Jesse Blough and The Big Lonely Anna Brones – papercut art As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning – Laurie Lee, and the book that inspired Alastair to busk his way badly across Spain Connect with Alastair Humphreys Website: alastairhumphreys.com Instagram: @al_humphreys Become a Patron The Almost There Adventure Podcast is and will always be free. If you'd like to help us keep the lights on, we are now on Patreon, where you can support our work with a buck or two (or more) each month. Send us some green and help us keep the pod rolling!  Connect with us! Like Almost There on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/almostthereadventurepodcast/ Follow Almost There on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostthere_ap/  Send us a voice message! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlmostThere Our Co-hosts Jason Fitzpatrick – IG: @themuirproject Saveria Tilden – IG: @adventuruswomen  web: AdventurUsWomen.com Jeff Hester – IG: @thesocalhiker  web: SoCalHiker.net Theme song by Opus Orange. Courtesy of Emoto Music.  The Almost There Adventure Podcast is a celebration of outdoor activities both local and epic. Discussing the big topics and talking to adventurers, artists, legends and activists within the outdoor community.  

Join adventurer Alastair Humphreys on the Silvercore Podcast as he takes us on a thrilling exploration of micro adventures and inspiring journeys. From walking across Iceland to cycling around the world, Alastair shares his earliest memories of adventure and what drives him to push boundaries. Discover the transformative power of solo travel, the importance of teamwork in extreme challenges, and how to embark on your own micro adventure closer to home. Get ready to be inspired and embrace the magic of exploration. Tune in now!     Website: https://alastairhumphreys.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/al_humphreys YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsTMxQP7HUCRTuNEEQWLww   Order Local Here: https://alastairhumphreys.com/product/local/ International Book Sales:    ______ Silvercore Club - https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training - https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Other Training & Services - https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise - https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog Page - https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav Silvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors ____

Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 Welcome Alastair 10:17 The Book's Project 24:56 A Stronger Connection to Local Land 29:07 Sitting Still for an Hour 33:12 Right to Roam 42:51 Tensions on the Land 52:33 Coffee! 56:03 Lessons from the Project 1:03:52 A Reading from the Book Subscribe to our beautiful printed quarterly, whose stories are only found in print, at http://www.subscribetoaj.com Watch video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/S8GwuhsUplE FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/adventurejournal/ Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/adventurejournal Pinterest — https://www.pinterest.com/adventurejournl Tiktok — https://www.tiktok.com/@adventurejournal/ Adventure Journal is supported primarily by readers who subscribe to our printed quarterly and from small commissions received when you purchase through some of these links. AJ's reviews are not influenced by affiliates, nor do we accept sponsored content or paid placements or reviews. Opinions expressed here are solely our own.

Alastair Humphreys is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year who decided to trade in his grand adventures for spending an entire year roaming the local map he lived on, measuring just 20km. He's cycled around the world for four years, raced a yacht across the Atlantic, canoed 500 miles down the Yukon River, and walked the length of the Holy Kaveri River in India (just to name a few!). So why would someone like Alastair want to explore a single map, just one tiny area at a time near their home? You'd be surprised to discover the kind of impact this could have on someone. In this episode, you'll hear about his unexpected adventures and the lessons from his experience, learn why adventure really is a mindset, and get practical advice for exploring your own local map. How did this conversation change your perspective on travel? Will you explore your local grid? Use #singlemap on social media if you do! I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you'll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1. Tune In To Learn: How his attitude toward adventure has changed throughout the years The notion of “flight shame” and his thoughts on traveling with a low footprint  The framework he set in his quest to slow down and what it taught him about paying attention The awakening he had about our natural environment and how it shifted his passions and perspectives (plus a lesson on making lifestyle changes) Why anything can be interesting if you're interested Why it's possible to have serendipitous moments locally and his biggest regret from the project  How this allowed him to connect with his home despite not liking where he lives  Why this was an exercise in mindfulness, and what sitting on a log has to do with knowing your priorities  How you can find the same fulfillment with your local map (no matter where you live) Advice on carving your own path and why he's optimistic for the world's future And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - Airbnb, US Bank, Land Rover Visit Alastair's website Grab his book, Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes Listen to the 99% Invisible podcast  Download Seek by iNaturalist, Merlin Bird app Use #singlemap for your local adventure Want More? Travel With Intention And Be A Local Everywhere Top 5 Reasons For “Slomading” + The Benefits Of Boredom With Tim Marting From Citizen Remote Finding Meaning Through Travel w/ Dr. Christopher Daniels Thanks To Our Sponsors Sometimes, it just makes more sense. Book your next group stay with Airbnb! This episode is also sponsored by US Bank's Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card, with the ability to earn up to 5x the points on travel-related expenses like hotels, and rental cars, this card will get you the most return on your next trip.  You're up for any challenge that comes your way, and the Land Rover Defender 110 is too. Learn more at landroverusa.com/defender. 

Alastair Humphreys is an adventurer and author. In the past, he has embarked on huge adventures, such as cycling around the world and rowing the Atlantic, but he has found a new passion in micro-adventures and challenges closer to home. In this classic 'cool conversation', Al tells Kenton about walking across Spain and busking with a violin, sleeping on his local hill, and most recently exploring every inch of his local Ordnance Survey map over the course of a year. Al is an eccentric adventurer and this is a fascinating conversation.

What not to do is often the best guide and you don't want to fall into the incredibly common spiral discussed in this episode. We incrementally fall into bad habits that creep up on us and just when we have the option to do something we instead blame everything else.Learn how to build mental strength and resilience and escape the trap of victimization and depression.This episode features the writing from the adventurer and philosopher Alastair Humphreys, his post "The Three Stages of Flabiness" from the book "There are Other Rivers"On the growth mindset podcast with Sam Webster Harris, we explore the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. Success and happiness is a state of mind unique to ourselves and is our responsibility to create.Through a process of honest self-reflection of what is holding us back and what is driving us forward, we can lose the ego and build awareness of how to be the best we can be.- - -Sponsor - NetsuiteThe #1 business software.6 months without paying.https://netsuite.com/GROWTHMINDSET- - -Connect with Alastair Humphreys (and buy his books)

After years of pushing himself to go as big and far as he could, Alastair Humphreys realized that the most valuable trips we take are usually the ones right out our doors. Back in 2011, he coined the term “micro adventure” and ever since he's been extolling the many upsides of doing things that we can squeeze in around the margins of real life: biking to a nearby hill and sleeping there for a night, an afternoon creek hike, even just climbing a tree. The point is to embrace simple, pure outdoor fun wherever we can find it, which can do wonders for us.

Alastair Humphreys is the author of my all-time favourite books on the topic of adventure and getting more out of life.He was awarded the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award for his work. He cycled around the world over four years and has since rowed the Atlantic, ran the Marathon de Sables, and walked across India amongst numerous other adventures.Perhaps his greatest success, however, is pioneering the concept of micro-adventures, encouraging anyone to experience the outdoors and thrillseeking within an hour of their doorstep.- -Sponsor - HostingerLaunch a WordPress blog, site, or online shop in minutes.Go to Hostinger.com/GROWTH to get everything you need to create your website for less than $3/month, plus 10% off with promo code GROWTH.- -Sponsor - Better HelpThe Growth Mindset is sponsored by BetterHelp. Therapy to get you on your way to being your best self.Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/GROWTHMINDSET for 15% off. - -Connect with Alastair:Website - AlastairHumphreys.comInstagram - @Al_HumphreysTwitter - @Al_Humphreys- -Connect with Sam:Sam's newsletter on creativity - Explosive Thinking Watch the pod - YouTube - Growth MindsetTwitter - @samjamharrisInstagram - @SamJam.zen- - -Chapters00:00 Introduction03:34 Quick fire questions05:12 How do you define success and happiness06:04 What are your internal measures07:14 Adventures07:56 Why should we be adventurous09:50 What were the things people need to hear on how to start an adventure11:15 Microadventures12:19 Hardest part of an adventure is daring yourself to get out13:24 3 biggest questions when it comes to time - calendar, routines, little margins of time 16:13 Money-to-adventure ratio21:18 Just GO22:31 Overcoming sense of inadequancy26:01 SPONSOR - Hostinger27:33 SPONSOR - BetterHelp29:15 Mindset framework around finding a sustainable adventure and career32:36 Lessons to younger self35:50 A thousand true fans37:02 GeoWizard Tangent38:33 3 stages of flabbiness39:47 Physical Flabbiness40:17 Mental Flabbiness40:38 Moral Flabbiness42:16 Dealing with Mental Flabbiness43:05 Habit Calendar44:35 Pull-up or Press-up challenge46:32 Hardest cultural difference Alastair navigated during an adventure49:01 Maintaining relationships and adventures50:44 Kindest thing54:11 Earliest memories55:07 Advice to your 20 yr old self56:14 What's Sam's next adventure Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/growth-mindset-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently had a great chat here on the Kathy Sullivan Explores podcast with Alastair Humphreys, an adventurer, blogger, author, speaker, and filmmaker. Alastair is a prolific communicator who—through his website, speaking, and range of books and blogs—passionately advocates for getting more adventures into our lives. His book, Ten Lessons from the Road, brims with inspirational advice for life, hard-won during his four-year, round-the-world journey by bike. In this episode, I share two key takeaways from reading Ten Lessons from the Road. I also discuss how novels can teach us lessons about life, elaborate on Alastair's “Doorstep Mile” concept, and describe the mindset that helped me navigate some of the most challenging moments of my life. “Don't fear regret or embarrassment; instead, fear not giving your all to something worthwhile.” - Kathy Sullivan This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores: ●     Lessons from Ten Lessons from the Road●     How novels can teach us about life through their characters●     The “Doorstep Mile” and how to overcome daunting challenges Resources Mentioned: ●     Book: Ten Lessons from the Road by Alastair Humphreys Our Favorite Quotes: ●     “It's easy to be daunted by the enormity of the challenge: climbing that mountain, writing that novel, or asking somebody out for a date can just seem huge.” - Kathy Sullivan●     “Alastair Humphreys' Ten Lessons from the Road is for everyone, not just adventurers, and all sorts of experiences teach you these. In fact, you can learn them through reading, especially literature. Many novels reveal and explore themes through the lives and trajectories of their characters.” - Kathy Sullivan Related Content: ●     Not Just Travel Tips with Alastair Humphreys Spaceship Not Required I'm Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean. I'm an explorer, and that doesn't always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action. In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required. Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores. Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead! Don't forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Alastair Humphreys is an adventurer, author, and keynote speaker. Alastair was named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for his pioneering work on micro-adventures. This concept encourages people to go outside their comfort zone and have cheap, simple, and short—yet effective—adventures close to their homes. His blog and books, including The Boy Who Biked the World and The Doorstep Mile, brim with insights and tips to help average people live more adventurously. Alastair joins me today to discuss how we can live adventurous lives—even in our everyday world. He describes how his early love for reading inspired him to be an adventurer and why he declined an opportunity for a more traditional, stable career as a high school teacher. He explains “micro-adventuring” and the importance of directly experiencing nature in any shape, form, or capacity. Alastair also highlights the difference between exploration and adventure, describes how curiosity links them and underscores what adventure can teach us about life.   “Exploration is adventure plus purpose and discovery. There's something extra to it, beyond just the excitement, desire, and curiosity to go somewhere new and have a fantastic time.” - ~Alastair Humphreys   This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores: Alastair's background and childhood in the countryside His university education and year of teacher training Alastair's bike adventure around the world and how he made it work Why Alastair is thankful for the earlier stages of blogging and the internet Microadventures and the importance of bringing more adventure into our everyday life The impact of seeing and experiencing nature The culture of “assured” experience and why it's an impediment to adventure Guidelines for adventurers and overcoming the “doorstep” mile A nugget of exploration wisdom from T.S. Elliot Alastair's current adventure in book-writing Resources Mentioned: Book: Living Dangerously: The Autobiography of Ranulph Fiennes by Ranulph Fiennes Our Favorite Quotes: “Paying attention, being astonished, and telling about it—to steal from Mary Oliver—is a good way to be.” - Alastair Humphreys “Adults are so boring. Children are curious and playful and adventurous in a way that us adults could do a little more learning from.” - Alastair Humphreys “The bicycle is the perfect exploration vehicle: it's cheap, it's quick, but not too fast, and, above all, you're free—you can literally go anywhere on the planet.” - Alastair Humphreys  Connect with Alastair Humphreys: Alastair Humphreys Website Book: The Doorstep Mile: Live More Adventurously Every Day Book: Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes Book: The Boy Who Biked the World: The Complete Collection Alastair Humphreys on Instagram Alastair Humphreys on Facebook Alastair Humphreys on Twitter Alastair Humphreys on YouTube   Spaceship Not Required  I'm Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean. I'm an explorer, and that doesn't always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action. In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required. Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores. Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead! Don't forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn | Google I Amazon Music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is our first ever 1000 Hours Outside Book Club!!! Alastair and a bunch of you joined us for a 45-minute, live-stream discussion about two of Alastair's phenomenal books. We discussed Microadventures and The Doorstep Mile. This episode includes your questions, your comments, and a piece of information that Alastair has never shared in public before! This was SO fun! You're going to love this one. Find the book club questions for Alastair's books here  Learn more about Alastair Humphreys here  Order your copy of Microadventures here  Order your copy of The Doorstep Mile here  Listen to three other podcast episodes with Alastair. They will all stir you on to adding just a little bit more adventure to your life. Episode 43: Microadventures - Because Even Small Adventures are Better Than None at All Episode 84: If it Feels Like an Adventure to You, it 'is' an Adventure Episode 108: Does This Year Matter? Then Use it. Join in for our February Book Club! Check out all the remaining book club books for 2023 here.

Of all those who are releasing podcast episodes on January 1st, this one has to be up there on the motivational scale. Alastair's book The Doorstep Mile is all about getting started. Go after your silly daydream. Make the most of your opportunities instead of looking for excuses. Leave the dishes and go climb a tree with your child. Try to magine being an old man or woman and looking back on your life. Embracing new things and exposing your own personal vulnerabilities is risky, but having an empty life is risky too. Let's be a society that applauds endeavor, that embraces the amateur.  Do this year matter? Then use it.  Alastair Humphreys is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year as well as an author, photographer, videographer, speaker, and more! This is his third time on our podcast and he says the 1000 Hours Outside community is the most cheerful audience. If you haven't listened yet, make sure you listen to episodes 43 and 84 as well!  Learn more about Alastair here >> https://alastairhumphreys.com/ His YouTube channel is here >> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsTMxQP7HUCRTuNEEQWLww

Your dream trip is possible. In the words of someone who has been all over the world, Rolf Potts is here to share with us the authentic way that travel can enhance your life. Rolf speaks about the niche way traveling vagabond style changes your perspective. This episode is all about getting away from the itinerary or what we think will be the right way to do something and allowing fascination with the world to lead us. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co . And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:The path to travel writing and vagabonding.Allowing travel to teach you something instead of disengaging Get away from the itinerary and become fascinated by the world.The reasoning behind the daily readings of VagabondingHow micro-adventures lead to the habit of curiosityCreate rituals that make your dream trip possible Things to think about when getting off the beaten path in travelThe built-up idea of safety Are you traveling with habits from home? The importance of being present in travelEpisode References/Links:Rolf Potts websiteFollow Rolf on IGRyan Holiday's Daily Stoic  If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.Be It Till You See It Podcast SurveyUse this link to get your Toe Sox!ResourcesWatch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable PilatesSocial MediaInstagramFacebookLinkedInEpisode Transcript:Lesley Logan  Hey, Be It listener. Okay, so I'm smiling so big, because I just got to take a trip down memory lane and not with our guests because I just met him. But I, I didn't grow up traveling. And I really had all these thoughts around travel. I thought that it was expensive and I thought that it was difficult and I thought that it wasn't, that wasn't safe. And, and so I really, I didn't get on a plane till I was 18. And I didn't get a passport till I was in my mid 20s. And I really didn't do a big international trip until I was almost 30. And then the world opened up for me in a different way. And I saw it a different way. And I share that with you because our guest this week is Rolf Potts, and he is the Author of Vagabonding. He has a new book out called the Vagabond's Way. And it is 366 meditations on wunderlust, discovery in the art of travel. And it's a really cool book because you can read it as a daily habit like a, like a virtual book. You can read it back to back if you want. But as I was perusing my birthdate day and Brad's birthday, and these other days, I was, I was just inspired by all the different stories he has to remind you to not escape your life with vacation. And he'll say this in the episode but to escape into who you are. And my love is like being it till you see it is not just about taking action in your work. It's it, it's about becoming more of who you are meant to be. And when you travel, and I say this, from my own experience, and you can find your own words on your own trips. But the more I've traveled, the more people I've met. And the more I've experienced, the more I realize how cool and interesting this whole world is, and how much we have to teach each other, and how much we don't have to fear. I think we can have a lot of fears in our life. And when you get out into the world, and you see how different people are living and you see, a different things have been around for so long. You start to realize like how frickin cool this whole world is, and that you're part of it and you're unique part of it. And so here is an amazing conversation I had with an incredible travel author, Rolf Potts, and I hope it inspires you to plan something, plan anything, and I love his little story about microadventure. So maybe you can make that something that you plan this month. That doesn't really cost anything you'll hear, you'll hear in this episode, thank you so much for being a listener of us. Thank you for your reviews and for sharing this podcast and here is Rolf Potts.All right, Be It listeners. Hey, how are you? I'm really excited because well, our next guest has a total love for travel that I think exceeds mine and Brad's. And I'm really excited to share it with you. And because I really do think that getting out to the world is one of the best ways to learn more about who you are. It just really, really is. And as I read, Rolf Potts is our guest today, Rolf Potts is our guests and his book, The Vvagabond's Way, I think you really are gonna get that inspiration as well. So whether you feel the fear of travel right now, and you're not really going out, or you miss it like crazy, I think this is going to be a really fun conversation. So Rolf Potts, will you tell everyone who you are? And what what you're up to these days?Rolf Potts  Well, I'm a travel writer, and I have been for gosh, about a quarter century. I, like many people didn't travel much during the pandemic. But I got my first big international trip this summer. It was awesome. I went to Paris and Norway with my wife has familyin the Faroe Islands before coming back. So I'm, I'm still slightly excited and tired from a great summer trip.Lesley Logan  Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous. Yeah, I used to travel like eight to 10 countries a year for the last several years before the pandemic and I didn't grow up traveling. So I didn't actually my first big trip was to Brazil in 2012. And then when my husband I went on a honeymoon in 2015, that was my, like, I went to several countries at once. And I was like, "Oh my God, this is the most amazing thing. I've never done this before." And we never stopped. And then obviously, we all did. But what got you into being a travel writer? How does one do that just go one day, "I'm gonna write, I love traveling, I'm gonna write about it." How did you do that?Rolf Potts  If only it were that easy. I actually grew up not traveling much myself, I didn't have a passport until I was 25. Actually, my first big vagabonding trip was earlier than that. I lived in a van for eight months and traveled North America, this is back when you could go to Canada and Mexico without a passport. And then I thought, well, now I'm going to become a travel writer. So I wrote a book, which is a complete failure and complete failures of the best education actually. And then I just kept trying and kept trying, I was out of money. So I moved to South Korea to work as an English as a foreign language teacher, conversation teacher for a couple years. And I just, I just didn't give up. I just kept trying to be a travel writer until I became one. And then my first byline was in my late 20s. And my first book was in my early 30s. And I'm still doing it, even though the the media world has changed. One great thing about being a travel writer is that even if you are not rewarded financially, travel is sort of a reward in itself, you know. And so even if you fail professionally, in an attempt to be a travel writer. Hey, your billy prize is that you have these awesome travels that you can remember for the rest of your life.Lesley Logan  Oh, my God. 1,000% love that. I also thank you for sharing that journey. Because I do think like, when you as someone who's written a book, I'm not like, I'm not when I see a book written. I'm like, a lot of work went into this book. And a lot of people might see this book and go, "Oh, well, he's a travel writer wrote a book, of course, he's just like, it just all works out." And so thank you for sharing that. It didn't, (Lesley laughs) it didn't it took a little bit while. When you, can you first actually just for our listeners who might not know what a vagabond is. Can you just kind of explain that?Rolf Potts  Yeah, well, I Vagabonding is my first book and, and it's sort of what a lot of my readers know me for, it's about taking time off from your normal life, to travel in earnest. It's not just a vacation, but it's maybe taking six weeks, if that's the amount of time you can find or a year or half a year, or six years, whatever you can find to travel and make travel an active part of your life, not an escape from your life, but an escape into your life. And so I've been talking about that vagabonding style of travel for almost 20 years now. And I've written you know, four other books, but people still love to talk about the Vagabond ethos. And in the new book, The Vagabond's Way, I've sort of returned to that. And I've really used a quarter century of, quarter century, 25 years. Yeah ...Lesley Logan  Yeah, that's quarter century. Oh, my God ... When we think about it, you're like, "Oh, my God, that's 25 years." It's a quarter century.Rolf Potts  Yeah, no, 25 years of travel and thinking about travel and reading about traveling, obsessing about travel. And it also encompasses like, 3000 years of other people's travels, to sort of bring this wisdom and inspiration about travel into the new book. And yeah, so so there's, there's a lot of different stations in my journey as a travel writer, but it feels like this really, really aggregates the full breadth of my career so far.Lesley Logan  Yeah. So that's a really interesting way to describe travel as not an escape from your life, but something to like, enhance and be part of your life. And I think a lot of people when they think of vacation, they're like taking a break probably they are or what they do. And, and maybe that's mostly the Western culture, that is the US because I find people in Europe take all of August off. And I remember I worked in jewelry. And if we wanted to get this several designers orders, and we had to tell people you must order before July 15. Because otherwise, they're not going to touch it until late September. Like it's just not going to happen. Right? Or like, when you're dealing with people with any manufacturers in China, it's like you better get stuff on a boat before before New Year, otherwise, it's gonna take till March or April. So, I feel like a lot of people don't know that your travel can just be part of enhancement of, of your life. And what why do you think that is? And like how can people kind of retrain themselves into using their travel to teach them something about themselves by their escape?Rolf Potts  Well, I think they have to be willing to be open and to make mistakes and be messy about it. That's something you can appreciate it. We were talking before we're recording about Cambodia and how the best place to experience Cambodia isn't necessarily that five star hotel that insulates you from the country you've come to visit. It's actually maybe a homestay or just walking down the street until your day becomes more interesting than it was before. And so I think if you take nothing against the commercial travel industry, but if you see travel as a product that you buy, and you surround yourself with nice meals and air conditioning all the time, then it is going to be separate from your life. But you can, instead of escaping from your life escaping into your life is such a way that you really push the boundaries of who you are. And you challenge yourself in interesting ways on the road. And you you sort of integrate like, you integrate your hobbies, you know, like, if you like playing volleyball, well then find a volleyball game in Cambodia, you know, if you like cooking then find a way to cook a dish, and you don't even have to take a formal class, you can, but you can just find the grandma up the street and ask her how she's making her dish or Google Street front restaurant probably might not be used to a lot of Americans taking a curious interest in them. And so ask if you can hang out in the kitchen for a while and see how they do that. And really, the odds are that that's gonna happen, because again, you're not being a consumer of your travel experience. You're taking control of it. And you're following your heart and your interests and your curiosity.Lesley Logan  Oh, yeah. So one way we take messy action, y'all cuz you're like, "How do I do that with like travel? Like, there's things that need to be planned." So when Brad and I decided to go on our honeymoon, he wanted to go to Cambodia. And I was like, that's an interesting place to go on a honeymoon. Where else can we go with that? Because I was like, "I don't what are we doing there? I don't even know." And he was obsessed with this one National Geographic with the first one ever picked up was with the temples. And so we, we picked our flight to Southeast Asia, and then home from Japan, but not the flights in between. (Rolf: Nice.) And then, and then when we flew into Thailand, we picked our flights to the different islands wanted to go to. And we really did try to find the hotels that were more inside the villages or just different than what was like when you look up Google up a, like hotels near me, it's like, where are the ones that are not paying the ads? Like how do we get to like the closest to you? What's going on? And it is so interesting and to talk about cooking. That is a really easy way to go. And when you're in these different countries, like they love that I or I'm one of the only Westerners that comes by and gets the roasted bananas. I'm like, and I speak enough Cambodian to like, get, get the ones I want. And they're so they want to show me how it's done. Because it's very interesting. And I think it changes my life because it makes me realize like, how often do we get to share our gifts and the way that they get to share their as when we're when we're traveling. So I agree with the messy action. There's ways to do it without freaking yourself out. So, you want, I want to get to your book really quick. And then we can bounce around the world with our conversation. But why did you choose it to be a daily read because I really this is very fascinating to me. Of course, I read my birthdate and then I and then I like bounced to Brad's birthday. But I actually use that aggregate earlier. And it really is there's so many great quotes and stories from other people's travels. So how did you go about because that seems like a really big endeavor to find 366 things to write about?Rolf Potts  Yeah, well, I loved aggregating it, because it went beyond my own point of view. You know, I could talk about a guy who travelled in Japan in the 13th century, and he had experienced something very human about travel, or a guy who lived 3000 years ago is in Egypt, or a woman who traveled in an age in Europe when travel wasn't really proper for women. But her insights are relevant to today. Actually, the idea to have it in this format started during the pandemic actually met my wife during the pandemic. I have the weirdest pandemic love story. I was supposed to be traveling the world, she was supposed to be traveling the world, we both been in Kansas, which is where we were from. And we went from zero to let's get married very quickly. But in the mornings, and this is still a habit we have to this day, we sit on the deck outside of our house here in Kansas, and we read to each other. And so we read like Mary Oliver poems, or Thich Nhat Hanh daily readings, you know, the Buddhist teacher. And this became such a part of our habit, a habit and such a part of our joy during the pandemic, that I realized that I had accumulated all of this knowledge about travel, both from travel and from reading about travel that why not just do the similar thing, why not create a book about travel that people can read every day, either with a partner with themselves, or you can skip around or read several chapters at once. But I liked that this as a ritual and I wanted to create a book that was a ritual actually another book we read during the pandemic was Ryan Holiday's Daily Stoic, which literally each page is a different quote by a stoic and a reflection about that quote. And so I decided to do a travel version that would compel people to think deeply in sort of beyond that consumer level of travel for each day of the year. And if you don't, if you want to read it in less than a year, that's fine too. But to sort of create this ritual that even when people are at home, they can think about travel and how it inspires people and how it can change your way of being in the world.Lesley Logan  I mean, like it is, it is really cool. I I know, I know that people listening are they love the daily ritual, they love morning pages, some of them have different things that they they do their gratitude journals, and so I found this like, "Oh my God, this is something else they could do." I wonder you know, I think it's hilarious. You guys met in Kansas that is not at all where I pictured you being from. So (Lesley laughs) but I wonder like, for the person who you know, is gonna pick up this book, maybe they're not used to traveling alone. Or maybe they have fears around it. I mean, obviously, as they read this book, I think that those fears will be quelled, but like, what, what are some ways that people could be a vagabond without necessarily going on it, on a, I mean I want you to go to Cambodia with me, everyone. But what are some that you can do to like start that travel and escape into yourself like, what what would be those 101, 102 level travels that they could do?Rolf Potts  Well, you could throw open your door and walk out the door until your day becomes interesting. I often give that advice in the context of international travel, you know, get away from the itinerary and just walk in this new place and become fascinated by it. This is something you can do at home. And it's funny, I mentioned my my wife during the pandemic, when we couldn't really travel internationally. Like she has cousins in Norway, we couldn't go there. But there's a town on the Kansas prairie here called Little Sweden. So we decided to walk there, it's 22 miles away, it took us seven hours. But it was so fun. I've never, I've never experienced that 22 miles in that way before. I've ... it's always been racing by outside of a car. And so I talked to people and I saw little, little cow herds, and herds of horses that never even noticed before. And so I'm not saying that everybody needs to throw their door open and walk 22 miles, you could walk around the block, or you could go to another neighborhood and try a pub. I quote Alastair Humphreys, he calls these micro adventures, we're basically, instead of sleeping in your bed, you sleep in your backyard, instead of instead of going the same route to work every day you walk to work through a different route. And this is just a way of sort of getting the training wheels in a certain sense for the bicycle that is your long journey. And you just get into this habit of curiosity. And you start to dream about traveling, you start to anticipate further journeys, and you sort of give yourself permission, which in a sense, it's not really about making a ton of money, but it's making enough money to make a journey happen. And so permission is a huge part of it. And it's part of what a lot of those meditations are in The Vagabond's Way. But it's about slowly, even if you can't leave on a big international trip tomorrow. Creating rituals that make that big trip seem more possible.Lesley Logan  I am obsessed with this. This is like 100% being it till you see it like being the vacation and being the escape before you can actually get on the plane and, and you my husband, will listen to this, can we do a recap episode, but he would drive a new route to work every single day all the time, like (Rolf: That's great.) all the time. No, in LA, you pretty much want to do that because there's so much traffic or like, I wonder if this turn is gonna get me. Wunder if I'll find a new route here. But it is a way to get like to see parts of your own city that most people don't even know like. And we moved to Vegas in the pandemic and we didn't actually have a car. And people thought was so weird. Like, how do you live in Vegas with a car I'm like, "Well, you can walk places like it's not ... there's a sidewalks." It's not like LA there's actually sidewalks to walk on but but I found like living in a new city gave me that permission to have these little mini adventures because I didn't know anything. So I'm like, this is an adventure, you know. But we can do that today where we are and you are right. It's the permission part is the hardest part. Because a lot of people think that they have to wait and save up for the big trip. Or that if they're not going to some particular like known place that maybe it's not safe to go or maybe they need to be part of a group. And so doing those little micro adventures where they have to be resourceful, and they get lost, and they have to figure out directions is really a great way of practicing it.Rolf Potts  Yeah. I think oftentimes people think they need to get a big trip out of their system. And I thought this way when I was younger, you know, I thought that I would work hard my whole life and then retire from work. And then I could travel as I thought. But you know, my grandfather was a Kansas farmer. And he'd worked harder than anybody ever knew in my life. He started farming when he was 15. You know, he quit school to start farming at that age. Well, grandma had Alzheimer's by the time he was ready to retire. And I don't know that he dreamed of travel necessarily, but he just wasn't able to enjoy his retirement with a woman he loved in that way that he thought he might have. And so I realized when I was young, that I needed to create this time. And so my first vagabonding trip eight months around North America, I thought I would get travel out of my system. But I really just sort of learned that it's easier and safer and cheaper than I thought it would be. And you don't need to just have one dream trip and then be done with it. So I think that you can start by you're talking about solo versus group travel, you can go on a group trip that's one week long to Croatia, just to get a taste for things and odds are, you're gonna learn that you don't really need that group trip that these restaurants are available to anybody who walks up and asks for food, you know, and that you can actually stay longer you kind of want to stay longer and you can maybe find a way to spend a month or two on the road too. And so baby steps, I'm all for baby steps. (Lesley: Yeah.) I think sometimes we think I'm going to do my dream trip and then I'll have my dream trip. Well you can have a little lot of little micro trips that lead up to a dream trip and they will inform that dream trip that will make it so much more dynamic than you ever would have imagined when you're sitting at home dreaming about it.Lesley Logan  Yeah, I am, so similarly, I don't think I got my passport till I was a little over 25. Because yes, it was somewhere in my early 20s, that you ended up having a passport to leave the states to go into Canada or Mexico. So I had to get one. And I didn't really feel like it was on an international trip until I went to Brazil. Like I don't know why that felt like it's like it doesn't doesn't feel real if I can still drive there. So I flew in and I ended up doing Rio by myself, which was its own adventure. But one thing I did learn, that I didn't know is it doesn't have to be as expensive. And you mentioned that earlier. But like, if you like volleyball, find volleyball, I'm gluten and dairy free. So even just searching for restaurants that could offer those things took me off these beaten paths. And I found other bloggers who had traveled before me, who had said, "Go to this restaurant, they have gluten free stuff." And so I found myself at this art school in Rio, there was no one else that wasn't a local and I got to experience this beautiful place. It was this old mansion, and I went on this hike. And I had was able to hire a guy to walk me up to hike me up to Christ, the Redeemer versus take the tram up to Christ, the Redeemer. And I would never have had that adventure. Had I not like Googled something that was important to me while I traveled and found other people's trips and other people's like journeys and like oh, and it was so much easier than I expected. And, and I didn't realize that you could it didn't have to be the most expensive trip I made a could be something that I could actually afford. And I realized then I was like, "Oh, international travel isn't that hard, it felt hard because I hadn't done it." And then once you do it, you're like, "Oh, I could take, I could stay a little longer." So I have been back to Rio a couple times. And I would love to take Brad but we keep bouncing around to other places. So I had to share that because if you if you do have something specific that you can look up, there's something that you really love, you'll find things that are so unique, and you end up on these interesting corners in these cool places.Rolf Potts  Yeah, little missions are great. Like when I was in Rio, I tried to learn Samba. (Lesley laughs) And I was terrible, like it was I failed as a Samba guy, but sort of that emboldened me to go to clubs with a dance salsa, or Samba and to hire a tutor to teach me Samba. And she invited me to different festivals around town, you know, I sort of it gave me a community, which is really fun. And just those little details, gluten free, whatever if you give yourself a mission or a mystery to solve, then suddenly, you're in that neighborhood that isn't catering to tourists. It's cheaper. People are as interested in you as you are in them. And like every place there's these mysteries like in Rio when I was there, like mannequins in stores are curvier. Like the the beauty, the vision of beauty in Brazil is not sort of this super skinny thing that you see in mannequins in the United States. It's like, yeah, these these are bigger curvier mannequins. And that's cool. And so it's like, if you see a city as a mystery, or if you use a certain desire or interest or even a limitation, to explore the city through that way, you find all sorts of delightful surprises along the way.Lesley Logan  Yeah, but oh, my goodness, it's like, I'll tell you a really funny story. It didn't feel funny at the time but it's it's funny to look back to. So, in Thailand, you know, they have their little motor group of motorcycles and motos are like Vespas, basically, to pictures, everyone, and I would see like three or four people on these with the driver. And Brad and I are like, "Oh, well, we want to ride on one, the two of us," which like, he's six foot, I'm five, nine. Right. So so but we're like, because he has a motorcycle back in LA when we lived in LA. And so I rode on back, like, "Let's do it together." So it was our last day in Bangkok. And we had I love vintage shopping. So we every time we go international, we look for a vintage shop. And then I try to find something unique and amazing. And so we're off the beaten path somewhere random and just finished our vintage shopping, we see a guy on a moto that you could hire. And so we think that we're negotiating two people, one bike, and then both drivers each hand has a helmet and we're like, "Oh, well, I guess we got a really good deal on two people and two bikes, but that's fine." We'll go because we didn't want to disappoint the other person. So we get on the bikes. And we're driving through and my husband's driver goes left and mine goes straight. And I was like, "This is not okay with me. This feels very unsafe. This feels like brokedown palace. Oh my God what's that to happen?" And so your brain is like going these like mile a minute. And we stop at a stoplight and I was like, okay, hold on. If he was kidnapping me probably wouldn't stop at a stoplight. And I am tall enough to put my feet down. And he could just go and I could just be standing here. So if at the next red light Brad is not back, I'm gonna just do that. And so we're we're on this tour. We're just trying to find this one restaurant and I look over this is we have to poach a red light and I see in the glass my husband's moto come up behind me. And I was like, "Okay not being kidnapped today." And I don't say this is like scare anybody but it was just like, it's interesting, the adventures that could happen. And it's more like no one was trying to do anything evil. It's just my brain went there. And it was a hilarious thing, which my husband then pulled his phone out and recorded the entire drive to where we were going. But we, we saw a very unique part of town. And we tried to go on a little mini mission that went terribly wrong, but it's a story that we have. And I, I'm appreciative of it, because, you know, it's not every day that you get to go see parts of Bangkok and experience that life.Rolf Potts  Yeah, no, and you put yourself there's so much not knowing in travel, you know, there's so much like, this money looks like play money. I'm not really sure what's it. The you know, this street car in Bangkok has is serving what I think are grasshoppers, and I'm not sure and I'm going to try. Or, you know, my husband is not there. So where am I going? It really, it compels you to put trust in the kindness of strangers, and it's yields rewards almost all the time that you're just in a place where you're, you're like a kid again, like you're not really sure what's going on. You don't know all the words of the language. But and Thailand is a great example. That's a great starter city in Southeast Asia, you know, (Lesley: Yeah.) more so than Myanmar, Cambodia, just because good roads, it's a friendly place. You know, I just love that as an entryway into Southeast Asia or Asia in general. (Lesley: Yeah.) And it's pretty chill too. You know, there's I'm sure there is crime in the city. But the travelers I talked to felt pretty safe in Thailand ...Lesley Logan  Well 1,000%. Yeah, I mean, like I live, it's really funny what people think about safety because my brain did have that moment. And then it's like, "Wait a minute, this person would not stop at a stoplight if they were trying too" (Rolf: Just a good detail. Yeah.) You know, like, it's just like, really important. But like, also, you know, where you live right now and people who listen to this, listen, live all over the world. But gen general where are you live right now has its own issues of safety. And I used to live across the street from the federal building in Los Angeles. And we moved to Las Vegas, they were trying to put us in like take us to like suburbs. And I was like, "I don't this feels really weird. It feels very clean. This is a this actually feels really uncomfortable for me." Where where we are about out these houses like oh, it's an anon safe area. It's like, well, what does that mean? Because I grew I lived for seven years across the street from people like shooting up and getting drunk. I mean, like, like, what are we talking about? What's unsafe here, like "well some breaking in" and I'm like, that's fine. But I think we we can build up in our head, what safety and unsafety can be. And what you find out is most of these places, they're so excited to actually share their city with you. And as long as you're being a little bit more wise, then you know, you can experience some great places. But I would say yeah, Thailand was very good starter Southeast Asia. Cambodia, Siem Reap is a great place because it is very much about the tourism, but you get out to the countryside, you definitely want to hire someone, I wouldn't personally go by myself yet. I probably will now that I've been there 15 times. But you know, I think I think it's cool to put yourself in that space where you can be curious. And then also challenge yourself to see that well, people are really nice. Like you said, they're really kind. And we tend to not think about that.Rolf Potts  Yeah, I think oftentimes the the negative things that happens to tourists kind of happened in tourist zones. There's people there, the the scam artists congregate in tourists, I'm not knocking to reason there's, there's, there's a reason why, you know, Angkor Wat or whatever, (Lesley: Yeah.) it is a thing. It's amazing there, but, you know, they're used to tourists, and they realize that tourists are sort of have a lot more money than them. And so that's where the scams are, that's where the pickpockets are. And there's ways to defend yourself get against that. But if you sort of wonder like 600 yards off the beaten path, you'll be like, the first outsider they've seen in a long time. And there's there's no economy in you know, those people have no pickpocketing skills, they have no scamming skills. They're just like, this is the most interesting thing that's happened to me this week. Here's this is this pasty American wander around asking me questions about this food, and I'm gonna get grandma and we're going to we're going to teach her how to fix it. Right. (Lesley: Yeah.) And so that is, and actually, you're right, you know that well. And the logic that applies to any city in America applies to cities internationally, don't go to don't get drunk and go to dangerous neighborhoods at bad times of night. Use your common sense and be curious and be friendly and ask questions. And people it's so great. I mean, this holds true from Kansas to us out of the world. If you take an interest in people people will be flattered that you're taking interest in them (Lesley: Yeah.) and they'll share your life with you. It's the kindness of strangers just blows me away again (Lesley: Yeah.) and again.Lesley Logan  Yeah, so there's one one thing we did we do off the beaten path in Siem Reap is there's a pagoda that's way off the beaten path. It's beautiful like you would you would when we pull up it's not that they don't see buses because they come in on buses for the new moon and and the full moons for holidays. But I came in and it was a high holiday for them, and we went to offer the monks food because the monks cannot, for anyone listening to this, no, no, they cannot touch through there has not been offered to them. So food can be there, they can't eat it. So we go and we are trying, no one taught us anything. So Brad is like lifting up a spoon and he's lifting up the ball, like lifting anything. And we're just like, "Okay, I'm like, lifting up the soda, like all the things." But you do this amazing ceremony for them. And then we sat down. And because we were out weighing in the countryside, we were very, we were more interesting to them and they invited us for lunch. And we had this very, very, like normal for that side of town, that side of the country lunch, which is very interesting for us. And it was so cool to share that experience. And you're right, we probably were the talk of the town for a bit. And especially Brad, because he was with like four women in the country side.Rolf Potts  Yeah, I think I think I like that you guys weren't quite sure how the ritual went? Because especially in those areas, you're given forgiveness, you know, people will look at you and it's like, okay, this guy is doing the ceremony wrong. But he's clearly not from here. And I bet he is pretty cool. And so I've had great experiences like that in Myanmar and other on the other side of Thailand from from Cambodia. (Lesley: Yeah.) I've been to festivals, I write about it in the new book in The Vagabond's Way about during rainy season, when I thought everyone was saying, "Don't go to Myanmar that month, you know, it's gonna rain every day." Well, it rained every day. And that meant that there weren't that many tourists there. And that meant that everybody at Vagon, which is their big field of monuments, they were just they took more they had more time for me. Right. And, and that was the cheapest pitcher of beer I've ever had. It was about 40 US cents. (Lesley laughs) It was nice, delicious pitcher of beer. And and yeah, it's funny how you get two travelers in a room together. And one story sparks a story for them. (Lesley: I know ...) So your your Cambodia story reminds me of my Myanmar story. And it was it was delightful.Lesley Logan  We wanted to go there so much. Um, so you, you mentioned that so in the book, you have like you said, you went to Myanmar on the season when some people said not to go. So what are some other tips that you have kind of maybe you shared in the book, but like, what are some things people can think about that are probably off the beaten path. So traveling, maybe not, when it's normal, maybe getting out of the tourist areas, because it probably is a little safer. And there's more interesting things, and people are more interested in you, and you can be interested in them. What else do we have?Rolf Potts  Well, I don't want to knock the beaten path too much, because it's beaten for good reasons I talk about desire trails, like there was this German scholar who's he couldn't figure out why there are all these shortcuts across the college green where he was studying. And so he had the landscaping department resod it and then a couple months later, they come back with their desire trails that those are the those were stewards, students wanted to go, those were the shortcuts. So the beaten path is beaten for a reason. But you don't have to go that far from the beaten path to find something that is more authentically, French, or Thai or Ugandan than what is right in the tourist district. And it's really about giving yourself permission and thinking, well, if I can buy this plate of food for $10, on the tourist trail, I wonder if I can get it for a fraction of that price, like a 10 minutes walk in this direction. And so really just realizing that there's no prescription you can, you can sort of do what you want. You're in a city full of people who live here and who have to buy clothes and have to buy food. And you can go into those non prescribed tourist neighborhoods. And in addition to having more spontaneous experiences with people who have time for you, you also save money, you know, staying in hotels where local people stay rather than staying in the big giant air conditioned complexes. And so really, it goes back to a word I come back to, again is permission, give yourself permission to take that trip, give your permission, yourself permission to take time and give yourself permission to just sort of follow your curiosity instead of your itinerary.Lesley Logan  Yeah, I am. It made me think of like, one of the things that I love about travel is we don't, we don't often we don't actually upgrade our phones to allowing us to take in calls unless we're on Wi Fi, wherever we are. And so what I love (Rolf: Great strategy.) because you can get very present. And you know, now you can download Google Maps on your phone, zoom in really quick and then zoom out and it will stay on whether you're online or offline. It's really easy, but but we I really love it because that walk from my house, even in my own village where I stay, or I have our house. I that walk from my house to where I'm going to go get my coffee that morning. And that coffee shop does have Wi Fi, it's 15 minutes long river no one can get a hold of me, no one can ping me. I can't be distracted. I can't be scrolling. So I only can take in how the city has changed since the last time I was there. And I think like it's so if you can do it, it's so worth doing because even when I was in Australia, which everyone speaking English, it kind of like was a Melbourne it's not actually like a very I mean it's a beautiful city to me. It's new but it wasn't like this unique thing, it looked like New York. Right? But not having any Wi Fi forced me to like look around and get curious in a place where I could make a lot of assumptions. And I find that to be a very cool thing to give yourself permission to do like, just, you'll get on Wi Fi, there's Wi Fi everywhere, you just gotta go pop and ask a question, but it allows you to get stay more present.Rolf Potts  Yeah, getting out of your smartphone habits is huge, because those are habits of home. Like when we're bored at home, we pick up our phone, when we when we, when we're lonely at home, we pick up our phone, but you've paid all this money go to the other side of the world, and you sort of had the same instincts, you're bored for 10 minutes in Melbourne or Cambodia, and you're looking at your phone, really? So that's a great strategy is just not buying the data and not being reachable. And my wife this summer did one step further. We were in Paris, and she decided she was going to use an old school paper map. And so while we had Wi Fi, when we were in the house, we were staying, she she did have to research the restaurants she wanted to go to but then she drew a little a little dot on the map and we used our paper map to find our way around Paris. And we weren't distracted. If we saw something beautiful and took a picture, we couldn't text it to our friends or posted on social media. That paper map forced us into a sort of presence in Paris. That was really delightful. And it's a good it's a good travel hack in a way just like yeah, don't buy the data plan. Don't, don't be reachable. Find a way to cut yourself off because you've paid good money and you've dreamt about this place. Be there. Don't distract yourself with your phone. Don't text somebody else. Don't post on social media. Just take that time in the middle of the day when you're not connected to Wi Fi and commune with the city, commune with the place where you've come so far to be.Lesley Logan  Yeah, oh my gosh, I like I need to get on a plane right now. Somewhere somewhere cool. So your books amazing. I'm I'm am doing the daily parts, because that's why you wrote it. And I kind of like I it's not going to be every day that I can get on a trip. But I do want to give myself permission to dream about them or find mini micro trips. So thank you for writing this and bringing this to us. Is there anything else people should know about this amazing book you wrote?Rolf Potts  Well, just that that it's a daily reading book, but you can use it. You can you can skip around, you can start with your birthday, you can start with Christmas, you can do whatever it's, it's not prescriptive. It's basically 366 ideas about travel and how it can enlarge your life. There's an ethos to the book, but it's not a prescriptive ethos. And so find your own way of being a traveler and pick it up. As I say in the introduction, if after reading a few chapters, you fling it aside because it doesn't fit in your luggage for a trip you've decided you can no longer postpone. Well, then it's done its job, right. (Lesley: Yeah.) Yeah, and so ...Lesley Logan  I love that. You were, and when I read that I was like, "Genius." And I and I love that you gave another permission slip for people to not finish the book before they they hit the road.Rolf Potts  Absolutely not a requirement at all.Lesley Logan  We're gonna take a brief break and find out where people can find you follow you learn more about traveling with you.Alright, Rolf, where do you like to hang out? Where can people buy your book? What's what's going on?Rolf Potts  Well, I'm an old school author, website guy, rolfpotts.com, which I've owned since 1998, is still the best place to find about my work. All of my books, articles. It also links to my social media accounts at @rolfpotts on Instagram or Twitter, although I don't use social media a ton, but it's a good starting place, I guess. And you can ask for it at your favorite bookstore, you can buy it online, but I'm a big fan of independent bookstores. And so call your local store and say, "Do you have this book?" And if not, "Why?" Because I'm curious, and to be inspired about travel.Lesley Logan  Oh, I love that. And I too, I think like small bookstores, thank goodness for them because they keep neighborhoods interesting and curious as well. Okay, so I am jealous that you own your url because mine mine is actually owned but I think a travel writer, (Rolf: Okay.) write my name.Rolf Potts  Well, I have a weird name. Is not many Rolf Potts is in the name ...Lesley Logan  I know, shockingly, Lesley Logan with an E Y has been taken before which I was like, "Oh, I know. I know." Anyways, it's okay. That's why there's .co. Okay, be it till you see it action item. So bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take from this episode, what do you have for us?Rolf Potts  Well, one thing is that that dream trip that you've been thinking about it, it really starts when you decide it's going to happen. Even if you don't have enough money or, you know, the wherewithal for a couple of years that I once you've decided it's going to happen and that you're not going to make any more excuses, then it becomes real. And psychologists say that the pleasure of travel starts in the anticipation phase. And so that's a fun thing. Even when you're working hard maybe you don't even like your job but you're saving money you're saving X number of dollars every week for this trip that you've been dreaming about. The trip is started in a certain way, it becomes real the moment you decided to make it happen. That's that's one of my pieces of advice. And it's it's a very optimistic one because how fun is that that your trip decides once you decided it's going to happen? Right? (Lesley: That's amazing.) Yeah. Tied into this a little bit is the second one which is make plans, research your trip travels, to your tier delight, it's good to be prepared but it's also good to throw out your plans when you're inspired by the place where you've arrived in. I think sometimes we plan our trips too carefully. And it's like, well, I sort of want to do this cooking class, or I want to go to this place that all the travelers are raving about. But my itinerary says, I should go here. So I'll probably go here. No, that's fine. Give yourself permission. Regardless of how detailed your itinerary is, give yourself permission to throw it away, the moment you find inspiration. And oftentimes you find inspiration, five minutes after you walk off the plane and you smell this new place. Right. So find that balance between making plans and then breaking those plans from inspiration. And my third tip, and this applies to everything in travel is just slow down. I know you're gonna have like 50 things that you want to do in a place like Cambodia, or Italy, or Peru, or wherever you go. But don't try to pack them into a small space, let your days breathe, slow down and realize that even having lunch on the other side of the world is a travel experience. Even if it's not on your bucket list this restaurant that you didn't know about until 10 minutes before and it's kind of delicious. Allow yourself to slow down, enjoy that place. And as much as traveling through the place, let that place travel through you a little bit just just sit still and be present in that place. And that's really comes with the permission to let yourself slow down and enjoy yourself.Lesley Logan  I I pictured myself in seven different places, as you were saying all those things. I love them so much. Y'all how are you going to use these BE IT action items in your life? How like, let us know. So you can tag @rolfpotts, you can take the @be_it_pod. Share this with a friend who you wish you could go vagabonding with or or or has had a trip on their mind that they haven't taken action on because you know, it really is an escape into yourself. I love how you put that Rolf, you have an amazing way with words which is why you're a writer. But also this has been a very fun conversation me to picture all the places I've been and the places I want to go. So thank you for this and everyone until next time, Be It Till You See It. 'Be It Till You See It' is a production of 'As The Crows Fly Media'. Brad Crowell  It's written produced, filmed and recorded by your host Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell. Our Associate Producer is Amanda Frattarelli.Lesley Logan   Kevin Perez at Disenyo handles all of our audio editing.  Brad Crowell  Our theme music is by Ali at APEX Production Music. And our branding by designer and artist, Gianranco Cioffi.  Lesley Logan  Special thanks to our designer Jaira Mandal for creating all of our visuals (which you can't see because this is a podcast) and our digital producer, Jay Pedroso for editing all videos each week so you can. Brad Crowell   And to Angelina Herico for transcribing each of our episodes so you can find them on our website. And, finally to Meridith Crowell for keeping us all on point and on time.Transcribed by https://otter.aiSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

He's back!!! And he's just as entertaining, endearing, and enjoyable as ever. Alastair Humphreys, author, keynote speaker, adventurer, film maker and blogger joins us to talk about the five books he's written that you absolutely want to have on your shelves for your kids. Through his writing, he hides education within grand stories of adventures. You'll learn about Alastair's experiences traveling around the world and then walking through Spain with nothing but a violin that used to play and make money (even though he could hardly play the violin at all!) Take the first step. Go. Alastair implores us to break down our adventures into small bits and step out of comfort zone and live full lives. You'll learn what project Alastair has coming next, you'll hear me tear up a bit, and you'll listen to Al commiserate on how hard it is (even for a pro-adventurer) to get his own kids off screens and out the door. We even have a little book club chat near the end.  This is one you may listen to twice and your kids will enjoy it, too! Subscribe and share with friends. Learn more about Alastair here: https://alastairhumphreys.com/ Shop Alastair's books here: https://alastairhumphreys.com/shop/ Listen to our first podcast about Microadventures here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/microadventures-because-even-small-adventures-are-better/id1448210728?i=1000554466135

EPISODE OVERVIEW:Alastair Humphreys is a British Adventurer and Author. He has been on expeditions all around the world, traveling through over 80 countries by bicycle, boat and on foot. He was named as one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the year for 2012.Some of his adventures include walking across southern India, rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, running six marathons through the Sahara desert, completing a crossing of Iceland, busking through Spain and participating in an expedition in the Arctic.In today's episode, Mike asks Alastair how he has developed a mindset that has allowed him to thrive on expeditions and build a business doing what he loves. Alastair opens up about the struggles he has faced in his personal and entrepreneurial journey and the key lessons he has learned about himself along the way.Learn how Alastair finds balance between his personal life and business and how he cultivates the space to find time for himself. In Mike's own words…”Alastair has been one of the most inspirational people in my life” - so enjoy this captivating interview.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:Alastair's mentors growing up and how they helped him in difficult situations.How Alastair developed the skill of commitment.The number one question Alastair hates to be asked.What Alastair learned about himself while going on big adventures.Alastair's biggest struggle between his personal life and his business life.How Alastair finds balance and space in his work to go on adventures.The personal struggle Mike and Alastair both share as entrepreneurs. FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:Click here to learn more about Alastair Humphreys.His new book, The Girl Who Rowed The Ocean is available to pre-order NOW! Available on his website, Kindle, and in paperback worldwide.Mentioned in today's episode “There Are Other Rivers” about Alastair's solo walk through India.Our 2.0 Men's Transformation Program is open for enrollment! Schedule your free clarity call to learn more.Learn and apply our business mindset success secrets to create more income, impact, and freedom in your business with our free 3-part mini-course.ENJOY THE SHOW?Don't miss an episode! Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and/or Stitcher. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts so we can reach more people.

Alastair Humphreys left his cozy home in Yorkshire in August, 2001 on his bicycle. He returned home 4 years later, having cycled 46,000 miles across the world. Since then, he has played the violin on the streets of Spain, rowed across the Atlantic, pulled a cart through the desert, walked through India, canoed the Yukon and much, much more. He joins us for this episode to share how living an adventurous life is a possibility for everyone. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-unmistakable-creative-podcast.

“The worst of what adventurers do is an exercise in vanity, chasing a scrolling, envious audience. At best, an adventurer makes people smile, challenges them to think, brings about change and inspires action.”  –Alastair Humphreys In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Alastair talk about what the task of an "adventurer" is these days, and how Al got his start in adventure travel (2:00); how one might approach becoming an adventurer in this day and age, and how to balance embracing versus recording the adventure (7:30); the nuts and bolts of managing things like sponsorships and social media (19:00); communicating with one's audience, including optimizing blog posts and email newsletters (35:00); working with agents, and when and why to self-publish books (47:00). Alastair Humphreys (@Al_Humphreys) is an English adventurer, author and motivational speaker. Alastair was the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012, and has written thirteen books, most recently Ask An Adventurer. Notable Links: Bill Tillman (20th century English mountaineer) Bear Grylls (British adventurer) Microadventures, by Alastair Humphreys (book) Buffer (social-media managing application) "Five-Bullet Friday" (Tim Ferriss email newsletter) Google Forms (survey software) Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, by Gary Vaynerchuk (book) Alastair Humphreys newsletters Austin Kleon weekly newsletter Kindle Direct Publishing (self-publishing platform) Creative Penn (website for writers) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.