Travel Tales by Afar

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka never really knew her dad. As a kid, she and her grandmother had moved from Japan to L.A. and, over the years, her relationship with her dad dissolved. Years later, she flew to Bali—where her father had retired—in an attempt to reunite. She thought they’d drink on the beach and stroll through tropical forests. Her dad, however, had a very different reunion in mind.Hear more from Atsuko on her website.Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Author Louis Chude-Sokei was born in what is now Nigeria, spent part of his childhood in Jamaica, and came of age in Los Angeles. This mix of places and cultures shaped his life—but also left him feeling unmoored. One day, as an adult traveling home to the United States from Nigeria, he passed through London just in time for the city’s famous Notting Hill Carnival. And there, in that swirl of music and people, he finally found a sense of belonging.Read Louis's memoir "Floating in a Most Peculiar Way."Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Chef Sheldon Simeon grew up eating his grandmother’s revered pork adobo—well, a version of it. See, the dish had evolved since his grandparents emigrated from the Philippines to Hawai‘i in the 1930s. He wanted to recreate the dish as it once was, but Alzheimer’s had robbed his grandmother of her memory. And so he headed to the Philippines in search of his roots—and the original recipe.Be sure to check out Simeon's restaurant, Tin Roof, the next time you visit Mau'i!Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

A decade ago, a group of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes was relocated to a remote lakeside peninsula in Kenya. But in recent years, due to rising water levels, the peninsula became an island, trapping the giraffes. In 2020, a team of conservationists set up a daring rescue—one that wildlife photographer Ami Vitale traveled to document. This is her tale.Explore Ami's work (and her new nonprofit) at amivitale.com.Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Soon after author and reporter Abdi Iftin arrived in the United States—the country he had dreamed of living in for so long—he was diagnosed with PTSD. Growing up in Somalia during the civil war had left its mark. His American doctors recommended medication, but Iftin was determined to find another way. What did he discover? The healing power of Maine’s forests.Learn more about Abdi—and buy his memoir, Call Me American!—at callmeamerican.com.Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Here at AFAR, we're beginning to dip our toes back into the travel waters. Maybe you, too, have booked your first flight? Or maybe you’re planning a summer road trip. Or perhaps you’re just now beginning to explore your home city or town. Wherever you’re at, we have heaps of travel inspiration for you in season two of Travel Tales by AFAR, launching June 10th.Get ready for stories, every Thursday, from some of our favorite contributors. Comedians, philosophers, novelists—they’ll each share a trip that changed their life. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

On a last-minute trip to Rio de Janeiro, author Carmen Maria Machado luxuriates in beach feasts, practices small talk—and confronts her travel anxiety.Resources: Carmen's websiteBuy now: "In the Dream House: A Memoir."Buy now: "The Low, Low Woods."Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

How does a nature-phobe learn to love the forest? Writer Shahnaz Habib returns to the jungle beyond her hometown in Kerala, India, to find out.Resources Read Shahnaz's work on AFAR. Follow Shahnaz on X. Preorder Shahnaz's new book, Airplane Mode. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Recalling her first trip to Africa, journalist Heather Greenwood Davis reflects on missed opportunities—and a legacy she’s finally ready to explore.Resources Follow Heather's family travels on her website. Watch archival footage of the trip. Follow Heather on Instagram and X. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Growing up, Lavinia Spalding believed she was destined to become a tocaora, or a female flamenco guitar player. It didn’t exactly happen, for reasons you’ll soon hear. One day, decades after giving up on her dream, something shifted. On a whim, she emailed three of the biggest tocaoras in Spain to ask for lessons. To her surprise, they said yes. Resources Listen to this playlist, which features one of the tocaoras Lavinia met. Listen to Pilar Alonso, Antonia Jiménez, and Marta Robles. Read the original story Lavinia wrote for AFAR. Follow Lavinia on her website. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.