Travel Tales by Afar

Colleen Kinder is a bona-fide Canadian. Well, kinda. See, she married a Canadian last year. And through him, she’s gotten to know Canada in all its friendly glory. But there was one place she hadn’t yet explored: the ViaRail train system. So we sent her on a 800-mile train trip through the Maritimes. On the way, she discovered what it really means to be Canadian. (It’s so much more than saying “sorry.”)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.

No crowds. No cosplay. On the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route—as author Peggy Orenstein discovers—it's just temples, trees, and a warm bath at the end of the day.Resources Listen to Peggy's story about hiking the Juliana Trail in Slovenia. Read Peggy’s other AFAR stories: horseback riding in Wyoming and exploring Yunnan, China.  Buy Peggy’s latest book, Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater. 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.

As she follows the trail of the country's most beloved author, novelist Charmaine Craig meditates on loss and hope.Resources Read Charmaine's original story for AFAR. Follow Charmaine on her website. Buy Charmaine's books, Miss Burma and My Nemesis. 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 three-week, 500-mile bike trip through the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert, photographer Peter Bohler and his fiancée, Celia, learn when to say "yes" to adventure.Resources Check out Peter's photos—including a few from Morocco!—on his website or on Instagram. And read Celia's version of events on AFAR. 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.

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent political commentator Sally Kohn on 24 hours’ notice to a city renowned for its “coffee shops” but where tolerance has its limits.Resources Follow Sally on Instagram @sallykohn or X @sallykohn. Buy her book, The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity. 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 pet orangutan, a 106-year-old grandma, and a wedding where 10,000 guests were fed. When writer and host of NPR’s The Splendid Table, Francis Lam, heard stories from his friend Azalalina Eusope about her life in Penang, Malaysia, he couldn’t help but marvel at them.  But when the San Francisco-based chef (who has served Barack Obama and the Malaysian prime minister) invites Francis to come home with her after a decade away, he discovers the complex family dynamics that underpin her stories—and the ways that food can bind even the most complicated families. Five Generations of Street Vendors In this episode, explore: What it’s like to visit street vendors in Penang, Malaysia   How a fine-dining chef recreates traditional Malaysian dishes    Some of the food traditions of the Mamak people in Malaysia  Remaking the Past with LaksaDon’t miss these transformative moments: [04:09] Star anise and curry: Rediscovering Malaysia’s comforts. [08:42] The sights, smells and salts of Penang’s street food scene.  [10:04] “I felt so gross for having my notebook with me.” A bittersweet homecoming. Time Travel Through Tripe SaladAs a teen, Azalina Eusope vowed she wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of the four generations of Mamak street vendors that came before her.In this episode, the San-Francisco based, Malaysian chef returns home with writer and host of NPR’s The Splendid Table, Francis Lam. Together, they discover how cooking Malaysian dishes does more than preserve her culture—it grants her the power to reclaim it. Resources: Read Francis’ original story on afar.comFollow Francis Lam on Instagram Dine at Azalina’s in San FranciscoCheck out NPR’s The Splendid Table 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.

Can a train be a travel destination? Welcome to “Amtrakistan.”On a quest to cure his chronophobia and calm his anxious mind, Eric Weiner, the bestselling author of The Geography of Bliss, books a roomette on an Amtrak train that travels from Washington D.C. to Portland,Oregon. Crossing the Country in a CabooseOn this episode you’ll learn:  What it’s like to take a four day trip on an Amtrak train.  The benefits of train travel for the anxious mind.  What it’s like to stay in a roomette with the best views.  Are Train Trips Worth It?Don’t miss these transformative travel moments: [01:28] Can a train trip cure my chronophobia? [06:06] Time: the abundant resource of Amtrakistan.     [09:03] “You’ve got to dance with the train,” she said. [13:41] Lessons about time, brought to you by Amtrak. “My Mind Slowed to the Speed of Life”The New York Times best-selling author, Eric Weiner, never left the train during his four day journey— but he discovered a new world. After traversing 2,806 miles, 12 states and four time zones, the compulsive watch checker finally learns to slow down. In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, step into the world of slow-train-travel and discover how one traveler found peace and connection aboard. Resources: Read Eric’s original story.Buy Eric’s book, The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Place on Earth. Watch the docuseries, Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss. Check out Eric’s other work. Explore more Afar train stores, like these tips for train travel and this Travel Tale about kindness and Canadian trains.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 day in the life of a rent-a-friend can run the gamut of pretend engagements, crying at funerals and a 30-second selfie with a teenager. In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, contributing writer Chris Colin travels to Tokyo to rent a friend. At first, he expected nothing but kitsch. But as he navigates his newly forged—and reasonably priced—friendships with Miyabi,Yumi and Yusuke, what he learns changes the way he views Japan and his friendships back at home. A Day In the Life of A Rent-A-FriendIn this episode you’ll discover:  The values and issues of Japanese society that created Client Partners, a rent-a-friend company.  The various reasons why Japanese locals are renting friends.   How you can rent a friend in Japan during your next solo trip. Kodoku: The Lonely Gap Don’t miss these memorable moments: [06:11] Real life fake engagements and other rent-a-friend scenarios.  [10:47] Hikikomori and a nation’s spiritual health: A conversation with Client Partners’ CEO. [16:22] Clarity, okonomiyaki and a genuine connection with a professional friend. A Cultural Phenomenon or A Cure for Loneliness? When writer Chris Colin first rented a friend in Tokyo, he was expecting something kitsch and wacky, like a cuddle or owl cafe. Instead, he found genuine connection and clarity about the elusiveness of friendship in his own life. What are the issues in society that create a commercial market for friendship and what does this reveal about the connections we are able to create?Resources:Read Chris' original story and check out his other work.Explore Afar's travel guide to Tokyo.Learn more about Client Partners, the rent-a-friend company that Chris visited.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.

Hoping to recreate the same magical trip she took as a teen, author Emma John takes her friend’s 13-year-old daughter to Venice. But instead of awe, she’s filled with anxiety as she flies through a packed itinerary and struggles to impress her teenage companion. Will a reluctant teenager give into the wonders of the Floating City?A Gondolier Wake Up CallIn this episode, discover: Ideas for a week-long trip to Venice, beyond hitting tourist hot spots.  How to (and how not to) dress for a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica.  What one traveler did to help a teenager fall in love with Venice.  “What Are We Going to Do Next?”Don’t miss these transformative travel moments: [02:13] A midnight chase in the streets of Venice. [05:38] Glass blowing at Murano, making Venetian masks and an otherwise packed itinerary. [07:35] The unexpected views that led to a breakthrough. Single in St. Mark’s SquareWhen Emma John was a teen, her mom’s single friend took her on a life-changing trip to Venice. An Afar contributing writer, and a traveler who is up for anything, Emma has written about country bluegrass, cricket and her most recent book is a memoir about singleness: Self-Contained: Scenes From a Single Life. In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, she rediscovers the magic of Venice and learns a thing or two about travel itineraries and connections. Resources• Read Emma’s original story. • Explore her other work.   • Check out Afar’s Venice travel guide.   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.

We sent Fake the Nation host and comedian, Negin Farsad, on a last-minute trip to America’s Heartland, aka Kansas City, Missouri. The author of How To Make White People Laugh, is six months pregnant and doing stand up in a comedy club that hasn’t had a woman on stage in five weeks. From waddling on the “wrong side of town” to sharing her experiences as an Iranian-American Muslim in an interracial relationship—she moves past the pleasantries of ribs and fountains and glimpses the heart of Kansas City. They Stared At Me While I Waddled. In this episode, discover: How a New Yorker walks her way through Kansas City sights.  A comedy set that parallels a tourist’s experience of the city.  The ways race and segregation in Kansas mirror the rest of the country . “Dirty, Hungry Comedy Eyes.”Don’t miss these transformative travel moments: [3:45] A traveler’s comedy set: Six months’ pregnant and sightseeing. [8:00] The “wrong side of town” and leaning into the uncomfortable. [11:22] Kansas City, united by “sincere booty shaking.” Resources• Read Negin's original story.• Read this Afar story by Negin about a magic mushroom retreat• Explore Negin's other work.• Follow Negin on 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.