The Thoughtful Travel Podcast

As a fairly hard-core extrovert, tackling the topic of “introvert travel” is something I have definitely had to leave to my guests, but Episode 103 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast is all about their experiences of travelling as an introvert and I found it all fascinating! First up, I chat with Samantha Fisher who surprised me by saying she’s an introvert - she’s from the US but I met her when she attended my travel writing course here in Perth and seemed far from introverted. Our chat reveals just why that is and it was fascinating. Next I talk to Michela Fantinel, an Italian friend of mine who has done a lot of solo travel, especially around Australia. As an introvert travelling alone most of the time, Michela has some really interesting observations about how people treat her. Finally, Lindsay and Marshall from the Tumble podcast discuss their differing approaches as introverts moving to a foreign country. You definitely have to listen to find out the strategy of an “aggressive friend-making policy”! Links: Hands On Journeys - https://handsonjourneys.com - use Amanda10 for 10% discount on any tour Sam on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/highhopestravel/ Michela at Rocky Travel - https://www.rockytravel.net/ Michela’s new group tours - https://www.rockytravel.net/group-tours/ - Australia and Italy Lindsay and Marshall at Tumble Travels - http://tumbletravels.com/ Lindsay and Marshall’s Tumble podcast - science for kids - http://sciencepodcastforkids.com/  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/103 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are certain places better - or perhaps easier, and more fun - take your children travelling? In Episode 102 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast we talk about child-friendly cultures for travellers, a topic that came up after I started hearing from my interviewees about some particular countries and cultures where kids were especially welcome. First up, I chat for the first time with Lindsay and Marshall of Tumble Travels. They moved from Austin, Texas to Barcelona, Spain with their young son and have been thrilled by how much the locals embrace kids - I particularly love the story of the soccer ball! Then I chat to Lucas Peters who has spent a lot of time in Morocco. He feels that Moroccans really bend over backwards to help with kids when you are travelling with them; we also segue into a bit of a chat on one of my favourite topics, which is just how much travelling can benefit children. Finally, I talk with Sandra Muller about her experiences with her young son in both South Korea and Japan, quite different cultures from Spain or Morocco but similarly welcoming to kids. Links: Hands On Journeys - https://handsonjourneys.com Use Amanda10 for 10% discount on any tour Lindsay and Marshall at Tumble Travels - http://tumbletravels.com/ Lindsay and Marshall’s Tumble podcast - science for kids - http://sciencepodcastforkids.com/ Lucas Peters - author and principle photographer of the Moon Travel Guide for Morocco Lucas Peters website - http://www.lucasmpeters.com/ Sandra at The Smarter Writer - www.thesmarterwriter.com Sandra Muller - www.sandralmuller.com  Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/102 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which destination would you love to return to? In Episode 101 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast I’ve asked some of my guests about the destinations they keep returning to. Mine, for the record, is Japan - I lived there for two years, and have been back twice since, but want to go as many more times as is humanly possible! My first guest on this episode is Lucas Peters, who currently lives in Paris - which used to be a destination he wanted to keep returning to - but he chats with me about a Moroccan town named Asilah. Next, I talk with Jim Jones about two popular tourist destinations that he likes returning to for many different reasons - Las Vegas, and Paris. I’m with him on Paris but I’ve never been to Vegas - I think he convinces me I need to try, though. Finally, fellow West Aussie Erin Holmes and I talk about the place virtually every Perth person has been to: Bali. Erin has been there many times and has plenty of good reasons as to why she keeps returning. Links: Sponsor - Hands On Journeys https://handsonjourneys.com - use AMANDA10 for 10% off any tour My Fiji post https://www.notaballerina.com/2018/06/thoughtful-travel-empowerment-tourism-fiji-hands-on-journeys.html  Lucas Peters - author and principle photographer of the Moon Travel Guide for Morocco Lucas Peters - http://www.lucasmpeters.com/  Port XIV restaurant - https://www.portxiv.com  Jim Jones - http://travelstoriesandimages.com/ Erin Holmes at Explore With Erin - http://explorewitherin.com/     Instagram - https://instagram.com/explorewitherin Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/101 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I asked in the Thoughtful Travellers Facebook group for some ideas for celebrating the milestone of releasing Episode 100 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast and Emma came up with the fabulous idea of going behind the scenes. Thanks to everyone who pitched in with more questions and especially to Kati Craythorn who offered to interview me. This episode is a chat with Kati asking me those questions and it was so much fun to talk about the origins of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, some of the technical behind the scenes stuff, what I like and dislike about creating the podcast and how it's changed me. It was just wonderful to talk to Kati about all these topics and I hope you all enjoy listening to it too. Links: Hands On Journeys/Thoughtful Travel Meet Up - 27th June 2018 - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hands-on-journeys-thoughtful-travel-meet-up-tickets-46836956598 "Arigatou" to sponsor Bokksu - http://bokksu.com - use the code THOUGHT5 to get $5 off your Japanese snack box order (do it - they're delicious!) Thank you to Kati who interviewed me for this episode - she's from Queensland and Beyond - https://queenslandandbeyond.com  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/100 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel safety is often a concern and I'm sure I'm not the only one who checks government safety advisory messages (often with a grain of salt, it must be said) before I travel to a new destination. But honestly, crazy things can happen whether you're at home or abroad and I tend to agree with Pam Lynch, one of the guests in Episode 99 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, when she talks about the sentiment that either it was meant to be your time or it wasn't. In this episode, I start by talking to Pam about her experience of the Nepal earthquake of 2015. I know Pam well and have heard her speak about this close call many times, and yet every time she tells the tale I end up with goose bumps down my arms and shivers down my spine. You just never know what's around the corner, and Pam tells the tale in a way that will make you think. My second guest is Margarita Pas, a Polish globetrotter now based in the United States, who tells me about a trip she took to Namibia. It's a great warning tale about being prepared and how it's often easy to be poorly prepared when we don't know the place - I know I have sometimes done things abroad I would never be silly enough to do at home, but it's hard to know all the details when you're in an unfamiliar place. Margarita took a rather exciting road trip and came out fine and able to tell the tale - and it's well worth a listen. Links: My tasty sponsor Bokksu - https://bokksu.com - remember to use THOUGHT5 to get $5 off any order of amazing Japanese snacks Pam's blog Travelling Bag - http://travellingbag.com.au Pam's book "How the Hell Did I Get Here?" - http://amzn.to/2Gs4QzJ Margarita's blog - http://margaritagypsy.com Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/99  Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever got lost when you've been travelling? In my experience getting lost usually means you have a fun story to tell and that is definitely the case with the guests in this episode of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast.  First up I chat with Kelly from Global Goose who had a bit of an incident following a hiking trail in the jungle in Borneo. All worked out well, of course, because Kelly lived to tell the tale on my podcast!! Next I talk to Erin from Oregon Girl Around the World who has a hilarious tale to tell of a family trip in Latvia. Let's just say that Erin will be a lot more careful with her Latvian place names in the future! Finally, I chat to Sandra Muller who has a particularly interesting perspective on getting lost when she travels (and one I wish I could adopt myself!). Links: My tasty sponsor Bokksu - https://bokksu.com - remember to use THOUGHT5 to get $5 off any order of amazing Japanese snacks Kelly’s site Global Goose - http://www.global-goose.com Erin at Oregon Girl Around the World - http://oregongirlaroundtheworld.com/ Erin’s post about bob sledding near Sigulda https://oregongirlaroundtheworld.com/latvia/wild-winter-fun-in-latvia-slide-down-the-olympic-bobsled-track-in-sigulda/ Sandra Muller - www.sandralmuller.com    Sandra’s new project is The Smarter Writer www.thesmarterwriter.com  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/98 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you ever get the chance to choose to live in another country (perhaps for study or work, or many other reasons) then you're very lucky because it's a special experience indeed. In Episode 97 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, I talk with three lovely guests about their experiences of living in other countries for work or as part of their studies and we truly traverse the world, talking about Thailand, Tanzania and China. First up, I speak with Clare Harris who spent several years living in Thailand and teaching English to people from bordering countries. She had an amazing experience and we chat about how she learnt what it was like to be illiterate, because the Thai language confounded her! I then chat with Eva Westerling, who needed to complete an internship as part of her studies at medical school and fairly randomly ended up working in a hospital in Zanzibar! We also talk about our desire to live in many more places around the world if we can! Finally I talk with Jacky Lamenzo, a teaching graduate in the States who couldn't find the right kind of work at home and so decided a bit on a whim to go abroad and teach in China. What she learnt there is a really life-changing lesson which I just loved hearing about. Links: Bokksu - bokksu.com - remember to use THOUGHT5 to get $5 off any purchase!  Clare’s site The Book Next Door - Australian ESL materials for adults and young adults - http://thebooknextdoor.com/  Clare Harris - Englishy Things - https://clareharris.com  Eva’s blog Not Scared of the Jet Lag - http://www.notscaredofthejetlag.com Jacky Lamenzo - https://www.jackylamenzo.com/  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/97 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Africa is one of those most amazing destinations, and of course it's not a single destination but countless different countries and regions which are all so different to each other - yet we tend to lump them in together, probably because many of us haven't got to exploring too much of Africa yet. I start Episode 96 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast chatting with Linda Schlencker, who has spent many, many months guiding small self-drive groups around various parts of Africa so really knows what she's talking about. We discuss some of the fears that people have that might prevent them coming on such a trip, too, and I have to admit that wildlife passing right by my tent at night is something I'm not entirely comfortable with either! I then chat with Anna Kwiecinska who has fallen in love with Morocco and spent some long stretches of time there in recent years. She tells in particular of her romantic vision of heading out into the Sahara - and what the reality was like. (Fortunately - still good!) Links: Huge thanks to this episode's sponsor, travel writer Alistair McGuinness - http://alistairmcguinness.com/ You can find Alistair's books at the Books page on his website - http://www.alistairmcguinness.com/books - and on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Alistair-McGuinness/e/B00E5X0K0I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1526892011&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=notabal-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=e749d44bc3fdb72c9cdb879a7ef43087&camp=1789&creative=9325 Linda’s site Self Drive Adventures - http://www.selfdriveadventures.com/ Anna Kwiecinska’s main website - https://www.annakwiecinska.com The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles - https://amzn.to/2Lf70WC  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: http://notaballerina.com/96 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mishaps and misjudgments are part of the fun when we travel - right? Well, at least that's what my guests and I decide in Episode 95 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast. I start off chatting with Matt and Marilyn from the Words with Winos podcast, who managed to make a bit of a misjudgment when they very first set out on their long travelling journey ... but of course, they recovered from it and I'm glad they did (I love following their travels!). Following on from that I talk to Samantha Fisher who ponders the idea that perhaps there are no mistakes when we travel. She has some examples of what's happened to her when she's made what we might call a travel mistake - and perhaps it's not all bad. Finally, I have a fun talk with Elizabeth and Jeff Newcamp, who have had all kinds of travelling adventures over the years and have rather a long list of mishaps to tell about - and definitely prove that mistakes often make the best travel stories. Links: Huge thanks to this episode's sponsor, travel writer Alistair McGuinness - alistairmcguinness.com You can find Alistair's books at the Books page on his website - http://www.alistairmcguinness.com/books and on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Alistair-McGuinness/e/B00E5X0K0I/ Matt and Marilyn's site Words with Winos - http://www.wordswithwinos.com Sam on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/highhopestravel/ Sam talks about staying at JumboStay in Stockholm - http://www.jumbostay.com Elizabeth and Jeff's blog Dutch Dutch Goose - http://www.dutchdutchgoose.com Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/95 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As parents, we have so many choices on the way we influence our kids. In Episode 94 of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, the influence we talk about is - of course! - travel. I love the way my son's habits, attitudes and personality reflect his many experiences of travel (and yes, he's very privileged, even though we are usually in the budget traveller category), and I'm happy to know that many other parents feel the same. My first guest is Stina Frantzich Gardiner, a Swedish friend of mine here in Perth, and we chat about how her two children have been influenced by their trips back to Europe - along with how travel influenced Stina herself as she was growing up in Europe. I then chat with Reeva Cutting who has quite a unique experience of travel as a child, when she would fly regularly within South Africa to visit her father. That experience has certainly set her up for a lifelong love of travel and importantly the confidence to do it. Finally, I speak with the always delightful Luke Mackin who speaks to the experience of travelling super-long haul with three very young children - my full respect to Luke and his wife for managing these experiences so well, because I'm not sure I would! Links: The life-changing magic of taking my son to Japan - https://notaballerina.com/japan2018  Stina’s site Birgit and Alvar - http://www.birgitandalvar.com/ Reeva at Proudly South African in Perth - https://proudlysouthafricaninperth.com  Luke’s Wild Sumatra site and blog - https://www.wildsumatra.com/blog/  Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Tweet me @amandakendle Hashtag #thoughtfultravelpod Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NotABallerina    Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/94 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.