NEWEST EPISODE!

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Scott Lite is an ethnobotanist, herbalist, adventurer, seed-saver, plant hunter, explorer and apprentice to the shaman of the world. He was trained as an herbalist at the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism in September 2011. Scott is an associate of the Botanical Preservation Corps and was on the 2010 expedition to Peru collecting seeds and information on medicinal, edible, and sacred plants throughout the Andes. In 2010 Scott opened the Ethnobotanical Conservation Organization or EthnoCO which is a company based in Peru that leads expeditions and sells cultural wares. 

Inside the Episode:   

• Once again Scott brings us detailed information on psychedelic South American flora and how those plants were used by the continents most iconic ancient civilizations. 
• As Scott explains, disease played a major role in the Spanish’s conquest of the South American continent. It’s interesting to contemplate what the Americas would be like if disease didn’t have such a significant effect in wiping out the native populations.
• Peyote is a small round low growing cactus which grows under rocks in the southern US and northern Mexico. It’s also an incredibly powerful psychedelic drug, utilized by Native American tribes for centuries. This drug is no joke. In a 5,000 year old cave in Mexico they found the plant still contained the psychedelic compound. 
• Scott provided us with incredibly interesting and detailed information on psychoactive drugs used historically in South America, breaking down chemical properties and how these compounds alter the functionality of our brains. 

Joshua Biggers is a travel blogger, travel author, and digital creator living the Digital Nomad Life. Joshua creates informative travel content that helps people around the world see the world as affordably and as efficiently as possible.  

Inside the Episode:   

• Joshua figured out early on that you can get your accommodations paid for by restaurants and hostels by using your social media following as leverage. Now, as his following has grown so has his ability to negotiate accommodations and ultimately travel for super cheap and sometimes completely free. 
• Joshua is a hustler. Ambitiously sending emails to hostels, hotels, and restaurants in order to exchange free accommodations for social media promotion. It works, and as a result Joshua has turned to helping others follow in his footsteps with several travel books and blogs. 
• Let’s face it Americans - we got the short stick when it comes to time off. Our 2-3 weeks isn't cutting it. Don’t believe us? Talk to an Australian about their vacation time. Or someone from France or Denmark. They put us to shame, and as a result travel more and for longer periods of time. We’re jealous. 
• This hedgehog saw a beautiful 41 states on the road with Joshua as they influenced the online travel community with their postcard-esque photographs and travel stories. No travel partner? Fear not. Your travel companion can be a furry (or spiny) pet. Your travel pictures will be way cooler that way. 
• Joshua shared several horror stories when things went wrong while he was on the road. From broken bones to cancelled flights, he explains that travel insurance is a great way to protect yourself. As you’ll hear on the podcast - not having travel insurance set back one of Joshua’s friends $10,000. Yea, book the travel insurance. Thank us later. 
• Have you put your travel plans on hold because you didn't want to travel alone? Well, you wouldn't be...alone...in that thought process. We were glad that Joshua cleared the air on this and made it clear that people (and women) from countries outside of the US travel alone on a very regular basis. So, when COVID clears up, GO. Just GO
• Joshua is a hostel guru. He’s experienced hostels around the world and has written several articles and blogs that allow you to understand and navigate websites like hostelworld.com. If you’re curious to learn more, reach out. Josuha would be happy to help. 
• Josh literally wrote the book on travel tips and tricks! “How to Travel Cheap on a Budget: 101 Travel Tips to Travel the World”. Even experienced travelers who think they know it all will learn something new. It's pretty affordable on Amazon too. 

Ash Dykes is an explorer, extreme athlete, motivational speaker and 3x World First Record Holder. On this podcast Ash discusses his mind boggling hikes across both Mongolia and Madagascar where he encountered and overcame everything from mythical jungle witches to bouts with dehydration and exhaustion. 

Inside the Episode:   

• In 2014, Ash became the first ever recorded person to hike across Mongolia solo and unsupported, covering over 1,500 miles in 78 days. He trekked over the Altai Mountains, through the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian Steppe, all whilst pulling a wheeled trailer weighing 120kg, carrying everything needed to survive. Sir Ranulph Fiennes described it as being “an example of great determination, to achieve something that’s becoming harder all the time, an adventuring ‘first’, which would have proved both physically and mentally challenging”.
• “Every day was possible” As Ash explains in this trip, by breaking down this momentous trip into smaller steps, taking it day by day. He literally put the saying “take it one step at a time” to use and in turn conquered the first unsupported walk across Mongolia.
• In 2016, Ash achieved his second world record by becoming the first person to walk the entire length of Madagascar’s interior, whilst summitting its eight highest Mountains. An expedition of over 1,600 miles, taking 155 days to complete and faced many challenges, from being held up by the military, avoiding bandits, contracting the deadliest form of Malaria, crossing croc infested rivers, hacking through near impenetrable jungle during the cyclone season and much more.
• Ash has a hell of a work ethic. Meticulous planning and exhaustive weight training has set him apart from the herd. He's walked, alone, for miles, has fought dehydration and malaria...and he's not done yet. Tune into next weeks podcast to hear the remainder of Ash's story has he walked the length of the 155 mile Yangtze River in China. 
• Ash was invited back to Madagascar and named as the UK Ambassador for Madagascar Tourism; his promotion of the island reached over 350,000,000 people worldwide. Ash also became Special Ambassador of Malaria No More UK, an organisation working to eradicate malaria within our lifetime, an organisation also supported by David Beckham and Sir Andy Murray.
• Oh Gertrude. Ash’s trusty chicken that kept him company throughout this trip across the country of Madagascar. The reason? To ward off demons and witches of course. At least that’s what the locals told him….