episode 31-40

This week’s episode is Part Two of a two part series of your favorite travel podcast hosts and their good friend Brian Driscoll breaking down the travel logistics and planning for Peru. We get into the details of our AirBNB accommodations, restaurant reviews, and budgeting. We also provide insightful information on how to get from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo and then Cusco to Lima. We break down where we chose to eat and what we saw in the towns within the Sacred Valley, and general information on what you can expect to experience while in this region of Peru! 

Inside the Episode:  

• Ticketing information on entering and touring Machu Picchu
• How to hike Huayna Picchu and what to expect while in Machu Picchu 
• Information on the Inca Bridge and Sun Gate at Machu Picchu
• We break down our time in Ollantaytambo 
• We discuss our ATV tour to Moras and the Inca Salt Pans
• We include information on our ride back to Cusco and our last day there 
• Our impromptu food tour through the Barranco district of Lima
• Finally we break down our entire budget for this trip!

Mike Maggio signed his initial enlistment contract on August 8, 2007 and was quickly shipped off to basic training.  Enlisted as an Infantryman Military occupational speciality (MOS) 11B, Mike attended basic training at Fort Benning, GA and was later assigned to a stryker brigade combat team.  He spent 30 days in Germany during Cooperative Spirit 2008, were he trained with  German, Australian, British, New Zealand, and Canadian NATO allies. Mike was deployed to Iraq 2009 through 2010 and Afghanistan 2011 through 2012. His time of serviced totaled 10 and half years, and we discuss the physical and psychological aspects of entering active war zones.   

Inside the Episode:  

• Mike starts with the reasons behind his decision to join the United States Army. 
• We get insight on the air travel associated with flying to the middle east, including a unique way of landing in order to avoid surface-to-air-missiles. 
• Mike discusses his preparation for visiting the Middle East, including his review of Muslim culture and history. 
• Mike discusses his interactions with the local population while visiting markets and trying the local dishes in Iraq. 
• Mike’s experience within Afghanistan was drastically different from Iraq, and he breaks down the intense combat situations he had to deal with. 
• We finish off with the lighter sides of Mike’s experience meeting the military of other nations while in Germany...and almost got to experience Octoberfest. 

Grant Cross, who after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Finance and Investments, went on to be a Hedge Fund Credit Analyst and eventually a Equity Research Associate covering stocks in the Building Products and Materials Sector as well as Recreational Vehicles. After realizing how miserable he was doing the office grind, Grant decided to leave his job and travel around to every state in the United States, sharing his journey on Instagram. Since his departure from the traditional workforce, Grant started his own blogging platform crosstraveling.com. The goal behind Grant’s inspiration is to not only encourage people to travel, but to give them the opportunity to learn about personal finance and investing, too.  

Inside the Episode:  

• Grant tells us about the idea of traveling full time came to fruition and the steps he took to quit his job and hit the road. 
• We get tips on how you should build upon your idea to leave your 9-5 and build money to do it. 
• Grant tells us how to dial in on your “money dial” as a method for budgeting and financial planning.
• Grant gives us great insight on how you should stay motivated and ambitious with your side hustle. Stay focused and put in the work. 
• We talk about Grant’s goal to see every NBA stadium and every state within the United States.

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 sell cultural wares. 

Inside the Episode:  

• What is Ethnobotany and why is it useful for understanding culture? 
• Scott explains the Ayahuasca vine’s significance to Peruvian culture and history. 
• Scott tells us about his personal experience taking Ayahuasca and the variable effects it can have on your consciousness.  
• Scott discussed the legality of these plants within Peru and the United States. 
• We find out where we can purchase Ayahuasca in Peru and the safety concerns of purchasing this brew without fully knowing its ingredients. 
• We discuss how some of the Peruvian flora can help aid in altitude sickness.
• Scott tells us about some of the people who live within the Amazon and Andes of Peru, including their agricultural practices and how their culture ties into the use of these psychoactive plants. 
• Scott provides us information on his company, EthnoCo, which organizes tours throughout areas within Peru. 

Jacob Gilliland recently completed The Triple Crown of hiking. This feat, which only about 450 people have ever done, consists of completing the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail totaling close to 8,000 miles. Jacob has also spent time in Alaska to pursuing a career in guiding in which he still does today.Jacob currently work as an Outdoor Adventure Specialist at Appalachian Ski and Outdoors Inc. and guide people fishing in Alaska during the summer months. 

Be sure to check out his presentation on April 3, 2019 at Appalachian Outdoors at downtown State College, PA. 

Inside the Episode:  

• Jacob starts us off with his inspiration for taking on such a monumental challenge.
• We hear about Jacob’s encounter with a Mountain Lion on the Continental Divide Trail.
• Jacob tells us about his decision to hike the Appalachian Trail from north to south, an uncommon route for most people who tackle this challenging hike. 
• Food was a big part of planning these extensive hikes, and Jacob gives us great insight on what works for the long haul. 
• Jacob gives us some of his preferred methods for finding drinking water and how he was able to play it safe. 
• Jacob breaks gets into the various pieces of gear needed to complete these hikes, including backpacks and hiking boots. 
• Jacob tells us about some the highlight of his trips