episode 51-60

On this episode we discuss some of the recent travel related news we found interesting or relevant over the month of September. We break down 12 different news articles, including:  

Links to Articles:   

1.  The Bahamas Says It’s Open for Tourism After Hurricane Dorian. Here’s What Travelers Need to Know 
2. Goldblum Feeds His Curiosity in ‘The World According to Jeff Goldblum’ Trailer 
3. Yosemite Hangs in Balance as U.S. Parks Juggle Growth, Preservation 
4. 8 Takeaways From The Most Important Wildlife Event You’ve Never Heard Of 
5. You Can Get Paid $27,000 To Live In The Italian Countryside 
6. American Airlines Mechanic Who Sabotaged Flight Linked to Possible Terrorist Organization 
7. Tour Operator Thomas Cook Collapses 
8. Travelers Share Vacation Disasters After Firm's Collapse 
9. Rival Airlines Hike Prices By As Much As 400% After Thomas Cook Collapse 
10. New York's Central Park is getting a $150M makeover - Megan Uy - House Beautiful 
11. AirBNB Is Sending People on Sabbatical Again 
12. Dark Tourism: Are These The World’s Most Macabre Tourist Attractions? 

On this episode we talk with Joyce Azzam, who is the first Lebanese woman to have climbed the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. She concluded this achievement by scaling Mount Everest in May of 2019. As a Conservation Architect, Joyce brings together the world of adventure and architecture. Her love for outdoor activities has revealed a passion to research innovative approaches to protect and conserve cultural heritage, and more specifically, sites designated as “Cultural Routes & Landscapes.” Her ambitions are now polarized, as she aspires to become the second woman in the world to complete the Explorers Grand Slam. Through her mountaineering achievements, Joyce hopes to inspire young girls and women to follow their dreams, to challenge themselves, and break through their respective glass ceilings. 

Inside the Episode:   

• Born during the height of the Lebanese War, constantly on the move to avoid violence and destruction, Joyce developed mental fortitude that would lead her to accomplish some of the world’s most physically and mentally challenging feats. She finished the Seven Summits in May by hiking  Mt. Everest, and she discusses the obstacles she had to overcome in order to accomplish this goal!
• Joyce’s ambition (and she has a ton) has pushed her into some of the most dangerous environments across each continent. Now, her ambition is aimed towards the Explorer’s Grand Slam, where she will complete individual hikes to both the North and South Poles. 
• “The magic of the mountain changes you from the inside”. Joyce finds her spirituality on the mountain. Bringing her peace and purpose. 
• It’s ridiculous how much garbage has been left on the summit of Everest. Years of negligence have left mountains of trash on the trail, and we are finally seeing momentum to clean it up. Joyce is leading one of those projects - to protect what she loves and inspire future hikers to consider the health of the environment as part of their experience.
• Tents, clothing, waste packaging, and...poop. 28,000 pounds of it were taken up down the mountain in 2018. It's an issue that we (westerners) don’t spend much time thinking about after we leave. What happens to all the waste produced by our influx of tourism? Someone has to clean it up, and when that clean up takes place over 20,000 feet. The altitude presents huge issues on how to safely clean the mountain and who will do it. Joyce discusses the cleanup project at Everest with us on this week’s episode and gives insight on how to approach the mountain with a more sustainable mindset before we even set foot on it. 
• Joyce tells us that one of the best ways to achieve big goals (like hiking Mt. Everest) is by breaking them down into smaller, more feasible steps. Keep your focus on the minimal tasks (one foot in front of the other) and eventually you'll reach your summit. 
• “This is my story.'' - Joyce Azzam.
  • A lot of people put Joyce down, including family. She was told that she just wasn't supposed to have big dreams - she ignored them. Don’t expect her story to end with Mt. Everest either. Right now, there is no finish line.
• The Explorers Grand Slam is one of the hardest tests of physical and mental strength any single person can endure on this planet. Joyce is planning on becoming the third woman in the entire world to accomplish this. Follow her at @joyceazzamS7 and cheer her on as she completes the unimaginable.

Samuele and Daniele of Ordinary Jones are interested in symbolism and anthropology with a historical approach throughout Italy. During their travels, they visit the archeological places like conventional tourists, but they also look for ancient traces and unknown findings. These findings could be symbolisms, undeciphered scripts, or knowledge linked to traditional rites. 

Inside the Episode:   

• Samuele is very interested in the mystery shrouding some of Italy’s most well known archaeological sites. With Rome having a major influence on modern civilization, Samuele believes that uncovering information from these archaeological sites can provide valuable information on who we are today.
• Have you heard of the Tomb of the Diver? Built around 470 BCE this tomb is believed to symbolize a man literally diving into the afterlife, depicted as sea waves. It’s considered one of the few paintings of ancient Greek artwork to survive today. 
• One of Daniela’s favorite locations for Italian archaeological sites is in Sardinia. On the surface it appears the same, but as you look closer it is quite a different culture than mainland Italy with significant Greek influence. If you’re in a pinch to take it all in, a good stop would be the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, which houses jewelry, sculptures, and artifacts from ancient Italian cultures.
• I had to ask, are those beautifully carved, chiseled Roman statues an accurate representation of what those men looked like back in their day? The answer Samuele gave us - they’re likely exaggerated in order to present a more powerful and god like appearance to the general public and enemies. 
• Samuele has done some significant research of the Knights Templar during their crusade in Italy. There is symbolism stemming from the Knights Templar incorporated in tons of ancient Italian architecture. 
• Most people know the story of Pompeii, a town covered by ash and approximately six meters magma from the eruption of  Mt. Vesuvius. When the volcano erupted, the citizens of Pompeii had no time to escape, encapsulating them in the midst of their daily routines, and creating one of the most popular archaeological sites on the planet. Samuele recommends that after you walk the eerie city, be sure to check out the Pompeii museum in Naples. 
• Samuele had some really cool info on the Roman Colosseum. In the Colosseum primitive form, the Romans would actually flood the floor creating a giant pool where they would reenact naval battles, with gladiators acting as historical Roman soldiers. 
• If you’re into archaeology, architecture, or just Italy in general, follow Samuele for some really awesome posts on various historical sites in one of the most historically significant countries in the world. Get a quick history lesson and learn about a new site you could add to your bucket list the next time you’re in Italy! 

On this episode we talk with Christine, born and raised in Honolulu Hawaii currently works as an ER doctor. The shift work allows her to have a nice chunk of time in her schedule for extended vacations around the world. Today we talked with her about her hiking trips in the Italian Dolomites. We touched up on logistical tips on traveling to the Dolomites which included information on air travel, hiking, the food!  

Inside the Episode:   

• Christine recommends to set up base in the beautiful alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Setting up here will allow you to take multiple day hikes without having to camp in the mountains overnight. It’s perfect for those on their first trip to the Dolomites.  
• Ever hear of a refugio? Christine informs us that these mountain huts can provide you with a warm meal, warm bed, and some good company while traversing the Alps...for a cheap price. So ditch the weight of carrying a tent and sleeping bag and look for a refugio along your route!
• FOOD! One of our big questions was on the differences in cuisine between the northern mountain dishes and traditional Mediterranean dishes along the coast. Lot’s of cheese is what we were told… and beef, all fresh and free range, just the way it's supposed to be. 
• JFK to Venice, then a 2.5 hour bus ride up to Cortina d’Ampezzo. Then boom, you’re in the Italian Dolomites within range of some of the most popular hikes in all the Alps. It's that easy and well worth the experience. It also ties into the trend we’re seeing in “under tourism”. 
• Metal cables put in place by the Italian Army during WWI are still in-place and helping hikers scale the Dolomites today. Refortified for tourists, you can summit these mountains (with views of former bunkers) through the same routes used by the Italians when fighting the Austro-Hungarians!! 
• The Alta Via 2 is stunning. That's it. Just look at it. 
• One of Christine’s most useful pieces of advice for hiking the Dolomites, always check the weather! She ended up getting stuck in a massive thunderstorm, on the side of a mountain, with waterfalls appearing all around her. She later found out that storm did not treat a few other hikers as kindly as her. 
• Finally, we get some solid info on what peanut butter is like in Italy. “Watery, and just not peanut butter”. Haha, we’ll cut the Italian’s some slack on the peanut butter. They are responsible for some of the most amazing food the world has ever known. 

On this episode we discuss some of the recent travel related news we found interesting or relevant over the month of August. We discuss the rise in the trending slow-tourism, the Amazonian wildfires, and the clashes in the street and airport of Hong Kong!  

Links to Articles:   

1. American Airlines Flight to Africa 
2. Slow Travel Trend
3. Woman Retraces Journey from 100 Years Ago
4. Venice Cruise Ship Ban
5. Sri Lankan Tourism
6. Guy Gets Entire Plane to Himself
7. Honk Kong Protests Update
8. Agriculture and Global Warming
9. Where Libraries are the Tourist Attraction
10. Millenial Travel Companies
11. Amazon Rain Forest Fires
12. Self Culture Dooming Tourist Sites
13. Measles Traveler in US

Kelly Abanda spent her early adult life according to the structured template that society has laid out in corporate America. However, something was missing. Kelly’s soul longed for more meaning and adventure.  At first, she was too afraid (of failure, of people’s judgement, of making the wrong choice, etc.) to make any changes.  Then one day it hit her---if she wanted a different life, she had to make different choices and it was 100% up to her to create the life she wanted.  That gave her the courage to finally take the leap. She quit her secure job to embark on an adventure around the world! 

Inside the Episode:   

• What if I fail. What if I just can’t do it. But what if you never TRY?! In our conversation with Kelly of Design Your Detour we get incredible information on the how. How you can take that leap of faith into the things you are currently only dreaming about. Our conversation with Kelly was very profound for us, who were able to relate with the leap we took to start this podcast. 
• In 2000 the average American took 21 days of vacation. Now, Americans enjoy only about 16 days away from their jobs. There are a multitude of reasons behind the decline in some R&R, but what Kelly (and we) wanted to get across in this episode is the importance we put on self improvement. 
• Design Your Detour is about setting your intentions. If you’re reading, this you likely have the capability to ensure your own intentional changes and shifts in your mentality and ultimately your lifestyle. 
• What do you want your life to look like? Why doesn’t it look like that now? What do you need to shift in order to get it to where you want your life to be? Kelly found her shift and now she is helping others achieve the same. 
• Kelly conducts group workshops and individual coaching opportunities in cities around the United States through . “From Dreaming to Doing: Start Creating the Life You Love!”
• Fear is a very powerful motivator. It’s not all fun and games in your transition to a new you. It’s actually a lot of work and one of the biggest feats anyone has to overcome is their underlying fear of failure. In our conversation with Kelly we try to tackle the reasons behind our underlying fear of failure and how we can overcome it. 
• Being clear with what you want out of life seems like an obvious thing to be in control of. The reality, however, is that it’s easy to let that slip away. Kelly helps people get back on track towards their goals. 
• Whether you want to travel the world full time, travel for longer periods of time, or never leave your house again, you should be the one in control of those decisions. In order to take control of your life again you may need to make some changes to your job, relationships, or mental attitude. Search no further than Kelly - who has made it her mission to help people take back control of their lives!

On this episode we discuss some of the recent travel related news we found interesting or relevant over the month of July. From the electric car trail through the Alps with Switzerland's Grand Tour to wondering how often airplanes actually get a decent scrub down!  

Inside the Episode:   

• Indiana Dunes National Park
• Electrifying Travel
• Grand E-Tour
• Daffodil Hill
• New Shark Species
• How Much Do Planes Actually Get Cleaned?
• Global Entry
• Uzbekistan Subway
• San Francisco Airport Not Selling Water in Plastic Bottles