Zero To Travel Podcast : National Geographic Type Adventures, Lifestyle Design Like Tim Ferriss Plus Inspiration Like Ted

Have you ever thought of being an au pair? Do you think you need the perfect travel job? Caroline Harkins has been living in Norway for nearly two years as an au pair (and is hoping to stay after her contract ends!). But what exactly does an au pair do, and how does it allow you to travel? Today, you'll learn why being an au pair is more than just taking care of kids. You'll hear about what led her to become an au pair, insight into finding jobs, and creating a life in a new country. What can you do to start your life abroad? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. We're pulling past episodes from the archives to highlight travel jobs this month! This episode was originally published in 2018. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: Why she landed on Norway and red flags to look for when choosing your country The qualifications you need to become an au pair How this

Want to stay up to date on the latest in travel? Tune in for my top five trends, tools, and tips for February 2024. Plus, I’m sharing a recent epiphany that will exponentially improve my year - and it could help you, too! What did you think of this episode? What do you want to hear more about? I'd love to get your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: Why now may be the best time to book your flights The newest countries to roll out digital nomad visas Two travel styles that are quickly gaining traction Why even the most spontaneous adventurers can benefit from some planning (trust me!)  A tip for enhancing your travel experience (or avoiding crowds) And much more  Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Want to travel with me to Morocco? Sign up for more info! Read the CNN article on airfare

Would you want to spend a season on a fishing boat? Hold on and get your sea legs ready! Today, you're getting an inside look into the Alaskan fishing industry from longtime fisherman Patrick. You'll hear all about his beginnings on board a fishing boat at 13 and his life now as the captain of his own ship (plus his plans to bring his girlfriend on board!). You'll learn about making money while you travel, how to use seasonal jobs to fuel your adventures, and more. Are you up for the adventure? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. We're pulling past episodes from the archives to highlight travel jobs this month! This episode was originally published in 2019. Tune In To Learn: The hierarchy and positions on a boat What you need to work on a fishing boat How to encounter locals (and the world) in a different way How his experiences redefined his baseline of comfort and who he is as a person Typical pay for fishing boat crews How to find work and tips to make

What is the Blaxit movement, and why are Black Americans deciding to move abroad? Chrishan Wright is a leader at the forefront of the Blaxit movement and the founder of Blaxit Global, a visionary platform dedicated to empowering the African diaspora to pursue a life abroad. She is also the host of the Blaxit Global Podcast, featuring inspiring conversations with trailblazing Black expats who left their country of origin out of fear or frustration to live out their wildest dreams abroad. Chrishan unpacks this question and shares insight into the movement’s current and future direction. As an expat living in Portugal, we also get into her #1 strategy for setting yourself up for happiness with a move abroad, advice for living abroad as an introvert, and some of the best destinations to move to. Are you considering a move abroad? I'd love to hear why and where you’re headed! Send me an audio message and let me know. Tune In To Learn: How to structure a scouting trip and why it’s essential to get into the mindset

Want to build a life of travel but not sure where to begin? Tune in every Thursday this month as we reshare some epic past episodes on travel jobs! Today, I’m sharing a quick story about how I got started in travel and highlighting three myths about travel jobs that will help open your mind to what’s possible.  What questions do you have about travel jobs? What other themes do you want to see highlighted on the show? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Resources: Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - US Bank, Wise, Nissan Thanks To Our Sponsors US Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card get 4 X the points on eating out and 2 X the points on groceries, entertainment services, and gas or EV charge stations. Apply today at usbank.com/altitudego to get 20,000 points by spending $1,000 in your first 90 days.  There’s no better vehicle for adventure than the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. Learn more at www.nissanusa.com. Wise can help you send, spend

From economic turbulence and overworked employees to the issues that affect everyday travelers, like delays, cancellations, lost luggage, and reduced routes – it's safe to say the airport experience has gotten pretty rough! Ganesh Sitaraman is on a mission to improve the airline industry for travelers, and his new book Why Flying Is Miserable: And How to Fix It lays out a plan for how leaders could fix flying to serve more people more efficiently and with fewer federal bailouts and headaches. Ganesh is a Doctor of Law from Harvard and is currently a Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University Law School. He’s a policy expert who teaches and writes about constitutional law, the regulatory state, economic policy, democracy, and foreign affairs.  In this episode, Ganesh and I unpack some of these problems with the US airline industry and take a look at the potential solutions through the eyes of a policy expert. While policy reform might not be something you thought you’d ever get excited about, you’re going to be

Looking for inspiration to make your travel dreams a reality in 2024? We're republishing some of our Transition to Travel episodes to kickstart the new year! Do you think you could sell your house, quit your job, and move to a new country? Tune in to learn how my new friend Jenita Lawal did just that, with her three kids too! You'll hear what it was like before Jenita left for her trip and the process of getting ready to make this huge change. Then, we'll time-travel eight months later to see how it all turned out and what it's been like living in Mexico. Tune In To Learn: If some of her fears came true How life is going down in Mexico Ways to open up new information If it's really worth moving to become an ex-pat How you can adjust on the fly to a new situation Options to homeschool your children What you can do about creating income while living in Mexico How much it actually costs to live in Mexico How to overcome obstacles And so much more Resources: Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's S

What does it take to plan a long distance walk such as Europe's GR5 and what are some things you might learn along the journey? Kathy Elkind shares her experience walking the Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France for over three months with her husband. She is also a teacher of mindful self-compassion and gives us examples of how a long-distance walk gives you opportunities to practice compassion. This episode is packed with practical advice on how to plan a long distance journey, overcome the challenges of traveling with a partner, and how to be more compassionate towards yourself. We also explore wise strength, suffering, slow travel, and why “to walk a country is to see a country.” Have you ever embarked on a long-distance journey? I'd love to hear about your experiences and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive cont

Looking for inspiration to make your travel dreams a reality in 2024? To kickstart the new year, we're republishing some of our Transition to Travel episodes! What one thing can help you travel more and lead to a whole new travel adventure? Transitioning to a life of travel can be difficult, scary, and even intimidating. Making that leap is a HUGE decision, one that Joe Ferarra didn't take lightly when he left his job and completely changed his life around to bike around the USA. Tune in to hear Joe's story, gain a new perspective, and learn what you can do (better) during your own transition. You'll hear what it was like before Joe left, and then we reconnect six months later to find out how it went! Check out these before and after photos of Joe! Tune In To Learn: How you can redefine home Ways to overcome your fear of leaving a steady paycheck What you can do to create a travel-based lifestyle How to embrace your adventure and enjoy it How weird things can make fun stories (think Bigfoot) Biggest cha

How often do you find yourself getting off the beaten path, and how have those experiences shaped you? In this episode, I have travel writing legend Joe Cummings as my guest, who wrote the very first Lonely Planet Guide book to Thailand back in the early '80s. We dive into what that was like, talk about what guidebooks have done to travel (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and the benefits of getting off the beaten path. He shares tons of stories that encompass his entire travel writing career, including one with Mick Jagger! What is your favorite travel story? I'd love to hear about it and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. This is a republished episode from 2020. Tune In To Learn: What led Joe to Bangkok How we went from Quaker College to a travel writing rockstar Finding the balance between feeling and communicating in guidebook writing The good, the bad, and the ugly of guidebooks on travel Joe's advice on finding and getting off the beaten path on your travels How travel has changed

Looking for inspiration to make your travel dreams a reality in 2024? To kickstart the new year, we're republishing some of our Transition to Travel episodes! What can you radically change in your life to help make travel happen for you? Tune in to get the scoop on Jordan and Tyler's "before and after" of their extended trip through South America. You'll hear all about what life was like leading up to their travels, and then we'll catch up with them after their trip to hear about their experience and what it was like when they got back. See how Tyler was able to radically change his life and learn how he and Jordan were able to set themselves up for travel. This will truly show you the impact that travel can have on your life! Tune In To Learn: What it was like building up to their drastic transition and the sacrifices they had to make How they decided on where to travel, and how they budgeted for a three-month trip How their life has been since returning How their plans and budget actually held up Their

Looking for some wild and wacky restaurants to visit on your travels? La Carmina has a passion for subcultures and “alternative beauty” around the world. She’s an award-winning travel and gothic fashion journalist, author, blogger, and TV host, appearing on Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Travel Channel, among others.  In addition to this list, La Carmina and I talk about her unique approach to travel and how her interest in subcultures influences her passion for these unusual dining experiences. You’ll get her advice on creating your own success and tips for seeking out alternative experiences at home or wherever your travels take you. What’s the quirkiest spot you’ve been to? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for on

Are you considering making a pivot in life or business? Do you want to create more time freedom to travel and focus on the things you love? Jenny Blake is a podcaster and author of three award-winning books, including Pivot and Free Time, and the newsletters #PivotList and Time Well Spent. After working at Google for five years in coaching and career development, she now utilizes her skillset to help people move from friction to flow and make changes in their lives that give them more freedom.  This episode is packed with advice on tackling pivots from both a mindset and practical perspective to create a life that aligns with your goals and values. Jenny shares how to identify when it’s time to pivot, what you can do to start taking action without all of the pressure, how to balance listening to your intuition with making “smart decisions,” and much more. What pivots do you want to make? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Her 51/49 appr

We're pulling an episode from the archives this week! This episode was originally published in 2020. How important has "play" been in your daily life? Jeff Harry is the king of play (and shimmies). As a coach and international speaker, he travels the world talking to major companies like Google, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines about how to tap into their true selves while embracing their happiness and fulfilling lives. We as adults spend a lot of time pretending to be important, serious grownups, but it's when we let that facade down and just play, that's when the real magic begins to happen. Jeff and I get into how play and travel mix, the importance of unleashing our inner child for both our physical and mental health, and how play can help you find your purpose in life. I hope you walk away from this episode with permission to play more and enjoy a little more "you" time. What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Will you be allowing yourself more play in your day-to-day life? Let me know by sendin

Do you really need medical insurance when traveling or working abroad? SafetyWing cofounder and CEO Sondre Rasch gives us the 411 on travel insurance and the unique offerings that SafetyWing provides for nomads and remote workers/teams. Sondre covers the essentials of travel insurance, and we talk about his approach to leadership as a CEO who is leading the charge of the digital nomad and remote work movement. We explore the challenges around where remote work is going and what SafetyWing is doing to be a part of the solution, including its mission to create a global social safety net and build the first country on the internet! When has travel insurance helped you out on your travels? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for onl

How can we look back in history to find inspiration and motivation for our next move forward? Today, Adrien Behn joins me to talk about the incredible journey of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland, two female writers who raced each other around the world in 1889. Adrien Behn is the host of the Strangers Abroad podcast and the newly released non-fiction narrative podcast, A Race Around the World: Based on the True Story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland. In this episode, Adrien gives us an overview of how their incredible adventure began, her creative process for developing the podcast, and how she relates to it as a world traveler herself. We have a deeper conversation around the art of storytelling, finding your voice, and the lessons from this journey that can inspire us today. What did you take away from Nellie and Elizabeth’s story? Is there a historical moment that’s inspired you? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to th

It’s our 10th annual Norwegian Christmas Spectacular! Get ready for some good humor, holiday cheer, and a funny surprise as Anne Dorthe and I take a look back on a decade of our favorite holiday moments and share our top 10 Norwegian Christmas traditions.  What are some of your holiday traditions? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1. Tune In To Learn: One of my most unforgettable Norwegian Christmas moments Why Santa won’t be bringing us gifts here in Norway and my big Santa fail The Santa Clause vs Julenisse throwdown Norwegian Christmas food and drink traditions (Christmas soda?!) My favorite part of the holiday Our top 10 Norwegian and family traditions And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium

Encountering animals on our travels is one of the most life-changing experiences we can have, but how can we do it in a more ethical and responsible way? Kristen Diederich is with me today to talk about ethical wildlife tourism and how to be more informed when choosing our animal experiences. Kristen is the founder of Compassionate Travels, which focuses on crafting ethical, wildlife-centric adventures for responsible, values-driven travelers. As an animal rights advocate and well-traveled adventurer, she has first-hand experience on the scale of animal suffering in the tourism industry and the challenges of finding experiences that don’t contribute to it.  Kristen and I discuss the complex issues around common experiences like elephant riding, taking photos, feeding and touching, and even cultural experiences like dog sledding. She shares the concept of “welfare washing” and why even some of the most seemingly ethical sanctuaries or rescues are still causing harm. You’ll learn how to identify truly ethical s

How can you use travel as an intentional tool for growth? Today, I’m joined by Nina Butler to learn about retreat planning and how you can create transformational travel experiences for yourself as a solo traveler or as a facilitator for a group. Figuring out how to harness the power of travel to transform is what Nina Butler does best. She went from a high school dropout to working and sailing around the globe on private yachts at 16 to eventually getting a Ph.D. in philosophy. She became a yoga instructor and launched her retreat business, InRetreat, which crafts immersive transformative travel experiences designed to open the mind and expand the heart. Nina shares some powerful concepts around intentionality and how to set the framework for a transformational experience. She gives plenty of advice on curating your own retreat-like experience, and we dig into the business side to talk about things like what to avoid doing as a facilitator, how to scout for locations, and the most powerful tools to promote y

Do you aspire to be a digital nomad? Today, I’m talking with Steph and Dalt to hear about their journey to becoming digital nomads as a couple and the realities of living the lifestyle. Steph and Dalt share what led up to their decision to live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the magical (and maddening) experiences they had in this digital nomad hotspot, and the health scare that ultimately cut their travels short. You’ll get tips on traveling with your partner, working from Asia while being time-dependent, and dealing with medical issues in a foreign country with language barriers. This episode is packed with lessons about leaning in, exploring new opportunities in life and business, and personal growth. What have been the highs and lows of your digital nomad life? I'd love to hear what they are and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to ans