Educate Your Travel

In this episode I discuss a full week of exploring the wonders of Japan! From the amazing aquarium in Osaka and the friendly deer in Nara, to the beautiful temples in Kyoto, Japan has something for everyone. Listen in to get some ideas of what’s there for you!

In today’s episode, we rent a car and hit the road, traveling throughout Northern Israel. The Dead Sea, the Jordan River, the Galilee Region, and then head west to the Mediterranean and end up in Tel Aviv. So much to do, so little time. Listen in to get some ideas and general tips for your trip to the area!

Israel is a place I’ve always read and learned about, and to have all of the stories and pictures come to life is an incredible experience. From the maze-like streets of Old Jerusalem and the beautiful Dome of the Rock, to the feisty town of Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity, this episode will guide you through a hurried first few days in this amazing region of the world.

Short and sweet! While I don’t have a ton to say about Cyprus, it is a wonderful country that you should definitely check out if you’re in the area. Listen in for a few short tips and a couple of recommendations for this beautiful island nation!

On my second trip to Greece, I set out to do one thing: avoid the Summer crowds! While I spent most of my time out in the Mediterranean on the islands of Santorini and Anafi, I also visited Athens and was able to visit almost all of the big sites in just 6 hours!! So whether you need help planning a long layover, or want to know how I avoided the crazy cruise ship crowds on the islands, take a listen!

With only a quick stop in Lebanon, I was able to cross out a couple of awesome travel locations off my short list! This is an amazing country full of a varying range of activities: archeological sites, Biblical locations, hiking, skiing, you name it! I hope this episode not only gives you a few tips for traveling here, but also gives you insight into the incredible adventures you can have while there!

After spending two awesome weeks in this amazing country, I’m ready to give my final thoughts on it! I’ve learned a lot while planning and traveling and I hope this information will not only help you plan your trip, but also give you the encouragement (and the courage!) to go see it for yourself!

In this episode I explore Central and Northern Iraq, visiting the capital of Baghdad and Mosul. I also enter into Iraqi Kurdistan and visit the city of Erbil, one of the oldest, continually inhabited cities, in the world. As I wrap up my time in this incredible country, hopefully I leave you with some piqued interest and a curiosity into visiting it yourself!

Southern Iraq is an incredible place and one that I’ve been wanting to visit for years! Seeing the Iraqi Marshlands, Mesopotamia, the Ancient Cities of Ur and Babylon, and some incredible Islamic Shrines is a great first week in this incredible country. Listen in for some tips and itinerary help for this once in a lifetime trip through the Cradle of Civilization!

With very limited sources of information when it comes to anything dealing with Federal Iraq travel, you might have been stumped when trying to figure out how to cross from Kuwait into Iraq. Well be stumped no longer! I have tried to streamline and verbalize all of the important information that you need to know before crossing this border and have, of course, added my personal experiences in with it, to make it a little bit more interesting! Although not the most straight-forward border crossing, it is very easy, and I hope this podcast helps you prepare for the process of entering this amazing country!

Svalbard, Norway, home to Polar Bears and Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world! This has been on my travel list for a few years and I was so excited to finally visit! It’s such a beautiful spot and I hope you can get some awesome travel inspiration from this episode as I dive into the details of taking a trip there!

Castles, castles, and more castles! Copenhagen is a great city, honestly a new member to my top European cities list. There’s a lot to do in this amazing place, and I can’t wait to guide you through a short stay there!

While definitely not an all-inclusive guide to travel hacking, I try to share some ways that I’ve used to save money on my past trips. Whether it’s the obvious reminder to plan far enough in advance, or the hack of splitting up a flight between different airlines to get the best deal on each leg, hopefully this episode will help you save a dollar or two on your next adventure!

In today’s highly anticipated (By me at least!) episode, I rank the Seven Wonders of the World! These are obviously all amazing places, but some more than others. I also give my top tip for visiting each one. At the end of the episode, I share my personal seven wonders of the world as well, let’s see if you agree!

In this short episode, I’ll be winding down the Summer Adventure of 2022 in Barcelona! Thanks to some last minute rearranging of plans, a day trip to Andorra, a micro nation, also made it into this trip. Listen in for some tips about top sites in Barcelona, how to get to Andorra, and how to make the most of just a couple of days in this wonderful part of Europe!

In this episode I go over the ancient wonders in which to visit during your stay in the Capital of Italy! The toughest tickets to get in Italy are located here, so make sure you’re prepared to get online late at night to snag the ones you really want. I’ve also included tips and tricks for The Vatican in this episode, so plenty to learn!

Today’s episode covers the artistic wonders of Firenze! From the Uffizi Gallery to Michelangelo’s David, you’re sure to be wow’ed by this incredible place. Listen in for the what to do’s and the what NOT to do’s when visiting this amazing city.

In this first of three episode, I go into depth about the first few days of my trip in Italy! There’s so much to do and see in these three cities and hopefully I can do them justice. Listen in to find out what tickets you need in advance, which tickets you have to buy at the gate, and what I think is one of the best kept secrets of visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

I’m pretty sure you could spend years here and still discover new and exciting things to do! But with barely three days, I was able to make the most of it and see the main sights. Today’s episode will let you in on what tickets you need, what tickets you don’t, and how to survive being stranded on a runway with no A/C (BTW *bonus tip*, make sure your hotel has A/C!).

TAP Airlines offers a free 1-3 day stopover (Long layover) in Lisbon or Porto. I was able to take advantage of this on my flight from New York to London and spent a full day exploring some Portuguese highlights! Check out today’s short episode to see what to do, where to go, and what to try if you have just one day in this beautiful city.

Four days on the Big Island of Hawaii and three days on Kauai are just enough to begin exploring the beauty of this crazy state! Jungles, volcanoes, waterfalls, and more, make you feel as though you’re in a different country, however, you’re still constantly reminded of the comforts that being in the US allow!

Five of my most memorable stories having to do with Customs and airport security. From Mexico to Jordan, these stories span the globe and make for some fun conversations once they’re in the past! Also thanks for a year of podcasts, over 10,000 plays in over 85 countries and 6 continents! Someone get to Antarctica and turn me on 🤘🏼

Have you ever flown 20 hours roundtrip for a 36 hour visit? Probably not and probably not my most conscientious decision, but here it is! Rio is an awesome and vibrant city that definitely deserves more than two days to explore, but if you’re there for a long layover or just need to check off a wonder of the world, this is the episode for you.

Rental car troubles, locked hotels, and crazy tolls made Mexico a wild experience. But, I made it through and have some fun stories to pass along!

A long layover in what used to be the second most dangerous city in the world, Medellin, Colombia, is a great introduction to the atmosphere of South America. Great food, amazing views, and fun tours help you pass the time while waiting on your next flight. Listen in for a few tricks and a couple of tips for your trip to Colombia.

World Wonders, Early American historical sites, sand dunes, and lost phones, what more could you ask for in a trip?! This trip to Peru was absolutely full of cool and exciting things to see and do. This is such a diverse country and I can’t wait to share my time there!

Iceland is an incredible country. Every beautiful picture you see in preparation for this trip is literally only a small glimpse at what this place has to offer. From roaring waterfalls and intense volcano hikes, to gentle plains and goofy puffins, the land of fire and ice has it all. In this episode, I go over my trip along the Golden Circle and the infamous Ring Road, as well as my time at the Fagradalsfjall Volcano.

In today’s short episode, I cover a few key pieces of what makes backpacking and solo travel such a great experience and why I think everyone should try it at least once!

Scams happen everyday, no matter where you are in the world. However, while we’re usually aware of these in our normal day to day lives, knowing what tricks are in store for you at your next travel destination is something completely different. In today’s episode I talk about five (plus one or two more) of the most memorable scams that I’ve run into while traveling.

The National Park system exemplifies the beauty and uniqueness that the United States contains. Today’s episode briefly covers all of the national parks that I’ve been able to visit, as well as ranking my top five.

UNESCO sites cover the entire globe. With over 1,100 locations, they span everything from historical places to significant natural preserves. Visiting these places is always a great time and you’re sure to be impressed no matter what. Today’s episode covers the thirty sites I’ve been able to visit and ranks my top ten.

Turkey is an incredible country. All of the comforts of Europe, mixed with the history and culture of Asia. I loved it. Traveling during a pandemic definitely brought some extra challenges to the table, but being able to visit world famous sites nearly by myself, made it worth the hassle. Today’s episode dives into what to do in Istanbul, Izmir, Cappadocia, and more!

My favorite part of this two week journey was in the final half, as I hiked and explored through some of the most beautiful and famous national parks in the US. This episode will take us through Glacier, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Devil’s Tower, Mount Rushmore, and even the Badlands. Listen in to hear what to do in these amazing parks and enjoy some of my crazy stories that I had within them!

After Covid absolutely destroyed my Summer traveling plans, I regrouped and put together an epic two-week long road trip that would allow me to check off a few of my remaining states that I was missing. Today’s episode focuses on my first six days that took me from my home in Texas, north to Chicago, and then west towards Montana. These first few days were full of good food, random pit-stops, and surprisingly impressive scenery.

Today’s podcast is a short episode that overviews how I go about planning a trip. Whether it’s a week long drive around the US or a month long backpack around Asia, I usually follow the same basic steps when getting everything set up and ready to go. Today’s episode targets new travelers and will hopefully give you some ideas, places to start, and overall confidence when it comes to planning a trip.

Two amazing places that I’ve been able to spend a short amount of time in, are Jordan and Serbia. Both of these stops were manufactured layovers that I created to either save money, or to enable me to be able to see world famous sights that were in my vicinity. While both of these countries could definitely garner week long trips of their own, packing in some must-sees in a day is absolutely doable. Check out this episode for what to do in less than 24 hours, as well as a few crazy stories (and run ins with the law!) that I have to share.

Utah’s “Mighty Five” National Parks consist of Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Bryce Canyon. These are arguably some of the best parks in the entire United States, all stuffed into the southern region of Utah. Along with Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, in Page, AZ, this was a jam packed trip full of crazy hikes and breathtaking views. Whether you do it in a week, like I did, or spread it out into two or three, this episode will give you the insights of what to do, where to go, and how to get it done!

Greece is such an incredible country. From the gorgeous Aegean Islands to the thousand year old temples, this place will have you going non-stop for days! A week is definitely not enough time to fully explore everything, but if done right, it will give you a solid taste of what this historic country has to offer. This episode covers a week split between the capital of Athens and the beautiful island of Santorini. Listen in for what to do, how to do it, and some of my random stories along the way. I did forget to mention how awesome the Athens metro system is! Take it from the airport to the Acropolis for a cheap ride into the heart of this ancient city.

What could be more epic than spending 10 days hiking in the Himalayas? I don’t know, I don’t think I’ve found it yet. 100 miles + 17,000 vertical feet + 30,000 stairs = the adventure of a lifetime.

Vietnam is one of the craziest countries in Southeast Asia! Wild bus rides, alleyway bribes, and exotic fish markets are only the beginning of your time there. Laos, on the other hand, is a peaceful country full of monks and beautiful landscapes. Both are incredible and are sure to leave lasting impressions. This week’s episode dives into the best of the best sites, as well as tips of what to expect and how to make the most of your time in these incredible countries.

Backpacking might just be the pinnacle of adventure. Whether you have a one way ticket and no responsibilities, or a few months off and places to see, exploring Asia with just you and a backpack is an invigorating experience. Preparing for your trip is almost as important as the trip itself and hopefully these tips and ideas will not only prepare you for your trip, but help it become the craziest adventure of your life!

2020 was a crazy year for travel. Hopefully this next year will be a lot better for our passports! I’ve compiled quite a few travel tips that I use when planning my trips and some guidelines to follow while there.

What’s traveling without a few epic adventure stories to tell family and friends when you return? Here’s a few of my favorites ranging from a night hike to Pidurangala in Sri Lanka, to finding secret waterfalls in Laos. I hope you find them as entertaining to listen to as I do telling them!

A week in Paris is all you need to get a good taste of what it has to offer. This episode will explore some must see’s and some solid tips to make the most of your Paris adventure! Itinerary includes: Louvre, Musee d’Orangerie, Musee d’Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, Sacre-Couer, Arc de Triumph, Versailles, Rue Cremieux, Galeries Lafayette, Luxembourg Gardens, Moulin Rouge, and more.