Speaking Of Travel ®

Mandy Lea and Kendrick Callaway are traveling in a Teardrop camper while running a business focused on photography and teaching, guided backpacking trips, and creating rallies for fellow Teardrop enthusiasts.Such a sweet story too! Mandy and Kendrick were both already living on the road and working when they met and they share what it was like merging two tiny living spaces and lives. And now they've been together full-time on the road for 5 1/2 years.So what's it like to live together in such a small space and run a business 24/7?  What really are the actual logistics of living in such a small space with two people?Discover how great it is to really follow your dreams, and how challenging it can get when you're working hard to make those dreams come true.A must listen! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series with Ricky Crawford continues. Ricky is the host of the popular TV series Leave No Trace, and together we highlight the importance of conservation, sustainable travel and eco-tourism. Ricky shares what he's seeing as he travels the world and how destinations are making efforts to reduce their environmental impact and are committed to respecting the environment and their local communities. With current travel trends showing eco-travel and local experiences featuring travelers engaging authentically with the local culture, Ricky looks at why travelers are wanting authentic adventures to engage with the local experience and try to keep a smaller footprint when they’re traveling. A must listen.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Lance Henson is a member of the Cheyenne Nation of Oklahoma, a poet, cultural activist, and a teacher. His poems draw upon his Cheyenne heritage and he challenges perspectives through his writings and teachings. Lance's native upbringing and ceremonies are at the heart of his poetry and he frequently incorporates Cheyenne phrases and culture into his writings. He was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up near Calumet, Oklahoma, where his grandparents raised him in the traditions of the Cheyenne tribe.  Lance shares how his early life led to the discovery of his inner voices and how difficult it was to  find other poets whose words spoke directly to his culture, visions and experiences. Through a lifetime of travel, he found community. “It was the poets outside of America that addressed issues I could comprehend — words and metaphoric responses to genocide, ethnocide and human resistance to inhumanity." A must listen. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel ti

Pelumi Nubi provides travelers of color advice, inspiration, and a way to explore the world as part of a community. She shares how traveling can be easy, safe, and doable, especially as a Black, solo female traveler. Pelumi migrated from Nigeria to the UK when she was just 10. Her early exposure to traveling ignited her love and curiosity for travel and she has visited over 70 countries. Her goal is to visit every single country in the world because she truly believes this fascinating planet deserves to be explored. Discover how you can travel with Pelumi and some important travel tips to ensure your journey is easy and safe.Also on Speaking of Travel,  if you are looking for a home away from home when you travel, why not think about a bed and breakfast experience? Find out how Stephen Collins, along with his wife Robin, owners of The Applewood Manor Inn Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, NC, have created a relaxing place with a personal and family touch.  And Jen Brooks, editor and social media manager of Rom

Peter Shankman has been called a rockstar. His magnetic personality is legendary. He's a 5x best-selling author, entrepreneur and corporate keynote speaker, focusing on customer service and the new and emerging customer and neurodiverse economy. His passion for helping people and companies makes him a worldwide connector known for creating radically new ways of looking at social media, marketing, PR and customer service. Peter shares why loyalty is the only thing that matters in travel anymore and offers some timely tips to help your travel experience be better and more beneficial to everyone around you. Want to find ways to add meaning and make your life worth living? Check out this sweet, candid conversation with Peter Shankman and learn some valuable lessons on how to be your authentic self and live a life of service and fun. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Imagine turning your passion for adventure into a meaningful cause to help save the planet. Jasper Horsey shares why he and his three mates began Tuk South and spent the last of their savings on two Tuk-Tuks to travel the world and highlight the conservation of wild spaces and the people protecting them.Discover why Jasper, Josh, Ivo and Robbie, four conservation-minded adventurers living in Kenya, decided to embark on a daring expedition to raise awareness and money for rangers on the frontline -- by driving from Kenya to Cape Town, and beyond, in Tuk Tuks. Jasper shares why the fab four decided to set out on this odyssey to raise awareness of  COVID’s effect on conservation and the importance of wildlife rangers, the heroes who help maintain the balance between communities and wildlife. With the conservation of some of the planet’s most important habitats and wildlife in danger of poaching, illegal logging and the exploitation of natural resources, raising funds for wildlife rangers was an obvious choice fo

Annette Joseph lives half the year in La Fortezza, a medieval fortress in the countryside of northern Tuscany. She loves entertaining and offers creative retreats and workshops teaching styling, photography, painting and cooking. And did I mention shopping? Annette's book about the renovation journey of La Fortezza is covered in her book, "Italy is My Boyfriend." Her new book about the retreats she holds there, "My Italian Guestbook," is a fun-centric book about  life-changing experiences, crazy parties and great food. You feel like you're there and realize you really want to be there! If you ever dreamed of harvesting Italian grapes for wine, picnicking in olive groves, dining on local streets, painting al fresco, learning to cook like an Italian or enjoying movies under the stars, this is a must listen! Ciao Ciao! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace series continues on location in Australia with Richard Crawford where he's busy working on Season Two of Leave No Trace TV. After a whirl-wind few months of travel, Ricky is in Australia with the show’s director and cameraman (and so much more), Ben Alcott. Listening to these two is a real treat! Ricky and Ben share how they’re witnessing a greener travel space emerge and how their views have changed over these last few years in relation to ecotourism and sustainability. They fondly share how they got interested in travel and sustainability and how the Amazon Prime television show, Leave No Trace, began. Discover some pretty cool places around this world where the destinations are making quiet change for their communities and the planet. And learn some practical tips for environmentally friendly travel that are easy to achieve.  A must listen! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can be

Namrata Patel’s poignant and witty story, “The Candid Life of Meena Dave,” explores diaspora and dual-cultural identity among Indian Americans and why traveling helps to better understand what home really means.Namrata explores why travel, patience and perseverance are valuable traits to cultivate and pushes you to keep trying. "There’s an old saying that goes, 'If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.' This captures the essence of perseverance. Even when things get hard – which they almost always do – perseverance pushes you to keep trying."Also on Speaking of Travel, Jen Brooks of Romantic Asheville.com. provides a fall color forecast for the Blue Ridge Mountain region in Western North Carolina and shares how to celebrate one of the most beautiful times to travel.And Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport fills us in on how the airport is dedicated to community engagement and how it supports the region with a fund

For entrepreneur Becky Cannon, traveling and learning from different cultures is an integral part of providing healthy and practical products for the well-being and development of babies and families.From an early age, Becky questioned her life’s purpose and wondered, “How can I contribute in a positive way to these overwhelming global challenges around me?” Fast forward 40 years and her marketing message has remained solid ~~ “Take care of your baby, Take care of your self and Take care of the environment.” Green Sprouts, Inc. continues to follow their company values: Intention, Curiosity, Integrity, Connection and Prosperity.Becky's book, Grow Healthy. Grow Happy. The Whole Baby Guide, is a complete resource for parents to give their babies a healthy beginning. Congratulations Becky on leaving a beautiful, and important, legacy. Also on Speaking of Travel is Leslie Hartley, Director of Communications for The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area to share how this 25-county region works to preserve, protect

Mark Chesnut is a New York-based travel writer and public speaker. He's the 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award and the author of the new memoir "Prepare for Departure" (Vine Leaves Press, 2022), which explores, among other relatable topics, the transformative power of travel.Mark shares some of his earliest travel memories and the role travel played in his childhood and adolescence. For Mark, traveling fosters a platform to build human connections by learning about culture, food and language and by discovering how people in other parts of the world live their lives just like us.  Also on Speaking of Travel, travel influencer extraordinaire, Johnny Jet, shares why patience is an essential skill to have when we travel these days and how cultivating and practicing patience will help you experience any situation with grace. A must listen! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more sa

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series with Richard Crawford continues. Richard is the host of the Amazon Prime TV series Leave No Trace. And today we have a special guest. Dr. Rachel Dodds has over 20 years of international experience across a wide spectrum of the tourism industry, is the Director of “Sustaining Tourism,” a boutique consulting firm and is also an Associate Professor at Ryerson University in Canada where she joined the Ted Rogers School of Tourism & Hospitality Management in 2006.Richard and Rachel understand sustainability means long term planning and management and that experience and understanding of diverse cultures and environments is a fundamental part of tourism. They share examples and tips on how to enjoy sustainable activities that don’t pollute or use energy and how to seek out local experiences.Rachel's new book, Are We There Yet?: Traveling More Responsibly With Your Children, helps teach new responsibilities when traveling with your children and explores how it

Chow Chow is a unique culinary event series in Asheville, NC, providing a platform to amplify voices working to sustain and strengthen its community and promote the culture and culinary scene.Rebeca Lynch is the Executive Director of Chow Chow and has served alongside the passionate and committed volunteer board of directors. She supports the region’s community of creative makers, helping build community by bringing everyone together around the Southern Appalachian table. Jael Skeffington is co-founder & CEO of French Broad Chocolates and is a founding Board Member and Vice President of Chow Chow. She believes in using business as a force for good and is guided by a mission to source with integrity, craft with intention and build meaningful relationships with sustainable farmers. Chef Steven Goff’s cuisine has been recognized by Food and Wine Magazine, Bon Appétit, Garden and Gun, The Local Palate, and other local publications. In 2019 he was named Chef of the Year by the North Carolina Restaurant and Lod

Traveling across the world as a solo female, Christy Teglo documents her unique experiences along the way. Christy shares what it's like traveling again after these past few years and how it feels to be in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and her nine-day hiking tour in Ecuador.  And Christy talks about her love for long distance thru hiking. Her book, Weathered: Finding Strength on the John Muir Trail, is about her three-week backpacking trip in the California Sierra mountains and how this adventure allowed her time to reflect on the things she holds most important in her life. Discover where she went from there! Also on Speaking of Travel, Laura Sheets McCall, ED of Asheville’s Independent Restaurant Association (AIR), is an avid believer in giving back to the community and is leading local restaurants to grow the development of the industry with a commitment to collaboration and a focus on quality and efficiency.And Justin Bellame, a travel industry leader and founder of the JB Media Group, co-founder of the

Clark Lovelace, Executive Director for the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority in Western North Carolina, shares how sustainable and educational initiatives help improve healthy growth and protects natural resources. Despite the challenges over the past few years, Clark, his team, and members of the community continue to step up. Their tourism leaders understand the needs of locals and guests and want to help improve their quality of life by taking care of each other and the planet.Clark explores current trends in travel and tourism and the impact to the region and how important it is to be focused on areas beyond simply bringing visitors to the county. Discover how the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority shifted from a destination marketing organization to a destination management organization in order to focus on sustainability, safety and infrastructure.Also on Speaking of Travel, go behind the scenes with Tina Kinsey, Vice-President of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development

Nicole Smith, founder of Flytographer, a travel service that connects you with hand-picked local photographers in many destinations around the world, turned her side hustle into a multi-million dollar business.Today, Nicole and her team have grown Flytographer into a multi-million dollar business that operates across six continents and was ranked as one of the fastest-growing startups. She is passionate about sharing her experiences openly to inspire other women entrepreneurs around the world. Nicole shares how she created her startup from idea to side hustle to over $25 million dollars in sales and how she had to turn her business around during Covid. When the pandemic hit, her sales instantly went to zero and she had to lay off 80% of the team. Nicole explains how she was able to come back and continue to grow a profitable, evergreen business. Also on Speaking of Travel, find out how Chow Chow, a culinary event in Asheville, NC, is pairing diverse community leaders with chefs to tell their own stories throu

Gandhi once said, “Though what you have to give may seem insignificant, it is very important that you give it.”Tanya Weaver, Executive Director of the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA), has helped families in some of the most underserved and marginalized communities in Africa. AFCA is a non-profit organization providing critical comprehensive services to infected and affected HIV+ children and their caregivers. Their programs are efficient and work successfully by promoting self-reliance and sustainability. Tanya shares how the organization helps the children in the programs become citizens of their country who are able to take care of themselves and know they have value. Also on Speaking of Travel, Corey Costanzo, co-owner of Still Point Wellness, a destination wellness spa in Asheville, NC, offers some unique experiences to move you along your quest for well-being. Corey lived and worked at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur and shares why maintaining an optimal level of wellness is crucial to

Milenlli Araya Masis is a naturalist guide in the Manuel Antonio region. Born in Costa Rica, she provides education into the country’s biodiversity with a vast knowledge of conservation, wildlife and history. Costa Rica has 169 areas of conservation protecting 26% of the territory, with 5% of the biodiversity of the planet. Milenlly shares some of the projects helping create successful conservation efforts in Costa Rica, including the reforestation of mangrove ecosystems in the community of Puerto Nispero, and Jacanas, a team of girls involved in bird watching and programs of conservation and biophilia. Consistent exposure to natural elements through biophilic design supports longevity and ensures future generations maintain an affinity with nature so they grow up to be stewards of the wild places and diversity of animals making our planet exceptional. Discover how an education center in Manuel Antonio is helping guarantee sustainability and environmental education in the Pacific of Costa Rica by doing invest

Francois Lemay is a professional goalie instructor and a hockey ambassador who traveled to North Korea to coach their hockey teams. His book, "If I Ever Make It Back: Coaching Hockey In North Korea," captures some of his stories about spending time with local North Koreans no one talks about and its resilient, humble, shy and down-to-earth athletes. Also on Speaking of Travel is Chef Luis Martinez from Oaxaca, Mexico. Chef Luis shares how he combines his love for cooking with his passion for social justice.  And Mark Bastin of Yonder Luxury Vacation Rentals explains 2021 vs 2022 trends and observations and shares some travel tips on how to make your journey less stressful. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series with Richard Crawford of the Amazon Prime TV series, Leave No Trace, continues. Learn how to better prepare for traveling and find solutions to become a savvy traveler. Ricky talks about his latest travel experiences and shares his observations on what we can do to be smarter about traveling and how to get the most value out of this privilege we have again. And how to be more mindful and patient by having realistic expectations.Today there are so many resources to help guide us to easily find travel info and help make better choices. Discover what you do to make sure everything goes smoothly.  Most importantly Ricky reminds us we must "take care of ourselves."And find out where Ricky and his team are going next for Leave No Trace TV.  Season two is off to an awesome start! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.