Better Journeys Podcast

In this episode, Mark Hodgson and Steven Demedio explore a completely different way to experience a destination: leaving behind the rental car or tour bus and stepping onto a bike.

Joined by Simon Small, who recently completed the 160-kilometre Otago Rail Trail across the South Island of New Zealand on a hosted trip with Steven, the team discusses why slowing your journey down to human speed transforms the entire travel experience.

For Simon, who had previously explored destinations from buses and cars, the idea of riding 160 kilometres was initially daunting. But rather than a grueling athletic endurance test, the journey unfolded into a relaxed, rhythm-filled exploration where luggage was seamlessly transferred ahead, leaving the days wide open to stop for local bakery pies, taste regional wines, and absorb the snow-capped landscapes. Supported by e-bikes, pedal power, and a mixed group of fitness levels and ages, it proved that multi-day active travel doesn't have to be intimidating or rushed.

A major turning point came at the conclusion of the trail in Middlemarch. Driving back to Queenstown, the group traced in just two hours the exact route they had spent four full days exploring. That contrast sparked a powerful realization: how much of the world do we completely miss when we hurtle through landscapes on highways rather than immersing ourselves in tiny villages, sharing fireside conversations in local historic pubs, and taking spontaneous detours like trying indoor curling?

Crucially, Simon shares how this rhythm completely inverted the familiar feeling of returning home exhausted and needing "a holiday from your holiday". By blending daily physical movement, fresh air, and deep social connection with comfortable evenings and zero scheduling pressure, the trip delivered genuine rest, mental clarity, and rejuvenation.

Whether you are an experienced cyclist or someone who hasn't been on a bike in decades, this episode offers an inspiring look at how moving at a gentler pace helps you connect deeper, see more, and return home truly refreshed.

Inside this podcast:

What it is actually like to cycle New Zealand’s 160-kilometre Otago Rail Trail

How active travel can be accessible and relaxed regardless of your fitness level

The eye-opening contrast between a two-hour highway drive and a four-day immersive bike journey

Why combining outdoor movement with local food and wine prevents post-holiday burnout

How small-group cycling builds effortless, deep connections with fellow travellers

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00:25 - Beyond planes and cars: introducing the Otago Rail Trail with Simon Small

00:01:58 - Overcoming the intimidation of a 160km journey and finding the daily rhythm

00:03:01 - E-bikes, all fitness levels, and the joy of local pie and wine stops

00:06:05 - The comfort of having luggage transferred and hosted details taken care of

00:08:00 - Moving without rushing: avoiding the trap of "needing a holiday from your holiday"

00:10:08 - Earning the hot shower, roaring pub fires, and remote hospitality

00:13:46 - Age is just a number: why anyone who can ride a bike can do this

00:17:42 - Spontaneous adventures off the saddle: trying curling in Central Otago

00:21:04 - Returning recovered: the mental health and rejuvenation benefits of slow travel

00:23:03 - The 2-hour drive epiphany: realizing how much highway travel skips over

Stay Connected:

Better Journeys — Listen, follow, and join the conversation on Instagram: instagram.com/betterjourneys

Mind & Body Travel — Explore our wellness travel experiences: instagram.com/mindandbodytravel

Connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mind-and-body-travel

Learn more about Mind & Body Travel: mindandbodytravel.com

This episode explores the rise of solo female travel and why more women, particularly those aged 50 to 70, are choosing to travel on their own.

Mark and Steven are joined by Yvette from Intrepid Travel to talk about what is driving this shift, why women are becoming more adventurous, how group travel has changed, and what makes female-only travel experiences so powerful.

The conversation goes well beyond the practicalities of travelling alone. It gets into confidence, safety, friendship, cultural immersion, relationships, family expectations and the idea that sometimes travel is exactly what we need to reconnect with ourselves.

One of the most powerful themes is the idea of giving yourself permission to travel. You don't necessarily have to wait for your partner, friends or family to be available. Sometimes, taking the journey yourself can open the door to experiences and relationships you simply wouldn't have otherwise.

Inside this Podcast:

Why solo female travel is growing, particularly among women aged 50 to 70.

How female-only travel experiences can create deeper cultural connections.

Why modern small group travel is very different from the traditional group tour.

How travel can build confidence, friendships and a stronger sense of independence.

Why a better journey should leave you changed, connected and culturally immersed.

Episode Highlights

00:00:00 - Why solo female travel is creating unexpected connections

00:01:26 - The rise of the 50-plus female traveller

00:04:01 - Why safety matters when travelling solo

00:04:45 - The thinking behind Intrepid's women's expeditions

00:05:45 - Yvette's powerful experience travelling with women in Nepal

00:06:35 - Discovering the reality of menstrual stigma in Nepal

00:08:35 - Why the people on a journey can become lifelong friends

00:10:17 - Why women shouldn't wait for someone else to travel

00:15:13 - Choosing where to go and how you want to travel

00:17:12 - How modern group travel creates deeper local experiences

00:18:09 - Sharing a room versus paying for your own space

00:20:41 - Why Vietnam and Morocco stand out for different travellers

00:22:03 - How the 50 to 70 age group is changing travel

00:23:13 - Yvette's definition of a better journey

Stay Connected

Better Journeys — Listen, follow, and join the conversation on Instagram:instagram.com/betterjourneys

Mind & Body Travel — Explore our wellness travel experiences:instagram.com/mindandbodytravel

Connect with us on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/company/mind-and-body-travel

Learn more about Mind & Body Travel: mindandbodytravel.com

In this episode, Mark and Steve sit down with Kirsty to hear about her recent self-drive journey through Northern Italy with her husband.

Having already travelled to Italy before, Kirsty wasn't looking to simply tick off the usual hotspots. The brief was to get beyond the big cities and experience more of the country, which made a self-drive journey through the Dolomites, Cortina and Valpolicella the perfect fit.

Kirsty shares what it was actually like to drive in Italy, including the nerves around toll roads, parking, highways and getting used to driving on the other side of the road. But what comes through strongly is that the freedom of having a car created experiences they simply couldn't have planned. A wrong turn led them to Monza, another spontaneous exit took them towards a beautiful lakeside lunch, and stopping along the roads through the Dolomites gave them moments to simply take in the scenery.

We also explore something that sits at the heart of Better Journeys: slowing down doesn't necessarily mean staying in one place for weeks. Kirsty's three-week itinerary still moved through several destinations, but the intention behind the journey allowed her to stop, wander, talk to locals, enjoy long lunches and actually experience the places she was visiting.

The result was a holiday that left her feeling refreshed rather than exhausted. She returned to work feeling ready to go, which she believes came from taking the time to soak in the meals, views, local life and unexpected moments along the way.

From the spectacular scenery of the Dolomites to the slower rhythm of Valpolicella, this is a great example of what can happen when you give yourself permission to take your time and let the journey unfold.

Inside this podcast:

Why self-driving gives travellers more freedom and flexibility

What it's really like driving through Northern Italy

How unexpected stops can become the best travel memories

Why slowing down can leave you more refreshed after a holiday

How Northern Italy can be experienced beyond the traditional tourist hotspots

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 - Introducing Kirsty and her Northern Italy self-drive journey

00:02:05 - Why Kirsty chose to self-drive through Italy

00:03:33 - The unexpected moments that made the journey special

00:06:25 - Why leaving space in your itinerary matters

00:08:10 - The reality of driving, tolls and navigating Italian roads

00:11:25 - Discovering the Dolomites from behind the wheel

00:14:14 - Why slowing down creates a better travel experience

00:18:27 - Finding the perfect balance in Valpolicella

00:20:59 - Experiencing everyday Italian life beyond the tourist hotspots

00:22:26 - How to start planning your own self-drive journey 

Stay Connected

Better Journeys — Listen, follow, and join the conversation on Instagram:instagram.com/betterjourneys

Mind & Body Travel — Explore our wellness travel experiences:instagram.com/mindandbodytravel

Connect with us on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/company/mind-and-body-travel

Learn more about Mind & Body Travel:mindandbodytravel.com

In the first ever episode of the Better Journeys Podcast, Mark Hodgson and Steven Demedio explore a question that sits at the heart of everything they believe about travel: what actually makes a great journey?

With more information, recommendations and inspiration available than ever before, planning a holiday can quickly become overwhelming. Instagram, TikTok, Google, friends and endless opinions can create FOMO and turn a relaxing trip into a jam-packed itinerary where we're constantly trying to tick the next box. Mark and Steven question whether that is really what a holiday should feel like.

They talk about the importance of restraint, calm and connection, and why travelling well isn't necessarily about seeing more places or fitting more experiences into a trip. Sometimes it's about slowing down enough to actually experience where you are, connect with the people you're travelling with, and create space to reconnect with yourself.

They share personal examples from their own travels, including the Otago Rail Trail in New Zealand and time spent hiking and enjoying the quieter side of northern Italy. Both experiences highlight the same idea: when you remove the pressure to constantly move, you can become far more connected to the destination and the people you're sharing it with.

This episode also introduces what Better Journeys is all about and what listeners can expect from future conversations with real travellers, industry experts and people finding better ways to experience the world.

Because a better journey isn't about maximising how much you see. It's about maximising how much you experience.

Inside this podcast:

Why travel has become so overwhelming in the age of endless information

How FOMO creates jam-packed holidays that leave us exhausted

Why restraint and slowing down can create a better travel experience

How connection with yourself, your companions and the destination changes a journey

What Better Journeys will explore through real travellers and travel industry experts

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 - Welcome to the Better Journeys Podcast

00:02:02 - FOMO and the rise of jam-packed itineraries

00:03:10 - What inspired Better Journeys

00:04:14 - The importance of calm and restraint

00:06:07 - What it means to actually immerse yourself in a destination

00:11:24 - What listeners can expect from Better Journeys

Stay Connected

Better Journeys — Listen, follow, and join the conversation on Instagram:

instagram.com/betterjourneys

Mind & Body Travel — Explore our wellness travel experiences:

instagram.com/mindandbodytravel

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/mind-and-body-travel

Learn more about Mind & Body Travel:

mindandbodytravel.com