Culture Cult Travel Show

Today we are joined by mu client and travel UGC Queen, Maddy Garrett and her crazy and unforgettable trek in Peru that went sideways. 

We also talk about how to build a  location-independent income with UGC (user-generated content)… to the truth about van life burnout and nervous system overload… to one of the most unhinged travel stories I’ve ever heard. 

If you’ve ever dreamed about getting paid to travel, starting an online business, or living a more flexible life—this episode is your reality check and your inspiration.

✈️ What We Cover:

•  How to make money online with UGC (user-generated content)
•  UGC vs influencer marketing (and why you don’t need followers) 
•  How Maddy built a $5K+/month UGC income working part-time
•  The best UGC platforms for beginners
•  Van life expectations vs reality (what no one tells you) 
•  The mental health side of full-time travel & digital nomad life
•  How to build a flexible, location-independent income stream
•  Tips for doing UGC while traveling or living nomadically 
•  The importance of consistency when building an online business 
•  And… the most chaotic Peru travel story you’ll ever hear 

💸 Resources & Links:

•  🎧 Listen to Maddy’s podcast: Paid to Travel (UGC Podcast)
•  Watch Paid to Travel on Youtube 
•  Follow Maddy on Instagram for more Travel UGC tips 

UGC creator, user-generated content, make money online, digital nomad jobs, van life reality, paid to travel, remote income ideas, content creator business, side hustle ideas, online business tips, travel lifestyle, passive income streams, beginner UGC tips

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Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
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Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the chaotic life of John Law — the Scottish economist who escaped prison, fled across Europe, and somehow convinced France to let him run their entire financial system.

We’re talking:

• Gambling addictions and duels in 1600s London
• Escaping prison and going full digital nomad across Europe
• The creation of paper money in France
• The rise and catastrophic fall of the Mississippi Company
• The financial bubble that helped spark the French Revolution

At one point, John Law became the richest man in Europe.
And then? He lost everything.

This episode covers one of the most infamous financial crashes in history — a cautionary tale about speculation, inflation, stock market bubbles, and what happens when you let a gambler print unlimited money.

If you love stories about:

• Financial history
• Economic collapse
• Stock market bubbles
• The history of paper money
• Wild historical scandals
• And... Gerard Butler!?

You are going to love this one.

John Law, Mississippi Bubble, French economy collapse, history of paper money, financial crash 1720, stock market bubble history, French financial crisis, economic history podcast, Scotland history, France history

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Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Hey y'all! I am taking a quick break to focus on creating better content for you and to record the rest of the season. 

If you still want more of me till then you can check out my business podcast that I record weekly: Your Girl 

I will be back soon to cover the countries of Iran and Australia! Thank you for staying loyal, I'll see you soon!

XOXOXO

Marie 

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Want your episodes early?
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Connect:
Instagram: @culturecultshow
Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

What no one tells you about being a digital nomad is that the freedom comes with a cost ..

Today I’m flipping the mic and sharing a very real, very unfiltered conversation I had on James Hammond’s Winging It Travel Podcast. If you’ve ever dreamed about getting paid to travel, building a business from your laptop, or living the digital nomad life heading into digital nomad 2026… this one’s for you.

This isn’t the romanticized “work from a beach in Bali” version. This is the behind-the-scenes reality — the burnout, the loneliness, the identity shifts, and the hard lessons I learned after traveling for nearly 10 months straight while running my business.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why I left the U.S. to become a digital nomad — and why I came back
• The difference between backpacking vs. being paid to travel with a business
• How travel burnout sneaks up on you (even when you “love travel”)
• The hidden loneliness of long-term travel
• Why co-living can make or break your digital nomad experience
• The truth about popular nomad hubs (and why Bali wasn’t it for me)
• How traveling too fast nearly wrecked my nervous system
• Why I believe most people shouldn’t be nomads forever
• What I’d do differently if I started again in digital nomad 2026

🌍  Check out James Hammond:

This episode originally aired on Winging It Travel Podcast hosted by James Hammond, where he shares honest travel stories, digital nomad realities, and global adventures from around the world.

🔗 Connect + Take Action

• 🎧 Listen to Winging It Travel Podcast with James Hammond
• 📸 Follow James on Instagram for travel + nomad insights
• 💬 Want my favorite co-living spots or digital nomad resources? DM me
• ⭐ If this episode hit home, leave a review — it helps more travelers find the truth

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Connect:
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Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Today I’m joined by James from the Winging It Travel Podcast, and we dive into his completely unplanned, absolutely wild trip through Lebanon.

From wandering into “red-zone” neighborhoods to hearing gunshots in Tripoli, visiting a Hezbollah museum, and being welcomed with next-level hospitality… this episode is everything travel should be: surprising, human, messy, emotional, and unforgettable.

We also talk about:

• Why “winging it” can make your travel stories richer
• How James has explored the world while working full-time
• What it really means to become a digital nomad
• The power of seeing places for yourself instead of trusting the news
•  Gunshots in Tripoli, Hezbollah museums, incredible hospitality

To Find James:
Podcast: Winging It Travel Podcast
Production Services: wingingitproductions.com
Instagram: @wingingittravelpodcast

My arabic playlist: "Yalla"

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Support the show

Want your episodes early?
Sign up HERE to the newsletter. You will get episodes a week early!

Connect:
Instagram: @culturecultshow
Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Ever heard of the time Scotland tried to become a global superpower… and instead accidentally bankrupted itself out of independence?
Welcome to the Darien Scheme, aka the 1600s version of an MLM.

Today we dive headfirst into Scotland’s wildest history fail — when a bunch of rich men decided to “colonize” Panama armed with wigs, wool coats, and zero survival skills. 

We’re talking tropical disasters, redheads, ghosts, Game of Thrones connections, and how one epic mess-up led to the creation of the U.K. itself. It’s chaos, history, and Scottish pride all rolled into one.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Scotland’s biggest “get rich quick” scheme (and why it failed)
• The wild true story behind the Darien Scheme
• How a few bad decisions changed Scottish history forever

key points: Scotland history, Darien Scheme, Scottish independence, colonial history, British Empire, Panama history, historical comedy podcast, funny history show, Scottish podcast, U.K. history, queens podcast style, The Dollop style

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Connect:
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Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

This week, we’re doing something special — featuring an episode from Queen's Podcast about Scotland's Maggie Dickson 

If you enjoy this episode, go follow Queens Podcast / @queens_podcast wherever you listen to podcasts  and let them know we sent you!

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Support the show

Want your episodes early?
Sign up HERE to the newsletter. You will get episodes a week early!

Connect:
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Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Today we unpack what it really means to work and travel—whether you're living out of a rooftop tent or being a travelling as a  "slowmad" tune in for honest insights, travel fails, and must-know resources if you're living the van life, a digital nomad lifestyle, or on your next backpacker adventure.

💬 In This Episode:

• Are you a Type A or Type B traveler? (Spoiler: one of us packs an air diffuser, the other forgets her wallet)
• The truth about van life that Instagram won’t tell you
• What it’s really like to work full-time on the road (as a backpacker or from a trailer)
• Showering in lakes, battling with FedEx in Thailand, and RV elitism
• The digital nomad loneliness nobody talks about
• Hilarious travel fails (a flaming phone charger at the gate?!)
• Our must-have apps & hacks for every kind of travel lifestyle

👋 Connect with Our Guest: Laura from The Travel Creator Podcast

🎧 Podcast: The Travel Creator
📸 Instagram: @travelcontentwriting
🎙️ Recommended Episode: "The 7% Rule" – tips for staying productive when everything’s dying (literally)

🔗 Van Life Resources (Mentioned by Laura):

• Overlander – App for finding free campsites with reviews and photos
• FreeCampsites.net – Community-driven listings of free places to camp
• The Dyrt – Paid app for detailed camping info and reviews
• Google Maps – Essential for up-to-date navigation (ditch Apple Maps!)
• Harvest Hosts – $150/year membership to stay overnight at wineries, breweries, and farms in exchange for supporting the business
• Planet Fitness Membership – For showers and workouts nationwide
• Public Libraries – Hidden gems for WiFi and peaceful workspaces

🌎 Digital Nomad Resources (Mentioned by Marie):

• Timeleft – Mystery dinner app to meet locals and travelers via personality-based group meals
• ClassPass – Global access to gyms, yoga, beauty services, and wellness
• CoLiving.com – Flexible co-living spaces perfect for digital nomads
• Flatio – No-fee housing platform ideal for long stays in Europe
• Travel Smoothie Blender – Lightweight portable blender for healthy meals on the go
• Tip: Never book layovers under 2 hours unless you love airport anxiety
• Skyscanner or Kiwi: for cheap flights
• SafetyWing: Digital Nomad Insurance 
• Bonus Tip: Traveling slow is the key to surviving as a working nomad

Are you a Type A or Type B traveler? Do you live out of a backpack—or a teardrop trailer? DM us on Instagram to share your travel identity and tell us why YOU are addicted to travel.

👉 @travelcontentwriting
👉 @culturecultshow

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Connect:
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Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Today we are covering a woman whose life was so full of drama we are still talking about her 500 years later... Mary Queen of Scots. 

We’re not only covering the twists, betrayals, and wild scandals of Scottish history, but we’re also reliving our own adventures in Scotland — from cozy hot chocolate in Edinburgh to getting terrorized by Scottish teens and even visiting the very castle where part of Mary’s story went down, Holyrood Castle. 

You’ll learn:

• Why Mary’s life was basically a soap opera-meets-Game of Thrones.
• How her choices in love (spoiler: bad ones) shaped the fate of nations.
• Why her name still sparks fascination centuries later.
• Fun and spooky Harry Potter connections in Edinburgh, including the haunted graveyard that inspired Tom Riddle.

Our top Scotland travel recommendations: Uplands Roast hot chocolate in The Meadows, Mellis Cheese Shop in Edinburgh,  strolling colorful Victoria Street, and experiencing the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

📚 Book recs if you want to dive deeper into this story:

A Tip for the Hangman by Allison Epstein 

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Support the show

Want your episodes early?
Sign up HERE to the newsletter. You will get episodes a week early!

Connect:
Instagram: @culturecultshow
Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps) 

Today we are interviewing my friend Kelly’s first chaotic A.F. trip to India and how she accidentally met the royal family of Jaipur. 

We talk:

• Growing up in a literally 10-road village in England village and what life in London is like 
• The reverse culture shock of coming home after long-term travel — when people don’t even know the countries you’ve been to
• Landing in New Delhi straight from Thailandand immediately questioning all life choices
• Seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise
• The darker side of India travel — confronting poverty up close, cultural confusion, and witnessing things you can’t unsee
• Accidentally having dinner with the actual Prince of Jaipur  while she was actively battling food poisoning
• The reality of traveling while injured, hospital visits abroad, and surviving Delhi belly with dignity (or not)

Follow Sawai Padmanabh Singh, The Prince of Jaipur on Insta:https://www.instagram.com/pachojaipur/?hl=en

Song & Bollywood Movie: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo 

India, India travel, travel stories, solo female travel India, crazy travel story, Taj Mahal travel, Delhi belly survival, meeting Indian royalty

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Support the show

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Connect:
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Email: [email protected]

Send in your best travel story to share on the podcast via voice message or email:
[email protected]

To Help Aseel Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram! : @aseel_dentart
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)

To Help Sally Escape Gaza:
Follow her and support her on Instagram!: @sallyhjeer
Donate to her Go Fund Me ( ANY amount helps)