El Cafecito Travel Talks

When Hannah O’Hare Bennett arrived in Ecuador as a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer, she wanted more than travel...she wanted to build relationships and truly understand a place.

Placed in a small rural community near Saraguro, Hannah initially struggled with isolation, limited Spanish and the thought of spending two full years away from home. But through the patience, humour and warmth of her host sister Sandra and the rest of the family, an unfamiliar community gradually became another home.

Hannah shares the moment she first made Sandra laugh in Spanish, the emotions of leaving Ecuador and what happened when she returned after 12 years. Within ten minutes of arriving, she was once again harvesting corn alongside the family.

Now, with a master’s degree in textile design, Hannah is also connecting her life in the United States with the traditional beadwork created by Indigenous Saraguro artisans.

This is a story about cultural immersion, unexpected belonging and finding family far from where you started.

Hannah O’Hare Bennett: 

https://www.instagram.com/hannahoharebennettstudio?utm_source=qr

http://www.hannahoharebennett.com/

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Joining the Peace Corps at 27
• Adjusting to life in rural Ecuador
• Building relationships across a language barrier
• Finding family near Saraguro
• Returning after 12 years
• Connecting textile design with Saraguro beadwork
• Why letting go of expectations can create a deeper travel experience

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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“Home is where the backpack is.”

Ken has spent 40 years travelling the world and 36 years working internationally as a United Nations peacekeeper and diplomat. Born in what is now Zimbabwe, he was given 48 hours to leave the country at the age of 18 and began building a life without a permanent home.

In this episode, Ken remembers travelling before smartphones, GPS, online reservations and ATMs...when backpackers depended on guidebooks, postcards, travellers’ cheques and advice from strangers.

He also shares some unforgettable experiences, including finding an unmarked hotel in Siberia and attempting to cross from Peru into Ecuador during a violent demonstration.

Now 65, Ken reflects on how backpacking has changed, what modern travellers have gained and lost, and why age should never prevent someone from exploring the world.

His advice is simple: be brave, be realistic, do your research—and never stop.

Ken previously appeared in Episode 59, “The Travelling Lion,” featuring his unusual travel companion, Molly.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow El Cafecito Travel Talks, share the episode and leave a review. Your support helps us continue sharing independent travel stories from Ecuador and beyond.

Topics: Backpacking, long-term travel, solo travel, older travellers, travel before the internet, Zimbabwe, United Nations, Siberia, Peru, Ecuador, travel safety

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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Dan left London with a plan to travel through eight or nine countries across Latin America. Almost a year later, that plan looks very different.

Three months in Panama became six months in Colombia. In Salento, an unexpected relationship pulled him into a local family and changed the direction of his journey. When the relationship ended, Dan had to move forward — but he doesn’t regret the experience.

Now in Ecuador, he’s asking a bigger question: Is he simply travelling, or is he looking for somewhere new to call home?

Over tea, we talk about slow travel, relationships abroad, the rising cost of life back home, learning Spanish through immersion, connecting with strangers, and why Cuenca has already made Dan wonder: Could I live here?

And after nearly a year away, sometimes “home” is still something as simple as your mother’s cooking.

In this episode:
• Quitting a job to make travel possible
• Falling in love while travelling in Colombia
• Heartbreak, lessons and moving forward
• Why slow travel changed Dan’s experience
• Learning Spanish through everyday life
• The financial pressures of life in the UK
• Why Cuenca feels different
• Meeting locals instead of simply checking off destinations
• Looking for freedom — and perhaps a new home

El Cafecito Travel Talks — real people, real journeys, and the stories we collect along the way.

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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What if your travel companion had been to 117 countries, needed his own luggage, had his own Instagram account—and happened to be a lion?

Meet Montgomery J. Lion, better known as Monty, Ken’s rather unusual travel companion.

Monty’s story began in Tanzania, when Ken brought him home for his son. Years later, when his son left for university, Monty joined Ken on the road—and never really stopped travelling.

Since then, he’s crossed borders around the world, attracted the attention of airport security, posed with complete strangers in China, visited some extraordinary places and even played an unexpected role in saving Ken during a dangerous moment in the mountains of Pakistan.

At the time of our conversation, Monty had visited 117 countries.

His goal? 150.

In this episode:
• How Monty became part of Ken’s family
• Travelling with a one-metre-tall lion
• Eight months travelling across Europe
• Monty’s encounters with airport security
• Why strangers around the world pose for pictures with him
• Returning to the Serengeti
• The extraordinary story of Pakistan
• The journey from 117 countries toward 150

 Follow Monty on Instagram: @montgomeryj.lion

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Support the show

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Questions, comments, guest suggestions, or story ideas: 

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El Cafecito Hostel - Cuenca Ecuador
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LinkedIn: Tony Lloyd Wilkinson

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If you have any problem with the PayPal link, please contact: 

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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What will you remember from your travels a year from now? 

Carina, a traveller from Germany, has taken a sabbatical to spend more than a year exploring the world. But she isn’t just travelling; she’s documenting the journey.

Through a private written journal, photography, and printed photo albums for each country she visits, Carina is creating a personal record of the places she sees, the food she eats, the things that go right and the things that don’t.

We talk about:

• Why she has kept travel journals since childhood
• Travelling solo as a woman
• The difference between a private journal and social media
• Photographing landscapes, food, and everyday moments
• Creating a photo album for every country
• How journaling can make travel more immersive
• Whether documenting a moment can sometimes make you miss it
• Why ordinary travellers’ stories may be worth preserving
• Her year-long journey and the destination she’s most excited about: New Zealand

Sometimes the best travel stories aren’t meant for an audience. They’re simply a way of remembering who you were and what you saw along the way.

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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At 73, a traveler shares a very personal story about looking for companionship abroad, using an international matrimonial agency, and eventually marrying a woman in Colombia.

He talks openly about spending thousands of dollars through the agency, the excitement of arriving in Medellín, falling in love, getting married and the red flags he admits he ignored along the way.

At his request, we have chosen not to use his name. But we felt his story was important to share.

This episode isn’t about judging his choices or anyone else’s. It’s an honest conversation about loneliness, attention, cultural and economic differences, relationships abroad, and what can happen when things move too quickly.

Over tea, he reflects on what went wrong, what he would do differently today, and the advice he would give others looking for love far from home.

Sometimes the most valuable travel stories aren’t about where we go, but what we learn along the way.

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El Cafecito Hostel - Cuenca Ecuador
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Travel Advisor - Latin America:
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LinkedIn: Tony Lloyd Wilkinson

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If you have any problem with the PayPal link, please contact: 

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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What is it like to travel the world as a Black queer couple?

In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Ash and Phae, two slow travellers from the United States who share their experiences navigating the world while embracing multiple identities. From defining what “non-binary” and “queer” mean in their own words to discussing safety, community, and the realities of long-term travel, this conversation is thoughtful, honest, and approachable.

The discussion also explores Ecuador’s LGBTQ+ history, the importance of finding welcoming communities, and why slow travel has given them a new sense of freedom.

Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or simply curious to learn from different perspectives, this episode is about travel, understanding, and human connection.

In This Episode

• What “non-binary” means in everyday life
• How Ash and Phae define the word “queer”
• Travelling internationally with different identities
• Safety considerations before choosing a destination
• Why they chose slow travel over fast-paced tourism
• Finding Black and LGBTQ+ communities abroad
• Their experiences in Costa Rica and Ecuador
• Cuenca’s role in Ecuador’s LGBTQ+ history
• Resources they use before visiting a country
• What true freedom means while travelling
• Building welcoming spaces wherever you go

Guests: Ash and Phae https://www.instagram.com/unboundphae?utm_source=qr

Host: Tony Lloyd

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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What does it take to visit all Seven Wonders of the World before turning 26?

In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, I sit down with Austin from the Netherlands, who set himself an ambitious goal: visit all seven of the New Seven Wonders before his 26th birthday.

From watching the sunrise over Machu Picchu to seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn, Austin shares the unforgettable moments, unexpected travel challenges, and the lessons he learned along the way.

But perhaps the biggest surprise wasn’t reaching the final Wonder—it was realising that the greatest memories came from the journey itself, not the destination.

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own travel bucket list, this episode is for you.

 Grab a coffee and join us for another conversation about travel, culture, and connection.

Guest: Austin (Netherlands)

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Questions, comments, guest suggestions, or story ideas: 

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El Cafecito Hostel - Cuenca Ecuador
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Support the Podcast:

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If you have any problem with the PayPal link, please contact: 

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New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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What would you do if you had no return date?

At just 24 years old, Fabian left behind a career in sports event management in Austria and bought a one-way ticket to South America. Six months later, he’s still exploring—discovering new cultures, making friendships in hostels, cheering alongside locals during the World Cup, and learning that travel is about much more than checking countries off a list.

In this episode, we talk about experiencing Ecuador during football fever, discovering Ecuavolley in the Galápagos, life aboard an Amazon cargo boat, the friendships that start over a simple card game, and why embracing different cultures can completely change the way you see the world.

In this episode:

• Why Fabian left his corporate career
• Experiencing the World Cup in Ecuador
• Discovering Ecuador’s unique Ecuavolley
• How hostels create friendships across cultures
• Eight days on an Amazon cargo boat
• Learning Spanish one mistake at a time
• Why travel is really about discovering different ways to live

Travel • Culture • Connection

Support the show

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Questions, comments, guest suggestions, or story ideas: 

email: [email protected]

El Cafecito Hostel - Cuenca Ecuador
email: [email protected]

Travel Advisor - Latin America:
WhatsApp: +593 99 99 39 550

LinkedIn: Tony Lloyd Wilkinson

Support the Podcast:

PayPal Donation Link

If you have any problem with the PayPal link, please contact: 

WhatsApp: +593 99 99 39 550

New episodes are released every Tuesday.

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Should you join a group tour or travel independently?

In this episode, I sit down with Nathan, an experienced traveller and international teacher, to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both styles of travel.

We discuss safety, flexibility, cost, meeting new people, language barriers, and when each approach makes the most sense. We also talk about cruises, all-inclusive resorts, relocating abroad, and why sometimes having someone else handle the planning can make all the difference.

Whether you’re planning your very first international trip or your fiftieth, this conversation may help you decide which style of travel best fits your personality and travel goals.

In this episode:

• Group tours vs. independent travel
• Safety and peace of mind
• Meeting people while travelling
• Language barriers
• Cruises and all-inclusive resorts
• Travelling in China and Ecuador
• Relocation scouting trips
• Why travel teaches tolerance

Travel • Culture • Connection

Support the show

Connect info:

Questions, comments, guest suggestions, or story ideas: 

email: [email protected]

El Cafecito Hostel - Cuenca Ecuador
email: [email protected]

Travel Advisor - Latin America:
WhatsApp: +593 99 99 39 550

LinkedIn: Tony Lloyd Wilkinson

Support the Podcast:

PayPal Donation Link

If you have any problem with the PayPal link, please contact: 

WhatsApp: +593 99 99 39 550

New episodes are released every Tuesday.

Thank you for sharing a cafecito or a tea with us...