Welcome to Episode 109 of The Journey Is The Reward!  We are generally much less offended than our email inbox suggests! This week are thrilled to welcome back the cartographic genius himself, Eric the Mapmaker.

But before we dive into Eric's latest adventures, we had to address a burning question from the email account – emphatically named [email protected].

Then, Listener Mike hit us up with a real puzzler about gifting flight crews, because apparently, Reddit has decided that kindness gets you fired. Who knew?! 

And speaking of flight decks, Listener Lu drops a fantastic question about single pilot operations and whether we really need two humans up front at all times. We've got thoughts, and we're not afraid to share them.

Our main event today is a truly special chat with Eric The Mapmaker. He embarked on a domestic airline odyssey, hitting up a bunch of different cities, and proving that sometimes, the best laid travel plans are the ones you throw out the window halfway through. 

And as always, our ears are blessed by the utterly soul-stirring, goosebump-inducing sounds of the Madalitso Youth Choir! Their Welcome and Goodbye songs, recorded straight from the Royal Livingston Hotel in Zambia, are pure magic.

Want to experience that magic in person? Join Brian on an epic group adventure to Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa in late September 2025! Seriously, it's going to be incredible. Reach out to him at [email protected] for all the details. Let's make some memories and genuinely enjoy the Journey, because, well, it really is the Reward!