Welcome to episode 118 of The Journey Is the Reward!

We want to dive right into the main topic this week, but first, let's address the elephant in the control tower.

We have zero listener feedback, the best part of the show when you write in. No questions from Listener Lu, the second-best part of the show. So it seems like the digital winds are calm, or maybe everyone is too busy packing their bags for our next adventure.  Who knows…

While the feedback section is experiencing a bit of radio silence, our listener audience is absolutely booming! We have a new listener in Zambia!

Seriously, huge congratulations to friend-of-the-show and all-around super-helpful listener, Connie, who has given birth to a beautiful 7.25-pound baby boy! That's right, Connie, you've successfully completed the most demanding international flight of all, and landed a perfect new human. Welcome to the world, little one! We thank you, Connie, for helping us grow our audience!

If you'd like to help Connie and the baby with a small fuel surcharge contribution, please send an email to Brian at [email protected], and he’ll give you the information for a contribution via Remitly.

Forget the gate agents, we are skipping the pre-flight checks and jumping right into the main event: The Journey Is The Reward listener trip to Southern Africa!

The journey began with a bit of a turbulence warning courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines, but your intrepid host, Brian, was able to level the wings and resolve the issues before taking a United flight to Johannesburg. A quick stop to visit Momma Coleman in New Jersey for some essential pre-flight nourishment (and probably a very stern warning about remembering his fleece and passport), and then he was officially airborne.

The stress of international travel only continued with a tight connection in South Africa—the kind of connection that makes you wish you had an afterburner installed on your carry-on luggage. But thanks to the super-friendly airport staff, Brian was able to successfully navigate the terminal like seasoned ground crew, making his gate just in time. Upon final arrival in Cape Town, South Africa, Brian finally met up with Barb, Malin, Jim, and Gerrit for the start of three days of city sightseeing and country wine tasting.

Stay tuned to hear how Brian managed to keep his V-speeds in check while tasting all that excellent South African vino!

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.