Globetrotters Podcast

Freediving and spearfishing have taken Gabriella Gerbasi around the world. From the Bahamas and Costa Rica to Greece and remote islands in Fiji, much of her travel revolves around the ocean. We talk about learning to freedive, swimming with sharks, planning trips around specific fish, and why she sees spearfishing as a sustainable way to source seafood. Gabriella also shares how catching her own food has changed her relationship with the ocean and shaped her approach to conservation.

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Creative travel is changing how people experience the world. Geetika Agrawal, founder of Vacation With An Artist (VAWA), has built a global network that lets travelers spend several days learning directly from master artists in their studios. The idea began with Geetika’s own travels, from spending summers learning traditional crafts in India to taking a year-long journey across 12 countries while turning VAWA from an idea into a business. Today, VAWA works with more than 215 artists across 43 countries. We get into the challenges of building a new kind of travel company from scratch, the travelers who have surprised her most, and why sometimes the best reason to travel is to come home seeing yourself differently.


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Latin America has some of the world’s most incredible travel experiences—so why are so many travelers still hesitant to explore it? Kathleen Hall, co-founder of Explore the Americas and Dive the Americas, shares how moving to Costa Rica changed her life and ultimately shaped the kind of travel company she wanted to build. Picking up from Part 1 with her business partner Melanie Marsell, we talk about the misconceptions still holding Latin America back, what travelers actually want from the region, and why luxury can mean being pushed outside your comfort zone without sacrificing comfort. We also get into responsible wildlife tourism, choosing the right local partners, scaling a highly personalized business, and why destinations like Guatemala and El Salvador deserve more attention. Kathleen also shares why changing perceptions and a growing demand for experiential travel could make the next decade a defining one for tourism across Latin America.


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Latin America accounts for just a fraction of global tourism—but Melanie Marsell believes travelers are overlooking one of the most diverse regions in the world. As the co-founder of Explore the Americas and Dive the Americas, Melanie has built her career around helping people experience the region differently. Born in Costa Rica and raised between Costa Rica and Florida, her journey took her from hotels and travel consulting to scuba diving and eventually entrepreneurship. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we talk about what travelers actually value, responsible tourism beyond the buzzwords, the misconceptions still holding Latin America back, and what it takes to build a travel company around the places and principles you genuinely believe in. Next Wednesday, Melanie’s business partner Kathleen Hall joins us for Part 2.


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She couldn’t afford a passport, so she sold chocolates until she could. Now, Helo has traveled to 76+ countries—and somehow keeps finding herself in the middle of a good story.She plans obsessively, gets lost on purpose, talks to strangers, and actively chases the things that make her uncomfortable. This is about what happens when you stop waiting for life to get easier and start putting yourself in places where something can actually happen.

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The future of travel discovery belongs to creators, not search engines. Co-Founder: Lexi St. John shares how The Nod is helping creators, travelers, and hospitality brands build trust through authentic recommendations instead of traditional advertising. We explore the evolution of the creator economy, why tourism operators need to rethink discovery, and how trusted voices are shaping the future of travel.

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If you've ever dreamed of saying, "I quit!" and booking a one-way ticket, this episode is for you. After experiencing corporate burnout and setting off on a solo trip through Southeast Asia, Gabi Nowak-Jelonek discovered that the hardest part of travel wasn't finding incredible destinations—it was finding people to share them with. That realization led her to create Females Flying Solo, a Facebook group that has since grown into a global travel company. We talk about building community from scratch, why more women are embracing solo travel than ever before, and how stepping outside your comfort zone can completely reshape your life.

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After more than 50 episodes on the Globetrotters Podcast, Chelsea joins Jon for one last conversation to reflect on friendship, community, personal growth, and the journey they've shared together. A heartfelt farewell—but not goodbye.

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Melissa Clover grew up surrounded by adventure, but after years of guiding travelers through Yellowstone and Grand Teton, she's learned that people rarely remember the miles ridden or the wildlife they spotted. They remember how they felt. In this episode, Melissa shares how a 70-year family outfitting legacy (Wilderness Trails Outfitters) has created a space where strangers become friends, solo travelers find community, and busy people finally slow down. We discuss life at "three miles per hour," the rise of solo female travel, what we've lost as we've become more disconnected from one another, and why authentic experiences in the outdoors continue to resonate in an increasingly digital world.

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Liz Long didn’t set out to become a full-time traveler. After graduating college and starting a publishing career in Boston, she found herself burned out, anxious, and questioning the version of success she had been chasing. What started with pet sitting and budget travel eventually turned into a lifestyle built around freedom, wellness, meaningful relationships, and intentional living. Since then, Liz has traveled across more than 25 countries while finding creative ways to make long-term travel financially sustainable. In this episode, we talk about the realities of solo travel, loneliness, money, community, wellness, and what it actually takes to build a life you genuinely love instead of waiting for “someday.”









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