This is it... The very first episode of Meander & Muse! It felt like the universe was saying now is the time to do this - recorded in Italy with my best friend Jen Carney while celebrating our 50th birthdays.

I was curious what her answer would be when I asked, "What's one of your craziest travel stories?". Jen and I have known each other for over 30 years, so we finish each other's sentences like old friends do - filling in the gaps, finishing each other's sentences, making jokes and laughing along the way. We meander through an electric storm in Utah's Canyonlands, a trip down the Amazon river (tarantulas, caimans, and all), and the wild story of her giving birth in Australia.

This episode is a little different too - it's the only one where Jen turns the question back on me, and I get to share an experience of my own.

And stick around until the end. Jen's takeaway from years of traveling far and wide, and living abroad for the past two decades, is one of those things that just stays with you.

This is a show about the stories travel gives us, and what they teach us about connection, overcoming fear, and the one wild and precious life we're all figuring out. Real stories from people stepping outside the familiar and going on an adventure. Welcome to Meander & Muse.

Talking about travel has always been one of my favorite ways to connect with other people.

In this trailer, I share why I created Meander & Muse - a podcast where travel is the entry point, and from there we meander through conversations about being human. Together, we explore the stories, surprises, laughter, kindness, and life lessons that emerge when we step beyond what's familiar.

I believe everyone has an interesting story to share, and that the best souvenirs aren't the ones we pack - they're the ones we carry within us.

I'm Erin Preston, a story investigator, producer, and traveler who's endlessly curious about what happens when people step beyond the familiar. Come along for the journey. I can't wait to meander with you.