In this episode of One Off Travel Stories, Andrew sits down with Mark Mustian, a seasoned traveler and author, to discuss his 2008 journey through Turkey and Syria. Mark traveled to the region to conduct firsthand research for his historical fiction novel, The Gendarme, which centers around the topic of the Armenian Genocide. Mark shares vivid memories of navigating tense border crossings, exploring the ancient Citadel in Aleppo, and navigating sensitive cultural topics during his travels.

Guest:

Mark is a professional lawyer who primarily practices contract law. He is an avid lifelong traveler who has visited over ninety countries. He is the author of three historical fiction books, including The Gendarme.

Chapters:

1. Introduction to Mark Mustian and the roots of his travel passion
2. Balancing a legal career with global exploration and family life
3. Discovering heritage and the research process behind The Gendarme
4. The 2008 trip to Turkey and a difficult Syrian border crossing
5. Visiting the ancient Citadel and the Armenian quarter in Aleppo
6. Navigating sensitive historical topics and experiencing a tense border exit
7. Mark's future travel plans to Argentina, Uruguay, and Rwanda

Resources and Links:

1. Mark Mustian's Official Website
2. The Gendarme by Mark Mustian
3. The Black Dog of Fate by Peter Balakian (Mentioned Book)

Call to action:

Check out my website at oneofftravelstories.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

Legendary investor and traveler Jim Rogers joins the show to share wisdom from his two epic global journeys, one by motorcycle and one by car, that set world records. Jim discusses how he retired early from Wall Street to see the world, sharing insights on how on-the-ground travel informs his investment strategy and why he chose to drive a bright yellow Mercedes through 116 countries. From being held "hostage" by a police chief in the Congo to his philosophy on exploring the unknown, Jim encourages listeners to embrace the uncomfortable and go where they haven't been before.

Guest:

• Legendary investor and traveler who retired early from Wall Street to hit the open road.
• World record holder for land travel, having driven over 100,000 km across six continents on a motorcycle and over 245,000 km in a car.
• Author of Investment Biker and Adventure Capitalist

Chapters:

1. From smalltown Alabama to retiring early from Wall Street
2. Seeing the world through an investor's lens
3. Being held hostage by a police chief in the Congo
4. Using a yellow Mercedes convertible as a safety precaution
5. Navigating border crossings and curiosity versus greed
6. Economic models: Seeing countries change for the better
7. Why Chad is next on the travel list
8. Jim’s advice: Go somewhere, especially if it is not comfortable

Resources and Links:

• Jim Rogers Website

Call to Action:

Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

When a last-minute invitation took Matt Wilson to Iceland to document climate change and adventure tourism, it started out as a typical outdoor adventure. He met a backcountry guide, rode “super jeeps” across rivers, and climbed a glacier at midnight. However, while sitting with new friends above the clouds admiring volcano peaks in the distance he also hatched the idea that became his future business.

Guest: Matt Wilson

• Co-founder & CEO, Under30Experiences
• Author of The Millennial Travel Guidebook
• Longtime digital nomad; based in Puerto Rico

Topics Covered:

1. New York grind to unexpected Iceland invite
2. Meeting Siggi and exploring Iceland’s backcountry
3. Super jeeps, river crossings, and glacier sunsets
4. Seeing climate change at the glacier’s edge
5. The mountaintop brainstorm that sparked Under30Experiences
6. Startup Iceland, the U.S. Embassy, and the President’s house
7. From one retreat to a global travel community
8. What’s next: new trips and building impact through travel

Resources and Links:

• Under30Experiences: under30experiences.com

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Anne Marie Wells to hear about her solo hitchhiking trip across Iceland, where she spent weeks asking strangers one question: “What is your happiest memory?”. From there, she would venture out to visit the scene of the memory. Anne Marie shares the emotional highs and quiet moments that defined her trip and how curiosity and courage opened doors she never expected.

Guest: Anne Marie Wells

• Poet, playwright, and author
• Creator of the books Write Some Cool Sh!t and Mommy, Why am I a Bird?
• Upcoming memoir Happy Iceland
• Website: annemariewellswriter.com

Topics Covered:

1. Why Anne Marie chose to spend her 30th birthday in Iceland
2. The origin of her “happiest memory” question
3. Conversations with strangers across Iceland’s landscapes
4. Unplanned encounters and the kindness of locals
5. The emotional impact of traveling solo with purpose
6. How the experiment became a forthcoming book
7. Lessons on spontaneity, reflection, and joyful connection

Resources and Links:

• Anne Marie’s website: annemariewellswriter.com

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Niamh, an Irish-born author and traveler, who tells the story of meeting her husband through sailing and of their harrowing experience sailing from Antigua towards the USA. After 18 months away from sailing due to the global pandemic, when they took to the seas from Antigua, they didn’t expect to find themselves caught in a high risk situation. A floating ball of rope tangled around the boat's propeller in the open ocean, forcing Niamh to dive beneath the waves to attempt an emergency fix.

Guest: Niamh

• Irish-born bestselling author and speaker
• Former TV director turned full-time traveler and cruise speaker
• Website: The Writer on the Water

Chapters:

• Island life and remote exploration
• Sailing and scuba diving
• The unexpected love story on the open ocean
• Near-disaster rescue at sea
• Trusting instincts while traveling
• Adapting travel passions into new career paths

Resources:

• The Writer on the Water
• Niamh’s books: Following Sunshine, Flares Up, and Stories of Place

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

When Rachael Rogers traveled through the south of France, her Airbnb host offered to show her around the area, and it turned into one of her most memorable experiences. In this episode, Andrew chats with Rachael about her road trip through Provence, the beauty of taking your time, and the joy of visiting a lavender field in full bloom.

Guest: Rachael Rogers

• Founder of For the Story Vacations
• Former actor turned travel advisor
• Specializes in curated European experiences

Topics Covered:

1. Rachael’s shift from acting to travel planning
2. Solo travel and navigating the backroads of Provence
3. Stumbling upon a breathtaking, secluded lavender field
4. The joy of slow, immersive travel
5. Reflections
6. Starting her boutique travel agency

Resources and Links:

• Rachael's Website: For the Story Vacations

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Peter Moore, writer, editor, illustrator, and former Men's Health editor, to talk about a work trip to Nepal that went off-script in all the best ways. Originally planning to trek to Everest Base Camp for a radio segment, Peter’s journey was rerouted by a typhoon, leading him instead on the Langtang-Gosainkunda trail. Along the way, he faced monsoons, illness, altitude, and moments of spiritual awe. From recording radio interviews in the rain to taking a ritual cleansing dip in a sacred lake, Peter reflects on transformation through travel and how getting lost—literally and figuratively—can be the greatest gift of all.

Guest: Peter Moore

• Former Editor at Men’s Health and host of Men’s Health Live
• Writer, illustrator, and editor at The Colorado Sun
• Creator of Road to Elsewhere, a Substack combining writing and original cartoons
• Author or ghostwriter of three New York Times bestsellers

Topics Covered:

1. Peter’s Early Love for Travel and National Geographic Memories
2. Leaving the Magazine World and Embracing the Unknown
3. The Plan to Hike to Everest Base Camp—and the Typhoon That Changed Everything
4. Trekking the Langtang Region in Monsoon Season
5. Cultural Insights: Hospitality, Porters, and Pink Pants
6. A Sacred Bath at Gosainkunda Lake and Its Lasting Impact
7. Getting Lost (and Found) in Kathmandu
8. Reflections on Flow, Aging, and Travel as Transformation

Resources and Links:

• Peter’s Substack: Road to Elsewhere
• Learn more about Gosainkunda Lake and Langtang Trekking.

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Danika Duarte Smith, a dancer, educator, and travel writer, to talk about her unforgettable first trip to Egypt during Eid. While living and teaching in Iraqi Kurdistan, Danika took a week off to explore Cairo, including a chaotic and crowded day at the Giza pyramid complex. From refusing overpriced horse carriage rides to navigating mayhem at the ticket booth, Danika shares how a random act of kindness and a stroke of luck got her and her travel companions through the chaos—and into one of the most iconic ancient sites on Earth.

Guest: Danika Duarte Smith

• Author of One Year and a One Way Ticket, a debut travel memoir
• Founder of danikaduartesmith.com
• Former ballet teacher and language instructor
• Spent three years living and working in Kurdistan, Iraq

Topics Covered:

1. Introduction to Danika and her travel background
2. Living and working in Kurdistan
3. First impressions of Egypt during Eid
4. Navigating scams and chaos at the Giza pyramid complex
5. Finding help from a stranger in an overwhelming crowd
6. Quiet moments of awe behind the Great Pyramid
7. A side trip to Luxor and reflections on ancient civilizations
8. Teaching ballet and surviving earthquakes in northern Iraq
9. The story behind Danika’s first book—and what’s next

Resources and Links:

• Danika’s website: danikaduartesmith.com
• Her debut travel memoir: One Year and a One Way Ticket (Find it here)

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Delia, a full-time solo traveler and digital nomad who has been exploring the world for nearly a decade. A certified freediver and adventure traveler, Delia shares her incredible experience diving with hammerhead sharks in the Galápagos Islands. From breathtaking underwater encounters to unexpected challenges, she recounts how this journey became one of the most unforgettable moments of her life. Along the way, she reflects on the balance between exploration, conservation, and personal growth.

Guest: Delia

• Full-time solo traveler and digital nomad for nearly 9 years
• Certified freediver, scuba diver, and adventure traveler
• Travel content creator and consultant in mindfulness and growth mindset
• Has explored over 65 countries while working as a freelancer

Topics Covered:

1. Introduction to Delia and Her Nomadic Lifestyle
2. Planning a Trip to the Galápagos Islands
3. Diving with Hammerhead Sharks at Kicker Rock
4. The Beauty and Biodiversity of the Galápagos
5. Ethical Wildlife Encounters and Conservation Efforts
6. A Near-Death Experience: Getting Stuck in Coral
7. Reflections on Nature, Travel, and Personal Growth

Resources and Links:

• Follow Delia’s adventures: Instagram: @delia_co

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Saujeet Mondal, a passionate solo traveler, motorcycling enthusiast, and visual storyteller from Kolkata, India. Saujeet shares the story of his unforgettable trip to Darjeeling, known as the "Queen of Hills." From navigating steep, narrow roads and breathtaking mountain views to overcoming a dislocated elbow in the middle of an offbeat destination, Saujeet’s tale is one of resilience, adventure, and the kindness of strangers.

Guest: Saujeet Mondal

• Creator of Saujeet Trails on Instagram
• Visual storyteller on YouTube: Saujeet Trail
• Passionate about offbeat travel and motorcycling

Topics Covered:

1. Introduction to Saujeet Mondal
2. Discovering Darjeeling: Researching Offbeat Destinations
3. First-Time Riding on Hilly Roads
4. Navigating Challenges: A Dislocated Elbow and Unhelpful Hospitality
5. The Kindness of Strangers: Help from Local Villagers
6. Lessons Learned from Travel Mishaps
7. Future Plans: Motorcycling to Ladakh

Resources and Links:

• Follow Saujeet on Instagram: Saujeet Trails
• Watch his adventures on YouTube: Saujeet Trail
• Glenary's and Keventer's (breakfast places in Darjeeling)

Call to Action:

• Check out our website at oneofftravelstories.com
• If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share your favorite travel stories with us on social media using #OneOffTravelStories.