Here are the full corrected show notes:

Group Travel 101: The Good, the Bad, and Why It's Almost Always Worth It

You don't know what you don't know -- and nowhere is that more true than when you're planning your first international trip. Group travel solves a problem most people don't realize they have: not just the logistics, but the insider knowledge, the local connections, and the moments that never make it onto any itinerary. Joe, Crystal, and travel agent extraordinaire Donna Pelletier break down everything you need to know before you book -- including the one type of person who will ruin your trip and why they'll still give you great stories.

What You'll Walk Away With

• Why group travel isn't just convenient -- it's how you get experiences that solo travelers simply can't access
• The three destinations on today's dream list: Northern Lights Finland, Greek Island hopping, and the Italian Riviera through Tuscany to Venice
• How to get to the Acropolis, Santorini's clifftop restaurants, and ancient ruins with no crowds -- and why your tour guide already knows exactly when to go
• The bag handling secret that eliminates one of travel's biggest headaches entirely
• Why your first group tour is really a preview -- and how most travelers use it to plan a deeper return trip on their own
• The one thing first-time international travelers consistently get wrong when they skip unfamiliar itinerary items
• What to look for when comparing group tour companies -- and why flexibility in optional excursions matters more than the base itinerary
• How to tip your guides the right way -- including the cash versus QR code debate and what the best companies tell you upfront
• The Collette Tours deals currently available -- including up to $1,500 off per couple, complimentary door-to-airport transfers, and cancel-for-any-reason insurance
• Where in Japan Crystal is hiding -- and how close the community is to finally figuring it out

Why This Matters Now

If you've been putting off international travel because it feels complicated, expensive, or just hard to plan from scratch, this episode makes the case that a group tour removes most of those barriers at once. You get the local knowledge, the pre-vetted logistics, and the community -- and you come home knowing exactly where you'd go back on your own terms.

From the Adventure Deck

Joe and Crystal compare group travel notes from Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Peru, Vietnam, and Italy while Donna Pelletier from Vacations by Donna walks through three specific Collette Tours itineraries worth dreaming about right now. The monk story from Angkor Wat makes an appearance. So does the glow-in-the-dark pirate show in Prague that absolutely nobody asked for. The mystery of where Crystal is in Japan inches one step closer to resolution.

Resources Mentioned

• Collette Tours -- collette.com (book through Donna below); current deals up to $1,500 off per couple with air included
• Vacations by Donna -- [email protected]
• Stacking Adventures Gear of the Day -- stackingadventures.com/gotd
• Where in the World is Crystal? -- stackingadventures.com/mystory
• Contact Joe or Crystal -- [email protected] / [email protected]

Most people plan Hawaii all wrong. They try to hit three islands in ten days, get stuck behind slow drivers on the Road to Hana, and never make it past Waikiki. This week Joe and Crystal sit down with Doug Norman, who has lived on Oahu since the 1980s, for the kind of advice you only get from someone who actually lives there.

In this episode:

Why the Big Island should be your first stop, what makes each island completely different from the others, the Pearl Harbor attractions most visitors miss, and why Waikiki is both overrated and worth your time.

Biggest takeaways:

Do less than you think. One island per week minimum. The visitors who enjoy Hawaii most are the ones who slow down and let it find them.

Skip the sunrise bus to Haleakala. You board at 3:30am, sit in a diesel-idling parking lot with 300 strangers, and hope the clouds cooperate. There are better ways to watch a Hawaiian sunrise.

The Big Island gives you things no other island can. Snow and lava on the same day. Black sand beaches. The quietest place in the world inside a volcanic crater. Start here.

Ask your hotel concierge for this week's best local restaurant, not the brochure rack. And then go to Zippy's anyway.

Also in this episode:

The ninth island of Hawaii isn't in the Pacific. Crystal is still somewhere in Japan.

Head to stackingadventures.com/mystory to guess the city and win travel swag from Emerald Cruise Lines.

Resources mentioned:

Doug Norman at militaryfinancialindependence.com

Travel gear we actually use: stackingadventures.com/gearoftheday

The gate agent calls for volunteers. The number keeps climbing. It feels like free money. Crystal took it once in Denver and spent the night in a windowless hotel with a $12 meal voucher she couldn't use. This week Joe and Crystal break down what actually happens when you say yes, plus everything else changing fast in the world of travel right now.

In this episode:

The real math on airline vouchers and why the airlines almost always win, what Southwest's assigned seating change actually means for travelers, how to survive the new TSA reality, and whether TikTok destinations are worth the trip.

Biggest takeaways:

Before you volunteer, check where the airline actually flies. A $600 credit is worthless if none of the destinations are on your list and it expires in a year.

Discount airlines have fewer flights. If you miss one or it cancels, the next one might be a full day away. That math changes the deal completely.

Pre-check and Clear are more valuable than ever right now, and your credit card may already be paying for them without you knowing it.

Adventure of the week:

Jennifer is taking her dad to Ireland on a three-week family history quest, flying premium economy on points. We want to hear how it goes, Jennifer.

Where in the world is Crystal?

We've narrowed it down significantly. Think you know? Head to stackingadventures.com/mystory to guess and win travel swag from Emerald Cruise Lines.

Resources mentioned:

Share your adventure or guess Crystal's location: stackingadventures.com/mystory

Travel gear we actually use: stackingadventures.com/gearoftheday

River cruises look effortless in the brochure—twinkling lights, mulled wine, storybook towns. But what really makes the experience unforgettable isn't just the scenery… it's everything happening underneath. Traveling with family (including a first-time international traveler), navigating group dynamics, figuring out when to splurge, and occasionally ending up on the wrong bus in a foreign country. In this kickoff episode of Stacking Adventures, Joe and Crystal unpack what a Rhine River Christmas markets cruise is actually like—both the magic and the moments that don't go according to plan.

What You'll Walk Away With

• How to choose the right travel companions—and why the wrong mix can quietly derail even the best itinerary.

• A smarter way to balance group travel with personal freedom so no one feels stuck (or resentful).

• When paying cash for flights can beat using points—and why flexibility sometimes matters more than optimization.

• What upgrading to premium economy really gets you on a long-haul flight—and when it's worth it.

• How European Christmas markets are structured, and what to expect beyond the postcard version.

• The must-try foods, drinks, and traditions—including how those souvenir mugs actually work.

• What sets an upscale river cruise (like Uniworld's Antoinette) apart from other options—and where the experience shines.

• The reality of "all-inclusive" cruising, from guided tours to hidden onboard perks.

• What it feels like to explore iconic stops like Cologne, Strasbourg, and Lucerne—and which moments stand out most.

• How a simple travel mistake (like getting on the wrong bus) can turn into the story you remember most.

Why This Matters Now

For many travelers in their 40s, trips start to carry more meaning. You're not just checking destinations off a list—you're creating experiences with people who matter. That also means higher stakes: coordinating schedules, managing expectations, and making sure the investment of time and money actually delivers. Understanding how these trips really work helps you design travel that feels as good in the moment as it does in the photos.

Adventure Flavor

Joe and Crystal swap stories from the Rhine, from Cologne's towering cathedral to Strasbourg's winding streets—plus a near-miss that proves even the best-planned trips can go sideways. Along the way, Joe shares what it was like bringing his mom on her first overseas adventure (with a little help from a well-timed promo video), while the two compare notes on river cruising, chocolate factories, and the art of getting just a little lost… and still ending up exactly where you're supposed to be.

Prepaying for travel extras feels like smart planning. Until you lose money because your plans change and there are no refunds.

Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond trade travel updates and money lessons, starting with Crystal's quick February return to Barbados. She chose an Airbnb near the beach with a pool over an all-inclusive resort, made grocery runs to cook her own meals and avoid overindulgence, and learned a hard lesson about dangerous winter waves and riptides. Going out before lifeguards post red flags? Bad idea.

They compare Airbnb costs to all-inclusives and note that Airbnb quality can be a gamble without solid reviews. You might save money or you might end up somewhere disappointing with no recourse.

Then Crystal recounts her return flight nightmare. Major delays, buying a last-minute Frontier ticket to get home, and losing money after prepaying for a checked bag she couldn't use due to customs and liquids logistics. That sparks a broader debate: when does prepaying for travel extras save you money, and when does it backfire?

Joe shares his Disney World trip centered on standout resort restaurants and explains the 60 day reservation advantage (but only if you're staying on property). He also notes that Hyatt rewards earn more free nights than other programs but elite status resets yearly, which changes the calculation.

They preview upcoming travel including Salt Lake City, possible Morocco, Santa Fe, a Beirut/Istanbul contingency plan, and Alaska, plus touch on weather-disrupted trips and resorts reopening in Jamaica.

What You'll Discover:

• When prepaying for travel extras saves money and when it costs you

• The real costs of Airbnb versus all-inclusive resorts in Barbados

• Why Airbnb quality is a gamble without solid reviews

• Beach safety lessons about riptides and winter waves

• How Crystal lost money on a prepaid checked bag due to last-minute flight changes

• Disney dining hacks including the 60 day reservation advantage for on-property guests

• Why Hyatt rewards earn more free nights but status resets create trade-offs

• How to handle major flight delays and last-minute rebooking

• Upcoming travel destinations and contingency planning

• Weather disruption strategies and resort reopening updates

This Episode Is For You If:

• You've lost money on prepaid travel extras when plans changed

• You're debating between Airbnb and all-inclusive resorts

• You want Disney dining tips that actually help you get reservations

• You're planning beach trips and want to stay safe in the water

• You're curious about hotel loyalty programs and whether status is worth it

• You believe learning from others' travel mistakes beats making your own

Question for You:

What's the biggest travel prepayment mistake you've made? Lost money on a checked bag? Prepaid a hotel you had to cancel? Drop your story in the comments because Crystal's Frontier experience might save another traveler from the same fate.

What happens when you stop treating retirement like an ending… and start treating it like an expedition?

On this episode of Stacking Adventures, Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond connect with retirement mindset mentor George Jerjian (creator of the DARE Method) from London to unpack the 80-day, around-the-world journey that reshaped how he thinks about identity, courage, and life after 55.

George didn't just plan a bucket-list sprint. He worked with a travel agent, chose mostly countries new to him, and intentionally left space for serendipity. Along the way, he learned to stop "ticking boxes," listen to his body, skip prepaid tours when needed, and even find peace wedged into a middle airplane seat. Because sometimes the biggest shift isn't geography—it's mindset.

This isn't just a travel story. It's a retirement reset.

What You'll Learn in This Episode 🌍 Travel With Intention (Not Just an Itinerary)

• Why George chose unfamiliar destinations to stretch himself

• How leaving room for spontaneity created the most meaningful moments

• Why slowing down and listening to your body matters more than "getting your money's worth"

🦁 South Africa: Awe, History, and Perspective

• Reflecting on Nelson Mandela's legacy at Robben Island

• Five days on safari in Timbavati near Kruger—witnessing both the beauty and brutality of nature

• What wild places teach us about humility and resilience

🇦🇺 Australia & Identity

• The Great Barrier Reef near Hamilton Island (yes, wetsuits required—sharks and jellyfish are real)

• Melbourne's Immigration Museum and Australia's "populate or perish" story

• Driving the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles

• Why exploring national identity helped George reflect on his own

🇳🇿 New Zealand: Nature as Teacher

• Digging hot-water pools on Coromandel beaches

• The train ride from Christchurch to Greymouth

• Milford Sound, the Southern Alps, and swimming with dolphins in Kaikōura

• A Māori dance lesson that challenged the need for approval (hint: wrist-shaking beats applause)

🇯🇵 Japan: Service and Resilience

• Learning from a samurai historian in Kanazawa about service in Japanese culture

• Visiting Hiroshima after reading John Hersey's Hiroshima

• What rebuilding after devastation teaches about forgiveness and human strength

🇨🇦 Canada: Awe as the Final Lesson

• Vancouver's rain-soaked greenery

• The sleeper train to Jasper

• Banff, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway

• Quebec City's French character and layered history

George closes with a simple but powerful idea: travel restores awe—and awe restores perspective.

The Retirement Mindset Shift

For listeners in that 55–75 sweet spot (and honestly, anyone thinking about what's next), George shares how extended travel can:

• Help you shed old identities tied to work

• Build courage in small, repeatable ways

• Reframe uncertainty as adventure

• Replace "What am I without my job?" with "Who do I want to become?"

Retirement isn't a withdrawal from life. It's a redeployment.

Basement Fun Along the Way

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal?" listener game (she's not in the continental U.S. or Aruba…)

• A nod to the show's Gear of the Day archive at stackingadventures.com/gtd

• George's memoir recommendation—his own book, Odyssey of an Elder: Around the World in 80 Days, written so you feel like you're traveling beside him

Adventurer Question 🌎

If you had 80 days and the courage to go somewhere unfamiliar, where would you go—and what part of your identity might you leave behind?

Share your answer in the comments or in the Stacking Adventures community. Because sometimes the biggest journey isn't around the world.

It's into the next version of yourself.

Want to travel more without overspending or falling for tourist traps? In this episode of Stacking Adventures, Crystal reports back from the Travel & Adventure Show in Washington, DC, breaking down what the experience is really like, whether the upgraded ticket was worth it, and what she'd absolutely do differently next time (hint: show up early and never skip the insider perks).

Crystal and Joe swap travel confessions, talk about navigating crowds and convention chaos, and share how small detours can transform an ordinary trip into a memorable adventure. Along the way, the conversation turns practical, focusing on smarter ways to plan trips, stretch travel dollars, and discover destinations you might never have considered.

What the Stacking Adventures traveler will take away from this episode:

• What a major travel show is actually like and how to decide if attending one is worth your time and money

• Why arriving early can completely change your experience, from smaller crowds to better vendor conversations and bonus perks

• How upgraded passes can pay off when they include seminars, early access, and food that offsets the ticket cost

• The value of talking directly with destination experts instead of relying only on online research

• How adding small, unexpected detours can dramatically improve road trips and create memorable experiences

New destinations and ideas added to Crystal's travel list:

• Alaska trips focused on viewing the Northern Lights

• Tuscany cycling vacations through Pedal & Sea Adventures

• European Christmas market itineraries explored by train through Rail Escape

• Jamaica experiences beyond resorts, including private Blue Hole excursions

• Hidden-gem domestic travel, including Moundsville, West Virginia's mix of history, quirky attractions, and outdoor stays

• Scenic driving routes like Oklahoma's Talimena Drive as a stress-free alternative to major highway routes

Smart travel planning tips you can use immediately:

• Setting Google Flights price alerts to track airfare without constant searching

• Enrolling in the free government Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for travel alerts, safety updates, and easier passport assistance abroad

• Evaluating travel swag, deals, and promotions without getting distracted by flashy booths

• Using train travel and regional transportation to simplify European itineraries

• Thinking beyond headline destinations to find better value and fewer crowds

Meaningful travel conversations from the show floor:

• How tourism initiatives in places like Zanzibar and Tanzania support local youth and communities

• Opportunities through AFS Intercultural Programs for study abroad, hosting exchange students, and scholarship-supported cultural exchange

• How travel perceptions often lag behind reality, especially after major weather events or news cycles

Because every adventure needs a little fun:

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal Trying to Travel?" guessing game

• Funny moments from the convention floor, including murals, test drives, and unexpected wins

• Travel stories that prove the best memories often come from places you never planned to stop

Your next adventure starts here:

Share your own travel stories and submit destination guesses for a chance at Stacking Adventures swag! Here's the URL for either: StackingAdventures.com/MyStory.

Because the goal isn't just to travel more, it's to travel smarter, connect more deeply, and come home with stories worth telling.

What starts as a European trip in 1987 turns into a quirky quest across England after a chance bookstore discovery, and eventually becomes something far more meaningful than anyone expected.

Crystal Hammond and Joe Saul-Sehy are joined by award winning mystery writer Michael Balter, who shares how stumbling upon a coffee table book listing historic pubs across England accidentally launched him on an unforgettable pub crawl adventure. What began as "let's see if we can find these places" became a journey crisscrossing the English countryside, visiting tiny villages, atmospheric taverns, and discovering stories in every corner.

But Michael's 1987 trip wasn't just about pubs. Along the way, he experienced a life-changing reunion with his long-lost biological father in Berlin, proving once again that travel has a funny way of revealing what you're really searching for, whether that's a perfect pint in a centuries-old pub or missing pieces of your own story.

The conversation weaves between colorful English pub tales, practical travel lessons learned the hard way in an era before Google Maps and smartphones, and the deeply human side of international travel. How being far from home can bring you closer to who you are. There's also a peek at Michael's upcoming novel Dead Exit, plus a brand new, slightly chaotic game where listeners try to guess where in the world Crystal is this time (no passports required).

This episode is part travel memoir, part accidental quest story, and part reminder that the best trips don't always go according to plan, and that's exactly why we remember them.

What You'll Discover:

• How a bookstore find turned into an accidental pub crawl across England
• Why traveling without modern tech made every pub hunt feel like a real adventure
• What it's like to track down historic taverns in tiny English villages
• How Michael's European journey led to reconnecting with lost family in Berlin
• Why pubs and local hangouts tell you more about a place than guidebooks alone
• How travel stories turn into novels and sometimes into healing
• A new interactive game that might just become a Stacking Adventures staple

This Episode Is For You If:

• You love the idea of travel with an accidental quest built in
• You're drawn to stories where serendipity leads to the best adventures
• You've ever wondered what travel was like before smartphones solved everything
• You believe the best discoveries happen when you follow unexpected leads
• You're looking for your next unique travel challenge or inspiration

Question for You:

Have you ever taken a trip where a random discovery (a book, a recommendation, a wrong turn) completely changed your plans for the better? Share your story in the comments or the Stacking Adventures community. Bonus points if it involved tracking something down without Google's help.

What would happen if you said yes to the adventure that's been quietly tugging at you for years?

Joe Saul-Sehy talks with author and long distance cyclist Cory Mortensen, who decided to stop dreaming about a big ride and actually pedal one. He biked from Canada to Mexico along Highway One.

This isn't just about cycling. It's about committing to something that feels bigger than you, preparing without overthinking, and discovering what you're capable of when the road stretches out in front of you. Cory shares how solitude, unexpected kindness, and a willingness to stay curious shaped his journey just as much as the miles did.

Whether your epic adventure is a bike trip, a hiking trail, or something completely different, this episode is a reminder that the best stories start when you stop waiting for perfect conditions.

What You'll Discover:

• How to prepare for a long distance adventure without getting stuck in planning paralysis
• What Cory learned about resilience by riding day after day with no shortcuts
• Why solitude can be one of the most powerful and underrated parts of any journey
• How to stay safe and confident while navigating busy cities and remote roads
• The kind of gear that matters when you're living on the road
• Why naming your bike is not as ridiculous as it sounds once you've spent enough miles together
• How books and stories can fuel your sense of adventure
• What it feels like to reach the finish line and why it's never really the end
• How to stay mentally young by saying yes to new experiences
• Why serendipitous encounters often become the most memorable part of any trip

This Episode Is For You If:

• You've been saying "one day I'll do that" for years
• You want permission to commit to something that scares you a little
• You're curious what happens when you finally stop planning and start doing
• You need inspiration to turn your own adventure from dream to reality
• You believe life is meant to be lived, not just planned

Cory's story might be the nudge that turns one day into now.

Our show notes are at StackingAdventures.com

You'll find Cory's book in our Gear Of The Day picks

Share YOUR cycling (or other) adventure: StackingAdventures.com/MyStory

Alright, Adventurers…let's hear it. Where are you going in 2026—and what's the trip you really want to take if time, money, and real life would kindly stop being so clingy? Whether you've got a big international swing planned or you're stacking mini-adventures closer to home, this is your official invitation to say it out loud and let the rest of us cheer you on (and possibly steal your ideas).

This year's travel planning comes with a little more structure, a little more imagination, and a whole lot more "let's actually do the thing." We're talking trips with friends, family getaways, bucket list locations, and those oddly specific travel goals that make perfect sense once you've lived through exactly one chaotic airport day and sworn you'll never travel unprepared again.

And because this is the Clubhouse, we're not just updating our passports—we're leveling up the way we share the adventure. New segments are coming in, a few are getting retired, and we're kicking off the year with the kind of energy that makes you want to open a notes app titled "Trips I'm Booking Before I Talk Myself Out of It."

In this episode of Stacking Adventures, Crystal Hammond and Joe Saul-Sehy reveal what they're chasing in 2026—from big dream destinations (yes, Tuscany is in the conversation) to surprise events on the calendar, including a wedding trip to Lebanon. They also share what's changing inside the Clubhouse this year, including a new game inspired by "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and some fresh ways for Adventurers to participate beyond just listening.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

• The annual Clubhouse meeting and what it means for the year ahead

• Crystal's 2026 travel goals and the trips she's determined to make happen

• Joe's jam-packed itinerary, including a surprise international wedding trip

• Why some segments are getting retired (moment of silence)

• What new segments are being introduced for 2026

• How the Clubhouse will be more interactive this year

• A new travel game concept that'll make you rethink how you "plan" trips

Our Gear of the Day Store: StackingAdventures.com/GearOfTheDay

Tell us your story OR sign up for our new Where In The World Is Crystal Dreaming About Traveling? StackingAdventures.com/MyStory