The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

Do you suffer from jet lag? This week's guest is Dr Stephen Jasper (aka the Jet Lag Guy), a former pharmacist who is a recognised expert in the field of jet lag and executive performance.
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We talk about what jet lag is, how it affects us all differently, and how to avoid it.

Also, there has been a flurry of new airlines and routes to and from Australia; we tell you who's flying and where, and we reveal the top stargazing spots around the country.

Follow Dr Stephen Jasper here.

The Phillip Island literary festival Kirstie mentioned is here.

And Belle's Yarra Valley tips include Barrique wine bar, TarraWarra Museum of Art and Zoncello for absolutely banging pizza.

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Melbourne stylist Sally Mackinnon founded the viral @styledbysally instagram account, and this episode, she talks to Belle about packing hacks and how you can genuinely travel stylishly, and with carry-on only.  

We're talking tight colour palettes and sudoku, but the key, she says, is not to dress like a tourist. Sally also shares ideal boarding outfit, which has no whiff of a brand-emblazoned hoodie about it.

“I do think we’ve lost the plot with plane travel style,” says Sally. "There’s nothing wrong with making a bit of an effort. Because how you dress influences the way you feel." 

And in other huge news, Belle has launched her travel-writing tour to Algeria, departing March 2027! Join Belle and the guides of Untamed Borders on an adventure through the Sahara and souqs, kasbahs and the footprints of civilisations past; visit globalsalsa.com

Also, what's your opinion on Jetstar now charging for your carry-on luggage? Read on for AirlineRatings.com's take.

https://www.airlineratings.com/articles/jetstar-just-did-australian-travellers-a-favour-but-nobody-wants-to-hear-it 

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"The Eiffel Tower was a crucial tool of espionage when WWI broke out, helping to catch a spy credited with causing up to 50,000 deaths... she was funnelling information back to the Germans after she weaponised her beauty to beguile them," says author of Hidden in Plain Sight, Ronan O'Connell.

Ronan visited 35 countries to research his book, uncovering jaw-dropping and intriguing insights into the world's most popular landmarks - things even locals don't know.

He talks to us about some of the most remarkable stories, and gives an insight into his travels while he was photographing and researching the book.

Co-hosts Kirstie and Belle also discuss the latest hotel openings around the world that you need on your radar, and Cover More gives a tip on the top costly travel mistakes to avoid when you travel, if you want your insurer to pay out, from adventure activities to getting a tattoo.

Read more about Ronan here: https://www.ronanoconnell.com/about

Buy his book here: https://harpercollins.com.au/products/9781400251469

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This week, the travel community farewells Glenn A Baker, who was not only a rock historian and journalist, but an avid traveller who'd visited more than 150 countries, documenting his travels in books and the Australian media. 

An accomplished radio presenter who was instrumental in the creation of radio stations JJ and JJJ, he also presented Qantas' inflight music entertainment for decades. 

Glenn was also our guest on the podcast. For our interview, Belle asked him to create a musical roadtrip through the USA, a task that he immediately said required at least two episodes to cover. 

For us, the iconic music journalist designed a custom soundtrack and playlist/mixtape alongside a guided itinerary of southern blues, soul, and R&B landmarks, which we're resharing here. 

His interview demonstrated an intersection of Glenn's deep knowledge and love for music and travel; the Australian music industry has lost one of its greatest advocates. 

The World Awaits sends our condolences to his family and close friends, including many in our extended travel writing community.

Glenn's playlist from this episode includes:

When a Man Loves a Woman, Percy Sledge
Wild Horses, Rolling Stones
Proud Mary, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Knock on Wood, Eddie Floyd
Crossroads, Robert Johnson
(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
Green Onions Booker T & the MGs
Rainbow Connection, Jim Henderson
Last Man Standing (album), Jerry Lee Lewis

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Stylish and sultry, home of the tango, gargantuan steaks and runners up in the World Cup - this week we're going to Argentina! Melbourne-based travel consultant, writer and serial expat Rebecca Arnold has called Buenos Aires home, and is just back from her most recent research trip for her travel planner service, Rebecca and the World.  

We're checking the vibe in Buenos Aires - is tango a cliché, is the wine that good and should I go see the Boca Juniors play? Rebecca also shares some epic roadtrip itineraries in this fascinating, got-it-all country. 

Rebecca is offering listeners a 30% discount on her hour-long travel planning consultations on Argentina – visit rebeccaandtheworld.com and use the discount code THEWORLDAWAITS. 

Also, comparison site iSelect reveals the in-flight habit Aussies hate more than noisy children, and if you have a medical emergency while you travel, do you know which countries have reciprocal health agreements with Australia? Stay tuned. 

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We're talking travel books, starting with some of the favourites of the man behind travel guide books, Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler.

We also chat about our favourite travel books: non-fiction for co-host Belinda Jackson, including modern pilgrimages and some genre-defining classics, and co-host Kirstie Bedford's focus on destination crime, given that's what she writes wearing her authorial crime fiction hat ... although she does drop in one of her favourite new release non-fiction books too.

Also, we discuss one of the biggest topics in travel right now – the death of the paper arrival card, and our tip is from travel experts at Iglu Cruise, who has come up with the top tourist attractions in Australia – have you been to them all?

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This week have interviews with two remarkable adventurers.

At 50, filmmaker Dianne Whelan set out to walk and kayak the longest trail in the world, the 24,000km-long Trans Canada Trail. 

Her film, 500 days in the Wild, opened recently in Australia and documents her extraordinary six-year journey. She talks about the project, paddling 8000km of water trails and walking, biking and snowshoeing 16,000km.

Our second interview is with Adventurer, environmental scientist, author, filmmaker, philanthropist, speaker, and Australian of the Year Tim Jarvis AM.

He chats to us about two of the harshest and most extreme Antarctic expeditions he completed – Douglas Mawson and Ernest Shackleton's survival journeys- and he did them in the original clothing, with the same gear used a century ago.

Jarvis also talks about his latest expedition and how travel can inspire conservation and the difference every traveller can make.

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First up Toby Venus of the Point Hacks podcast joins us to demystify frequent flyer points – how to earn, how to burn and creating a checklist to keep your points in good shape and working for you.   

Coming to you from the Novotel Melbourne Airport, Toby shares some sneaky hacks, and we're talking gift cards, credit cards, hotel loyalty programs and the difference between rewards seats and the perils of the points-plus-pay scheme, so buckle up, avgeeks!

Then, the heartfelt story of Silva McLeod, the first Tongan woman to become an airline pilot, who wrote about her incredible journey from 'Island Girl to Airline Pilot' in a memoir of that name.  

As well as telling us about her remarkable story, she also breaks down some myths about flying, from where pilots sleep to whether you should drink the water on the plane.

Buy her book here: exislepublishing.com/product/island-girl-to-airline-pilot/ 

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This week, we’re taking you on some of our own recent travel adventures from the postcard-worthy South Island of New Zealand to the wilds of South Africa.  

First up, Belle takes us on a self-drive safari through Kruger National Park and a stay in peak luxury game reserve Sabi Sabi with expert travel planner Travel Africa Your Way and she also e-bikes to the Cape of Good Hope, South of Cape Town, thanks to new tour company Cape Point Bike Tours. 

Our second interview is with Kirstie, who outlines a three-day adventure hiking and biking adventure on the Queen Charlotte Track and kayaking the glassy waters of the Marlborough Sounds. She explains how to get there and why this is one of the best places to hike in New Zealand. She's also got some great accommodation options pre- and post your adventure, wildernessguidesnz.com

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Welcome to our Winter Series! This week is all about hiking, from the French Camino to the wilds of Tasmania.

But first, we have a winner for our competition!  Truc Pham has won a night’s stay at the Moxy Sydney Airport hotel, buffet breakfast for two at the Moxy Kitchen, return airport shuttle transfers and up to 14 nights valet parking at the hotel! See marriott.com

Onto our winter series, Kirstie is chatting with UTracks hiking guide Jaclyn Beagley, who leads guests along the Le Puy Camino, also known as the French Camino. Jaclyn talks about the difference in the French section of the Camino compared with other hikes in the network of ancient pilgrimage routes across Europe, utracks.com

And for our second interview, Belle catches up with author Caro Ryan OAM, whose book, How to Navigate, teaches people the art of navigation and map reading, which she says is essential for safe bushwalking and getting people outdoors, connected to and caring for nature, lotsafreshair.com

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