When Métis writer Debbie Olsen heard the haunting sounds of Inuit throat singing for the first time, she felt an unexpected connection to her own Indigenous roots. In northern Quebec's remote Inuit region of Nunavik, she discovered how an entire community is fighting to preserve cultural traditions that were once banned—while adapting to a rapidly warming world that threatens their ancient way of life.

In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, Debbie takes us inside Kuujjuaq's remarkable cultural revival, from throat-singing performances to traditional sewing centers, where elders pass down survival skills that have sustained Inuit life for generations. Plus, we explore how climate change is forcing this resilient community to adapt while holding fast to their identity.

Ancient Arts in Modern Times

A Culture of Resilience, With A Little Help From Community

What Cultural Preservation Should Be All About

Award-winning travel writer and Métis journalist Debbie Olsen brings a unique Indigenous perspective to exploring cultural traditions. Based in Canada, her work focuses on connecting with Indigenous communities and understanding how ancestral knowledge survives in the modern world.

In this episode you'll hear how Kuujjuaq's community centers—from throat singing groups to carpentry workshops—represent more than skill-sharing; they're acts of cultural healing that help Inuit people reclaim what colonization tried to erase, all while preparing future generations for an uncertain climate future.

Resources

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠⁠Unpacked⁠⁠, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Travel Tales by Afar is part of Airwave Media's podcast network. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

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When Turks and Caicos native Mario Rigby landed in Cape Town with nothing but a backpack, a pair of worn-in sneakers, and a dream to walk the length of Africa, he thought maybe he'd made the worst mistake of his life. But actually walking across Africa? That brought peace and a deeper understanding of the power of hospitality, movement, and self discovery. 

In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, Mario shares how walking 7,500 miles permanently changed the way he travels—and lives. Plus, we dive into what sustainable tourism really looks like and the aftermath of reverse culture shock. 

 7,500 Miles: From Cape Town to Cairo

In this episode you’ll learn: 

Why Turks and Caicos is a microcosm for the power of sustainable tourism. 

What it’s like to cross the white desert  in Egypt. 

How local culture in Cape Town, Sudan, and El Salvador reshaped Mario’s perspective on travel. 

An Epic Sojourn, With A Little Help From Locals 

[02:50] This childhood TV show planted the seed for adventure, before it was famous. 

[08:38] The local encounter that changed everything on day one. 

[14:41] When a dog attack in Sudan led to a Tedx talk. 

[22:19]  What happens next? Reverse culture shock and the need for adventure. 

What Traveling Should Be All About

Eco-explorer and former professional athlete, Mario Rigby has travel in his blood. Born in Turks and Caicos, raised in Germany, and now living in Canada, Mario’s expeditions focus on sustainability and human connection. 

In this episode you’ll hear how a walk from Cape Town to Cairo, guided him to a lifestyle of adventurous movement, that included biking across North America and living among Algeria’s nomadic tribes. 

Resources: 

Read the transcript of this episode

Learn more about Mario’s work on his website.

Follow Mario on Instagram: @mariorigby

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠Unpacked⁠, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Travel Tales by Afar is part of Airwave Media's podcast network. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antoni Porowski, our favorite culinary expert from Queer Eye, takes you behind-the-scenes of his new National Geographic show, No Taste Like Home (premiering February 23, 2025). In this episode, he shares the connection that sent him crying off camera with Awkwafina, the dish that defeated his adventurous palate with Henry Golding, and how his Polish roots served him well while helping celebrities explore the foods that taste like home in six different countries.

What Do Kimbap, Ndambe and Chicken Fried Steak Have in Common?

On this episode you’ll learn: 

Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski Will Eat Anything—Except This

Don’t miss these transformative, travel moments: 

[03:06] “I was the pickiest eater ever growing up!”

[10:01] Kelp, crying, and Korean connections with Awkwafina.

[17:18] James Marsden sheds a light on chicken fried steak.

[19:21] Antoni Porowski tests his foodie limits with Henry Golding.

[20:04] The surprising connections that changed the way Antoni Porowski approaches food.

Why The Perfect Meal Should Remind You of Your Childhood

Every episode of Antoni Porowski’s new show, No Taste Like Home, took three to six months of research: from tracing family trees to exploring the origins of traditional foods.

In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, discover what Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski learned about the universality of place, comfort and connection by taking celebrities on epic journeys to explore their culinary and familial roots. 

Resources: 

Follow Antoni Porowski on Instagram 

Stream the show, No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski.  

Watch this episode on Youtube. 

Read the episode transcript.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you manage stress when you’re traveling during the holidays? And is it better to book with points or cash during some of the busiest travel days of the year? Believe it or not, it’s almost time to book your holiday travel, and our friends at NerdWallet have some tips for traveling stress-free. In this special episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, their objective finance journalists answer real-world questions to help you make smarter decisions with your money and help your finances thrive.

Listen to Smart Money by NerdWallet wherever you get your podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/1tURflyR

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

No plan. No luggage. Five weeks in India. Joe Diaz and Greg Sullivan, dreamed up Afar on a beach in Goa more than 15 years ago. In this candid episode from our sister podcast, Unpacked, they reflect on what they’ve learned by helping people travel deeper. From the spontaneous trips that honed the company’s values to how they’ve helped shape the travel industry, get an inside look into the transformative power of rallying around travel as a force for good. 

But, How Many Kitchen Tables Have You Visited? 

In this episode, discover:

How Afar helped pave the way for “experiential travel.” 

The origin and impact of Learning Afar, which gives students access to travel. 

How you can continue to shape travel as a force for good in the world.  

Going Home with a Rickshaw Driver. 

Don’t miss these memorable moments:

[2:03] It started without a plan—or luggage. 

[14:55] The first step: transformative travel education. 

[25:15] Spin the globe and other stories that have impacted them the most. 

[37:49] A trip to Cairo that led to a surgeon’s debut on The Daily Show.

[45:15] A friendly debate on travel practices—from packing to plane rides.   

The Transformative Power of Teachers Turned Travelers. 

Greg Sullivan and Joe Diaz met in the classroom, so when they traveled to India and found a deeper way to travel, they had to share that with others. In this lighthearted conversation, they share the spontaneous travel stories that have impacted the industry and continue to sustain Afar 15 years later. 

In this episode you’ll learn how Afar went from an idea to a multi-faceted media company, how they’ve pivoted over time to hone their impact on the world and how you can travel in a more conscious and connected way. 

Resources

• Explore Afar’s 15-year anniversary hub of favorite stories, including:  

A Skeptic Visits the Holy Waters of Lourdes.

What It’s Like to Navigate Cairo’s Chaos as a Blind Traveler. 

• Read the transcript of this episode.

• Listen to the podcast episodes mentioned in this episode: 

A Blind Man’s Trip Will Change the Way You Go on Safari. 

A Blind Surfer Takes On Kauai’s Legendary Waves.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

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Not only can you swim in the rivers of Bern and Basel— but thousands of locals regularly take the plunge. From a morning commute to a relaxing weekend escape, discover how rivers are at the heart of everyday Swiss life. In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, Bonnie Tsui, author of Why We Swim, follows the currents of Switzerland's alpine rivers into the depths of history, culture and identity. 

How Rivers Reveal Years of Swiss Culture

In this episode you will learn: 

Behind Every Great Swiss City, There’s A River.

Don’t miss these transformative travel moments: 

[5:19] A legacy of guarding the rights of swimmers in Basel.

[8:14] Three distinct relationships with the Rhine.

[11:07] An insightful swim at Rheinbad Breite, a 125-year-old bathhouse. 

[12:54] What does climate change mean for the future of Alpine river swimming?

Swimming for a Slice of Life

Afar contributor, and author of Why We Swim, Bonnie Tsui has swimming in her DNA. Her parents met in a pool in Hong Kong, she worked as a lifeguard growing up in New York, and she often swims when she travels—she's the perfect person to explore Switzerland’s river swimming culture. 

In this episode you’ll learn how to enhance a trip to Switzerland by swimming its rivers, hear how locals see rivers as an important thread in the fabric of Swiss life and culture, and be inspired by the people who are working to protect the future of alpine river swimming. 

Resources

• Read the transcript of the episode

• Order Bonnie’s book Why We Swim

• Read more of Bonnie’s work on her website. 

• Pre-order Bonnie's latest book, On Muscle:The Stuff That Moves Us and Why it Matters. 

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

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Tom Turcich and his dog, Savannah, completed their world walk in 2022. On this week’s episode of Travel Tales, we hear their story.

We first talked with Tom and Savannah back in 2021, when they were in Kyrgyzstan, six years into their journey, which began in 2015. They had been held up by the pandemic, which was only one of many ordeals they faced on their circumnavigation. A year and a few thousand miles later, they were done and back home in New Jersey. And now, two years later, Tom has released his memoir, The World Walk: 7 Years. 28,000 Miles. 6 Continents. A Grand Meditation, One Step at a Time.

In his Travel Tale, Tom reads an excerpt from the book, a moment set in the Peruvian desert about a year and a half into his journey. At that time, he’d already been held up by knife point and chased by semi-feral dogs in South America. The novelty of his walk had worn off and as he shuffled through the desert, he started to lose sight of why he was attempting this journey. And then he encountered a special restaurant with a special individual, one that revealed that he was indeed on the right path. 

Tom and host Aislyn Greene also talk about what it was like to return to “real” life after seven years of walking, his relationship to walking now, and where he wants to go next.  

Copyright © 2024 Tom Turcich. Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Resources

Read the transcript of the episode.

Listen to the episode on YouTube on August 29th.

Buy Tom's book on Amazon and on Barnes & Nobles.

Follow Tom on Instagram. 

Read our feature on Tom and Savannah. 

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks one tricky topic in travel each week. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Road trips are such funny things. They allow more room for whimsy and spontaneity. They can inspire frank conversation, sitting side by side with someone, looking out at endless stretches of highway. And they can be dull (all that endless highway) in a way that somehow opens your mind to other possibilities and maybe even other lives. 

That’s what happened for Charlie Sprinkman as he drove back and forth—and back again—across the United States. He was working a job that required constant travel, and as a queer person, he was always on the lookout for spaces that were both welcoming and queer owned. On their third trek across the States, he realized that if he was looking for these kinds of businesses, other LGBTQIA2S+ travelers would be too. So he founded Everywhere Is Queer, a map that helps those travelers find welcoming, queer-owned spaces around the world. 

In this week’s episode, Charlie shares their journey from a young, searching kid in Wisconsin to successful entrepreneur, and everything in between. And in the companion interview with Charlie on YouTube, he shares some of their favorite queer-owned places and businesses, where he wants to go from here, and how road-tripping helped them see that the country is really more alike than it seems. 

Resources

Read the transcript of the episode.

Listen to the episode on YouTube.

Explore the map or download the app (iOS) (Android).

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deesha Dyer never thought she’d wind up in the White House. As a kid growing up in Philadelphia, she desperately wanted to travel but it always felt out of reach. Until she landed a coveted internship in the Obama administration, working in the office that arranged all of the president’s travel. Over the next eight years, she would travel around the world with the President and First Lady—in style!—visiting embassies, hobnobbing with celebrities, and yes, traveling alone, much of which she’s chronicled in her new memoir, Undiplomatic.  

She also got a peek into the diplomatic world, where “I would never see any Black people in the U.S. embassies,” she told me. Until she worked in the White House, she had no idea that something like the U.S. Foreign Service existed. And that sparked an idea: To start a nonprofit that would help other Black girls access these opportunities. In 2014, she founded beGirl.World Global Scholars, a two-year program that culminates in a big international trip. In today’s episode, she takes us on that first journey. 

She and her cofounder, Marcella, took 10 girls to London and Paris, a two-week whirlwind that was delightful and stressful, learning a lot about what to do—and what not to do. Plus, in the companion interview on YouTube, Deesha shares all the behind-the-scenes details about traveling with the Obamas, what it’s like to fly on Air Force One, and the delightful challenge of transitioning back to “normal” travel after eight years of diplomatic luxuries. 

Resources

Read the transcript of the episode.

Listen to the episode on YouTube.

Order Deesha’s book, Undiplomatic. 

Learn more about, and support, beGirl.World.

Follow Deesha on her website and on Instagram.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks one tricky topic in travel each week. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine this: You’re slowly driving through Etosha National Park, Namibia’s renowned conservation area. There are elephants and zebras and antelopes and lions all around you. In fact, you’ve been warned not to exit your car because of those very lions, which are pros at camouflaging themselves in the desert landscape. And then your car stalls—because you don’t really know how to drive it. 

That’s the situation that this week’s storyteller, Nicolle Galteland (also known as Nikki) faced on a year-long, round-the-world trip that included a week in Namibia. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Nikki is Afar’s podcast engineer, and in this episode she steps in front of the mic to tell her tale.

At age 23, Nikki applied for, and received, a special solo travel grant that allowed a certain number of undergrad and graduate students to travel around the world for a year, provided they did it totally on their own. Her itinerary included Tajikistan and Zambia, Thailand and Singapore, and getting around mostly involved planes or trains. But in Namibia she knew she wanted to do a road trip, and at the time the only cars available had a manual transmission. Which she didn’t know how to operate. But she’d always wanted to learn, so she recruited a few helpers, mapped out a course, and lurched off into the desert sunset. Hundreds of zebras, dozens of stalls, and one flat tire later, she found her way. 

And don’t miss our companion YouTube interview, where Nikki shares more about the grant, how this episode reinvigorated her love of wildlife—and gets on her soapbox about the ways that traveling solo as a woman can change your life. 

Resources

Read the transcript of the episode.

Listen to the companion Q&A on YouTube. 

Explore more of Nikki’s work on her website. 

Listen to Looters, the sci-fi/Western role-playing podcast that Nikki coproduces with her husband, Drew. 

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices