Travel Writing World

In today's short episode, I speak with Matt Kepnes about his writing career, the various difficulties of life on the road, and about his experiences traveling around the world for the last ten years. We also talk about blogging and his new book, Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler's Journey Home (St. Martin's Press 2019).

Matt is the influential blogger behind NomadicMatt.com, and the New York Times Bestselling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. His new book, Ten Years a Nomad, was published on July 16, 2019.

I spoke with Matt while he was in Los Angeles, California during a speaking tour to promote his new book. If you're interested in travel memoirs and topics related to world exploration and digital nomadism, check out the book. His book outlines his path from unsatisfied 9-to-5 administrator to world traveler, blogger, and writer. It also covers topics like on-the-road romances and travel burnout.

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Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

Listen to the Episode on YouTube

Listen to the episode on YouTube on the Travel Writing World channel. Remember to subscribe to the channel.

Intro Music

Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram)

Disclaimer

*Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site.

In this episode, I speak with Monisha Rajesh about slow travel, trains, and her experiences as a woman of color on the road. We also talk about travel writing and her new book, Around the World in 80 Trains (Bloomsbury 2019).

Monisha is a British journalist and travel writer. She has written for publications like The Guardian, The Times, The New York Times, and TIME. In 2010, she traveled around India on trains during a 4-month span, which she reflected on in her first book Around India in 80 Trains.

If you're interested in train travel and travel as an independent woman, check out the episode and her book, which chronicles her trip from London and throughout the world.

Links from the show and more

* Monisha Rajesh's Around the World in 80 Trains* Monisha Rajesh's Around India in 80 Trains* Paul Theroux's Great Railway Bazaar* Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days* Monocle's "The Stack" Podcast Episode

Get in touch with Monisha Rajesh

* Monisha Rajesh's Book Website* Monisha Rajesh on Twitter* Monisha Rajesh on Instagram

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews,

In this episode, I speak with Professor Lynn Meskell about the history, politics, and future of the UNESCO World Heritage Program. We also talk about her new book, A Future in Ruins: UNESCO, World Heritage, and the Dream of Peace (Oxford 2018).

Dr. Meskell is Professor Archaeology at Stanford University. She has a long list of accolades and research experience in the field of archaeology. He has received honorary doctorates and is widely published.

Her book, while written for an academic audience, is insightful and should be read by any self-proclaimed enthusiast of UNESCO World Heritage sites and history lovers alike. It is based on deep archival research and uses examples of actual UNESCO campaigns as anecdotes to illustrate her arguments.

Links from the show

* The Book, A Future in Ruins: UNESCO, World Heritage, and the Dream of Peace: https://amzn.to/2K8vXWA* UNESCO World Heritage Statistics: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/stat/* A Lecture by Professor Meskell on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b6T_r80KK0&t=90s

More about Dr. Lynn Meskell

* Lynn Meskell's Homepage at Stanford: https://anthropology.stanford.edu/people/lynn-meskell* Stanford University Interview of Dr. Meskell: https://news.stanford.edu/2018/11/19/stanford-scholar-examines-unescos-world-heritage-program/

Transcript (Click to Expand)

Jeremy Bassetti

This is Jeremy Bassetti. And you're listening to All Over The Place, a podcast on travel, culture, and the creative life. Today's episode brings us to Stanford, California, where I speak with Professor Lynn Meskell about the history, politics and feature of the UNESCO World Heritage program. Dr. Meskell is Professor of Archaeology at Stanford University, and has a long list of accolades, including being the recipient of an honorary doctorate at the American University in Rome.

Jeremy Bassetti

But first, a little bit of housekeeping.

Jeremy Bassetti

Okay, so I'm back and rested after having taken 20, twenty-year-olds to Italy for a few weeks. Needless to say, I'm excited to get back in the studio recording more conversations. So keep your eyes open for new episodes that will be arriving in your podcasting app. The podcast has reached a milestone of sorts. Our 10 episodes so far have been downloaded and listened to by hundreds of listeners from around the world. Thank you very much. But if you find the show interesting, you can help spread the word by leaving a positive review on iTunes and your Apple Podcasting app or in whatever podcasting app you use. Reviews are really helpful in getting more ears and eyes on the program. As a way to say thanks, I have a handful of All Over The Place Podcast stickers that I would like to send you completely free of charge, including shipping, to wherever you are in the world. I don't have very many to send though, so, first come first serve. Visit travelwritingworld.com/stickers to sign up. And speaking of which, the All Over the Place Podcast website has undergone slight redesign. If this type of thing interests you. Feel free to go check that out.

In this episode, I speak with Pico Iyer about travel, narrative structures, living in Japan, and of course his new book Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells.

Alongside those like Paul Theroux, Pico Iyer is one of the greatest living travel writers. He is the celebrated author of many books including Video Nights in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, The Art of Stillness, and many, many others. This year (2019), Pico Iyer is publishing several books, one of which is the subject of this podcast. The second one authored principally by Mr. Iyer, A Beginner's Guide to Japan, will be released in September 2019.

Pico Iyer was embarking on a book tour to promote Autumn Light when I caught him in his hotel room in Miami. As you can tell from the conversation, Pico is incredibly eloquent and insightful. I hope you enjoy listening to the conversation as much as I had participating in it.

This episode was awarded the Bronze Award in the 28th Annual North American Travel Journalists Association Awards Competition.

Links from the show

Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells (on Amazon)

Video Nights in Kathmandu (on Amazon)

The Lady and the Monk (on Amazon)

The Art of Stillness (on Amazon)

Pico Iyer online

Pico Iyer's Personal Website

Pico Iyer's Twitter

Pico Iyer's Ted Talks

A Beginner's Guide to Japan

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books.

In this episode, I speak with Dianne Hales about her new book La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World. She is the author of La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language, a New York Times best-seller, and Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered, an Amazon best book of the year and translated into six languages.

From her website: Following publication of the New York Times-bestselling La Bella Lingua, the President of Italy awarded Dianne the highest recognition the government can bestow on a foreigner: honorary knighthood, with the title of Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity), for her contributions to promoting the Italian language.

As a widely published freelance journalist, Dianne served as a contributing editor for Parade, Ladies Home Journal, Working Mother and American Health and has written for many national publications, including The New York Times, Psychology Today and The Washington Post. She has received writing awards from the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, an “EMMA” (Exceptional Media Merit Award) for health reporting from the National Women’s Political Caucus and Radcliffe College, three “EDI” (Equality, Dignity, Independence) awards for print journalism from the National Easter Seal Society, Arthritis Foundation, California Psychiatric Society, CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity), Council for the Advancement of Scientific Education, and the New York City Public Library.

Connect with Dianne Hales

Dianne's Website: https://diannehales.com/

La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World on Amazon

Dianne on Twitter

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase,

In this episode, I speak with Susan Lewis Solomont about her new book, Lost and Found in Spain: Tales of an Ambassador’s Wife. Susan has more than 30 years of experience providing strategic philanthropic counsel to private foundations. From 2010 to 2013, she served alongside her husband, Alan Solomont, in Madrid, Spain, where he was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra under President Barack Obama. Her new book was published on March 26.

From her website:

She was named International Woman of the Year by FEDEPE, the leading organization for Spanish women executives and directors. She holds a bachelor of science degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree in education from Tufts University. She has two daughters, Becca and Stephanie, and a cockapoo named Stella Blu, who is the subject of her forthcoming children’s book: Stella the Ambassadog. Lost and Found in Spain: Tales of an Ambassador’s Wife is her first book.

Connect with Susan Solomont

Personal Website: https://www.susansolomont.com/

Lost and Found in Spain on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U4Oljj

Susan on Instagram

Susan on Facebook

Spotify Playlist

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

Listen to the Episode on YouTube

In this episode, I speak with Caroline Van Hemert about her new book The Sun is a Compass: a 4,000-Mile Journey into the Alaskan Wilds.

From her website:

Caroline's journeys, both personal and professional, have taken her from the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean to the swamps of the Okavango Delta. Along the way, she has been outsmarted by Cheeto-eating crows, stalked by predatory bears, charged by elephants, and humbled by 10-gram chickadees that shiver through winter nights at 40 degrees below zero.

Caroline holds a Ph.D. in wildlife biology and an M.A. in creative writing and currently works as a research biologist for the USGS Alaska Science Center. She regularly publishes and speaks about her scientific research, which has been featured in the New York Times, National Geographic, Birding, and Scientific American. With her husband and two young sons, she divides her time between a cozy home in downtown Anchorage and a remote, off-the-grid cabin near Haines, Alaska. 

Connect with Caroline Van Hemert

* Personal Website: https://www.carolinevanhemert.com/* The Sun is a Compass on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WDutpe* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunisacompass/* Wordsworth's Tables Turned: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45557/the-tables-turned

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

In this episode, I speak with Seth Kugel about his new book Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious.

Seth is the former "Frugal Traveler" columnist for the NY Times and the host of the popular YouTube channel Amigo Gringo.

Connect with Seth Kugel

* Seth's Personal Website* Seth's Book, Rediscovering Travel* Seth's Instagram* Seth's YouTube Channel

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

Listen to the Episode on YouTube

Listen to the episode on YouTube on the Travel Writing World channel. Remember to subscribe to the channel.

Intro Music

Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram)

Disclaimer

*Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site.

Katherine Parker Magyar in Kenya

In this episode, I speak with travel writer Katherine Parker-Magyar on writing and her philosophy on travel.

Katherine writes about travel, lifestyle & culture for Architectural Digest, Forbes, The Week, Business Insider, The Daily Beast, Tasting Table, Elite Daily, POPSUGAR, Electrify, Brit + Co, This Is Insider, Go Overseas, Quest Magazine, and the Recorder Newspapers, where she first began her career as a reporter.

Connect with Katherine Parker-Magyar

You can connect with Katherine via her Personal Website, Twitter, and Instagram.

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

Listen to the Episode on YouTube

Listen to the episode on YouTube on the Travel Writing World channel. Remember to subscribe to the channel.

Intro Music

Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram)

Disclaimer

*Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site.

In this episode of the Travel Writing World podcast, I speak with Christian Alyea about cultivating authentic travel experiences, connecting with locals while traveling, and the benefits of solo travel.

Christian is the founder and director of Life Break Adventures and Study Abroad Association, two travel companies that offer authentic and affordable adventures and short-term study abroad experiences around the world.

Connect with Christian Alyea:

* Life Break Adventures Website: https://www.lifebreakadventures.com* Study Abroad Association Website: https://www.studyabroadassociation.com* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifebreakadventures/* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifebreakadventures/

More Episodes & Support

Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free.

You can also support the show by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram.

Lastly, consider using our affiliate links to purchase your books. If you use our links to make a purchase, we will receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you. These funds help keep the podcast alive and ad-free.

Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Book Guidebook. You will also receive quarterly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Thanks for your support!

Listen to the Episode on YouTube

Listen to the episode on YouTube on the Travel Writing World channel. Remember to subscribe to the channel.

Intro Music

Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram)

Disclaimer

*Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Ama...