TripCast360

Marquita Wright didn’t take her first international trip until she reached college --- spending six months studying in Mexico. By then she was hooked and continued to travel the global --- in fact, Marquita and her now husband Jaime, were involved in a long-distance dating relationship. Rather than meet in their respective hometowns, they decided to meet monthly in other locales and share the discovery of new places together. 

A few years later they married and had twin boys. If you think having twins would slow down their adventurous spirit, you’d be wrong.  While she still takes that solo trip for work, the family usually isn't far behind. From Chiang Mai, to Paris and Costa Rica this is a family on the go. 

Even a global pandemic didn't slow them down.

By the time the boys reached their second birthday they’d taken over 15 trips across 5 continents. How does she do it? Listen as she shares her story and tips on traveling with twins under the age of three and what its like to also travel as a solo female.

You can learn more about Marquita and her traveling exploits at marquitastravels.com.

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Ghana - a journey back to where it all began and its transformation to a 21st century must vacation hotspot.

Our guest Stephanie Claytor, is a gifted and award-winning multi-media journalist. One of her many passions in life is a profound interest in the African Diaspora. That interest and Stephanie's love of travel inspired her to journey to Ghana.

In her words: " I just always had wanted to go back to the motherland because I had studied across the African Diaspora. I'd studied African American History, I'd studied Afro Latino history. And so I felt it was time to go back to where we originated in Africa."

When she arrived, Stephanie discovered more than the origins of American slavery, she found a country teeming with culture, beautiful landscapes, wonderful beaches and the high energy city of Accra.

Accra truly feels like a city that never sleeps. A cultural melting pot with glittering beaches, lively nightlife, and 17th century castles interspersed with modern skyscrapers lets you know immediately it's time to discover this west African paradise.

Despite the centuries and the distance, listen as Stephanie speaks of the commonality found with those of the African Diaspora in the Western Hemisphere.

Stephanie's extensive travels led her to create the platform Blacktrekking.com. Here you'll journey around the globe with Stephanie as a solo traveler, with her husband, and how she adapted her travels to motherhood.

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Loan (pronounced Lo' Ann) Lake visited Italy for the first time as a graduate student. From Milan, Naples, Venice and Rome to Sicily, Loan explored Italy like few have. When we asked her what she enjoyed most about the country - everything, she said. Even with her love of "everything" Italy, Loan reserved a special place in her heart for one often overlooked locale within Italy, the island of Sicily. She said it reminded her in a way of her native Caribbean, in particular St Thomas---narrow hillside roads, Bougainvillea flowers, the American Jazz in the Sicilian nightclubs, and its African influences that remain from conquests 300 years earlier.

We could have spent the entire podcast discussing Italian history and cuisine. Loan even did a deep dive into the differences in marinara sauces across Italy.

Today, Loan is a communications and public relations strategist, journalist, and published author. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, the U-S Government, non-profits and tourist destinations.

Loan has returned to Italy since her graduate school days, and her visit further reinforced Loan's love of the country. As the title says, it's "Italy on My Mind."

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How many of us would have the courage to quit our jobs, buy a sailboat that appeared to have seen its better days and embark on life at sea with zero experience. Our guests Beau and Brandy have done just that.  Now six years later they wouldn't have it any other way.

The year was 2016. They arrived in Florida with a vision and a lot of faith. Upon arrival they bought a 35-foot sailboat for $2,000. For the next 18 months they upgraded and repaired their new floating home. Much of the work performed by Beau and Brandy themselves. They learned by watching online videos, reading and consulting with whoever could provide the necessary assistance.

Once  their floating palace was sea worthy it was time to learn how to sail.  Their first solo journey to The Bahamas, fraught with a few dangers for newbies, let them both know "we got this." They've been sailing the Caribbean paradise ever since, while planning new adventures to the South Pacific.  We caught up with the couple in St. Eustatius to discuss their lives at sea---a life they have no intention of giving up anytime soon.

Their Beau and Brandy Youtube Channel is one of the hottest on the platform with dozens of exciting videos chronicling their journey. Their website is sailingsaorise.com or Beauandbrandy.com.

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We welcomed back an old friend of the show Melissa Ames. For listeners of our podcast, you might remember Melissa from our Season 1 episode, RunFully Global – How Running Breaks Down Cultural Barriers. Melissa has since gone on a new adventure to one of the most popular destinations in the history of this podcast --- she recently spent a couple of months in Costa Rica. She's here to discuss the Costa Rican experience --- what it’s like to travel in the time of the pandemic --- and a retreat she will launch soon under the RunFully banner designed to get that body moving. Guess where that retreat will be held---you guess it, Costa Rica. You can learn more about that on Melissa's website RunFullyGlobal.com

From the small fishing village of Cubaya on the Nicoya Peninsula to the inland region of La Fortuna and Arenal, Melissa takes us on a Costa Rican adventure that's off the traditional tourism hotspots but just as accessible to anyone looking for a little serenity and an escape from chaos.

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Our guest is Tunisian-Italian, Samia Jay. She and her 14-year-old son moved to Portugal three years ago.  To say they have fallen in love doesn't do their collective feelings for Portugal justice. Listen as Tamia tells us about living in the port town of Cascais, just west of Libson. The view of boats dotting the harbor as seen from her home is among the many fringe benefits of Portuguese life. Tamia speaks of the warmth of the Portuguese people, the cuisine, and oh yes, that temperate Portuguese climate.

Tamia has lived in Italy, Croatia, and Malta. For her to settle in Portugal speaks volumes.

In addition, she's ventured for both business and pleasure to Belgium, Germany, Morocco and Turkey to name a few. Her travel wish list once the pandemic is over includes Cappadocia, Cuba and Greece.

Tamia is owner of the skin care line BlonSkin, which she can manage all from the comfort of a computer and robust Internet access. While it might not be the personification of a true digital nomad, it goes to show the advantages of being able to work anywhere in the world. 

Samia is also a social media coach. She will soon launch the Boss Lady Club, a platform that works with and encourages women to become their own boss.

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TripCast360 --- It's all about travel, lifestyle and entertainment.

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Our guest is Dr. Anton Reese,  president and CEO of the Western Kentucky Community and Technical College. We invited Dr. Reece on to discuss the impact of travel on education, primarily with college students. He discusses the impact his international students have had on the university he leads along with the positive impact his American students have had as a result of traveling abroad. At a time in America fraught with turmoil over our differences, we wanted to examine the idea of getting to know each other better as a way to foster a spirit of togetherness.

Dr. Reece has  a distinguished career in education that spans three decades. He earned his doctoral degree in educational psychology and research from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Dr. Reese is a much sought after public speaker and has an extensive communications background. He has a history of landmark achievements, including being the first African American Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky Community College System. Dr. Reese sums up his leadership style is empowering others to find their voice and by achieving their education and career dreams with direction and purpose. 

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Have you ever heard of "Vacations for Foodies?"  Satisfying ones palate used to be an after thought when planning a vacation, but no longer. Our guest, Jamie Edwards is one such food aficionado. She has traveled the world booking top culinary experiences in Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Argentina and New York City to name a few long before she books airfare and hotels. In fact, one of Jamie's hacks involves working with local hotels to book her restaurant of choice. No restaurant no hotel reservation. Jamie is a connoisseur of the fine dining experience. She scours the San Pellegrino list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants and goes to work planning, often months in advance, the ultimate travel experience with food as the center piece.  The attached San Pellegrino list is from 2019 as no list was created for 2020 due to the global pandemic. But don't let that stop you, why not get a head start on your future travel plans. Listen as Jamie shares some of the ways she books the world's top restaurants.

You can read more of Jamie's exploits on her website I Am Lost and Found. Jamie was a previous guest on our podcast with one of the top rated shows we've ever produced.  Oh' by the way, did we mention she's an outstanding photographer. You can listen to that episode by clicking HERE.

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Our guest is travel writer extraordinaire and friend of the podcast Katherine Parker Magyar. Her trip to the Galapagos Islands last year unleashed a torrent of emotions within about the power and beauty of nature when left unspoiled by man.

Here is one of Katherine's observations---It is truly stepping into another world because Ecuador was really spectacular with the way that they preserved these islands. And when I say that they preserve these islands, I mean, you're gonna swim, and sea lions aren't going to run away---animals interact with you, as if you are not an enemy. It's absolutely insane. And there's nothing like that anywhere else in the world.

Katherine tells us about her journey, what it took to plan the trip and the ins and outs of all your travel options.

Don't forget to read our companion story Luxury Adventure In the Galapagos Island on our website TripCast360.com. Here you'll learn how Katherine managed her trip after arriving in Ecuador.

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John "Jay" Rice is a cultural savant of sorts. His loves the great outdoors and wide open spaces. Jay's travel adventures allow for an intimate look at life through the lens of indigenous cultures.  Among his favorite destinations are the isolated tribes of remote Amazon jungles, America's great national parks, and an exploration of Egyptian culture. To date, Jay estimates he's visited 30 countries with his favorite travel companions---his brother, wife and two kids. Jay has written numerous books about his eclectic travel experiences. You'll find his many books on his website JohnRayRice.com. He writes about everything from holiday traditions around the world to one of our favorites - All That Was Reveal - What the Shaman Taught Me, the subject of a future podcast.

Follow Jay and other adventure travelers on his Facebook Group Page Adventure Travelers Club.

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TripCast360 --- It's all about travel, lifestyle and entertainment.

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