Niger sits landlocked in the heart of West Africa's Sahel, where sand meets sky in dramatic fashion. Named after the mighty river that curves through its southwestern corner, this is Africa's largest nation by area, though much of it consists of the Sahara Desert in varying moods. It's hot, remote, politically volatile, and utterly mesmerizing – a place where ancient trade routes still whisper stories and the horizon seems to stretch into eternity.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Niger for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Kingdom of Tonga is the Pacific's only surviving monarchy, a scatter of 170-odd islands (36 inhabited) straddling the international date line where yesterday meets tomorrow. Never colonised, this Polynesian realm maintains a proud independence. Expect warm hospitality, humpback whales, and the distinct possibility of temporal confusion.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Tonga for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lebanon, a small Middle Eastern gem nestled along the Mediterranean, packs a punch far beyond its size. From ancient Phoenician ports to Roman ruins, cedar-covered mountains to bustling souks, this country is a tapestry of history and culture. Despite its tumultuous past and present challenges, Lebanon's resilient spirit shines through in its vibrant cities, mouthwatering cuisine, and warm hospitality. Prepare for a journey where every moment is an adventure, and every meal a feast.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Lebanon for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer - and for this episode, we're joined by travel journalist and our close friend Kaye Holland! Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

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The Seychelles is what happens when nature decides to show off. An archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean like emeralds tossed by a careless deity, this nation combines granite boulders the size of apartment blocks, beaches so white they seem computer-generated, and forests so ancient they make the Amazon look like a startup. It is expensive to reach, tricky to navigate, and absolutely worth every penny and logistical headache. Welcome to the Maldives of Africa – only with more personality.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Seychelles for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wedged between Brazil and Argentina like a perfectly content middle child, Uruguay punches well above its weight in progressive politics and stunning coastlines. This small South American gem offers European sophistication with Latin American warmth, where colonial cobblestones meet cutting-edge social policies. From cosmopolitan Montevideo to the glitzy beaches of Punta del Este, Uruguay manages to be both utterly relaxed and surprisingly sophisticated - a country that has quietly figured out how to do democracy, human rights, and gorgeous sunsets remarkably well.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Uruguay for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Libya sprawls across North Africa like a vast historical palimpsest, where Roman emperors once strutted and desert nomads still traverse ancient caravan routes. This is where the Sahara meets the Mediterranean in spectacular fashion, offering travelers Roman ruins that shame Pompeii, oasis towns that predate air conditioning by centuries, and beaches so pristine you'll wonder why everyone flocks to overcrowded European resorts instead. Currently emerging from years of instability, Libya remains wonderfully off the beaten track.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Libya for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Albania feels like Europe's best-kept secret, perched between the Adriatic and Ionian seas with a coastline that rivals the French Riviera minus the crowds and prices. This small Balkan nation has spent decades catching up with the rest of Europe after emerging from one of the world's most isolated communist regimes. The result is a fascinating collision of ancient history, Soviet-era architecture painted in rainbow colors, and a population eager to show off their spectacular country to anyone willing to venture beyond the typical European trail.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Albania for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Myanmar remains one of Southeast Asia's most enigmatic destinations, a country where golden pagodas pierce morning mists and ancient kingdoms whisper through temple ruins. Despite recent political upheaval that has cast shadows over this remarkable nation, its cultural treasures endure – from the floating gardens of Inle Lake to Bagan's temple-studded plains. Visiting requires careful consideration of current conditions, but for those who venture here, Myanmar offers glimpses of a world largely untouched by mass tourism.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Myanmar for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Africa sits at the continent's southern tip like nature's grand finale, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide in spectacular fashion. This is a country that serves up jaw-dropping landscapes, world-class wine, and the Big Five with equal aplomb. From Cape Town's postcard perfection to the raw wilderness of Kruger, it's a place where beauty runs deeper than its admittedly gorgeous surface – though that surface really is rather magnificent.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to South Africa for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Caribbean's best-kept secret – though probably not for much longer. Dominica is the region's eco-tourism crown jewel, where volcanic peaks pierce rainforest canopies and waterfalls cascade into natural hot tubs. Originally called "Wai'tu kubuli" meaning "Tall is her body" by indigenous Kalinago peoples, this mountainous island avoided European colonization longer than its neighbors precisely because it looked so forbiddingly vertical. Today, that same dramatic terrain makes it a paradise for adventure seekers and nature lovers. Join us as we traverse its trails and uncover its secrets.

Love the pod? Get the guide! Out with each new podcast, we publish a guide to the country. Buy the TrodPod guide to Dominica for just $3: https://www.patreon.com/c/trodpod/shop. Better yet, become a TrodPod member for just $5 a month and access TrodPod guides to every country in the world, released weekly with each new podcast episode! Sign up now: https://www.patreon.com/trodpod/membership

Thanks for all your support!

TrodPod is Murray Garrard and Elle Keymer. Sound editing by Leo Audio Productions. Design and marketing by GPS: Garrard Powell Solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.