Episode 4: Maldives Magic with Kiara Barnes

In this special episode, I chat with Kiara Barnes about our incredible trip to the Maldives together! We share behind-the-scenes stories from our paradise adventure, from overwater bungalows to crystal-clear lagoons.

Kiara and I dive into what it's really like traveling to one of the world's most stunning destinations, the highlights that took our breath away, and those perfect moments that made this trip unforgettable. 

Get ready for some serious wanderlust as we relive our tropical paradise adventure and give you all the insider details on why the Maldives should be at the top of your bucket list!

Accomodation Review: W Maldives

Planning a trip to the Maldives? This article has everything you need.

📌 Next week: I'll be chatting about my recent trip to Vancouver, hidden gems, and cultural curiosities you don't want to miss!

Are you an expat with a favourite holiday destination you're passionate about? Drop me a line at [email protected] I'd love to hear your story!

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Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂

Paula and co-host Rachel Beausang sit down with Petros — a Melbourne-born Greek who moved to Athens and never looked back. Now running Blue and White Dream Tours, Petros has spent decades discovering what most tourists miss: the family taverna down the side street, the island the locals actually love, and why August is the worst time most people choose to visit. This one is packed with practical gold.

In this episode

• Why most island-hopping itineraries fail — and the transfer mistake almost everyone makes
• Seven days, two islands plus Athens: the formula Petros swears by
• How to find where locals actually eat: follow the pensioner, never the laminated menu
• Santorini is worth doing once — but go early morning or you'll be in a human traffic jam
• Why Naxos is Petros's personal favourite and the island he keeps going back to
• Milos for beaches, Syros for getting genuinely lost, Crete for eating with the bus drivers
• Skip August. Seriously. End of May, early June or September is the move
• Theatre on the Move: Petros's new concept bringing actors in togas onto Athens tour buses
• What to actually expect from Greek hotels — and why big lifts are not part of the deal

Links & resources

🌐 Blue and White Dream Tours

📸 Blue and White Dream Tours on Instagram

📖 Greek Island Hopping Guide — Truly Expat Travel blog

📚 Petros's novel Echo from the Street — available on Amazon

🎙 Ep 2: Troy Barnes on Everest Base Camp

🎙 Ep 1: Paula's Sicily Road Trip

Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ❤️  

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Ready to explore Taiwan with a small group of adventurous women over 50? I'm leading a 10-day Taiwan group trip in 2026 — temples, mountain scenery, stunning coastline, and so much more — and I have just 2 spots remaining. 

Deposit deadline is end of July. 

Full Itinerary here - Taiwan Itinerary

Help Truly Expat Travel by leaving a review or making a donation 

Here is the link - https://buymeacoffee.com/trulyexpat

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Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂

Most people hear 'Everest' and immediately rule it out. Troy Barnes is here to change your mind. A seasoned mountaineer on a mission to conquer the Seven Summits, Troy sat down with Paula to share what it's really like to trek to Everest Base Camp — from the world's most nerve-wracking airport landing to yaks delivering groceries at 5,000 metres, and why people in their late 60s with average fitness made it to the top.

In this episode

• Why Everest Base Camp is a trek, not a climb — and what that actually means for your body
• Troy's group included people aged 69 with average fitness. Two didn't finish, but 13 out of 15 did
• Lukla airport: tagged the world's most dangerous, one runway, and a wall at the end of it
• What you eat along the way (simple, nourishing, and surprisingly fine if you're not fussy)
• Tea houses vs tents — and why Troy was very pleasantly surprised
• The moment 40 yaks came charging across a rope bridge 100 metres above a river
• Altitude sickness: what to watch for, when to take tablets, and why you shouldn't skip the safety checks
• The highest-altitude Irish pub in the world at Namche Bazaar. Of course Troy found it.
• Why April and October are the best months to go

 Practical info

• Getting there: direct flight Singapore to Kathmandu (~4.5hrs), then a small plane to Lukla
• Duration: approximately 14 days total including acclimatisation days
• Best time: April or October — moderate temps, stable weather
• Do you need a guide? Yes — they handle permits, tea house bookings and daily health monitoring
• Altitude tablets: optional but recommended to have just in case
• Packing tip: don't over-pack. You carry your own bag. Troy had energy bars until day 7 and never needed them

Links & resources

🏔 Peak Potential Adventures — Troy's tour operator

🎙 Ep 1: Paula's Sicily Road Trip — the episode that started it all

🌐 Truly Expat Travel — more destination guides

Send us Fan Mail

Ready to explore Taiwan with a small group of adventurous women over 50? I'm leading a 10-day Taiwan group trip in 2026 — temples, mountain scenery, stunning coastline, and so much more — and I have just 2 spots remaining. 

Deposit deadline is end of July. 

Full Itinerary here - Taiwan Itinerary

Help Truly Expat Travel by leaving a review or making a donation 

Here is the link - https://buymeacoffee.com/trulyexpat

Travel with peace of mind: SafetyWings
Get covered in 180+ countries with flexible monthly subscriptions starting at just $45.08.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Find me on:

Website: Truly Expat Travel 

Facebook: Truly Expat

Instagram: Truly Expat Travel 

TikTok: Truly Expat Travel 

Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂

Welcome to the very first episode of Truly Expat Travel! Paula kicks things off with a solo month in Sicily — house hunting, road tripping and eating her weight in arancini. From the Sunday markets of Palermo to the medieval streets of Salemi, this is a love letter to slow travel done the Sicilian way.

In this episode

• Why Paula drove herself solo across the entire island — and cried twice (only twice!)
• The Sunday street food markets in Palermo that turned into a spontaneous dance party
• Why she fell hard for the medieval town of Salemi and started dreaming about buying property there
• The driving reality check: GPS lies, big cars don't fit, and Sicilians drive like they're auditioning for Fast & Furious
• Where to eat: arancini, cannoli made from a nun's original recipe, Hugo Spritz and the best gelato of her life
• Best time to visit, which towns to base yourself in, and what to skip

 Must-try food & drink

• Arancini — Paula's near-daily habit and non-negotiable
• Cannoli from the Palermo convent bakery using the original nun's recipe
• Hugo Spritz — elderflower and Prosecco, her go-to across all of Italy
• Pistachio gelato & the local pasta — don't skip either

Paula's top tips

• Go in May or September — warm, less crowded, beaches still swimmable
• Get a small car. Seriously. A small car.
• Don't trust GPS in the old towns — it will take you somewhere you cannot escape
• Book accommodation with a car park confirmed in writing, not just 'parking nearby
• Stand at the bar for your morning espresso. It's cheaper and it's the local way
• No cappuccino after 11am — the Italians will judge you (lovingly, but still)
• Watch The Leopard on Netflix before you go — filmed in Palermo, sets the scene perfectly

 Read more on the blog

📖 Sicily Road Trip: The Ultimate 19-Day Adventure

📖 Palermo: Sicily's Siren City — The Insider's Guide

📖 10 Unmissable Treasures of Palermo

📖 Driving in Sicily: A Tourist's Road Guide

📖 Where to Stay in Palermo

📖 Discovering Noto: Sicily's Baroque Jewel

Also mentioned

🎙 Ep 13: Salemi with Amanda Dunbar — the town Paula fell for

🎙 Ep 10: Malta — Paula caught the ferry from Sicily and fell in love

📺 Watch The Leopard on Netflix before you go — filmed on location in Palermo

Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts ❤️ 

Send us Fan Mail

Ready to explore Taiwan with a small group of adventurous women over 50? I'm leading a 10-day Taiwan group trip in 2026 — temples, mountain scenery, stunning coastline, and so much more — and I have just 2 spots remaining. 

Deposit deadline is end of July. 

Full Itinerary here - Taiwan Itinerary

Help Truly Expat Travel by leaving a review or making a donation 

Here is the link - https://buymeacoffee.com/trulyexpat

Travel with peace of mind: SafetyWings
Get covered in 180+ countries with flexible monthly subscriptions starting at just $45.08.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Find me on:

Website: Truly Expat Travel 

Facebook: Truly Expat

Instagram: Truly Expat Travel 

TikTok: Truly Expat Travel 

Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂

Welcome to Truly Expat Travel - Coming Soon!

Get ready to pack your bags for the journey of a lifetime! Join host Paula Barnes as she introduces Truly Expat Travel, the podcast that takes you inside the minds of expats who've made the world their home.

In this exciting trailer, Paula shares her vision for intimate conversations with fellow expats about the destinations that have captured their hearts. From hidden gems in Southeast Asia to charming European villages, each episode will reveal the personal stories behind why these places became more than just vacation spots, but true sanctuaries for the expat soul.

Whether you're an expat yourself, dreaming of life abroad, or simply love discovering new destinations through authentic perspectives, Truly Expat Travel promises to inspire your next adventure while offering practical insights from those who've already taken the leap.

Paula gives listeners a taste of what's to come: heartfelt stories, insider travel tips, cultural discoveries and unique perspectives. 

Coming Soon: The full series launches Wednesday, June 11, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. Subscribe now so you never miss a destination that could change your life.

Perfect for: Travel enthusiasts, expats, digital nomads, adventure seekers, and anyone curious about life beyond borders.

Are you an expat with a favourite holiday destination you're passionate about? Drop me a line at [email protected] I'd love to hear your story!

Subscribe & Review: If you're enjoying these chats, please leave a review- it helps others discover the show.

Send us Fan Mail

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Find me on:

Website: Truly Expat Travel 

Facebook: Truly Expat

Instagram: Truly Expat Travel 

TikTok: Truly Expat Travel 

Running this podcast takes a lot of coffee (and countless hours exploring every destination!). If you found this helpful and want to support more honest, detailed travel guides and itineraries, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure though – I'm just happy you're here and hope you have an incredible adventure! 🙂