We Can Laugh About it Now: Travel Stories

True Crime?  This is as close as it gets on our podcast.  Natalie McSwain, a high school Spanish teacher, shares her frightening experience while on a study abroad program in Costa Rica.  Her night out with friends takes a wrong turn when they realize they are not on the bus they thought they were.  Listen in to hear how this tale unfolds…spoiler: it’s not a Dateline episode, but it’s worth a few laughs – now.  

 Explore travel to Costa Rica:

 https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/knowing-costa-rica/san-jose

 https://costarica.org/cities/san-jose/

 Volcan Poas

https://www.sinac.go.cr/EN-US/ac/accvc/pnvp/Pages/default.aspx

 La Paz Waterfall

https://costarica.org/waterfalls/la-paz/

 Coffee Plantation Tour

https://dokaestate.com/costarica-coffee-tour/ 

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If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

Today’s episode takes us to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.  My friend and colleague, Tracy Butcher, who recently returned to Ohio where is is continuing to teach high school, had the good fortune of participating in the Exchange Student Program while attending the University of Akron.  Her choice of locale resulted in huge personal growth and enrichment, and provided some hilarious stories from those seemingly easy, carefree college days.  Listen as she shares some highlights of her antics during her semester in the Caribbean the nearly cut her time short.  

Explore travel to Puerto Rico
Playa El Combate Beach 
https://www.puertoricotravel.guide/blog/el-combate-a-tranquil-holiday-destination/
La Parguera (Bioluminescent)
https://www.puertorico.com/la-parguera-bioluminescent-bay
El Morro San Juan
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/exploring-castillo-san-felipe-del-morro-old-san-juan
El Yunque
https://www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque
Cinnamon Bay
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/prvi/pr44.htm

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

“See Paris for its bones.”

 Laurie Johnson, a retired 39-year veteran teacher, joins the podcast to share her love of Paris and all things travel.  

France is near and dear to her heart as it truly runs in her blood.  Years of teaching high school French has given her the benefit of being fluent, which is an asset when traveling abroad. But even she was not immune to the tactics of those looking to take advantage of a tourist. Listen as she shares her experience on the crowded Paris subway that elicited a visceral response.  Although shaken, she used it as a learning moment, as any good teacher would do.  

 Laurie also gives a recommendation for visiting Iceland, either en route to Europe, or as a stand-alone destination.  

Explore travel to Paris
https://en.parisinfo.com/
Angelina
https://www.angelina-paris.fr/?y_source=1_MTE5MzAwODYtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%3D
Laduree Paris
https://www.laduree.fr/en/laduree-paris-champs-elysees.html
Museum Pass
https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/t-en

Moulin Rouge
https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/homepage/

Eiffel Tower
https://www.toureiffel.paris/en
https://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/en/jules-verne-restaurant.html#_ga=2.47083431.1804911953.1687446094-599862304.1687446094

Palace of Versailles
https://en.chateauversailles.fr/

Iceland Air Stopover
https://www.icelandair.com/flights/stopover/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH2DiNQYYzfNurkxLq4k6UnOeFdg3A55PwExnOhjSR6Iz4bEOeDHs0caAmtKEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Iceland Restaurants
https://sandholt.is/en/getting-started/
https://www.sjavargrillid.is/

Ireland
https://www.lakehotelkillarney.ie/

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

Kelly Rogers returns to the podcast with more tales from her 7 and 1/2 week road trip adventure with her mom, granny, sisters and cousins.  She shares some of the highlights from the two weeks spent in Mexico, including cliff divers, bull fights, and pyramid climbing.  
But, most importantly, she reveals a deep, dark secret about the trip and how she  capitalized on her own cousin to turn a profit from a truly "dirty job."  

If you haven't heard my first interview with Kelly, be sure to check out Episode 1, Monterrey, Mexico with Kelly Rogers: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-can-laugh-about-it-now/id1679675578?i=1000606384665  

Explore travel to Mexico City, Guadalupe, Acapulco, and Puerta Vallarta: 

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe 
https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-basilica-of-our-lady-of-guadalupe/

Cliff Divers in Acapulco
https://imagine-mexico.com/cliff-diving-in-acapulco/

Pyramid of the Moon
https://historicalmx.org/items/show/139
Pyramid of the Sun
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/414/

Puerto Vallarta
https://visitpuertovallarta.com/

Explore great road trip hotels in Mobile, Alabama and Tucumcari, New Mexico
https://www.malagainn.com/
https://blueswallowmotel.com/

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

Parents usually have the best intentions at heart, yet sometimes that can be a huge burden, especially when travelling.  

Audra Diaz, a high school history teacher, shares her first vacation experience with her infant daughter and how her overzealous packing efforts caused undue stress for her husband shortly after hitting the road.  Fortunately, the frustration melted away soon after arriving in Captiva Island.  

Listen in as she shares how her husband was suddenly taking an “off the grid” vacation and gives her recommendations for anyone wanting to escape to the beautiful gulf coast of Florida.   

Learn about travel to Captiva Island, Florida:
https://www.captivaisland.com/
https://sanibel-captiva.org/ 

Royal Shell Vacation Rentals
https://www.royalshell.com/?NCK=PPC_GA1&gclid=CjwKCAjw-IWkBhBTEiwA2exyO4HB9damj6VYn15vfg9lb9kfCdmcN86J0f2acqMaKaDog3NfhseEIBoC1m0QAvD_BwE  

The Captiva Cantina
https://captivaislandinn.com/captiva-island-restaurant/cantina-captiva/

The Key Lime Bistro
https://captivaislandinn.com/captiva-island-restaurant/keylime-bistro/

The Bubble Room
https://www.bubbleroomrestaurant.com/

The Mucky Duck
https://www.muckyduck.com/

RC Otters at Captiva Island Inn
https://captivaislandinn.com/captiva-island-restaurants/rc-otters-menu/

Beach Equipment Rentals
https://yolowatersports.com/ 

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

It’s not often that people get the opportunity to travel to the country where their family originated, but Diane Mikolon was fortunate enough to do just that.  Thanks to her father’s exhaustive research on the family ancestry, she and her parents, brother, and grandmother toured all of Wales for two weeks, leaving what felt like no castle unturned.  

Listen in to hear all the good, old-fashioned family fun that ensued during this historical and hysterical trip abroad.  

 Learn more about travel to Wales, UK and London, England: 

https://www.visitwales.com/

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/wales

https://walesguidebook.com/castles/south-wales/caerphilly-castle/history/

 https://www.visitwales.com/attraction/castle/carmarthen-castle-1843256

 Coal Mine Tours:

https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Tourism/RhonddaHeritagePark/Home.aspx 

 The Great Barn Bed and Breakfast:

https://www.cityofcardiff.com/greatbarn.html

https://snowdonia.gov.wales/visit/snowdon/

https://www.visitwales.com/things-do/events/festivals/national-eisteddfod 

Llanglofan Farmhouse Cheese
https://www.cheese.com/llanglofan-farmhouse/ 

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

The New York City of 1988 was quite a different experience than it is today.   

Greg Burdick is a Theatre Arts teacher and playwright, with 30 years of experience as an educator.  He also happens to be my husband.  In this episode, Greg shares the story of his first trip to The Big Apple and the nerve-wracking incident he and his friends experienced while exploring the city.  While traveling with his high school theater group, he had the good fortune to see multiple Broadway shows and take in many of the sights and sounds of Times Square and the Theatre District.  This visit had a profound effect on him and solidified his love of theatre.  

Explore travel to New York City:
https://www.nycgo.com/
https://www.iloveny.com/
https://playbill.com/
https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/tkts-live/
https://www.thehighline.org/
https://www.centralparknyc.org/
https://www.tonysnyc.com/

Hotel Edison
https://www.edisonhotelnyc.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw67ajBhAVEiwA2g_jEAr55DTwoglpx0Ucqju_BRZpMrxV6Eh2gdnFHGo2R5N9iz0FTyJ7DhoCeJ0QAvD_BwE

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

Morgan Stark, host of Just Some Magic podcast, joins me for a collaboration and dishes all things Disney.  She shares how, as a former Disney College Program Cast Member, living her best life, frequently visiting Disneyland, and being an early Disney IG influencer, led to a chance meeting with the host of a popular Disney-themed podcast, The Dis Unplugged.  

She also gushes over the wonders of Disneyland Tokyo and her love for Sleeping Beauty.  Join us as we chat about all the magic of Disney.  And follow Morgan for even more. 

Morgan Stark
https://www.instagram.com/morganstark__/?hl=en

Just Some Magic
https://www.justsomemagic.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-some-magic/id1542908551
https://www.instagram.com/justsomemagic/

DisUnplugged
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbFqSGIcm2bI71hM7M1Om5Q
https://www.wdwinfo.com/disunplugged/

Pin Trading
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/shops/pin-trading/

Disneyland
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/

Disneyland Tokyo
https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/

Disneyland Paris
https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-usd/

WDW
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

Disney College Program
https://jobs.disneycareers.com/job/orlando/disney-college-program/391/43525101856?utm_source=google.com&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=CP&utm_content=search_engine&utm_term=357692374&ss=paid&gclid=CjwKCAjwjYKjBhB5EiwAiFdSfum6fxzLgZ2dIOBs-w-NdFQyRl4v_tCWCoVXR-wRvUGG6dCQf41C2RoC7FUQAvD_BwE

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

Come along for a trip back in time to the 1982 World’s Fair – the International Energy Expo – showcased all things tech.  

Cat and Susan McDonald are sisters who recount their tale of the family road trip to Knoxville, TN and the surrounding Great Smoky Mountain area.  Cade’s Cove, Clingman’s Dome and the Nahantahela River are just a few of the highlights of this trip.  Listen in to hear how the natural world impressed them, even as young children, more than the latest and greatest technological advances.  

Learn about travel to Tennessee: 
https://www.visitknoxville.com/ 
https://www.mypigeonforge.com/
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48684
https://www.romanticasheville.com/bridal_veil_falls_highlands.htm

KOA Campgrounds
https://koa.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpPKiBhDvARIsACn-gzAs9ribEIkDQWP9pVnsqukOqTx8Mfb5opsfSBZrk683PFjgbjdP9pYaAiVbEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Rand McNally Road Atlas
https://www.randmcnally.com/product/rand-mcnally-road-atlas

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]

"Travel while you're young" is great advice, although it's age and experience that give us the wisdom we need for a smooth trip.  

Susan Infield has worked in the aviation industry for most of her career and has had the good fortune to visit every continent, except Antartica.  She shares her hysterical tale of traveling with a friend to Istanbul and Antalya, Turkey, immediately followed by a cruise with a different friend.  Susan walks us down memory lane as she recounts the more glamorous days of air travel, contrasted with the not-so-glamorous aspects of her back-to-back trips.  Listen as she shares the gut-wrenching account of her trip to Turkey.  

Explore Travel to Istanbul, Antalya, and Ephesus: 
Official Istanbul website
https://istanbul.goturkiye.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ1VDYqgmjMOGna59u-6zHaQeYRLGF4qzJSE52ZYLLN193_Q3b-IpxhoCgFoQAvD_BwE

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/istanbul
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/ephesus
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g297962-Antalya_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast-Vacations.html

British Airways
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_us/

To stay up to date on all our adventures, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.

If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at [email protected]