All the S**t I've Learned Abroad

It's time to dive into the world of artificial intelligence, also known as AI! While still in its infancy, is becoming more popular for travellers looking to simplify their travel planning. From finding hidden gems to crafting personalised itineraries, we test out different AI prompts to help us plan for our next upcoming trips. Does it live up to the hype? Tune in to find out! 00:00:00 - Introduction to AI in Travel00:00:40 - Andrea's Upcoming Trip to Cyprus00:01:58 - Steph's Canceled Iran Trip00:04:36 - Personal Connections and Travel Opportunities00:07:48 - AI as a Travel Planning Tool00:08:14 - ChatGPT for Creative Writing and Work00:09:35 - First Experiences with ChatGPT00:10:32 - Using AI for Road Trip Planning00:11:58 - Refining AI Prompts for Better Results00:13:39 - AI for Finding Dining Options00:15:06 - Discovering Hidden Gems with AI00:16:09 - AI for Solo Travelers00:17:27 - Testing AI for Solo Dining Recommendations00:18:55 - AI vs. Traditional Search and Blogs00:20:09 - AI for Finding Remote Work-Friendly Cafes00:21:16 - The Literal Nature of AI Prompts00:22:16 - Exploring AI Travel Apps00:23:23 - AI for Trip Budgeting00:24:06 - AI for Destination Inspiration00:25:30 - ChatGPT's Advantages and Limitations00:26:03 - Crafting a Custom Trip with AI00:27:16 - Finding a Beach Vacation in Europe00:28:39 - Planning a Luxurious Trip to Cyprus00:31:02 - Budget Breakdown for Cyprus Trip00:32:37 - Refining AI Prompts for Non-Drivers00:33:07 - Personalising Road Trip Itineraries

In 2024 solo travel is becoming more popular than ever, but it can still be very daunting for those who have yet to take their first solo trip. So we give you our hot tips on great things you can do while solo traveling and while your might be alone, you'll never feel lonely! 00:02:01 - Booking Flights and Work Trips00:02:21 - Airbnb Hosting Experiences00:12:30 - Benefits of Walking Tours00:15:20 - Food Tours and Meeting People00:17:42 - Dining Alone and Alternatives00:20:11 - Market Days and Eating Out00:22:04 - Attending Local Performances00:23:18 - Cooking Classes for Solo Travelers00:24:50 - Using Dating Apps While Traveling00:28:44 - Bringing a Kindle or Book00:29:37 - Bookstore Browsing and Cafe Hopping00:38:19 - Final Thoughts on Solo Travel Activities

This is a spicy one! Steph and Andrea get into a very intense debate... to recline or not to recline your airplane seat?! When we're flying, while we do have the option to push our seats back, is it always acceptable to do so? How long does a flight need to be before it's acceptable to recline your seat? And is it even your problem if the person behind you is too tall? Ultimately we need to ask the airlines who owns those two inches of space between the two seats? So buckle in and get ready for a heated episode!00:00:00 - Debate on Airplane Seat Reclining00:04:32 - The Middle Seat Dilemma00:05:05 - To Recline or Not: The Great Debate00:07:02 - Personal Reclining Etiquette00:08:20 - Meal Service and Reclining Seats00:09:00 - Considering Tall Passengers00:10:01 - Reclining on Short Flights After Long Hauls00:11:29 - The Domino Effect of Reclining00:12:08 - Buying Seats with Extra Legroom00:13:28 - Children Reclining Seats00:14:16 - Courtesy of Asking Before Reclining00:15:51 - Who Owns the Two Inches of Space?00:18:28 - Dealing with Aggressive Passengers00:19:19 - Judging the Situation Before Reclining00:20:32 - Crossing Legs and Reclining Seats00:21:39 - Airline's Responsibility for Seat Space00:23:30 - Passive-Aggressive Responses to Reclining00:24:14 - Ownership of Space and Airline Policies00:27:15 - Dealing with Unusual Situations on Planes00:28:45 - The Debate Continues: Courtesy vs. Rights00:30:38 - Lack of Courtesy in Post-COVID Travel00:31:13 - Conclusion and Opinions on Reclining Seats

How does social media impact your travel experiences? Is social media ruining travel experiences or making them better? Are we too obsessed with getting the right content instead of taking in the experience? Are we focusing too much on FOMO and what we see online? And are we traveling to some of these places we see online for the right reasons? Let's dive in! 00:00:00 - Social Media's Impact on Travel00:05:42 - Discovering Local Spots via Social Media00:07:47 - The Pros of Sharing Travel on Social Media00:09:03 - Reflecting on Posting Travel Content in Real Time00:11:47 - The Influence of Social Media on Travel Destinations00:13:14 - Expectation vs. Reality in Travel Posts00:15:46 - The Phenomenon of Over-Tourism00:17:03 - Personal Reflections on Social Media Use While Traveling00:19:03 - The Benefits of Social Media for Travelers00:21:17 - Concluding Thoughts on Social Media and Travel Responsibility

Valentine's Day may have passed but it did get us thinking about love languages! Love languages are all about how you give and receive love, for and from others. But how do these relate into your travel style? Quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, gift giving and physical touch. We chat through these five love languages and how you can integrate these into travel to get the most out of your trip, whether with a partner, friends or even traveling solo. 00:00:00 - Love Languages and Travel00:02:47 - Unplanned Big Trips and Booking Beliefs00:03:20 - The Quest for a Wellness Retreat00:05:13 - Spa Getaways vs. Genuine Retreats00:06:32 - Valentine's Day and Galentine's Celebrations00:07:06 - Love Languages and Their Travel Connection00:08:07 - Defining and Understanding Love Languages00:09:17 - Quality Time: Travel Edition00:10:55 - Acts of Service on the Road00:11:45 - Gift Giving While Traveling00:12:37 - Physical Touch and Travel Intimacy00:13:51 - Words of Affirmation for the Solo Traveler

It's time to talk Dubai! Steph recently dipped her toes into Middle Eastern culture by visiting Dubai and the Middle East for the first time. As Andrea has been a few times, we talk through out own experiences, what talk about what we loved about to Dubai, what we didn't love and ultimately... would we move there? 00:00:00 - Introduction to Dubai Experiences00:00:59 - Content Creation Retreat in Byron Bay00:02:40 - Wedding Plans in Bucharest and Castle Tours00:05:31 - Upcoming Trip to Athens00:06:30 - Discussing Dubai's Attractions and Lifestyle00:08:05 - Emirates Flight Experience00:10:14 - Tips for Using Taxis in Dubai00:11:06 - Exploring Dubai with a Local00:12:06 - Saving Money on Activities in Dubai00:13:10 - Utilising Apps for Deals in Dubai00:14:05 - Dining at the Burj Khalifa00:15:08 - Day Passes for Hotel Pools in Dubai00:16:01 - The Cost of Living and Saving Money in Dubai00:17:27 - Cultural Expectations and Dress Code in Dubai00:18:08 - Finding Deals for Desert Adventures00:19:24 - Dining at Salt Bae's Restaurant00:20:45 - The Luxury Experience in Dubai00:21:20 - Visiting Nusret and the Golden Menu00:22:54 - The Practicality of Traditional Middle Eastern Dress00:23:48 - The Diversity of Dubai's Population00:25:18 - The Business Hub of Dubai00:26:46 - Comparing Dubai to Other Middle Eastern Cultures00:28:07 - The Reality of Dubai's Opulence00:30:55 - The Appeal of Dubai for Short Visits00:31:42 - The Man-Made Nature of Dubai00:32:23 - The Fountain Show at the Burj Khalifa00:33:05 - Considering Moving to Dubai00:34:17 - The Need for Nature and Outdoor Activities00:35:09 - The Fake Aspect of Dubai00:36:41 - The Burj Khalifa and Dubai's Skyline00:38:29 - Reflecting on the First Visit to the Middle East00:39:47 - Planning Future Trips to the Middle East00:41:26 - The Desire for a Private Jet00:42:09 - The Burj Khalifa's Impressive Height00:43:09 - The Dubai Fountain Show's Frequency00:45:18 - Exploring More of the Middle East00:46:12 - The Contrast Between Dubai and Nearby Countries

It's not about the destination, it's all about the journey! Join us as we discuss travel journeys and how our travel styles have evolved during them. Everyone is starting their own travel journey at different times in their lives and in different travel styles. How we can be supportive as a travel community for everyone along their journey, wherever they may be on that path?00:05:45 Everyone's unique travel journey00:10:10 Judgment in travel destinations00:13:10 Making recommendations and judgment00:18:46 The roadmap of travel journeys00:23:37 Travel journey in 20 years00:26:11 Gen Z creating amazing content.

Am I the A**hole? Steph and Andrea dig into Reddit's AITA forum to find the best travel related AITA scenarios to debate. Tying in hostel etiquette, traveling with significant others, friends and family as also airplane entitlement - A**hole, or not? Tune in now and make sure you let us know if you agree with our verdicts!00:04:22 - Airport Lounge Access and Etiquette00:09:14 - Discussing Seat Selection and Airline Status00:10:55 - Family Seating Dilemmas on Flights00:14:54 - Hostel Nighttime Etiquette00:19:11 - Hostel Room Sharing and Noise Consideration00:21:08 - Airline Policies on Family Seating00:26:45 - Hostel Etiquette and Late Night Returns00:29:29 - More on Hostel Room Etiquette00:32:39 - Arriving Excessively Early at the Airport

Happy 2024 - It's time for our annual new years travel resolutions episode! As always, we revisit last years resolutions to see if and what we actually achieved and then discuss our travel goals and resolutions for the upcoming year as well - and we've got some big ons that we hope will inspire you as well! 00:00:00 - New Year's Travel Resolutions00:05:34 - The Power of Writing Down Goals00:06:18 - Revisiting Last Year's Travel Resolutions00:09:10 - Sailing in the Whitsundays and Travel Goals00:10:20 - Exploring Queensland and Van Life00:11:10 - Budgeting for Travel and Setting Financial Goals00:13:11 - Optimising Weekend Travel in Europe00:14:04 - Budgeting for Travel and Tracking Expenses00:16:43 - Planning for Wellness Retreats00:18:38 - Sky Barrel Accommodation Goal00:19:05 - Desire to Visit Singapore00:20:20 - Upcoming Trip to Dubai00:22:43 - Planning Business and Leisure Trips - "Bleisure"00:27:52 - The Idea of Tough Love Retreats00:30:20 - Van Life in New Zealand as a Travel Goal00:31:28 - Documenting Trips and Creating Photo Books00:32:43 - Planning for South America and the Seven Wonders