All the S**t I've Learned Abroad

In this episode we're talking all things no-plan travel today. Have you ever planned an unplanned trip? Bit of an oxymoron there! For the spontaneous and 'non planner' people out there, mystery trips are growing in popularity, so what are you mystery trip options?Want to learn more about the sites we talk about in this episode? Check out:Black Tomato's Get Lost - The Ultimate AdventureWowcher UK's Mystery Holiday00:00:00 - Introduction to No-Plan Travel00:01:55 - OptimiSing Destination Weddings00:03:09 - Upcoming Trips: Berlin and Texas00:05:06 - Plus One at Weddings: Normalising Best Friends00:07:06 - No-Planning Trips: Concept and Experiences00:09:05 - Personal Experiences with Unplanned Travel00:12:06 - Future Unplanned Travel Plans00:14:16 - Practicalities of Booking Last-Minute Flights00:17:34 - Spontaneous Road Trip in Ontario00:20:12 - Challenges and Excitement of No-Plan Travel00:20:56 - Black Tomato: The Ultimate No-Plan Experience00:24:01 - Affordable Mystery Holidays with Woucher

Group travel at it's core is often the perfect blend of solo travelers at heart who want to experience a new place whilst still having the camaraderie of traveling with others with a built-in support system, making it easier to navigate new places, handle unexpected situations, and enjoy diverse perspectives and ideas.Joined by Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, Bruce shares the company's inspiring founding story and it's commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. Learn about the transformative impact of group travel and how G Adventures is making a difference in the industry.[00:01:32] Entrepreneurial journey of G Adventures.[00:06:36] Evolution of travel industry.[00:08:39] Responsible travel and community tourism.[00:12:35] Ethical animal encounters in travel.[00:21:41] Group travel options.[00:23:16] Roommate matchmaking process.[00:28:28] Community bonding through travel.[00:30:34] G Adventures' Chief Experience Officers.[00:36:32] Group travel experiences.[00:39:20] Age diversity in travel.[00:43:51] Evolving travel styles.[00:45:22] Support and Reviews Importance.

It's all about priorities! Ask yourself, are you making travel a priority in your life? If the answer is no, then why not? While we have many priorities in life, we often forget to add travel as one of them. For many reasons, like mental and physical health, creating long lasting memories, and becoming more cultured, Steph and Andrea discuss why travel should always be included as a priority in your life and how we prioritise travel in our lives. So let's dive in! [00:03:31] Packing struggles and workout plans.[00:06:55] Prioritising travel in our lives.[00:14:28] Reminders of human kindness.[00:16:57] Relationships and travel bonds.[00:20:43] Benefits of hiking and travel.[00:26:09] Prioritising travel over work.[00:27:57] The importance of travel.

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