As we near 200 episodes of Talk Travel Asia, on one hand we sometimes wonder what we could possibly still talk about, and on the other, we’re continually looking to up our game, think of topics we have not yet considered, and get even more interesting guests to share with us. We hope you have enjoyed the travel chat thus far and we have good news – we’re not slowing down. As we move further into 2024, we have a pretty sweet lineup of episodes ahead and thought it might be fun to share what’s coming with you.
Scott & Trevor Banter: How they feel 10 years into this podcast; What they enjoy about it; Some of the array of guests they’ve had in the past; a bit about how they find guests for episodes; and a bit about how they actually build and put out a show.
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Upcoming episodes:
So here are some episodes we already have confirmed for the next few months and some ideas we’re considering. Send us an email and let us know if there’s anything you’d like us to potentially do an episode on. We’ve been broadening what we cover as you may have noticed and hopefully enjoyed!:
Japan by Train with Ryan Ver Berkmoes: Ryan is one of the world’s most prolific guidebook writers and he shares a trip he did in late 2023 focusing on traveling Japan by rail. He shares what various train classes are like, the advantage of a Japan rail pass and how to get one (big tips here), a bit about cultural elements travelers should keep in mind when traveling the land of the rising sun and more. It’s a good one!
TTA Patron David Rockman’s Family Holiday in Bali: parents and adult child; enjoying some luxury; balancing wants and travel desires; some things they anticipated and others they were surprised by (traffic); 3 sites over about 12 days. Later in the line-up we’ll have another Patron, Wiley Dickerson, who made an early 2024 journey to Delhi, Agra, and Rajasthan India.
Travel in 2024: things are always changing and travel is no different; we’ve enjoyed some neat articles as of late including reviewing multiple lists of the top spots to go in Asia in 2024, how AI and fake reviews may impact travel planning, as well as chatting with our friend Chris Rowthorn about an experiment he ran to see if he could travel through Japan just using his phone. We’ll cover these items and others on this show that’s sure to put a different spin on how you may plan your trip this year.
The World’s Most Traveled Man – Harry Mitsidis – in Tajikistan: Harry Mitsidis was born in 1972 in London, U.K. to a Greek father and a South African mother. He took an early interest in aviation and film but studied sociology in Greece and at the University of Oxford. After working as a lecturer in sociology and business in four countries, he decided that exploring the world was by far a better undertaking. Harry Mitsidis achieved his aim of visiting every country in the world, as defined by the United Nations, by the age of 36, with his last country being Equatorial Guinea.
CROSSOVER BANGKOK PODCAST: Royal Temples of Asia: We did a crossover episode with our friends Greg & Ed of the Bangkok Podcast back in ?? (find episode and date); remain in pretty close contact, are fans of what they do and thought it was time to combine forces again. We were talking about what constitutes a ‘royal’ temple in Thailand, which ones exist in Bangkok and then thought more broadly. We are going to chat about 8 in Asia which we have been to, including the Potala palace in Tibet, summer home of the Shiki Khans in Azerbaijan, the Royal Palace, Luang Prabang, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur and more!
Jeff Fuchs: This Canadian adventurer is one of the world’s greatest in a time when the world seems to get smaller and more connected. He wrote a fascinating book about his journey through the Himalayas seeking out and tracing the ancient tea trading routes from southern China’s Yunnan area, which then got tea through the Himalayas and into Nepal, etc. He shared that with us way back on Ep. 37: Trekking Asia’s Tea Trails. He has been back to the region in 2023, this time tracing ancient salt trading routes and we are going to chat with him about that mega adventure along with his continued love of tea.
Exploring Asian UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Part 2: We couldn’t believe we had not done an episode on these and finally tackled it on Ep180 back in Sept 2023. There are so many in Asia that are really fascinating, we thought we should do a second part. On this upcoming one we discuss Trans-Iranian Railway, Changdeokgung Palace Complex, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca and some others.
Tamil-majority provinces of Sri Lanka with Ryan Ver Berkmoes: we chat again with travel writer extraordinaire Ryan Ver Berkmoes about a 2023 trip he took through the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka which are typically not visited by many tourists. He shares the magic of this northern area, which has emerged from decades of war as an interesting and feasible spot to enjoy. There’s a neat 7-8 train you can take from the capital of Colombo to get there and it turns our hundreds of km of incredible beaches among other things that make it worth visiting.
Episodes We’re Thinking about Doing:
- Philippines: still haven’t really done an episode on this – tough to find a guest
- Bangladesh: we were close a couple of times and are currently trying to find an expert to share with us
- Pakistan: we tend to only hear the negative stuff about this country but are looking for a guest who can share positives about traveling this country that seems to have so much
- Kazakhstan: we’re fascinated with Central Asia, which you may have noticed from a handful of episodes we’ve done on the area in the last year or so. We know a couple people who traveled this stan and are going to hopefully get them to share with us soon.
- South Korea: not sure how, but this one has somehow eluded us – we’re going to change that. From skiing to the tropical island of Jeju, and long cycling-specific bike paths across the country, we think there’s a ton to learn about.
TTA Travel Consulting services:
For $100/hour Scott or Trevor will help you plan your holiday: a 30 minute video call followed by an email full of tips, suggestions, links to spots that will best suit your travel style, and a draft itinerary –depending on what you need. If you put a price on every hour of your vacation, Scott and Trevor can help you maximize that time to the fullest, ensuring you experience items that most interest you and you truly get the most bang for you buck and experience. Contact Scott and Trevor via the show to learn more.
Links
- Episode 37: Trekking Asia’s Tea Trails with Jeff Fuchs
- #136 – Central Asia with Bradley Mayhew
- #128 – This is Thailand with Greg & Ed of The Bangkok Podcast