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We’re giving you not just one, but two ways to travel around the world with Gary Arndt, creator of Everything Everywhere and world traveler. First, our podcast that we shared with you last week, and now the transcript of our interview, which you can read below.
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| Gary Arndt on a glacier in New Zealand |
Gary Arndt is doing what so many people fantasize about: traveling around the world. He’s been to 70 countries — a lifelong endeavor for some people. But you might be surprised to find out he’s visited them all in the past three years.
Gary went from your average business owner to world traveler seemingly overnight. The idea struck him like a flash of lightening. He sold his house and off he went.
Last week, Gary was in Bangkok, Thailand, and I was able to pick his brain about his travels in a podcast, which you can listen to below. As Gary put it, living like a nomad is something you just can’t prepare for.
Gary’s been documenting his journeys on his blog, Everything Everywhere, which is now one of the most widely read travelogues on the Internet.
In our podcast, I talked to Gary about what he’s discovered so far, including why history books make the best guide books and why Argentina and Japan have the best food. He discusses what it’s like to be in an area where there is political conflict, and much more.
He says the best thing about his blog is that it not only lets him communicate with people, but it’s a great way to get feedback from readers on where he should go next. Gary just doesn’t write on his blog either, he produces weekly podcasts with travel experts and posts his beautiful photography.
Click play to step inside Gary’s world. Seventy countries down, only 125 to go. 
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Last week I posted my podcast with Chris Gray Faust, former USA Today travel editor and creator of Chris Around the World. If you want to read through the interview, go right ahead. I have the transcript that includes the complete interview between me and Chris, proofed for clarity.
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| Chris Gray Faust |
Traveling and writing are two of my favorite things. Put them together and you have what I think is one of the best jobs. And Chris Gray Faust has it. She’s the former travel editor of USA Today and creator of the travel Web site, Chris Around the World.
I caught up with Chris the other day to talk about her career and her favorite travel destinations — many of which are off the beaten path. She shared how she discovered them and why you should put them on your list as your next travel destination.
Chris also talked about her travel advice and the inside scoop on her upcoming iPhone app, and much more. You can listen to our conversation in the podcast below.
Chris has been a journalist for over 20 years. She started at the York Daily Record in Pennsylvania and went on to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and finally to USA Today. In between reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, covering urban education, and focusing on numerous other beats, Chris discovered her passion for traveling.
Her latest venture, Chris Around the World, is an outgrowth from her work at USA Today. It’s a helpful Web site offering travel tips, books, gear, news, photos, and more from Chris’s experiences around the globe.
So pop in your headphones or turn your speakers up, here’s another Friendly Planet Travel podcast with Chris Gray Faust.
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If you prefer to read my interview with Randy Jones to copy down some of his tips about Dubai and Kenya, go for it. Here’s the transcript.
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| Randy and Carolyn on the desert safari tour |
Every time I read new feedback from our customer surveys, the travel bug in me grows a little bigger. When I hear from our customers about what a great time they had on a Friendly Planet tour, I immediately want to know more.
What was their favorite part? What did they learn from the tour guides? What did they have for dinner? A million questions run through my mind.
Some of the latest feedback I’ve read has come from Randy Jones. He sent me an e-mail with some amazing photos from the Dazzling Dubai tour and the Kenya Wildlife Safari extension that he and his wife Carolyn took. I already wanted to hop on the next plane to Dubai!
I gave Randy a call to learn more about his trip. From the lavish hotels in Dubai to the beautiful tents in Kenya, Randy recounted the fantastic time he and Carolyn had.
If you’re considering booking this six-day tour for $1,499, I suggest listening to my podcast with Randy. He offers some unique perspectives on the country, his most memorable moments, and gives advice for those thinking about traveling to Dubai. Enjoy!
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One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to talk to travelers from around the world. Each podcast has illuminated different aspects of travel and different areas of the planet. And each expert has offered their own take on the art of globetrotting.
Recently, I had the chance to talk to travel journalist and author Rolf Potts. Rolf keeps the world up to date on his international adventures on his blog, Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding. He also shares his love and know-how of long-term travel in his books, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel and Marco Polo Didn’t Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer.
I caught up with Rolf for a quick chat, and he told me all about what it means to be a modern day vagabond, how to experience a trip "off the beaten path," and how to make your dreams of long term travel a reality. Enjoy!
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A few weeks ago Peggy introduced you to Allan Rabinowitz, the Friendly Planet Travel guide who is currently walking the entire length of the Israel trail with his family to raise money for and awareness of ALS. Inspired by the memory of his mother who, in 2008, passed away from the debilitating disease, Allan is experiencing the country he loves in an amazing new way: step by step.
Allan took some time to speak with me recently as he walked through the streets of Jersualem. At the time, he, his wife, and his son were almost half way through their 625-mile journey on foot. You can learn more about Allan’s incredible experience and track their progress on his Web site, Walking the Land – for those who can’t, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and by listening to our podcast below. If you would like to donate to help fight ALS, you can do so on the main Web site.
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Missed anything in my interview with leading travel expert Chris Elliott? You can read the transcript here.
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If something goes wrong when you’re traveling — a lost confirmation number, a mixed-up reservation, a bad hotel experience — it can easily seem like the cards are stacked against you. But there’s one travel journalist who has dedicated his career to helping people get the service they deserve when away from home: Christopher Elliott.
Elliot has been called one of the world’s leading travel experts. He is National Geographic Traveler magazine’s reader advocate, and writes the syndicated Travel Troubleshooter column, which appears in more than 50 U.S. newspapers and Web sites.
He also produces a popular weekly commentary and podcast on MSNBC.com and writes the Navigator column in Sunday’s Washington Post.
I had the chance to talk to the guru himself, and get the scoop on getting what you deserve. Elliott graciously gave us some of his time to talk about himself, his career, and a traveler’s best friend: common sense. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the latest Friendly Planet Travel podcast with Chris Elliott.
Peggy Goldman is a specialty tour operator and travel expert, who owns and operates Friendly Planet Travel, a full-service company that specializes in tour packages to exotic worldwide destinations at affordable prices. More about Peggy
