The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust – Détails, épisodes et analyse

“Opera and classical music shouldn’t be just for the elite,” says Australian-born soprano Breana Stillman. The opera singer leads a double life; based in Rome and singing throughout Europe, she’s also on a mission to bring classical music and opera to disadvantaged youth in central Africa, using art as a therapy. 

Breana spends several months a year in Kenya with the charity she founded, OperAffinity, working and performing with impoverished children to develop their artistic abilities, and to create cultural connection through music. 

Follow Breana's journey and for more on OperAffinity and its festival in Todi, Italy, https://www.breanasoprano.com/, https://www.operaffinity.com/ 

Also, while Americans are travelling to Australian in record numbers, Aussies are choosing Asia over the US for their international holidays, according to the latest Travel Trends Report from the  Australian Travel Industry Association, https://atia.travel/ 

And finally, Southern Cross Travel Insurance makes the case for taking out travel insurance for domestic travel, https://www.scti.com.au/ 

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Melissa Hoyer is one of Australia’s most respected lifestyle commentators, journalists and editors, who has worked in the travel and lifestyle sector of the media industry for more than three decades, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Lady Gaga, Cate Blanchett and JK Rowling.

This week, we take a look at what life's like for a leading commentator travelling on the celeb circuit, and find out where the A-listers like to go.

Also, Intrepid's "Not Hot List" is out! This annual report highlights the lesser-known destinations and regions for those who care about treading lightly when they travel.

And our tip this week is from eSIM provider Saily about how to get the most out of your data when you travel. 

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This week, we’re chatting to two remarkable women adventurers.

First up meet Lucy Barnard, the Australian Geographic Society's 2024 Adventurer of the Year. Lucy is almost at the end of an intrepid feat to become the first woman to walk the length of the Earth – 30,000 kilometres from the southernmost tip of South America to the top of North America, and talks to co-host Kirstie Bedford about this incredible journey. Follow her on Instagram at @tanglesandtail 

Our second guest is adventurer, author and inspirational speaker Laura Waters, who joins us to talk about her recent, epic journey kayaking 2,400 kilometres solo along the Murray, Australia’s longest river. Laura is also the author of Bewildered, which documents her life-changing hike of the length of New Zealand. She has also authored Ultimate Walks & Hikes Australia.

You can watch a documentary about her journey here, and follow Laura on Instagram at @laurawaters_writer

And don't forget to enter our competition to win a tropical holiday in Thailand! To celebrate our 100th episode, we've partnered with Avani Hotels and Resorts to give away four nights' stay for two people in a deluxe room at Avani+ Khao Lak, with daily breakfast and dinner, airport transfers and a Muay Thai boxing class.

Just like the competition post on our Instagram page and tag a friend, and follow both The World Awaits and Avani Hotels, and you're in for the win! 

Entrants can be located anywhere in the world. Entries close 31st July 2025.

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Bill Bensley is world renowned for his unique, inspiring and award-winning hotel designs and eye-catching architecture, bringing to life more than 200 resorts, hotels and palaces in over 30 countries. He is also a concerned conservationist and passionate philanthropist, and a pioneer in helping communities, and preserving conservation and wildlife. He tells Kirstie why he’s so passionate about philanthropy and his next big project, bensley.com

Also, Lonely Planet has released its new Best in Travel 2024, an annual guide to the top destinations to visit next year. Chris Zeiher from Lonely Planet tells Belle why Mongolia is the place to be in 2024. We also talk about new cycling and train routes, best sustainable destinations and great value travel; expect to hear about destinations as far afield as Spain and Palau, and Australia’s own Kangaroo Island, lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel 

GIVEAWAY! We also have two copies of the beautiful Best in Travel 2024 coffee-table book to give away – just drop us a line at hello@theworldawaits.au or leave a message via our contact page, https://theworldawaits.au/home-2/contact/ 

And if you’d also like to do a walking food tour of Footscray, which Belle did recently with Intrepid Travel and the Australian Society of Travel Writers – or a morning in Delhi or a tour of New York’s brownstone buildings, amongst other experiences – check out Intrepid Travel’s awesome Urban Adventures, ⁠urbanadventures.com

We also chat about the best (and worst) places to travel as a solo female traveller, from Malaysia to South Africa, you can see the results here (though we disagree with some of them!) moneytransfers.com/news/2023/09/13/the-best-countries-for-solo-female-travellers

And the world’s top sunset locations according to research commissioned by left luggage specialist Bounce, is right here in our own back yard, in Uluru. Find out where the other top spots around the world are for a setting sun, usebounce.com/blog/sunset-skies--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Skiing in Japan in 2023/24 is going gangbusters. Europe is having a sweet spot with prices and new snow experiences.  And there’s always Canada – Whistler and the Powder Highway string of resorts. The question is: where should you ski this northern winter?

Powder hound and journalist Flip Byrnes has slid on every continent, and answers all your ski questions as she talks about her new book, Ultimate Skiing and Snowboarding (Hardie Grant). We also cover off heli-ski in Greenland, why Italy is so good this year, cross-country ski and beginner skiing in Aspen Colorado and the delights of apres-ski. 

We also get spooky ahead of Halloween, and reveal the most haunted alley in the world (hint: it’s in Scotland, see planetcruise.com). And Alaisdair and Belle share their favourite travel gadgets; we both love Bellroy tech bags – made in Melbourne from recycled materials – Belle’s second pick is the Swiss-made Skross universal travel adapter, and Alaisdair swears by Twelve South travel adaptors.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Bininj man Ben Tyler talks to Belle about growing up in what’s now Kakadu National Park, in the Northern Territory. The creator of the Dird Full Moon Feasts at Cooinda Lodge, Ben talks about foraging for bush tucker, speaking language and the power of Country. To find out more about the Dird dinners and travelling in Kakadu, visit kakadukitchen.com.au To learn more about the Bininj Kunwok language of West Arnhem Land, visit njamed.com Also, nutritionist Sheryl Takayama shares some great tips on how to keep your stomach healthy while you’re travelling. Sheryl, whose clients include flight attendants and travellers getting ready for their big trip, talks about how to minimise the stress of inflight travel on your gut (spoiler: say no to constant snacking while on the plane!) so you hit the ground running in the best possible condition. And stay to the end to hear Sheryl’s most bizarre travel experience. It will knock your socks off – guaranteed! See whyweightacademy.com

Our film reviewer and audio guru Alaisdair Leith drops some hot tips for movies that evoke their filming locations, from Oklahoma to the Greek isles, and is travel insurance worth the money? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Where do you go to step off the beaten track of wine – away from the unholy trinity of chardonnay, shiraz and sauvignon blanc? Author and wine writer Max Allen talks to Belleabout his new book, Alternative Reality: How Australian wine changed course. The book includes the best cellar doors in Australia where you can explore the exciting alternative grape varieties we’re drinking (or should be drinking) now. Keep listening to the end to hear his hot tip of the next big grape varietal… See melbournebooks.com.au 

Mat Lewis, of hand-picked luxury resorts group View Retreats, talks to Kirstie about their new wellness escapes, which he dubs ‘discovery and recovery’. He talks about View’s favourite south-east Asian wellness destinations – Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bali, Vietnam and Cambodia. People want to step away, to have downtime, to get away from endless scrolling and to live a more simple, holistic life, says Mat, who is also a qualified life coach practicing for the past decade. See viewretreats.com

We’re also talking about using AI to plan your travel adventures, courtesy of new research from Euromonitor and our top inflight peeves according to Agoda’s Travel Bugbears Survey 2023 (hint: they all smell or sound bad, and don’t get us started on the armrest wars!) 

A big shout out to our audio producer Alaisdair Leith. And if you love all things travel, subscribe wherever you listen to your favourite pods, and please give us a rating or review :) 

(00:00:31) Top inflight peeves – they all smell bad

(00:05:31) Alternative wine varietals 

(00:30:07) Using AI to plan your travel adventures

(00:33:46) New wellness journeys--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Morocco is a country that relies heavily on tourism, and it has a long road ahead to recover from the devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,900 people when it struck the High Atlas Mountain range near Marrakech just weeks ago. Australian David Mannix of Arcadia Expeditions, who lives in Marrakech, talks about his experience “being shot around like a pinball” during the quake and how you can best support the North African nation. We also talk to By Prior Arrangement’s lead guide in Marrakech, Abdellah Amghar, who explains why you need to make sure you don’t cancel travel plans to Morocco, and which other parts of the country you can explore to put your tourist dollar where it’s needed most.

We also chat about adult-only sections on planes – would you pay extra to avoid sitting next to a (potential) screaming child? And luxe travel advisor Virtuoso reveals the leading types of trips we’re all seeking. 

Our tip this week is about how to avoid being ripped off when you travel, based on USA Today's research on tourist attractions it says are overrated and overpriced – although we don’t necessarily agree with them all! https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/credit-cards/biggest-tourist-traps-in-the-world/

Australian David Mannix, founder of Arcadia Expeditions, had just returned to live in Marrakech a week before the devastating earthquake struck. He tells Kirstie how it was like a plane was on top of them and he thought the building was going to collapse as he ran from his apartment with his young son in his arms. David’s wife is Moroccan, and he is urging travellers to return to Marrakech to help the many thousands of people relying on tourism. https://www.adventure.travel/tour-operators/arcadia-expeditions

Also, on the ground in Morocco, By Prior Arrangement lead guide, Abdellah Amghar, tells Belle about the many other places you can visit outside of the High Atlas Mountains, and how you can best support Moroccans at this challenging time. https://www.bypriorarrangement.com/

A big shout out to our producer, Alaisdair Leith. And if you love all things travel, subscribe wherever you listen to your favourite pods, and please give us a rating or review!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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It’s the last country to open its doors after the pandemic, but travel to China is finally back, as Wendy Wu, founder of Wendy Wu Tours tells us. Also, what do you do if you meet a bear in the woods? We ask former software developer Marg Leehane, now the owner of the Great Bear Lodge in the wilds of British Columbia. Also, how to claim credits for unused flights from Qantas and Jetstar and new research from @july unveils some rather…er… interesting things we’re packing on holiday. We urge you to supporting Intrepid Travel’s Morocco earthquake appeal.

The last country to open, tourism to China is back, as Wendy Wu – founder of Wendy Wu Tours – tells us today. Also, we’re talking with former software developer turned wildlife lodge owner, Marg Leehane, about her lodge in the wilds of British Columbia. We also explain how to claim your credits for unused flights from Qantas and Jetstar, and new research unveils some rather ‘interesting’ things we’re taking on holiday. Wendy Wu Tours https://www.wendywutours.com.au/ 

Australian Marg Leehane did what most could only dream of. The former software developer threw in her corporate career for a life immersed in nature, and she is now one of the owners of Great Bear Lodge in British Columbia. The floating lodge hosts guests from all over the world to see the grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest. She talks about why the region is so special and explains the best way to have close encounters with bears in the wild. https://greatbeartours.com/great-bear-nature-tours--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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K-Pop, too-cute hanok guesthouses and some of the world’s best street food: travel consultant Lachlan Woodland talks about why you need to get on board the next flight to Korea. Also, Toni Ambler of The Travel Corporation on how you can help keep ancient traditions alive – from weaving to flamenco – by travelling responsibly. We also talk about how you prepare to go on a wellness retreat, and finally - comfort seeker or mindful traveller? The latest research from booking.com says we’re one of four travel types - which one are you? 

Lachlan Woodland is an expert travel consultant with tour company Inside Asia Tours and shares his love of the country that brought us K-Pop, too-cute hanok guesthouses in Bukchon and some of the world’s best street food. (Not to mention turning a demilitarization zones into a must-visit destination!) Lachlan tips Busan’s Jagalchi seafood markets and the off-beat Mangwon markets in the west of Seoul for local food experiences, while the more touristy Myeong-dong and Namdaemun markets are great starters, insideasiatours.com  

Toni Ambler, The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) Australia and New Zealand managing director, tells Kirstie she fell in love with travel thanks to her father, who worked for Contiki in the 1970s – a brand now under her remit. Toni talks about the importance of the TreadRight Foundation and how by travelling with TTC, you can help keep ancient traditions alive from weaving to flamenco, treadright.org 

Kirstie soaked up the good life in Aurora Bathhouse & Spa this week while Belle was a blissful guest at the six-suite Drift House in Port Fairy, in western Victoria, auroraspa.com.au; drifthouse.com.au and our wellness retreat tips come from Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, and The Landing in New Zealand, gwinganna.com, thelandingnz.com 

A big shout out to our very patient sound producer, Alaisdair Leith! And if you love all things travel, hit subscribe wherever you listen to your favourite pods, and don’t be shy about giving us a rating or review!

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