“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. 

Visit us at https://theworldawaits.au or on Instagram here.

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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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Have the best wildlife encounter (best for you, best for the wildlife), and is Bali really all it’s cracked up to be? Also, sip your way around the world at these leading wine destinations and find out how you can while away your time (for free!) at the airport. What an episode!

Kirstie catches up with award-winning wildlife photographer and journalist Rachelle Mackintosh to chat about the powerful impact of seeing wildlife in their domain. She shares hair-raising tiger encounters, talks of her obsession with sighting whales, and explains how you can ensure you’re doing the right thing by the wildlife experience you book, https://faunographic.com/

Belle chats with Bali-based author and travel writer Penny Watson, who moved to the Island of the Gods in the midst of the pandemic. Penny talks about how not to be an absolute loser when you visit Bali, and how to spread the love. We’re talking Kintamani, the waterfalls of Munduk, Amed on the east coast and Lovina in the north – basically anywhere beyond Ubud, Kuta and Canggu – for access to local businesses, ceremonies, and a connection to the Balinese people. She’s also just released her new book, Wilderness, which you can order here pennywatson.com.au/books  

Also, here’s the link to Alex the Flemish Giant bunny at San Francisco’s airport, see  instagram.com/alex.thegreat100 at take a listen to Belle’s chat with ABC radio Melbourne, talking about how to while away the time in airports around the world, https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-sundays/uncovering-the-secrets-of-airports/102752868

And a big shout out to our producer Alaisdair Leith for his zen-like patience, and to you for listening! Don’t be afraid to subscribe to The World Awaits via your favourite podcast wrangler or at theworldawaits.au--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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What’s your worst fashion disaster while travelling? Believe us, we’ve made them all – white snow gear, red wildlife safari jackets… Tune in as we spill the beans. We also go on a series of day walks around Melbourne with the authors of a new book, Day Trip Melbourne, and wind down on a slow travel journey through Switzerland with Swiss expert Carolyn Schonafinger. 

Walkers and authors Evi O and Andrew Grune have just released their newest book, Day Trip Melbourne (Thames & Hudsons) Chatting to Belle, they share their favourite strolls within 130km of the city, and reveal their next title, Dog Trip Melbourne, out soon! thamesandhudson.com.au  

Carolyn Schonafinger is a certified Swiss travel expert, and talks to Kirstie about how Switzerland is leading the way in slow travel, including train travel, in this spectacular mountainous country, holidaystoswitzerland.com 

We’re also getting hungry as we round up our favourite food festivals, including Taste Port Douglas, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, and a special call out to Hokitika's Wildfoods festival in New Zealand.

Thanks for listening, and don’t be shy about clicking to subscribe! 

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We’ve hit double digits! We’re talking tourism that changes the lives of children in remote South African communities with Charles Street of Inkwazi Adventures, and caravanning around Australia with the queen of the caravans, author Catherine Best. We're also talking about how to avoid being hacked from an airport selfie and how bucket-list destinations have changed.

Charles Street is the founder of Inkwazi Adventures, and he shares how you can make a genuine difference to the communities you mean. He explains to Kirstie how the simple act of giving a bike is transforming children’s lives in remote communities in South Africa. And you can be part of it. See  inkwaziadventures.com.au 

Catherine Best is the author of Ultimate Caravan Trips: Australia, and she spills the hot tips for great vanlife in conversation with Belle. She also drops the names of her two favourite campsites - South Lefroy Bay camp, a low-cost camp on the Ningaloo coast in Western Australia, and Potato Point, near Narooma on the NSW South Coast.  See hardiegrant.com.au 

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Welcome to our Winter Series!

This week we're taking you to Greece.

First up, host Kirstie chats to Andria Mitsakos, founder of Anthologist and global founder of AMPR, who takes us to some of the country's best artisans where she buys her artefacts, and shares insider tips on the best way to enjoy a Greek getaway. 

Next, host Belle Jackson takes us to Greece and Bulgaria, travelling by rail on a slow food, slow travel journey of these neighbouring countries. She travelled on a Eurail pass, which crisscrosses 33 European countries.

And we are giving away a tropical holiday in Thailand! We've partnered with our friends at Avani Hotels and Resorts to celebrate our 100th episode with this great prize. 

You can win four nights 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  go to our competition post on instagram, like it 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 on 31st July.

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We're in love with a new collation of stylish and sustainable stays, GoKinda, and talk the Australian author of Lost in Florence about off-the-beaten travel spots in this tourist hotspot. We also take you through all the newest Melbourne hotel openings, and do you know when you should book your travel insurance?

Alison Greer is the founder of GoKinda, a new hotel booking platform that helps you stay stylishly and sustainably. As she tells Belle, the hotels in her collection are hand-picked and drawn from around Australia and the world, gokinda.com.au 

Author Nardia Plumridge chats to us from Italy, where she’s working on the next run of her popular book, Lost in Florence. Chatting with Kirstie, Nardia shares a few places that fly under the radar, and how Florence will steal your heart, lostinflorence.it

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We pick some of the most scenic movies now showing at the Melbourne International Film Festival, and find out what it’s like to walk the Camino de Santiago 35 times. We’ll also reveal the world’s most powerful passport and ask which is cheaper; a hotel or Airbnb?

Glenyce Johnston, founder of small group walking tour company, Wandering the World, talks to Kirstie Bedford about why she packed in her corporate career to wander the Camino de Santiago. 

She has since visited 136 countries across every continent and walked the Camino 35 times. 

Glenyce has spent the last three months wandering the Camino, the Douro Valley in Portugal and the Coast to Coast across England, and explains why she can’t get enough of the great outdoors, and why you should get amongst it, too. See wanderingtheworld.com.au

And welcome back to our entertainment reporter Alaisdair Leith, who’s picked movies from Ireland, Germany’s Baltic coast and the Sami lands of Norway for their incredible landscapes. He chats with Belinda Jackson about the movies – Afire, The Miracle Club and Let the River Flow – which are all showing at the Melbourne International Film Festival. See miff.com.au 

And we promised you a link to the 24-hour live webcam from the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes, directfromlourdes.com 

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We talk to Bruce Poon Tip, one of travel’s most influential voices, about community tourism and we’ll also take you to the tropical paradise that is the Maldives. Also on the pod, best outdoor showers and tubs, and which do you think is the best country for solo travel? 

Social entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author and owner of adventure travel company G Adventure Bruce Poon Tip talks to Kirstie Bedford from Toronto about the importance of community tourism, and what you can do as a traveller to genuinely make change to communities in need.  Bruce also reveals the countries that are leading the way in travel for change, gadventures.com 

Watch Bruce’s moving video here, which is sure to change your perception of travel: thelasttouristfilm.com 

To tropical islands and swaying palms, Belle catches up with Mark Thomson, a senior executive of Minor Hotels, which has seven hotels in the Maldives. The burning question is, with all our own sun and sand, why should Australians visit the Maldives? Visit avanihotels.com and  anantara.com 

If you’d like to read more about those solo travel stats, here’s the survey by left luggage service Bounce, usebounce.com 

And finally, if you want to subscribe to the special 40th anniversary issue of Vacations & Travel which Kirstie mentions, click here: https://subscribe.vacationstravel.com/

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We’re off to Fiji with Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill and explore Japan's rich arts scene. We’ve also got some hacks for beating the increase in flight prices, and what do you think is the world’s most mispronounced names (and do we pronounce them correctly?)

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill tells Kirstie how he took over the top job in Fiji travel in the middle of a pandemic, as well as some of the lesser-known things to do in Fiji. He also shares why it’s a place that he’ll carry with him forever, www.fiji.travel

Arts tour guide and Limelight Arts Travel founder Kathleen Olive chats to Belinda about how to get under Japan’s skin, in her Tale of Two Cities tour, which covers traditional Kyoto and ultra-modern Tokyo. She shares her top sites in the two cities, and explains why the 15 rocks of Ryōan-ji (theTemple at the Dragon of Peace) is so sublime, www.limelight-arts-travel.com.au

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We’re off to Spain and Nauru, we’re talking airport lounge hacks and the world’s best airline for 2023 – does Singapore Airlines deserve the golden gong? 

Our guests this episode are:
Ben Groundwater in conversation with Belinda Jackson

Travel writer, author and tour guide Ben Groundwater tells us how much he loves Spain, and why you should love it too. We’re talking about where to eat paella and drink Jerez sherry, about hundred-year-old Basque cider houses, why cañas (small glasses of beer) at breakfast are a thing. And Ben’s top dining recommendation is (drum roll)…

Asadore Etxebarri: San Juan Plaza, 1, 48291 Axpe, Bizkaia, asadoretxebarri.com 

You can read Ben’s adventures each week in the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and his two new books are Ultimate Food & Drink Australia and Neon Lights in Tokyo. Join Ben on his Insiders Food Tour of San Sebastian with World Expeditions departs in May and October 2024. Tickets are selling like hot churros! See www.bengroundwater.com  

Lisa Pagotto in conversation with Kirstie Bedford

The tiny Pacific nation of Nauru is synonymous with refugee detention centres, but its government is encouraging tourism to the region for a much-needed boost to its economy. 

Crooked Compass founder and CEO Lisa Pagotto has just returned from Nauru and is now taking tours to the region, to add to their many off-the-grid destinations – from Moldova to Mongolia. She tells Kirstie what travellers can expect on a trip to this tropical micronation, and how your tourism dollar really will make a difference. 

Crooked Compass: www.crooked-compass.com 

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Strap in, we're taking you to Idaho and Africa!

Seeing the Big Five in Africa is a bucket list destination for most travellers. Kirstie Bedford talks to African safari specialist Patrick Clementson, who has spent more than 25 years exploring the continent, about what makes it so magical. www.abercrombiekent.com.au

And one for the powder hounds, Belinda Jackson chats with US-based author, travel writer and podcaster Brian Thacker, who provides an insight into the little-known ski fields of Idaho. www.brianthacker.tv

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We're off to Paris and Australia's Kangaroo Island!
Hayley Baillie, co-founder of Baillie Lodges, one of Australia's premier portfolios of luxury properties, talks to us about its flagship property, the crown on Kangaroo Island, Southern Ocean Lodge, which was completely destroyed by bushfire three years ago, and the painstaking efforts that have gone into rebuilding this South Australian icon. https://baillielodges.com.au/
French cheesemonger Valerie Henbest dials in from Paris. The Normandy-born owner of the Smelly Cheese Co in Adelaide’s Central Market talks to us about where to find, and eat, the best cheese in Paris. Stay tuned for her top cheesemonger in the first arrondissement, https://smellycheese.co/
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We're taking you to India, to the Victorian ski fields and to Italy.
Life coach and tour leader Jo Langhorne of Soulful Escapes talks about how truly transformational travel can be, and why India tops her list for travel destinations that will change you, www.soulfulescapes.com.au

Also, as the Australia ski season kicks off this weekend, we catch up with Vail International Resort’s Emily Smith from her base at Hotham ski resort in northern Victoria to hear what’s happening on and off the slopes, www.vail.com

And finally, movie buff and our entertainment reporter Alaisdair Leith takes us to Italy and the filming locations that feature in the new movie Book Club: 

The Next Chapter, which stars Jane Fonda and the Trevi Fountain.
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Welcome to the very first podcast of The World Awaits, with travel journalists Kirstie Bedford and Belinda Jackson. This week, we take you to Rome, Tasmania and Champagne. 

This episode, actress Alicia Gardiner talks about the best filming locations you can visit in Tasmania where her newest series, Deadloch, was filmed. To see more, visit instagram.com/aliciagardiner__

And Australian-Italian author Maria Pasquale tells us how to eat like a Roman. The author of The Eternal City also shares her tip for where to find the best food in Rome, see smithstreetbooks.com/catalogue/the-eternal-city/ 

Thanks for listening to our very first episode!

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Welcome to our Winter Series!

This week is all about Italy. We are taking you from the Amalfi Coast to a tiny town south of Rome. 

First up, host Belinda Jackson’s chats with author Maria Pasquale, who explores the food histories and dishes across regional Italy. Maria, born to Italian parents and raised in Melbourne, is the author of four books and has readers in more than 100 countries.

Then, host Kirstie Bedford talks to award-winning freelance journalist, Natascha Mirosch, who swapped the sunny shores of Brisbane to move temporarily to a tiny village south of Rome. If you ever considered a move to Italy, this is the episode for you. 

And we're giving away a tropical holiday in Thailand! We've partnered with our friends at Avani Hotels and Resorts to celebrate our 100th episode with this great prize. 

You can win four nights 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 on 31st July.

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Veteran journalist Andrew Conway has been to India four times, but this time he's doing things differently. His latest month-long sojourn was self-funded, and he took his husband, Greg, who had never been to India before. 

Andrew talks about how having a personal driver (details below) changed his entire experience and lets us in on some of the lesser-known places to go in this often chaotic country.  

1 Hotels opened its first property in Australia recently, and host Kirstie Bedford was there to review it, while host Belle Jackson was among the first to stay in the new villas at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. We also cover all the other new hotel openings in Australia you need to know about.

And, love a good roadie? We cover off Australia's best road trips with Rollin' car insurance. 

Contact Andrew's driver Manoj via email: agmtourntravels@gmail.com

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The World Awaits has hit a remarkable milestone, celebrating its 100th episode!

To get the party started, Avani Hotels & Resorts has partnered with us for a listener giveaway a tropical holiday in Thailand!  To enter, simply like, follow and tag a friend on our Instagram page here.

On this special episode, our sound producer Alaisdair Leith joins us, and we chat about our favourite guests over the last two years (after all, there are now 100 to choose from!)

And it's time to ask ourselves the question we ask all our guests: What’s the most bizarre thing that’s ever happened to you on your travels?  Flying pigs, anyone? Listen in to hear all about that escapade, and we also share our upcoming travels.

We’d like to give a big shout-out to those who have partnered with us over the past 100 episodes and shown so much support for the show: thanks to Avani Hotels & Resorts, Explore Worldwide and Tourism Ireland.

And finally, thank you to you, our listeners. We are so grateful to you. And we love hearing from you, so drop us a line at hello@theworldawaits.au to let us know your thoughts or discuss upcoming partnership opportunities.

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Meet the singing teacher who founded a hiking company in Bhutan. Keen hiker Karen Haranis, of Rare Air Himalayan Travel, shares her favourite hikes, through the territory of Bengal tigers and red pandas, from the high mountain passes and lush rhododendron forests of this tiny mountain kingdom.

Together with her guides Tashi and Namgyel, they scout new routes and cultural experiences in Bhutan, including the little visited East Bhutan, also known for its handicraft villages, rareairtravel.com.au

Also, we track down the most disappointing of the world's famous beaches. The USA has a strong showing at the top, with rubbish, noise and overcrowding destroying the experience at some of its iconic strips of sand, says with research by cloudwards.net

And our tip is all about wellness tourism, which is forecast to be worth $1.35 trillion in 2028. The AvaniWell program focuses on personalised wellness at its resorts, where you can do everything from freediving to football camps, avanihotels.com 

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

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“These dolphins surrounded me and I was hovering above the sand and they were playing with me and I swam up with them and thought I would die for them to be safe, it was like my heart was cracked open and I came up thinking how can I be more impactful in the ocean space,” says freediving champion turned conservationist Hanli Prinsloo.

It was this encounter with dolphins in Mozambique while teaching a freediving course that made Hanli Prinsloo turn conservationist, and now she hosts retreats to teach others how to freedive and educate about marine conservation.

For more about her next retreat in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll while staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, go to avanihotels.com. For more information about Hanli, go to hanliprinsloo.com

 Also, do you ever wonder when and where you should tip? Travelex has put a guide together to help you know which countries you should tip in and how much you should be handing over. For the full tipping guide, go to https://www.travelex.com.au/media/1338/tipping-guide.pdf

And our tip this week is from Travelinsurance.com.au about how to maximise your frequent flyer points. For more, go to https://www.travelinsurance.com.au/

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

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"Southern Africa is very hard to describe; for many people, you get bitten by something, or you breathe something in, and you become hooked," says Australian author Tony Park. 

Speaking to us from his home just north of Kruger National Park in South Africa, Tony shares his vast experience about going on safari in southern and east Africa. From the Kruger to the Kalahari, we're taking self-drive safaris on a budget, which regions are better for different wildlife and wildlife poaching.

"The best way to tackle poaching is to uplift the communities and the people, who feel that their only option is to turn to wildlife crime," he says. "So the best thing for wildlife is to visit Africa." 

Tony has published 22 novels set in southern Africa; his 23rd, Die by the Sword, is out at the end of July, and like all his novels, it has a strong environmental and wildlife conservation angle. See tonypark.net

Also, what's new on the slopes for the Australian ski season? From lifts to going cashless. Visit perisher.com, thredbo.com.au, charlottepass.com.au and perisher.com.au

And find out which of the Avani Tribes you belong to, and then match your destination to your personality type at https://tribes.avanihotels.com.

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

Tony’s picks:

For a great, all-inclusive luxury safari experience in South Africa, check out the Sabi Sabi collection of lodges in South Africa's Sabi Sand Game Reserve: sabisabi.com 

A bit cheaper, but in a great game viewing area inside the Kruger National Park is Imbali Game Reserve (and also check out its neighbouring, affiliate properties, Hamiltons and Hoyo Hoyo), imbali.com 

If you’re game for a self-drive trip (which will save you loads), fly from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport to Skukuza in the Kruger National Park and hire an Avis or Europcar rental car and stay in self-catering accommodation (there are also restaurants in most of Kruger’s rest camps), sanparks.org

For a get-away-from-it-all safari in an untouristy-park, check out Hwange National Park, close to Victoria Falls. These are good places: hideawaysafrica.com, robinscamp.com 

In East Africa, Tony prefers the Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya’s Masai Mara. Maasai Wanderings, owned by an Aussie woman does excellent mobile safaris, maasaiwanderings.com 

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On the fringe of the Sahara, at the birthplace of Star Wars, the little Northern African country of Tunisia's drawcards are its medinas and souqs, its Roman ruins and Mediterranean seaside resorts. Stay in desert camps or in cave hotels carved into the mountains; you'll find spicy harissa, dramatic doors and ornate tiles everywhere.

"What's not to love?" asks co-host Belle Jackson, who travelled through Tunisia recently with Intrepid Travel, intrepidtravel.com

Also, if you enjoy going off the beaten track, travel insurance company Insure & Go lists the 10 global destinations you must visit before they boom, insureandgo.com And the bulk-billed travel vaccination clinic TravAX lets you search your travel destination and the vaccinations it recommends, travax.nhs.uk  

Finally, our tip this week is about how to get a good dose of culture when you travel to Italy, from mask making in Venice to touring Milan in a Fiat 500.  Find out more at avanihotels.com

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

The full length, 19-minute documentary about Belle's slow-food travels in Greece and Bulgaria with Eurail has now been released; watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf7ldApatlQ

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

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"The best way to see the Mekong is slowly," says travel journalist Michael Turtle. 

He takes us on a cruise down the river in Laos on board the beautiful new boat Boheme. With only 13 cabins, it runs between the royal city of Luang Prabang and the capital, Vientiane, connecting you to the lifeblood of the country, all while exploring Laos' cuisine and visiting its villages.

"Watch longtail boats, see temples... on a river cruise, you see the river at all times of the day, while people are fishing or swimming," says Michael of the six-day sailing journeys. 

For more about the Boheme, visit mekongkingdoms.com and add a stay at the Avani+ Luang Prabang, avanihotels.com And to follow Michael, see timetravelturtle.com 

Also, what's the world's most beautiful airstrip? This list of ravishing runways will have you fighting for the window seat. https://www.allcleartravel.co.uk/blog/the-worlds-most-beautiful-airport-landings/ 

And finally, tap into the set-jetting trend and get your travel inspiration from movies and TV series. We're talking Thailand, Malta and the UK - tune in to see what's filmed where.

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

READING RECOMMENDATIONS

If you'd like to read Belle's story on the young woman shaking up PNG's traditional drumming scene, visit airniuginiparadise.com

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There's great nightlife, it's summer all year round, and really, really hospitable people. Add to that fabulous architecture and a blossoming food scene, and what's not to love about Malta? 

In Australia, he's Mr Malta - Maltese-Australian chef, restaurateur and TV presenter Shane Delia has been returning to the Mediterranean island nation since he was 13, so he knows a thing or two about exploring Malta's food, beaches and lifestyle. 

Talking to the podcast just ahead of Maltese Independence Day, Shane, whose restaurants include Maha in Melbourne, Layla in Brisbane and the Biggie Smalls kebab chain, appears on Channel 9's Postcards every week, says Malta is blossomed with high-end restaurants. "But while it’s well documented where we’ve been, young Maltese chefs are asking, 'Where can we be, who can we be?'" he says.  His hot tips include Marsaskala Bay for swimming and Sphinx Malta for delicious pastizzi. Follow Shane at @shanedelia 

Also, be compensated for late or cancelled flights here in Australia: you can have your say on the proposed Aviation Consumer Protection Scheme, see http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-consumer-protections

And finally, car rental group VroomVroomVroom says that Australian airports are the most common place for bingles in your hire car. 

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 Do you know who was behind the design of Canberra? What about the first person hired to manage the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Both are women whose stories have historically rarely been told.

That’s something tour guide, feminist, history nerd, and author Sita Sargeant plans on changing. Frustrated by the lack of recognition for women’s historical contributions, she founded She Shapes History – a tourism company offering entertaining and engaging walking tours in Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne to make sure the remarkable achievements of women are not lost.

She chats to us about how she got started with her tours, and what her plans are to ensure the message is spread far and wide.

We also talk about the sober curious movement and how Avani Hotels is ensuring no one is left sipping a boring drink!

And Health Direct has some top tips for avoiding motion sickness. 

This mini-series is brought to you by Avani Hotels & Resorts. With more than 40 properties across five continents, Avani offers city hotels, tropical resorts and retreats in nature. For more, visit avanihotels.com

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Have you ever thought about packing everything up, renting or selling the house and moving to Italy? Well, that’s just what our guest this week did. 

Award-winning freelance food, travel and lifestyle journalist Natascha Mirosch has swapped the sunny shores of Brisbane to move temporarily to a tiny village south of Rome. We chat about why she did it, what there is to see and do in the region where she’s now living and how you could do it too.

We also have a last-minute Mother’s Day guide for the travel-loving mum in your family (or yourself) and do people really care about giving back when they travel?  We give you the feedback from some of the experts including Booking.com's 2025 Sustainable Travel report. 

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Should Australians be concerned about travelling to the US now?

With a super-strong US dollar and reports of 'enhanced vetting' at US borders, economics groups forecast a 12% drop in visitors to the States this year. So just how welcome are travellers these days? New York State is bucking the trend, says Michael Cassis, the Australian representative for the state, and shares some tips for smooth entry into the US.  

And - jazz hands to the ready - 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of iconic American novel The Great Gatsby. Author F Scott Fitzgerald set the novel amongst the mansions of Long Island, so Michael takes us back to  1925 and where to visit to find the romance and glamour of the Jazz Age, iloveny.com

Also, monkey bites, bag snatches and Bali belly -  Southern Cross Travel Insurance spills the tea on the most unusual claims submitted by Australians holidaying in Bali and the biggest, most eye-watering claims, scti.com.au

Finally, if you've ever had an opulent train trip in mind, this North American beauty is the last word in luxury, according to research from Japan Rail Pass, jrpass.com 

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Australia has more than 10,000 beaches, so if you need a beachside break, how do you choose where to go?

Celeste Mitchell, author of Ultimate Beaches Australia has scoured the nation to come up with 80 of the best beaches from the big names to some secret spots; places for world-class surf breaks or rock pools for the kids.  https://publishing.hardiegrant.com/en-au/books/ultimate-beaches-australia-by-celeste-mitchell/9781741178920

Celeste is also the owner of the slow travel booking site, Life Unhurried and she reveals some of her top picks for beachside slow stays.

Also, Skytrax’s annual survey of the top airports around the world is out. Can you guess which airport takes the top gong? 

And DiscoverCars.com reveals the best countries for a road trip. Take a listen to find out where they are!

And co-host Belle Jackson visits the Bendigo Art Gallery for the Frida Kahlo: In her own image exhibition – a look at one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. 

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Giant green palms, sugar-white sand beaches where every shell seems to move with life, and gin-clear waters home to an aquarium of kaleidoscopic marine life.

Welcome to the Cocos Keeling Islands – an atoll almost halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka where the airport runway doubles as the golf course, so infrequent are the flights.

We explain why this special little spot should be on your travel bucket list – and if you’re travelling from Australia, you don’t even need a passport to get there. 

We also chat about Emirates' new data about the hot European destinations this winter, and Airbnb's spring travel report is out with some top tips for staying safe when you are a solo traveller.

https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/

https://news.airbnb.com/2025-spring-trends-travelers-embrace-soft-slow-travel/

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What do you do when a revolution breaks out? If you're Dennis Bunnik, you throw yourself into the thick of it. Dennis is co-owner of Bunnik Tours which, in 2025  celebrates 30 years taking Australians to every corner of the globe, and he chats to Belle about the situations he's found himself in as a very, very hands-on small group tour operator. 

He's also a hardcore aviation geek with a huge YouTube following for his airline reviews and behind-the-scenes access into the world of aviation, answering all the big questions like, "What happens to airline blankets?" 

He shares his hot tips for best airlines in all classes, adds a few airport lounge hacks and 'fesses up to the country-counting competition of his family. See bunniktours.com.au   

Also, where to go if you're seeking spiritual enlightenment on your next trip. New research from Psychic World reveals the top destinations we're searching for that deepen our connection to faith, heritage and history.

And a new study by Australian luggage brand Kadi Luggage reveals the best time and day of the week to schedule your flights at five major Australian airports to avoid the dread flight delays.

https://kadiluggage.com/

Finally, where is Belle off to this week? Tune in...

https://www.youtube.com/c/DennisBunnikTravels  

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/world-book 

https://www.psychicworld.com/

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First, she walked the length of New Zealand and now adventurer, author and inspirational speaker Laura Waters has completed an epic journey paddling the length of Australia’s longest river, the Murray River.

The 2,400-kilometre challenge saw her paddle for weeks on end. She tells us why she did it, recounts the tough challenges she faced along the way and tells us where the best spots are if you want to follow in her wake.

Watch Laura here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCRARCeTKyw

The Qantas Australian Tourism Awards has revealed the best in the business, from tourist attractions and festivals to five-star accommodation.

And non-bank lender MONEYME has analysed Australia’s 10 most popular holiday destinations to find the best and worst value destinations for travellers.

Finally, we give you a sneak peek into one of Melbourne's most anticipated luxury hotels, 1 Hotel, and explain why this hotel is gaining so much attention.

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If your dream destination is anywhere curled up with a great book in a cosy nook by the fire or by the pool, let Lucy Pearson take you on a reading retreat. 

Lucy is a bibliotherapist and bespoke library curator who has designed a series of upcoming reading retreats in France, Wales and Australia.
  
Expect silent book clubs or find a cosy nook by the fire or pool to read, as well as a bibliotherapy session and a book 'prescription'. Each retreat has a theme, stories shaped by the sea, a French-inspired reading list inspired by the allure of France, and a winter retreat where houses are the central character.

Co-host Belle also asks Lucy for her travel lit hot list, which includes:

Holy Cow! (India) Sarah MacDonald
Wild (USA) Sheryl Strayed
In Search of Silence (India & New Zealand) Poorna Bell 
Eat Pray Love (India, Italy, Indonesia) Elizabeth Gilbert
Hideous Kinky (Morocco) Esther Freud and her favourite travelogue;
A Year in Provence (France) Peter Mayle.

For more about Lucy's reading retreats in Provence, Wales or Daylesford here in Australia and her bibliotherapy practice, visit thelitedit.com  You can also sign up to her substack, and follow her on Instagram.

And what kind of holidays are we taking? Find out what's hot right now, according to new research from experience network Big Red Group.

We also hit the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival; Kirstie went to the Longest Lunch - think hundreds of meters of tables set along the lawns of Kings Domain, while Belle went to gaol. She sat down to what should have been Ned Kelly's final dinner the atmospheric Old Melbourne Gaol. There are still more free and low-cost events at the festival, or pop in the diary for the 2026 festival; https://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

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“These women are selling bikes to families who are using them to get to the river to fish, fields to farm and to get to school… we have one bike shop in Zambia that has sold over 8,000 bikes in that local community… and they are ferocious entrepreneurs and it’s so fun to hear them talk about their lives now compared to when they started nine years ago,” Keith Sproule, the Executive Director of Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy.

Keith Sproule oversees 55 philanthropy projects for A&K in 24 countries, including this one that he mentions, where A&K opens bike shops for women across Africa and the Middle East who use the money to buy homes and ensure their children have access to a better education. 

Also, TravelInsurance.com.au research shows many Aussie travellers are choosing Asia over Europe – we explain why, and our tip is about the top five passport mistakes you need to avoid by Smartraveller.

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Discover what fills your heart with Ireland, be it the rich culture, the legendary Irish hospitality, the stunning scenery, ancient cities or world-class food.  This episode is sponsored by our friends at Tourism Ireland. Learn more at ireland.com

This coming week sees the celebration of St Patrick's Day, one of the biggest festivals on the Emerald Isle. Walk the famous saint's waymarked way, or find your  own celebration, from the long-running Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival to the Puca Festival, marking the pagan event Samhain, the ancestor of Halloween. Ireland's most famous literary son, Oscar Wilde, died 125 years ago in 2025, and is celebrated in a new Wilde weekend, In Our Dreams.

Then, we take an about-turn back to Australia. "Melbourne is a city of stories," says author, guide and Melbourne aficionado Dale Campisi, whose new book, Naarm/Melbourne Neighbourhoods is a wealth of history, walks and minutiae about the Victorian capital. 

We ask Dale all your burning questions; did Melbourne narrowly avoid being called Batmania? Which Melbourne skyscraper is drizzled in (symbolic) blood? And was Flinders Street Station really supposed to be built in Mumbai? He also talks about Naarm/Melbourne's indigenous history, and what the land was like before Europeans settled here. 

We also have a giveaway! To win a copy of Dale's book, drop us a line at hello@theworldawaits.au to be in the running.  

And our tip this week is the art exhibitions you need to see right now. We're talking Inca gold, Japanese pumpkins and Australia's contribution to Europe's 20th-century, avant-garde art movement. 

Melbourne @ National Gallery of Victoria ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/yayoi-kusama/ 

Sydney @ Australian Museum australian.museum/exhibition/machu-picchu/ 

Canberra @ National Gallery nga.gov.au/exhibitions/anne-dangar/ 

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For many, Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is all about the surf, sun and stunning boutiques, but on this week’s episode we take you on a deeper dive into this pretty coastal region.

Co-host Kirstie Bedford loves nothing more than an active getaway, and so a chance to hike, bike and kayak in this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was her idea of a dream weekend – throw in whale watching, and it was a match made in heaven.

Take a listen to her recommendations of how to explore a different side of Noosa, with top tips about where to stay, play and eat. Go to https://www.visitnoosa.com.au/ for more and see footage from her recent trip at: @kirstiewrites.

 Also, Skyscanner reveals how Gen Z is travelling today. This teen to 28-year-old age group is a big decision maker when it comes to family travel, and you might just be surprised at what their top priorities are when it comes to a getaway.

And for those who love a bit of stargazing, insuremytrip.com takes us to the best places in the world for astrotourism. The full research is here: https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-advice/travel-inspiration/best-destinations-for-stargazing/

The places Kirstie mentioned:

https://whalesongsnoosa.com.au/

https://byearthandocean.com.au/noosa-ebike-tours/ and https://byearthandocean.com.au/stingrays-and-everglades-kayak-tour/

Lanai https://lanainoosa.com.au/

Light Years: https://www.lightyearsasiandiner.com.au/

Noosa Surf Club: https://www.noosasurfclub.com.au/

https://www.therisenoosa.com.au/

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“I don’t see a town any sooner than five days and now 10 to 20 days … so it’s remote, it’s very cold …and there are grizzly bears, and wolves and they travel in packs… so I start at daylight and I’ve always got a podcast playing because of predators,” says Lucy Barnard, the Australian woman walking the length of the Earth. 

With International Women's Day fast approaching, there couldn’t be a more fitting interview for this week as Lucy attempts to be the first woman to walk the world from Argentina to Alaska, covering 30,000 kilometres across 14 countries, with her dog Wombat in tow.  

Lucy shares her favourite places to hike and explains what it’s like walking through regions so dangerous you need a police escort tanglesandtail.com

Also, the world's best food destinations according to  British online travel agency Travel Bag - which Australian city's taken the coveted prize of the global food capital and we're talking gold-covered baklava (say Dubai without saying Dubai) travelbag.co.uk

NIB Travel has seven top tips to beat jet lag, nibtravelinsurance.com.au and Belle opens the doors to the Little National Hotel in Sydney’s CBD littlenationalhotel.com.au/Sydney/

Drop us your thoughts on this week's episode at hello@theworldawaits.au - we love hearing from our listeners!

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Ice skating, Christmas markets, imperial palaces and eating sausages in your opera gown – welcome to Vienna. Co-host Belle Jackson gives us a rundown from her recent 'coolcation' to Austria's capital and why 2025 is the year to visit, wien.info/en  and how you can use Vienna as a hub for further European exploration, using a Eurail pass.

We also chat about the NZ$500,000 campaign to lure Aussies across the ditch. Have you heard of the new tagline? Sublime or a stinker? Take a listen to hear our thoughts, newzealand.com 

And here's a link to Australia's own tourism classic youtube.com/watch?v=LaWrkBo0t1o and the current Swiss campaign, which we love, features Roger Federer and Trevor Noah, youtube.com/watch?v=5JK7vjVaIvo 

And how do you avoid Japan's cherry blossom crowds? We're thinking outside the box on this one... japan-guide.com/sakura/ 

Drop us your thoughts on this week's episode at hello@theworldawaits.au - we love hearing from our listeners!

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How do you get more real estate in an economy airline seat? Tech reviewer Alaisdair Leith rounds up some great new travel gear - with a seriously unexpected find... 

His new travel gear recommendations are:
Ninja water bottle
Bellroy Lite Travel Pack
Sony in-ear headphones
The Bevledge - ta-da!
and Belle's addition, thanks to guide James Burt of the Tasmanian Walking Company, is the Wollemi 90 Ultralight Expedition pack

Also, Kirstie and Belle chat about their recent stay at the newly reopened Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Town Hall, and bring you the best news from the world's biggest travel industry meet, by TravMedia. 

And finally, we touch on the UK's new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and ask; where will you find the world's most polite drivers?  

Drop us your thoughts on hello@theworldawaits.au - we'd love to hear!

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It's one of the world's greatest tourist destinations, and Machu Picchu totally lives up to the hype! 

Our guest this week is Sol Campos de Parry, Peru trade commissioner to Australia, who talks about the joy of hiking to the Inca City's Sun Gate. But if you miss out on a hiking permit up the Inca Trail, or are keen to explore other trails in Peru, Sol also takes us to other great walking destinations in the Amazon and Ancash's classic Laguna 69 trek in Huascarán National Park. Beware - Laguna 69 is at over 4600m, so she also shares some tips on adapting to high altitudes.

Also, this week, all the news of new hotels, restaurants and adventures on the Sunshine Coast. See visitsunshinecoast.com

And hello to all the lovers out there - Kirstie and Belle name their most romantic hotels for Valentine's Day, guaranteed to make you swoon!

This episode is sponsored by Explore Worldwide, which offers small-group adventures with local tour leaders. Click here for adventure travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

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"I always say 'collect, don’t shop'… so when you're purchasing something that’s a tangible representation of a destination you’re making a contribution not only financially, but also to that cultural preservation of a destination, and that’s something you’ll have forever and it’s better than any memory," says Andria Mitsakos, founder of Anthologist and global founder of AMPR. 

It was an accident, quite literally, that saw Mitsakos fall in love with Greece, and now she splits her time between Athens and the Greek island of Paros. She takes us to some of the country's best artisans where she buys her artefacts, and shares insider tips on the best way to enjoy a Greek getaway. 

We also talk about all the new flight routes landing in Australia, and our tip this week is from Smartraveller about how to stay safe when drinking overseas. Watch Belle’s interview on ABC News TV here. See Smartraveller’s tips here. 

This episode is sponsored by Explore Worldwide, which offers small-group adventures with local tour leaders. Click here for adventure travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

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“Costa Rica has something that’s very special… we have the second best place in the world for diving … and now the Government is thinking in blue, and you’ll hear that soon about the Costa Rica preservation, the idea is to make the coastline a [fish] nursery… so you’re going to hear very soon about the blue country Costa Rica wants to be,” Juan Carlos Rodriguez, a naturalist guide with Explore Worldwide.

Few people would be as passionate about their country as Juan, who has been taking tours to experience Costa Rica's incredible flora and fauna for more than three decades. He talks to us about what makes the Central American country the best destination for a nature escape, and how it plans to be the world’s first ‘blue country’. 

We also chat about the world's safest airlines by Airline Ratings; and what do you do when you make a purchase overseas and are given the option to pay in multiple currencies? We explain the best way to save with a tip from CNN journalist and host of the travel series, Quest’s World of Wonder, Richard Quest.

This episode is sponsored by Explore Worldwide, which offers small-group adventures with local tour leaders. Click here for adventure travel inspiration to Costa Rica from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

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There are 26,000 ramen bars in Tokyo – how do you choose the best one? Chef Luke Burgess talks about finding your way to the best places to eat in Tokyo.

Luke, who co-authored the book 'Only in Tokyo: Two Chefs, 24 Hours, the Ultimate Food City', shares his favourite, and most confronting dishes, and talks about the endless pursuit of understanding Japanese food and its refinement, see https://www.instagram.com/lukeburgess77/?hl=en

Also, Lonely Planet's much anticipated global best beaches of 2025 list has dropped and Australia has made the top two; and travel is still top of our wishlist, according to a new survey from money.com.au.

This episode is sponsored by Explore Worldwide, which offers small group adventures with local tour leaders. Click here for adventure travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

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