Explore every episode of the podcast Meander & Muse

Why would two 22-year-old women board a passenger ship in San Francisco in 1964 and set off on a two-year journey around the world?

For Gretchen Bunn, it was simple: Exposure.

In this episode of Meander & Muse, Gretchen shares stories from a time when travel looked very different - passenger ships, trains, telegrams, hitchhiking, and crossing into countries that are now far more difficult to access.

Together, we journey through New Zealand, the Australian Outback, Asia, and the Middle East, hearing stories of trusting strangers for long rides, unexpected reunions, falling in love, crossing borders during wartime, and the remarkable encounters that shaped not only the trip, but Gretchen's life.

But this conversation is about more than extraordinary travel stories. It's about how stepping beyond what's familiar can change the way we see the world ... and each other.

After returning home and working in television, Gretchen took another leap into the unknown, joining Bill Daniels's cable television company before cable had become mainstream. While many thought the industry would never succeed, she followed her gut and watched HBO, CNN, MTV become legendary. She worked her way up through the company and became a lifelong friend of Daniels - proving that the same curiosity and willingness to embrace the unknown continued to shape her life long after the journey ended.

Her biggest lesson?

"Exposure is the key to understanding people and being inclusive and compassionate. You know... just exposure."

If you enjoy stories about travel, curiosity, and the people who quietly change the way we see the world, I think you'll enjoy this conversation.

This is it... The very first episode of Meander & Muse! It felt like the universe was saying now is the time to do this - recorded in Italy with my best friend Jen Carney while celebrating our 50th birthdays.

I was curious what her answer would be when I asked, "What's one of your craziest travel stories?". Jen and I have known each other for over 30 years, so we finish each other's sentences like old friends do - filling in the gaps, finishing each other's sentences, making jokes and laughing along the way. We meander through an electric storm in Utah's Canyonlands, a trip down the Amazon river (tarantulas, caimans, and all), and the wild story of her giving birth in Australia.

This episode is a little different too - it's the only one where Jen turns the question back on me, and I get to share an experience of my own.

And stick around until the end. Jen's takeaway from years of traveling far and wide, and living abroad for the past two decades, is one of those things that just stays with you.

This is a show about the stories travel gives us, and what they teach us about connection, overcoming fear, and the one wild and precious life we're all figuring out. Real stories from people stepping outside the familiar and going on an adventure. Welcome to Meander & Muse.

Talking about travel has always been one of my favorite ways to connect with other people.

In this trailer, I share why I created Meander & Muse - a podcast where travel is the entry point, and from there we meander through conversations about being human. Together, we explore the stories, surprises, laughter, kindness, and life lessons that emerge when we step beyond what's familiar.

I believe everyone has an interesting story to share, and that the best souvenirs aren't the ones we pack - they're the ones we carry within us.

I'm Erin Preston, a story investigator, producer, and traveler who's endlessly curious about what happens when people step beyond the familiar. Come along for the journey. I can't wait to meander with you.