Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler – Details, episodes & analysis

In the second installment of our solo travel series, we hear from Christie Bowers, who spent six months backpacking across South America, stopping everywhere from the Amazon to Argentina. She shares how she planned the trip, budgeted for it, and navigated both the joys and challenges of going it alone far from home.

In the first installment of our three-part solo travel series, Zakiya Gibbons, host of dating podcast Hang Up, recounts a pretty glamorous work trip to Cannes—and shares how she navigated moments of loneliness, figured out ways to prioritize downtime and actually see the destination, and even managed to squeeze in a date.

In her book Beyond the Shores: A History of African Americans Abroad, Dr. Tamara J. Walker recounts stories of 20th-century African-Americans who chose to build their lives outside of the United States—everywhere from Paris to Nairobi. Lale chats with Tamara about the romantic notions of 20th-century Paris and the creatives who made it their home, like James Baldwin and Florence Mills, as well as her own travel experiences around the world and what it means to be a global citizen.

If you're anything like us, this past winter has been a season of hunkering down and staying mostly inside—even if it was inside a bar, restaurant, or museum. But if the weather (and our seasonal allergies) are any indication, spring is here—which means summer adventures are just around the corner. So, this week, to get you kickstarted on summer planning and offer some inspo for getting yourself outside once again, we're joined by Emily Pennington, a Women Who Travel contributor and Outside’s national park columnist, and Megan Spurrell, Traveler's senior editor. We talk all things outdoors, from the best strategy for getting national park camp site permits to the women inspiring us to get moving. 

Read a full transcription of the episode: cntraveler.com/story/how-to-get-yourself-moving-after-a-winter-of-hibernation-women-who-travel-podcast

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As we say at the start of this week's podcast, “wellness” is a word that gets thrown around a lot—but defining what it is can be a real feat, and as it turns out, can mean something a little different to everyone. Joined by Evelyn Escobar, founder of Los Angeles-based Hike Clerb, and Shanika Hillocks, Women Who Travel contributor and brand strategy and marketing consultant, we're talking about all the different ways we're prioritizing wellness in our day-to-day lives and travels, from setting boundaries over email to making time for family and friends. As Evelyn says, “no one, unfortunately, is going to take care of you the way that you need, so we need to do it ourselves and be relentless in that pursuit.”

Read a full transcription of the episode here: cntraveler.com/story/what-does-wellness-even-mean-these-days-women-who-travel-podcast

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When we started planning this episode, we thought we'd talk about the books we turn to for relaxation—the books that bring us moments of zen and let us find a sense of calm. But when we actually sat down with our guests—Lisa Lucas, publisher at Pantheon and Schocken Books, and Jynne Dilling Martin, deputy publisher at Riverhead Books—we realized that when the world is stressing us out, we turn to all sorts of book to help us decompress. So instead, this episode has a little bit of everything: non-fiction books that help us make sense of it all, sci-fi books that help us escape from it all, as well as poetry collections, comedies, fun romps, and so much more. 

Find a full list of books mentioned and a transcription here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-best-books-weve-read-recently-women-who-travel-podcast

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Ever stripped down for a visit to a Japanese onsen or nude hot spring? Or been stopped by the TSA for a sex toy you packed? How about had a no-strings-attached vacation fling? Whether you've tackled all of the above, are working up the confidence, or are simply curious about exploring the intersection of sex, travel, and self-love, our latest episode was made just for you. We're sitting down with Women Who Travel contributor, body image advocate, and sexual wellness expert Laura Delarato to talk about her soon-to-be-released book—My Pleasure: An Intimate Guide to Loving Your Body and Having Great Sex—and everything that goes along with discovering your pleasure (at home or on vacation). As expected, it's not particularly safe to listen to at work or around kids, but a no-holds-barred look at finding your self love, self worth, and boundaries in and out of the bedroom. 

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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A special episode of the Women Who Travel podcast, presented by Fort Myers - Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods.

If you're anything like us, your first instinct is to cram as much as possible into a trip—from meals to bars to vintage shops to museums, the list goes on. We're here to tell you to slow down. This week, we're talking about slow travel, a way of moving through the world that's all about intention, observation, and yes, literally moving more slowly. To help you find your way, we invited Rachel Schwartzmann, a New York-based writer and the host of Slow Stories, a podcast all about slowing down in a digital world, and Melissa Donahue, owner and executive chef at Sweet Melissa's in sleepy Sanibel, Florida, to share their tactics for embracing slow travel, whether it's taking time off just to wander around your own neighborhood or prioritizing digital detoxes on vacation.

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We're baaaack! And while we may be well past the official start to the year, talking all about the travel goals we're setting for ourselves in 2022 (and how actually we plan on reaching them) felt like the perfect way to kick off the new season of Women Who Travel. We called up senior editor Jessica Puckett and Condé Nast Traveler Middle East's editor-in-chief Sarah Khan to talk about our travel priorities for the year, how we're planning to book them (hello, points motherlode), and how our list of where we want to go has changed since we last spoke in December. Take it as encouragement to check in on your own travel goals (or set a few if you, like us, would rather just skip the first few months of the year).

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Earlier this week, Traveler launched its list of the best places to go in 2022. Inspired by that list, plus the many destination weddings on our calendars, the design hotels we've been eyeing, and family to see, we decided to dedicate this episode to the places we're hoping to visit in 2022. There's something for everyone, from chic Canadian Airbnbs to bustling Turkish getaways and Uruguayan art exhibitions. Joined by Sarah Khan, editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, we run through all of our wish-list destinations for next year in our final episode of 2021. Thanks to Sarah for joining us and to Brett Fuchs for engineering and mixing this episode. And thank you, for listening to Women Who Travel through another year of highs and lows in the travel industry. 

Read a full transcription and find links to the destinations and stories mentioned here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/where-were-dreaming-of-traveling-next-year-2022-women-who-travel-podcast

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.