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PODCAST

Travel Tales by Afar

Travel, at its best, changes the way we see the world. Join us each week as we dig into stories from people who took a trip—and came home transformed. Travel Tales by Afar is your ticket to the world, no passport required.

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

25:41

Searching for Inspiration in the Norwegian Arctic

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/09/16

Seven years ago, author Maggie Shipstead traveled to the Arctic to begin her next book. She was there as part of an Arctic Residency that connects artists with the icy landscape. But when she arrived in the Svalbard archipelago, she had only the seed of an idea. As she sailed around the archipelago—along with 27 other artists—Maggie discovered that inspiration can come in mysterious ways. Enjoyed Maggie's episode? Be sure to read Great Circle, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in September

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21:08

Tuscany Is a Book-Lover’s Paradise

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/09/09

As a college student on her first trip to the Tuscan town of Lucca, writer Lisa Abend discovered a shop that specializes in customized ex libris, also known as bookplates. She desperately wanted one, but knew she needed more life experience before she could commit to such a personal thing. Three decades later, she returned to Lucca in search of that print shop—and her very own ex libris. Read the full story. Subscribe to Lisa's newsletter. And read her book!

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21:59

Lessons About Travel—and Friendship—from the Women of...

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/07/29

The women who flew for Pan Am in the 1960s and 1970s were spirited, adventurous, trailblazers who lived life mostly on their own terms. In this week’s episode, we’ll meet a few of those women. Julia Cooke, author of Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am, spent four years researching their lives. Along the way, she learned a few lessons about travel—and friendship.

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30:30

Comedian Michelle Buteau: I Got Stood Up in Paris!

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/07/22

Comedian Michelle Buteau traveled with her best friend, Cynthia, to Paris to drink wine and meet French boys, because that’s what you do when you’re in your 20s and searching for love (or lust). Only things didn’t exactly go to plan . . . Michelle Buteau is an actress and comedian (you may have seen her Netflix comedy special Welcome to Buteaupia). She’s also the host of the new Discovery Plus show, Weekend Getaway with Michelle Buteau, a three-episode series about quick trips in America, as well

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19:38

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka (Kinda) Finds Her Dad in Bali

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/07/15

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka never really knew her dad. As a kid, she and her grandmother had moved from Japan to L.A. and, over the years, her relationship with her dad dissolved. Years later, she flew to Bali—where her father had retired—in an attempt to reunite. She thought they’d drink on the beach and stroll through tropical forests. Her dad, however, had a very different reunion in mind. Hear more from Atsuko on her website: http://www.atsukookatsuka.com/

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21:09

Finding Home in London's Carnival

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/07/08

Author Louis Chude-Sokei was born in what is now Nigeria, spent part of his childhood in Jamaica, and came of age in Los Angeles. This mix of places and cultures shaped his life—but also left him feeling unmoored. One day, as an adult traveling home to the United States from Nigeria, he passed through London just in time for the city’s famous Notting Hill Carnival. And there, in that swirl of music and people, he finally found a sense of belonging. Read Louis's memoir "Floating in a Most Peculiar

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19:49

Chasing a Lost Recipe in the Philippines

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/07/01

Chef Sheldon Simeon grew up eating his grandmother’s revered pork adobo—well, a version of it. See, the dish had evolved since his grandparents emigrated from the Philippines to Hawai‘i in the 1930s. He wanted to recreate the dish as it once was, but Alzheimer’s had robbed his grandmother of her memory. And so he headed to the Philippines in search of his roots—and the original recipe. Be sure to check out Simeon's restaurant, Tin Roof, the next time you visit Mau'i!

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19:10

Inside a Daring Giraffe Rescue in Kenya

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/06/17

A decade ago, a group of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes was relocated to a remote lakeside peninsula in Kenya. But in recent years, due to rising water levels, the peninsula became an island, trapping the giraffes. In 2020, a team of conservationists set up a daring rescue—one that wildlife photographer Ami Vitale traveled to document. This is her tale. Explore Ami's work (and her new nonprofit) at amivitale.com.

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19:28

The Healing Power of Maine's Forests

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/06/10

Soon after author and reporter Abdi Iftin arrived in the United States—the country he had dreamed of living in for so long—he was diagnosed with PTSD. Growing up in Somalia during the civil war had left its mark. His American doctors recommended medication, but Iftin was determined to find another way. What did he discover? The healing power of Maine’s forests. Learn more about Abdi—and buy his memoir, Call Me American!—at callmeamerican.com.

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1:24

Season 2 Trailer: The World Awaits

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/05/27

Here at AFAR, we're beginning to dip our toes back into the travel waters. Maybe you, too, have booked your first flight? Or maybe you’re planning a summer road trip. Or perhaps you’re just now beginning to explore your home city or town. Wherever you’re at, we have heaps of travel inspiration for you in season two of Travel Tales by AFAR, launching June 10th. Get ready for stories, every Thursday, from some of our favorite contributors. Comedians, philosophers, novelists—they’ll each share a trip

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17:29

Embracing the Unknown in Rio de Janeiro

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/01/14

On a last-minute trip to Rio de Janeiro, author Carmen Maria Machado luxuriates in beach feasts, practices small talk—and confronts her travel anxiety. Carmen's website: https://carmenmariamachado.com/ Buy now: "In the Dream House: A Memoir," https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781644450383 Buy now: "The Low, Low Woods," https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781779504524

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19:29

In India, Learning to Speak the Language of the Forest

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2021/01/07

How does a nature-phobe learn to love the forest? Writer Shahnaz Habib returns to the jungle beyond her hometown in Kerala, India, to find out. Resources Read Shahnaz's work on AFAR. Follow Shahnaz on X. Preorder Shahnaz's new book, Airplane Mode. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel

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20:52

Ghana’s Outstretched Hand

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/12/17

Recalling her first trip to Africa, journalist Heather Greenwood Davis reflects on missed opportunities—and a legacy she’s finally ready to explore. Resources Follow Heather's family travels on her website. Watch archival footage of the trip. Follow Heather on Instagram and X. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which

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19:16

The First Female Flamenco Guitarists, Turning...

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/12/10

Growing up, Lavinia Spalding believed she was destined to become a tocaora, or a female flamenco guitar player. It didn’t exactly happen, for reasons you’ll soon hear. One day, decades after giving up on her dream, something shifted. On a whim, she emailed three of the biggest tocaoras in Spain to ask for lessons. To her surprise, they said yes. Resources Listen to this playlist, which features one of the tocaoras Lavinia met. Listen to Pilar Alonso, Antonia Jiménez, and Marta Robles. Read the

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19:20

What a Canadian Train Trip Can Teach Us About Kindness

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/12/03

Colleen Kinder is a bona-fide Canadian. Well, kinda. See, she married a Canadian last year. And through him, she’s gotten to know Canada in all its friendly glory. But there was one place she hadn’t yet explored: the ViaRail train system. So we sent her on a 800-mile train trip through the Maritimes. On the way, she discovered what it really means to be Canadian. (It’s so much more than saying “sorry.”) Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where

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19:29

A Walk on Japan's Quiet Side

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/09/10

No crowds. No cosplay. On the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route—as author Peggy Orenstein discovers—it's just temples, trees, and a warm bath at the end of the day. Resources Listen to Peggy's story about hiking the Juliana Trail in Slovenia. Read Peggy’s other AFAR stories: horseback riding in Wyoming and exploring Yunnan, China. Buy Peggy’s latest book, Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater. Be sure to subscribe to the

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18:03

In Pursuit of Portugal

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/09/03

As she follows the trail of the country's most beloved author, novelist Charmaine Craig meditates on loss and hope. Resources Read Charmaine's original story for AFAR. Follow Charmaine on her website. Buy Charmaine's books, Miss Burma and My Nemesis. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in

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21:51

How to See the Morocco Most Tourists Don't

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/08/27

On a three-week, 500-mile bike trip through the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert, photographer Peter Bohler and his fiancée, Celia, learn when to say "yes" to adventure. Resources Check out Peter's photos—including a few from Morocco!—on his website or on Instagram. And read Celia's version of events on AFAR. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our

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18:04

Is Amsterdam Really as Tolerant as It Seems?

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/08/20

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent political commentator Sally Kohn on 24 hours’ notice to a city renowned for its “coffee shops” but where tolerance has its limits. Resources Follow Sally on Instagram @sallykohn or X @sallykohn. Buy her book, The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our

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20:59

A Malaysian Chef Traces Her Roots

Travel Tales by Afar ·

2020/08/13

Francis Lam, a writer and host of NPR's Splendid Table, discovers the island’s multicultural flavors when he joins a Malaysia-born San Francisco chef for a bittersweet homecoming. Resources Follow Francis Lam on Instagram Dine at Azalina's in San Francisco Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in

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86 results

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