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PODCAST

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

Belinda Jackson & Kirstie Bedford

Where does your wanderlust lead you?To Melbourne’s cafes or the vast deserts of the Empty Quarter, a New Zealand vineyard or the pavements of New York… what’s your neighbourhood?Join travel journalists and editors Kirstie Bedford and Belinda Jackson for inspiring stories and inside information from across the world.Website https://theworldawaits.auInstagram @theworldawaitspodcastSupport us https://ko-fi.com/theworldawaits (thank you!)

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

28:36

EP 165 The best way to spend a weekend in Rome; Belle...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/09/30

Love Rome but feel like you've been there, done that? Come with us for a weekend in the Eternal City where you'll leave feeling like you've fully immersed in all the culture Italy's capital offers, without once venturing to the main tourist spots. Co-host Kirstie Bedford explores the best way to weekend in Rome, starting with staying at Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome, a palace built over the ruins of an ancient Roman bathhouse where there's Michelin-starred dining and sprawling suites where cel...

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38:49

EP 164 Why Algeria should be top of your travel list,...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/09/23

Algeria is calling – did you hear it? Located between the powerhouses of Morocco and Egypt, North Africa’s largest country remains off the beaten path. But that's all changing, says James Willcox, founder of adventure travel company Untamed Borders. Named BBC Travel's #2 must-visit country in 2026, Algeria is opening up its Roman ruins, medieval walled cities, Mediterranean coastline and the deep, deep Sahara to travellers, says James. He joins us to talk about its music, fa...

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23:53

EP 163 Exploring Sri Lanka's cultural triangle &...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/09/16

Elephants, tea, ancient cities and fish markets; Belle is in the guest's seat this week, talking about travelling through the cultural triangle of central Sri Lanka. We're talking coconut hoppers with pineapple jam, cave temples and best times to visit the UNESCO sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla. Belle flew Jetstar's inaugural flight from Melbourne to Colombo, travelling with Intrepid Travel and staying with Sri Lankan hoteliers Jetwing Hotels. We're also looking at the best pl...

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17:24

Ep 162 Hot Take: Not Hot; top 10 unsung destinations...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/09/09

Want to escape the crowd? Support the locals? Travel better? Join us as we count down the 10 best destinations to visit in 2027, according to Intrepid Travel, where you can support local communities and have extraordinary experiences, from spotting rare wildlife in Africa to walking through tea plantations or letting the energy of the Northern Lights wash across you. Intrepid's annual Not Hot list encourages us to explore under-the-radar destinations where our tourism dollar reall...

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44:57

EP 161 How to holiday without packing on the kilos;...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/09/02

Do you return from holiday carrying a few extra kilos, and we're not talking luggage here...? Nutritionist and weight-loss expert Sheryl Takayama helps people all over the world manage their weight, and travel is a key time when many are put to the test. She breaks down what's causing that extra weight gain, and has some top tips for what to do both before you travel, and during your trip to set you up for success. Also, what type of travel personality are you? Travel Insurance Direct s...

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38:12

EP 160 Come with us to Marrakech, the luxe for less...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/08/26

When Melburnian Angela Mellak got lost in the 10th-century medina of Marrakech years ago, she found... a husband! Fast forward a decade, and the Moroccan-Australian duo are now the owners of a classic five-room riad, a boutique hotel awarded a Michelin Key and recommended by Conde Nast. One of the reasons for their success is Angela's (not so) little book of local experiences for guests within Marrakech and beyond. Join Angela as she walks us through her favourite places in the w...

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33:21

EP 159 The Jet Lag Guy on how to ease your flying...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/08/19

Do you suffer from jet lag? This week's guest is Dr Stephen Jasper (aka the Jet Lag Guy), a former pharmacist who is a recognised expert in the field of jet lag and executive performance. We talk about what jet lag is, how it affects us all differently, and how to avoid it. Also, there has been a flurry of new airlines and routes to and from Australia; we tell you who's flying and where, and we reveal the top stargazing spots around the country. Follow Dr Stephen Jasper here. The Phillip I...

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43:15

EP 158 Expert packing hacks with @styledbysally; come...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/08/12

Melbourne stylist Sally Mackinnon founded the viral @styledbysally instagram account, and this episode, she talks to Belle about packing hacks and how you can genuinely travel stylishly, and with carry-on only. We're talking tight colour palettes and sudoku, but the key, she says, is not to dress like a tourist. Sally also shares ideal boarding outfit, which has no whiff of a brand-emblazoned hoodie about it. “I do think we’ve lost the plot with plane travel style,” says Sally. "There’...

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44:11

EP 157 Intriguing stories behind the world's most...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/08/05

"The Eiffel Tower was a crucial tool of espionage when WWI broke out, helping to catch a spy credited with causing up to 50,000 deaths... she was funnelling information back to the Germans after she weaponised her beauty to beguile them," says author of Hidden in Plain Sight, Ronan O'Connell. Ronan visited 35 countries to research his book, uncovering jaw-dropping and intriguing insights into the world's most popular landmarks - things even locals don't know. He talks to us about some of the ...

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26:58

Vale rock historian & travel journalist Glenn A Baker

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/31

This week, the travel community farewells Glenn A Baker, who was not only a rock historian and journalist, but an avid traveller who'd visited more than 150 countries, documenting his travels in books and the Australian media. An accomplished radio presenter who was instrumental in the creation of JJ and JJJ, he also presented Qantas' inflight music entertainment for decades. Glenn was also our guest on the podcast. For our interview, Belle asked him to create a musical roadtrip t...

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38:50

EP 156 ¡Vamos a Argentina! Sultry tango, huge steaks...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/29

Stylish and sultry, home of the tango, gargantuan steaks and runners up in the World Cup - this week we're going to Argentina! Melbourne-based travel consultant, writer and serial expat Rebecca Arnold has called Buenos Aires home, and is just back from her most recent research trip for her travel planner service, Rebecca and the World. We're checking the vibe in Buenos Aires - is tango a cliché, is the wine that good and should I go see the Boca Juniors play? Rebecca also shares some e...

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29:12

EP 155 Hot Take: Travel books - from modern...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/22

We're talking travel books, starting with some of the favourites of the man behind travel guide books, Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler. We also chat about our favourite travel books: non-fiction for co-host Belinda Jackson, including modern pilgrimages and some genre-defining classics, and co-host Kirstie Bedford's focus on destination crime, given that's what she writes wearing her authorial crime fiction hat ... although she does drop in one of her favourite new release non-fiction bo...

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59:11

EP 154 Winter Series: Adventurers - filmmaker Dianne...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/15

This week have interviews with two remarkable adventurers. At 50, filmmaker Dianne Whelan set out to walk and kayak the longest trail in the world, the 24,000km-long Trans Canada Trail. Her film, 500 days in the Wild, opened recently in Australia and documents her extraordinary six-year journey. She talks about the project, paddling 8000km of water trails and walking, biking and snowshoeing 16,000km. Our second interview is with Adventurer, environmental scientist, author, filmmaker, ph...

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61:59

EP 153 Winter Series: Taking flight - demistifying...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/08

First up Toby Venus of the Point Hacks podcast joins us to demystify frequent flyer points – how to earn, how to burn and creating a checklist to keep your points in good shape and working for you. Coming to you from the Novotel Melbourne Airport, Toby shares some sneaky hacks, and we're talking gift cards, credit cards, hotel loyalty programs and the difference between rewards seats and the perils of the points-plus-pay scheme, so buckle up, avgeeks! Then, the heartfelt story of...

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38:27

EP 152 Winter Series: Our adventures - South Africa...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/07/02

This week, we’re taking you on some of our own recent travel adventures from the postcard-worthy South Island of New Zealand to the wilds of South Africa. First up, Belle takes us on a self-drive safari through Kruger National Park and a stay in peak luxury game reserve Sabi Sabi with expert travel planner Travel Africa Your Way and she also e-bikes to the Cape of Good Hope, South of Cape Town, thanks to new tour company Cape Point Bike Tours. Our second interview is with Kirstie...

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58:15

EP 151 Winter Series: The hiking episode - walk the...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/06/24

Welcome to our Winter Series! This week is all about hiking, from the French Camino to the wilds of Tasmania. But first, we have a winner for our competition! Truc Pham has won a night’s stay at the Moxy Sydney Airport hotel, buffet breakfast for two at the Moxy Kitchen, return airport shuttle transfers and up to 14 nights valet parking at the hotel! See marriott.com Onto our winter series, Kirstie is chatting with UTracks hiking guide Jaclyn Beagley, who leads guests along the Le Puy C...

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36:21

EP 150 Best travel movies & film festivals for the diary

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/06/18

Hey set-jetters, it's the movie episode, and Belle is teaming up with our entertainment reporter Alaisdair Leith to talk the best of travel films. We’re chatting movie destinations, because set-jetting is one of the hottest trends in travel at the moment, where you decide where to travel based on something you saw in a movie. But also, we want you to take this as a list of movies you should watch on your way to your next destination. Think New Zealand and Hobbiton, Game of T...

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36:40

EP 149 Cruising Japan with a local cruise company &...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/06/10

This week, we are celebrating our third birthday! Yes, we're basically toddlers! Please indulges us as all three of us - Kirstie, Belle and our sound producer Alaisdair share their favourite interviews, from the woman walking the length of the earth to eating on the Amalfi Coast, and best travel fashion hits and misses. And to our interview this week, we merge two of the hottest trends in travel right now - small-ship cruising and Japan, as co-host Belle shares life on board the J...

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40:42

EP 148 How an interactive blog turned into a...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/06/03

Would you let readers of your blog choose where you travel? Carole Rosenblat did, and it’s seen her travel to 74 countries around the world. The freelance journalist, copywriter, and small-group tour operator started interactive travel site Drop me Anywhere in 2014, letting readers choose where she travels - and it can be anywhere in the world. This week, she talks to us about how she came up with the idea, and how it led her to starting up solo trips to empower women in their travels.&...

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52:56

EP 147 Six years on the Trans Canada Trail with...

The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your... ·

2026/05/27

At 50, filmmaker Dianne Whelan set out to walk and kayak the longest trail in the world, the 24,000km-long Trans Canada Trail. Her film, 500 days in the Wild, opened recently in Australia and documents her extraordinary six-year journey. She tells Belle about the project, paddling 8000km of water trails and walking, biking and even snowshowing 16,000km across land on a journey that has defined an entire decade of her life. She tells of not seeing anyone for months at a time, of es...

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171 results

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