The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust
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.au
Instagram @theworldawaitspodcast
Support us https://ko-fi.com/theworldawaits (thank you!)
Episodes
109 episodes
EP 104 Winter Series #3: Two remarkable Aussie adventurers
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...
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Episode 104
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51:21
EP 103 Winter Series #2: The Greek Episode
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
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42:03
EP 102 Winter Series #1: The Italian Episode
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 Mari...
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46:28
EP 101 The storied streets of India; the new hotels you need on your radar & Australia's top road trips
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 tal...
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47:22
EP 100 We've hit 100 episodes! Our picks of the best episodes; our most bizarre travel moments & win a holiday in Thailand!
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 tropic...
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Episode 100
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26:19
EP 99 Hiking in East Bhutan, the world's worst beaches & the rise and rise of wellness tourism
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 ...
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Episode 99
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39:36
EP 98 Wellness in the Maldives; to tip or not to tip & best ways to claim your frequent flyer points
“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 im...
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Episode 98
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37:21
EP 97 On safari in southern Africa; what's new on Australia's ski slopes & find your travel tribe
"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 Nation...
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Episode 97
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38:14
EP 96 Best things to do in Tunisia; travel vaccinations & Italy's top cultural experiences
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 ...
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Episode 96
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31:45
EP 95 A river cruise through Laos on the Boheme; the world's most ravishing runway & set-jetting travel; inspo from the TV and movies
"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...
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Episode 95
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36:45
EP 94 Women who shaped Aussie history; the sober curious movement with Thai bar tips & how to manage motion sickness
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 gui...
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Episode 94
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41:28
EP 93 Moving to Italy for the European summer; travel gift guide & do we really care about giving back when we travel?
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
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Episode 93
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43:07
EP 92 Does the USA want Aussie travellers? Gatsby turns 100, the price of Bali belly & best luxury train trips
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 a...
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Episode 92
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32:25
EP 91 Australia's Ultimate Beaches; the top airports around the world & the best countries for a road trip
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 scour...
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Episode 91
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32:15
EP 90 Escape to the idyllic Cocos Keeling Islands; the best spots for European travel & tips for staying safe when travelling solo
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 Is...
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30:04
EP 89 Where do inflight blankets go? Avgeek Dennis Bunnik tells all; best destinations for enlightenment & how to avoid flight delays
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 Aust...
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Episode 89
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34:39
EP 88 Adventurer Laura Waters on paddling Australia's longest river; top tourism operators & best destinations for the Aussie dollar
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 longe...
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35:25
EP 87 Travels for bookworms; Aussie travel trends & which airlines are overcharging for extras
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 se...
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37:58
EP 86 A&K's groundbreaking philanthropy initiatives for travellers; the changing habits of Aussie travellers & top five passport mistakes
“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 entre...
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38:46
EP 85 Celebrating Ireland's St Patrick's Day; marvellous Melbourne & the art exhibitions you can't miss
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...
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Episode 85
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38:45
EP 84 The Australian woman walking the length of the Earth; the best food cities & how to avoid jet lag
“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 pred...
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Episode 84
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37:32
EP 83 An insiders' guide to Vienna; cherry blossoms without the crowds & NZ's new tagline to lure Aussies to its shores
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,
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Episode 83
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29:12
EP 82 New travel gear; world's most polite drivers & the UK's new visa
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
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Episode 82
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43:17
EP 81 Walk Peru's high trails & the latest from Qld's Sunny Coast
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 Ci...
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Episode 81
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29:21
EP 80 Finding the best keepsakes in Greece; new flight routes & staying safe when drinking overseas
"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 so...
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Episode 80
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31:44