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
124 episodes
EP 119 Finding your Zen in Tahiti; why we're telling fibs about the cost of holidays & top shorter walks on the Camino
Wellness, walking, and why we lie about the cost of our holidays are all the hot topics this week.Kicking things off is co-host Kirstie Bedford talking about her recent trip to Tahiti, where she attended Tahiti's first annual
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41:51
EP 118 Papua New Guinea with musician David Bridie; Lonely Planet's 2026 hotlist & safe wifi connections
Four kilometres from Australia, Papua New Guinea is our closest, and also our least explored neighbour. As PNG celebrates the 50th anniversary of independence from Australia, Australian musician and composer David Bridie talks about his connect...
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Episode 118
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48:47
EP 117 Roadtrip through Australia's Red Centre, Michelin Keys now rate world's best hotels & dogs on planes
As Australia celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Uluru Handback, host Belle Jackson shares how you can take a bite of the red dust on a drive holiday around the Red Centre W...
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Episode 117
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37:34
EP 116 Why Siem Reap should top your travel list with teens; maximise your frequent flyer points & the lowdown on Kyoto's new tourism tax
Bursting with culture, balmy nights, bustling streets and flavoursome food make Siem Reap a must-do for any family holiday, especially when it could be the last trip you do with your teens.This week, host Kirstie Bedford explains why Sie...
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Episode 116
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33:30
EP 115 Africa through the eyes of an expert; biggest travel icks & the best pies in Australia
Ivona Siniarska has been to Africa 40 times and the founder and managing director of travel booker Take Off Go says it's more than a destination, "it's a deep-seated emotion".From Ke...
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Episode 115
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49:11
EP 114 Rome to Nairobi connecting through classical music; US visitors love Australia & do you need domestic travel insurance?
“Opera and classical music shouldn’t be just for the elite,” says Australian-born soprano Breana Stillman. The opera singer leads a double life; based in Rome and singing throughout Europe, she’s also on a mission to bring classical music and o...
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Episode 114
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33:33
Ep 113 Melissa Hoyer on travelling the celeb circuit; Intrepid Travel’s Not Hot List & making your data last when you travel
Melissa Hoyer is one of Australia’s most respected lifestyle commentators, journalists and editors, who has worked in the travel and lifestyle sector of the media industry for more than three decad...
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Episode 113
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42:16
EP 112 Explore Malta with chef Shane Delia; payouts for flight delays & hire car accident hotspots
There's great nightlife, it's summer all year round, and really, really hospitable people. Add to that fabulous architecture and a blossoming food scene, and what's not to love about Malta? In Australia, he's Mr Malta - Malte...
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Episode 112
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42:45
EP 111 Noosa for the adventurer; insights into the travelling habits of Gen Z & top places to stare at the stars
For many, Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is all about the surf, sun and stunning boutiques, but on this week’s episode we take you on a deeper dive into this pretty coastal region.Co-host Kirstie Bedford loves nothing more than an ...
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30:46
EP 110 The view from a neurodivergent traveller; world's most crowded hotspots & duty-free shopping tips
Airports are one of the most stressful places we'll find ourselves, and this week, we're looking at travel from the viewpoint of a neurodivergent traveller. Sarah Maree Cameron is a radio and TV presenter, writer and comedian. She ...
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Episode 110
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44:07
EP 109 Surf, solo travel and Bali tips from the pioneer of women-only surf retreats; the grey gap year & food etiquette in Japan
When Chelsea Ross launched the world’s first women-only surf retreat in Bali, it was purely because it was something she would have loved to do herself.Twenty-two y...
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Episode 109
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43:19
EP 108 World's best dive sites; top cities for a workcation & do you need domestic travel insurance?
Welcome to the underwater world of photographer and professional diver Todd Thimios, who shares his best dive sites in Australia and around the world – he’s got some hot tips for snorkellers, too. To win a copy of Todd's book, Ultim...
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Episode 108
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49:53
EP 107 Gay digital nomads on living life abroad; Aussies turning to AI for travel plans & boat safety in Bali
“We’ve kind of become addicted to the novelty, life is always exciting… someone said to me, ‘you never get beyond the honeymoon stage in these countries you live in’, and I thought well that’s entirely true... but honeymoons are awesome… spendi...
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40:10
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EP 106 The new Cairo with Belle Jackson, avoiding a rainy holiday & things left in Ubers
You've booked a holiday to Egypt, but the Grand Egyptian Museum's (GEM) opening has been postponed...again! "All is not lost!" says podcast host and Egypt aficionado Belle Jackson, who is just back from Cairo.Belle shares her top ...
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Episode 106
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38:09
EP 105 Winter Series #4: Australia's most breathtaking islands & beaches
Hi there, welcome to our winter series. This week, we're taking you to the idyllic Cocos Keeling Islands – an atoll almost halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka where the airport runway doubles as the golf course, so infrequent are the flight...
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Episode 105
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36:48
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
