EP 57 Secrets of the Blue Zones, where Aussies are travelling & quirky honeymoon stays

This week we reveal the secrets of the Blue Zones – where people live the longest and healthiest lives. Blue Zone Vice President Nick Buettner explains how they discovered Blue Zones, the habits of those living there, and lessons you can learn from visiting these regions. And the Netflix show Nick mentions is Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones see netflix.com/title/81214929 

We also reveal new research from Emirates that shows where Aussies are travelling, and share some quirky hotels for an unforgettable honeymoon, with luxury hotel travel booker Mr & Mrs Smith.

Follow Kirstie Bedford here
Follow Belinda Jackson here
Audio production by Alaisdair Leith

Transcript

Travel tales to inspire your wanderlust with our weekly co hosts

>> Kirsty Bedford: Welcome to the world awaits.

>> Belinda Jackson: Travel tales to inspire your wanderlust.

>> Kirsty Bedford: I'm Kirsty Bedford, journalist, editor and travel writer.

>> Belinda Jackson: And I'm Belinda Jackson, author, travel journalist and columnist. And we're your weekly co hosts.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Welcome back to the World Awaits. How are you all?

>> Belinda Jackson: Hi, everyone. How was your week, Kirsty?

>> Kirsty Bedford: It was a busy one, wrapping up some stories from my recent trips in Sardinia, if you haven't heard, and Sunshine Coast  and I'm so excited about this week's interview because it's about the blue zones and given I rode right through one when I was cycling through the south of Sardinia, in case you had heard.

>> Belinda Jackson: Once or twice. Once or twice.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Once or twice. How was your week, Belle?

>> Belinda Jackson: Well, it was busy. It wasn't quite as glamorous as that. I was on the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip island for some hotel reviews. I'm not going to tell you where I stayed because that would ruin the surprise, but these are two of our favourites.

>> Kirsty Bedford: I had a sneak peek and they looked pretty glamorous. Well, this one did.

>> Belinda Jackson: They're both gorgeous in their own very different ways. because, you know, I'm all about the Mornington peninsula and you're the Phillip island crew. But it was nice to remind myself why Phillip island is so great. I mean, I was wallaby spotting, literally at my front door, cape barren geese everywhere with their chicks that they all had, like, they've all got, and they all wanted to graze right beside the road, which I think was just irresponsible parenting. Really good coffee everywhere. And I drove home with a scallop pie in my hand.

>> Kirsty Bedford:  I think I might have turned you, Belle. I might have turned you.

>> Belinda Jackson: No, no, not doing it. I'm still wed to the peninsula. I mean, the peninsula was gorgeous.  I had a really warm spring day. Yeah, spring weekend. I was super lucky. And, you know, the beaches are just gorgeous. You just have a little jumper on and you wander through, up and down the beaches and it was beautiful. did a rip through the Rye shops, which is so great. There's so many good things about the set of shops in Rye, which I don't normally go to because the Christmas traffic is so bad. But, that's been my week,.

>> Kirsty Bedford: I have to say, the beaches are pretty spectacular at Philip Island, too. And, especially out of the wildlife, anyway.

>> Belinda Jackson: But it's not a competition. It's not a competition, is it?

>> Kirsty Bedford: But iIf you want to hear our chat where we did sort of have a bit of a competition about whether or not the morning peninsula or Phillip island was the best destination, you can just scoot on back and, find it in our backlog. Anyway, for those who are pining for a trip a little further afield, we have some ideas for you.

New research from Emirates shows where most Aussies are booking holidays

So some new research has come out by Emirates showing where most Aussies are, booking. And it won't come as any surprise that it's Europe, Europe, which we love.

>> Belinda Jackson: So, while the UK, Italy, Greece and France remain favourites, Croatia and Portugal have seen a rise in bookings and solo travellers are leading the way, making up 40% of bookings, followed closely by couples seeking romantic escapes, especially to Italy. That wasn't me. while families are also choosing Italy, Greece, Ireland and France, of course. And beside Europe, Dubai also saw a spike in travellers this year, with more than 101,000 Australians experiencing the city. I was there as well. I made up one of those numbers from January to March 2024. That is a 5.5, sorry, January to May. that was a 5.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023. So it just shows that we're all transiting through there as well as stopping there, doesn't it?

>> Kirsty Bedford: Yeah, yeah, I was there in June as well. Emirates saw almost 440,000 travellers travelling in June, July and August, with leisure travellers taking trips of 15 days or longer. That's a pretty decent sized trip. While business travellers were opting for shorter one week journeys. And the stats, were that 39% of passengers were booking their flights four to six months ahead of 28% secure their tickets seven months, and 8% organise their bookings more than seven months. I have to say, for personal trips, I do actually plan ridiculously far ahead because I'm always thinking of where I'm going next, you know, because I have that condition where I have to. I have to have a trip underway. and so I'm already starting to think, for instance, about where we're going to go as a family in the June holidays next year, because that's the only ones we can coordinate now between the high school in uni and, I'll probably book early next year, I'd say. So I'm sort of in that six month range, I reckon. How far ahead? I'm going to laugh as I say this, because I know, but let's ask the question. How far ahead do you plan your trips? Belle?

>> Belinda Jackson: I plan them in the last second, Kirsty. I am the mistress of winging it. I've got a trip coming up, to eastern Europe and I was talking about it with a booking person and they said, when do you want to come home? And I was like, oh, I don't know, maybe a couple of days later, I'll just wing it. And he's like, it just works for me. And sometimes it doesn't. In the past, I want to say, look, when I first started travelling I was a meticulous planner, but somewhere along the line I just lost it. I also blame my husband too, because he's not from Australia, so he doesn't understand that. Especially a few years ago before particularly the rise of the Chinese carriers. Then, if you didn't have your seat, dude, you weren't going anywhere. Whereas he's like a, you know, he'll say, oh, by the way, I'm going to Dubai, in a couple of weeks time. I would like, oh, are you my friend? so, yeah, I know, look, it works, it works for him. it does not pay in places like Paris, as we know. If you don't book, if you don't book in Paris at the moment, you are not going to do see anything and you probably won't even get there.


Nearly 185,000 passengers have flown premium economy since Emirates introduced it

So another interesting finding was that more of us are choosing premium economy. So nearly 185,000 passengers have flown premium economy since Emirates introduced it in Sydney and Melbourne. And it says that this surge in demand reflects a broader trend of travellers prioritising luxury and comfort, with a notable shift toward premium offerings. I mean, I'll bid for it. I'll always, you know, I'm, I'm the one down the back near the toilet generally, but it's like, I just like, hello toilet, my old friend, let me beside you the next 13 hours. But you know, when that email comes in, I'll bid for it. But I rarely managed to get it. So I have not been in. What am I saying? I've rarely managed to. I've never got it. I've never got it. I've never won the bloody bid. But I've got to say, Kirsty, my early booking friend, you have had much better luck than me.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Yeah, well, look, we have frequently got it and we've talked about this in the past and I seem to get it for around $100. So, back to New Zealand.

>> Belinda Jackson: Nobody likes you. Nobody likes you back to New Zealand.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Although, do you know, I tried to do it the last trip I did and you couldn't even bid for as low as $100. It was something like $200. But anyway, I have done it for about $100 to New Zealand and recently it sort of feel really something. When we flew to Adelaide for the Arkaba Walk and my story's out now, people in Vacations and Travel magazine which is in newsstands right now, we got business class. And get this. I know it was ridiculous to bid for business class, but we got business class for under. It was less than $100. It was like $94 or something one way and it was 110 the other way.

>> Belinda Jackson: Business class. So that was flying Melbourne to Adelaide.

>> Kirsty Bedford : Yeah.

>> Belinda Jackson: So like tell me, for that $100, why was it worth it? You know, what were you getting?

>> Kirsty Bedford: I know it's ridiculous because it's only an hour flight, but my husband was booked on a different, booking to me. So. Long story. But anyway, so I had to go to the end up going to the airport with him so that we could go together because we live like an hour away from the airport. So I was at the airport for about 3 hours. So when I bid and only paid my 94, whatever it was dollars for and got business class, I also got access to the lounge. So I just went in there sipping chai lattes and eating you know, fresh pastries and being able to work.

>> Belinda Jackson: That was gold. You're listening to the world awaits. Subscribe through our website at theworldawaites au.

>> Kirsty Bedford: If you want to know the secrets to a long life, settle in and turn that sound up because this week I'm talking to Nick Buettner, the vice president of the Blue Zones project. Nick talks about how they discovered areas where people live the longest and healthiest lives, what you can learn from travelling to them, and importantly, how we can ensure this research is translated to other parts of the world so we can all benefit from healthier lives. Welcome to the show, Nick.

>> Nick Buettner: Thanks for having me.

>> Kirsty Bedford: It's so good to have you on. The world awaits.

How did you come to be involved in blue zones research

Let's start by telling us a bit about your background and how you came, to get involved in blue zones.

>> Nick Buettner: Oh, certainly. So I've had really kind of a special background, one that was influenced by my oldest brother Dan, my mother's second favourite son. I'll let you guys guess who the first favourite is. he ah, held a couple of Guinness Book award records for long distance cycling bicycle. And he told me something when he returned on one of those trips that I always remember. He said he learned more about the world and his relationship to the world on twelve months on a bicycle seat than he did in twelve years of formal education. Now, he wasn't saying formal education is bad, but there's a lot to learn when you kind of jump out of that environment that you're used to every day and you look at the world from the outside. and that really resonated with me. So what I did probably in the mid nineties since I worked together with Dan, my other brother Steve, we tried to solve mysteries with the goal of travelling the world to try to find, to try to answer questions that nobody knows the answer to, with a goal of really listening in these communities and ideally be able to take lessons back to our homes and to our communities and to solve problems that we don't know. Like the secret of longevity.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Amazing. And so as part of those asking those questions and listening to people, was that how you discovered and how you eventually ended up dubbing certain areas, blue zones?

>> Nick Buettner: Yeah. So when you look at kind of what we did is we started with a mystery. Like why did the ancient mind civilization collapse? And the way we'd answer the question is, I'd go down there on a bicycle seat with an archaeologist, a, photographer, a videographer. But every Monday we'd ask school kids where to go to find the clues. They could say, hey, here's a, we could go, here's a, guy who's unearthing a tomb, or b, we could go talk to a pigeon who found a glyph, or a biologist. Wherever the kids voted, we travel there and interview these experts. And at night, in the middle of the night at a satellite dish, we beam it back and put it on a website. And the next morning teachers would teach her classes with the information we sent back at about 100,000 schools worldwide following us. it took off and I ended up doing 17 of those expeditions. And one of them was, I was hired by a japanese company to look at Japan and I did what's the sea? And Dan and I looked at what's the secret of longevity.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Amazing. And so had your background been in sort of, teaching, or journalism or anything to do with history?

>> Nick Buettner: No, my background was international business and economics, a minor in Spanish. But what I learned is that this work doesn't have to be all about me. You know, when you're bringing along a National Geographic photographer, I don't have to be the greatest photographer. If I'm bringing along somebody who's a videoer or a biologist or an, ah, ah, archaeologist, they're the experts. But what Dan and I have learned is we can put those experts and surround us with experts that Dan and I can start moving and telling stories, stories that engage and stories that resonates in our lives, like figuring out the secrets to why we live so long.


The first blue zone was Sardinia. That was the first study looking at longevity

>> Kirsty Bedford: Was that the first place that you dubbed a blue zone? And what happened when you went there?

>> Nick Buettner: Well, it was the first time that we looked at longevity and it laid the groundwork for the work. So after, what we looked at was longevity. Not only individually, through Okinawa, which at the time, Japan had the longest longevity out of any country, Okinawa, out of any prefecture in Japan. And then there's village called Bugimi that had the longest longevity out of anywhere in Okinawa. but from there, with Dan and the team ended up doing is, we partnered with a guy named Johnny Pez and Michel Poulain. Michel Poulain was a demographer, Johnny Pez was a physician. And they were doing work in Sardinia, in Lenoro province. 14 villages, 40,000 people, and the highest rates of male centenarians in the world. And, that was one of the. That was one of the first places where we really dug in with demographers and looked at birth of death records in the house, in the libraries and in the city centres. We brought physicians who were understanding work with schools of public health. And on that trip, what Johnny Paz and Michelle Poong did is they took, they had a map where they put a blue dot every place that they saw a centenarian. and there was a big circle around it and a blue pad. And that's actually how we got the name blue zone. That was how Sardinia was dubbed that first blue zone. But then from there, we did that same work. I mean, this is really intense, serious science where we would, you might heard that place in brush where they're living to 150 smoking packnick eaters a day in a drinking bottle of vodka. They don't have the demographical data. So that's why we partnered with Michelle Poulain, we partnered with Johnny Pets, we partnered with schools of public health. And together, Dan's leadership, we basically went in and demographed and confirmed these communities and then tried to find the five commonalities we initially coined Okinawa. Sardinia. off the coast of Turkey called ikaria, Greece. It's an island, Roma Linda in the United States. And then the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica as the original five hot spots.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Yeah. And as you explained, it's not something that you just dub an area a blue zone. It's quite intense. Ah, I just cycled through Toluta, which is one of the latest regions to be named a blue zone. And that was named a blue zone in November last year. And they were explaining to me that it took them ten years to get their, information together, because then the process is that they then put a case to you, right. And they put the case forward, and then it was. And then it has to be investigated to make sure, you know, and they said something like 80 years of records had to be assessed to make sure to verify that they are, in fact, a blue zone.

>> Nick Buettner: So they were really early on, and that was, again, Gianni Pez and Michelle Grong were doing the work there in the early two thousands, that were doing the work. And again, it was partly them, but partly we kind of went there and kind of really had third parties. Like Michelle was a demographer from Belgium or Johnny Pezde and our team to really look at. How are you looking at this without politics, without trying to sell anything, but really kind of to go in there? the latest one that we're looking at is Singapore, which is actually the one that we're looking at the civics. And then what's really fun is what we're doing now is taking the lessons, nine commonalities. And we'll work with communities across the United States to actually help them be healthy by leveraging the lessons from the blue zones.


Blue zones are areas where people are growing older with less disease

>> Kirsty Bedford: Let's explain to people what blue zones actually are. So, you know, and I know it varies slightly, the reasons for these areas being named a blue zone. Like when I was in Toledo, in Sardinia, they were talking about how it was fascinating that all of these people had worked from a really young age, and they'd also all, all very rarely ate meat, and they were very, included in there and, entrenched in their community life. So let's talk about some of the commonalities, or even some of the distinctive differences in what makes these regions, named blue zones. And what are the traits in the areas that we're seeing that give people longevity?

>> Nick Buettner: Yeah, I mean, I guess a couple of things. I think the biggest trait is these are communities. Wherever people are growing older, with less disease, with better quality of life, not just quantity, but better quality of life, and to longer age. But again, in America, there's a term compression of morbidity. It's a time between you get sick, and when you die, it's about four and a half years of your life. It's where you need somebody to help take care of you. In some communities, like Okinawa, it's less than a year, they're being able to live their best life all the way to the end, which I think is so important. we did find nine commonalities that flew through all those different regions. all five of the blue zones, those hotspots, they moved naturally. They walked to school, they walked to their friend's house. Yeah, it wasn't gym memberships, but they just moved naturally. In Okinawa, you're getting up and down off of the ground. You're gardening in these communities, in your kitchen, you don't have food processors, you have metate in Central America. So your life is inconvenienced, so you're moving. They had a strong sense of purpose. And not only did they have a sense of purpose, but they could articulate that sense of purpose, whether they're 20 or 100. According to science, people who can articulate their sense of purpose live, on average, eight and a half years longer. They, have less stress in their life. what stress does is it creates inflammation that's tied to most age related diseases. And those are both physical disease as well as mental diseases. Dementia, for example. they had simple techniques to reduce that stress. they had a healthier diet. They weren't vegans or vegetarians. They did eat meat, but it was about 90% plant based in these communities. And I think it's, as somebody in America, you know, they had a lower quark intake. Here in America, we just load up on our food. What they do there is they really, think about how do we set up the right foods that are good for our brains, that are good for our bodies, but in smaller portions. And then they had a little bit of wine. and lastly, it's how they came together as a community. they focused on their family with priority. They're surrounded by love all the way through their lives. they had a strong sense of faith. Now, we at blue zones, huge fans of faith, don't care what your faith is. there was two small universities America did research said people who have a strong sense of faith and show up at least three times a month live four to 14 years longer. That was Duke and Harvard University. And then batches were we found. And lastly, our, friends matter. If your three best friends aren't happy or overweight, smoke or drink too much, there's a 150% chance that you do as well. That health traits actually flow through a community in the same way a virus does. Think about it healthy. That friend that likes to walk and, you know, cook vegetarian foods and try new foods, or you have to have that friendly, like, sit on the couch, you know, every day, eat chicken wings. And the, other thing that's important with friends is you also need that friend that you can, you know, before all your listeners start writing down names of people that they're cutting out of their wives. You also need those friends that you can pick up the phone and call them on a bad day. No, not only pick up the phone, but they'll listen to you. Those were the nine things that we found.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Yes. And that's really interesting, isn't it? Because though, that's so highly related to Alzheimer's, as well as not having. Having that, having that, community around you, and the ability to empathise and listen and take on other people's opinions. And actually just something about that connection has a neurological effect on which, is well documented, too. And that's what they were saying in Sardinia that most, like you were stating before, that a lot of these people, not only are they living a long life, but Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, any form of dementia, was very rare.

>> Nick Buettner: Yeah. And the interesting thing about Alzheimer's and brain disease is it's exactly what you're saying. It's not only our social is very important, but it's also our diet, it's also our exercise, it's stress, it's that inflammation in our brains and our cells in our body, our blood flow, it's having a sense of purpose, you know, something that makes you want to get up in the morning to keep our brains active in our life. So it's actually a lot of those nine. Now, when you look at the research, it is all over the place. In Sardinia, for example, they have the longest, male, highest percentage of male centenarians in the world, when Ottawa is predominantly female. and then you have places with a little bit more balance, like Costa Rica, Nicoya peninsula, if I make it to the age of 50, and the Clay peninsula, there's a better chance of me making it to 100 than anywhere else in the world. Lots for men and females.

>> Kirsty Bedford: And so interesting, because in the south of Sardinia, where I was, they were saying it was predominantly females. So it does, it must, you know, it has obviously a varying effect depending on the specific area that they're in. so when people are visiting these areas, because the thing is, if you're travelling to one of these areas, you know, I mean, I came out of this area cycling around, the south of Sardinia, you know, thinking, gosh, I hope some of this rubs off on my way of life. But you know, basically you. It is. There are lessons to be learned and you do.


DN finds blue zones where things are slower when you're there

When you're there, when you're in a blue zone, obviously things are slower. Things are a lot slower. The pace of life is a lot. Feels a lot slower. And do you find that that was this case in all of the blue zones?

>> Nick Buettner: yeah. Yes, for the most part, yes. I mean, one of my favourite places is Ikaria, Greece. It's again off the coast of Turkey. It's highland island. It's not beautiful like San Trini beaches. It's old school. but there's a place up there. A, ah, woman named Theo runs that to me. When you go there, it is not only really tranquil and really peaceful sitting there. her mother and her, they just make really great traditional greek food. Very healthy mediterranean diet. They follow mediterranean diet very well. but I think more importantly it's also how that community. So you're sitting there just like you're sitting there and all of a sudden half of the community will show up.

>> Belinda Jackson: Uh-huh.

>> Nick Buettner: And they'll play violins and have a conjure or dance and all that other stuff. They'll sacrifice a goat. They all come together around these celebrations, but around it, it's just. It's really peaceful, you know. But I think the hard part about travelling bees to these places is what I said before, there's a lot to learn if you kind of go in and you listen and you really try to understand. And I think sometimes we as travellers, we're looking for that four seasons resort, you know, in that comfortable place and we want them to adapt to how we want to travel versus kind of blending in, you know, and just listening and being curious to the people around you. And I think that's when you really start learning. And then ideally, if you can think about those things in ways that. I mean, the hard part is, and apologise for talking, but the hard part for me is I always go in and you see these great, adventures and you're like, I want to do that when I get home. But then when you get home it doesn't translate because the environment is different, that space is different. And I always try to think about how do I find those things that are really valuable that I want to include in my life and think more intentionally around. How does that, the environment of that align, with the environment of my home and where I spend most of the time? Does that make sense?

>> Kirsty Bedford: Amazing. Absolutely it does. And is that obviously, your long term goal, to try and determine more of these blue zone areas, and then ensure or try and help people understand how that can be translated in other areas, or, I mean, what's the long term goal?

>> Nick Buettner: You know, the. For me, you know? So, DN still continues to be out looking at, ah, finding blue, blue zones around the world. And if you haven't seen Netflix documentary on the blue zones, I recommend it. It's not just trying to show, it's one, one emmys. It's a really good way just to kind of see some of the stories in that travel.


Nick Perry: We started bringing these lessons to communities in the United States

but the other thing that more excites me right now is we, back in 2008, started bringing these lessons to communities in the United States. And it was partly because my big aha, ah, moment was this. Never once in all my travels, I met somebody at age 50, said they wanted to go on a diet to make it to 100. Never met somebody at age 50 said, you know what? I'll start exercising, so I make 200. Longevity was never something they pursued. Rather, it ensued because of their environment. Now, at home, our environments are stressed with our work and with our kids and all that other stuff. Their lack of a sense of purpose. That's media coming in, telling us stories, and selling us on some of the foods that is worse for our body. It's over consumption around our diets, it's design of our cities. Whereas parents were afraid to allow our kids to walk and bike. So, what we're doing right now is, I've been working with 90 communities across the United States. Everything from forward, Texas, about million people. the colony of Riverside, again, 1.5 million people, to Cory, Pennsylvania, 5000 people, to work with the communities to set up environments where that healthy choice is easier in these communities. And what we're seeing is, if you look at healthcare, you're seeing incredible health care reductions. 51%, drop in claims, medical claims in work sites. We're seeing in one community, a, 65% drop in childhood obesity. What does that mean for a community 20 years down the road, when those kids are coming in at that healthier baseline? And it's because you're working with policy leaders, past policy, you're working with, the places where you spend your time, your work sites, your restaurants, your schools, your grocery stores. Design environments where that altitude is easier, but then also on an individual level, how do we help people find purpose and then be able to live it out? Because what good is it to have purpose or isolation is a huge issue here in America. 35 years ago, the average American had three best friends. It's now down to a friend and a half. And if you don't get the half up front, I think it's social media or something like that. but the benefit, the research says if you have less than three friends, you're defined as lonely. And the impact that that has on your well being is about the same as smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Wow.

>> Nick Buettner: Exploration kills us. So we work with communities to break down sidewalls to get everybody to come together around whatever it is that you want. Some people are lonely. They have support, they're like around their health. And again, we're seeing huge impact and it's growing like you would not believe. So it's really now, how do I take those lessons from the blue zones and bring them to communities across the world that actually improve not only the quantity of years that we live, but more importantly, the quality of our lives?

>> Kirsty Bedford: What an incredible purpose you have in life, Nick. yeah, just really, really remarkable. to have that as your sense of purpose and to make such traumatic change in the lives of, really people all over the world. gosh, it's just remarkable.


Nick got bit by a denimist stingray in the Amazon rainforest

I could just talk about this for hours, but we're running out of time, so I'm going to ask you, finish up by asking you the question we ask all of our interviewees, which is, what's the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to you on your travels?

>> Nick Buettner: life defying. I was in the Amazon rainforest in the middle of nowhere and I got bit by a denimist stingray about, 30 miles from the nearest witch doctor. Oh my God, man. The macha gigi Indians, when it happened, knew exactly what to do. They put me in a boat. Most pain I've ever had in my life and I've had my feet crushed. This was by far the most painful thing. they killed more humans than snakes or anything else in the Amazon. And what they did is they drugged me across the river, they laid me down and they boiled water and they dipped my toe to try to neutralise the water and see if they can get a bunch of the stinger out. And then they took this, stingray, this bark of a tree, and they basically squeezed it, squeezed it over my toe and the pain went away.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Wow.

>> Nick Buettner: I had no more, I had no, I had no more pain. I had to then go into antibiotics to kind of make sure that I didn't, you know, gangrene. I didn't have to lose my foot. But in all honesty, for about three, four days to kind of keep it clean and gone out wound care. But at the end of the day, it's just one of those things that you think, was that really something that could kill me? And did these machine just doing what they do every day, you know, just using what's around them in the middle of the rainforest saved my life.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Amazing. What a great story to tell. Look, it's been so great chatting with you and thank you so much for your time.

>> Nick Buettner: Thank you. and I just wish everybody else listening, just travel, travel. There's nothing better than going to new places and just listening and exploring other ideas and other lessons.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Absolutely. And we will put all the links, to the Netflix and your website on the show notes.

>> Belinda Jackson: Gosh, he most definitely has a great purpose in life there, doesn't he? And it's interesting that it's all really about getting back to basics. For more about the blue zones, go to bluezones.com. and the Netflix series Nick referred to is called live to 100 secrets of the blue zones. And we'll put all the links in our show notes.


Mister and misses Smith have listed the world's most unusual honeymoon hotels

Our tip this week is for those seeking a, little romance in their lives. Luxury hotel specialists Mister and misses Smith have listed the world's most unusual honeymoon hotels on their books. And there's something for everyone, from the snow to the desert.

>> Kirsty Bedford: One of my absolute favourites where I wish my husband had taken us on home. Honeymoon, are, those cute little trulli houses, the whitewashed stone huts with those conical roofs that everyone would have seen. That epitomise Paulia in Italy called borgo canonica. It's a revamped rural village with 42 tree houses that sit among lavender and fruit trees. How amazing and special and romantic does that sound?

>> Belinda Jackson: Sounds better than my honeymoon. there's also. But this is where I'd like to go, though. I would like to go to Finland. they recommend an arctic tree house in Finland where each stilted suite has a glass wall at the foot of the bed for fairy tale like forest gazing. I mean, you don't need to be a honeymooner. Ah. To want these tips to you.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Oh, my gosh, it sounds so special. Just imagine lying in bed, looking at the snow flaked forest. Amazing.

>> Belinda Jackson: Oh, divine. Love Finland.

>> Kirsty Bedford: So, anyway, rewind, everyone, and start taking notes, because you want to, you know, make sure you document all of these.


I actually got quite fat from eating pastries after my honeymoon

So, in Copenhagen, and, I mean, who wouldn't want a honeymoon in Copenhagen where you can eat some of the best pastries in the world, because you've already gone through the wedding and worn the dress. So now you can get fat. Right. Head straight to the darling. I did. Anyway, I got fat.

>> Belinda Jackson: we head straight to.

>> Kirsty Bedford: No, I actually did. I actually got quite fat. We went to Europe and it was, honestly, I have to tell you the story now. It was from eating pastries because, we got married and then we went, we honeymooned in Europe, actually, although not obviously at Puglia, but, yeah. And we were on a budget backpackers honeymoon. And I had been doing pump classes and working out really hard to look really good for my wedding day. And then we went on honeymoon and, four weeks around Europe. And I ate chocolate pastries for breakfast every day and was doing, I got back and my pants were so tight that I remember I worked for Tourism New Zealand at the time. And my pants were so tight, I remember I had to get a safety pin to clip.

>> Belinda Jackson: What exactly said to me?

>> Kirsty Bedford: Oh, look at you. This is what happens when you're happy. You're obviously happy in your marriage. We're gonna have to get to your honeymoon too soon.

>> Belinda Jackson: Oh, yeah. Oh, goodness. Okay. All right. I'll tell you afterwards.


You have to tell us when you honeymoon was. We've only got a couple

so where are we going? You're in Copenhagen. right.

>> Kirsty Bedford: So we're eating pastries and we're staying at darling, which is in the old town shopping district. And beside the beautiful design, the piece de resistance here is also the mixologists, butlers and chefs that are on call.

>> Belinda Jackson: That sounds fantastic. But from a design perspective, I'm going to one up you here with the Mirigar boutique hotel, which is one of those fairytale fortresses in Jodhpur's thar, desert. There are only nine suites. There's an infinity pool, gardens where peacocks roam, a spa, riding stables and private dinners for two on the rooftop terrace. That sounds like my honeymoon. Okay, I've forgotten about Finland. Now I am all about the THAr desert. We did your honeymoon in Rajasthan.

>> Kirsty Bedford: You have to tell us when you honeymoon before we go on. We've only got a couple.

>> Belinda Jackson: Well, we had to fit it in around, exams and stuff. So my husband was doing exams. We went to, Kl. We were in kl. So, and it was hot and it was gorgeous. First time he'd been there and He THOUght, and we were staying in this gorgeous, boutique hotel in the city. So we explored there. He went home and I flew on to Korea because, I was going to my sister's wedding. So it was all going on at that stage.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Well, it's, that's what happens at that stage of life.

>> Belinda Jackson: Yeah. Everybody just decided to get married and then I, and then I got chubby because I was pregnant.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Well, at least you have an excuse. Not often just pastry.

>> Belinda Jackson: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I do. I think I was eating, I was eating for Australia at that point, so. Yeah.


I have another property that's gonna rival your last one in Utah

>> Kirsty Bedford: All right, well, I have another property.

>> Belinda Jackson: Gorgeous, right?

>> Kirsty Bedford: I have another property that's gonna rival your last one then that's amangiri in Utah, which is a sleek sandstone hideaway. You've probably seen photos of this one because it's, that stunning property that looks like it sort of blends into the desert. and there are suites and also tented pavilions. And it's an Aman property. So, you know, that's about as synonymous with luxury as you can get. it's also at the gateway of the Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon national parks. So this one is definitely one for the actives.

>> Belinda Jackson: I've had that one on my list for so many years, but there's one, that's a little out of the box for you and also possibly, more accessible. You know how some people say, and I'm sure that I did not say this. Did I say this? Some people say getting married, it's like doing jail time. Make the onion makers m joke.


Next week we'll teach you how to hack rising flight prices

Okay, so Melbourne's interlude has made the list, which this is the hotel that was once the Pentridge prison. Ned Kelly spent some time there. Chopper Reed spent about ten years there. But Mister and misses Smith say experiences from wine tasting to tea blending can be fine tuned to meet the just married brief. And I've got to say the one seven year old turreted bluestone building does make for some pretty spectacular and definitely very unique stains for couples. Next week we're going to teach you how to hack rising flight prices. My guest is mark trim of complex travel group, who has some really solid tips and advice on getting a better price on your flights to the US and to Europe. And who doesn't love that?

>> Kirsty Bedford: And we would love you to give us ratings and reviews. So on Apple podcasts, click on our profile, scroll down to the bottom to ratings and reviews, and please hit those five stars. And if you're on Spotify, go to our main page and click the three dots under our photo. And please drop us a line at hello worldawaits aU. We'd love to hear from you.

>> Belinda Jackson: That's a wrap for the world awaits this week. Click to subscribe anywhere you listen to your favourite pods and where can people find you?

>> Kirsty Bedford: Kirsty I'm Kirsty. Writes on Instagram. That's k I r s t I E, rights. Writes. And where can people find you, Belle?

>> Belinda Jackson: You can find me at global salsa.com or on Insta at global Salsa.

>> Kirsty Bedford: Thanks for listening. See you next week.