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 stories and inside information from across the world.
Hosts Belinda Jackson & Kirstie Bedford
Website <a href="https://theworldawaits.au "> </a>
Instagram @theworldawaitspodcast
Support us https://ko-fi.com/theworldawaits (thank you!)
Episodes
96 episodes
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 The Cocos Keeling Islands, hot spots for European travel right now & top 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; 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 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 & everyone must go to NZ
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
Ep 79 The natural beauty of Costa Rica, world's safest airlines & what currency to use when paying bills overseas
“Costa Rica has something that’s very special… we have the second best place in the world for diving … and now the Government is thinking in blue, and you’ll hear that soon about the Costa Rica preservation, the idea is to make the coastline a ...
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38:07
EP 78 A chef's tips to eating Tokyo & world's best beaches
There are 26,000 ramen bars in Tokyo – how do you choose the best one? Chef Luke Burgess talks about finding your way in the megalopolis that is Tokyo.Luke, who co-authored the book '
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Episode 78
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37:49
Ep 77 Meet the creator of Sri Lanka's first long-distance hike, the must-do summer events & travels with dogs
Sri Lanka now has its first long-distance hiking route and we’re talking to the man who created it. The 300-kilometre The Pekoe Trail is the brainchild of adventurer Miguel Cuna...
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Episode 77
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40:16
EP 76 Amalfi Coast adventures, top travel trends for 2025 & a world of wellness
Dream of days wandering Italy’s Amalfi Coast? In our first episode of 2025, we are taking you there with Australian-Italian author Maria Pasquale.Maria’s new book, Mangia: How to eat your...
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35:28
EP 75 Summer Series #4: How to fly first class & best airfares to Europe & US
This is our last Summer Series before we return to normal programming! Tune in for a masterclass on how to fly first class with Chris Chamberlin of Points Hacks. Chris has travelled more than two million kilometres in first or business ...
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Episode 75
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52:36
EP 74 Summer Series #3: What is slow travel & the best train journeys you need to take
Do you go on holiday, only to come back feeling like you need ...another holiday? How do we come back rested from a getaway? Journalist, author and co-founder of Life Unhurried Celeste Mitchell talks about how to slow down when you travel, and ...
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Episode 74
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45:41
EP 73 Summer Series #2: Off the beaten track, Saudi to Antarctica and the Arctic
Let's take you completely off the beaten track and to the ends of the Earth.Jenny Gray is the force behind Intrepid Travel’s women-only expeditions, which it runs in seven countries including Saudi Arabia. Jenny chats about trave...
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Episode 73
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57:06
EP 72 Summer Series #1: The islands episode, Sumba & Sardinia
Welcome to our Summer Series for 24/25. We're kicking off with our islands edition, and we're taking you to Indonesia and Italy!Let's go to a remote tropical island in the Indonesian archipelago, where young Aussie couple, Jess a...
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Episode 72
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40:46
EP 71 Get on the pointy end of the plane, holiday scams & best Xmas travel gifts
Fly up the pointy end of the plane with air mile loyalty specialist, Adele Eliseo of The Champagne Mile. “Points collection is less about flying and more about where you can maximise your points on the ground," says Ad...
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Episode 71
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44:03
EP 70 Musical roadtripping in the USA, get Wicked, world's best bars & unspent holiday cash
Southern USA rings with the sweet sounds of blues, soul and R&B – this week, we’re designing the perfect musical roadtrip through the southern states with iconic rock journalist Glenn A Baker.“Memphis really is the centre of t...
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Episode 70
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47:47
EP 69 The best of Bali, life at sea & the world’s top vineyards
“The thing I like most about Bali is [it’s] like one big resort, and when you go on holiday you leave all your baggage behind… so everyone is enjoying themselves, it’s very optimistic,” says esteemed Australian designer, artist and owner of Pin...
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Episode 69
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30:19
EP 68 Sailing solo around Antarctic, safest countries to travel & Bali bargains
Solo sailor Lisa Blair has sailed around Antarctica not once, but twice, and her book Facing Fear records that first, near-fatal expedition. Lisa has a rack of world records under her belt – just this year alone, she set the faste...
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Episode 68
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45:52
EP 67 New Zealand's sacred north, Hunter Valley getaway & how to get more holidays
Is the 'Land of the Long White Cloud’ on your travel to-do list? This week, our resident Kiwi, co-host Kirstie Bedford chats about all the reasons you should head to New Zealand’s far north.From a moving cultural experience to be...
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Episode 67
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38:53