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 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
65 episodes since 2024
EP 60 Deserted island escapes, new flight routes from Oz, self-care on the road
Would you let yourself be dropped on a remote island, for total solitude? That's explorer and entrepreneur Alvaro Cerezo's job - he drops willing travellers on deserted islands in the most remote corners of the globe. "We give fak...
September 18, 2024
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48:49
EP 59 The waterways of Vietnam, tourist taxes & safety for adventure sports
Done Saigon and Hanoi, ready to explore more of Vietnam? Co-host Belle Jackson talks about why you should have the water cities of Hue (on the Perfume River), Kê Gà (on Kê Gà Bay) and Can Tho (on the Mekong Delta), on your must-visit list. She ...
September 11, 2024
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Episode 59
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40:11
EP 58 Best airfares to Europe & the US, top Aussie tiny towns & pre-travel checklists
Want to get the best airfare to Europe or the US? We're going full #avgeek as flight booking expert Mark Trim shares insider secrets on airlines to watch, alternative routes and the best time to buy. He also shares tips on booking...
September 04, 2024
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Episode 58
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37:38
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 ...
August 28, 2024
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Episode 57
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40:03
EP 56: Unlocking India, travelling with jewellery & ski prep tips
Rajasthan is the India of the imagination – fortresses and palaces, the grand desert, bustling bazaars and incredible colour... men in fabulous turbans and elephants and camels everywhere. But there are so many places to love in India, says ...
August 21, 2024
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Episode 56
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49:27
EP 55 : Norway beyond the fjords, world's most liveable cities, best language apps
Dramatic fjords, snowy mountains, midnight sun… Norway’s natural beauty is legendary. But wait, there’s more! Torunn Tronsvang is the founder of UpNorway and says there’s so much more to Norway than the stunning scenery. She leads y...
August 14, 2024
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Episode 55
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45:13
EP 54: Why accessible travel matters & newest World Heritage sites
One in five Australians lives with a disability, and yet on hotel websites, the facilities listed to cater for these travellers are often as far down the list with the dog's water bowl. Julie Jones, creator of Have Wheelchair Will Trave...
August 07, 2024
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Episode 54
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41:37
EP 53: Safari in South Africa, best budget destinations & travel versus health
Spot the Big Five on a South African safari…and then really start seeing what the Greater Kruger National Park has to offer. Jacques Smit takes us on a tour of Sabi Sabi, a private, fence-free reserve within the Greater Kruger area. Take...
July 31, 2024
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Episode 53
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45:41
EP 52: Cycling in Sardinia & best countries for solo traveller
Would you cycle for more than 210 kilometres in 30+ degree heat around southern Sardinia? For host Kirstie Bedford it was a dream come true.Kirstie just spent a week biking the hills of the Italian island, all in the name of fun. Sh...
July 24, 2024
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Season 2
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Episode 52
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34:05
Winter Series #4: Mindful Hiking in New Zealand & Nepal
This week, we go to the high mountains and quiet forests with two mindful hikers, in Nepal and New Zealand.Ever think about quitting your corporate job and following a life-long dream? Laura Waters did, and she’s now an award-winning au...
July 17, 2024
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37:39
Winter Series #3: The Travel Entrepreneurs – Bruce Poon Tip & Tony Wheeler
This week, two of the world's biggest travel entrepreneurs speak to The World Awaits.Social entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip talks about his decision to take his company into...
July 10, 2024
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Episode 42
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55:15
Winter Series #2: Talking travel gear, whale swims, a Victorian love letter
Need some travel tech or gear inspo? We’ve got you covered this week, with Belle and our producer Alaisdair Leith back behind the mic. We’ve also teamed up with Gypsea Loop to give away a gorgeous Hair Tie Bangle, talk whale swims and Rick Stei...
July 03, 2024
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35:20
Winter Series #1: The Big Guns - the TV star & the animal welfare defender
Welcome to the winter series, where we talk to two of the biggest influences in the travel industry. He’s eaten tarantulas, jumped out of planes, dropped his kilt while Highland dancing and even…gone camping *quelle horreur!* Kevin ...
June 26, 2024
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51:40
EP 47: Luke Mangan, kid-free hotels & becoming a digital nomad
Chef, restaurateur, author and all-round nice guy Luke Mangan has restaurants in hotels, cruise ships, airports and even in a pylon in the Sydney Harbour Bridge He has an OAM for his services to hospitality and has just launched hi...
June 19, 2024
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Episode 47
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42:38
EP 46: Custodians of wonder, World martini day & it's our birthday!
It's our birthday! The World Awaits turns one, and to celebrate, we're talking the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions, where to drink martinis and we even have a great giveaway!Author Eliot Stein talks about how he travelled ...
June 12, 2024
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Episode 46
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38:07
EP 45: Women-only travel in Saudi, Round-the-world cruising & Languages of Kakadu
Jenny Gray is the force behind Intrepid Travel’s incredibly successful women-only expeditions, which it runs in seven countries including Saudi Arabia. Jenny and Belle travelled together recently in the kingdom, exploring its deserts and meetin...
June 05, 2024
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Episode 45
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42:00
EP 44 Shikoku Island in Japan, Accessible travel & Eating Hong Kong
‘It’s already authentic, it’s not made for the tourist, everything is there like it has been for hundreds of years, Sanjib Raj Khanal, CEO of Explore Japan.Sanjib is a leading tour operator in West Japan, and talks about why Shi...
May 29, 2024
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Episode 44
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38:04
EP 43: Mongolia on horseback, aviation disruptions and faster passports, cheaper
How do you earn the right to list “Adventurer” as your occupation? Ride a bicycle 10,000km across Russia? Row a wooden boat to the Arctic Ocean? Or maybe spend 3 ½ years riding from Mongolia to Hungary on horseback? Tim Cope has done al...
May 22, 2024
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Episode 43
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48:44
EP 42: G Adventures goes luxe, best winter food festivals & booking transit hotels
Social entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip talks to Kirstie about his decision to take his travel company into the luxury space after three decades – and what it means to you, the trave...
May 15, 2024
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Episode 42
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40:50
EP 41: Paris for the Olympics? Oui or Non? Luxe Dubai, Flight fares fall & Travel scams
All eyes are on Paris ahead of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, from 26 July, 2024. Magali Déchelette joins us to talk about the world’s most beloved city, and how to get the best out of a visit to Paris. Magali, who is the fo...
May 08, 2024
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Episode 41
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45:48
EP 40: Oh Oman, World's best airport & Travels with gastro
It's the Switzerland of the Middle East, but unassuming Oman flies under the radar as a travel destination. This week co-host Belinda Jackson talks about why you should visit Oman - come for the evocative deserts, stay for the wild turtles ...
May 01, 2024
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Episode 40
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46:36
Ep 39: Slow travel, Sleeper hits & European rail tips
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 trave...
April 24, 2024
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Episode 39
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28:46
EP 38: Only in Australia, Best of the Bellarine Peninsula, ANZAC remembrances
What’s a tourism experience you can have nowhere in the world but here in Australia? Uluru is one of our great icons, and its tourist hub, Ayres Rock Resort, turns 40 this year. So it’s a great time to catch up with Matt Cameron-Smith, the CEO ...
April 17, 2024
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Episode 38
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45:49
EP 37: Green Tasmania, World's best airlines & books to travel with
How green is Tasmania? Lush mountainsides and emerald islands, but also farmers' markets and farmgates, and a story of pristine bays and innovative Indigenous experiences. The isle that is the apple of our eye lured Tourism Tasmania CEO Sar...
April 10, 2024
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Episode 37
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34:58
EP 36: Fly Business Class on the cheap, world's happiest country, and Da Vinci in Milan
Tune in for a masterclass on getting into Gold Class whenyou fly, with points whisperer Chris Chamberlin of Points Hacks. Chris has travelled over two million kilometers in First or Business class (that’s to the moon and back, twice) and shares...
April 03, 2024
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Episode 36
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36:57