Live Travel Repeat Thomas H.

For my last episode recorded in Valencia, I welcome Eunsoo to the mic: this cheerful South Korean girl has leveraged her studies in international development and relations to travel from South America to Asia to Europe, with some incursions also in Tanzania, Turkey and more! A fearless Couchsurfer always ready to mingle with locals, she also recruited her father as an Airbnb Experience guide in her home city, and she will soon be taking a position in Ecuador for a United Nations mission - on a continent which hosts her 3 favourite countries. Follow her adventures on Instagram @syusyu_travelnlife and you can take a look also at her Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@eunsoolee378




00:00 Introduction
01:25 Her city (Pohang), her studies, her first travel.
05:25 Use of Couchsurfing to engage with the local community.
06:30 How she recruited her dad into an Airbnb Experience guide.
09:55 How does she choose a destination?
12:50 Her favourite countries: Argentina (for living), Peru (for the landscapes), Columbia (for the people).
14:40 What makes the Columbian people so friendly?
16:15 Argentina: a diverse country with delicious wine ;)
18:40 Georgia: a friendly country, rapidly developping, with ... excellent wines too !
22:00 Doing her master in Edinburgh: a beautiful city, but too cold, brrr.
24:00 Current cultural landmarks from South Korea: K-pop, BTS, K drama...
26:02 A challenging hostal workaway experience in Peru.
28:35 The challenges of travelling solo for a girl.
29:50 Next: Ecuador and Brazil for the Rio festival.
32:35 Her (dormant) Youtube channel and last advice.

Meet Yvonne, from Singapore. With a penchant for adventure, she's danced between jobs more times than I can count, all in the name of exploring news countries and cultures. Although she has just relocated to Portugal, she has no intention of slowing down - sharing her time between country hopping, diving, festivals and more. Her most valued passport? The one that resides in her infectious laugh and unyielding good humour.
Follow her on Instagram at @yvonnesher and take a look at her blog: https://yvonnesher.wordpress.com/

Summary:

00:40 - Introduction
01:50 - Burnout, too much routine fuel her decision to quit her job and start travelling.
03:10 - Moving to Lisbon as a long-term head quarter
05:04 - Starting using Couchsurfing during travels.
06:40 - Showing Singapore to Couchsurfers: highlights, red lights district, and hidden gems.
08:24 - How Does Yvonne prepare her trips?
10:00 - Partying in San Fermin
13:10 - Glamping in Tomorrowland
15:06 - Most hospitable country in the world? BRAZIL (minus the robberies)
18:07 - Best food on her travels? Spain tapas, paella and tinto de verano
20:20 - Most important lesson from her travels? Money is not everything
22:25 - The challenges of going back home after long trips
24:04 - Explaining her travels to sedentary friends
25:10 - Her passion for diving (in Galapagos, Sipadan...) and hiking (Macchu Pichu, Potosi)
31:40 - Weird stays in CS: hippie house in Santorini, vinyl house in Switzerland...
33:00 - What's left in the bucket list? Antarctica, Safaris and Gorillas
34:21 - Last advice from Yvonne for would-be travellers out there.

If there is one thing Primrose likes in her life, it's sports and adrenalin, with travels coming a close third. And she is never gonna let travels get in the way of some gym and sport and adrenalin-fuelled activity, so in Valencia... she sits down with me to record a podcast, describe her travels, her experiences and her journey towards becoming a private trainer.

Find more about her on Instagram @primvsprim and on Couchsurfing: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/primrose-gwala-1




01:01 : Going with the flow in Spain
02:01 : Challenges of travelling when being a last minute person
03:07 : Living and travelling from Qatar
04:05 : First travel for work (in China) and the cultural shock
04:55 : Ways to get into contact with locals
05:45 : Most hospitable country visited? BRAZIL and JORDANIA
06:51 : All the adrenalin-fuelled activities
11:43 : What when there is no extreme activities? Karaoke in Peru
13:45 : Paella in Valencia and making friends under a waterfall
15:26 : Career change coming up from teaching to mental fitness
20:01 : Attending a crossfit training bootcamp in Thailand and checking gyms in every city she goes
21:33 : What's on your bag when you travel?
23:02 : Next steps after Valencia: Madrid... Portugal... And working on her social media
26:00 : Any friend recommendation?
26:55 : The difficulties to preach/explain travel to other people

I sit down with ROMAIN right at the end of a 1500km bike journey from France. Crazy as it sounds, it is not even the most impressive journey this autodidact who goes with the flow, wherever it may lead him. If he passes near you, don't miss the chance to host him: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/romain-lacharme

Episode breakdown:


00:00 - Introduction.
00:25 - On his bike from Valence (France) to Valencia (Spain).
02:25 - Organization for a thousand miles bike trip.
05:20 - Meeting people on the way and receiving a rose for Sant Jordi.
08:52 - Inspiring people on the way.
09:37 - Discovering bike-friendly Valencia and discover yourself in your travel.
10:45 - Travelling to Australia at 21, without knowing English.
13:08 - The way back from Australia (through Asia).
14:25 - The difficulties to settle down back "home".
15:45 - New opportunities to travel for work and building on past (and new) abilities.
19:20 - Doing the first step is the most important part of the journey.
21:20 - Future plan: around the world on a sailing boat!
24:30 - Inspire other plans and get inspired by then. Rules of Attractions.
28:08 - Conclusion.

Colandri tells us all about her country, Namibia, where she is a safari guide/conservationist. She loves animals, from the rhinos to the birds, and it shows! Find out more about her background and her travels on Instagram at @namibian_guidess

Episode breakdown:


00:30 - Quitting my safari guide job to come study in Europe.
02:51 - My holiday trip to Spain, far from Germany's cold.
04:30 - Travelling in Europe, compared with travelling in Namibia.
07:05 - My studies and plans for the future, in the tourism industry.
10:55 - Sketches of a tourist guide in Namibia.
16:15 - Missing the animals, nature, and sand of Africa.
22:55 - Birdwatching.
25:30 - About the war on rhinos, anti-poaching units, and caring for an orphaned Rhino in Namibia.
33:10 - About Namibia's unique geography, sparse population, biodiversity, and ethnic components.
47:10 - Namibia is a country safe and open for tourism.
50:56 - How to stay for free in Ibiza!
55:13 - The secret behind the name "Colandri".

As a copywriter, Daniel is professionnally inclined to put himself into the head of his readers, and when he travels, he loves to puts himself in the shoes of the locals, and discover their perspectives and stories. Listen to him describe his travel in Spain, his love for Madrid, and how travelling can bring value to the world, even if just by giving a better understanding to people, locals and travellers alike.
Episode breakdown:

00:35 - Introduction
01:22 - People are what make a city.
02:07 - Challenging Spanish clichés.
03:05 - A short description of Daniel's hometown, Tel Aviv.
05:07 - What do digital nomads bring to a city?
06:00 - Daniel's travels in a nutshell.
09:05 - Meet locals with Couchsurfing and how to bring value to host/guest.
10:50 - What is not enough known about Israel?
13:00 - Biggest cultural shocks in Europe for an Israeli?
18:10 - Couchsurfing etiquette and the importance of having a good story
20:15 - Plans after Valencia: more of Spain, including Madrid, Daniel's favourite city.
26:15 - How 3 years in the Israeli military service prepare you to deal with hostels, and travels in general.