2TravelDads Podcast Rob Taylor

We visit MidCoast Maine at least once a year and always have a good time. It's not what a lot of people expect though, as it's a complicated sort of place to visit. "You can't get there from here..." From just north of Portland all the way to Acadia National Park, MidCoast Maine is one of those place you know you want to visit but maybe don't know why, so we've got you covered.
In this podcast episode we're talking about our favorite towns, great things to do in MidCoast Maine, and what to actually expect when you visit (including Wildlife in Maine). It's funny because for being one of the most popular East Coast destinations for vacation, Mainers kind of don't want everyone to be there. It's a complicated reltationship between residents and visitors. 
Either way, we love getting to visit Maine and are excited to share and help YOU plan a trip to this beautiful place. Give a listen and check out our many articles that are all about planning Maine trips:

Maine Summer Road Trip
Maine in Winter
Lighthouses in Maine to Visist
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and more!

Even though 2020 seems like so long ago, we're still feeling the effects of how the COVID pandemic changed the world, including travel. It's weird to think back and remember washing our groceries and not being allowed to sit down in public places. And I remember the day I lost my job and we scrambled to figure out how to complete our move across the country that we'd already started the process on... It was a lot for everyone.
One element that was really impacted by the pandemic was travel. It's weird to look back and think about what we did to be able to travel during COVID. For example getting to visit Disney World and Universal duiring COVID with zero crowds and everyone being required to give you space, NOT cough on you and actively be hygenic. It's fascinating to think about how many people we opposed to all this.
Living through the COVID pandemic is a historic life. Unprecidented times like this being blasted on social media and misinformation being spread daily made this particular life experience very different. COVID news came at us from every angle and so much wasn't monitored or verified, vs other historic events, such as 9-11. Looking back, the events of COVID now seem to have a historic filter on them as we think of them in the style of something shot on VHS.
Another event that hit during the peak of COVID was the 2020 election in the USA. That was its own thing that continues to have reprecussions today. Fascinating to look back!

We are always ready for a visit to the American Southwest, and these iconic sights are some of the best! If you haven't gotten the chance to explore Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and California, we've got some fantastic suggestions for seeing some of the most beautiful canyons and desert landscapes in the Southwest. Pick a few and plan a visit or see them all on a three week road trip, either way you'll love it.
In this episode we have our friend and frequent podcast guest Colleen Miniuk sharing her favorite places in the American Southwest for the best desert experiences. As a professional landscape photographer and group tour leader, Colleen has deep experience in the wild canyons and mountains of the SW. Listen along as she shares her picks for:

amazing Grand Canyon National Park sites
Glen Canyon and Lake Powell
what makes Death Valley so interesting and beautiful
superblooms in the desert (including cactuses blooming!)
and much, much more!

Please visit our website for the full article and a complete itinerary for seeing the best of the Southwest and really diving into the beautiful nature of the desert.
For more Southwest travel ideas:

Wonderful Things to do Near Las Vegas
Beautiful Hiking in Palm Springs
Superbloom in Joshua Tree National Park
10 Unique Utah Road Trip Stops

I had no idea that "travel depression" was a thing. I love when we're traveling or I'm out exploring or on a work trip. What is there to be depressed about with travel? So, in this podcast episode, the first of our Let Me Ask You This series, we talk about what travel depression actually is and how to counter it.
Do you suffer from travel depression? Do you know what it is? Travel depression is the low you feel when you're coming off the high of traveling.
For example: you've been on a weeklong photo safari in the Amazon jungle with your family and then you get home and sit down at your desk for the first time, unable to be productive and actually feeling low vs re-energized or extatic about your trip.
So why does travel depression set in? Well, as we discuss in this podcast episode, it happens for a variety of reasons which are different for everyone. I think some people set themselves up to be bummed out relating to travel and taking trips because they hold so much stock in their rare adventures. It's an emotional rollercoaster for some people.
As a side note, in this episode we address a big elephant in the room when it comes to traveling peacefully: you need to bring the things that make you comfortable. You need to pack in a way that you're using the things you bring AND that allow you to feel at-home on the road. The myth that women have to bring a million things on a trip because that's the plight of women is ridiculous. As a guy, I bring suits and many pairs of shoes, and still bring only a carryon suitcase - and I still bring my pillow.
Back to the topic at hand thoughTips to fight post-travel depression:

do a weekend getway you can drive to
plan your next trip
house swap with a friend in another city
create social media posts to share with friends that make you happy about past trips
journal WHILE you're traveling to read later
LASTLY, if you're coming home to a reality you don't like, you need to work to change it, whether that be your work environment or your home where you spend a lot of time. Work to make your every-day life more of what you want it to be.

I know that not everybody has a problem with being bummed out by not  traveling, or doesn't travel enough to develop this sort of complex, but if you do, I hope it's helpful to have some tips to fight it. We all have different things that impact us, and if you need a little pick-me-up post travel, now you have ways to get out of the dulldrums! Check out more podcast episodes and in-depth show notes here!

As a writer I get excited to talk to other writers about their work. Landscape photographer Colleen Miniuk has a new book hitting the presses all about self-discovery and picking up the pieces after what feels like failure. I've gotten to interview other friends who've written books, such as author Angie Orth about her memoir Flirting with Disaster, but hearing from Colleen about her process and what creating this, her third book, means to her really got me.
In So Said the River Colleen opens up about her life and striving for excellence in all things... until the moment of decision hits where it's "Do and die, or do not and live to tell the tail" (my words, not hers). When you're an adventurous person who's also a perfectionist, successful in everything you touch, it's difficult to battle the need to win (against yourself or nature). I get it, but having read So Said the River and knowing the author personally, reading and hearing Colleen's words really does capture those feelings of doubt and failure that we face as adults.
I'm not going to give spoilers, but So Said the River is a fantastic book that brought me to tears several times. Available at SoSaidTheRiver.com (and other booksellers in June 2024), you'll both love the story and connect with the struggles Colleen shares in her narrative memoir.
To hear more from Colleen give a listen to these other great podcast episodes:

The Life of Being a Professional Landscape Photographer
Overlooked Acadia National Park from the Artist in Residency
Best of the Southwest - Can't Miss Canyons and Desert Landscapes

 

Yes, visiting the Andes in Peru has been at the top of our bucket list for a long time, and yes, Machu Picchu was awesome... but did we have the best experience? Will we talk about it for years to come for all the right reasons? Ehhh... But let's talk about it today!
We did have a very interesting time in the Andes. The Sacred Valley and learning about the Incas was fascinating and beautiful. Machu Picchu was really cool and stunning; remarkable for sure. LLamas are lovely. I'll tell you though, our experience with altitude sickness was intense though, and we could've avoided it with more time. In this episode we share what we loved and wowed us, as well as the harsh reality of touring the Andes the way we did. 
We've got details from cool places to stay in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, beautiful train travel between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, and how YOU can make your own visit much better than ours. I know, this sounds like a confusing bummer of an adventure, but really, give it a listen and see how YOU can plan the actual dream list into the Andes of Peru.