Passport Diaries by TravelStore

TravelStore
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Semiweekly

Bringing you unique travel experiences from around the globe, Passport Diaries showcases the one-of-a-kind encounters that make your vacation exceptional. Join us as we broaden our perspective, awaken our senses and renew our spirit while discovering amazing and unforgettable adventures that will inspire you and earn another stamp in your Passport Diary.

  1. Sep 23 ·  Video

    Celebrating Soulful Experiences with AmaWaterways: Egypt, Colombia, Belgium, and Beyond

    AmaWaterways is a leader in the luxury river cruise space in more ways than one. Not only does Ama deliver beautifully curated itineraries, such as “Colors of Provence” on the Rhône River, “Wonders of Colombia” on the Magdalena River, and “Secrets of Eqypt and the Nile” on the Nile River, but the dedication Ama has for bringing truly enriching experiences to its travelers goes further with its Soulful Experiences itineraries celebrating the Black and African diaspora on rivers all over the world. On this episode of Passport Diaries, we are thrilled to be joined by AmaWaterways’ own Jazzmine Douse. Jazzmine was instrumental in developing the Soulful Experiences program which highlight Black and African culture, history, and contemporary experiences through curated shore excursions, onboard celebrations, lectures, and culinary experiences. Jazzmine shares with us where the impetus for the program originated and how building and expanding the program has brought her so much joy as she moves into her second decade at AmaWaterways. The Soulful sailings have been a massive hit, with the first Soulful Experience along the Rhône River selling out in just 45 days! Between Jazzmine’s passion, the ecstatic community response, and AmaWaterways’ deeply ingrained commitment to diversity and inclusion, Soulful Experience itineraries have expanded to the Nile, Douro, Danube, Rhine, Seine, Magdalena, and Delta rivers. And, starting in 2026, AmaWaterways offers a brand new 10-night Soulful Experience itinerary along the Mekong river, visiting Vietnam and Cambodia! Follow along with our featured guests on Instagram for more: Dionne Harvey, TravelStore Advisor: @aroundtheworldwithdionne AmaWaterways: @amawaterways For more on AmaWaterways & Soulful Experiences: https://www.travelstore.com/cruises/ama-waterways/ Passport Diaries is a travel podcast by TravelStore, here to bring you amazing stories from around the globe with our travel experts and partners. Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

  2. Aug 20 ·  Video

    The Resort Report: Rosewood Mandarina in Mexico's Riviera Nayarit

    After spending a magical couple of days in Mexico’s westerly Riviera Nayarit at the splendid new Rosewood Mandarina resort, our advisors are completely captivated by this new destination. Between the luxuriously massive suites (with the deepest bathtubs you’ve ever seen) and the innumerable resort activities (including horseback riding, polo games, pickleball, and ziplining), it’s hard to find a reason to ever leave the property! Every kind of traveler – from multi-generational groups to honeymooning couples – will find more than enough to do during a full week at this gorgeous Mexican hideaway. Join us for our Passport Diaries Podcast episode with luxury travel advisors Wendy Sandridge and Stacey Batt to hear about their first-hand experience on the property in May of 2026. Follow our advisors and @travelstore on Instagram for more incredible travel inspo! Wendy Sandridge: Travel Mom Wendy @travelmomwendy Stacey Francesconi Batt: @wherestaceynow Passport Diaries is a travel podcast by TravelStore, here to bring you amazing stories from around the globe with our travel experts and partners. Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

  3. May 29 ·  Video

    Japan! Croatia! Italy! The Hot Spots of 2026

    The results are in! Our network of expert Travel Advisors have spoken and declared the “Hot Spots” of 2026. Three of our experts join us to break down why these destinations are so popular this year, as well as share insight into how you can discover hidden treasures even in the most popular destinations. Join Jeanine Mak, Lori Ekdahl, and Mona Stephenson as they take you on a river cruise down the Danube, through the hustle and bustle of beautiful & busy Kyoto, Japan, sailing on a private yacht to the world-famous spas of Ischia, Italy, and so much more! Follow our advisors and @travelstore on Instagram for more incredible travel inspo! Lori Ekdahl: @lori.ekdahl Jeanine Mak: Olive Adventures Travel @oliveadventurestravel Mona Stephenson: Your Travel Affair @travelaffair Passport Diaries is a travel podcast by TravelStore, here to bring you amazing stories from around the globe with our travel experts and partners. Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.  Visit travelstore.com to meet our travel experts, read our travel journals, and to start planning your next dream vacation!

  4. Apr 29 ·  Video

    Travel Insurance: The ins and outs with the experts

    What is Travel Insurance and why do you need it? In this Passport Diaries episode, listen to three top-tier travel insurance experts dive into how Travel Insurance can be an invaluable tool when planning your trips. Trips are more expensive, more lavish, and more adventurous than ever before; if something prevents you from departing or hiccups occur in destination, the right coverage policy can help protect your vacation investment so you can experience your dream vacation another time. Expert insight in this episode provided by Chris Siravo and Ashley Puniello from Travel Insured International. Photos and videos of Lapland were provided courtesy of Heidi Hoehn, Luxury Travel Advisor at TravelStore. Follower her on social at @heidi.r.hoehn

  5. Mar 11 ·  Video

    4 Bucket List Beach Destinations: Fiji, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, and Australia with Mr. C

    Ever daydreamed about spending a year traveling to the world’s best and most luxurious beach destinations? Good news: you can! Meet Brett Cook, the man who ditched the 9 to 5 to travel the world (give or take a little dramatization on our part) and who is living out all our tropical travel fantasies. With expert trip planning by Susanne Hamer, one of our top Luxury Travel Advisors, Bret (aka “Mr. C”) visited 27 countries in under two years! In our conversation, Bret takes us snorkeling with manta rays in Tahiti, hiking through Uluru in Australia, surfing in Byron Bay, touring a local village in Fiji, getting his passport stamped on an uninhabited island in the Cook Islands, and so much more! Photos and videos in this episode were provided by Bret Cook as well as Susanne Hamer, Luxury Travel Advisor with TravelStore. @susanne_hamer Visit travelstore.com for more destinations, travel journals, experiences, and more!

  6. Feb 5 ·  Video

    Splendors of Southern Africa: 11 Days in Cape Town, The Kruger Nature Reserve, and Victoria Falls

    The rumors are true: The perfect itinerary for visiting South Africa does exist and includes extra special amenities and experiences just for TravelStore clients! Join us for a conversation with Sherwin Banda of African Travel Inc. as he takes us through a custom-built 11-Day itinerary he calls “The Splendors of Southern Africa.”   On this trip, you will experience stunning sights, exciting excursions, decadent cuisine, thrilling animal encounters, and the most luxurious accommodations of your life. As Sherwin puts it: “If you're going to go to Africa just once, this is the itinerary we would want you to have. This is the ideal itinerary for people who are looking for their first time visit, for people who are looking to return to a different part of Africa that they've not seen, and for those people who just fell in love and want to go back again.”   Contact your TravelStore advisor to learn more about this spectacular trip to Southern Africa with African Travel Inc.!

  7. Jan 7 ·  Video

    Safari Guide Stories with Sherwin Banda and Jaryd Povall

    Picture this: You are sitting in a covered safari vehicle, looking out across vast plains and grasslands. The vehicle bumps along, jostling the Tracker sitting in a lone chair at the very front. Suddenly your face splits into a huge grin as your Safari Guide says the words you’ve been waiting all your life to hear: “We’ve found them… lions!”   These are the moments a Safari Guide lives for: To see people totally overcome by the sight of a lion, an elephant, a giraffe, or any myriad number of animals who call Africa – and Africa alone – home. Our guest Jaryd Povall worked for many years as a full-time Safari Guide before becoming the Sales Manager at Dulini Lodges in his home country of South Africa. While he says the Guiding lifestyle could be tough with its long days spent tracking animals from sun up to sundown, it was incredibly rewarding and a dream come true.   Listen in to our interview with Jaryd Povall of Dulini and Sherwin Banda of African Travel to hear more great stories, tips, and insider perspectives from a former Safari Guide!

  8. 12/05/2025 ·  Video

    How to Give the Gift of Travel

    Now more than ever, people cherish memorable experiences over material goods. We travel professionals know there is nothing more meaningful than receiving the gift of travel - and we have endless real-life stories to prove it! It may be a story of an employer surprising his employee with a fully completed itinerary to Paris. Or, it may be the story of a mother-in-law sneakily upgrading her son and daughter-to-be’s flights from Economy to First Class on their way to their destination wedding. Whatever it may be, the surprise and joy of receiving a gift of travel stays with the recipient forever. Join us in this special Passport Diaries episode and hear from four of our expert Travel Advisors – Tanya Bryant, Michelle Keith, Patrick Hinds, and Julia Cadar – as they share real-world stories and ideas for how to give your loved ones travel memories…as well as advice on what NOT to do!

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Bringing you unique travel experiences from around the globe, Passport Diaries showcases the one-of-a-kind encounters that make your vacation exceptional. Join us as we broaden our perspective, awaken our senses and renew our spirit while discovering amazing and unforgettable adventures that will inspire you and earn another stamp in your Passport Diary.

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