True Travel Talk

Jill Bohaboy
  • 5.0 (36)
  • Places & Travel

A podcast that shares real stories and helpful tips from multigenerational travel (ages 10 to 80) — the kind of trips that aren't always easy, but are always worth it. Jill hosts with humor, warmth, and honesty. The show is as much for dreamers as it is for doers: people who want to travel but hesitate, and others who just love a good story.

  1. 4d ago

    Portugal Part 3: Porto - Port, Pasta, + One Last Family Adventure

    Can you conquer Porto’s hills, markets, and port houses before the kids (and the clock) call it quits? For the final stop of their Portugal adventure, Jill, her husband Paul, and her travel crew head north with ambitious plans and varying levels of enthusiasm. After a forest hike, a controversial suckling pig lunch, and a family-history detour, they take on Porto one hill at a time. Fueling the adults with port, the boys with pasta, and everyone with the promise that the gondola involves no more walking. It’s a funny, food-filled finale and proof that a great family trip doesn’t require everyone to enjoy the same parts. In This Episode Exploring Buçaco National Forest, its historic palace and a family connection from 20 years earlier Trying Mealhada’s famous suckling pig, with decidedly mixed reactions from the youngest travelers Crossing the Luís I Bridge into Gaia for port tasting, dinner and sweeping views of Porto Eating through Porto’s market, from oysters and carpaccio to pasta tossed in a Parmesan wheel Taking on Porto’s hills, tiled streets and riverside gondola before a 2:30 a.m. wake-up call Plan the Trip Stop: Bussaco Palace Hotel Eat: Restaurante Típico da Bairrada Stay: Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa Taste: Espaço Porto Cruz and Kopke Wine House This concludes True Travel Talk’s three-part Portugal series. Subscribe to the show to catch the complete Algarve-to-Lisbon-to-Porto journey in one place.   About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking. Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  2. Sep 29

    Portugal Part 2: Lisbon - Chapel of Bones, Egg Tarts + Taking the Long Way

    34. Sometimes the best part of getting somewhere is everything you refuse to rush past.   In Part 2, Jill’s multigenerational crew trades the Algarve for Lisbon, turning the road through Évora and a day trip to Sintra into two packed days of history, food, and family detours. It’s also a reminder that family travel works best when no one is expected to experience a destination in exactly the same way.   In This Episode The roadside surprises that made an ordinary travel day memorable, from a Beja fortress to peacocks and stork nests Standing among thousands of bones in Évora and discovering what was really illuminating the altar at the Church of São Francisco Trusting Francisco’s local recommendations for an impromptu olive oil tasting and unforgettable lunch Finding a piece of Dayton history at Pastéis de Belém, with options from chocolate cake to Portugal’s famous egg tarts Tackling the steeper-than-expected climb to Pena Palace and trying Portuguese sardines in Sintra Splitting up for an unplanned sunset walk, an Easter market and the pizza break the boys desperately needed   Plan the Trip Stay: The Ivens Hotel Travel with a Guide: Week Break Tours Taste: Divinus Gourmet and Pastéis de Belém Eat: Piparoza, Bairro do Avillez, and Café Paris in Sintra   This is Part 2 of True Travel Talk’s three-part Portugal series. Follow the show now for Part 3, when the Travel Crew heads north to Porto.   About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking. Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  3. Sep 22

    Portugal Part 1: Algarve - Sea Caves, Cataplana + Going Anyway

    33. Travel rarely waits for life to feel simple.   True Travel Talk returns for Season 4 with a multigenerational spring break adventure through Portugal. Jill, her husband Paul, mom Sheri, and sons Graeme and Luke begin in the Algarve, proving that changing plans, missed reservations, and one spectacularly soggy boat launch don’t have to derail a great trip.   From a coastal drive filled with beaches, cork trees, and Portuguese history to a small-boat tour through the Algarve’s extraordinary caves, this trip reminds us that hard things and fun adventures can exist at the same time.   In This Episode Why the family chose to take the trip despite last-minute uncertainty Turning the journey from Lisbon to the Algarve into an adventure Getting drenched before an unforgettable sea-cave tour Trying monkfish liver and cooking traditional Cataplana in Faro Letting go of the itinerary when the experience is worth more than the reservation   Plan the Trip Stay: Pine Cliffs Resort Tour: Week Break Tours Eat: Tasca do Celso Explore: Sétima Onda Boat Trips Cook: Tertulia Algarvia   This is Part 1 of a three-part Portugal series. Follow True Travel Talk now so you don’t miss Part 2: Lisbon.    About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking. Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  4. Aug 23

    Taiwan: Taipei - Dumplings, Night Markets + Three Generations of Adventure

    32. Can you fly halfway around the world, explore Taipei with a child and two grandmothers, and still call it a long weekend?  For the Season 3 finale, Jill takes advantage of a Delta fare sale and turns her son Graeme’s Christmas present from his grandmothers, Donna and Sheri, into a fast-moving, food-filled family adventure in Taiwan. With only a few days on the ground, the group balances carefully planned experiences with jet lag, spontaneous discoveries, and plenty of input from its youngest traveler. In This Episode:  Navigating the journey from Cincinnati to Taipei - including a quick Seattle tour between flights and the realities of a 12-hour time difference Eating their way through Shilin Night Market, from tanghulu and tornado potatoes to black chicken, shrimp fishing, and some questionable chip flavors Learning to make boba, dumplings, hot-and-sour soup, and Taiwanese fried chicken with Wayne at Make My Day Cooking Lab Experiencing Taipei’s temples and tea culture, including how to pray like a local and the proper way to serve tea Visiting Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the mountain tea region just outside the city Leaving the standard itinerary behind for hot springs, coastal landscapes, a lighthouse hike, and places even their local guide had never visited Plan the Trip Stay: Taipei Marriott Hotel Eat: Dian Shui Lou and Shilin Night Market Cook: Make My Day Cooking Lab Explore: My Taiwan Tour, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Huanggang Community Hot Springs, Laomei Green Reef, The Temple of Eighteen Deities   Subscribe to True Travel Talk now and explore more episodes and get notifications when Season 4 begins September 13 About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity. Follow the journey on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  5. Aug 2

    Bhutan: Paro - The Climb to Tiger’s Nest

    31. Is Bhutan’s most famous view worth a six-hour climb? In the final episode of True Travel Talk’s three-part journey through Bhutan, Jill, Jen, and Emily arrive in Paro for a finale filled with cultural immersion, unexpected friendships, and the trip’s most anticipated challenge: hiking to the cliffside Tiger’s Nest monastery. With their Bhutanese guide-and-driver team, Sonam and Pee Dee, they move beyond Paro’s postcard views to experience the traditions, games, food, and relationships that make a destination feel personal. In This Episode:  Learning how Bhutan’s traditional Gho and Kira are worn - and discovering that the Kira is far more comfortable than expected Making five-color prayer flags by hand inside a Bhutanese family home Trying local archery, Khuru, darts, traditional dance, and Carom Board – with a wager that changes the evening’s plans Tasting Bhutanese beers, shopping where locals shop, and sharing tea, rice, and stories with a host family Taking a slow-and-steady approach to the six-hour Tiger’s Nest hike, including the hundreds of stairs surrounding the final approach Plan the Trip Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Paro, known as “Stone Ruins.” Experience: Hike to Paro Taktsang, better known as Tiger’s Nest Try: Khuru, Bhutanese archery, locally brewed beer, and a traditional farmhouse meal Related Episodes Bhutan: Thimphu - Discovering a Tiny Kingdom in the Himalayas Bhutan: Punakha - Sacred Rivers + Wild Transitions About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity. Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  6. Jul 26

    Bhutan: Punakha - Sacred Rivers + Wild Traditions

    30. Can a trip be deeply spiritual, completely ridiculous, and genuinely transformative – all at once? In Part 2 of True Travel Talk’s three-part journey through Bhutan, Jill and her travel team move from the mountains surrounding Thimphu into Punakha, the country’s lush former capital. Known for its terraced rice fields, warmer climate and majestic riverside fortress, Punakha offers a different side of the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Jill is joined by her friend Jen, along with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Emily, and their Bhutanese guide-and-driver team. Together, they discover a valley where ancient Buddhist traditions coexist with white-water rafting, luxury spa treatments, poolside cocktails, and some unmistakable fertility symbolism. In This Episode:  Why phallic paintings and symbols appear throughout Punakha - and the story of the “Divine Madman” behind them Hiking to Chimi Lhakhang, a pilgrimage site for people seeking fertility blessings Rafting the icy-fast-moving Pho Chhu, or Father River Visiting Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s historic “Palace of Great Happiness” Hiking through farms and newly flooded rice paddies to a mountaintop temple Sharing breakfast with Buddhist monks before witnessing the beginning of a three-day ritual There is also a challenging bike ride, a private cocktail class, singing-bowl meditation, Bhutanese Red Bull research, and a late-night earthquake that one member of the group somehow sleeps through. What the Brochure Leaves Out Bhutan is often presented as serene, spiritual, and carefully preserved. It is all of those things - but meaningful travel here is not necessarily quiet or solemn. In Punakha, reverence and humor constantly overlap. Sacred blessings follow exhausting adventures. Fertility symbols cover homes and appear in hotel rooms. Meditation shares the itinerary with martinis. Understanding the destination means remaining curious enough to make room for it all. Plan the Trip Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Punakha, known as the “Flying Farmhouse Amidst the Rice Fields.” Visit: Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s historic “Palace of Great Happiness,” and Chimi Lhakhang, the temple associated with the Divine Madman and fertility blessings. Taste: Ema datshi, Bhutan’s famously spicy national dish made with chilies and cheese. Related Episode Bhutan: Thimphu - Discovering a Tiny Kingdom in the Himalayas   About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity. Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  7. Jul 19

    Bhutan: Thimphu - Discovering a Tiny Kingdom in the Himalayas

    29. Where is Bhutan – and why does traveling there feel unlike anywhere else?  Tucked between India and China in the Himalayas, Bhutan is a small Buddhist kingdom known for towering mountains, deep traditions, and an unusually intentional approach to tourism. This episode kicks off a three-part True Travel Talk series from Bhutan. First stop: Thimphu, the country’s capital. Jill travels with her sister-in-law Emily and their friend Jen and meets the guide-and-driver team who will lead them through the country. They settle into Six Senses Timphu for a few days of cultural immersion, mountain adventure, and very enthusiastic cocktail research. In This Episode What it is like to land in Bhutan and begin exploring Thimphu Hiking to a mountain monastery and meeting its young monks Learning Bhutanese traditions through prayer flags, archery, and food Making the most of Six Senses activities, from moms to local drinks Plan the Trip Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Five lodges designed as one journey through Bhutan Fly: Drukair - Bhutan’s national airline and Jill’s flight into Paro What the Brochure Leaves Out Bhutan’s tourism system can sound complicated from afar. Once Jill arrives, she begins to see the benefit: fewer crowds, more thoughtful experiences, and guides who help visitors understand what they are actually looking at. Other areas of interest: blind beer tastings, tea tastings, cocktails by the fire, a traditional outfit with impressively useful storage, yoga, and a fire ceremony that gets slightly more literal than expected. Know Before You Go Give yourself time to adjust to the altitude, consider traveling during the quieter season, and say yes to the activities offered by your lodge. Especially when dumplings are involved. About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity. Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

  8. Jul 12

    Bangkok in One Day: Temples, Tuk-Tuks & Thai Massage

    28. What can you really experience in Bangkok when you arrive late, leave before sunrise the following day, and discover that half the places on your list are closed? More than you might think…provided you are willing to abandon the perfect itinerary. After flight disruptions shortened their visit, Jill arrives in Bangkok for the first time with Jen and Emily - both returning visitors. Rather than force their original plan, they ask the hotel concierge for help and build a day around what is open, nearby, and worth the effort. The result is a fast-moving introduction to Bangkok filled with temples, massages, river views, unexpected transportation adventures, and a night market they were far too full to properly enjoy. In this episode, they share: What to expect from an affordable traditional Thai massage The dress-code mistake that led to an emergency t-shirt purchase How to visit the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the river in one day  What to agree on before getting into a taxi or tuk-tuk Bangkok Mini Travel Guide from This Episode:  JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok: A comfortable executive lounge, concierge support, late-night drinks, and a packed breakfast for their early airport departure Lek Massage: A short walk from the hotel and the site of both their first traditional Thai massage and an end-of-day foot massage. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew: Bangkok’s landmark royal complex and home of the Emerald Buddha. Visitors should plan carefully for the modest dress requirements. Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles: An air-conditioned stop within the Grand Palace complex featuring Thai royal fashion and textile history. The Deck by Aurn Residence: A riverside restaurant where the group cooled off over cocktails, wine, shared dishes, and views of Wat Arun. Bangkok Central Boat Ride: A private ride offering different views of the city, including waterfront homes, temples, floating vendors, wildlife, and the Big Buddha. Grab: The ride-hailing app the group used for a clean, easy, and inexpensive trip back to the hotel. About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity. Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew  Executive Producer & Host: Jill Bohaboy Produced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

A podcast that shares real stories and helpful tips from multigenerational travel (ages 10 to 80) — the kind of trips that aren't always easy, but are always worth it. Jill hosts with humor, warmth, and honesty. The show is as much for dreamers as it is for doers: people who want to travel but hesitate, and others who just love a good story.

Information

  • Creator
    Jill Bohaboy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    True Travel Talk

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