Unpacked by AFAR: Recent Episodes
AFAR Media
Unpacked by AFAR unpacks one tricky topic in travel each week. We're here to help you navigate the travel world, whether you want to hack your points and miles, figure out where to travel next, or need advice on an ethical dilemma. Because the world is complicated. We're here to help you unpack it.
Have you ever considered birdwatching? If the answer is a "heck, no"—or even a "not really"—than this episode is for you. Host Aislyn Greene, also a birdwatching skeptic, dives deep into the world of birding to discover how to do it well, the equipment you need, and most importantly why to give this sport (yes, it's a sport!) a shot. Meet this week’s guests
Dominik Mosur, animal care specialist at the Randall Museum and birding tour guide
Kara Cook, rooftop biologist for Audubon Florida
Aunt Cheryl, Aislyn’s bird-loving aunt
Resources
Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Find a bird tour around the world.
Find a field guide for your region—here’s a California example.
Download the Merlin app and the eBird app
Discover your local Audubon chapter.
Don't forget to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic. And a special thanks to our August sponsor, the Austrian Tourist Office. To learn more about the Bregenzerwald region, a collection of 23 villages deep in Austria’s western Alps, visit afar.com/austria-nature.
When you think of America’s national parks, what comes to mind? For many of us—myself included—it’s the sense of openness, freedom, and awe that places like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite can spark. And yet, as we’ll learn in today’s episode, that’s not the whole story. Hundreds of years ago, Indigenous communities throughout the United States lived on and cared for much of the land that makes up America’s 400-plus national parks and other protected lands under the National Park Service (NPS). Then settlers arrived and an ugly chapter in our national history unfolded, one that included the forced removal of Native peoples from that very land. In recent years, however, there’s been a growing movement to return that land—or at the very least, to work with Native communities to co-manage it. Associate editor Mae Hamilton is taking us on a journey into that movement. She speaks with our current director of national parks, Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III—the first person of Native descent to hold the position—about his connection to the parks and his efforts to bring tribe members into the conversation. She also speaks to two tribe members who have worked closely with the NPS and are cautiously optimistic about the new chapter currently unfolding. Meet this week’s guests
Mae Hamilton, AFAR associate editor
Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III, director of the National Park System
Hanford McCloud, a member of the Nisqually Tribal Council
Tracie Revis, director of advocacy, cultural preservation and conservation of the Ocmulgee River
Resources
Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Learn more about Joint Secretarial Order 3403 and what it could mean for the national parks and Native communities.
There are few things as challenging as the moment when, while walking along a sidewalk in Paris, San Francisco, or Cartagena, someone in need asks you for money. (I will also say that I imagine there are few things as challenging as being in a place in your life where you have to ask strangers for money.) What do you do, personally? Do you give? Do you avert your eyes and keep on walking? Is it somewhere in between? Regardless of the decision you make, it’s a complex moment from a human perspective. And that complexity was the subject of our inaugural digital advice column, also called Unpacked. In it Dr. Anu Taranath, a speaker, consultant, and author of the book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World, responds to a reader’s question asking if she did the right thing by giving money. And in today’s episode, Dr. Anu expands on her answer. We talked about her initial reaction to the question, the insidiousness of inequality, and the times in her life when she’s encountered panhandling. (She has an incredible story from a trip to Senegal.) What I love about Anu’s response is that she doesn’t have a definitive answer. In fact, she says, there are no easy answers when it comes to living in an unequal world. But her advice is empathetic and full of understanding that the world isn’t black and white. And most importantly, she shares how to navigate these situations with dignity and grace—for all involved. Meet this week’s guest Dr. Anu Taranath, speaker, consultant, and author
Resources
Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Read Dr. Anu’s original response to the reader’s question.
Read Dr. Anu’s second column, about what to do when the person sitting next to you on the plane is drunk.
Buy her book, Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World
AFAR senior deputy editor Jennifer Flowers—who heads up all our hotel content—has a deep familiarity with Waikīkī, the two-mile stretch of sand known for its hotels, waves, and tourists. Her mother is from Hawai'i, and her parents (both in the hospitality industry) actually met while working in a hotel. She played on Waikīkī as a kid, but for years, she's seen it as a kinda shiny, glitzy place—a place that seems a little, well, inauthentic. So on a recent trip to O'ahu, she met with four different locals who helped her see a new side of Waikīkī. Meet this week’s guests
Jennifer Flowers, AFAR senior deputy editor
Misty Thompson Tufono, executive vice president of Tihati Productions
Dylan Ching, vice president of operations for TS Restaurants, which includes Duke’s Waikīkī
Aunty Luana Maitland, director of cultural experiences at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort
Bonga Perkins, world-champion longboard surfer
Resources
Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Read Jenn’s story about the cultural experiences she had on Waikīkī.
Check out the Royal Hawaiian and its luau, run by Tihati Productions.
Explore the menu at Duke’s Waikīkī.
Discover the cultural center at the Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort.
Watch Bonga surf! (And check out his surfboards.)
Digital nomadism has been hailed as a way to save communities—and slammed for raising rents and pricing out locals. In this week’s episode, Chloe Arrojado, an AFAR editor and digital nomad, explores the complicated ethics of working remotely. Meet this week’s guests
Chloe Arrojado, AFAR associate editor, destinations
Olga Hannonen, a researcher at the University of Eastern Finland
Luci Jerkovic, head of global PR for the Croatian National Tourist Board
Nicole Lim, executive director of Movers and Shakas
Brent Hartinger and Michael Jensen, digital nomads
Resources
Read the episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Six tips for starting out as a digital nomad.
The best gear for digital nomads.
10 countries that make it easy to work remotely.
How to apply for Canada’s new digital nomad visa.
Airport lounges can be one of the most complex, mysterious parts of the airport experience. Aside from buying a business- or first-class ticket, how do you access them? Is it worth buying a day pass? Are they really worth all the fuss? In this week’s episode of Unpacked, AFAR points and miles expert Paul Rubio reveals the secrets to gaining airport lounge access—no premium tickets required. Meet this week’s guest Paul Rubio, AFAR points and miles expert Resources
Read the episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Read Paul’s primer on the best ways to get airport lounge access.
Explore the best credit cards to apply for now (with lounge access).
Learn why lounges are harder to access these days.
Which countries are the most family friendly? How do you help kids deal with jet lag? What about routines, bedtimes, and kids in business class? In this week’s episode, four AFAR editors, all parents, share their answers to all those questions, plus real-world advice about traveling with small children—including one editor’s genius hack for making sure her kids eat. Meet this week’s guests
Laura Dannen Redman, director of digital content
Sarika Bansal, editorial director
Tim Chester, deputy editor
Michelle Baran, senior travel news editor
Resources
Read the episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Explore some of our favorite family-friendly trips and destinations.
Listen to a Delta flight attendant’s top tips on flying with kids.
It’s a holiday week, one that (we hope) finds you swimming in a lake, or traveling to a new city, or otherwise enjoying these fleeting summer days. We don’t have a new episode this week, but given that we are halfway through 2023, we wanted to reshare our first episode of the year, our Where to Go in 2023 episode, in which editorial director Sarika Bansal and the team that puts together our annual list broke down said list and shared their thoughts on travel, present and future. In it, they dig into the 12 destinations we focused on this year, including the Great Lakes, Bangkok, and Transylvania. We hope that it offers some inspiration, or at least a reason to dream as you bask in the summer sun. We’ll be back next week with another roundtable discussion about traveling with kids, and the following week with a deep dive into the world of digital nomadism. Happy listening! Meet this week’s guests
Sarika Bansal, AFAR editorial director
Tim Chester, AFAR deputy editor
Ashlea Halpern, freelance writer and editor
Resources
Read the episodes’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Explore our Where to Go in 2023 list.
Kids and flying can be polarizing—anyone else remember popcorngate? But in this week’s episode, flight attendant (and mother of two) Andrea Davis shares her secrets for flying with children, whatever their age. She has has tips on packing, jet lag, crying babies, and why it’s worth it to travel with little ones, even when things go sideways. And she has tips for the child-less adults on flights: It's worth a listen—as a reminder that kids and parents are usually doing their best and that, yes, you can lean on your flight attendant when the kiddo behind you is kicking your seat. New! Subscribe to our show notes email.
Meet this week’s guest
Andrea Davis, Delta flight attendant
Resources
Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Check out our editor-approved travel seat for kids.
Inspired to travel? Read about our favorite places to travel with kids of all ages.
Want additional travel-with-kids content? You’ll find more here—and in our July 20th episode.
Can $30 per traveler really make a difference when it comes to carbon offsets? For Rick Steves, the answer is “absolutely.” For the past four years, his company has paid a self-imposed carbon tax—in 2022, they donated $1 million to a dozen, carefully selected nonprofits to mitigate the carbon cost of their travelers. In this week’s episode of Unpacked , we chat with Craig Davdison, COO of Rick Steves’ Europe, about how their Climate Smart Commitment program works—and the life-changing results. Meet this week’s guest
Craig Davidson, COO of Rick Steves’ Europe
Resources
Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Listen to last week’s episode.
Listen to Rick’s podcast, Travel With Rick Steves.
Learn more about Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment.
In the world of travel legends, Rick Steves is right up there at the top. Since he launched his company in 1976, he has sent millions of Americans abroad, either through his guided tours or via his many, many guidebooks. But his mission—to “curate culture shock”—comes with a cost. Rick has long been aware of the environmental impact of encouraging so many people to travel, but he found that carbon offset programs didn’t do enough to alleviate his concerns. So Rick and his team created the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment, which donates $30 for every traveler on their tours to a carefully selected set of nonprofits. Rick came on the podcast to chat about the program, as well as his views on ethical travel. But the conversation was so wide-ranging and rich—touching on everything from dual-narrative travel to his belief in the power of crossing borders—that we decided to split it into two episodes. This week’s episode focuses on Rick’s constantly evolving views on travel, his mission, and his belief in self-imposed carbon taxes. And next week, we’ll drill down into his Climate Smart Commitment with his chief operating officer, Craig Davidson. Resources
Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Listen to Rick’s podcast, Travel With Rick Steves.
Learn more about the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment.
Read our story about a climate change reporter who wanted to fly less.
Check out our primer on carbon offsets and the programs that can make a difference.
Catch up on Unpacked, season two:
How to Make Hard Travel Funny, According to a Comedian
The Making of a Patagonian National Park
Are You Ready to Hand Over Travel Planning to the ChatGPT and AI Bots?
It’s Not Too Late to Plan Your Summer Travels—Here’s How
This episode starts with a sunburn. That’s how on-topic it is. Because yes, it’s summer! And wow, do we have a lot of tips for you this year. To get them, I spoke with Mark Ellwood, the (sunburned) freelance travel writer who handles all of our monthly Where to Go columns, as well as the two editors who make up our mighty destination team, Chloe Arrojado and Tim Chester. We started with planning—Mark is a planner, Chloe is not—and segued into how to score flight deals, if and when to travel to Europe during the hottest months, and our favorite road trip destinations. (Italy’s Prosecco Road, anyone?) We touched on lesser-known destinations, travel deals (it’s a great year to visit the U.K.), national parks, and even visiting places where it’s winter now. So, no matter what you’re doing this summer—whether it’s road-tripping or trying to squeeze in a weekend getaway around your kids’ camp activities—we have something for you. Yes, even for you procrastinators. Happy summer travels! Meet this week’s guests
Mark Ellwood, freelance travel writer
Chloe Arrojado, associate destinations editor
Tim Chester, deputy destinations editor
Resources
Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
Explore our Where to Go in July story.
Find great summer deals (they exist!) and book affordable airfare.
Need some beach time? We have the 20 best beaches in the world.
Drive the Prosecco Road that Mark mentions.
Visit our favorite national parks.
Hey, listeners! Today, we're introducing you to a very cool new podcast called Beyond the Raging Sea: State of Mind. In 2016, adventurer Omar Samra called athlete Omar Nour with a life-changing idea: “How about we row across the Atlantic Ocean?” Within a matter of hours, the two were registered to compete in the world’s toughest race: a 3,000-mile unsupported row across the mighty Atlantic Ocean, in a seven-meter rowing boat. However, about nine days into their journey, when their boat capsized in a severe storm and the life raft didn't open, they came face-to-face with death. Inspired by the documentary, Beyond the Raging Sea, this podcast unravels new layers of humans’ state of mind against adversity. In the episode you’re about to hear, Omar and Omar, affectionately dubbed O2, begin their journey. We hear about those frightening first days, but throughout the episode host Lobna Monieb also talks with experts to answer the question: What happens inside your mind when your body is pushed to its limits? Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And learn more about the film at https://www.beyondtheragingsea.com/
Have you ever wanted to take a picture during your travels, but you weren’t sure if it was OK? Or have you come across a traditional performance and wondered whether you should be there at all? In this episode, we explore the sometimes uncomfortable power dynamics at play in cultural tourism—and how to navigate them with ease. Resources For more about Bangarra: https://www.bangarra.com.au/ To explore Wild Expeditions Africa: https://wild-expeditions.africa/ To learn more about from the World Bank on Indigenous Peoples: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples
When it comes to travel, accessibility is often an afterthought. But it shouldn't be. Qudsiya Naqui, host of the Down to the Struts podcast, takes on a journey into the world of accessible travel. She speaks with writer Bani Amor, wilderness specialist Erika Rivers, and Maayan Ziv, the founder of AccessNow, a mobile app that helps travelers find and share accessibility information. Resources: You can learn more about Qudsiya and the Down to the Struts team at downtothestruts.com. Learn more about disability experiences through media and culture. The Disability Visibility Project created by Alice Wong is a great place to start. You can find blog posts and interviews with members of the disability community at disabilityvisibilityproject.org. See what Erika Rivers and her team at Wilderness Inquiry are doing at https://www.wildernessinquiry.org/ Explore Maayan Ziv and AccessNow at https://accessnow.com Follow Bani Amor on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/baniamor/?hl=en Special thanks to Story District in Washington D.C. for permission to share original audio from their March 2020 show, “She Comes First.” You can learn more about Story District by visiting storydistrict.org.
What in the world is regenerative travel? Kristy Drutman, host of the Brown Girl Green podcast, takes us deep in the world of green travel, where sustainability is about so much more than carbon offsets. Resources Brown Girl Green: https://www.browngirlgreen.com/ Amando Ho: https://www.regenerativetravel.com/ Paco Guerrero: https://www.gridmagazine.ph/
What does it mean when we say we want to "travel like a local?" It's a well-intentioned phrase, but also, well, impossible. In this episode, we'll unpack the concept of local travel. We’ll share tips on how to better connect in a new place, how to embrace our outsider status, and basically how asking ourselves these big questions can make our trips more fulfilling, and make us better guests in the world. Resources: Eric Weiner's essay: https://www.afar.com/magazine/five-ways-to-travel-more-responsibly Eric's book, The Socrates Express: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781501129025 The digital accompaniment to the Unpacked podcast: https://www.afar.com/travel-inspiration/travel-for-good Dr. Anu Taranath: https://www.anutaranath.com/ Dr. Anu's Book: Beyond Guilt Trips, Mindful Travel in an Unequal World: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781771134323 Jini Reddy: https://www.jinireddy.co.uk/ Jini's book, Wanderland: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781472951953
There's nothing quite like a magical, transportive animal encounter—but how do we ensure those encounters are good for the animals (and good for the places we visit)? Journalist Byron Pace, host of the Into the Wilderness Podcast, takes us on a journey around the world, talking with wildlife experts ranging from a shark scientist in Australia to a California-based biologist. This episode is sponsored by Explore Asheville, who shares our belief in the power of ethical travel. https://www.exploreasheville.com/ Resources: Hear more from Byron's guests and from Byron himself at modernhuntsman.com/podcast. Dan Blumstein: https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/person/daniel-blumstein/ Dan's book, Ecotourism's Promise and Peril: https://geni.us/dTFm Melissa Cristina Márquez: https://www.melissacristinamarquez.com/ Pete Carr of the Endangered Species Protection Agency: https://speciesprotectionusa.org/ Sarah Roberts: https://www.sarahrobertsofficial.com/work-with-me Lucas Bustamante, Tropical Herping: https://www.tropicalherping.com/about/lucas_bustamante.html Have a travel conundrum you want us to unpack? Tweet us, DM us on Instagram, or post on our Facebook page. Twitter: https://twitter.com/AFARmedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfarMedia/
Today, we're talking about revenge. Well, sort of. In this episode, writer Paige McClanahan—host of the Better Travel Podcast—explores the concept of "revenge travel." While it's so tempting to want to take revenge on the time we lost to Covid, Paige invites us to think more deeply about our impact on communities around the world, many of which are more vulnerable coming out of the pandemic. Through conversations with Harold Goodwin of the UK-based Responsible Tourism Partnership and Judy Kepher-Gona, of Kenya's Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda, Paige offers tips on how to be kinder, more aware travelers—and how to have a little fun along the way. This episode is sponsored by Explore Asheville, who shares our belief in the power of ethical travel. https://www.exploreasheville.com/ Resources: Paige McClanahan: https://www.paigemcclanahan.com/ Harold Goodwin: https://responsibletourismpartnership.org/who-we-are/ Judy Kepher-Gona: https://sttakenya.org/ Have a travel conundrum you want us to unpack? Tweet us, DM us on Instagram, or post on our Facebook page.
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Have you ever been traveling and encountered a situation where you felt a little . . . uncomfortable? Yeah, us too. Each week on Unpacked by AFAR, we'll unpack a single, ethically complex question. Say, “How can I travel with a lighter footprint?” or “How can I engage with animals in an ethical way while on the road?” Through a mix of first-person stories and interviews with experts in the field, Unpacked will explore not just answers to those questions, but new ways to engage with the places we visit and the people we meet. Because the world is complicated. Being an ethical traveler doesn't have to be.