Why is resilience such an important part of pilgrimage? How can embracing the challenge of the way help in daily life? Why do we need to heed the call to pilgrimage before it’s too late? I’m Jo Frances Penn and in this episode, I share some clips from podcast interviews I’ve done around my new book, […] The post The Call To Pilgrimage, Resilience, And Embracing Challenge With J.F. Penn appeared first on Books And Travel.

How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places? In this episode, I share two chapters from my book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. You can buy the audiobook, as well as the special edition hardback, […] The post Pilgrimage: The Perspective Of History And Glimpses Of The Divine appeared first on Books And Travel.

In this wide-ranging interview, Emily Thomas talks about the importance of perspective and time in travel writing, how sublime moments of pleasurable terror make travel so interesting, how to overcome fears both real and imaginary, as well as the ethics of doom tourism, and how VR (virtual reality) might change how we travel in future. […] The post The Meaning of Travel With Emily Thomas appeared first on Books And Travel.

How can we adopt an untethered attitude to life, especially when it comes to expectations of travel? C.L. Stambush talks about how her experience of motor-cycling around India taught her more about herself, and how she brings that to her daily life. We also talk about connecting with people across cultural and language barriers, when […] The post Untethered. A Woman’s Search For Self On The Edge Of India With C.L. Stambush appeared first on Books And Travel.

In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal route. It was around 300 kilometers from Porto in Portugal north along the coast and then inland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which took 14 days of back-to-back walking. I walked alone and carried my pack with everything in it, and I […] The post A Pilgrim In The Path Of History. Solo Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route With J.F. Penn appeared first on Books And Travel.

From the silver mines of empire to lithium mining under gigantic salt flats, Bolivia has played a significant part in history and is now shaping the future of green technology. Shafik Meghji talks about the diversity of the country from its landscape to its people and religious ceremonies, as well as recommended places to visit, […] The post Shaping The World In Profound And Unexpected Ways. Bolivia With Shafik Meghji appeared first on Books And Travel.

How is pilgrimage different from just a long walk? Why do we feel a calling to pilgrimage even when not religious? How does pilgrimage connect us to our physicality, and simplify life so we find some perspective? Kevin Donahue talks about some of his ‘sacred steps’ on various pilgrimage routes across Europe. Kevin Donahue began walking […] The post Sacred Steps. Pilgrimage With Kevin Donahue appeared first on Books And Travel.

Nora Dunn sold everything in 2006 and went traveling, turning her dream of culturally immersive, long-term sustainable travel into a reality. But of course, it hasn’t been an easy ride over the years! We talk about finding home bases in different places around the world — and why Peru was particularly memorable, how ‘slow travel’ […] The post Long Term Sustainable Travel. Life As A Digital Nomad With Nora Dunn appeared first on Books And Travel.

Why does pilgrimage have such a hold on those of us who are not religious, but merely seekers on a path that so many millions have walked before us? Author Imogen Clark talks about her Camino, the highlights and challenges, the lessons learned, and why she still yearns to set off once again. Imogen Clark […] The post A Yearning for Setting Off. Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Route With Imogen Clark appeared first on Books And Travel.

Hello travellers, I’m Jo Frances Penn, and in this episode, I’m talking to Nick Jubber about the momentary encounters that bring a journey to life.  We talk about how religion weaves its way into travel, especially in the middle east and north Africa, and how sometimes we can sense the intensity of faith, even when […] The post Momentary Encounters That Bring A Journey To Life With Nick Jubber appeared first on Books And Travel.

I’ve been traveling to the USA regularly since the mid-90s, for family trips and then business conferences and book research. The pandemic years meant a long hiatus (for us all!) but recently I went back to the US for my first trip in a long time and it felt quite foreign in many ways. I’d […] The post Thoughts On Traveling To The USA Again Post Pandemic And Differences Between The US And UK Cultures appeared first on Books And Travel.

We all pick up ideas about a country from a lifetime of media consumption, and stereotypes can shape our opinions, persisting even once a country has changed, as Colombia has over the last 30 years. Lachlan Page talks about how he ended up in Colombia after prioritizing travel first and work second, his recommended places […] The post The Nuances Of Colombia With Lachlan Page appeared first on Books And Travel.

How can we step away from the established patterns of life and choose a path that makes us truly happy? How can we redefine travel to find it in our own country, and choose a home in a place that calls to our soul? Brianna Madia talks about her unexpected road to an unconventional life […] The post The Unexpected Road To An Unconventional Life With Brianna Madia appeared first on Books And Travel.

What does it take to sail around the world — and stay in love with your partner? Liz Alden talks about how she and her husband circumnavigated the globe over four years, the places they loved, and how wanderlust and a love for the ocean is something that never leaves us. Liz Alden is the […] The post Love, Wanderlust, And Sailing Around The World With Liz Alden appeared first on Books And Travel.

Sometimes you don’t have to leave your own country to find a culture that is different from your own. Michael Sean Comerford talks about the unique language, lifestyle, and attitudes of the carnies, the people who work on the traveling carnivals. Michael Sean Comerford is an award-winning journalist and travel writer. His latest book is […] The post Traveling Carnivals With Michael Sean Comerford appeared first on Books And Travel.

Weird travel is visiting places that other people try to leave or places that are not usually thought of as tourist destinations. Adam Fletcher talks about North Korea, the unexpected beauty of Chernobyl, a tuk-tuk race across India, and the death rituals of Sulawesi, as well as the peculiarities of being British, and how to […] The post Visiting Places That Other People Try To Leave. Weird Travel With Adam Fletcher appeared first on Books And Travel.

How does Myanmar’s complicated history shape the country today? What are some of the wonderful places to visit — if tourists are able to travel again? Jessica Mudditt talks about her experience in Myanmar, as well as facing fears around travel, and the experience of reverse culture shock on returning to Australia. Jessica Mudditt is […] The post Myanmar With Jessica Mudditt appeared first on Books And Travel.

Can we ever be satisfied with life if we are always ‘hooked on the horizon?’ Tom Dymond talks about some of the highlights and challenges of sailing around the world — as well as the mindset issues around living for a future state, and returning to real life after years away. Tom Dymond is the […] The post Hooked On The Horizon. Sailing Blue Eye Around The World With Tom Dymond appeared first on Books And Travel.

Paris has so much to see and do, it can be overwhelming if you try to do it all. In this interview, Cynthia Morris talks about how to visit Paris like an artist and how walking and wandering is a great way to see the city in a more relaxed way. We discuss how to […] The post Slow Down And Wander. Visit Paris Like An Artist With Cynthia Morris appeared first on Books And Travel.

Peter Fiennes talks about his search for beauty — and hope — in Greece. We discuss the different areas of the country with recommendations for ruins to visit, as well as how the ancient Greek myths still resonate in modern times, with their tales of the darker side of humanity.  We consider whether generations of belief […] The post Beauty In Ruins, Dark Myths, And Hope In Difficult Times. Greece With Peter Fiennes appeared first on Books And Travel.