Amateur Traveler Travel Podcast

Chris Christensen

The Amateur Traveler is an online travel show that focuses primarily on travel destinations and the best places to travel to. It covers everything from knowing what to put on your Chicago dog when you go to the Windy City to swimming with whales in Tonga.

  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    AT#821 - Travel to Bolivia (Repeat)

    Hear about an itinerary for travel to Bolivia as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jayne Dear from The Only Way is Not Essex about her recent trip to this landlocked South American country.

    Jayne says, you “should go to Bolivia because it’s a very diverse country. It has the largest salt flats in the world. Uyuni, which I visited, and I did that on a three-day tour. Also, go because it’s a great way of having a budget trip to the Amazon. It’s a very diverse country. I think it’s the 27th largest country in the world. There’s a dry forest as well as the rainforest.”

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/bolivia-itinerary/

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    16 November 2024, 3:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 22 seconds
    AT#920 - Trips from Manila, Philippines

    Hear about trips from Manila as the Amateur Traveler talks to Justin from justin-travel.com about where to go after visiting the Philippine capital.

    Justin's recommended itinerary for day trips from Manila includes a variety of locations within a one to three-hour drive, each offering a different experience. Here's the suggested route:

    Day 1: Exploring Manila

    • Intramuros: Begin with a visit to the historic walled city. Explore landmarks like Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, and Casa Manila to get a sense of the city's Spanish colonial history.
    • Rizal Park: Walk through this significant historical park named after José Rizal, the national hero, to learn about the Philippines' struggle for independence.
    • Binondo (Chinatown): Enjoy a food crawl in the world’s oldest Chinatown. Discover local delicacies from street food stalls and eateries. Consider a Binondo food crawl guided tour to maximize your experience.
    • Corregidor Island (Optional): If time allows, take a full-day tour to this historic island in Manila Bay, known for its World War II history. Tours usually depart from the SM Mall of Asia area.

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/trips-from-manila-philippines/

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    9 November 2024, 3:00 pm
  • 1 hour 19 minutes
    AT#919 - Travel to Mallorca, Spain

    Hear about travel to Mallorca, Spain, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kristin Henning from travelpast50.com and Courtney Drake McDonough from realfoodtraveler.com about our recent press trip to the island.

    In the podcast, Chris, Kristin, and Courtney share various recommendations for a trip to Mallorca, Spain:

    1. Palma:
    • The group suggests starting in Palma, the main city, known for its historical significance and vibrant atmosphere. Recommended activities include:
    • Visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma (La Seu), a stunning Gothic cathedral with architectural contributions from Gaudí and modern artist Miguel Barceló.
    • Exploring the old town with its historic streets, markets, and architecture.
    • Strolling down Bourne Street, a charming avenue with cafes, flower markets, and beautiful architecture.
    • Trying traditional pastries at El Fornet de la Soca, a bakery specializing in historic Mallorcan recipes, including the famous ensaimada.

    ...


    https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-mallorca/

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    2 November 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    MT#4 - Career Breaks

    from the Zero to Travel Podcast:

    How to Start Planning Your First (Or Next) Career Break Today (Using 5 Simple Steps) with Cali O´Connor

    Have you thought about hitting pause on your career to travel the world but are unsure how to make it a reality? It’s not as unattainable as you may think!

    Cali O’Connor shares her experience of taking multiple career breaks and offers 5 practical steps to start planning your own career break today.

    Cali is a former chemical engineer who traded her career in the oilfield for a life-changing adventure of quitting her job to travel around the world. Now, she helps working professionals find clarity in their lives by taking a career break that gives them the freedom to travel, explore, and realign with their life goals. 

    Whether you dream of quitting your job or taking a temporary pause, this episode will give you the confidence and strategies to take that leap. You’ll hear about her biggest mistakes during her first career break (and how to avoid them), insights on overcoming common fears such as financial insecurity and leaving a stable job, travel advice to save time and money, and lessons on concurring travel burnout.


    https://zerototravel.com/career-break-cali-oconnor/

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    30 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 47 minutes 23 seconds
    AT#918 - Travel to Savannah, Georgia

    Hear about travel to Savannah, Georgia, and the vicinity as the Amateur Traveler talks to Yvonne Johnson about her adopted hometown.

    Why should you go to Savannah?

    Yvonne says, "Savannah is just this perfect mix. There's beautiful weather if you come at the right time, and there's great history, and there's great restaurants, and there's just so much to do, and I've raised my children here, and I have guests all the time, and I just love entertaining here."

    Yvonne suggests a diverse one-week itinerary in Savannah, Georgia that covers history, culture, dining, and outdoor activities. Here's a summary of her recommendations:

    Day 1:

    • Old Town Trolley Tour: Take the trolley for a narrated overview of Savannah, exploring the city's historic district and landmarks.
    • Savannah History Museum: Located in the Central of Georgia Railway Station, this museum showcases local history and movie memorabilia like Forrest Gump's park bench.
    • Georgia State Railroad Museum: Visit this working roundhouse and explore the engines, miniature train displays, and a children's museum.
    • Ships of the Sea Museum: Explore maritime history in this mansion-turned-museum with ship models and antique collections.
    • Dinner at Carey Hilliard’s: Try their famous barbecue and award-winning sweet tea.

     

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-savannah-georgia-2/

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    26 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    AT#917 - Travel to Door County, Wisconsin

    Hear about travel to Door County in Wisconsin as the Amateur Traveler talks with Bailey Freeman from atravelingbee.com about our recent press trip to the "Cape Cod of the Midwest."

    Here are the key things to do in Door County, Wisconsin, based on our experiences:

    Outdoor and Adventure Activities

    1. Hiking and Nature Exploration
    • Peninsula State Park: Features a watchtower atop limestone cliffs with panoramic views of the bay and beyond.
    • Whitefish Dunes State Park: Home to the tallest sand dunes in Wisconsin, covered with trees and foliage.
    • Ridges Sanctuary: Offers boardwalks, rare plants, and historic range lights; it also features the southernmost boreal forest in the U.S.

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/things-to-do-in-door-county-wisconsin/

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    19 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 49 minutes 14 seconds
    AT#916 - Travel to the West Indies

    Hear about travel to the West Indies, to the islands of Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, Anguilla, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Sint Eustatius, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jeff Ohlfs about his island-hopping adventure.

    Why should you travel to these 5 islands?

    Jeff says, "Some of them are not visited at all. Some of them are overly visited. They're all near each other, so it makes for a nice little grouping. I used St. Martin as a base. St. Martin is known as the friendly island and you can do daily flights to each of the other islands."

    Jeff recommends an itinerary that includes visiting five of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, known as the British, Dutch, and French West Indies. His suggested itinerary includes the following islands:

    1. St. Martin (French and Dutch)
    • Use St. Martin as a base for island hopping.
    • Stay at the Azure Hotel and Art Studio on Simpson Bay Beach.
    • Explore both the Dutch side (Philipsburg) and the French side (Marigot).
    • Visit historical forts like Fort Amsterdam and Fort St. Louis.
    • Experience the famous Princess Juliana International Airport at Maho Beach.
    • Recommended dining: Beirut Restaurant (Mediterranean), Mary's Boon Restaurant (local fish), and Villa Royale (French side, goat curry with guava berry liqueur).


    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-west-indies/

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    12 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    MT#3 - This Week in Travel Reunion

    This Week in Travel was a podcast that was in production from 2009 to 2020. In this reunion episode of This Week in Travel (dubbed "This Decade in Travel"), the original hosts, Gary Arndt, Chris Christensen, and Jen Leo, reconnect after a long hiatus. They share life updates and reminisce about their past travels and podcasting adventures.


    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/this-week-in-travel-reunion/

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    9 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 54 minutes 6 seconds
    AT#915 - Travel to the Laikipia Region of Kenya

    Hear about travel to the Laikipia region of Kenya as the Amateur Traveler talks to Shaun Stanley from Stanley Safaris about one of his favorite African destinations.

    Why should you visit the Laikipia region?

    Shaun says, "Kenya as a whole is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa. That's where the safari basically originated. That comes with its own problems in the form of too many tourists being in certain areas like the Massai Mara, which at the moment is getting quite a bad reputation for being overpopulated with vehicles around different sightings. We try and get our guests out of those sorts of environments and into the real African experience".

    "This is where Laikipia really comes into its own. It's up in the North. It's off the beaten track. And it's basically made up of a series of privately owned farms. Back in the day, there were cattle ranches. The owners have now looked at the conservation model and gone, okay, we're going to convert part of our ranch into a conservation area. They've started to reintroduce wildlife back into those areas. We're talking wildlife that is completely different to what you're going to get in the Masai Mara. So it's one of the best places in Africa to see both black and white rhino, which as we all know, are highly endangered across Africa".

    In the podcast, Shaun Stanley recommends the following itinerary for a visit to the Laikipia region of Kenya:

    1. Arrival in Nairobi:
    • Spend one night in Nairobi to recover from your flight and acclimate to the African atmosphere. This also provides time to adjust after arriving in Nairobi's chaotic airport.

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-laikipia-region-of-kenya/

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    5 October 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 52 minutes 6 seconds
    AT#914 - Travel to Normandy, France

    Hear about travel to Normandy, France as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kat Butler from World Wide Honeymoon and France Voyager about this historic and wonderful part of France.

    Why should you go to Normandy?

    Kay says, "Normandy, I think, just offers so much. My road trip, that I did last year, was literally to prove that there was so much more to Normandy than the D-Day beaches. You've got Mont Saint Michel, the cider route. You've got the countryside. I think that Normandy makes some of the best cheese. You have The beaches. You also have places like. Giverny. You've got Etretat, which has the beautiful cliffs. It's well worth a visit."

    Kat recommends a seven-day itinerary for Normandy, France, that offers a rich mix of history, culture, nature, and gastronomy. Here's a summary of her suggested itinerary:

    Day 1: Paris to Giverny, Les Andelys, and Rouen

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-normandy/

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    28 September 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    AT#913 - Driving Germany's Romantic Road

    Hear about driving the Romantic Road in Germany as the Amateur Traveler talks to Leland and Crissy Walker about their trip through medieval villages, walled towns, thermal spas, and breweries.

    Why should you drive the Romantic Road?

    Crissy says, " I would recommend sending someone on the Romantic Road because it's like stepping back in time. It felt like a fairy tale. I would not have been surprised if I saw the gingerbread man running down the street."

    Leland and Crissy's recommended itinerary for Germany's Romantic Road is a one-week journey, traveling from north to south. Here's a detailed breakdown of their itinerary:

    Crissy's Itinerary PDF

    Day 1: Frankfurt to Würzburg

    ...

    https://amateurtraveler.com/driving-germanys-romantic-road/


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    21 September 2024, 2:00 pm
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