The Amateur Traveler talks to Chris Guillebeau from the Art of Non-Conformity about his years volunteering in West Africa with the NGO (non-governmental organization) Mercy Ships. Chris and his wife volunteered with this organization in Sierra Leone and Liberia which gave them a very different view of West Africa. For those not familiar with Mercy Ships, they provide medical services in under-served areas of the world from their floating hospital ships. Chris was in Sierra Leone shortly after the end of its costly civil war. This episode is not about travel to lie on the beach and work on your tan (although Chris does recommend bringing your sunscreen) but about life changing travel. And no, Chris is not a doctor.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Sherry Ott again about a very recent trip to Lebanon. Sherry traveled to Lebanon as part of a program with a cultural exchange program with Geovisions which involved in a home stay. She stayed much of her visit in Beirut which at least used to be known as the “Paris of the Middle East”. Since that time Lebanon and Beirut in particular has come through a horrific civil war as well as a war with Israel. Now that peace has come again to the country Sherry could still see the scars from the prolonged conflict but also could enjoy the recovering city, the nightlife, shopping and food in Beirut. In March in Lebanon you can ski in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon. She also had a chance to visit the historic city of Tripoli where she say the traditional souk and the ancient city of Sidon (Saida) which is over 6000 years old.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Spencer Quong who is a adventure travel guide about his recent trip to Botswana in south central Africa. After reading the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency his traveling companions were drawn to this country and its incredible wildlife.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Michael Kenney about traveling to Normandy in France. Michael talks about at least two different invasions associated with this region of France. The oldest was the Norman invasion of England which left from Normandy and is documented in the 224 foot long Bayeux Tapestry which is exhibited in a museum in Bayeux. The more recent was the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War 2. Michael describes visiting the invasion beaches (codenamed Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword), the cemeteries, and the village of Sainte-Mère-Église which was the first French Village liberated. Michael also talks about visiting the medieval fortress and monastery.

The Amateur Traveler  talks to Michael Soncina who returns to the show to talk about his recent travels in Southern Taiwan. Michael took advantage of a Taiwan promotion targeting backpackers that opened up army barracks to provide inexpensive housing in this less visited region of Taiwan. The highlight of Kaohsiung City is the Lotus Pond, an area surrounded by temples old and new. Usually the older style temples seemed to be dedicated to Confucius, but there are giant temples in the image of the Jade emperor, which you can climb inside, and each floor offers unique art, as well there are the famous Dragon and Tiger pagodas. Michael also celebrated New Years on Cijin Island with its famous seafood street.

The Amateur Traveler talks again to Jason and Janie about their hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville was has deep historic roots and the homes of Presidents Jefferson and Madison with the home of Monroe close by as well. Charlottesville is also the home of the University of Virginia and Thomas Jefferson was more proud of founding the institution than of being president. The area is now the home to numerous wineries and numerous restaurants and hosts a thriving food culture. Charlottesville is also a gateway to the Shenandoah Valley as well as other areas for hiking and outdoor activities.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Erik Smith again about his trip to the Four Corners area in the American southwest. Four Corners is the spot where 4 U.S. states meet: Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. While the Four Corners spot itself is just a photo op (an probably at the wrong place), the area around it contains some amazing scenery and historic sites. Erik gives us a state by state break down of the area. He tells us about National Parks nearby like Arches Canyonlands, Hovenweep, Moab, Canyon de Chelly, Rainbow Bridge, Mesa Verde , Chaco Culture, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Petrified Forest and Aztec Ruins. The area also boats the spectacular and iconic scenery of Monument Valley and a stretch of road known as the “Million Dollar Highway”. It has many Native American sites including those like Canyon de Chelly run jointly by the Navajo nation and the U.S.

The Amateur Traveler  talks to Roni Weiss about his visit to the divided country of Cyprus. Roni went to Cyprus in part to complete a quest to visit every country in Europe. Roni couchsurfed which gave him a chance to stay with Turkish and Greek Cypriots as well as a Turkish resident. T

The Amateur Traveler talks to Zoë Dawes from TheQuirkyTraveler.com about England’s Lake District. This beautiful pastoral area was made famous by the poets and artists in the romantic period, most notably William Wordsworth. Not far from industrial Manchester, the lake district is still a refuge for hikers and and other tourists tucked away in northern England. Zoë describes some of her favorite hikes like the coffin trail along the shores of Lake Windermere and favorite villages like Ambleside.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Alix (of Alix and Jace’s Amazing Adventure) about her hometown of Sydney Australia. Alix has many ideas about fun things to do in Sydney so you don’t just end up with the rest of the tourists on Darling Harbor. After you have climbed the Harbor Bridge and visited the Sydney Opera House she recommends a beach walk by word famous Bondi Beach, a chance to sleep with the animals of the Taronga Zoo and the out of the way Manly Beach. She tells us what’s the best day of the year to see Sydney (although also the most expensive). Alix also gives us a dizzying list of Sydney restaurants to try.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Shawn Farris about his recent trip to the Guangxi region in China. Guangxi is a lesser known but spectacular region in south western China known for its rugged karst mountains and green terraced rice paddies. Shawn explored the area hiking, biking and even kayaking through the countryside. Shawn describes it as a region that still has that “wide open, blue sky, rural feel to it.” The region can be accessed through the cities of Guilin or Yongshuo. During his trip Shawn met the strongest lady he had ever met as well as two of the most enterprising sellers of soda.

The Amateur Traveler talks to San Francisco Chronicle Travel Editor Spud Hilton about Gibraltar. This little patch of England at the bottom of Spain is more than just a place where you can see a large rock and get good fish and chips with your tapas. Explore the "rock" and meet the "apes" of Gibraltar. Hear about some of the history as well as the unique traffic challenges of this tiny peninsula. Also learn about Winston Churchill's secret World War 2 monkey plan for Gibraltar. Along the way let me introduce you to Spud Hilton who is one of my favorite travel editors.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Keith Kellet about the area around his home in Wiltshire England. Wiltshire has been inhabited since the end of the last ice age and has a rich depth of history including the icon site of Stonehenge. Averbury which is an even older stone circle can also be found there as well as the Salisbury Cathedral and the ancient town of Sarum. Keith describes this verdant region with its chalky hills, its rich lowlands, its ancient barrows, and its industrial age canals. Wiltshire is only about an hour out of London on high speed train so it can even be visited as a day trip from your stay there. We have forgotten more about its history than we have remembered so its ancient sites are covered in mystery and speculation.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Rease Kirchner about her hometown of St. Louis Missouri. St. Louis is known for its iconic Arch and is known as the gateway to the west. Rease claims that St. Louis has the largest urban park in the U.S., and now boasts about a surprising array of ethnic restaurants including a Little Italy area with toasted ravioli and a Little Mexico around Cherokee street. The city has an art museum made of entirely recycled materials, and Rease’s favorite the City Museum. Rease also tells us where we can find traditional St. Louis food including gooey butter cake and a slinger which she describes as “everything that can kill you all on one plate”. St. Louis is famous for Budweiser and for the associated Busch stadium which is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, but now also boasts micro-breweries and NFL and NHL teams.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Rease from 2 Nomads, 1 Narrative about South Korea. Rease and his girlfriend Nicki taught English for a year in Southern South Korea and also took time t travel around the country. We start in the city of Busan which also called Pusan and the only part of South Korea not to fall to the North in the Korean Conflict. Rease recommends we see Busan fish market and some of the old temples and then move on from Korea’s second largest city to the ancient capital of Gyeongju. Gyeongju is over 2000 years old and includes ancient temples and burial tombs and also has the largest of the Buddist temples in the country. Then Rease recommends we move along to some of the beaches, seaside towns and islands on the south coast which most western tourists don’t visit.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Joe Bickley of Alaska Backcountry Consulting about traveling to Alaska, particularly the interior and back country. Alaska is a bug state and Joe lives in the center of it near Fairbanks but at the northern end of the Alaskan road system. Joe gives us some directions on places to go to see Alaska’s vistas and encounter its wildlife. He takes us above the tree line at Denali National Park (aka Mt McKinley) which is not quite half the size of the state of Rhode Island. At that Denali is not even the largest National Park in Alaska. That honor goes to Wrangell-St. Elias. Alaska also has the largest National Forest which is Tongass National Forest. Joe takes us to one of his favorite spots off the Denali “highway”. He also directs us down to the Kenai Peninsula known for great fishing and also to the town of Homer with its artist culture. Learn what some Alaskans call those bells that a tenderfoot might wear to scare off bears.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Andy Steves about Rome, Italy. Andy talks about practical issues like how to get into and around Rome, how to connect to the Rome of the Roman Empire (the Coloseum, Forum and Circus Maximus, Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, Pantheon). He also talks about a tour of the Sistine Chapel without all the crowds and not easy to do. Andy also gives us his favorite spots from Renaissance Rome like the Galleria Borghese and how to get under Saint Peter's to the excavation of older Saint Peter's. Follow Andy to places where you can meet modern Romans on your evening passeggiata to Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. And then meet one of his favorite Romans who runs a hang out for students near the Pantheon.

Andy is the son of travel author and tour guide operator Rick Steves and is following in his father's footsteps running weekend tours for students studying in Europe.

The Amateur Traveler talks to David from London about his home country of Nigeria. David recommends, against the advice of others, that people who visit Nigeria visit the largest city which is Lagos. Lagos is the second most populous city in Africa after Cairo.

    David says “it’s chaotic, it’s crazy, it’s exuberant, it’s everything turned up to eleven, it’s the maddest place I’ve been. That is why you should go there. You’re not going to get a relaxing holiday going to Lagos. But if you want to see human life at the extreme, and I don’t mean extreme in a bad way, but just millions of people in a small place, everyone full of life, everyone exuberant, everyone seemingly happy, Lagos is the place to go”.

The Amateur Traveler talks to New York travel writer Jeanine Barone about the Azores. The Azores are a chain of islands belonging to Portugal. Your travel agent will extol the beauty of the beaches but Jeanine says that the best of the Azores can be seen through hiking its craggy islands.

    If you want to be in a place that feels very unspoiled, but is so close actually to fly there, a place where you feel like you stepped back to another era, then that’s why you should go to the Azores.

    These are just gorgeous islands. Each island has its own personality and character. I just adore them.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Matt Wall about traveling to and living in Honduras. Matt recommends the Bay Islands in the Caribbean for a beach resort vacation, scuba diving and snorkeling. The main island of Roatan have everything from all-inclusive resorts to backpacking accommodations in West End. Matt lived in the town of Copán Ruinas near the Guatemala border named after the "pretty incredible" Mayan ruins there. For the very adventurous who are willing to rough it Matt also suggests the Mosquito Coast at the far Western edge of Honduras which is a rain forest area sometimes called the "little Amazon". "You go there if you want to have a jungle experience".

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kim Mance about traveling to the mountain kingdom of Losotho in Southern Africa. Losotho is a small mountainous region surrounded by South Africa but is an independent constitutional monarchy. The country has a very rural population. Kim got around via rental car but also did a pony trek with guide out into the small mountain villages. Riding a small hearty and nimble Bosotho pony they headed out into a landscape of shepherds and glacier carved mountains.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Anil Polat who blogs under the name foxnomad about a recent trip to Northern Iraq. Anil is out to visit every country in the world which might lead him to visit a country before some others would deem it safe. Anil did not travel to the green zone but traveled in the Northern or Kurdish region of Iraq. Anil’s trip was made all the more interesting as he is ethnically Turkish. Says Anil:

Honestly that was one of my concerns before going. I did not know how people would respond to me, if people would not like me being there. The whole idea of a Kurdistan in Northern Iraq is a very controversial topic in Turkey to say the least.And also I had some security and safety concerns just because of the location. However, people were very friendly to me and it was a much more normal experience than I was expecting.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Gary Arndt of Everything-Everywhere.com about his recent trip to the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands are tropical volcanic islands that are part of Spain but are located off the coast of Northwestern Africa.They are not named after birds.

    The first thing that struck me when I got off the plane was how much the weather was like Hawaii and I have heard a lot of people call it Europe's Hawaii. It is a part of Spain. There are two provinces that constitute the Canary Islands. One with its capital on Grand Canaria Island and the other on the island of Tenerife. Columbus's last stop over was in the Canary Islands. Each of the islands, and there are 7 main islands, have a very different character.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Robert Reid from Lonely Planet about his home state of Oklahoma. Robert recommends when you are driving through Oklahoma on your great American road trip you get off the interstate and explore for a few days. From the hills and woods of Eastern Oklahoma, to the tall grass prairies, to the oldest mountains in the United States (The Wichita Mountains) Oklahoma has more variety than you might have guessed from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name. Even the shape of the state holds clues to its unusual history. It is a state shaped by treaties made and broken with the Native Americans and by slavery and the Compromise of 1850. Its people are influenced by its history, its oil, its tornadoes, and of course its football. Ever a storyteller, Robert talks about African American towns, football upsets, buffalo, songwriters, authors, cowboy poets, onion burgers and Route 66.

The Amateur Traveler talks to travel blogger Candice Walsh about St Johns and her her home province of Newfoundland (and Labrador). "In my opinion Newfoundland is maybe the most underrated unappreciated province in Canada".

The Amateur Traveler talks to Phil Smy about his second home in Kyoto, Japan.

"Japan is organized and meticulous and perfect. Kyoto is the number one tourist destination outside of Tokyo in Japan.  The former capital of ancient Japan, it is history and I think you get a real sense of Japan's psyche by going to Kyoto."

Phil talks about the temples, palace, geisha culture, and food of Kyoto.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Bethany of the Nevada Tourism Bureau about Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is a high elevation alpine lake on the border of California and Nevada. It is surrounded by 18 ski areas so it is a popular winter destination. In the winter it is also a great place for back country hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. In the Summer, Tahoe is a popular area for hiking, fishing and outdoor activities. But, there is another side to Tahoe which is the casinos, restaurants, and entertainment of Nevada's South Tahoe.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Francis Tapon about European Russia west of the Ural Mountains. Most people only know 2 cities in Russia – Moscow and St Petersburg. In St Petersburg he recommends the Hermitage and the Peterhof. Moscow is so central culturally to Russia that the trains all run on Moscow time across the 9 timezones of Russia. Francis extends the suggested itinerary to include Kazan and Kaliningrad. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan which is a mostly Muslim area of Russia. Kazan is over 1000 years old. Kazan is right by the Volga river with a large mosque and classic cathedral. Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave in what used to be East Prussia.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Alan from Jacksonville about St. Augustine Florida which is the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in what is now the United States. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and is 42 years older than Jamestown.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Craig Zabransky fro StayAdventurous.com about his recent trip to Bulgaria. He traveled with a Bulgarian friend and visited picturesque towns as well as the amazing blue waters of the Black Sea.

The Amateur Traveler talks about traveling to the Hawaiian Island of Lana’i. I recently spent a week in Lana’i as a guest of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau as one of their 2012 “Artists in Residence”. Lana’i only has 3,000 residence and a small town feel. I talk about some of the more unusual (for me at least) activities that I tried on the Island including riding a horse, going on a ride and shoot (to Lana’i Pines Sporting Clays), snubing, learning to play the ukulele, getting a lomi lomi massage, volunteering at a cat sanctuary and going 4 wheel drive tour. You don’t have to do this much when you go to Lan’i. You could also just golf or lie on the beach.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Rebecca about her adopted home of Umbria in Italy. Umbria is known as the green heart of Italy. Perhaps less well known than its neighbor of Tuscany to the North Umbria is a verdant region of hill towns, farms and national parks located in the center of Italy.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Antonello Losito from Southern Visions Travel about his native region of Puglia (Apulia) in Italy. Puglia is the boot of Italy and does not get the same number of tourists as Northern Italy. But Antonello recommends his rugged coastline and mountain towns as a way to see the Italy that “most American’s picture”.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Katie Aune from KatieGoingGlobal.com about her recent trip to Lithuania. Katie visited Lithuania as part of a year traveling through countries that were part of the former U.S.S.R. She spent much of her time in and around Vilnius, the capital.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kirk Horsted in a two part episode on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. This first episode focuses on Minneapolis with day trips west of the Mississippi river.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kirk Horsted in a two part episode on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. In this second half Kirk looks at the state capital of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Sam Oppenheim who returns to the show to talk about a recent trip to Belgium. Starting in Brussels, Sam and his wife Mina also visited Ghent, Antwerp, Brugge, Bouillon and Orval. 

The Amateur Traveler  talks to Scott E. Jordan of Scottevest about his home in Sun Valley Idaho. 

The Amateur Traveler talks about adventure travel in Costa Rica. From rafting on the Pacuare river and ziplining through the Monteverde Cloud forest to snorkeling off the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica can be a great destination for adventure travel.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Neil Kristianson about one of his favorite travel destinations Savannah, Georgia. Neil and his wife were drawn to Savannah originally because of the movie and the book “Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil”. They fell in love with the Antebellum architecture, the many public squares, the Southern hospitality and pace, and, strangely enough, with the cemeteries. Savannah is rich in history and has been a destination for travelers even before Sherman’s March to the sea. Learn where to eat and what restaurant is overrated. Stay in a local historic inn one one of the city squares in the walkable historic downtown.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Marc Barach about his recent trek around Monte Blanc. Hiking around the giant mountain on the tour Monte Blanc took him through portions of France, Italy and Switzerland.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Michael Soncina again about his trip to Tajikistan in Central Asia. Tajikistan is smack dab between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Unlike the other countries Tajikistan is mostly mountainous. A lot of its influences, history and culture is influenced by Persia while its neighbors have more Mongolian or nomadic influences.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Amber, an American Tour Guide in London, about her adopted city. Amber is an American expat from London who now takes people on walking tours of London.

Hear about travel to London as the Amateur Traveler talks to Amber from americantourguideinlondon.com. In this second part of a two part episode on London

Hear about travel to the Guianas (French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana) as the Amateur Traveler  talks to Marcello Arrambide from wanderingtrader.com about his recent trip to these three South American countries.

Hear about travel to Stockholm, Sweden as the Amateur Traveler talks to Malin from HauteCompass.com about Sweden's beautiful capital city.

Hear about travel to Azerbaijan as the Amateur Traveler talks to Mason Wiley of Community Based Tourism Azerbaijan about his time spent in the country during the Peace Corps. Even though he has come back to the USA he still loves and misses Azerbaijan and its people. Mason had not even heard of Azerbaijan until he was posted there by the Peace Corps.

Hear about trekking in Ecuador’s Quilotoa Loop as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kim Mance about her recent trip to that country. Kim spent 3 weeks in Ecuador including one week on the Quilotoa Loop.

Hear about travel to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean as the Amateur Traveler talks to Gary Arndt about his journey to visit many of the islands in the Caribbean on a single trip. In this episode we talk about Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados, and Trinidad. This episode is a continuation of episode 386 which talked about the Leeward Islands.

Hear about travel to Mazatlan, Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks again to Craig Zabransky about this Mexico seaport. Mazatlan is on the west coast of Mexico.