Zero To Travel Podcast

Do you have dreams of long-term travel? What are you willing to "give up" in pursuit of it? 

If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes this month to help kickstart your plans in 2026. In this series, we interview a guest both before and after their travels (or during if it's long-term), so we can see how it all panned out and how travel has changed them. 

Becca Hall is a long-term traveler who left a high-paying nonprofit tech job in San Francisco to pursue a life of indefinite travel. We talk about how she saved $30,000 in just a year and a half, why she travels as if she doesn’t have that cushion, and the psychology behind adopting a frugal travel mindset. She also shares what surprised her most after leaving her job, including the months it took to mentally decompress from work stress. Later, we catch up a year and a half into her journey to hear how things actually unfolded, from bartending and working festivals in Australia to building out her own van and redefining what freedom looks like on the road. 

What surprised you the most in Becca's journey? What was your biggest takeaway from today's episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Why Becca chose to act like her savings didn’t exist, even after putting away $30,000 


How a no-frills travel mindset helped her save money long before she ever left home 


What happened when cheap travel started costing her more energy than it was worth 


Advice for navigating solo female travel, couchsurfing, and gut-check moments on the road 


The surprising emotional hangover that followed quitting a job she was desperate to leave 


Why earning less money ended up feeling like a better deal 


How festival work and bartending became part of her long-term travel strategy 


What pushed her from backpacking burnout into building a van in Australia 


The unexpected lessons she learned from creating a home on wheels by herself 


Why taking a break can feel strangely difficult when you’re traveling full time 


How she decided whether bringing a laptop was freedom or just extra baggage 


What indefinite travel taught her about pace, pressure, and finding her own version of flow 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Becca on Instagram 


Mint.com 

Want More? 


Transition To Travel with Lance Wright 


Transition To Travel: Radical Life Change For World Travel w/ Jordan & Tyler 


Transition To Travel: Single Mom + 3 Kids Move To Mexico (Jenita's Story) 

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Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

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What happens when talking to strangers while traveling becomes the thing that helps you feel less alone? 

Adam Schluter is an award-winning, National Geographic published photographer and writer, and the founder of Hello From A Stranger, a project built around spontaneous travel, portraits, and conversations with people he has just met. Through that project, he has traveled across 21 countries, created thousands of conversations and portraits, given a TEDx talk, published a book based on the work, and is now making a documentary. 

In this episode, Adam shares how a period of heartbreak, depression, and isolation pushed him to buy the cheapest ticket he could find and start talking to strangers while traveling. That simple decision eventually turned into Hello From A Stranger, Monday Night Dinners, and a larger mission to help people feel seen. 

We get into what travel can open up when you use it intentionally, not just to see a place, but to connect more deeply with the people in it. Adam talks about what he learned from being an introvert in unfamiliar places, why vulnerability worked better than trying to sound polished, and how genuine conversations helped him find purpose when he needed it most. We also talk about how he brought that same spirit home by inviting strangers to dinner, eventually building a recurring community gathering that now draws hundreds of people. If you’ve ever felt lonely, wondered how to meet people more naturally, or wanted to recreate a little of that hostel-kitchen magic back home, there’s a lot in this one. 

Trigger warning: This conversation includes honest discussion of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide. If you’re struggling, call or text 988 for support. 

What would change if you approached one stranger this week with a little more curiosity and a little less fear? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


The breaking point in Adam’s mental health, and how he navigated depression and isolation 


Why buying the cheapest flight he could find became the start of an unexpected journey 


The importance of creating a framework around his travels and what happened when he started intentionally talking to strangers 


Why Adam’s first attempt at approaching strangers failed, and what finally worked 


How vulnerability and awkward honesty opened the door to deeper conversations 


Why solo travel can still feel lonely, and how to move beyond “ghost mode” while traveling 


The story behind Monday Night Dinners, and how inviting strangers over changed his community 


Why a simple conversation might matter more than you think 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Hello From A Stranger 


Documentary Trailer 

Want More? 


100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav 


How to Be a “Supercommunicator” and Connect with Anyone (At Home or on the Road) with Charles Duhigg + The Best of Baltimore, MD 


Bicycling Across the USA Without Money in Search of Human Connection With Daniel Troia 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 


Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

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Dreaming of quitting your job and becoming a digital nomad? Planning a career break to travel the world? If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes this month to help kickstart your plans in 2026. In this series, we interview a guest both before and after their travels (or during if it's long-term), so we can see how it all panned out and how travel has changed them. 

Lance Wright is a longtime higher education professional and the creator of The Midlife Crisis Traveler, where he shares the story behind taking a major travel leap in midlife. At the time of this episode, he stepped away from his role at Colorado State University to take a seven-month trip, and that experience led him to rethink work, identity, and how he wanted to live. 

This conversation gets into the real stuff behind long-term travel. Lance shares what it was like to ask for time away from a job he actually loved, how he and his wife navigated his decision to travel solo, and what helped him through the lonely stretches on the road. We also talk about minimalism, masculinity, identity, and the surprising clarity he had when he got home. 

What chapter in your life might be ready to close so a new one can begin? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Why Lance finally stopped waiting and committed to a seven-month trip 


How he negotiated a leave of absence from a job he genuinely enjoyed 


Advice for talking with your spouse about a solo long-term trip 


What Albania taught him early on about connection and loneliness 


How local tours, cooking classes, and Workaway helped him meet people 


Why travel pushed him toward minimalism and a simpler lifestyle 


How the trip reshaped his thinking about work, masculinity, and identity 


What happened when he came home and realized he needed a new chapter 


Why trusting your own travel style matters more than following someone else’s plan 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


The Midlife Crisis Traveler 


Tours By Locals 

Want More? 


Transition To Travel: Radical Life Change For World Travel w/ Jordan & Tyler 


Transition To Travel: Single Mom + 3 Kids Move To Mexico (Jenita's Story) 


Transition To Travel: From 9-5 To Biking The USA with Joe Ferrara 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 


Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you try overland travel in West Africa across seven countries using only local transport? 

Gunnar Garfors is a Norwegian traveler, journalist, and author who became the first person to visit every country in the world twice. He is known for seeking out unusual routes and lesser-visited destinations, often traveling far beyond typical tourist paths. Jacqui Kunz is a full-time traveler who has explored more than 100 countries and was named “World’s Most Intrepid Traveler” in 2023, recognizing her commitment to exploring challenging destinations and traveling well off the beaten path. 

In this episode, co-hosts Jacqui and Gunnar share stories from the first leg of their West Africa adventure across seven countries, covering Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea. 

They talk about what it’s really like to travel overland in West Africa, from chaotic border crossings and broken buses to incredible landscapes, unexpected friendships, and the patience required to move through the region. 

If you’ve ever wondered what travel in this part of the world actually feels like on the ground, this conversation gives you a candid look at the challenges, surprises, and rewards of exploring West Africa slowly. 

What kind of travel experiences become possible when you stop rushing and embrace the unpredictability of the journey? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Why traveling overland in West Africa requires a completely different mindset about time and planning 


How local minibuses work, and why you may be waiting a while to get going 


What it’s like traveling upriver in The Gambia to visit River Gambia National Park and see chimpanzees 


Why going inland in The Gambia offers a very different experience from the coastal resort areas 


How to navigate crossings, visas, and illegal stamp fees that travelers are sometimes asked to pay 


What happened when their bus broke down and the driver abandoned it on a remote road 


How unexpected delays led to shared rides, new friendships, and memorable moments with local travelers 


Why Guinea-Bissau ended up being the biggest surprise and favorite country of the trip 


What it’s like traveling through Guinea’s highlands on roads compared to a motocross track 


Why slow, overland travel creates deeper connections with people and places along the way 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Gunnar’s website 


Gunnar on Instagram 


Jacqui on Instagram 

Want More? 


9 Ways Travel Will Change You + Lessons from Cycling Africa and Visiting 95 Countries with Alex Hennock 


5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron 


Adventure and Conservation - A 6,000 km Tuk-Tuk Journey Through Africa 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 


Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Caitlin and Janessa in this Remote Roundup as they catch you up on where they’ve been lately, the travel mistakes they’re learning the hard way, and the systems that keep long-term travel from turning into financial and emotional whiplash. 

Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world. 

In this episode, Caitlin and Janessa share what it’s like spending a season in a southern hemisphere coastal hub and time in a vibrant Latin American capital known for culture, markets, and museums. You’ll get Caitlin’s solo travel hot take and the #1 travel mistake she keeps repeating so you don’t have to, and hear from Janessa on her perfected expense tracking system with tips for self-employed travelers. 

What’s one “comfort” you’re keeping in your travel life right now, even if it costs a little more or takes up a little more space? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Considerations for making Cape Town a long-stay base, what to expect in the cultural capital of Mexico City, and a magic town you may want to add to your Mexico itinerary 


Why it’s so easy to keep falling for the budget airline trap and more hidden fees you need to be aware of  


Why you should always check your entry stamp and never assume you’ve been granted the maximum tourist stay 


Janessa’s system for remote work and travel budgeting, including expense tracking apps, annual reviews, tax set-asides, and building a DIY PTO fund 


Why Caitlin says she hates solo travel (yet still thinks everyone should do it), and why we need to redefine what “solo” means 


A common travel mistake and what it can reveal about the expectations we carry into travel 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Caitlin on Instagram 


Janessa on Instagram 


TravelSpend 


Trabee Pocket  

Want More? 


Going Nomad with Jason Robinson 


Joys of Solo Travel with Manjinder Kang 


Remote Roundup: True Costs of Long-Term Travel, Taxes & Borderless Living, an Underrated Productivity Habit, + More (October 2025) 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Earn Cash Back and rewards on nearly every purchase with Rakuten. 


Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! 


Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify. 

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