Zero To Travel Podcast

Why does a tiny Nordic nation with just 5.5 million people feel impossible to summarize in a single sentence? 

Lorelou Desjardins has been writing about Norwegian culture since 2013 at her blog and publishing house, A Frog in the Fjord. She has published six books in Norway and internationally, along with 250 articles in mainstream media including Norway's largest newspaper. Her latest book, How to Be Norwegian, offers a crash course into 55 essential Norwegian cultural quirks. She lives in Oslo and is now a Norwegian citizen. 

In this episode, Lorelou and I dig into Norwegian culture and what makes this country so unique, covering the surprising scale of Norway's geography, the country's cabin culture, social dynamics among Norwegians, food and drink customs, the quirks of Norwegian English, and a Norwegian concept worth stealing for your own life. 

Norway can feel like a country of contradictions: vast and remote in parts, intensely social in others, shaped by long winters and short summers that flip the whole rhythm of daily life. This conversation moves between practical travel insight and a more personal look at what it is actually like to live here long-term, even after becoming a citizen. Whether you are planning a trip, exploring your own Norwegian roots, or just drawn to borrowing a little wisdom from another culture, there is something here for you. 

What is one custom or tradition from somewhere else in the world that you have brought into your own life? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


How long Norway actually is, and which European capital it would touch if you spun it on its southern tip 


Why a growing wave of travelers are choosing Norway over traditionally hot summer destinations 


What Norway's "freedom to roam" law actually allows you to do 


How cabin culture works, and how travelers can access cabins most visitors never think to look for 


Why Norwegians have a reputation for being emotionally cold, and the bus ride that put that reputation to the test for me 


Why Norwegians are so eager to talk about their own cultural identity with outsiders 


The surprising history behind Norway's strict modern alcohol laws 


Why frozen pizza and Friday tacos became beloved national traditions 


The Norwegian concept that's similar to hygge, but with its own colder, deeper edge 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


A Frog in the Fjord 


Lorelou's website 


How to Be Norwegian 


The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) 

Want More? 


Cracking the Cultural Code, Ethical Travel To Indigenous Areas, & Life in Norway With Lorelou Desjardins 


Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You'll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway 


Top 7 Hidden Gems in Oslo, Norway with Curtis Rojak of Viking Biking 

Thanks To Our Sponsors  


Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel  


Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app  


Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel 

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What would it look like to build a life that reflects exactly who you are and where you want to go? 

Heath Armstrong is an entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of Rage Create, a company known for its unconventional affirmation and oracle card decks that have raised over $200,000 through crowdfunding. He spent years living and working nomadically, including a period traveling full-time in a self-built van across the United States. He now runs Deck Creators, a community for people who want to create and launch their own card decks, from his farmhouse in the mountains of North Carolina. 

In this episode, Heath and I catch up on his journey from the early days of location independence to the businesses he's building now. We get into his approach to freedom lifestyle design, what it actually means to take inspired versus forced action, and the daily practices he's used to move from vision to reality. 

This is one of those conversations that works on multiple levels. On the surface, it's about entrepreneurship and building a life around your values. But underneath that is something more personal: how to recognize when you're operating from fear versus genuine alignment, and what it takes to keep moving in the right direction even when things get hard.  

Heath's been through real darkness, real financial uncertainty, and real pivots, and he's thought deeply about all of it. Whether you're designing a lifestyle business, mapping out your next travel chapter, or just trying to figure out what you actually want, there's something in here for you. 

What's one thing you could do this week to move closer to the version of your life you actually want to be living? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Why Heath draws a sharp line between inspired action and forced action, and why that distinction changed everything for him 


How the note card practice he started years ago still shapes his daily routine today 


Why visualizing your goals in the present tense only works if you actually believe them, and what to do if you don't 


How to tell the difference between resistance and intuition when they can feel nearly identical 


What Heath's "totem pole" framework looks like in practice, and why it brings long-term vision and daily action into alignment 


Why your environment and the people around you matter more than most productivity advice will tell you 


Lessons from van life that Heath still carries with him, including why nature and isolation sharpened his business instincts 


What Heath did when a tariff crisis threatened to sink a shipment, and why he frames problems like video game bosses 


Why Heath thinks moving toward the life you want and being happy in the present moment are actually the same thing 


Hidden gem destinations that left a real mark on Heath, including a spot in Oregon most people have never heard of 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Interested in the Being Box? Email Jason 


Heath's website 


Rage Create 


Deck Creators Community 


Heath on Instagram 


The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn 


The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale 


Love Money, Money Loves You by Sarah McCrum  

Want More? 


Digital Detox: Downsizing Your Digital Life to Create Freedom + Reboot Your Lifestyle Business with Corbett Barr 


Building, Growing, and Enjoying a Successful 7-Figure Lifestyle Business with Dan Andrews from Tropical MBA 


How to Pivot to a Life With More Freedom (And Travel), Get More Free Time, and Unlock Your Intuition With Jenny Blake 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel 


Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app 


Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel 

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

Want to hear a podcast about one my favorite parts of the US? The Via Podcast by AAA paints a picture of the Western United States. If you love American history, road trips, wildlife, and Western folklore you’ve got to check out the Via Podcast. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Want to hear a podcast about one my favorite parts of the US? The Via Podcast by AAA paints a picture of the Western United States. If you love American history, road trips, wildlife, and Western folklore you’ve got to check out the Via Podcast. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

What if one of Africa's most diverse and rewarding destinations has been hiding in plain sight — and most travelers only ever see a fraction of what it has to offer? 

Lynett Nakamanya is a tourism professional and Kampala native who has worked across the East African travel industry for over a decade. She holds a master's degree in management science with a focus on project monitoring and evaluation in tourism, and is affiliated with the Uganda Tourism Board. She also runs her own trip-planning platform focused on sustainable and meaningful experiences across the region. 

In this episode, Lynett shares her list of Uganda hidden gems and travel recommendations, the state of tourism in Uganda today, and the real impact that responsible travel can have on local communities. 

Lynett brings a perspective that's hard to find — someone who grew up in Uganda, has spent her career inside the tourism industry there, and thinks seriously about what travel can and should do for local communities. She makes a compelling case for doing a little research before you arrive, because the gap between a standard itinerary and a genuinely memorable one often comes down to simply knowing what to ask for. She also shares a Ugandan saying about travel at the end of this one that's worth sticking around for. 

What experience from this episode most surprised you, and has it changed how you think about where you want to go next? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 


Why a beautiful crater lake just 20 minutes from Uganda's most famous attraction is almost never visited — and why it's worth the detour 


How one of East Africa's most rewarding mountaineering experiences sits in Uganda, largely off the radar of international visitors 


Why Uganda's 56 tribes make cultural immersion more rewarding when you focus on just one or two 


What one of Uganda's most historically significant religious sites reveals about the country's layered cultural past 


How a massive collection of islands right next to the airport offers everything from white sand beaches to wildlife encounters that most visitors drive straight past 


Why one eastern Uganda destination pairs three waterfalls with some of the world's highest-graded Arabica coffee 


Why doing your own research before a trip is the single best way to unlock experiences that never make the standard itinerary 


How responsible travel creates a ripple effect through local families and communities that most visitors never see 


What cultural mistake tourists commonly make in Uganda that creates more harm than help 


And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Uganda Tourism Board 


Uganda Wildlife Authority 


Explore Uganda 

Want More? 


Top 10 Hidden Gems: East Africa (Beyond the Safari) and Transitioning to Travel With Sasha and Megnote Lezhnev 


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


Safari 101: How To Plan A World-Class African Safari (Without Going Broke) 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Become a Fora Advisor today at foratravel.com/zerototravel 


Experience intelligent trip planning for calmer travel with the TripWaffle app 


Earn points on rent and mortgage payments. Apply at joinbilt.com/zerototravel 

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