Last month, I booked my first flight in a year and a half. In June, I’ll be flying to Alaska—fully vaccinated!—to explore glaciers and forests, small Alaskan towns and big Alaskan wildlife. I don’t think I’ve ever been so ready to hop on a plane.
Maybe you, too, have booked your first flight? Or maybe you’re planning a summer road trip. Or perhaps you’re just now beginning to explore your home city or town. Wherever you’re at, we have heaps of travel inspiration for you in season two of Travel Tales by AFAR.
Get ready for stories, every Thursday, from some of our favorite contributors. Comedians, philosophers, novelists—they’ll each share a trip that changed their life. This season, we’ll hear from a Somalian refugee who finds the ultimate peace in the forests and lakes of Maine. A comedian who traveled to Bali tells us about connecting with her long-lost father. And we’ll hear the story of a broken-hearted writer who traveled to India to find a fortune teller who can reveal her fate—and wound up finding something completely unexpected.
Bonus this season: You, dear listeners, will have a chance to share your travel tales on the podcast. Learn more about submitting your story.
Episode 1: The Healing Power of Maine’s Forests
Listen to episode 1 now| Subscribe to the podcast
Soon after Abdi Iftin arrived in the United States—the country he had dreamed of living in for so long—he was diagnosed with PTSD. Growing up in Somalia during the civil war had left its mark. His American doctors recommended medication, but Iftin was determined to find another way. What did he discover? The healing power of Maine’s forests.
Episode 2: Inside a Daring Giraffe Rescue in Kenya
Listen on June 17th | Subscribe to the podcast
A decade ago, a group of endangered Rothschild’s giraffes was relocated to a remote lakeside peninsula in Kenya. But in recent years, due to rising water levels, the peninsula became an island, trapping the giraffes. In 2020, a team of conservationists set up a daring rescue—one that wildlife photographer Ami Vitale traveled to document. This is her tale.
Episode 3: A Hawaiian Chef’s Journey to the Philippines in Search of a Lost Family Recipe
Listen on June 24th | Subscribe to the podcast
Chef Sheldon Simeon grew up in Hawai‘i eating—and cooking—the recipes his grandparents brought with them when they emigrated from the Philippines. But one recipe, for pork adobo, wasn’t written down and became lost to time. Until, that is, Simeon got the chance to travel back to the Philippines and trace the dish to its roots.
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