Speaking Of Travel ®

At 15, Hilde Lysiak believes you can accomplish anything, regardless of age or gender. In her memoir, Hilde on the Record, she shares her journey in finding her voice and discovering what is most meaningful in her life. At age seven she launched a newspaper and realized kids can plunge into the world and take action. Today she feels like her own world is just beginning.Hilde is an American journalist and is a gifted young woman with an open-mind who is bringing her energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the world today. She is already understanding the big picture better than older generations and has a vision for the future of journalism. Hilde's hope is by telling her story she can help others find their voice and discover what is most meaningful in their own lives.Also on Speaking of Travel, new data shows the restaurant industry is coming back stronger than ever and the opportunities presented during these past couple of years will ultimately have a high

Sonya and Frank DiPalma recently spent time in Sardinia, Italy, as part of Sonya’s research for a book about the Homeless European Land Project (HELP) which provided refuge for about a dozen displaced persons in the late 1950s thanks to actress Hope Lange and actor Don Murray. HELP served as a model for the United Nations for resettlement of refugees and it also influenced the creation of the Peace Corps. Frank planned the trip around the island from Cardedu, Oristano, Simaxis, Sorso, Porto Torres, Castelsardo, Alghero, Sassari, Bosa, Olbia, Costa Smeraldo, Porto Cervo, San Teodoro and then Cagliari. Sonya and Frank share their journey, along with a history, of this ancient island some call paradise on Earth.  Also on Speaking of Travel, Justin Bellame, founder of the JB Media Group and the publisher of Romantic Asheville.com, shares why vacation and short-term rentals are seeing an uptick and what it means to local economies. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel t

Born in Siena, Italy, a small medieval city in the heart of Tuscany, Marco Caratelli paints traditional Sienese art reprographics, replicating the work of the Sienese painters of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Every piece Marco creates is different, special and unique.Marco specializes in the egg-yolk tempera technique, as described in the famous manual on painting by Cennino Cennini (14th century). He reproduces the world-renowned "Biccherne" panels which were painted, wooden covers placed over the accounting ledgers of the City of Siena from the 13th to 16th centuries. The panels were painted by such famous masters of the Renaissance as Duccio di Boninsegna, the Lorenzettis, Simone Martini and Sano di Pietro. As with the originals, Marco's recreations are painted on aged, quality wood and covered in pure gold leaf.  Following in the extraordinary tradition of famous classic painters, Marco shares his inspiration and passion for antique techniquesAlso on Speaking Of Travel, Clark Lovelac

Georgette Blau, founder of On Location Tours, offers the only TV and movie-themed bus and walking tours in NYC and Boston. Discover why her tours are a unique part of tourism and the phenomenon of TV and movie tours.Georgette founded On Location Tours in 1999 and  it has quickly become one of the East Coast’s most popular tourist attractions serving over 100,000 tourists and locals annually.  On Location Tours provides an opportunity to straddle fiction and reality so you feel as though you are part of the TV show or movie, ultimately bringing you closer to the characters themselves. Fun times ahead!Speaking of tours, also on Speaking Of Travel is Kaye Bentley, founder of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours, a one-of-a-kind tour showcasing the most spectacular views, craft cocktails and historic landmarks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And did you know the Asheville Regional Airport has a critical role in unlocking the growth potential of the entire region? Tina Kinsey from the Asheville Regional Airport shares how the

Toby Brown, the U.S. partner, director of marketing, and head safari coordinator at Outdoor Africa, shares how traveling to this special place of the world provides amazing and life-changing experiences.Toby began 2022 with trips to Tanzania and South Africa and was thrilled to be back to places so near and dear to his heart. Whether you are planning your first safari or a return visit, the team at Outdoor Africa provides deep-seated connections to help you plan a trip created uniquely for you. And be sure to consider (and sign up) for the Speaking of Travel + Outdoor Africa trip to South Africa in March, 2023. Visit speakingoftravel.net for all the info and come along on this small-group adventure! Also on Speaking of Travel, Mark Collins, Partnerships Manager for RomanticAsheville.com, shares how the economic impact of the Outdoor Industry helps in preserving and protecting, and promoting, responsibly what we have for future generations.  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.ne

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series With Richard Crawford, continues. Like many modern-day explorers, Richard has the unique ability to blend adventure with a conscious effort to use his show, Leave No Trace TV, as a platform to raise awareness of environmental issues and sustainability that challenges our world. His passion for the environment leads him on some very impressive adventures. Richard shares his most recent adventures to Belize and Fogo Island for season two of Leave No Trace TV.  From the rainforest to the far reaches of Newfoundland, Richard explains how people are creating sustainable solutions around local community and doing their part to help save the planet. A must listen! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

I’ve heard from many people over the years that riding a motorcycle gives you the total blending of your mind and body and you can actually have a meditative and somewhat spiritual experience. Michael Gouge, editor of Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine and senior lecturer of mass communication at UNC Asheville, shares how motorcycling is a stress reliever and a confidence builder and helps boost your wellbeing. Also Kyle Ellison, founder of Wai Mauna SUP Tours, explains how paddle boarding lets you feel grounded in the moment and more alive. And offers so many ways to feel more connected to nature.And discover how the Asheville Regional  Airport's long-term design project will culminate in  a new, modernized airport to meet the needs of the region for decades to come.   Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Katie Wilson, Director and CEO of Grow Abroad Asheville, is a born teacher and life-long learner with a purpose to connect people, places and ideas. Grow Abroad Asheville helps create future agents of change and global citizens. “It is my purpose on this planet to connect people, places, and ideas. I believe in the necessity of empowering one another and believe it is done through fun, play, and support." Katie shares how Grow Abroad Asheville provides opportunities for intercultural learning and sharing. Find out how you can become a host family and become part of a diverse community where cultural immersion is the name of the game! Also on Speaking of Travel, Kim Murray, the new Executive Director of the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, shares how a culture of collaboration and stewardship goes a long way to keep the kitchens cooking and the tables set. And if you are beginning to travel again, Tina Kinsey from the Asheville Regional Airport,explains how airports continue to move forward w

Jenny Cressman is an author and occasional travel agent living in Canada who specializes in Cuba. Jenny shares how her recent trip provided an insider’s look at the resourcefulness and resiliency of the Cuban people.Jenny shares how one of the key reasons for this trip was to deliver some humanitarian aid – mainly basic “medicine-cabinet” items such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen. And some interesting news on the medical front regarding what the Cubans are doing to stay safe. Jenny provides the most current information for how to travel back to this special and enchanting country.  Also on Speaking of Travel is Jen Brooks from RomanticAsheville.com to share how to best plan a spring vacation in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and foothills surrounding Asheville and Western North Carolina.  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Dayna Reggero is a documentary film director and founder of a collaborative storytelling effort called the Climate Listening Project. Kelly Sheehan is the Senior Director of Energy Campaigns for the Sierra Club, where she leads a national effort to advance climate justice and a transition off of fossil fuels. With huge strides being made in the quest for climate action and the general wellbeing of the planet, Dayna and Kelly highlight what it will take for the population in the Gulf to have a better lifestyle by making of improvements on as many physical systems as humanly possible so they can survive. Also on Speaking of Travel, if you love science and space, join Tim DeIsle, Director of Software Engineering and Melanie Crowson, Director of Education and Astronomy, from the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI). PARI is located in Rosman, NC, and  began as a 1960s NASA station. Today PARI is a nonprofit astronomical observatory specializing in STEM education and dedicated to radio astronomy, archives

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series continues with Richard Crawford, host of the Amazon Prime series, Leave No Trace. Richard reviews principles of ecotourism and provides knowledge on how to create a sustainable way to travel. As we get out and begin traveling again, it's time for all of us to know the difference between green, eco-, and sustainable tourism. Richard shares how important it is to pay attention when you travel after the pandemic and think about choosing certified hotels, tour operators, and other providers of tourism services so we can move towards becoming more sustainable tourists and how to travel with a lighter environmental footprint.As Richard moves into Season Two of Leave No Trace TV, he offers up some of the best green destinations and tips for traveling to help save money, sleep better, get off the beaten path, meet locals, and just be a better traveler. It’s time to get out there again and try new things. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftr

Nineteen-year-old James Parton is a photographer and filmmaker and is creating a movie about ecology and the connectedness of global ecosystems. The project focuses on less known issues and brings them into the spotlight to help provide solutions for all of us. James plans to show what we can do to help combat these situations. His stories are uplifting and inspiring as he creates a collective community to help make a positive change.  Also on Speaking of Travel, Garrett Martin, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, outdoor photographer, conservationist and owner of the production company - VentureLife Films, shares his newest venture, THE GREAT FOREST, which follows conservationists throughout southern Appalachia as they look to manage two of the most biodiverse and visited national forests in the country. And, a conversation with with Tina Kinsey at the Asheville Regional Airport. With so many state and national parks in this country, you might find yourself flying somewhere to be outside someplace else.

Juan Carlos Zuniga is a biologist and the program manager of the Costa Rico site for Ecology Project International (EPI). He shares how their hands-on, science-focused programs around the world are life-changing.Founded as a nonprofit organization in 2001, Ecology Project International creates positive long-term environmental impacts through its science education programs, conservation initiatives, and engagement with local communities and partners. EPI's travel programs are designed to nurture the sense of discovery at the heart of all learning. Juan Carlos shares how students and teachers are free to explore, inquire, and investigate all their curiosities. By working with wildlife and helping out researchers, the program  ignites a passion for science and conservation that lasts a lifetime.Also on Speaking of Travel, Justin Bellame, an innovator, successful entrepreneur and travel industry expert, explains how his companies and partners are supporting each other with resiliency and resolve. And Tina Ki

Chiara and Federico, based in Rome, Italy, created Ideas 4 Travellers to offer authentic Italian walking tour experiences that uncover a different Rome. Explore the Eternal City with people with so much to share.  Chiara and Federico help you see, hear, taste and smell life as a true Roman does, sharing stories and experiences the way an old friend might – with passion, care and love for their special city. If you are traveling to Rome, Chiara and Federico add some unique spices to the classic menu of tours in the Eternal City and you will learn something different from what a typical tourist tour provides. Discover how fellow travelers become like the locals by going off the beaten path, eating great food in open air excursions and sharing informal, heartfelt conversations with these two local hosts. Ciao! Also on Speaking of Travel, discover how Kate Bannasch, co-owner and general manager of the Copper Crown restaurant in Asheville, navigates the changing landscape of best practices with the safety of their

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series with Richard Crawford of the Amazon Prime TV Show, Leave No Trace, continues to highlight the importance of conservation, sustainable travel and eco-tourism with helpful information to help you create your own personal sustainable travel experience. Through epic travel experiences in Season One of his highly successful show, Richard reflects back on the impact when the world hit the pause button due to a global pandemic. For Richard and his team, being on lockdown provided opportunities they would never have considered. Discover how staying connected to his world-wide community of people making sustainable choices gave them hope. Today, Richard is moving forward into Season Two of Leave No Trace TV and is looking forward to traveling again. Find out what destinations are on his radar and why and how you can travel to places where sustainability is applied to every part of your journey, no matter your budget, style, or destination. Also, Richard shares some exciti

Matt Bowles co-founded Maverick Investor Group in 2007 as a fully remote real estate brokerage company. He also hosts The Maverick Show podcast while living a location-independent lifestyle as a digital nomad with no permanent base since 2013. Over the last nine years, he's run his company from 65 different countries on six continents. Matt shares how he created his travel lifestyle as a full time digital nomad with no permanent base as a way to find financial success and location independence. Also on Speaking of Travel is Andrew Nehlig, founder of the Sauna House in Asheville, NC. Andrew created a communal sauna bathing space that delivers health benefits, boosts your mood and provides human connection in a safe, mindful environment. And join Tina Kinsey at the Asheville Regional Airport for some seasonal travel tips and updates on air travel overall. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Kim Giovacco, owner of Veg Jaunts and Journeys, shows you the world with a vegan focus by supporting vegan businesses like restaurants, food tours and vegan cooking schools. Kim shares how a vegan lifestyle can be easy and healthy. Her epic tours are expanding to celebrate the whole-food, plant based way of eating which actually differs from vegan way of eating. And instead of mainly offering European tours, half of her tour schedule will now take place in North America, offering vegan tours near national parks in the US and Canada.Find out why this lifestyle is growing globally and what you can do to learn more by traveling with Kim. Lots of good info here!Also on Speaking of Travel, discover how to have a perfect winter getaway with plenty of waterfalls, scenic views, iconic forests and wonderful trails for hiking with Clark Lovelace of the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Development in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. And if you’re thinking of traveling by air and maybe haven’

When you are passionate about something, there's no stopping you. Susan Gibson started volunteering in her hometown of Toronto, Canada as a teenager. And her book, "How To Be An Amazing Volunteer Overseas," is a practical and useful tool to help motivate aspiring volunteers to contribute in the most meaningful ways. Susan has been involved in the non-profit world for more than 35 years and has worked and volunteered in 70 countries. She is also a philanthropist actively engaged in the areas of refugees, human rights and education for girls. Based in London for the past 20 years, today Susan lives in Washington, DC, enjoying promoting her book to young people who are so inspired to have meaningful volunteer experiences locally and overseas.Also on Speaking of Travel, Mark Collins, Partnerships Manager for RomanticAsheville.com,shares how resiliency and caring for others really makes an impact. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories,

What’s it like to travel internationally today? Join Richard Crawford of Leave No Trace TV as he highlights his recent trip to Scotland and what he recognized looking at the world today as an environmentalist looking at sustainability. Also learn some new terminology to help you find solutions moving forward. Discover what to look for in the destinations you choose and how to be more mindful as we begin traveling again. Richard helps us better understand the difference in eco, green and sustainable tourism, how to be an environmentalist on your trip, and why it's important. Also, a big announcement from Richard on how Leave No Trace TV is growing! Tune in!Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Dayna Reggero, a documentary film director and founder of the Climate Listening Project, is partnering with Kelly Sheehan, Director of Energy Campaigns for the Sierra Club, to create the Gulf Climate Listening Project.Dayna's  work on the Gulf Coast started when she was 19, appearing with animals on television to talk about environmental concerns. 2021 Pulitzer Winner Lauryn Higgins wrote: “By trade, Dayna Reggero is an environmentalist. Her work ranges from filmmaking to beginning her career as a spokesperson. However, her most skilled work might come in the form of organizing conversations, or simply starting them.” Kelly is working in the Gulf with the Sierra Club and local communities to stop fracked gas exports. She shares why we need radical love, real healing, investing in communities and why we all need to all get involved to move beyond fossil fuels and protect the places we love. Also on Speaking of Travel,  discover what we can expect to see in travel in 2022 with marketing and marketing resea