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The Meaning of Travel With Emily Thomas

In this wide-ranging interview, Emily Thomas talks about the importance of perspective and time in travel writing, how sublime moments of pleasurable terror make travel so interesting, how to overcome fears both real and imaginary, as well as the ethics of doom tourism, and how VR (virtual reality) might change how we travel in future.

Dr. Emily Thomas is an associate professor in philosophy at Durham University in England. She’s also the author of several books, including The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad.

Traveling is about experiencing otherness, going to places that are new and unfamiliar and trying to figure out how to make sense of them
Sublime moments in travel as a kind of pleasurable terror
Tackling fears, both real and imagined
Research before a trip, and arriving in Malawi, Africa
How do travel books blur the line between fiction and nonfiction, and why is this so important to address stereotypes
“There is no view from nowhere.” Perspective in travel writing
Maps as processes, and how they change over time. The importance of knowing ‘when’ a book was written and the perspective of the writer.
Doom tourism
How VR (virtual reality) might improve aspects of travel, and what we want to keep as in-person experiences
Recommended travel books

You can find Emily at www.EmilyThomasWrites.co.uk and on Twitter @emilytwrites

Shareable and header image generated by Jo Frances Penn on Midjourney.

Untethered. A Woman’s Search For Self On The Edge Of India With C.L. Stambush

Podcast

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How can we adopt an untethered attitude to life, especially when it comes to expectations of travel? C.L. Stambush talks about how her experience of motor-cycling around India taught her more about herself, and how she brings that to her daily life. We also talk about connecting with people across cultural and language barriers, when taking risks is worth it, and how we need to keep pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone to live a more expansive life.

C.L. Stambush is an award-winning writer, journalist, editor and author of Untethered: A Woman’s Search for Self on the Edge of India.

Show notes

Taking risks and discovering that life improves because of it
Riding alone on a motorcycle around India
Breaking down barriers when we travel to different cultures
Getting over our fears around traveling
If we are not pushing forward, are we sliding backward?
Cultivating an untethered state of mind
Recommended travel books

You can find C.L. Stambush at clstambush.com

Header and shareable image generated by Jo Frances Penn on Midjourney and edited on DALL-E.

A Pilgrim In The Path Of History. Solo Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route With J.F. Penn

Podcast, Travel Memoir

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In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal route. It was around 300 kilometers from Porto in Portugal north along the coast and then inland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which took 14 days of back-to-back walking.

I walked alone and carried my pack with everything in it, and I organized my accommodation through Macs Adventure so I knew where I was sleeping every night. I’ve posted a day by day breakdown of the route and my gear list separately, and in this episode, I go through some of my lessons and thoughts from the Way.

JFPenn at Farolim de Felgueiras lighthouse, Porto

Show notes

How walking in the path of history puts life in perspective
If you’ve lost direction in life, pilgrimage can help
Pilgrimage proves you can do hard things, and that knowledge helps back in your daily life
A fusion of sacred and secular
The Camino is an industry — and it always has been
Your Camino, your way. Practical considerations and tips.
Why I needed these last years of walking alone across a seasonal change in my life

I’m working on my pilgrimage book, combining aspects of the emotional and spiritual journey with practical tips which will hopefully help you if you are considering such a trip. You can find more details at jfpenn.com/pilgrimage.

Shaping The World In Profound And Unexpected Ways. Bolivia With Shafik Meghji

Podcast

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From the silver mines of empire to lithium mining under gigantic salt flats, Bolivia has played a significant part in history and is now shaping the future of green technology. Shafik Meghji talks about the diversity of the country from its landscape to its people and religious ceremonies, as well as recommended places to visit, and books to read.

Shafik Meghji is an award-winning travel writer, journalist, and author, specializing in Latin America and South Asia. He has co-authored more than 40 guidebooks. His latest book is Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia.

Show notes

Bolivia’s geographical diversity and recommended places to visit, including the largest salt flats in the world
The unexpected ways Bolivia has influenced and shaped the world
Indigenous culture and architecture
Festivals and other religious and cultural events, including the dance of the devils and the witches’ market
Balancing the desire to travel with environmental responsibility
Recommended books about Bolivia

You can find Shafik Meghji at ShafikMeghji.com

Walking The Camino Portuguese Coastal Route From Porto To Santiago De Compostela: Overview

Religious, Walking

In September 2022, I walked the Camino Portugues Da Costa, the coastal route, from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It was around 300 km in 14 days with links to each day’s walk below as well as extra decisions and packing info, as well as links to my other pilgrimage content. Bom caminho! Buen camino!

Preparation: Decisions to make, packing and gear list

Day 0: Exploring Porto, Portugal

Day 1: Porto city around the coast to Matosinhos (13km)

Day 2: Matasinhos To Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal (31km)

Day 3: Póvoa de Varzim to Esposende, Portugal (21km)

Day 4: Esposende to Viana do Castelo, Portugal (27km)

Day 5: Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora, Portugal (19km)

Walking The Camino: Decisions To Make, Packing, What To Take And Leave Behind

Walking

There are a few decisions to make if you want to walk your own Camino.

(1) Which route to take?

There are many routes to Santiago de Compostela from different directions, and the route you choose will be determined by the amount of time you have and if you want to do it in one trip, as well as your confidence with walking long distances.

Most Camino books and films are about the Frances route that starts in St Jean Pied-a-Port, France, and crosses over into northern Spain, then heads west. I originally wanted to do this route, but it takes 5-6 weeks and I couldn’t take that much time off work.

I decided on the Portuguese Coastal route as it could be completed end to end in two weeks, at around 300 kilometers in total. It’s also one of the quieter routes, as the Frances can have several thousand pilgrims traveling per day in high season, especially in a Holy Year. I also liked the idea of walking along the coast, and I love Portugal as well as Spain.

Camino waymarkers of Galicia Photo by JFPenn

Make sure you schedule rest days. I walked 14 days back to back with no rest day and regretted it. There were a couple of shorter days walking but I still had to lace up my shoes, put on my pack and walk for hours every day.

(1) Which route to take?

(2) Independent travel vs. using a company to organize accommodation

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