Wanderlust: Stories from the Road

S1E6-The Art of Solo Travels

In today's episode, you'll hear more on the topic of solo travelers. Since my early twenties, I’ve been inspired by many of the following names. With this episode in mind, I did more research and came up with this how-to, taken from a few articles and presentations of mine on how I have wandered off the beaten track alone and kept my safe (so far)…
Inspiration. Laurie Lee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_I_Walked_Out_One_Midsummer_Morning
Research/Preparation. Languages, routes, culture, health, etc
Sarah Marquis: https://www.explorationconnections.com/blog/wild-by-nature-interview-with-sarah-marquis
Budget/Financials/Timing: Tiffany Coates (re hair) https://www.globalwomenwhoride.com
Packing. Vehicle dependent, planes, tourist destinations (you can buy what you didn't bring!)
Tools and Skills. Apps, maps, GPS. A mix of all. iOverlander.com and The Dyrt, as well as printed maps such as Benchmark (USA).
Responses from society/family: Joan Wamayu-Ndarathi and her mother
https://www.globalwomenwhoride.com/joan-wamayu-ndarathi/
Food/social engagement. How to meet people? Know yourself!
Focus. What are you focused on while in new places?
Motivation. Skills, challenges, mindset.
Safety: Consider that in the US, 70% of rapes are done by men who know the female victims. And yes, there’s that other 30%. (eg me on train in France at 18.) Tell your friends, hosts, rangers. Spot/GPS trackers. Walkie-talkies (eg Motorola T600). Camping solo tricks. Self-defense training opportunities.
The Art of Solo Travels: https://fempotential.com/web/20170302035117/http/www.fempotential.com/scared-solo-female-traveler/index.htm
If you’re curious about the submissions process to Wanderlust: https://wanderlust-journal.com/submissions/
And for more on my own travel books: https://sarahleamy.com
Please subscribe and become a patron for as little as $5/mth – you’ll have the simple joy of knowing you’re supporting this podcast https://wanderlust-journal.com/2022/03/22/please-consider-becoming-a-patron/
Music by Sofia Nehama Avery www.nehamamusic.com.
THANK YOU!

S1E5: Solo Travelers to Discover

In today's episode, we’re focused on the topic of solo travelers. Since my early twenties, I’ve been inspired by women who went out on their own, despite cultural expectations to stay home as wives and mothers. With this episode in mind, I did more research and came up with this list of incredible adventurers of all ages, countries, and modes of travel. Here is a sample.
Anna Oberg, On Lostness.  https://wanderlust-journal.com/2020/08/01/oberg/
Amelia Earhart -  20hrs 40 mins (one of the books of her travels) - as the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean/ first pilot to cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. 
Bessie Coleman – 1921, first African-American woman, and also the first woman of Native-American descent, to hold a pilot’s license. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any direct quotes or writings of hers.
Karen Darke: https://www.karendarke.com/blog/ paralysed by a rockclimbing accident – wheelchair bikes, kayaks, sleds and inspirational mindset coach.
Sarah Marquis: Between 2010 and 2013 she walked alone from Russia to Australia and since then many other long walks…Wild by Nature – Links to an interview with her.
The Art of Solo Travels: https://fempotential.com/web/20170302035117/http/www.fempotential.com/scared-solo-female-traveler/index.htm
Music by Sofia Nehama Avery @2022
If you’re curious about the submissions process to Wanderlust: https://wanderlust-journal.com/submissions/
And for more on my own travels and writings: https://sarahleamy.com
Please subscribe and become a patron for as little as $5/mth – you’ll have the simple joy of knowing you’re supporting this podcast https://wanderlust-journal.com/2022/03/22/please-consider-becoming-a-patron/
THANK YOU!

S1E4- Put Your Boots On

In today's episode, you'll hear passages on the topic of through-hiking, that is the day-to-day challenge of following your feet across mountains and deserts. We’ll read what motivates folks to do just that, the people met along the way, and some of the ups and downs that come with it. For one writer, it was her knickers…
Megan Okkerse: https://meganokkerse.substack.com/p/everyone-cries-on-the-camino
Rahawa Haile: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/hiking-appalachian-trail-rahawa-haile/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/exit-interview-i-was-a-black-female-thru-hiker-on-the-appalachian-trail
“Fear and Loathing on the Camino Santiago” by Mark West. The fuller post was published on the Wanderlust website a few years ago and itself is an excerpt from a larger piece. https://wanderlust-journal.com/2018/12/01/fear-and-self-loathing-on-the-camino-de-santiago-by-mark-west/
Tramping: A Journey Through New Zealand with Captain Cook. Sam Brakely. Soon to be published by Wild Dog Press: https://wilddogpress.com
Bill Bryson, Cheryl Strayed, and for Brits of a certain age (!) Laurie Lee.
Resources: For hiking across the world, here’s a great website for you to read, https://www.thehikinglife.com/hikes/asia/
For queer POC hikers, there’s a great community in the PNW (USA): https://qpochikers.com
(They might have ideas for other such groups outside of the States, it’s worth asking.)
For a US based community that helps planning and logistics etc: https://thru-hiking.com
For a list of 100 hiking and outdoor social media/ resources: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/black-indigenous-poc-outdoor-instagram-accounts
If you’re curious about the submissions process to Wanderlust: https://wanderlust-journal.com/submissions/
And for more on my own travels and writings: https://sarahleamy.com
Please subscribe and become a patron for as little as $5/mth – you’ll have the simple joy of knowing you’re supporting this podcast https://wanderlust-journal.com/2022/03/22/please-consider-becoming-a-patron/
AND>>>
Music by Sofia Nehama Avery @2022 www.nehamamusic.com
 

S1E3: Modes of Travel

S1E3: On Modes of Travel: You Can Go Far with Whatever You Have
In today's episode, we are focused on the various modes of travel. My advice, use what you have. Feet, bikes, motorcycles, 2WD, 4x4, cars, vans, and trucks of all sizes can take you where you want to go – for the most part. With that in mind, I’ll be reading from trip reports from each of those options, to inspire you to appreciate the vehicle you have and how far you can go. We’ll have a full episode on each of these versions of exploring the world later in the season.
Hiking: Anne-Marie Wells Happiness in Iceland
Rafting: Chris Wiewiora https://wanderlust-journal.com/shop/
Motorcycle: Tiffany Coates http://tiffanystravels.co.uk
Roshni Sharma https://www.tripoto.com/india/trips/roshni-sharma
Michelle Lamphere on https://adventureriderradio.com/michelle-lamphere
Bicycle: Ruth McIntosh https://wanderlust-journal.com/shop/
2WD: Me in a 1972 VW semi automatic Beetle going across the Continental Divide in July. More recently in a 2003 Dodge van, over 65,000 miles exploring the States and into Baja with pets (more another time on doing that) https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=Sarah+Leamy
4x4: Carla King in Baja  https://www.discoverbaja.com/2019/02/04/trip-bahia-concepcion-la-purisma-san-juanico/
 
Resources: Overland Expo, Online forums, FB groups, Instagram, YouTube: stories and videos of all kinds of travel. Information, community, inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/user/sarahleamy/videoshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf13FVNsn3m7IfwOLDHjvXw
The best advice is to build ‘vehicle sympathy’ (Graham Jackson), know your vehicle, get trained, take basic recovery gear and know how to use it. If in doubt, get out and walk the section. It bears repeating, we’ll have a full episode on each of these versions of exploring the world later in the season as well as training opportunities.
Submissions to Wanderlust: https://wanderlust-journal.com/submissions/
For more on my own travels and writing: https://sarahleamy.com
And don't forget to subscribe for more weekly episodes! Thanks.