The Tour Leaders

Spencer trained me in Egypt in 1997 — back when applications were handwritten and camping tours ran on vodka and very little sleep.We cover Siwa Oasis, public toilets in Xi’an, ejecting a self-proclaimed Messiah from a tour in India, and the moment a passenger showed Kim Jong-il parody videos in North Korea.We talk about staying steady in a crisis, running back-to-back tours in Rajasthan, China before it changed, and the places that never quite leave you.Here's Spencer.

KJ’s tour leading stories span Turkey, training trips, and the art of entertaining a bus full of strangers. This episode is about improvisation, memory, and the strange facts you invent to keep people listening.She reminded me of a training trip in Turkey, where we decided to tell our passengers that Atatürk’s horse was loosely translated as Mr Tickles (it was the only 'alternative fact' that passengers would remember about Ankara)!Enjoy the ride with KJ.

Emily’s tour leading years took her from Thailand’s nightlife to yoga and quieter paths. This conversation reflects on change, burnout, and learning what you don’t want along the way.Emily took me to my one and only Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan — technically the day after — and what I saw made me never want to go back...Enjoy the listen.

Amit became one of the first Nepalese tour leaders for his company, earning his place the hard way. This episode looks at resilience, identity, and what it meant to lead travellers through your own country.What to say about Amit? His path into tour leading was vastly different to the majority of us.Enjoy the ride.

Holly travelled overland from Istanbul to Kathmandu, collecting stories that took time to surface. This is a slow-burn episode about memory, patience, and journeys that can’t be rushed.As the memories return, the stories begin to flow.You can check out Holly's amazing photos at Big Wide World Photography

Buzz led tours through Mongolia at a time when there were no phones, no safety net, and no clear plan. This conversation includes permafrost, plague avoidance, and what leadership looks like when everything is uncertain.Wow. What a chat this was.Book your next trip with Buzz through House of Travel NZ

Andy’s path to tour leading took him from banking to Southeast Asia — and straight into trouble. From bus crashes to Cairo markets, this episode is about chaos, luck, and surviving it all with humour intact.Andy never went looking for trouble — it just had a habit of finding him...Enjoy the ride.

Some people are built for the road. Others just never stop being curious.This episode is a conversation about what it takes to keep doing the job — and still see the world with fresh eyes.Meet JP. I trained with him in Vietnam in the early noughties, and he’s a hard act to follow. His groups love him — and once you hear him, you’ll understand why.More than twenty years in, he’s still out there, with a calm, almost Zen approach to the road… and an appetite for just about anything.Enjoy.

Kate was a tour leader whose strength, resilience, and presence left a lasting mark on everyone she travelled with.This conversation is about friendship, endurance, and the women who quietly held things together on the road.Meet Purple Kate. I really don’t have enough words to describe her — but Wonder Woman comes to mind. Another friendship that has stood the test of time.Enjoy the listen.

Roachie's tour leading career started in Turkey and unfolded through chaos, responsibility, and lifelong friendships.This episode moves from humour to high-stakes moments that defined travel before the internet.A friendship that has endured across time, but started with an accusation of theft...If you want to know more about Roachie, you can find him at Craig Roach - Gallipoli Artist and Battlefield Guide.

Liddy began tour leading in Cairo in the late 90s, back when nothing was searchable and friendships formed fast.This conversation is about intuition, long-term friendship, and the people you meet when you’re far from home.Liddy was the first person I met when I arrived in Cairo to start tour leading back in 1997. The first thing she told me was that she’d had a dream about me the night before — that I was short with brown curly hair (which I am). It was instant friendship.If you want to know more about her company, you can find her at Stubborn Mule Travel.