Travel Tales with Mike Siegel

Freelance writer Carrie Dow created the blog, "What's Pawsitive", showcasing animal welfare experiences around the world. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Quebec native Evlyn Mondo had a dream to retire to a warm tropical island. She made it come true when she and her husband purchased a luxury villa in Barbados.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

English adventurer Oli France shares Tales of his treks to go from the lowest to highest points on each continent by human power alone.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

A year teaching English in South Korea inspired Eryn Gordon to create her own travel blog/guide, EarthToEditorial.com.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Melissa Curtin returns to Travel Tales 12 years after her first appearance, to fill us in on what's happening with her longtime travel/lifestyle site LaLaScoop.com, along with her successful new side hustle as a travel agent!Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Jordan Giberson is a Texan who fell in love with London at first sight and moved there in 2019. She now has a website and podcast encouraging others who are considering a move abroad.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

After nine years, travel TV host and influencer Justin Walter returns as Your Bucket List Guide, inspiring people to not wait to see their dream travel destinations.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Toronto native Kate Fincham threw caution to the wind during Covid and bought a houseboat to live on all year-round. She documents her life on board on her popular Instagram page, @MyLittleHouseboat.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Englishman Tom McLauchlan is a classical guitarist who has performed around the world.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Canadian Kellie Paxian left her PR job in Vancouver to take a life-altering trip around the world for six months. She now lives in Cape Town, South Africa and runs her own travel company.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

In this special bonus episode we're headed to Oregon with the our friends the hosts of the Hidden Trails of Oregon Podcast.“It’s part action movie, part rock show blurring into the superbowl. It feels modern, but bull riding itself goes back to the bronze age. And that’s true for rodeo contests in general: bull riding, barrel racing or wild cow milking, they’re all based on tradition, and in keeping those traditions alive.‘Let ‘Er Buck’ makes a lot of sense from the back of a bull. But as we find out, it’s much more than a rodeo shout: it’s a way of life.”We’re leaping headfirst into the rodeo to end all rodeos, the 115 year-old Pendleton Roundup! In this episode, host Aaron Millar tests his mettle on a massive mechanical hog, before climbing into the stands for a (literally) explosive ‘Xtreme Bulls’ finale. We’ll lean over the bucking chutes and get clobbered by dirt flung from bronco hooves. But the roundup isn’t all spectacle, it’s also about family and tradition. We’ll step back in time to learn about the history of the event while sipping whiskey in the notorious ‘Let ‘er Buck’ room. Stories of champions, princesses, suicide-racers and steer-wrestlers wait around every corner.We’ll meet a generational indigenous horse relay racing team, hand them microphones, and listen in on their insane bare-back bid for victory. And through it all explore the western ties that bring all these groups to rodeo together each September.LET ‘ER BUCK!Remember you can see all of this yourself. Go to PendletonRoundup.com for details and take our advice: book early!Plan your next Oregon adventure at TravelOregon.com and you can find the full Hidden Trails of Oregon Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Thank you to all guests featured on the show: Toni Minthorn, Scott and Dylan Abramson, Pat Nogle and Butch Knowles A special thank you to Greg and Petra for showing us such a great time, we can’t wait to come back. Brian Thacker led our pre-production, Charles Tyrie assisted on audio editing, and the episode was recorded by Jason Paton who also wrote and co-produced along with host Aaron Millar.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Photographer Alex Bogaard was born and raised in Europe and has traveled the world shooting amazing photos along the way.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Travel writer Laura Kiniry returns after 11 years(!) to fill us in on where she's been. Hint- it's a lot of places!Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

TV host/producer Kinga Philipps became the first female host of her own show in 33 years of Discovery Network's Shark Week. She continues to travel the world, above and below the ocean surface.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Comedian Ron Placone tried for years to get Italian citizenship, only for the country to change the rules overnight.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Filmmaker/Author Matt Tory visited all 50 US states and every National Park. He shares his Tales in his new book, Go See America!Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Realtor Mia Anne turned the heartbreaking loss of both parents in a 10-month span during Covid into motivation for an epic journey across America.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Donna Pleiman is a Kentucky-based doctor who spent 6 months with her family in New Zealand during Covid.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

For as long as she can remember, LA-based yoga instructor Jenny Geyser had wanted to live in Italy. In 2024, she made it happen.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Successful travel blogger, award-winning photographer, and host of the popular Everything Everywhere Daily podcast, Gary Arndt.Mentioned in this episode:Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast.This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast