The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

Morocco is a country that relies heavily on tourism, and it has a long road ahead to recover from the devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,900 people when it struck the High Atlas Mountain range near Marrakech just weeks ago. Australian David Mannix of Arcadia Expeditions, who lives in Marrakech, talks about his experience “being shot around like a pinball” during the quake and how you can best support the North African nation. We also talk to By Prior Arrangement’s lead guide in Marrakech, Abdellah Amghar, who explains why you need to make sure you don’t cancel travel plans to Morocco, and which other parts of the country you can explore to put your tourist dollar where it’s needed most.

We also chat about adult-only sections on planes – would you pay extra to avoid sitting next to a (potential) screaming child? And luxe travel advisor Virtuoso reveals the leading types of trips we’re all seeking.

Our tip this week is about how to avoid being ripped off when you travel, based on USA Today's research on tourist attractions it says are overrated and overpriced – although we don’t necessarily agree with them all! https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/credit-cards/biggest-tourist-traps-in-the-world/

Australian David Mannix, founder of Arcadia Expeditions, had just returned to live in Marrakech a week before the devastating earthquake struck. He tells Kirstie how it was like a plane was on top of them and he thought the building was going to collapse as he ran from his apartment with his young son in his arms. David’s wife is Moroccan, and he is urging travellers to return to Marrakech to help the many thousands of people relying on tourism. https://www.adventure.travel/tour-operators/arcadia-expeditions

Also, on the ground in Morocco, By Prior Arrangement lead guide, Abdellah Amghar, tells Belle about the many other places you can visit outside of the High Atlas Mountains, and how you can best support Moroccans at this challenging time. https://www.bypriorarrangement.com/

A big shout out to our producer, Alaisdair Leith. And if you love all things travel, subscribe wherever you listen to your favourite pods, and please give us a rating or review!

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Have the best wildlife encounter (best for you, best for the wildlife), and is Bali really all it’s cracked up to be? Also, sip your way around the world at these leading wine destinations and find out how you can while away your time (for free!) at the airport. What an episode!

Kirstie catches up with award-winning wildlife photographer and journalist Rachelle Mackintosh to chat about the powerful impact of seeing wildlife in their domain. She shares hair-raising tiger encounters, talks of her obsession with sighting whales, and explains how you can ensure you’re doing the right thing by the wildlife experience you book, https://faunographic.com/

Belle chats with Bali-based author and travel writer Penny Watson, who moved to the Island of the Gods in the midst of the pandemic. Penny talks about how not to be an absolute loser when you visit Bali, and how to spread the love. We’re talking Kintamani, the waterfalls of Munduk, Amed on the east coast and Lovina in the north – basically anywhere beyond Ubud, Kuta and Canggu – for access to local businesses, ceremonies, and a connection to the Balinese people. She’s also just released her new book, Wilderness, which you can order here pennywatson.com.au/books

Also, here’s the link to Alex the Flemish Giant bunny at San Francisco’s airport, see instagram.com/alex.thegreat100 at take a listen to Belle’s chat with ABC radio Melbourne, talking about how to while away the time in airports around the world, https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-sundays/uncovering-the-secrets-of-airports/102752868

And a big shout out to our producer Alaisdair Leith for his zen-like patience, and to you for listening! Don’t be afraid to subscribe to The World Awaits via your favourite podcast wrangler or at theworldawaits.au--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Co-host Belle takes us to Greece and Bulgaria, travelling by rail on a slow food, slow travel journey of these neighbouring countries, eurail.com She travelled on a Eurail pass, which criss-crosses 33 European countries, all without flying. She also gives us a peek at the new Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino on the Peloponnese peninsula, on the Greek mainland - and it's as glamorous as you would expect! mandarinoriental.com
Also, would you let your 15-year-old train around Europe with their friends? And where's the most popular place to see the sunset in the world? The answer may not surprise you...
Finally, if you have Italian heritage, check out the Italea project, which aims to link people with the villages of their ancestors, see italea.com
Belle's notebook: where to eat and sleep in Greece & Bulgaria's two main cities

BOUTIQUE HOTELS
The Modernist in Athens & Thessaloniki, Greece, themodernisthotels.com
Oborishte63, Sofia, Bulgaria oborishte63.com
Vizualiza Hotel, Plovdiv, Bulgaria vizualizahotel.com
LOCAL RESTAURANTS in Greece & Bulgaria
Vosporos Restaurant & Bar, Larisa, Greece vosporos.gr
Olympos Naoussa (chef is ambassador) Leoforos Nikis 5, 546 24, Thessaloniki, olymposnaoussa.gr
Kourtis Winery, Rachi, Greece kourtiswinery.com & the indigenous pig farmers farma-fotiadi.gr
Sintrofi, Thessaloniki instagramcom/sin_trofi
Pod Lipite, Sofia, podlipitebg.com
Cosmos Restaurant, Sofia cosmosbg.com
Staria Chinar, Sofia, stariachinar.com
Pavaj, Plovdiv facebook.com/pavaj.plovdiv
Aylyakira, Plovdiv aylyakria.com

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Love islands? Australia has thousands of them to choose from, and Emma Shaw, author of Ultimate Islands Escapes (Hardie Grant), can help you find the island of your dreams. From such all-stars as Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays to the far-flung Cocos Keeling Islands, nearly 3000km north-west of Perth, there’s an island to suit every taste and every budget. See hardiegrantgift.com.au; @exploreshaw

Belle and Kirstie also chat about American Express Travel’s annual ‘Trending Destinations’ list – with the top global destination right here in Australia, americanexpress.com

Finally, keep your gut happy when you travel with this great tip. We’re talking the perils of earlybird dining in Spain, and at what time street eats become a bad idea, from Southern Cross Travel Insurance, scti.com.au

And a few notes from the show this week -

Brisbane: Gourmet Traveller magazine’s top restaurant is found in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley – visit Agnes for smoking hot wood-fire cooking, agnesrestaurant.com.au/ More on Brisbane’s new ‘green’ bridges here smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/the-new-global-design-marvels-to-bucket-list-including-two-here-20240830-p5k6m7.html

And Belle’s story on the ethics of swimming with whales here smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/i-swam-australia-s-humpback-highway-but-should-i-have-20240917-p5kbb7.html

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Would you cycle for more than 210 kilometres in 30+ degree heat around southern Sardinia? For host Kirstie Bedford it was a dream come true.
Kirstie just spent a week biking the hills of the Italian island, all in the name of fun.
She rode through an abandoned medieval village, biked through a Blue Zone, climbed hills to scour some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful beaches, and drank wine with locals to celebrate what Italians do best – live life to the fullest.
Take a listen to learn some surprising facts about Sardinia, her vote for the prettiest Italian town, and how you can follow in her bike tracks, utracks.com
We also reveal the best destinations for solo travellers, and our tip this week is how you can avoid your phone getting stolen while you're overseas.

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