Unpacked by AFAR

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our favorite stories over the years at afar.com/fifteen.

A pet orangutan, a 106-year-old grandma, and a wedding where 10,000 guests were fed. When writer and host of NPR’s The Splendid Table, Francis Lam, heard stories from his friend Azalalina Eusope about her life in Penang, Malaysia, he couldn’t help but marvel at them.

But when the San Francisco-based chef (who has served Barack Obama and the Malaysian prime minister) invites Francis to come home with her after a decade away, he discovers the complex family dynamics that underpin her stories—and the ways that food can bind even the most complicated families.

Five Generations of Street Vendors

In this episode, explore:

• What it’s like to visit street vendors in Penang, Malaysia
• How a fine-dining chef recreates traditional Malaysian dishes
• Some of the food traditions of the Mamak people in Malaysia

Remaking the Past with Laksa

Don’t miss these transformative moments:

[04:09] Star anise and curry: Rediscovering Malaysia’s comforts.

[08:42] The sights, smells and salts of Penang’s street food scene.

[10:04] “I felt so gross for having my notebook with me.” A bittersweet homecoming.

Time Travel Through Tripe Salad

As a teen, Azalina Eusope vowed she wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of the four generations of Mamak street vendors that came before her.

In this episode, the San-Francisco based, Malaysian chef returns home with writer and host of NPR’s The Splendid Table, Francis Lam. Together, they discover how cooking Malaysian dishes does more than preserve her culture—it grants her the power to reclaim it.

Resources:

Read Francis’ original story on afar.com

Follow Francis Lam on Instagram

Dine at Azalina’s in San Francisco

Check out NPR’s The Splendid Table

Where will you be on April 8, 2024? In case that date isn’t burned into your brain, it’s the day the sun, Earth, and the moon will completely align, creating a total solar eclipse that will sweep over a section of the United States. It will plunge cities around the U.S.—from Austin, Texas, to Buffalo, New York, into darkness for up to four minutes and 27 seconds and, according to our guest today, will be “the greatest science event in human history.”

That’s because it’s going to be one of the most accessible celestial events to happen in recent times: The path of totality crosses some of the most populated areas of the United States, and astro-tourists will flock to places like Texas in droves. Scott Roberts, today’s guest, will also be there, guiding a small group of people through the event at a ranch in Leakey, Texas.

To be honest, I wasn’t planning on traveling for the eclipse, but after interviewing Scott, I started to wonder if I’m missing out: He likens viewing an eclipse to some of his peak life experiences, nearly up there with witnessing childbirth. He’s seen four solar eclipses since he started photographing them as a young man, and now he’s a kind of eclipse evangelist.

Maybe you, like me, didn’t make plans to see the eclipse. Or maybe you’ve had your plans locked in since 2022. Either way, Scott has a nugget of wisdom for you, from how to view your first solar eclipse (hint: just enjoy it) to the reason we should all celebrate the sun’s rise every day.

He’s also an avid Airstreamer and has been traveling around the country in a 1968 Overlander named Barbara Jean after his travel-loving mom. He shared how he downsized to the Airstream lifestyle and how this kind of travel allows him freedom to follow his celestial obsessions.

Resources

• Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
• Check out Scott’s website, Explore Scientific.
• Explore Scott’s eclipse trip in April (or just buy a pair of glasses).
• Learn more about seeing the eclipse.
• Follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss an episode.
• Subscribe to AFAR’s YouTube channel for a full video of the conversation.

Meet this week’s guest

• Scott Roberts, founder of Explore Scientific, and eclipse enthusiast

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

The issue of homelessness—or being unhoused, or facing housing scarcity—isn’t something we often talk about when it comes to travel, unless it’s in a negative sense. In this episode, however, we’re going to meet a London-based tour company that’s working on bringing homelessness into the tourism narrative.

It’s called Unseen Tours, a nonprofit founded in 2010 by Jayni Gudka. It offers London tours that touch on many of the city’s most popular sites and neighborhoods—Soho, King’s Cross—with a twist: They’re led by individuals who were once homeless. But the tours are not poverty tourism. They’re history-rich, city-focused walking excursions led by people with a very special kind of knowledge.

Meet this week’s guests

• Rachel Parsons, journalist
• Nic Shaw, guide with Unseen Tours
• Jayni Gudka, CEO of Unseen Tours

Resources

• Read a full transcript of the episode.
• Book a tour with Unseen Tours.
• Follow the podcast to ensure you don’t miss an episode.
• Subscribe to AFAR’s YouTube channel for a full video of the conversation.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

What does it mean when we say we want to "travel like a local?" It's a well-intentioned phrase, but also, well, impossible. In this episode, we'll unpack the concept of local travel. We’ll share tips on how to better connect in a new place, how to embrace our outsider status, and basically how asking ourselves these big questions can make our trips more fulfilling, and make us better guests in the world.

Resources:

Eric Weiner's essay: https://www.afar.com/magazine/five-ways-to-travel-more-responsibly

Eric's book, The Socrates Express: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781501129025

The digital accompaniment to the Unpacked podcast: https://www.afar.com/travel-inspiration/travel-for-good

Dr. Anu Taranath: https://www.anutaranath.com/

Dr. Anu's Book: Beyond Guilt Trips, Mindful Travel in an Unequal World: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781771134323

Jini Reddy: https://www.jinireddy.co.uk/

Jini's book, Wanderland: https://bookshop.org/a/2660/9781472951953

In the world of travel legends, Rick Steves is right up there at the top. Since he launched his company in 1976, he has sent millions of Americans abroad, either through his guided tours or via his many, many guidebooks. But his mission—to “curate culture shock”—comes with a cost.

Rick has long been aware of the environmental impact of encouraging so many people to travel, but he found that carbon offset programs didn’t do enough to alleviate his concerns. So Rick and his team created the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment, which donates $30 for every traveler on their tours to a carefully selected set of nonprofits.

Rick came on the podcast to chat about the program, as well as his views on ethical travel. But the conversation was so wide-ranging and rich—touching on everything from dual-narrative travel to his belief in the power of crossing borders—that we decided to split it into two episodes.

This week’s episode focuses on Rick’s constantly evolving views on travel, his mission, and his belief in self-imposed carbon taxes. And next week, we’ll drill down into his Climate Smart Commitment with his chief operating officer, Craig Davidson.

Resources

• Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
• Listen to Rick’s podcast, Travel With Rick Steves.
• Learn more about the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment.
• Read our story about a climate change reporter who wanted to fly less.
• Check out our primer on carbon offsets and the programs that can make a difference.

Catch up on Unpacked, season two:

• How to Make Hard Travel Funny, According to a Comedian
• The Making of a Patagonian National Park
• Are You Ready to Hand Over Travel Planning to the ChatGPT and AI Bots?
• It’s Not Too Late to Plan Your Summer Travels—Here’s How