The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

Former World Bank director Nigel Roberts hiked 724 kilometres across one of the most remote regions in Nepal after losing both his wife and daughter following their struggles with bipolar disorder and addiction.
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Here, he talks to us about the challenges of trying to process his grief on his two-month hike. Nigel wrote about his experience in his heartfelt new memoir, The Leopard and the Moon out now. 
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Nigel is currently back walking the full length of Nepal and says travellers should not cancel their travel plans despite the flood in August. He says what happened impacted one river valley, and the locals desperately need your tourism dollars. 
We also discuss Skytrax's latest airline rankings, the new credit card surcharges, and The World Awaits has been listed as one of the top 42 rising travel podcasts in a global ranking! 

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Love Rome but feel like you've been there, done that?
Come with us for a weekend in the Eternal City where you'll leave feeling like you've fully immersed in all the culture Italy's capital offers, without once venturing to the main tourist spots.
Co-host Kirstie Bedford explores the best way to weekend in Rome, starting with staying at Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome, a palace built over the ruins of an ancient Roman bathhouse where there's Michelin-starred dining and sprawling suites where celebrities have stayed.
Then go out on a food tour in the residential neighbourhood of Testaccio with Bonsy in Tour guide Manuela Valenti, who calls this region home and all the locals are her friends.
Think Roman pastries, artisan meats, aged cheese, gelato and a good dose of Roman history.
We also discuss the new rules around credit card travel insurance changes, the knickers that are the newest travel hack you need to know about, Belle's up for a big award, and we give you the lowdown on Lonely Planet's best travel destinations for 2027.
Read Kirstie's hotel review on Karryon here: https://karryon.com.au/luxury/anantara-palazzo-naiadi-rome/
Lonely Planet's full list is here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel
Roamies undies are here: https://roamies.store/
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Algeria is calling – did you hear it? Located between the powerhouses of Morocco and Egypt,  North Africa’s largest country remains off the beaten path. But that's all changing, says James Willcox, founder of adventure travel company Untamed Borders. 
Named BBC Travel's #2 must-visit country in 2026, Algeria is opening up its Roman ruins, medieval walled cities, Mediterranean coastline and the deep, deep Sahara to travellers, says James.  He joins us to talk about its music, fabulously preserved archeological sites, the fascinating Tuareg people and the deep, deep Sahara, 
You can join Belle and Untamed Borders on her travel-writing tour to Algeria, an adventure through the Sahara and souqs, kasbahs and the footprints of civilisations past; departs March 2027. For more, visit globalsalsa.com
Also, is Japan the new Bali? New travel data from the Australian Travel Industry Association suggests we're going loco for Tokyo. Also, we love babies, but do we want to share a 14-hour flight with a wailing babe (that's not yours!)? We've got a few canny tricks up our sleeves for a tears-free, long-haul flight. And the airlines that are most accommodating may surprise you.
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Elephants, tea, ancient cities and fish markets; Belle is in the guest's seat this week, talking about travelling through the cultural triangle of central Sri Lanka.
We're talking coconut hoppers with pineapple jam, cave temples and best times to visit the UNESCO sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla. Belle flew Jetstar's inaugural flight from Melbourne to Colombo, travelling with Intrepid Travel and staying with Sri Lankan hoteliers Jetwing Hotels.
We're also looking at the best places to eat in southwest USA, which now has its own Michelin guide. Too rich for your wallet? Don't forget the Bib Gourmand rating for classic regional dishes at affordable prices.
And our tip this week is how to shut down a chatty seatmate on flights; we're quoting flight-attendant-turned-etiquette-coach Jacqueline Whitmore, tune in for our take on this story in Travel & Leisure magazine. 
Links: Check out the new Michelin guide to eating in the USA's southwest states and and their best places to eat near London Tube stations.
Jetstar now flies Melbourne-Colombo direct; jetstar.com
Intrepid Travel has 11 Sri Lankan itineraries intrepidtravel.com
 Sri Lanka's Jetwing Hotels offer value, stylish mid-range and new luxury villa stays, jetwinghotels.com
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Want to escape the crowd? Support the locals? Travel better? 
Join us as we count down the 10 best destinations to visit in 2027, according to Intrepid Travel, where you can support local communities and have extraordinary experiences, from spotting rare wildlife in Africa to walking through tea plantations or letting the energy of the Northern Lights wash across you. 
Intrepid's annual Not Hot list encourages us to explore under-the-radar destinations where our tourism dollar really can benefit local communities, who are ready and prepared with infrastructure to support tourism. 
Also, would you trust AI to plan your holiday? Australian government advisory travel website Smartraveller has a thing or two to say about this hot topic...
To read the full Not Hot list, visit intrepidtravel.com/au/not-hot-list
And Smartraveller on AI holiday planning smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/travel-planning-ai 

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