Listen to the full conversation with Meredith and Dorenda on the Type 2 Travel podcast.

If someone who literally gets set on fire for a living can book a trip to Morocco right after a divorce, what's actually stopping you?

I recently sat down with Meredith Richardson and Dorenda Moore—two professional Hollywood stunt doubles who joined my Morocco trip—to talk about fear, risk, and why the people who do the most "dangerous" things are often the calmest travelers.

Here's what they taught me about overcoming travel fear…

The Problem: We Confuse Unfamiliar with Unsafe

Just because something is unfamiliar doesn't make it unsafe.

When we hear "Morocco" or "hot air balloon ride," our minds jump to worst-case scenarios. We focus on the one plane crash, the one negative news story, the one friend who got food poisoning after eating street food in Thailand.

As Dorenda said, "People hear all the stories about the horrors of what could happen, and that keeps you from actually experiencing the reality of what does happen."

There are hundreds of hot air balloons flying over Mexico City every single morning, year-round. I've heard of one singular accident in the four years I have been taking groups there.

But which story makes headlines?

Image 1: Two women standing in front of a turquoise ornate door with "FOLK" lettering above them in Morocco. — *Meredith + Dorenda, Morocco 2024*

Lesson #1: Real Danger vs. Perceived Danger

Meredith and Dorenda assess risk for a living. Before any stunt, they calculate:

👉 What could go wrong?

👉 What safety measures exist?

👉 What's the realistic outcome?

Real danger: Based on statistics and concrete evidence.
Perceived danger: Based on unfamiliarity and scary stories.

Dorenda explained: "My desire to actually experience it and see it is greater than the fear of what could happen."

Try this: Before writing off a destination as "too dangerous," look at actual statistics. Talk to people who've been there. Separate what you've heard from what's true.

Lesson #2: Fear Doesn't Mean Don't Do It

Meredith and Dorenda aren't fearless. Meredith's biggest fear? Anything related to vomit—seeing it, smelling it, touching it…hell, even mentioning it on the podcast made her skin crawl. Dorenda would rather jump off a building than give a speech to 100 people:

"Almost every single stunt that I do scares the hell out of me. If it doesn't, I probably wouldn't be very smart in what I was doing."

Fear is information, not a stop sign.

She explained it perfectly: "You just realize, okay, I'm not dying, I'm just scared. It's the fear of not knowing what you're about to do that's really scary, instead of what you're actually doing. When you're in the middle of it, you just feel the sheer joy."

Try this: When you're scared about booking a trip, ask yourself: "Am I in danger, or just scared because this is unfamiliar?" Focus on the next step, not the entire overwhelming picture.

Woman in white tank top and black pants boxing with a male trainer in blue shirt at an outdoor Cuban boxing gym. — *Meredith training with a professional boxer in Cuba, 2025*

Lesson #3: Surround Yourself with People Doing the Scary Thing

Meredith nailed this: "If you surround yourself with people doing the things that you're scared of, you can be like, maybe it isn't that scary."

This is why group travel works.

On my last Mexico City trip, one woman was nearly in tears as we ascended in the hot air balloon. Nothing anyone said helped, and I could tell she was on the verge of a breakdown, so I just let her be. But slowly, I watched her calm down. She stopped gripping the basket. Started looking at the view. Taking pictures. By landing, she said, "Oh my God, I'm so glad I did that."

Try this: If you're scared, find a group or guide (🙋🏻‍♀️) who's done it before. Let other people's experience pull you forward.

Lesson #4: The Anticipation Is Worse Than the Reality

Dorenda said it best: "It's the fear of not knowing what you're about to do that's really scary, instead of what you're actually doing."

The hardest part of any scary thing—a stunt, a hot air balloon, booking your first international trip—is the moment before you commit.

Meredith: "The outcome of me doing this thing that I'm scared of is going to be so much more rewarding than if I didn't go for it."

Try this: Remind yourself that the anticipation is almost always worse than the reality. On the other side of that fear is a story you'll tell forever.

The Day Stunt Doubles Saved Our Trip

Here's a story that illustrates everything I've been talking about.

We were in the Sahara Desert with Meredith and Dorenda in 2024 right after a historic flash flood hit. Yes, the desert flooded. There were lakes in the sand dunes. Because the water hadn’t dried up yet, our 4x4 got stuck in the mud.

The guys driving couldn't get us out—driving in mud is not part of their day-to-day, and they weren’t equipped to handle it. They were spinning wheels, digging deeper.

Then Dorenda—all five-foot-two of her—springs into action, barking orders like the amazing stunt coordinator that she is. She organized all the women to push the vehicle out.

She found rocks for traction. Got everyone out to reduce weight. Coordinated the push. We got that car out when the guys couldn't.

Meredith was barefoot in the mud. The men washed her feet afterward. It was ridiculous and perfect.

Dorenda didn't panic. She assessed the situation, identified the problem, and executed a solution. Because that's what she does every day at work.

Lesson #5: Don't Let Fear Paralyze You

When I asked what they'd tell someone who's too scared to travel:

Meredith: "Just do it. It's gonna be so worth it, I promise. It'll give you way more confidence to do other things in life. If you just keep going, it'll get easier every time."

Dorenda: "Don't let fear paralyze you from doing what you wanna do. There are so many wonderful experiences out there, and if you just let fear paralyze you, you're missing out."

That word—paralyze—is key. Fear can inform you, guide you, and help you make smart decisions. But when it stops you from booking that trip or trying that activity, you're robbing yourself of life-changing experiences.

Blonde woman in red bikini top and denim shorts sitting playfully on the hood of a bright pink vintage car in Havana's Revolution Square, Cuba. — *Meredith in Cuba, 2025*

What Are You Really Afraid Of?

Before you write off that trip, ask yourself what you're actually afraid of:

Physical danger? (Check the actual statistics)
Getting lost? (You have GPS and locals who can help)
Not speaking the language? (Translation apps and pointing work everywhere)
Looking stupid? (Nobody cares as much as you think)
Something going wrong? (It probably will, and you'll handle it)
The unknown? (This is the real one)

Most of the time, we're just afraid of not knowing what to expect. And you can't know until you do it.

Your "dangerous" destination is someone else's Tuesday. The hot air balloon that terrifies you? The pilot does it twice daily. That "scary" country? Millions of people live completely normal lives there.

The Bottom Line

Meredith and Dorenda aren't superhuman. They're not fearless. They just have a different relationship with fear.

They've learned:

Fear is information, not a stop sign
Most "dangers" are just unfamiliarity
The anticipation is worse than the reality
Surrounding yourself with people doing the scary thing makes it less scary
Confidence comes from doing the thing, not waiting until you feel ready

Dorenda is going to Kenya with me in March. After her divorce, she thought that dream was over.

"I realized there's nothing outside of what I wanna do that I can't do when it comes to travel,” she explained.

Meredith has been on two of my trips and is planning to come to Camp Lola Whiskey in 2026. After Morocco, she was hooked. The first leap made the next one easier.

You do the scary thing once, and suddenly the next scary thing doesn't seem quite as scary.

So What's Stopping You?

If women who get set on fire for a living can push outside their comfort zones, what's your excuse?

Most of the fears holding you back are based on perception, not reality.

The hot air balloon that terrifies you? You can do it.

The international trip that feels overwhelming? You can handle it.

The group of strangers that makes you nervous? They might become your best friends.

As Meredith said: "If you just keep going, it'll get easier and easier every time."

Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the Type 2 Travel podcast episode with Meredith and Dorenda.

Ready to take the leap? Check out my upcoming trips.

P.S. Dorenda chose "get punched in the face" over "navigate a foreign city." Meredith chose "get set on fire" over "deal with airline customer service." What would you choose?

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