Let me set the scene: I'm coming home from Greece, jet-lagged, with an eight-hour layover at O'Hare. I set an alarm, put my head down at my gate, and pass out.

I wake up in a fog. Everyone around me is gone. Never a good sign.

My gate has changed to an entirely different concourse. So there I am, sprinting through O'Hare with a backpack full of Greek pottery weighing 40 pounds, literally dying, having a full-on asthma attack.

That was the hardest run I've done in a very long time.

Which is why when I sat down to talk with Joe Baur - a travel writer who runs ultra marathons through countries for a living - I had to laugh. Because while I'm over here proud of my 10-minute pottery sprint, this guy is out here running 60+ miles a day through Nepal, getting pneumonia on day two of an eight-day stage race, and still finishing.

I will never be a runner. But here's the thing: After talking with Joe, I realized his approach to travel resonates with me on a level that has nothing to do with running...

You have three tabs open comparing flights. You've read 47 blog posts about what to pack. You've calculated the budget six different ways. But you still haven't clicked "Book Now."

It's probably not about the money. And it's definitely not about finding the "perfect time."

I sat down with life coach Bonnie Surie to talk about why smart, capable people create elaborate barriers between themselves and the things they actually want. What we discovered: the limiting beliefs that stop you from booking a trip are the same ones keeping you stuck everywhere else in life.

Let's dig into what's really stopping you—and how to finally take action.

Let's talk about the stuff nobody posts on Instagram. Like the moment you're desperately tapping your tour guide's shoulder on a Moroccan highway: "I really need to go. Like, now."

This is Mel Ripp's story—from Door County encyclopedia reader to someone who handles roadside emergencies with remarkable grace. If you've ever worried that travel isn't for you because you have food sensitivities, get lost in airports, or aren't "adventurous enough"—this one's for you.

The unglamorous moments? They're the ones that transform you.

While Cuba is famous for classic cars, cigars, and free healthcare, the reality of daily life tells a very different story. Based on my conversation with Andres, a Cuban tour guide who has spent his entire 38 years on the island, here are the eye-opening truths about Cuban life that most tourists never see - from highly educated doctors who earn less than waiters to locals who've never tasted the "Cuban" cocktails served to visitors.

Patagonia isn't a country—it's a region spanning both Chile and Argentina. And choosing which side to visit sparks heated debates among travelers. Travel writer Steph Dyson, who lived in Chile for three years, breaks down the real differences: "The Argentines are so good at tooting their own horns... but the Chileans frustrate me because they just need to promote themselves a little bit better."

While most people think "Argentina" when they hear Patagonia, that's largely due to superior marketing rather than superior experiences. Chilean Patagonia offers more diverse landscapes, better value, and authentic experiences without the crowds—but requires more planning to discover its hidden gems.

There's literally a handbook for military wives—and it's time to throw it out the window. As a travel professional, I meet military spouses constantly who feel trapped by expectations. My recent conversation with travel writer Kim Kephart, who's lived across Europe and Asia as a military spouse, opened my eyes to just how restrictive military wife culture can be—and how some women are breaking free through solo travel and independent living.

What happens when you take 30 adults, put them in the Wisconsin Dells with craft cocktails and summer camp activities, then throw in epic storms, a pickle fountain, and spontaneous tattoo decisions? You get Camp Lola Whiskey - the inaugural summer camp for grownups that turned into an unforgettable weekend of chaos, connection, and pure Wisconsin magic. From Rachel's two-day commitment to adventure to Megan's impromptu old fashioned tattoo before catching her flight home, this weekend proved that sometimes the best adventures come from embracing chaos with good people.

Let's be honest - nobody gets excited about buying travel insurance. It's not Instagram-worthy, it's not fun to research, and most of us would rather spend that money on literally anything else. But after witnessing countless travel disasters and talking with travel insurance expert Erin Fish, I'm here to set the record straight on the myths that could ruin your trip. From why your credit card "coverage" probably isn't enough to the real cost of medical care abroad, these are the 7 travel insurance myths every traveler needs to stop believing.

The world feels pretty intense right now, and it's no wonder so many people are second-guessing their travel plans. Between endless news cycles and global conflicts, that voice asking "but what if something happens?" gets louder every day. But here's the thing: there's a difference between being smart about travel and letting fear keep you home forever. A travel industry expert with over 25 years of experience shares how to navigate your fears, assess real vs. perceived risks, and become a prepared traveler (not a paranoid one) in today's uncertain world.

So there I was in Antalya, Turkey, on what was supposed to be a romantic double date, except the guy was a total asshole and there was only one of him. My travel buddy Kari and I were stuck at dinner with this insufferable man who kept interrogating us like we were applying for citizenship instead of just trying to have a drink. That's when Kari started swirling her wine glass and accidentally created an international incident involving fake American traditions and armpit fart noises. Nobody talks about this stuff in travel guides, but these ridiculous disasters? They're the moments that stick with you long after you've forgotten what you ate for breakfast in that beautiful café overlooking the Mediterranean.

When leadership coach Andrea Andree felt overwhelmed and bored by working mom life, a solo trip to Cuba changed everything. Despite leaving her husband and two kids at home, she returned as a better mother—more present, energized, and authentic. Learn how she overcame the three major fears that hold parents back from solo travel: fear of death, mom guilt, and control issues. Discover practical strategies for planning your own solo adventure, handling critics, and why modeling self-care teaches your children that the world is big, exciting, and accessible. Sometimes the most generous thing we can do for our families is to remain fully ourselves—adventures and all.

What happens when a travel photographer prioritizes authenticity over Instagram perfection?

Allie Jorde, the 28-year-old "desert rat with a camera" behind Allie Jorde Creative, joined the Type 2 Travel podcast to share her refreshingly honest approach to travel photography. From her early days shooting weddings in Arizona to documenting retreats across the globe, Allie's philosophy is simple: capture people as they really are.

"The best camera is the one that you already have," she insists, debunking the myth that you need expensive equipment for great travel photos. Whether it's a smartphone or an old Canon Rebel, authentic storytelling matters more than gear.

Her approach to balancing presence with documentation? "Take a photo of whatever I'm seeing and then put it down. It really doesn't matter if I got that shot... I'm still gonna have this amazing memory in my head."