This is the third part of a monthly, six-episode series celebrating the fact that exactly 40 years ago this year, my family and I spent six months in a striped motorhome travelling around Europe. I was nine years old and yes, this trip had an enormous impact on my life - I'm sure you wouldn't be listening to this podcast today if Van Life 1985 hadn't taken place! Throughout the series, I'll include chats recorded with my Dad this year, extracts from my late Mum's travel diary from 1985, and of course my own memories and thoughts.

In this episode, we move on from Italy to Switzerland, where much of our fun involves mountain and snow. Growing up in Western Australia, none of us had any experience with snow, and we were all thrilled to play in the summer snow we found in alpine Switzerland. You need to listen to find out what we wore during these snowy adventures! We then spent time in Austria, and thanks to my Mum's diary we know we had some good times there too - curiously, neither my Dad nor I remember it well. Travel memories are strange!

A big thanks to Context Travel for sponsoring this series, and an even bigger thanks to my Dad for agreeing to be part of it.

Links:

• Context Travel - https://bit.ly/contexttravel - use the code THOUGHTFULTRAVEL to get 15% off any online booking. Context Travel operate walking tours in cities around the world, and have interesting and qualified subject-matter experts leading your walk
• Listen to Part 1 of Van Life Diaries: Episode 348 - https://notaballerina.com/348
• LIsten to Part 2 of Van Life Diaries: Episode 351 - https://notaballerina.com/351
• Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers
• Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin
• Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com
• Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/355

Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you're given an intriguing invitation or an interesting opportunity on your travels, do you say yes?

I try to whenever possible, and that's led to some very memorable experiences - and the same is true of the three guests in this episode of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast.

First up, Carl Klein explains what happened when he was invited to tag along with a family he'd got to know in northern Colombia, as part of a very important day.

I then chat with Tracy Collins about her brave "yes" moment, which led to a lifetime of fun and friendship.

Finally, Chiara Barbera explains that although her cousin tried to put her off agreeing to a particular offer in Italy, saying "yes" led to quite the epiphany and a major passion and goal in life.

Links:

• Carl Klein - Lost Canyon Imports - https://www.lostcanyonimports.com/
• Tracy Collins - UK Travel Planning https://uktravelplanning.com and Global Travel Planning at https://globaltravelplanning.com
• Chiara’s Assaggio platform - https://experience-assaggio.com/
• Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers
• Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin
• Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com
• Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/354

Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's a bus, train or subway, using any kind of public transport or transit system when you're travelling can be very eye-opening (and a lot of fun!). In my opinion it's a much better way to get to know a place you're visiting, and of course it's also usually the most budget-friendly way of getting around, another bonus.

In this episode you'll hear from four guests who have stories to share about their use of public transport across the world. Ros Belford has some lovely stories about bus drivers in Italy; Martha Waslen talks about the famous subway of New York and the nearly equally well-known trains of Tokyo; Scott Antcliffe compares his experience of public transport in the UK with recent travels in Singapore and Berlin; and Megan Frye gives a good explanation of some of the reasons why public transport helps you get to know a city, and even a country.

Links:

• Ros Belford - https://rosbelford.com
• Ros’s book Children of the Volcano - https://amzn.to/4dq2vpz
• Martha’s DayAway platform - https://mydayaway.com
• Scott Antcliffe’s website - https://www.scottantcliffephoto.co.uk/
• Scott’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottantcliffephoto/
• Megan Frye - https://www.meganfrye.com/
• BlaBlaCar - https://www.blablacar.com/
• Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers
• Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin
• Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com
• Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/353

Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.