At 20 years old, after graduating from university, Krysten Kaladkarin decided to take a quick trip to Cambodia before heading to law school. Instead, she burned her return ticket and hasn’t returned home since. For the last five years, Krysten has been hitchhiking and hiking the borders of over 20 countries, from Cambodia to Ukraine. In this episode, Krysten discusses the countless challenges she has faced as a solo traveler, navigating border crossings with a passport from a developing country, and challenging stereotypes.

Join hosts Saskia and Max for the Layover Lounge — the travel talk show that brings you the latest travel headlines, your tourism traffic report and lesser known locations to inspire your next adventure. In this week’s episode, we look into how gas prices may or may not affect international airfare, discuss our worst breakdown stories and explore Thailand’s secret Monkey City.

Before she turned 30, Kasey Hardin decided to ditch her nine-to-five job, bought a van and embarked on an adventure to South America. But the trip didn’t always go as planned. Her 15-year-old van broke down constantly, leaving her stranded in often treacherous situations. In episode 20, Kasey offers a look into the highs and lows of a life-changing adventure, and offers advice for those who are looking to do the same.

Join hosts Jon, Saskia and Max for the Layover — the travel talk show that brings you the latest travel headlines, your tourism traffic report and lesser-known locations to inspire your next adventure. In this week’s episode, we look into the Argentinian Blue Dollar and how you can make the most of your currency exchange abroad, explain Cuba’s current tourism status and explore Uppsala, Sweden as a new holiday destination.

Jessica Montgomery has always been a high achiever. So when she needed a break from her busy life as an attorney, sitting on the beach sipping cocktails wasn’t her first choice. Instead, she decided to climb the highest mountain in Africa — Mt. Kilimanjaro. In this episode Jessica talks about what it takes to train to climb the fourth tallest mountain on earth, gives tips on navigating the ethics of the porter industry and recounts her epic journey to the summit. 

Join hosts Jon, Saskia and Max for the Layover Lounge — the travel talk show that brings you the latest travel headlines, your tourism traffic report and lesser known locations to inspire your next adventure. In this week’s episode, we investigate the a Tik Tok that made waves in the travel community, discuss scuba diving and adrenaline travel, and explore Bratislava, Slovakia as a new holiday destination.

For the last few years, Kelan Dammers has been traveling the world with one main goal on his mind: wingsuit BASE jumping. In this episode, Kelan recalls flying over some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world and details a few close calls along the way.

Episode 15: The Layover — French Customer Service, Montenegro and Travel during Ukraine Crisis

Join hosts Jon, Saskia and Max for the Layover Lounge — Terilyn Steverson was getting cabin fever after being stuck at home for a year during the COVID-19 pandemic. So when Iceland became one of the first countries to open up to U.S. tourists, she booked her ticket without a second thought. Little did she know that it would become her “best” and “worst” trip yet. In Episode #14 Terilyn recalls the challenge of solo camping in the desolate Iceland wilderness with little to no experience outdoors.

Join hosts Jonathan Otero, Saskia Hatvany and Maximille Gonzales for the Layover Lounge — the casual travel talk show that brings you the latest travel headlines, your tourism traffic report and lesser known locations to inspire your next adventure. In this week’s episode, we discuss travel anxiety, overtourism in the Cenotes of Tulum, Mexico and what travel is going to look like post the Omicron surge.

In his 30’s, Javier Labourt was a psychologist looking for a way to combine two things that he loved: travel and psychology. That’s when it hit him: what if I was able to leverage travel as a form of impactful therapy and self help? Since then, Javier has developed a five-step psychology method, become a TEDx speaker and is working towards getting his own travel television show. In this episode, Javier “the travel psychologist” talks about how travel can be applied to face one’s fears, build confidence and achieve higher overall happiness.

The Layover — Irrational Fears and Travel Safety, Where to Draw the Line? (pt.2)

Episode 10: The Layover — Eco-Tourism and How to Get a Working Holiday Visa (pt.1)

Like many college students, Karina Boyea wanted to take a gap year to travel abroad. There was only one problem — she had a very limited budget. In episode 9, Karina reveals how she managed to travel the most expensive continent in the world on less than $20 a day, spending less than $1000 during her seven week stay in Europe.

John Putrino had just gone through a difficult loss when he decided to ditch his nine-to-five job to travel full-time in his pickup truck. In episode 8, John talks about becoming a wilderness guide, making mistakes in the great outdoors and having to flee a historic flash flood.

After graduating from high school, Sandor Hatvany wanted to take a gap year before going to college, but he also wanted to challenge himself. After hearing about the Australian Working Holiday Visa program, Sandor flew to Sydney at just 18 years old and started looking for work on fruit farms. There was only one problem, it was nowhere near fruit-picking season. In Episode 7, Sandor recalls crashing a tractor, chasing after an unruly herd of cattle, and facing the brutal nature of the dairy industry in the Australian Outback.

When Natalie Oganesyan embarked on a marathon hiking trip across the western United States, she was hoping for a physical and emotional challenge - but, she never expected to have to run for her life. In this episode, Natalie travels to 10 national parks, adopts a stray cat while on the road and narrowly escapes a fast-moving wildfire.

Luna Benichou had been warned about the sometimes predatory nature of spiritual centers in India. Only a few weeks into her yoga apprenticeship, she started to notice that something was off. Luna recounts her frightening experience escaping a manipulative fraudulent “guru," and talks about cultural appropriation and the dark side of the spiritual industry.

When Nick Collins and his friends embarked on a backpacking trip in Alaska, they expected that they might see a bear or two. But nothing prepared them for what they would encounter on the rugged Kodiak Island. Nick recounts his epic salmon-fishing trip in the remote Alaskan wilderness and talks about fearing for his life, staying safe while backpacking, and what to do when faced with a 1,000-pound predator.

Every year since she was a child, 23-year-old Anya Doherty flew thousands of miles across the world to visit friends and family. But as her concern for the environmental implications of air travel grew, she set out to find a way to get from London to San Franciso without flying on a single airplane. Her solution — booking a cabin on a commercial cargo ship. Anya recounts her unique and fascinating journey halfway around the world, talks about travel sustainability, slow travel, and facing her fears.