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Puffer fish, take cover! Alun's attempting the freediving world record in Siargao, Philippines, after learning freediving breathing techniques. Eagerly signing up for a Spearfishing for Beginners course run by a handsome Spanish instructor, he quickly realises spearfishing is not only difficult, but also humiliating. "Any fish" doesn't always mean any fish!

Vagabot 3000 is off on another backpacking adventure, this time to Guatemala City. Will it be Adam or Alun who's crowned Hostel Wars champion? The search continues for the worst... I mean 'most authentic' hostel.

Tales of a Trip returns with an inspiring travel story. This time, a young Frenchman who's proactivity and patience has lead him all the way to Bolivia by motorbike!

Prepare for Filipino fun, spearfishing fails, and perhaps a little travel envy.

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Send your travel stories to: https://www.tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.

Love is in the air! This week a listener shares her romantic travel story of kissing a stranger on a plane! Making the most of the in-flight entertainment, a travel romance blossoms at 35,000 feet, putting the 'lust' in wanderlust! Has the Mile High Club gained two new members?

Following in Anthony Bourdain's footsteps, Alun dives head first into Filipino food culture, attending a traditional Fiesta in Siargao. The Philippines is world-famous for it's Lechon; does Alun agree that it's the "best pig on planet earth"?

In this week's Tripological Reasoning, Adam recounts his hostel horror story of a backpacking UFC fan shadowboxing at 6am, waking up the entire hostel in the process. The gloves are off!

Send your crazy travel stories to: https://www.tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

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Pad Thai is Thailand's National dish but is it authentic Thai food? Is the Pad Thai an overrated tourist trap that has its roots elsewhere? We find out the real story behind Thailand's most iconic dish in this week's rather spicy episode! What's a white guy got to do to find some 'authentic' Asian food around here?

We continue the Thailand theme in Tales of a Trip, as we hear from a listener who's been backpacking Southeast Asia. On their trip through Thailand, they had a travel epiphany whilst wrestling with a scooter. This one's not for beginners!

Adam also shares the story of his nail-biting flight into Queenstown. Adam's a nervous flyer at the best of times... This amount of turbulence will have you out of your seat, literally!

Tune in for Thai food culture, backpacking tips and travel stories!

What's your favourite Thai food? Submit your travel stories to: https://www.tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.

In this episode of Tripology: Travel Podcast, the stakes are higher than ever before, as Alun puts it all on the line in the most nerve-wracking edition of Tripping Point yet. If he fails, he'll quit travelling! Will Alun be crowned travel quiz champion or will he be on the next flight home?

We discuss how to stay fit whilst backpacking, and share how we build exercise into our travel plans. We also hear a heartfelt message from a listener in this week's Tales of a Trip, proving that travel gives you the time and space to gain new perspectives.

Tune in for travel trivia, backpacking tips, and stories from the road... This episode is not to be missed!

How many Tripping Point questions did you answer correctly? Submit your travel stories to: https://www.tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

Need travel insurance? We recommend SafetyWing! Click here to get started: ⁠⁠⁠https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26035801&utm_source=26035801&utm_medium=Ambassador

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.

Is social media ruining travel? We explore whether overexposure to travel destinations is setting us up for disappointment, ensuring our travel expectations cannot be met.

In this episode of Tripology Podcast, we unpack how social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and even travel blogs, impact how we experience travel —and how it might be making us less happy on the road.

We discuss the psychology behind the Instagram vs Reality meme and ask: is travel content killing spontaneity?

Hostel Common Room returns with a fantastic email from a listener, one which will resonate with many: does overplanning dull the experience?

Stay tuned for Tales of a Trip, as we hear a story from a listener who stayed with a Monastic community, only to discover she would be cooking mash potato for 500 people in one of France's largest commercial kitchens!

The topics we cover in this episode include:

- "The Golden Age of travel": Pre-2020 vs Backpacking in 2025

- How hostels & backpackers have changed

- The rise of the Digital Nomad and how digital nomads have impacted hostel culture

- Backpacker diets & hostel kitchens

- How expectations govern happiness, sharing some of our biggest backpacking let-downs.

We'd love to hear from you! Submit your own travel story to: ⁠https://tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip⁠

Need travel insurance? We recommend SafetyWing! Click here to get started: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26035801&utm_source=26035801&utm_medium=Ambassador⁠

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.

This week we introduce a new segment: Hostel Wars - We present AI Travel Bot 'Vagabot 3000' (definitely not ChatGPT) with two accommodation options in Kotor, Montenegro. In the hope of backpacking Europe, Vagabot 3000 must pick the worst hostel based on genuine hostel reviews, continuing the search for the most 'authentic' experience.

Tales of a Trip takes a romantic but embarrassing turn, as we hear from a Brazilian backpacker who unknowingly let himself go in Indonesia. No amount of diarrhoea would stop this traveler finding true love.

We'd love to hear from you! Submit your own travel story to: https://tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

Before Hostel Wars and Tales of a Trip, we discuss:
- Competitive backpacking and travel one-upmanship
- Adam's 7-Eleven friend in Hong Kong

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Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It means the world.

A backpacking trip to India takes a wild turn when friend of the show Will Hatton, aka The Broke Backpacker, finds himself surrounded by 100 monkeys — while tripping on LSD. In this psychedelic travel tale, Will recounts how a peaceful sunset at a Rajasthani fortress spiralled into monkey madness.

This is the first edition of Tales of a Trip: a brand-new segment on Tripology Podcast where fellow travellers and listeners of the show share their greatest travel stories — prepare for wild animal encounters, holiday romances, near-death experiences and once in a lifetime adventures.

Submit your own travel story to: https://tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

Before we get to Will's stellar travel story, we speak about:

- Manila and the Philippines: coffee culture & globalisation

- Alun shares the hilarious story of his Workaway experience in Hanoi, Vietnam, which saw him breaking into a building at midnight.

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Please rate the show and help us grow! Recommend the podcast to family & friends (all of them). It makes a HUGE difference! Thank you for your continued support; it means the world.

It's Alun's turn this week, as he relives one of his greatest travel stories! Whilst walking the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa, he was attacked and mugged by a Zimbabwean gang; the gang were armed with knives, machetes, and a rusty screwdriver!

After a year travelling the continent of Africa, and with a flight to New Zealand booked for the very next day, was Alun lucky to escape or did he push his luck too far? Tune in to hear the full story!

We'd love to hear from you! Send in your greatest travel story here: ⁠tripologypodcast.com/talesofatrip

Need travel insurance? We recommend SafetyWing! Click here to get started: ⁠⁠⁠https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=26035801&utm_source=26035801&utm_medium=Ambassador
Require an onward flight? Please use this fantastic flight rental service: ⁠⁠⁠https://onwardticket.com/tripologypodcast⁠⁠⁠
Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/tripologypodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@tripologypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please rate the show and help us grow! Recommend the podcast to family & friends (all of them). It makes a HUGE difference. Thank you for your continued support. It means the world.