Wanderlust Episode 3: Agent of Travel

a map with a passport and camera on top with the text Wanderlust a travel podcast

In this episode, I interview Courtenay a travel consultant for Indy Travel Leaders on what a travel agent/consultant does and how one becomes one as well as her life that’s been immersed in travel.

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Courtenay at the Cliffs of Moher in the Republic of Ireland

You can listen to the episode on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, or Spotify. The transcript for this episode is available as a pdf here: Agent of Travel Transcript

Cool places mentioned in this episode:

a photo of Big Ben from the river with a bridge to the right and a red boat on the water in London

London, UK- a city Courtenay has frequented and studied abroad in. We went together during college, you can read about those adventures here. You can also read about our Hop on Hop off adventure here which she fell asleep on. You can book the same tour we took here.

A road heading into the mountains of ireland

Ireland- where Courtenay and her husband took a road trip. (and another she studied in)

A castle in Scotland on an island with an old stone bridge to the left leading towards a wooded mainland with snow covered mountains in the background and water in the foreground.

Scotland- a country where Courtenay studied abroad in.

Small tables on stone with two chairs at each table along the water as a gondolier passes on the blue waters between buildings in Italy.

Italy- one of the countries Courtenay studied abroad in.

Two tree trunks bending towards one another with lush green leaves above and a hamock strewn between them in the upper left foreground. In the background, behind the trees is the ocean and an anchor resting on the coast in Jamaica.

Jamaica- where as a child Courtenay spent time at for preschool and visited often while growing up.

A statue in the center foreground of a man in monks robes holding a staff in his right hand and a basket in the crook of his left arm and holding possibly a parasol folded onto his shoulder. He his facing the viewer. To the left of the statue is a Thai temple as well as a golden one to the right and a white one filled with mini statues wearing orange robes in the background with blue skies and clouds in the background and bits of greenery including a palm tree spread throughout. Taken, according to the photographer at Wiang Kum Kam, ตำบล ช้างเผือก, Thailand

Thailand- one of Courtenays favorite countries to visit. I’ve been a couple times, if you want to read about my adventures and where I went you can do so here.

A large profile face put together in old blocks of stone in the foreground with more in the background facing at different angles. The stones are old and discolored in spots, darker in areas and with a whiter look in other areas. Taken according to the photographer at Bayon Temple, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Cambodia- arguably Courtenay’s favorite country to visit.

A view from above at some mountains and in-between the mountains are three bodies of water that are green colored. One large one and two small ones. Some clouds, possibly steam is coming off from behind a small hill next to the largest pond. Taken according to the photographer at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

New Zealand- another of Courtenay’s favorites.

A night photo of a city street in Hong Kong with people walking about and neon signs in Chinese and a red car turning and blocking the middle of the road. Taken according to the photographer at Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hong Kong- where Courtenay got stuck for three days with her father due to weather while waiting on a flight.

View from above of the arc de triomphe in Paris where you can clearly see all the roads leading to the round about and how it slices into the city as the city of Paris spreads out.

Paris, France- one of the places Courtenay took her eldest son. You can read about my adventures in Paris here.

A curved three story building with red brick viewed from the rounded corner. The second and third floor are covered with an iron wrapped balcon and between each window space is a large lucious fern and on every piller is a brown pot with a green plant within it. On the first level are two men standing out front on the corner, one leaning against one of the pillars with his arms crossed, the other has his arms behind his back and is looking down the street. On the right are a bunch of blue rental bikes. The nearest is a white one with a chair that someone else pedals. In thes passenger seat is a woman with her legs crossed. There is no driver. Taken in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana- a city Courtenay loved when she visited.

Popular Places that Courtenay books for clients:

A view from within a wooden structure, a hamock to the left and then surrounded by palm trees, further in the distance is a white sandy beach and the ocean. Taken according to the photographer in Tulum, Mexico

Mexico- this, along with the Caribbean is where people are still traveling despite Covid-19. Courtenay has also been here often and has taken her sons here. They loved it.

A sandy beach where the sand is pocketed from many footprints and with a white life guard hut and a small white boat underneath. In the background is the ocean at sunset. Taken according to the photographer at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Verenigde Staten

Florida- You can check out some of my Floridian adventures here.

Sunset or sunrise with a dark sky leading towarsd a pink and orange sky, the viewer is in the middle of the street with palm trees lining either side and parked catrs along the way. The Hollywood sign is in the distance.

California- You can check out some of my California adventures in LA here.

The neon sign stating Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada in small print below it says Vesco and in the background is a billboard saying Welcome to the Show, "show" is yellow and underlined.

Las Vegas

Times Squre New York City at sunrise or sunset. Viewer is in the middle of the road taking a picture down a road with tall sky scrapers on either side covered in advertisements. In front of them is a zebra crosswalk with people crossing and behind them is traffic including a waiting bus.

New York City

Viewer in on a path in Muir Woods. A woman stands in the middle of the path looking up at the tall thin redwood trees. On either side of the path are wooden fences

National Parks in the United States. You can check out my adventures in the United States National Parks here.

Places customers have been traveling to, within driving distance of Indiana:

aerial shot of a lake in Michigan and a long wooden jetty with planks missing. According to the photographer taken at Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, United States

Michigan

A close view of a wide but short waterfall in the middle of a forest

Kentucky- you can read about my adventures in Kentucky here.

Viewer is in the middle of a one way road that has an alley feel due to the narrowness. It is day time. Between brick buildings and balconies covered in flowers or tinsel are large neon signs unlit. The nearest is a large blue one with a piano painted on the bottom of it. It states "Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar" lights are unlit and strewn between buildings and several other neon unlit signs are further in the background including "the embers" "The climax saloon" and "theater" Taken according to the photographer in printer's alley nashville

Tennesse (Nashville)- a popular spot to drive from Indiana but also a place Courtenay talks about in the episode.

Courtenay’s dream trip

Courtenay’s dream trip is to go to Africa, which is an expensive trip. She mentions several things she wants to do but these are two places she specifically mentions.

an aerial view of an island from the blue and green ocean. A boat can be seen heading towards land. Taken, according to the photographer at Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, Black River, Mauritius

Mauritius- where Courtenay’s parents recently went.

In the background is a large flat topped mountain. In the foreground is a city, the viewer is in the ocean looking inward at the boats and port and the city between the ocean and mountains. Taken according to the photographer at V&A Waterfront, Dock Road, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town

Want to take the quiz Courtenay did? You can do it here.  Let me know where it suggests you should go next.

Have you ever used a travel agent/ travel consultant? How did it go? Where did you go? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @wanderlustpod

Below is an embedded podcast feed. The most recent episode will be at the top. To listen to the episode mentioned in this post you are looking for episode 3: Agent of Travel. Select it and hit play to listen or find it at one of the links above. 

The Power of Representation Wanderlust

Today we're joined by Nathalie, a Black travel influencer who runs TravelingNat and Fabulous Nat on Instagram and Youtube. Listen to her travel stories, experiences as a solo traveler vs traveling with her family, her advice,  and how she inspired a new wave of native English teachers by putting her experiences and life in Korea on Youtube, as well as her thoughts on the importance of travel within the Black community and Black travel influencers.  You can find Nathalie on Instagram and Youtube.  Wanderlust is on Twitter @Wanderlustpod or available by email at wanderlustpod@gmail.com. The transcript for this episode is available on the blog. This episode is the season 1 finale. New episodes will return in the spring.  — Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wayfaringflaneur/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wayfaringflaneur/support
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