Recently I traveled to Kentucky for an archaeological fieldwork project. This project took place at Cumberland Gap National Park and involved trekking deep in the wilderness. Steep slopes, dense vegetation, trip hazards, and freezing temperatures were constant companions. Some days were challenging, and there were moments when I doubted myself out there. However, I told myself a certain phrase in my head to help me change my mindset. And that was, "This is the type of shit that legends are...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I'm joined by Caresa Lamers, creator and author of the travel blog, This Spontaneous Life. Caresa is someone that I've been connected to for a good while now. And one thing that I've always found fascinating about her is her willingness to get out and travel at the drop of a dime. This spontaneous way of traveling stemmed from a realization that she had a few years back. She thought that she had it all figured out. She had incredible...

Details matter! This was a lesson that I learned fairly early in my life. When I was in the Marine Corps, as well as the Peace Corps, missing or neglecting even small details could potentially have lead to much bigger problems later on. Therefore, I made it a point to pay close attention to them. And I think that it has saved me from many headaches. Not only during my travels and adventures, but also in other areas of my life. In this episode of Travel Reflections, I talk a little bit about...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I'm joined by ecclesiastical historian and buildings archaeologist, Dr. Emma Wells. Dr. Wells developed a passion for history at a young age. When her grandmother would take her to many different churches and historical sights around the UK. This passion eventually led her to the University of York (my alma mater!). Where she earned a BA in History of Art and an MA in Buildings Archeology. From there she went on to Durham University to...

Recently I was interviewed for another podcast where I talked about my time living in The Gambia, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. Although it was a very challenging experience, there were a lot of positive takeaways. One of which was not being connected to the internet 24/7, and being able to be present in the moment. The internet and social media can be great tools. With them, I've been able to connect with some incredible podcast guests and other amazing people. However, I've also...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I welcome back author, adventurer, TEDx speaker, and Fear Guru, Patrick Sweeney. Fear was something that constantly lurked over Patrick during the first 30 years of his life. With flying being one of his greatest fears. This led to missed opportunities to study abroad, failed business deals, missing out on adventures, and much more. He attributes all of the fear that he felt to be one of the primary causes of him being diagnosed with a...

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to the US Virgin Islands to conduct archaeological fieldwork! While I was there, I met a man who used the term Island Time. Upon hearing that term, I began to notice that things tend to move a little bit slower on the island. And things don't seem to be all that rushed. This led me to think and reflect on the importance of slowing things from time-to-time and being present in the moment. Which in this fast-paced world that's full of distractions, that...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I talk with storm chaser and public speaker, Chelsea Burnett. Ever since she was a young girl, Chelsea has been fascinated with the weather and storms. While growing up in Oklahoma, right in the midst of Tornado Alley, tornados and intense thunderstorms were common. And it didn't take long until she realized that she wanted to become a storm chaser. Though down the line, storm chasing was placed on the back burner as she had to fulfill...

A lesson learned from my travels that has really stuck with me is that I have much to be grateful for! I've seen first hand what poverty looks like in developing countries. Where the environment can be harsh and the resources scarce. This was especially the case while I was living in The Gambia, West Africa during my Peace Corps service. It goes without saying that it was challenging to live there. However, I was able to make it through just fine because my basic needs were met. Mostly...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I talk with world traveler and serial expat, David McNeill. David has covered a lot of ground throughout his time traveling and living abroad. While growing up, he became very interested in Japan and sought to visit the country someday. He began studying Japanese culture and the language in-depth in order to prepare ahead of time. This led to a very enriching experience when he first visited the country. Eventually, he made the decision...

Words can be very powerful! Not just the words that we say to others, but also the words that we say to ourselves. Bruce Lee once said, "As you think, so shall you become." I've reflected on this quote many times throughout my life. Especially during times when I experienced failure. If I were to beat myself up over my failures, then they became downward spirals that were hard to get out of. But if I took ownership of my failures, learned from them, and told myself that I can become better,...

For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I talk with former US Marine, archer, master bowmaker, and survival expert, Correy Hawk. Correy has an extensive and diverse background. He joined the Marine Corps at the age of 20 and served for four years. During that time he went on a couple of deployments to the Middle East to work as a Motor Transport Operator. Following his service, he dove into his passion for archery and the outdoors. A passion that led him to begin building and...

My time living in The Gambia, West Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer made for some fond memories! Though there were also many challenges that I faced. And times when I was put in some precarious situations that I had to overcome. Such as being stranded on the side of a road! During these moments, I had to keep a level head and think critically in order to get through them. In this episode of Travel Reflections, I share a couple of those stories with you all. I also talk about the mindset...

Scuba diving is a topic that has been brought up on the podcast before, though not discussed in depth. My guest today has had the opportunity to dive at some incredible places and has some amazing stories to share! For this episode of The All-Around Adventure Podcast, I talk with PADI scuba instructor and marine conservationist, Caitlin McCall. Caitlin has logged hundreds of dives around the world! She started off her diving journey at a young age. Initially getting certified at the Blue...

I've talked a few times before on this podcast about the importance of maintaining your physical health. That your body is the vessel with which you will do all things. And if you have it running optimally, then you'll be able to show up more effectively in all areas of your life. Now that we're into 2021, and a virus is still within our midst. I think this is a critical topic to discuss once again. In this episode of Travel Reflections, I talk about optimizing your health and wellness more...

Here we go, the first guest episode of 2021! To kick off this new year, I'm excited to welcome back fellow podcaster and first-time author, Alex Starr. Alex is a man with a diverse background. He started off by volunteering as part of AmeriCorps and found himself traveling all across the US to work on various projects. Following AmeriCorps, he continued to travel and work around the county as a wildland firefighter. Eventually, he made his way outward and spent several months traversing in...

Now that 2020 is over, I'm sure we're all excited to be moving into a new year! I know I am! And I'm also looking forward to bringing you all some more great content on The All-Around Adventure Podcast in 2021. However, there will be some changes as we get into later this year. In this episode, I'll be going over what those changes will be and what you can expect to see on the podcast moving forward! And check out the video version of this episode on the All-Around Adventure YouTube...