Speaking of Travel® With Marilyn Ball

The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace series with Richard Crawford, host of the Amazon Prime TV show "Leave No Trace," features Ben Alcott, the show’s director and cameraman (and more) from Australia, to discuss responsible travel and provide some steps we can take to become more mindful travelers. Ben also shares what it's like to film Ricky on location of Leave No Trace and the ...

Allyn Burrows is the artistic director of Shakespeare & Company, located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts and one of the world’s top Shakespeare festivals. They are committed to inclusion, diversity and racial and gender equity as its foundation. They believe that live theatre connects us all in the universal pursuit of a purposeful existence and reveals through storytelling the mean...

What if you could live for the moment and then take it with you? Holly Christensen, founder of Dune Jewelry, creates unique customized and personalized collections that are perfect for holding on to special travel moments.  Dune Jewelry & Co. creates Experiential Jewelry by handcrafting personalized, custom designs using sand and earth elements from thousands of memorable and iconic locations...

Around the world, live performances are beginning to emerge again. In Cape Cod, there’s excitement in the air as the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival returns this August after a year of live shows being put on hold. What I love about the Cape Cod community is the Festival’s first show will be themed as an ode to people who continued to support the local arts scene when they needed it most.  The Cap...

I'm excited to announce the new Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace series with the host of the Amazon Prime series, Richard Crawford. Each month Ricky and I will bring guests to Speaking of Travel to highlight the importance of conservation, sustainable travel and eco-tourism.  On this premier episode, Ricky reveals how he discovered a passion for the health of our planet and modern social i...

Karina Kennedy’s laugh-out-loud travel comedy novel, “A Not So Lonely Planet: Italy,” is brimming with art, love and sexy Italian adventures.  As an intrepid explorer, Karina doesn’t want to miss out on a memory and is even willing to bend the rules. She inspires and entertains others who share her passion to explore the world, fall in love and just have fun. Discover how Karina's personal tr...

JoAnn Reilly Yoder is happiest when traveling the world and fearless when doing so. Bungee jumping, skydiving or paragliding off one of the highest peaks in Queenstown is what she loves to do. JoAnn was born and raised in the Republic of Panama and accustomed to living outside the United States. Traveling continues to teach her to love and accept people for who they, no matter where she is, with n...

Jill Culiner has crossed much of Europe on foot, travelled by bus, train, car and truck. Imagine having lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and even in a haunted house on the English moors. Jill has lived this life. And her artistic work is exhibited in cultural centers, galleries and museums across Europe and Canada.  Jill is truly a kindr...

Chef Santiago Vargas is a chef and consultant who follows his passion for food by lovingly preparing his dishes with a dose of passion, a love of culture and a touch of magic. Santiago is well-loved for his culinary artistry. Chef Santiago was born in Lima, Perú, surrounded by flavors and traditions from the Andes. From a very young age, he loved the art of cooking. Before becoming a private cater...

Heidi Walters oversees marketing initiatives of group travel, international and sports marketing and industry relations for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (Visit NC). Heidi shares how their Outdoor NC initiative and partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is helping preserve the state’s precious natural resources. So what and why does NC need an initia...

Toby Brown, U.S. Partner and lead safari coordinator with Outdoor Africa explains what visitors can expect in the days ahead when making plans to journey to this beautiful and exotic bucket-list destination. Toby shares how their focus on private custom tours is a benefit to travel in a post-Covid environment and how they have spent time building their brand and partnerships all over Africa. Outdo...

Traveling in an RV creates timeless memories. Jim Calderbank, a former RV manufacturing executive and current campground owner, explains why the RV lifestyle is the best way to connect with the outdoors and with each other. "The people that come here, they love the outdoors, they love nature, ... at the end of the day just to see the stress drain away from them is very rewarding." Discov...

Jenna Torres lives a life that is a tale of two cities. When she signed with Warner Music as a single mom living in NYC and sent to Nashville, her life changed and opened up her heart and her world. Her music reflects the freedom of mind and soul. Discover how Jenna found her tribe and her heart place within a kindred nature of community. "The minute my foot hit the tarmac, I had a feeling th...

La Carmina has a passion to shine a positive spotlight on misunderstood and marginalized subcultures worldwide. She began her La Carmina travel & fashion blog in 2007 as a creative outlet during her studies at Yale Law. Since then, she’s published three books, hosted travel TV shows for major networks and explored over 70 countries for fashion and tourism projects. La Carmina shares stories ab...

Rob Lenfestey traveled the world and after years of expanding his edges, he came to the Appalachian forest and founded Mandala Chocolate, an organic chocolate factory and Mandala Springs, a peaceful sustainable retreat on the edge of the Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina. Rob’s passion is to give the gifts of knowledge, empowerment and health to all.  Rob says, "There is no nee...

Girl About Travel Club makes it easy for women to book incredible holidays but don't know where to begin. Based in the UK, Rebecca Miles is Girl About’s travel editor and freelance journalist who inspires and shares ideas to create memories to cherish.  Girl About offers everything you will need to make your best holiday choices through access to experts and trusted booking partners and from...

Stephen R. Brown is a professional photographer and writer who created a life doing what he loves. From his travels to Europe, the Middle East and Morocco, to being a teacher and photojournalist, Stephen follows his intuition and is rewarded with life-changing opportunities.  Stephen’s images and articles on photography have appeared in Smithsonian, Life, Newsweek, Time, Fortune, the New York Time...

Impact Travel Alliance Founder and Executive Director Kelley Louise shares new insights into how we can actively participate in advocating for more impactful initiatives around sustainable tourism.  Kelley explains how important it is to take a holistic approach to empowering communities and protecting our environment so everyone is connected. Also, find out what's in store for travelers movi...

Find out how 2021 is shaping up in Italy and plan your trip with Mark Gordon Smith, founder of Private Italy Tours. Mark’s unwavering commitment to providing unique and unforgettable experiences is stronger than ever. Mark is  creating a not-for-profit that will focus on Arts Education and the restoration of works by female artists of the Renaissance in Italy and of the Dutch Golden Age and he is...

Jenny Cressman is the author of the Cuban Kisses series. The stories and characters are fictional, but Jenny has drawn on her own background and experiences (travel and otherwise)  to create an authentic feeling. Many people have commented that the setting is so authentic and transportive, it's like taking a mini-vacation.  For Jenny, Cuba is always on her mind and she's looking forward...

Amanda Kingsmith and Ryan Ferguson are The World Wanderers and have a passion for travel, living life to the fullest, and finding happiness in all corners of the world. Through their popular blog and podcast, they share their amazing experiences with other travel enthusiasts and explain how travel has changed and impacted their lives in a positive way, how travel has shaped their view of the world...

Justine Abigail Yu is a communication strategist who works to change our world for the better. She is a leader, a mentor and a strong woman not afraid to do the work necessary to be an advocate for social justice and healing.  Justine has worked with organizations operating in North America, Central America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. Her expertise lies in growing enterprises from the ground...

Long-time train enthusiast Bill McClement volunteers as a passenger train host with the NC Train Host Association, a group of ambassadors who ride state-supported AMTRAK trains. Bill provides a history of AMTRAK's  50 years and gives us a rundown of the events leading up to its formation and where it has gone from its beginning. Learn why rail travel makes you feel truly transported.   Thanks...

Jonelle Patrick is the author of five novels set in Japan and has been writing about Japanese culture and travel since moving to Tokyo in 2003. She explores how books transport readers past gatekeepers to immerse us behind-the-scenes to other countries and cultures. Jonelle explains how reading fiction opens our eyes to a lot of things we might walk right past in our travels. Who knows... you migh...

I don’t know if I want to let this secret out of the bag, but Winnipeg has world-class performing arts, is a foodies dream come true, and you can go see polar bears swimming over your head. This place celebrates human rights, and is quietly moving from the center of the continent to the center of our attention.   Vogue calls Winnipeg, “an absolute must-visit destination,” and National Geographic l...