Moving Along

Belfast rider and author Chris Donaldson weaves the tale of his decades-long attempt to reach Australia on his 1979 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. Leaving Belfast at 21 amid the Troubles, he planned to ride to Australia but was diverted by the Iranian Revolution, traveling instead through Africa (including apartheid South Africa), the Americas, and Argentina, later recounting it in his memoir Going the Wrong...

Landscape photographer Tom Reed discusses his influences (Ansel Adams, Edgar Payne, the Hudson River School, and Japanese martial arts/aesthetics) and his books of photography—The Granite Avatars of Patagonia, Moved by a Mountain, and Summers in the Sierras.    Tom Reed delves into the ideas from his TEDx talk “Natural Beauty and Aesthetic Arrest,” describing aesthetic arrest—borrowed via Joseph C...

Donna Barwald, an LA-based professional organizer and educator with 20 years’ experience, shares how she has helped families, seniors and businesses organize, declutter, and downsize.  Donna explains how organizing helped her regulate her own ADHD, discusses supporting neurodivergent clients by creating systems that match how they use space (including entry “drop zones”), and describes how visual...

Leadership strategist Edna White, creator of the Keeping It Real On Purpose podcast and Wounded to Wonderful newsletter, discusses the culture shock of moving from Alabama to Long Island as a child, her nervous breakdown in her 40s, and her decision to teach English in China. Living in China, she climbed the Great Wall and sampled tarantula and scorpion, returning to New York a changed woman ready...

Belinda Coker ( SoulTreader.com ), a New Zealand-born Australian currently based in the UK, redefined her life through hiking and travel. Her mission is to get women over 50 outdoors and into the wilderness.  Belinda recounts early solo overland travel through Southeast Asia and India, volunteering on a solar power project in Ladakh, later working in Japan, and eventually entering corporate life a...

Artist David Deighton was born in Paris and began traveling Europe and the world at age 14. After years of nomadic exploration, he and his wife decided to settle down in Santa Fe in the Southwest United States.  He installs his unconventional “art experiment,” called Triptych Dialogue, in national parks across the United States and beyond. It is part of his mission to rekindle social connections f...

Renae Ninneman, founder of Beyond Tourism ( goingbeyondtourism.com ), helps travelers prepare culturally for international travel and moving abroad.     Born in a Dutch enclave in western Michigan, Renae explains how living in Seoul, South Korea for a year teaching English without cultural preparation led her to focus on “below the iceberg” cultural expectations. Travelers often dismiss discomfort...

In this episode of Moving Along, Christi Cassidy interviews Scott Kirk, CEO and founder of Visas.pt, a company that assists people looking to move to Portugal with visa and immigration services. Scott discusses the exponential growth of their online community, which includes 2.4 million monthly visitors to their Facebook groups, including Moving to Portugal and Living in Portugal.   Contrary to po...

Dr. Jeffrey Barnes , also known as Dr. Disneyland, delves into the enchanting history and life lessons of Walt Disney. Dr. Barnes, an author and professor, shares his unique experiences growing up as a military child, his transformative journey to Disneyland and his eventual deep dive into Walt Disney’s remarkable story of resilience and creativity.     Author of The Wisdom of Walt and Life Lesson...

Sylvina Lanusse, a mixed-media artist and host of Walking for Inspiration, takes us on an engaging journey across continents and through the layers of her rich artistic process. From the vibrant streets of Buenos Aires to the tranquil shores of Vancouver Island, Sylvina has woven her love for the ocean and nature's elements into every piece of art she creates. Her recent Italian adventure adds yet...

Chip Walter, celebrated science journalist and author, National Geographic documentary filmmaker and former CNN bureau chief, embarked on an awe-inspiring journey with his wife, Cyndy, crafting a once-in-a-lifetime global expedition amid the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 720 days, they achieved the extraordinary feat of traveling around the world sans jets, spanning 125,000 miles acros...

Paul Island and Benef Verell , two co-hosts of the travel podcast Rhythm & Roam , share their stories about travel, relocation and how they came to start their own podcast with their friend Trecia Cooke.   How did Paul and Benef get the travel bug? Benef recounts her Midwest upbringing and how family trips, mostly within the region, laid the groundwork for her future wanderlust. It wasn't until sh...

Sailing the world. It’s the adventure of a lifetime for Alison Gieschen , who has been sailing the high seas with her husband, Dan, since selling their New Jersey farm in 2017. Together they have traveled to 47 countries and four continents aboard their 43-foot sailboat, Equus .  Alison Gieschen shares her journey from growing up in upstate New York and moving to North Carolina, to becoming an avi...

In this episode of Moving Along , host Christi Cassidy interviews Barry Maughan , a former chief of English to Africa for the Voice of America and the author of Beneath the African Sun (Outback, 2025). Barry shares his memoir and travelogue of living in Ethiopia during the early 1970s and his extensive journey with his wife, Suzanne, from Egypt to South Africa in a VW Combi camper bus named Bridge...

Barbara Johnson is an acclaimed author who shares a personal journey back to Ireland that was sparked by the tragedy of her partner’s sudden death. Kathleen’s Irish ancestry led her to discover her own heritage, and many cousins who live still in the northwest of Ireland. Barbara recounts her experiences growing up in a military family, which fostered a love for travel and her emotional journey as...

Episode Highlights 00:00:03: Introduction to Christi Cassidy and Moving Along podcast, which focuses on travel, relocation and life transitions. 00:00:35: Christi welcomes Anna Bernstein, discussing her past with Mantra Public Relations and moving to Ecuador. 00:02:14: Anna thanks Christi for the introduction and mentions their use of audio for the podcast despite having a video connection.  00:02...

Growing up off Exit 109 of the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, Diane Wyzga remembers family vacations as setting the stage for a lifetime of wanderlust. Growing up as the eldest of seven, Diane’s early adventures in state and national parks sparked a passion for exploration that never faded. Join me as I chat with Diane, founder of Quarter Moon Story Arts, and we navigate her multifaceted jour...

Travel enthusiasts and those facing the prospect of relocation, gather around for a rich tapestry of stories and insights with me, Christi Cassidy, and our special guest, Devra Jacobs, author of A Happy Move . Discover how Devra's adventurous spirit, cultivated during her formative years in the Bay Area and later in New Jersey, has led her through an enriching journey of frequent moves within the...

Podcast Summary Ariana Johnson, the newly crowned Ms. Black Ohio USA 2025 (and Ms. Black Ohio USA 2024), joins us on a riveting journey through her life of advocacy and ambition. Raised with an appreciation for diverse cultures, Ariana brings rich insights into how travel and education shaped her values. Our conversation reveals her gratitude for her strong women role models around her, her passio...

What if the tapestry of your life was woven through constant change and cultural encounters? Join us for an insightful conversation with writer and poet Robert Lunday, who shares his journey of growing up as a military dependent and his impending move from Houston to the serene landscapes of Kyushu, Japan. Robert opens up about how his early experiences of frequent relocations fostered a deep curi...

Alex Howard, editorial director of Lonely Planet, discusses his journey from Central Florida to leading the world's top travel guidebook publisher. Discover Alex's recommendations for hidden gems like Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, and the Puye Cliff Dwellings at Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico. Alex shares personal stories, from childhood trips to Disney...

Danny van Leeuwen, the host of Health Hats, tells good stories. About his incredible experience on a swaying walkway 20 stories above the jungle canopy in Costa Rica.  About the time he fell on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. About the first time he fell. About trying to climb 11th century castle steps in Spain.  A nurse and healthcare advocate, he shares his experiences of living with multiple s...

As a child, Autumn Carolynn gazed skyward, dreaming of the day she'd soar above the clouds. Now, with the passport stamps of 30 countries adorning her well-traveled pages, she sits down with me, Christi Cassidy, to recount her evolution from a flight attendant to a travel design manager and travel photographer. Our conversation sweeps across the globe, from the academic pathways of Canterbury to t...

Carlton Klein's first and most dramatic great adventure involved secretly dropping out of college, riding a bicycle to Mexico and taking every form of transportation but planes down to Bogota, Colombia. He writes, “I came away with some wild experiences like working on the Panama Canal, and trying to avoid drug mules in Mexico. That trip also did a lot for me in terms of reviving my zest for life...

G’sta peels back the layers of being a successful hip hop musician, producer and studio owner. A hip hop baby, Sean Self, known as G’sta, began writing and performing as a child in the 7th Ward of New Orleans, hitting his stride in the late 1990s. This year, G'sta celebrates 20 years of owning his own studio, So Stimulus Entertainment. He recently released “Classic Status” to celebrate hip hop’s 5...