Travel Tales from the #nerdbirds

#nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai have your latest episode of the Weekly News Roundup, taking you around the world for the latest and greatest travel news! On the docket for Part 1 includes plans for a new South African airline called "Lift",  Qantas' latest sightseeing package of an all-inclusive  overnight holiday to "somewhere", and Slovakia tests half of their entire population for COVID-19...in one d...

With Election Day coming up in the US, #nerdbirds David and Rachel ponder what there is to do and see in Washington, DC and surrounding areas during the pandemic. With 15 years living in DC (David) and 20 trips to the region (Rachel), they share tips for neighborhoods and activities off the tourist path ("a Disneyland for government!").

In this episode of the Weekly Roundup, #nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai discuss the emotional goodbye to Berlin-Tegel Airport, the exciting new undersea connection between Denmark and Germany, and the return of the world's longest flight...with a twist. In part two, they dive into some intriguing initiatives, like travel-starved Singaporean flights to nowhere, mystery destination packages in New Zealand,...

Airline maps?! What could be exciting about that? Plenty, when you join #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel as they browse through the book Airline Maps: A Century of Art and Design [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600815/airline-maps-by-mark-ovenden-and-maxwell-roberts/] and explore the evolution of flying through the world of graphic design. Topics include maps as a tool to inspire wanderlust...

In part one of this week's news roundup, #nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai discuss the Department of Defense study that found COVID is nearly intransmissible in flight, Southwest and United's intriguing expansion, and Iceland's new sustainability measures. In part two, they take a deeper dive into airline and airport vendors' efforts to pivot their brands, for both the short and long terms.

In part two of reviewing the Regenerative Travel Summit, #nerdbirds Rachel and Kai ponder the future of luxury travel and accommodation, how hotels and tours can be more inclusive, and preview future related episodes: FOMO vs. JOMO, and the Slow Food movement.

In part one of this week's news roundup, #nerdbirds Kai and Jeremy talk about US cities that will pay you to visit, basic business class in Japan, and an initiative to reduce quarantine time between New York and London. In part two, they take a deep dive into different "health passport" concepts that industry experts say may be the key to revitalization of travel.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given us all time to think about how and why we travel. After tuning in to the recent Regenerative Travel Summit, #nerdbirds Rachel and Kai share highlights while pondering how regenerative travel moves beyond sustainability, the economic reality of those who work in travel and tourism, regenerative transportation, and what individuals can do when traveling in a post-pand...

In this week's News Roundup, Kai and Jeremy chat about Paris' new lockdown, the demise of AirAsia Japan, the travel bubble between Australia & New Zealand, Singapore Airlines' home-dining program, leisure travel trends, and the man-made Maldivian island.

Intrepid foodie and #nerbird Sebastian joins Rachel to talk about all things food -- from finding local hotspots in the USA and abroad, to thinking about sustainability and fine dining, and integrating newfound favorites once you're home. Location-specific mentions include a BBQ sprint in Austin, croquettes and fried chicken in Japan, Guinness in Ireland vs. everywhere else, and South African rooi...

In this week's news roundup, #nerdbirds Kai and Jeremy talk about COVID-sniffing dogs, pricey airport testing, the future of party cities, and an Italian inquiry into shady airline business practices. Plus, they'll dive deeper into airline and travel agency sustainability - a topic on everyone's minds as we navigate the changing COVID-19 landscape.

First-time visitors to Japan usually encounter a radically different experience than Western culture. #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel share a dizzying array of stories from food of all price ranges to onsen hot baths, from Fukuoka to Tokyo and Kyoto. They also share useful phrases, transportation tips, and cultural insights.

In this week's travel news, #nerdbirds Jeremy & Kai discuss Airbus' new zero-emission ZEROe hydrogen-powered aircraft, Thailand's plan to welcome visitors for up to nine months, Qantas' seven-hour flight to nowhere that sold out in 10 minutes, and how the cruise industry hopes to combat COVID-19. They close out the Traveler Lifecycle series by discussing the oft-overlooked Reflection stage -- when...

For our 50th episode, the #nerdbirds return to reflect on travels past and future, from Brendan's Hollywood-as-a-local recommendations and Eric's JetBlue travel disasters to David's dream of going to the Faroe Islands and Sebastian's New York City food tips (with a sampling of Charlie's Travel Disasters). Rachel and Jeremy also share the origins of the #nerdbirds name, reflect on months of podcast...

In this episode of the Weekly Roundup, #nerdbirds Jeremy and Kai discuss the closure of United's Tokyo-Narita base, JetBlue's exciting expansion, and the troubles facing Italy.

A listener asks about roadtripping in the Southwestern USA, and #nerdbirds Rachel, Jeremy, and Kai deliver with plenty of itinerary ideas originating from Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and Salt Lake City. Check out our Google Map on nerdbirds.co [https://nerdbirds.co/episode48] with all routes and suggestions of places to visit.

In the Weekly Roundup of travel news, #nerdbirds Kai and Rachel share insights on United's new COVID destination map for the US, health passports and tattoos, sustainable travel by making rocks, and international travel's effect on high-end restaurants. They end with a preview of sustainable vs. regenerative travel.

Part 2 of the Essential Travel Apps series takes you on the second and third phases of the Traveler Lifecycle -- from arriving to the airport  (if you're flying), to getting around on the ground, and sharing  memories after returning.

In the Weekly Roundup, the #nerdbirds discuss the bombshell news that United, American, Delta, and Alaska are removing cancellation and standby fees, and its impact on airlines. In the next segment of the Traveler Lifecycle, Rachel, Jeremy, and Kai share tips on making the journey home as smooth and stress-free as possible.

As the saying goes, "There's an app for that" -- and it's definitely the case for all aspects of travel! Join co-hosts Rachel and Jeremy as they share apps useful during the first stages of the Traveler Lifecycle: from wish list generation during the Dreaming stage, to food and weather resources in Planning, and the must-have apps to download before starting your journey. All apps mentioned can be...

After our Weekly Roundup of travel news, we dive back into our Traveler Lifecycle series. You've survived dreaming, planning, travel, and arrival, and now it's finally time to enjoy your trip. In this episode, #nerdbirds Rachel, Jeremy, and Kai discuss getting around with local transit, how to see tourist attractions without the tourist crowds, and advice for staying safe and healthy.

Getting on a plane and heading somewhere new on your own is no easy feat. In this episode, listen in as #nerdbirds Charlie, David, and Jeremy share their first experiences traveling alone to places as near as Chicago or as far as Dubai and Japan. Afterwards, Rachel and Kai reflect on their own experiences and share advice for first-time solo travel.

Building on past episodes about creating sustainable travel and how airports work, #nerdbirds Kai, Jeremy, and Rachel discuss the pandemic's effect on the aviation-industrial complex -- including digging deeper into issues confronting airports, airlines, and airplane manufacturers. In the Weekly Roundup, they discuss Americans' comfort (or lack thereof) with flying, the current rollercoaster of Eu...

Rachel loves roadtrips; Jeremy loves public transit. So what do they do during separate trips to New Zealand? The complete opposite! Follow along as Rachel recounts three weeks traversing the North and South Islands by bus, and as Jeremy roadtrips from Queenstown to Christchurch. The episode ends with advice for anyone who dreams of traveling there. Look for episode content and links at nerdbirds....

In the next installment of our Traveler Lifecycle series, #nerdbirds Jeremy, Kai, and Rachel discuss issues around arriving at your final destination via air, and using ground transportation to get to your accommodation. For prior episodes in the series, check out: Dreaming & Planning [https://anchor.fm/nerdbirds/episodes/The-Traveler-Lifecycle-Dreaming--Planning-eg6ivd], Booking [https://anchor.f...