True Travel Talk

What happens when you give a kid control of the Chicago itinerary, and less than 48 hours to finish it? 
When Graeme announces that he wants to visit Chicago and the calendar unexpectedly cooperates, Jill grabs her mom, gets in the car, and lets his summer bucket list lead the way.
Three generations race through a kid-planned Chicago weekend filled with immersive museums, unusual snacks, Pokémon fossils and one very important dinner reservation. Not every stop wins unanimous approval; the soccer game earns a firm thumbs-down, but that’s part of traveling together.
It’s a fast, funny reminder that you don’t need a weeklong vacation or a perfectly balanced itinerary to make a trip worth taking. Sometimes you just need an open weekend, a willing grandmother, and a kid with a list.
 
In This Episode: 
Getting unexpectedly stuck, and thoroughly laughed at, in the Balloon Museum’s ball pit
Hunting for unusual treats at Exotic Snack Guys and checking Crumbl off Graeme’s summer bucket list
Comparing Fossil Pokémon with real prehistoric fossils at Chicago’s Field Museum 
Walking the lakefront, playing with reflections at The Bean and searching Chinatown for the right dumplings
Sampling espresso martinis and matcha at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Finishing the weekend at Nobu, the restaurant Graeme chose as the reason for the entire trip
 
Plan the Trip
Experience: Balloon Museum and Museum of Ice Cream Chicago
Explore: Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum and Millennium Park
Eat: Triple Crown Restaurant and Nobu Chicago
Sip: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Chicago
 
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking.
Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

Can you conquer Porto’s hills, markets, and port houses before the kids (and the clock) call it quits?
For the final stop of their Portugal adventure, Jill, her husband Paul, and her travel crew head north with ambitious plans and varying levels of enthusiasm. After a forest hike, a controversial suckling pig lunch, and a family-history detour, they take on Porto one hill at a time. Fueling the adults with port, the boys with pasta, and everyone with the promise that the gondola involves no more walking. It’s a funny, food-filled finale and proof that a great family trip doesn’t require everyone to enjoy the same parts.
In This Episode
Exploring Buçaco National Forest, its historic palace and a family connection from 20 years earlier
Trying Mealhada’s famous suckling pig, with decidedly mixed reactions from the youngest travelers
Crossing the Luís I Bridge into Gaia for port tasting, dinner and sweeping views of Porto
Eating through Porto’s market, from oysters and carpaccio to pasta tossed in a Parmesan wheel
Taking on Porto’s hills, tiled streets and riverside gondola before a 2:30 a.m. wake-up call
Plan the Trip
Stop: Bussaco Palace Hotel
Eat: Restaurante Típico da Bairrada
Stay: Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa
Taste: Espaço Porto Cruz and Kopke Wine House
This concludes True Travel Talk’s three-part Portugal series. Subscribe to the show to catch the complete Algarve-to-Lisbon-to-Porto journey in one place.
 
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking.
Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

34. Sometimes the best part of getting somewhere is everything you refuse to rush past.
 
In Part 2, Jill’s multigenerational crew trades the Algarve for Lisbon, turning the road through Évora and a day trip to Sintra into two packed days of history, food, and family detours. It’s also a reminder that family travel works best when no one is expected to experience a destination in exactly the same way.
 
In This Episode
The roadside surprises that made an ordinary travel day memorable, from a Beja fortress to peacocks and stork nests
Standing among thousands of bones in Évora and discovering what was really illuminating the altar at the Church of São Francisco
Trusting Francisco’s local recommendations for an impromptu olive oil tasting and unforgettable lunch
Finding a piece of Dayton history at Pastéis de Belém, with options from chocolate cake to Portugal’s famous egg tarts
Tackling the steeper-than-expected climb to Pena Palace and trying Portuguese sardines in Sintra
Splitting up for an unplanned sunset walk, an Easter market and the pizza break the boys desperately needed
 
Plan the Trip
Stay: The Ivens Hotel
Travel with a Guide: Week Break Tours
Taste: Divinus Gourmet and Pastéis de Belém
Eat: Piparoza, Bairro do Avillez, and Café Paris in Sintra
 
This is Part 2 of True Travel Talk’s three-part Portugal series. Follow the show now for Part 3, when the Travel Crew heads north to Porto.
 
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking.
Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

33. Travel rarely waits for life to feel simple.
 
True Travel Talk returns for Season 4 with a multigenerational spring break adventure through Portugal. Jill, her husband Paul, mom Sheri, and sons Graeme and Luke begin in the Algarve, proving that changing plans, missed reservations, and one spectacularly soggy boat launch don’t have to derail a great trip.
 
From a coastal drive filled with beaches, cork trees, and Portuguese history to a small-boat tour through the Algarve’s extraordinary caves, this trip reminds us that hard things and fun adventures can exist at the same time.
 
In This Episode
Why the family chose to take the trip despite last-minute uncertainty
Turning the journey from Lisbon to the Algarve into an adventure
Getting drenched before an unforgettable sea-cave tour
Trying monkfish liver and cooking traditional Cataplana in Faro
Letting go of the itinerary when the experience is worth more than the reservation
 
Plan the Trip
Stay: Pine Cliffs Resort
Tour: Week Break Tours
Eat: Tasca do Celso
Explore: Sétima Onda Boat Trips
Cook: Tertulia Algarvia
 
This is Part 1 of a three-part Portugal series. Follow True Travel Talk now so you don’t miss Part 2: Lisbon. 
 
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries for travelers who know life doesn’t have to be simple (and a trip doesn’t have to be perfect) to be worth taking.
Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

32. Can you fly halfway around the world, explore Taipei with a child and two grandmothers, and still call it a long weekend? 
For the Season 3 finale, Jill takes advantage of a Delta fare sale and turns her son Graeme’s Christmas present from his grandmothers, Donna and Sheri, into a fast-moving, food-filled family adventure in Taiwan. With only a few days on the ground, the group balances carefully planned experiences with jet lag, spontaneous discoveries, and plenty of input from its youngest traveler.
In This Episode: 
Navigating the journey from Cincinnati to Taipei - including a quick Seattle tour between flights and the realities of a 12-hour time difference
Eating their way through Shilin Night Market, from tanghulu and tornado potatoes to black chicken, shrimp fishing, and some questionable chip flavors
Learning to make boba, dumplings, hot-and-sour soup, and Taiwanese fried chicken with Wayne at Make My Day Cooking Lab
Experiencing Taipei’s temples and tea culture, including how to pray like a local and the proper way to serve tea
Visiting Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the mountain tea region just outside the city
Leaving the standard itinerary behind for hot springs, coastal landscapes, a lighthouse hike, and places even their local guide had never visited
Plan the Trip
Stay: Taipei Marriott Hotel
Eat: Dian Shui Lou and Shilin Night Market
Cook: Make My Day Cooking Lab
Explore: My Taiwan Tour, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Huanggang Community Hot Springs, Laomei Green Reef, The Temple of Eighteen Deities
 
Subscribe to True Travel Talk now and explore more episodes and get notifications when Season 4 begins September 13
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow the journey on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

31. Is Bhutan’s most famous view worth a six-hour climb?
In the final episode of True Travel Talk’s three-part journey through Bhutan, Jill, Jen, and Emily arrive in Paro for a finale filled with cultural immersion, unexpected friendships, and the trip’s most anticipated challenge: hiking to the cliffside Tiger’s Nest monastery.
With their Bhutanese guide-and-driver team, Sonam and Pee Dee, they move beyond Paro’s postcard views to experience the traditions, games, food, and relationships that make a destination feel personal.
In This Episode: 
Learning how Bhutan’s traditional Gho and Kira are worn - and discovering that the Kira is far more comfortable than expected
Making five-color prayer flags by hand inside a Bhutanese family home
Trying local archery, Khuru, darts, traditional dance, and Carom Board – with a wager that changes the evening’s plans
Tasting Bhutanese beers, shopping where locals shop, and sharing tea, rice, and stories with a host family
Taking a slow-and-steady approach to the six-hour Tiger’s Nest hike, including the hundreds of stairs surrounding the final approach
Plan the Trip
Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Paro, known as “Stone Ruins.”
Experience: Hike to Paro Taktsang, better known as Tiger’s Nest
Try: Khuru, Bhutanese archery, locally brewed beer, and a traditional farmhouse meal
Related Episodes
Bhutan: Thimphu - Discovering a Tiny Kingdom in the Himalayas
Bhutan: Punakha - Sacred Rivers + Wild Transitions
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

30. Can a trip be deeply spiritual, completely ridiculous, and genuinely transformative – all at once?
In Part 2 of True Travel Talk’s three-part journey through Bhutan, Jill and her travel team move from the mountains surrounding Thimphu into Punakha, the country’s lush former capital. Known for its terraced rice fields, warmer climate and majestic riverside fortress, Punakha offers a different side of the Land of the Thunder Dragon.
Jill is joined by her friend Jen, along with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Emily, and their Bhutanese guide-and-driver team. Together, they discover a valley where ancient Buddhist traditions coexist with white-water rafting, luxury spa treatments, poolside cocktails, and some unmistakable fertility symbolism.
In This Episode: 
Why phallic paintings and symbols appear throughout Punakha - and the story of the “Divine Madman” behind them
Hiking to Chimi Lhakhang, a pilgrimage site for people seeking fertility blessings
Rafting the icy-fast-moving Pho Chhu, or Father River
Visiting Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s historic “Palace of Great Happiness”
Hiking through farms and newly flooded rice paddies to a mountaintop temple
Sharing breakfast with Buddhist monks before witnessing the beginning of a three-day ritual
There is also a challenging bike ride, a private cocktail class, singing-bowl meditation, Bhutanese Red Bull research, and a late-night earthquake that one member of the group somehow sleeps through.
What the Brochure Leaves Out
Bhutan is often presented as serene, spiritual, and carefully preserved. It is all of those things - but meaningful travel here is not necessarily quiet or solemn.
In Punakha, reverence and humor constantly overlap. Sacred blessings follow exhausting adventures. Fertility symbols cover homes and appear in hotel rooms. Meditation shares the itinerary with martinis.
Understanding the destination means remaining curious enough to make room for it all.
Plan the Trip
Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Punakha, known as the “Flying Farmhouse Amidst the Rice Fields.”
Visit: Punakha Dzong, Bhutan’s historic “Palace of Great Happiness,” and Chimi Lhakhang, the temple associated with the Divine Madman and fertility blessings.
Taste: Ema datshi, Bhutan’s famously spicy national dish made with chilies and cheese.
Related Episode
Bhutan: Thimphu - Discovering a Tiny Kingdom in the Himalayas
 
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

29. Where is Bhutan – and why does traveling there feel unlike anywhere else? 
Tucked between India and China in the Himalayas, Bhutan is a small Buddhist kingdom known for towering mountains, deep traditions, and an unusually intentional approach to tourism.
This episode kicks off a three-part True Travel Talk series from Bhutan. First stop: Thimphu, the country’s capital. Jill travels with her sister-in-law Emily and their friend Jen and meets the guide-and-driver team who will lead them through the country. They settle into Six Senses Timphu for a few days of cultural immersion, mountain adventure, and very enthusiastic cocktail research.
In This Episode
What it is like to land in Bhutan and begin exploring Thimphu
Hiking to a mountain monastery and meeting its young monks
Learning Bhutanese traditions through prayer flags, archery, and food
Making the most of Six Senses activities, from moms to local drinks
Plan the Trip
Stay: Six Senses Bhutan - Five lodges designed as one journey through Bhutan
Fly: Drukair - Bhutan’s national airline and Jill’s flight into Paro
What the Brochure Leaves Out
Bhutan’s tourism system can sound complicated from afar. Once Jill arrives, she begins to see the benefit: fewer crowds, more thoughtful experiences, and guides who help visitors understand what they are actually looking at.
Other areas of interest: blind beer tastings, tea tastings, cocktails by the fire, a traditional outfit with impressively useful storage, yoga, and a fire ceremony that gets slightly more literal than expected.
Know Before You Go
Give yourself time to adjust to the altitude, consider traveling during the quieter season, and say yes to the activities offered by your lodge. Especially when dumplings are involved.
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

28. What can you really experience in Bangkok when you arrive late, leave before sunrise the following day, and discover that half the places on your list are closed?
More than you might think…provided you are willing to abandon the perfect itinerary.
After flight disruptions shortened their visit, Jill arrives in Bangkok for the first time with Jen and Emily - both returning visitors. Rather than force their original plan, they ask the hotel concierge for help and build a day around what is open, nearby, and worth the effort.
The result is a fast-moving introduction to Bangkok filled with temples, massages, river views, unexpected transportation adventures, and a night market they were far too full to properly enjoy.
In this episode, they share:
What to expect from an affordable traditional Thai massage
The dress-code mistake that led to an emergency t-shirt purchase
How to visit the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the river in one day 
What to agree on before getting into a taxi or tuk-tuk
Bangkok Mini Travel Guide from This Episode: 
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok: A comfortable executive lounge, concierge support, late-night drinks, and a packed breakfast for their early airport departure
Lek Massage: A short walk from the hotel and the site of both their first traditional Thai massage and an end-of-day foot massage.
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew: Bangkok’s landmark royal complex and home of the Emerald Buddha. Visitors should plan carefully for the modest dress requirements.
Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles: An air-conditioned stop within the Grand Palace complex featuring Thai royal fashion and textile history.
The Deck by Aurn Residence: A riverside restaurant where the group cooled off over cocktails, wine, shared dishes, and views of Wat Arun.
Bangkok Central Boat Ride: A private ride offering different views of the city, including waterfront homes, temples, floating vendors, wildlife, and the Big Buddha.
Grab: The ride-hailing app the group used for a clean, easy, and inexpensive trip back to the hotel.
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler

27. What happens when your first trip overseas is a last-minute journey to East Africa?
In Part 2 of Jill’s conversation with Michelle, True Travel Talk continues the story of Michelle’s very first abroad adventure - a trip she said yes to before she felt fully ready. After the travel chaos of getting to Tanzania, this episode moves into the moments that made the leap worth it: beautiful stays, shared meals, Maasai hospitality, safari surprises, and the people who made the experience stay with her.
From elephants and sundowners to wine-cellar dinners, muddy road adventures, and the unforgettable Ngorongoro Crater, Michelle’s Tanzania story is a vivid reminder that first-time international travel need not be perfect to be life-changing.
Tanzania Mini Travel Guide from This Episode: 
Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge: Michelle’s first stop after arriving in Tanzania - a beautiful, welcoming lodge near Mount Meru with memorable food, warm staff, and monkeys in the trees outside her window.
Global Partners for Development: The nonprofit partner behind the trip. The group visited Maasai communities, learned about clean water projects, and saw how community-led development shapes lives in East Africa.
Lemala Mpingo Ridge Lodge: A stunning lodge overlooking Tarangire National Park, with sweeping views, beautiful meals, a sundowner safari, pool time, massages, and wildlife sightings.
Plantation Lodge: A gorgeous Karatu stay after the group’s Lake Manyara adventure, featuring cozy fireplace time, an underground wine cellar, delicious dinners, and space to relax before the final safari day.
FAME Medical: A rural hospital in Karatu founded by Dr. Frank Artress and Susan Gustafson. The visit added powerful perspective on healthcare, community care, and local impact in Tanzania.
Ngorongoro Crater: A once-in-a-lifetime safari setting and the finale of the trip, where the group saw lions, elephants, hippos, buffalo, zebras, flamingos, and even the elusive black rhino.
Explore More Africa Episodes from True Travel Talk
Check out Part 1 of Michelle’s Tanzania journey getting to East Africa. The story is part of a growing collection of African episodes on True Travel Talk - from South Africa travel to more East African adventures.
Listeners can also explore Jill’s three-part South Africa series featuring Gondwana, Franschhoek, and Cape Town; another episode on Tanzania through the eyes of a high school traveler; and an episode on Uganda about gorilla trekking.
Together, these episodes offer different ways into travel in Africa: family adventure, first-time international travel, safari, food and wine, meaningful connection, and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experiences.
About the Show: True Travel Talk takes you around the world with real stories, honest tips, and inspired itineraries — from family adventures to faraway escapes, always grounded in connection and curiosity.
Follow along on Instagram: @truetravelcrew & TikTok: @truetravelcrew 
Executive Producer & Host: Jill BohaboyProduced by: Collective Change Communications — Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler