WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life

What’s best: the AT, PCT, or CDT? I ask a 73-year-old hiker who has done all 3!

Be sure to watch last week’s episode featuring Scott!

Connect with Scott on FB!

Watch this episode

Timeline

00:00 Arizona Trail

1:50 Favorite Triple Crown Trail

Connect with Scott Williams on Facebook!

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign...

I talk with renowned long-distance hiker & Triple Crowner, Scott Williams, about his experience on New Zealand's Te Araroa Trail.

This is part 1 of a 3-part interview series featuring Scott.

Watch this interview!

Scott's buddy, Sym Blanchard, explained why he disliked the Te Araroa Trail here:

What do you think?

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Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

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If you like...

Most of the questions focus on the Balkans, which is ironic since Nenad spends little time there!

Follow Nenad on FB & IG at whereisNenad.

Watch this episode!

Timeline

00:00 What's going on in the Balkans?

01:40 Book recommendations

02:35 Life in Serbia

3:34 Souvenirs

4:20 Best kept secret in the Balkans

08:00 Balkan vibe now

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can...

Nenad Stojanovic is 42. He's been traveling the world nonstop for nearly 20 years.

You can follow him on WhereisNenad on FB & IG.

Watch this episode now!

Watch previous episodes to learn more about this remarkable traveler!

Timeline

00:00 Travel plans

02:30 Favorite spots

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you...

Couchsurfing isn’t simply a way to save money when traveling, but it’s mostly a way to connect with locals, to understand local culture, and see what you’ll never see in a hotel.

Nenad seldom stays in a hotel. Watch this video to hear about his unique lodging experiences.

Timeline

00:00 Couchsurfing tips

04:00 Chilling in Indonesia

6:45 Longest wait for a hitch

What do you think?

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Here are my 10 hitchhiking tips on Forbes. Nenad Stojanovic hitchhikes everywhere.

He shares the joys of hitchhiking and why it's more fascinating than public transportation.

At 9:00 he discusses money issues.

Watch the video!

What do you think?

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Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

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If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username...

I met Nenad Stojanovic in 2008 when he hosted me on Couchsurfing.com. He’s been traveling ever since!

This is a 5-part series featuring Nenad, one of the world’s most fascinating travelers. This is part 1!

Watch the video!

Timeline

00:00 Who is Nenad Stojanovic?

04:25 North American journey

05:25 Remarkable borders

08:20 China

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask ques...

I explained 6 years ago why Plan B’s Stock-to-Flow Bitcoin model was doomed and would fail.

Few believed me.

Most insulted me.

Today, I can confidently declare that I was right and Plan B was wrong.

Watch the video of this episode!

Also, watch my May 2020 video that started all the controversy and read the detailed article about why Plan B’s stock-to-flow model was doomed!

In mid-2026, with the price of Bitcoin languishing around $65,000, below the lowest stock-to-flow band, we can officially declare that Plan B’s stoc...

My mom often says, “If I die….”

I sometimes accidentally say the same thing.

The “if” is a cognitive security blanket I pull over my head so I can pretend that death — the only thing every single human being who has ever lived has accomplished — might somehow not apply to me. As though the universe looked at my particular assortment of questionable decisions and said, “This one, we keep.”

It will not say that. I am, biologically speaking, a disaster in slow motion. I have a weakening knee. I have eaten gas station sushi. Twice. I on...

Sym Blanchard & Joan Chan discuss the ups and downs of their parenting journey. They are both around 72 years old. Each had a boy and a girl with their exes.

Watch the video of this podcast!

They candidly share their mistakes and how things turned out decades later.

Timeline

00:00 Two parents made 4 children

02:00 Sym’s daughter

04:20 Teenagers

06:00 Cultural difference

09:00 Change after 40

16:20 Sym’s mistakes

21:50 Kids having kids

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comm...

Is grounding & earthing BS?

I interview two skeptical elders: Joan Chan & Sym Blanchard.

Hear what happened.

Watch the video!

Timeline

00:00 Car accidents

04:55 Intro to Earthing

08:00 Placebo effect?

11:30 The Limits of Grounding

14:50 How to start

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

...

Sym Blanchard has appeared on many WanderLearn episodes. In this 3-part series, Sym appears with his sweetheart, Joan Chan.

Both are in their early 70s. I love elders because they usually don’t give a f**k what others think of them. They’re the opposite of teenagers. Elders are genuine, transparent, and wise.

They’re also human, as this three-part series will reveal. Watch it:

Timeline

00:00 How they met

05:00 First night together

8:00 First trip

11:00 Downsides of nomads

16:00 Relationship management

Thank you, Sande, my 1,000th Substack subscriber!

Naturally, the other 999 of you are equally valuable!

Thank you to Adam Gasner for being my first Founding Member and Sym Blanchard for being my first paid member!

When you create content, you often feel like you’re speaking to a wall. Even when you have 1,000 Substack subscribers or 4,500 YouTube subscribers, it’s sometimes a lonely endeavor: crickets.

Still, I’m grateful for days like today.

So, thank you!

Next goal: 2,000 subs by August 2026!

Francis Tapon

Dr. Sten Odenwald discusses The Essential Book of Black Holes. See my review of the new book below.

But first, watch this video in which I interview Dr. Odenwald about his book!

Timeline

00:00 Intro

2:15 Math & Black Holes

5:00 Holographic universe

5:50 Hypernova

9:05 White holes

14:45 Is our universe in a black hole?

17:50 Gravity is NOT a force

25:45 Galactic Power Plant

Book Review of The Essential Book of Black Holes

At 159 pages and 12 chapters, The Essential Book of Black...

The term “Global South” is doing a lot of heavy lifting for a geographically illiterate phrase. Australia is in the Global South. So is New Zealand. Both are fabulously wealthy, stable democracies with excellent dental care.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan is in the Global North.

The “Global South” term was invented by diplomats who needed something that sounded neutral but meant “the countries that got colonized and are still annoyed about it,” which is fair, but the compass metaphor fell apart immediately upon contact with a map.

“Developing countries” is perhaps the most optimistic euphemism in the history o...

Rapido Trimarans Founder Paul Koch reveals the truth about their fast trimarans. There are many myths and misunderstandings that Paul seeks to shatter. Listen to this 30-minute interview with one of sailing’s greatest innovators, shot in Vietnam.

Watch my interview with Paul Koch of Rapido

Background

Trimarans are boats with three hulls, whereas catamarans have two hulls, and monohulls have one hull.

I have a long-term dream of sailing around the world, so I’m looking for the best boat to make that happen.

I’ve crossed monohulls off th...

Warning: this show has spoilers!

Watch the video of this podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd-jGXonSzM

TIMELINE

00:00 Spoiler

01:00 Three positive features

02:00 Fatal Flaw 1

03:30 Fatal Flaw 2

05:10 Sleep schedules

06:00 And then there were 2

08:00 Confirmation bias

10:20 Hal Finney is NOT half of Satoshi

18:00 Widows

19:33 Benjamin Wallace's 5 points

22:00 Conclusion

Watch the trailer for Finding Satoshi.

In April 2026, Finding Satoshi is the only place where you can see the full...

See the video:

https://youtu.be/3kGTgRjpcRw

Last week, John Carreyrou and Dylan Freedman of The New York Times reported that Satoshi Nakamoto is Adam Back.

Read the full New York Times article (and to bypass the NYT paywall legally).

Or if you have a NYT subscription, read the original.

Last year, I interviewed Benjamin Wallace about his remarkable book, "The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto."

Watch the interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0KVOcLJe50X post by a pro programmer comparing Adam Back's code...

Corporations are often seen as evil, selfish entities. We overlook that they allow billions of parents to feed, educate, and heal their kids. Jobs also generate taxes that allow governments to build roads, hospitals, and schools. Taxes fund welfare and protect national parks.

None of this would be possible (or at least easy) without corporations.

Don’t believe me? Consider humanity before corporations. Our global standard of living was far lower than today.

Still don’t believe me?

Listen or watch this episode with Sawyer CEO Kurt Avery.

https://yout...

Sometimes a brief meeting with one human can change your life. Lauren Speeth, President of Elphenworks Productions, met US President Jimmy Carter decades ago.

Watch!

Lauren Speeth, PhD, combines a lifelong background in Silicon Valley technology with a commitment to educational, pro‑social storytelling. A classically trained violinist and longtime member emeritus of The Peninsula Symphony’s first violin section, she is also a voting member of The Recording Academy and has produced films and media projects that address poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis while aiming to foster hope.

Her work in soci...

Watch this interview to enjoy the b-roll

https://youtu.be/35UMP6SV-zw

Hal makes informative videos about Vietnam.1st video of the series:

Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channel

B-Roll credit: @HalOnEarth

Timeline

00:00 Do The Vietnamese Like China More Than The USA?

03:20 Learning the Vietnamese language

05:00 YouTube channel goals

07:00 What Hal Loves & Hates about Vietnam

10:00 Sexism in Vietnam?

13:00 Religion

14:45 Educational system

19:00 Vietnam's future

Hal's videos mentioned in the interview:

...

Watch the video version of this podcast

Hal makes informative videos about Vietnam.

See my previous video with him:

Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channel.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

* Facebook

* X

* YouTube

* Instagram

* TikTok<...

Hal makes informative videos about Vietnam.

Watch the video of this podcast

https://youtu.be/RFcLm9fe4a0

Hal gets credit for the B-roll in the video!

Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channel.

Timeline

00:00 Who is Hal Medrano?

04:00 Pittsburgh, PA

06:30 Why Hal Returned to Vietnam

08:00 Hal On Earth Channel

Hal's videos mentioned in the interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo0mkcMbDHI

SE Asia 30 years ago

Connect

Send me an...

Jost Kobusch, a 32-year-old German mountaineer who summited Denali in winter, is attempting what some experts give a 1% chance of success: he wants to summit Everest in winter, alone, without supplemental oxygen, and following a rarely climbed route, the dangerous West Ridge.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b1QtNL4CqJo

In this WanderLearn Show, Jost discusses his overall goal, the extreme winter conditions at Everest’s altitude, being blown off the mountain on past attempts, why he chose the West Ridge, details on route maps, filming mishaps, rope use, when he might change his plan, th...

I bumped into Erik while visiting Big Basin National Park in Nevada, USA. He's been a nomad, living out of his Subaru on a modest budget, and vlogging about his experience. He shows us how he does it.

youtu.be/BhUD0pjITsU

https://youtu.be/BhUD0pjITsU

Follow Erik's YouTube channel Why Erik Ditched His Teardrop Trailer

Loneliest American Road

CREDIT FOR THE TWO EMBEDDED VIDEOS:Kenai Pop-Up Truck Camper Tour - Scout Campers

Overland Ready! 2024 Toyota Tacoma with Kimbo Camper Walkaround - Salty Gears Off Road<...

Dr. Isabelle Morley is a couples therapist and author of "They're Not Gaslighting You."

https://youtu.be/cPahcRnG_Fg

The kiss cam moment exposes much more than a couple’s private drama—it reveals how we judge, label, and punish one another in the court of public opinion. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Isabelle Morley to unpack why cheating feels unforgivable to most people, how labels and “therapy-speak” get weaponized online, and what gaslighting really looks like beyond the memes. We also explore when it makes sense to set boundaries, walk away from tox...

WanderLearn explores travel, tech, and transformation. This is a tech-related episode.

Aleksandar Svetski is the CEO of Satlantis.io, which began as a travel app but has pivoted toward events, including travel-related events.

Satlantis is a new kind of social network for “Sovereign Individuals.” It aims to become the go-to place for people who want more out of life and refuse to conform to the mainstream.

Satlantis is part map, part directory, part aggregator, and part social app. Imagine elements of Instagram, Google Places, Meetup, TripAdvisor, NomadList, and Facebook Groups, but built for the...

Dr. Robert Edwards, author of The Last Step but One, proposes 5 hypotheses about Mallory and Irvine’s final ascent of Everest.

Two of the hypotheses have sub-hypotheses, bringing the total number of conjectures to 8.

Robert Edwards's Mallory & Irvine book.

Watch the YouTube video

Timeline

00:00 Hypothesis 1

06:10 Hypothesis 2

09:00 Hypothesis 3

12:20 Hypothesis 4.1

19:30 Hypothesis 4.2

23:00 Hypothesis 5.1

25:35 Hypothesis 5.2

28:30 Hypothesis 5.3

31:50 Reflections

DISCLOSURE: I used AI to generate the thumbnail for this video. So if you're wondering why the image is...

It’s easier to watch the episode because of all the slides. The comments on YouTube will be interesting to read, too!

TIMELINE

00:00 Exclusive announcement!05:00 What we know10:30 Odell sighting14:00 Ice ax17:00 Oxygen bottle19:25 Mallory's body23:45 Irvine's boot29:30 What we do NOT know

Robert Edwards’s Mallory & Irvine book

DISCLOSURE: I used AI to generate this video's thumbnail. So if you're wondering why the image is inaccurate, you'll know why.On the 100th anniversary of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's death on Mount Everest, I interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards, author of Mall...

Buy Dan’s book, Waterborne.

Dan Rubinstein undertakes a 1,200‑mile solo stand‑up paddleboarding journey from Ottawa through Montreal, New York City, Toronto, and back, traveling rivers, lakes, and canals over ten weeks.

Along the way, he explores the concept of “blue space”—how being in, on, or near water can promote healing, enhance mental and physical health, and foster care for the natural world—while meeting a diverse range of people connected to these waterways.

Blending research, interviews, and a reflective, anticolonial adventure narrative, the book argues that water can reconnect fractured communities an...

In this two-part interview, Canadian Dan Rubinstein discusses the logistics and surprises of his stand-up paddleboard (SUP) journey!

Buy Dan’s book, Water Borne.

Dan Rubinstein undertakes a 1,200‑mile solo stand‑up paddleboarding journey from Ottawa through Montreal, New York City, Toronto, and back, traveling rivers, lakes, and canals over ten weeks.

Along the way, he investigates the idea of “blue space”—how being in, on, or near water can heal, improve mental and physical health, and inspire care for the natural world—while meeting a wide range of people connected to these waterways.

I made several gloomy predictions for 2025 that did not occur.

So, now, like a lousy gambler, I am doubling down on those gloomy predictions and reiterating some of them for 2026!

A broken clock is correct twice a day! I will be a glorious Nostradamus in 2026!

1. Global recession strikes.

I incorrectly predicted that we’d have a recession in 2025, so how about 2026? I asked Perplexity.ai, and most experts say my prediction is wrong. Screw them. I say that the US unemployment rate will rise above 7%. Tariffs send the world into a do...

In Part 1, Forbes Contributor Clem Chambers predicted that Bitcoin & crypto will continue being a bear market throughout 2026.

In Part 2, Chambers predicts the NASDAQ & AI will surge up like a balloon, and then will pop, with prices crashing in 2026-2028.

Clem’s Bitcoin Predictions

Chambers says that either BTC will “never” get to $1 million or it will get there in 12 years. Specifically, he breaks down its future rise in these steps:

$250k in 2030

$500k in 2034

$1 million in 2038

Connect with Clem

* Clem Chambers Alpha channel: https...

Clem Chambers has been a Forbes contributor for 20 years. His predictions have often been surprisingly accurate, so it’s worth listening to what his crystal ball has to say about 2026.

Video

Connect with Clem

* Clem Chambers Alpha channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ClemChambersAlpha

* X (Twitter): https://x.com/ClemChambers​

* Personal site: https://www.clemchambers.com

* LinkedIn (Online Blockchain / ADVFN profile): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/clem-chambers-756145196​

* Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/chambers.clem/​

Perplexity wrote...

Clem Chambers has generally predicted a capped...

Sym Blanchard and I have a lively, informal discussion. Think of it as eavesdropping on a debate between long-time friends. Yes, I talk over and interrupt Sym, which is unprofessional for a typical interview, but meant to be a natural, fast-paced conversation.

00:00 Te Araroa09:40 Koreas uniting14:00 Shakespeare

Scott Williams, a hiking buddy of Sym and me, disagrees with Sym about the Te Araroa trail. Unlike Sym, Scott hiked almost all of it. Subscribe to get his take in 2026!

More from Sym

If you enjoy this philosophical episode, listen to the dozen...

Sym Blanchard and I talk about families and free will.

Sym Blanchard has a 36-year-old daughter and a 38-year-old son. He is estranged from his daughter, but has a close, positive relationship with his son. I ask:

* What is the hardest time to raise children?

* Why does Sym struggle to get along with his daughter and yet gets along great with his son?

* Free Will vs. Environment?

I mention Dr. Isabelle Morsley’s book, They’re Not Gaslighting You.

Timeline

00:00 Estranged daughter

05:15 Francis’s disc...

Sym Blanchard explains the benefits of tracing your genealogy.

BONUS at the 5:00 mark: Why We Gravitate to Extraordinarily Accomplished People

At the end of the episode, I mention my epic Cosmic Chain article.

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to a dozen episodes featuring Sym Blanchard!

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at

https://wanderlearn.com

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On...

Listen to a dozen podcasts featuring the elder adventurer Sym Blanchard!

In this episode, Sym Blanchard and I discuss geopolitics and Bitcoin:

00:00 Israel and Gaza10:00 Ukraine War16:00 Coming Recession19:40 Bitcoin

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at https://wanderlearn.com.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Facebook

Twitter

You...

In 2025, I catch up with one of the most remarkable 72-year-olds you’ll ever meet, Sym Blanchard!

Watch this podcast!

This page features five episodes starring Sym.

Listen to all the episodes featuring Sym Blanchard since 2018!

* A 66-year-old Adventurer Shows How To Live A Meaningful Life in 2018 (one of the top 5 most popular WanderLearn episodes!)

* Traveling To Find One’s Ancestors in 2019

* Near Death on the CDT + Sym’s 60-Year Love Story in 2020

* Nine Shows Sharing Travel Wisdom Featuring Sym Blanchard in 2022

* Unstoppable 70-year...

True story:

I bumped into Reinhold Messner at the base of Mount Sabyinyo in Rwanda on December 31, 2016.

Because I had read several of his books, I instantly recognized him with his signature disheveled hair and gray beard.

Still, I politely asked, "Excuse me. Are you Reinhold Messner?"

He looked at me, grumbled an unclear non-answer, and turned away to join his small group.

I shuffled over to Rejoice Tapon and said, "I'm 95% sure that that man over there is Reinhold Messner, the greatest mountaineer ever!"

She'd never...