WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life
Take a profound and distant journey. Call it Deep Travel, Immersive Travel, Slow Travel, or Vagabonding. Francis Tapon guides you to the intersection of travel, technology, and transformation. The podcast will compel you to go beyond your comfort zone.
Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA
In 3 WanderLearn episodes, Alex Hutchinson and I discuss his new book, The Explorer's Gene. This is the 3rd of 3 episodes.
The Explorer's Gene examines human exploration broadly, going beyond traditional expeditions to investigate why humans explore everything from new foods to music.
Watch my First Video Interview with AlexVideo #2: Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment? Video #3: Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA. Timeline for Episode 3
0:00 Tips
02:00 Endurance & Exploring
05:30 Exploiting vs. Exploring
07:00 Exploring in our DNA
09:00 Many way...
The Fastest Traveler Looks to the Future
Michael Zervos is the fastest traveler ever!
Watch the Video
Now that Michael Zervos has traveled to all the countries faster than anyone else, what's next for him?
Additionally, what advice would he offer to anyone who wants to break his speed record?
Did you know Zervos has a book deal? Exciting!
We cover it all in 13 minutes!
Timeline00:00 Advice to the next person who tries to beat the record
04:50 Next steps
Michael Zervos has visited every country faster than anyone else while rec...
Fastest To Travel to Every Country: Michael Zervos of Project Kosmos
I'm celebrating the 350th podcast episode with Michael Zervos! He did it!
Many people try to travel to all the countries in the world quickly, but most fail.
Therefore, when I met Zervos in Côte d'Ivoire in February 2024, when he was just 10% into his race, it seemed highly unlikely that he would succeed where so many others had failed.
Still, there was something about Zervos that made me believe he would pull off this stunt.
Although many things impressed me about Zervos, the most important was his level of organization. He...
Nomadic Matt's Best Travel Tips
Nomadic Matt is a pioneering travel blogger. One day, we'll call him the grandfather of travel blogging during the Golden Era of travel blogs.
He's not known for his travel feats but rather for the extensive tips he's provided on his popular website, which focuses on budget travel.
Watch the VideoThe book's budget used to be $50/day, but inflation and a post-COVID world forced Matt to update his book.
In 2025, he refreshed his bestselling book, which is now called How to Travel the World on $75 a Day.
As part of h...
How Nomadic Matt Travels on $75 a Day!
Nomadic Matt is a pioneering travel blogger. One day, we'll call him the grandfather of travel blogging during the Golden Era of travel blogs.
He's not known for his travel feats but rather for the extensive tips he's provided on his popular website, which focuses on budget travel.
Watch the video interview
The book's budget used to be $50/day, but inflation and a post-COVID world forced Matt to update his book.
In 2025, he refreshed his bestselling book, which is now called How to Travel the World on $75 a Day.
A...
"Battle of the Big Bang" author Phil Halper reveals competing theories
Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins examines the most profound idea: how did the universe begin?
Watch the video, as it includes illustrations in the final 10 minutes.Although I'm not a physicist, I have read many books about the Big Bang, physics, and the universe.
This book is an in-depth exploration of the competing models that hypothesize about our origins.
I appreciated learning about the Ekpyrotic universe and Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC), two novel ideas. For instance, CCC posits that "the universe is cyclic but never re-collapses. E...
They're NOT gaslighting you! Dr. Isabelle Morley on the weaponization of therapy speak
I’ve never highlighted a book as much as They’re Not Gaslighting You: Ditch the Therapy Speak and Stop Hunting for Red Flags in Every Relationship.
It's my favorite book in 2025!
Watch the Video InterviewAuthor Dr. Isabelle Morley gives us a timely book that rejects the reckless proliferation of the following terms:
Sociopath Psychopath Love bomb Narcissist Boundaries Borderline Toxic Gaslighting Who is Dr. Isabelle Morley?Dr. Morley is not a chronic gaslighter trying to convince the world that she doesn't gaslight by writing a book about it. Here's her resume:
Aut...Why have a travel checklist? Why use the MTP app?
Charles Veley explains why having a travel checklist can be beneficial and how the MTP app helps.
Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.
I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!
In 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of May 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of them! That's why he's been called the Godfather of Sy...
Charles Veley's adventure at the Bolivia-Chile border
Charles Veley and I discuss his mini-adventure at the Chile-Bolivia border. It illustrates how no matter how much you travel, you keep having fun and unexpected moments.
Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.
I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!
In 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of May 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of...
Will the Kessler Syndrome keep us stuck on Earth? Blue Origin's Brendan Rousseau opines
Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space.
Watch all four videos about Space to Grow
I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors.
In this episode, we dive into the Kessler Syndrome, which might keep us stuck on Earth!Watch our interview on YouTube!
In our second episode, Brendan Rousseau discusses how close we are to having space hotels and joyrides. Is space tourism around the corner?See the video interview.
...Space Tourism, Hotels, and Joyrides
Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space.
Watch all four videos about Space to Grow
I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors.
In this episode, Brendan Rousseau discusses how close we are to having space hotels and joyrides. Is space tourism around the corner?See the video interview.
In our first episode, Brendan Rousseau shares his origin story and how he ended up at Blue Origin. He discusses why space isn't w...Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment?
In 3 WanderLearn episodes, Alex Hutchinson and I discuss his new book, The Explorer's Gene. This is episode 2 of 3.
The Explorer's Gene examines human exploration broadly, going beyond traditional expeditions to investigate why humans explore everything from new foods to music.
Watch my 1st Video Interview with Alex#2: Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment? #3: Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA. Timeline for episode 3
0:00 Tips
02:00 Endurance & Exploring
05:30 Exploiting vs. Exploring
07:00 Exploring in our DNA
09:00 Many ways to explore
Michael Zervos Will Soon Be The Fastest Person To Travel To Every Country
I interviewed Michael Zervos in Côte d'Ivoire 14 months ago. He was 10% done with his every-country-speed tour.
I interviewed him today, April 8, 2025, when he's over 90% done!
Watch the Video Timeline00:00 Only 23 countries to go
05:20 Time left
08:15 How he gets tourist visas
16:16 Greek Passport
20:00 Finish line
Follow him on Instagram
More info
To leave an anonymous voicemail that I could use on the podcast, go to SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my new...
Is There An Explorer's Gene? Alex Hutchinson Responds
In 3 WanderLearn episodes, Alex Hutchinson and I discuss his new book, The Explorer's Gene.
The Explorer's Gene examines human exploration broadly, going beyond traditional expeditions to investigate why humans explore everything from new foods to music.
Watch my Video Interview with Alex#2: Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment? #3: Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA. Timeline for episode 3
0:00 Tips
02:00 Endurance & Exploring
05:30 Exploiting vs. Exploring
07:00 Exploring in our DNA
09:00 Many ways to explore
Who is Most Traveled People Founder Charles Veley?
Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.
I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!
Watch it on YouTubeIn 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of April 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of them! That's why he's been called the Godfather of Systematic Travel!
Download the MTP app or create a profile on MTP's website.
...What's different about outer space today?
Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space.
Watch all four videos about Space to Grow
I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors.
Brendan Rousseau shares his origin story and how he ended up at Blue Origin. He discusses why space isn't what it used to be. Watch the Video About Brendan RousseauCurrent Role:
Strategy Manager - New Glenn, Blue Origin: Focuses on orbital launch strategy.
Education:
Nothing is Ever Very Full or Very Unique
This mini-episode is another Public Service Announcement from a grammar Nazi. It's my simple effort to clean up sloppy English.
I explain why you should never say something is:
Very Full Very UniquePerplexity.ai elaborates:
Very Full or Very UniqueThis mini-episode is another Public Service Announcement from a grammar Nazi. It's my simple effort to clean up sloppy English.
I explain why you should never say something is:
Very Full Very UniquePerplexity.ai elaborates:
Why You Should Never Say Something Is "Very Full" or "Very Un...USA Champs vs. World Champions
Major League Baseball, an exclusively North American league, says its best annual team is the "World Champions," having won the "World Series." No other continent is invited to compete.
Similarly, the NBA's top team is called the "World Champions," even though, once again, only North American teams can compete.
In 20 seconds, I complain about how North American leagues use the term "World Champs."
For a more in-depth analysis, consider what Perplexity.ai wrote:
The terms "World Champions" in NBA basketball and "World Series" in MLB are contentious but widely used for...
Space Business with Authors of 'Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier'
Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier.
The new book explains the business side of space. I interview both authors.
Here's my interview with Matthew Weinzierl.
Watch the Video Timeline00:00 Intro
02:00 Low-hanging fruit
07:00 Surprises
09:30 Space is vast and crowded
11:30 Kessler Syndrome
16:30 What won't happen in space?
21:45 Moon and Mars predictions
25:21 Advice for Entrepreneurs
28:00 New news
30:00 Co-authoring advice
About Matt We...
Nobody is Humbled When They Say, "I'm Humbled..."
When people win awards or are honored in some way, they often say they are "humbled" to receive the recognition.
That's absurd.
It's the wrong word.
Say you're thrilled, happy, or honored, but don't say you're humbled!
More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
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Are Vegans Unhealthy?
Happy Valentine's Day 2025!
Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals.
Professor Halteman mentions NutritionFacts.org.
See/Hear all four episodes with Matthew Halteman.
More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest TumblrMy Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a pat...
Tips on Taking Baby Steps To Becoming Vegan
Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Here's the timeline of our discussion in case you want to skip to a section.
00:00 Know yourself
05:15 Negotiating and compromising
09:15 Cognitive Dissonance
Have you tried lab-grown meat?
It has many other names:
Cultivated Meat: This term is increasingly favored as it accurately describes growing meat from animal cells in a controlled environment. Cell-Based Meat: This name emphasizes that the meat is derived from animal cells rather than whole animals, highlighting its scientific origins. Cultured Meat: Like cu...What Do Vegans Think about Lab-Grown Meat?
Lab-grown meat has many other names:
Cultivated Meat: This term is increasingly favored as it accurately describes growing meat from animal cells in a controlled environment. Cell-Based Meat: This name emphasizes that the meat is derived from animal cells rather than whole animals, highlighting its scientific origins. Cultured Meat: Like cultivated meat, this term refers to meat produced through cellular agriculture techniques. Clean Meat: This term was popular among early advocates, suggesting a more ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional meat. Synthetic Meat: This name indicates that the product is artificially created, which can evoke mixed consumer...Does Going Vegan Have To Suck?
Vegans have a marketing problem: they're perceived to be annoying, self-righteous, judgmental, and inflexible.
Author Matthew Halteman's book Hungry Beautiful Animals is designed to fix that perception and make veganism more appealing and less threatening.
Visit his website about Hungry Beautiful Animals.
Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Here's the timeline of our discussion in case you want to skip to a section.
00:00 Intro
04:30 Marketing Problem?
07:00 Practical Tips
10:00 Kindergarten Values
12:00 Abstract food
16:30 Aspirations
20:40 Fish
Watch...DB Cooper's Background & the Cash Found at Tena Bar
Who was DB Cooper? Did he have a military background? Where did the cash found in Tena Bar come from? What's a plausible explanation for what happened on the night that DB Cooper jumped? Did he survive?
In part 3 of 3 about DB Cooper and Flight 305, Dr. Robert H. Edwards delves into that and more.
Watch the Video Timeline00:00 Who was DB Cooper?
07:00 Military background
13:30 Cash in Tena Bar
19:20 Plausible story
28:20 Did he survive?
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://w...
DB Cooper's Planning, Prep, & Precursors
DB Cooper was cunning. What were the various considerations he had to contend with to pull off the only unsolved act of air piracy in US history?
Watch the Video DB Cooper needed a: Plane with an airstair Short flight Terminating flight Late afternoon flightIn part 2 of 3 about DB Cooper and Flight 305, Dr. Robert H. Edwards delves into that and more.
Timeline00:00 Planning and Prep
08:30 Three precursors
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this p...
Jimmy Carter's 2024 death fulfills my prediction
I've always recorded my annual predictions on December 31 or January 1.
However, on December 28, 2024, I started a two-week trip to Dalat, Vietnam.
I wanted to travel light, so I recorded my annual predictions on December 27, allowing me to leave my audio and video gear in Ho Chi Minh, where I planned to return on January 15, 2025.
In my podcast a few days ago, I said that my prediction that Jimmy Carter would die in 2024 was wrong.
Sadly, my 2024 prediction was correct.
See my 1-minute videoThe only good news in this sad...
2025 Predictions about Bitcoin, Trump, Ukraine, Unemployment, Economy, Stocks, & more
In my Annual Prediction Show, I review my horrible 2024 predictions before making my new predictions. I got 4 out of 10 points, my worst year ever! I hope to do better this year!
My 2025 predictions Watch the Video1. A global recession crushes the US economy. In July 2022, the yield curve inverted and stayed inverted for 783 consecutive days, marking the longest period in U.S. history. In early September 2024, it un-inverted. Usually, a recession occurs about 12 months after the un-inversion. Admittedly, the recession can occur between 6 and 24 months after the un-inversion, so we could postpone it until 2026. However, disaster w...
How the FBI Screwed Up the DB Cooper and Flight 305 Case
In this three-part series, Dr. Robert Edwards and I discuss the fascinating mystery of DB Cooper. In 1971, a man hijacked Flight 305, received $200,000 in $20 bills, 4 parachutes, and skydived into the darkness over the Pacific Northwest, never to be seen again.
Watch the VideoSubscribe to my YouTube channel and WanderLearn podcast to get the three episodes.
Buy Dr. Robert H. Edwards's book about DB Cooper & Flight 305.
To see photos and evidence related to the DB Cooper Case, visit Robert's Flickr site.
The FBI has more information about the DB Cooper and Flight 305 case...
2/3 of the way to visiting every country faster than anyone else
Michael Zervos explains why North Korea is the toughest country to visit.
Watch the video interview
Listen to all 6 of my interviews with Zervos.
Timeline00:00 Why North Korea is the toughest
05:30 How Zervos makes videos
11:00 What's the upcoming schedule
Follow him on Instagram
More infoTo leave an anonymous voicemail that I could use on the podcast, go to SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, s...
Fastest Traveler Reflects On Ukraine, Palestine, & USA Election
Michael Zervos of The Project Kosmos is two-thirds through his trip to every country.
He's on track to break the record for visiting all the countries faster than anyone else.
We talked while he was in Lviv, Ukraine in December 2024.
Listen to all 6 of my interviews with Zervos.
Timeline
00:00 Intro
05:00 Ukraine War
11:00 USA Election reactions
14:30 Palestine
Follow him on https://www.instagram.com/theprojectkosmos
FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.co...
I Ate Durian: the fruit that smells like sh*t
Durian is recognized for its overpowering and foul odor, often described as similar to feces.
I decided to try it and record my reaction.
See the video!
Have you ever attempted to eat durian or smelled its distinctive aroma?
#durian #durianfruit #review
FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you...
You're Wrong! You CAN compare X with Y!
I attack the expression that says, "You can't compare...." About 99% of the time, you CAN compare anything with anything. You may dislike the comparison or believe the two things are vastly different, but that doesn't mean you CANNOT compare them. Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my us...
Ege's Dad Was Killed When She Was 5. How To Forgive?
Forgive me for rushing through this interview. We were under time pressure. But if you would like, send me a message encouraging me to interview Ege Riitsalu again in greater depth.
In this episode, Ege Riitsalu shares her tragic personal story. It serves as an example of the power of radical forgiveness.
Watch the Video of this podcast About radical forgivenessHow do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hike, offers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs.
In my...
Radical Forgiveness Therapy with Ege Riiitsalu
How do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hike, offers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs.
Watch the VideoIn my first TEDx Talk, I discussed "How Travel Transforms You."
But what if the wanderlust doesn't quite do the trick?
Then, you take another type of journey, a mental one, to unlock deep-seated memories and beliefs.
Ege Riitsalu is an Estonian who used radical forgiveness to dislodge a mental roadblock. Since then, she's run workshops and offere...
Is Voting for a Third-Party Candidate Throwing Away Your Vote?
Who you vote for in the 2024 US Presidential election matters little if you don't live in Maine, Nebraska, or a battleground state.
If you want to be highly pedantic and annoying, you could argue that your vote matters even in non-swing states like California.
That's because if most Californian Democrats conspired not to vote, a Republican would win even though the polls heavily favor the Democrat.
However, if you live in the real, realistic world, my point is accurate on a practical level.
Watch the video of this podcast!What do you think ab...
Following Sunshine with Niamh McAnally
Niamh McAnally's memoir, Following Sunshine: A Voyage Around the Mind, Around the World, Around the Heart, offers readers a rich tapestry of travel, personal growth, and introspection.
This book transcends the typical travelogue by intertwining McAnally's adventures with profound reflections on her life experiences, including themes of loss, self-discovery, and resilience.
Watch the Video Interview!Overview of the Book
Following Sunshine takes readers on an enthralling journey through various landscapes, from the lush jungles of Fiji to the serene beaches of Vanuatu. McAnally's narrative is not just about her travels; it delves deeply i...
Sandy Irvine's Foot Found on Everest! Analysis with Dr. Robert Edwards
On the 100th anniversary of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's death on Mount Everest, I interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards, author of Mallory, Irvine, and Everest: The Last Step But One, which reexamined their mysterious story in extreme detail.
Watch my original interview with Dr. Edwards, my most popular interview in 2024. It provides an excellent background for today's interview.
Today, Dr. Edwards returns to the WanderLearn Show to discuss Jimmy Chin's surprising October 2024 announcement that he found Andrew Comyn Irvine's foot! Andrew Irvine's nickname was Sandy.
Watch the Video Photo by National Geographic <...Snow Kiting Across Greenland + 4 First Ascents with Eric Gilbertson!
Eric Gilbertson is back!
Eric Gilbertson and Branden Joy dragged 400 pounds (180 kg) of gear on 4 sleds across Greenland.
They covered 1,539 miles (1,420 snow kiting, 119 man hauling) in 40 days.
On his biggest day, he covered 218 miles kiting.
His fastest kiting speed was 33mph.
They did 4 first ascents.
Read Eric Gilbertson's Greenland traverse trip report.
Krisli Melesk co-hosted this show with me. She and I were in awe of Eric's accomplishments.
Watch the Video Interview
2 K2 & Everest Climbers Swap Mountain Stories
Everyone loves coincidences. During my month in Estonia, I bumbled into Krisli Melesk, who bumbled into Eric Gilbertson on K2. Eric & I were scheduled to record a podcast a few days after I met Krisli, so I invited her to join the show as a surprise guest!
Eric Gilbertson is in the process of climbing to the highest point in every country. He's done 143 out of 193!
This is first of a two-part series, featuring Eric & Krisli. Subscribe to get next week's episode where we will discuss Eric kite surfing across Greenland!
You must l...
