The Last Trip

Over the last two episodes, we've followed the story of Anni Dewani from her life in Sweden and complicated relationship with Shrien Dewani, to their lavish wedding in India and the honeymoon in South Africa where everything changed. On November 13, 2010, Anni and Shrien were riding through Cape Town with their driver, 
Zola Tongo, when their vehicle was taken over by two armed men. Tongo was released. Then Shrien. Anni was not. The following morning, the 27-year-old newlywed was found dead in the backseat of the abandoned Volkswagen.
But what initially appeared to be a random carjacking quickly b...

Last week, in Part One of our three-part series on the murder of Anni Dewani, we followed Anni from her life in Sweden to her whirlwind relationship with Shrien Dewani, their lavish wedding in India, and the honeymoon that was supposed to mark the beginning of their life together. Instead, less than 48 hours after arriving in Cape Town, everything changed. 
On the night of November 13, 2010, Anni and Shrien were riding through Gugulethu with their driver, Zola Tongo, when two armed men took control of their vehicle. Tongo was forced out. Then Shrien. But Anni was driven away. The f...

Anni Dewani had just gotten married and was supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime—a honeymoon in Cape Town, South Africa. But late one night, a taxi ride took a terrifying turn. The car was hijacked. Anni’s husband made it out alive. Anni did not.
At first, it looked like a random and devastating crime. But almost immediately, questions began to surface. Stories would change. Accusations would be made.  And what happened that night would become the center of an international murder case that would take years to unravel.
Over the next three episo...

On today’s episode of The Last Trip, we’re joined by Kami Kirschbaum, founder of The Safe Civilian, a company creating protective clothing designed to look like everyday fashion.
After experiencing a devastating loss at a young age, Kami began looking at personal safety in an entirely different way. Now, she’s on a mission to help people protect themselves from the unexpected. From the hidden dangers travelers often overlook to the split-second decisions that could mean the difference between life and death, Kami is joining us to share what everyone should know before their next trip. Becaus...

In March of 2018, 46-year-old Bartt Felt was driving from Michigan to Arizona to visit his father.  But while passing through a remote stretch of Utah, something went wrong.
His ankle monitor last pinged near the Mexican Hat Bridge, where his backpack and a troubling note were later discovered.  His vehicle was found abandoned miles away in the Valley of the Gods.  But Bartt was gone.
For the next five years, no one knew what happened to him — or what took place during his final hours in the Utah desert.
Listen as we dive into the Valley of th...

Last week, we followed childhood friends Casey MacPherson-Pomeroy and Caleb Guillory to Anguilla, where a New Year’s trip ended in two sudden and deeply mysterious deaths. What first looked like a possible overdose quickly became something much harder to explain. Both men reportedly had lethal levels of drugs in their systems. But Caleb also had injuries that pointed to something far more violent. The four people who survived that night were questioned, released, and eventually returned to the United States. 
And that’s where Part Two begins. Because once everyone came home, the story started changing. Secrets surfa...

In December 2018, childhood friends Casey MacPherson-Pomeroy and Caleb Guillory were together on the Caribbean island of Anguilla — surrounded by white sand, turquoise water, and people they trusted. On the night of December 30th, they went out for drinks. Hours later, both men were dead.
At first, it appeared something they consumed may have been responsible.  But when the toxicology results came back — and the details surrounding their deaths began to emerge — the story became much darker.
Two friends. One night in paradise.  This is Part One of Casey and Caleb's story.
Listen as we dive into Anguilla...

Twice, Hannah Upp disappeared.  And twice, against incredible odds, she was found alive. After her second disappearance, Hannah moved to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she built a new life in a place she called paradise. For years, there were no more episodes.
Then, in September 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island.  In the chaotic days that followed, 32-year-old Hannah Upp vanished for a third time. But this time, Hannah wouldn't simply reappear a few days later. This is the third and final chapter of the mysterious disappearance of Hannah Upp.
Listen as we di...

Last week, we told you the story of Hannah Upp, a 23-year-old teacher who mysteriously disappeared in New York City in 2008. Nearly three weeks later, Hannah was found alive in New York Harbor with no memory of where she'd been or what she'd been doing.  Doctors diagnosed her with dissociative fugue, and Hannah eventually returned to her life, hoping it would never happen again. For five years, it didn't.
Then, in September 2013, Hannah was living and working in Maryland when she suddenly disappeared again. Was it happening again? This is Part Two of the mysterious story of Hannah U...

In the summer of 2008, 23-year-old teacher Hannah Upp was living in New York City when she suddenly vanished.
There was no warning, no explanation, and seemingly no reason for Hannah to walk away from her life. Her family and friends had no idea where she had gone—or what might have happened to her. As the days passed, strange clues began to surface,  but instead of providing answers, they only deepened the mystery. Where was Hannah Upp? And how could a young woman simply disappear in one of the busiest cities in the world?
This is part one...

In February of 1978, nineteen-year-old Mary Frances Gregory left Ontario for what was supposed to be a road trip to California. But she never made it.
The man traveling with her later said they crossed the United States together before he left Mary at a bus station in Las Vegas. 
But there’s a problem. Almost everything we know about Mary’s final days comes from him. No confirmed bus ticket. No verified sighting in Las Vegas. No arrival in California. And nearly fifty years later, we still don’t know where along that journey Mary actually disappeared.
List...

Graham Norris Horne was 21 years old when he disappeared in rural Virginia. On August 15, 2024, Graham was traveling with a faith-based group when they stopped for gas at a truck stop in Bracey.  According to investigators, there was some kind of disagreement. Graham walked away. He didn’t have a phone. He didn’t know the area. And he had no known ties to the community.
But what happened next would turn a missing-person case into something far more disturbing. Weeks later, workers at a church about six miles away noticed a terrible smell coming from an old well. At th...

On March 31st, 2007, 32-year-old Nicole Vienneau left her hotel in Hama, Syria, for a day of sightseeing. She was nearing the end of a six-month solo backpacking trip through West Africa and the Middle East, and nothing about that morning suggested it would be any different from the countless others she had spent exploring on her own. Nicole left her belongings behind and walked out of the hotel. She was never seen again. No confirmed sightings. No clear trail. No explanation.  Somewhere in Hama, Nicole Vienneau seemingly vanished into thin air.
Listen as we dive into Syria, the c...

In January of 2019, 20-year-old Finnish backpacker, Aleksis Nikitin traveled alone to Tioman Island—a remote tropical paradise off the coast of Malaysia. Only days after arriving, he was reportedly planning to hike through the rainforest to a secluded waterfall. But sometime that day, Aleksis disappeared. Back at the home where he was staying, his belongings were left behind—including his passport and wallet. There was no sign that he had packed up, no indication that he planned to leave the island, and no explanation for where he had gone. Search teams combed the jungle. Dogs reportedly picked up his scen...

In October of 1995, 20-year-old Victoria Cafasso traveled to Tasmania on holiday, excited to explore one of Australia's most beautiful islands.  She packed a towel, headed to the beach for a quiet afternoon, and never came home. She was attacked in broad daylight.  Stabbed 17 times on an open beach where dozens of people came and went that day.
And somehow...No one saw anything. No one heard enough to stop it. No one has ever been held responsible. Nearly three decades later, Victoria's murder remains one of Tasmania's most chilling unsolved mysteries. 
Listen as we dive into Tasmania, the...

In the spring of 1989, twenty-year-old Charles Horvath-Allan arrived in the Canadian city of Kelowna, British Columbia.  Like so many young backpackers, he was chasing adventure. He picked up odd jobs, met new people, and settled into a campground near the shores of Okanagan Lake.
Then one day, he was simply gone.
His tent was still standing. His clothes were still there.  His passport, his photographs, and nearly everything he owned had been left behind. But Charles was nowhere to be found.
There would be rumors whispered around town.  Anonymous letters delivered under mysterious circumstances.  Stories, allegations, and...

On July 8th, 2014, Lars Mittank walked into an airport in Bulgaria, expecting to fly home after a vacation. Instead, surveillance cameras captured something nobody could explain. Lars suddenly took off running. Not toward his gate. Not to catch a flight. But out of the airport, leaving behind his luggage and phone.
Then he climbed a fence, disappeared into a nearby field, and was never seen again. In Part 1, we talked about Bulgaria, Lars, and the timeline of his disappearance. This week, in Part 2, we discuss the theories behind his disappearance, along with some safety tips for traveling to...

On July 8th, 2014, Lars Mittank walked into an airport in Bulgaria, expecting to fly home after a vacation. Instead, surveillance cameras captured something nobody could explain. Lars suddenly took off running. Not toward his gate. Not to catch a flight. But out of the airport, leaving behind his luggage and phone.
Then he climbed a fence, disappeared into a nearby field, and was never seen again. In Part 1, we will talk about Bulgaria, Lars, and the timeline of his disappearance. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week when we discuss the theories behind his disappearance, along with some safety...

In March 2002, Randy Latona was living in paradise.  The American businessman had traded Las Vegas for the Caribbean island of Roatan, Honduras - a place known for crystal-clear water, coral reefs, and postcard-perfect sunsets. 
Shortly after starting a prominent Rum business, Randy was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head. 
Authorities ruled it a suicide, but his family vehemently disagreed. The only other person inside the condo was his girlfriend, Leslie. Questions quickly surfaced about the scene, the investigation, and what really happened during Randy’s final hours.
Was this a tragic suicide? Or murde...

Harry Devert was the kind of person who was always chasing the next adventure. A world traveler from New York, he’d spent years backpacking through different countries, sleeping wherever the road took him, and documenting his journeys along the way.
But in 2014, during a solo motorcycle trip through Mexico on his way to the World Cup in Brazil… Harry suddenly vanished.
Before disappearing, he sent unsettling messages to his girlfriend — saying he’d been escorted out of a dangerous area by the military, and warning that the region he was riding through was heavily controlled by cartels...

In January 1975, Caryn Campbell, a 23 year old nurse from Michigan was in Aspen, Colorado with her fiancee for what should have been a carefree ski vacation.
She was young, ambitious, and newly in love - spending the week at a lodge near the Snowmass Ski Area surrounded by friends, tourists, and fresh mountain snow.
But on the night of January 12th, Caryn stepped away inside the lodge for just a moment… and never came back.
In a crowded ski resort town, without a scream or a trace, Caryn vanished into the dark - becoming part of on...

43-year-old Emma Kelty from London loved anything filled with adventure.  In 2017, she set out to do something few people would ever attempt: travel the entire length of the Amazon River solo.
At first, her social media updates were filled with excitement and awe.  But deeper into the jungle, the tone changed. And days later, Emma vanished.
Listen as we dive into The Amazon River, the case of Emma Kelty, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Do you have a story to share? Send your email to [email protected]

We're on YouTube: ht...

In 2016 Jenny Chen, originally from China, was living in Seattle when she set out on a solo backpacking trip through Mexico.  For weeks, everything seemed to be going exactly as planned; she stayed in touch, she checked in, and she posted on social media.
Until she was schedule to meet her husband in Cancun, and she never arrived.
There were rumors, someone said they saw her getting into a truck, possibly a commercial delivery truck… heading in the opposite direction.
Her husband, Jon Reinhard, started searching for answers— but came up empty. And today, he's here to sh...

On January 2, 2018, 28 year old Nathaly Salazar set out for what should have been just another adventure.  She was traveling through southern Peru, exploring the landscapes near Cusco and the Sacred Valley.  But on that day, Nathaly signed up for a zip-lining experience.
And she was never seen again.
In the days that followed, authorities would piece together a story that didn’t quite add up, there were only shifting stories and a moment high above the Sacred Valley that may have gone terribly wrong.
Listen as we dive into the Sacred Valley, the case of Nathaly Sala...

Kate Osborne had been living Bali for a couple of years, building a life, making plans, but preparing—quietly—to return home. 
On the night of April 18, 2003, she went out, telling those around her she might be heading to a party… and she was never seen again.
Her car was later found abandoned at the airport.  Her bank accounts went untouched.  And despite searches, investigations, and years of theories… no clear answers ever came.  It was as if she simply vanished.
Listen as we dive into Bali, the case of Kate Osborne, and how to stay alive on vac...

At just 21 years old, Sophia Koetsier was working toward her medical degree when she left her home in Amsterdam for an internship in Uganda. 
But what started as a humanitarian trip would end in one of the most haunting disappearances in Africa.
In October of 2015, after finishing her internship, Sophia set off on a short safari through Uganda’s national parks—a trip meant to celebrate everything she had just accomplished.
Days later, she arrived at Murchison Falls National Park. Shortly after arriving, Sophia walked to the bathrooms a short distance from camp. And she never came...

Michaela McAreavey had just married the love of her life. The ceremony was beautiful — joyful, hopeful, everything a wedding should be. 
Just days later, she and her husband John flew to Mauritius for their honeymoon. White sand. Turquoise water. A luxury resort built for romance. Paradise.
But twelve days after saying “I do,” on January 10, 2011, Michaela was found murdered in her hotel room at the Legends Hotel in Grand Gaube.  She was 27 years old. No one has ever been convicted.  How does a honeymoon in paradise become an unsolved murder?
Listen as we dive into Mauritius Island, t...

Charlie Hughes traveled to Costa Rica looking for something—sun, connection, maybe even a fresh start. But in August 2019, in the quiet town of Puerto Jiménez, he vanished without a trace.
He left his belongings behind. His rental car was later found submerged in a remote river. And the man he had gone there to visit raised more questions than answers.
Weeks later, remains were discovered deep in the jungle. They were Charlie’s.
What happened in those final hours—who he trusted, where he went, and why he never came back—remains a mystery that stil...

On this episode of The Last Trip, we’re speaking with Carrie Mcginnis and Dale Morrision, whose family vacation to the Dominican Republic ended in tragedy.
In 2011, they planned a trip to Punta Cana — a rare chance for their whole family to travel together.  They booked ten days at a beachfront resort.  Sun, warm weather, and time together as a family.
At first, everything was exactly what they hoped for. Days by the pool, exploring the resort, and meeting other travelers.  Their 19 year old son, Jordan, quickly made friends — he was outgoing, well liked, and enjoying the trip.
...

On August 4th, 2019, 15-year-old Nora Anne Quoirin vanished from a remote eco-resort in Malaysia.  She was on vacation with her family at The Dusun, a rainforest retreat meant for rest and quiet. But that morning, her family woke to find her gone. 
The window of her room was open. Nora—who had developmental disabilities and relied heavily on her parents—had disappeared into dense jungle terrain. 
Authorities would later say there were no signs of forced entry, and no evidence of abduction.
For ten days, hundreds of searchers combed the rainforest. They called her name through thick h...

On March 3, 2011, Rachel Funari - an American woman visiting Tasmania - stepped into that landscape, and vanished.  She was 35, she was alone, and the last confirmed sighting was around 3:30 that afternoon, at a small shack beside the start of the Fluted Cape Walking Track.
Then - nothing.  No phone call. No “made it back safe.” No trace of where she went next.  Days later, when friends realize they hadn’t heard from her, a major search begins - land, sea, air - focused on the trails and steep coastline of Bruny Island.
Searchers comb dense brushland and cliff edg...

Twenty four year old Ryan Chicovsky was living abroad, teaching English in China and spending his free time doing what so many young travelers dream of - exploring Southeast Asia.
In March 2006, he took a vacation to Laos. It was supposed to be a short getaway. Ryan was last seen leaving the Khemkong Guesthouse in Xiangkong - a remote river village in northwestern Laos. 
He walked out… and then - nothing.  No confirmed sightings. No messages. No explanation. Just silence in a place where help is far away and questions are hard to answer.  What happened after Ryan...

On April 22, 2010, a 23-year old American hiker, Aubrey Sacco, was last seen on a narrow mountain trail in northern Nepal’s Langtang National Park, a landscape of silent peaks, rushing rivers, and ancient forests.
She was experienced, prepared, and confident - a traveler who had already spent months exploring South Asia, teaching yoga, walking markets and monasteries, 
making plans to return home with stories of the world’s beauty.  But on that late-spring afternoon, she didn’t arrive at her next stop, just a couple hours down the trail from where she was last seen.
There was no b...

Today, we’re chatting with Azdean Elmounstaquim, founder of Destinations Morocco and host of the Destinations Morocco Podcast - a show with more than 100 episodes dedicated to helping travelers understand Morocco not just as a destination, but as a living, breathing place filled with stories, customs, and contradictions. 
Born and raised in Marrakech, with deep roots in the Berber village of Telouet, Azdean has spent his life moving between worlds - even relocating to the US, while never losing his connection to home.
Let’s dive into the space where curiosity meets caution… about what travelers don’t always...

Sheila was a Chicago socialite and philanthropist - wealthy, well-connected, and seemingly protected by the world she moved through.  But in August of 2014, she was found dead in Bali.
Beaten. Placed inside a suitcase. Left thousands of miles from home.  And the person accused of killing her wasn’t a stranger.  It was her own daughter.
What followed was a global media storm - a case that forced uncomfortable questions about money, control, mental illness, and the private dynamics of a mother-daughter relationship that outsiders could never fully see.  Because this isn’t just a story about a murder...

On June 30th, 2005, a fishing boat called the Freedom left the San Pedro marina for an overnight trip off the coast of Southern California. When it returned, one man never came back.  Patrick McDermott - a cameraman, a father, and the former partner of Olivia Newton-John.  His car was found parked near the dock.  His wallet, passport, and keys were left behind on the boat.  But Patrick himself had vanished.
The Coast Guard would later say he was likely lost at sea. Yet no body was ever recovered - and over the years, rumors of financial trouble, a poss...

On the morning of September 21st, 2015, a young woman walked into a small roadside cafe in Northern California… and never walked back out.
Asha Kreimer was 26 years old.  She was far from home, struggling, and in visible distress in the days before she vanished.  Hours earlier, she’d been released from a hospital.  Now, inside a quiet diner near the cliffs of Mendocino County, she stood up from the table, said she was going to the bathroom - and disappeared. She had no phone, no money, and no identification.  Her jacket would later be found near the edge of the c...

The Rainbow Gathering promises freedom.  A place where strangers become family, where the rules of the outside world fall away, and the road ahead feels endless.
In the summer of 2018, 18 year old Amber Robinson followed that promise into the woods of Georgia.  She was young, curious, and chasing connection. 
At the gathering, she met a man. When the drums faded and the camp dispersed, the two left together - hitchhiking toward whatever came next.
But Amber never made it home. Days later, her life would end violently in a stranger’s house hundred of miles away.  A jour...

Terrence Woods Jr. was supposed to be on an adventure of a lifetime.
He was a young filmmaker from Maryland, working his way up the industry ladder, hired to shoot a gold-mining reality series deep in the Idaho wilderness.  He’d texted his dad that he’d be home earlier than planned… that something had shifted and he couldn’t wait to get back.
But on October 5th, 2018, as the crew wrapped for the day on the edge of the remote, razor-steep cliffs of the Penman mine… Terrence vanished.
Witnesses say he suddenly dropped his radio, sprinted to...

The people you meet on the road can become confidants, lifelines, or, in some cases, 
the most dangerous variables of all.  Melissa Rodway has spent years listening to - and living - those stories.   She’s recorded more than 180 adventure travel podcast episodes, and sat across from travelers and survivors as they unpack experiences that were thrilling, disorienting, and sometimes deeply unsettling. 
Her debut book, The People You Meet, follows her own backpacking journey through Southeast Asia - a search for connection that reveals how easily strangers can reshape our paths, blur boundaries, and pull us into narratives we nev...