Truly Expat Travel

Voted the #1 small city in the world seven times by Condé Nast Traveler. Spring-like weather 365 days a year. A Waldorf Astoria moving in next door. This isn't a fantasy — it's San Miguel de Allende, and today's guest has lived there for 17 years.

Greg is a real estate broker and owner of the first Berkshire Hathaway Home Services franchise in all of Mexico. He moved to San Miguel at 50, intending to semi-retire — and never looked back. In this episode he gives us the full insider's guide: where to eat, what to do, when to go, and everything you need...

Everyone knows Everest. But Nepal has over 6,000 peaks near 6,000 metres — and most of them have never been climbed. This week, third-generation mountain guide and CEO of Everest Holiday, Shreejan Simkhada (call him Joe), takes us off the tourist trail and into the Nepal that most people never see.

From a 1,300-year-old monastery in Upper Mustang to a Christian village tucked into a Buddhist valley at 4,000 metres near the Tibet border — this episode will completely change how you think about the Himalayas.

In This Episode

If you're living in or visiting Singapore and craving an easy escape, you don't have to go far. Host Paula shares her personal experiences on three Indonesian islands you can reach by ferry — perfect for a day trip, a girls' weekend, or a full family getaway. Want to know more about Singapore? Listen to Season 2 Episode 1 - Discovering Singapore: More than just a stopover!

Batam is the go-to for spa lovers. The Tempat Senang Spa Resort picks you up right from the ferry pier and offers half-day or full-day treatment packages — think Balinese massages, facials, and...

Paula sits down with Todd Hata — content creator, food lover, and full-time traveller for the past three to four years — to talk about something every traveller should know more about: hotel loyalty programs. Todd has been working the points system for 25 years, recently hit Hyatt Globalist status, holds Marriott Lifetime Platinum, and has racked up enough nights to know exactly how to get the most out of every stay. This one is full of practical tips. Want to know more about Loyalty programs? Check out Season 2 Episode 23 How to earn Airline Status.

About Todd

Tod...

If you think Ireland is just about rain and Guinness, this episode will change your mind. Paula sits down with Dani — a Dublin local and founder of Nomadeire— for an insider's guide to one of Europe's most underrated holiday destinations. From wild coastal hikes to cozy pub sessions with live music, Dani shares all the things only locals know that make Dublin and Ireland so special.

In this episode:

Paula is joined by Neil H Solomon — entrepreneur, author, and nomad — who gave up everything in the US in 2018 to travel the world. Now based in Mexico City, his other great love is Medellin, Colombia. In this episode, he breaks down the myths, shares the real numbers on safety, and makes a compelling case for why Medellin belongs on your bucket list.

About Neil

Neil walked away from a corporate career at 35, built a business from scratch, scaled it 12x to 300 employees, then engineered himself out of the day-to-day so he could travel. In 2...

Most people who drive between Melbourne and Sydney take the coastal route — and yes, it's beautiful. But in this episode, Paula reveals the road trip that most Australians have never done: the inland heritage route, through tiny historic towns that most tourists completely overlook. If you want to hear more about what to do in Sydney - listen to Season 2, Episode 14 - Is Sydney Harbour really the most beautiful harbour in the world?

Paula did this solo over seven days, and she'll tell you straight up — seven days wasn't enough.

In This Episode

Paul...

Samoa doesn't usually make the bucket list — but maybe it should. Linda King from The Smart Travelista has visited almost every South Pacific island and says Samoa genuinely surprised her. We get into where to go, what it costs, and what to pack (mosquito repellent — trust us on this one).

WHAT WE COVER

- Why Samoa is worth your attention — untouched, warm, incredibly welcoming, and not overrun with tourists
- How to get there: fly via Fiji with Fijian Airlines, about two hours from there
- Top things to do: Lolo Manor Beach, Tusoa...

Airline Status: Lounges, Upgrades & Points Strategy with Tim Lewis

Most frequent travellers are so focused on collecting points that they completely overlook airline status — the thing that actually gets you into the lounge, moves you to the front of the boarding queue, and protects you from being bumped or downgraded.

This week I'm joined by Tim Lewis, who has spent years mastering the art of earning and keeping airline status. We get into the difference between status points and frequent flyer points, how to pick the right loyalty program for your travel patterns, and some sh...

Paula is joined by Camille and Rosalie (friends from way back in Sydney) to talk real talk: 40-degree days in Puglia that wrecked a meticulously planned itinerary, buildings across Europe that simply aren't built for heat, the post-COVID over-tourism explosion, and why they're all rethinking when and where they travel.

IN THIS EPISODE 

Paula shares an honest, first-hand Nashville travel guide from her solo 3-day trip — Broadway honky-tonks, the Johnny Cash Museum, a Jack Daniel's Distillery tour, must-try food, and the mistakes she wishes she'd avoided. Want to hear more about North America? Listen to Series 1 Episode 22 - New York Christmas

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Getting Around & Where to Stay
Why Paula chose downtown near Broadway over the outskirts, how easy (and pricey) Ubers were, an...

Belize has the second-largest barrier reef on the planet, Mayan caves you can swim inside, jaguars in protected jungle, and one of the most surprisingly multicultural societies on earth — and most travellers have never even considered it. This week, Simo D, a Canadian expat who moved his young family to the Placencia Peninsula in 2022, gives us his unfiltered insider guide to visiting Belize.

In This Episode

Slow travel or fast travel — which style actually fits your life right now? Paula sits down with returning guests Deborah De Reeper and Jo Hunter for an honest panel conversation about how travel changes as we get older, why the "travel while you can" message might be doing us a disservice, and where to actually go instead of the obvious hotspots.

In this episode

Think KL is just a stopover? Think again. Paula Barnes lived in Kuala Lumpur for three years and is here to tell you why it's one of the most underrated cities in Southeast Asia — great food, incredible shopping, rich multicultural culture, and easy day trips all within reach.

In This Episode

Have you ever dreamed of tracking mountain gorillas through a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest, tasting food wrapped in banana leaves, or watching chimpanzees leap through the treetops? In this episode, host Paula Barnes sits down with Lynett, a Uganda-based travel expert with over 10 years in the tourism industry, to uncover why Uganda — the Pearl of Africa — should be at the top of every traveller's bucket list.

From gorilla trekking permits to the best time to visit, solo travel safety tips, and an incredible 8-day itinerary, Lynett shares everything you need to know before book...

What does it actually take to visit 50+ countries without draining your bank account? John Johnston of The Bucket List Things has been doing exactly that — chasing bucket list adventures across Africa, South America, the Baltic States, and beyond, all on a budget most people spend on a single resort vacation.

In this episode, John breaks down his entire approach to affordable adventure travel: how he finds jaw-dropping flight deals before anyone else, why he chooses hostels over hotels (and how to pick the right ones), and how a Morgan Freeman movie started it all.

Plus — the...

In this episode of the Truly Expat Travel Podcast, Paula Barnes speaks with Canadian expat Keltie Maguire, who has been living in Munich, Germany for over eight years.

Keltie shares her fascinating journey from Vancouver to Sydney and eventually settling in Munich with her husband, as well as the life-changing decisions that shaped her career, identity, and her podcast The Kids Are Childfree.

We also dive deep into Munich as a travel destination and lifestyle city — from beer gardens and Bavarian food culture to hidden local gems, day trips, and how to experience the city li...

🎙️ Is Sydney the Most Beautiful Harbour in the World? 🇦🇺 Ultimate Sydney Travel Guide + 7-Day Itinerary

In this episode, Paula shares a local’s perspective on Sydney—the city she grew up in—and breaks down exactly how to experience it like you live there, not like a tourist.

If you're planning a trip to Sydney (or dreaming about one), this is your complete 5–7 day itinerary, packed with iconic sights, hidden gems, and real insider tips.

🌏 In This Episode You’ll Discover:

Join host Paula Barnes as she dives into innovative travel strategies that can transform your trips — from time-saving hacks to must-have apps for planning and on-the-go. In this episode, Paula chats with Michelle from Intentional Travelers about tools and tips to make your travel smoother and more intentional.

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If flying feels overwhelming, exhausting, or like you're starting from scratch every single trip — this episode is for you.

This week I'm joined by Phoenyx from Phoenyx Travels — a content creator and accessible travel expert who has built a reputation for honest, practical advice for disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive travellers. We're talking about her Flight Ready Travel Kit and everything she's learned about making air travel genuinely work for people whose bodies and brains don't follow the usual rules.

This is part 4 of our special 4-part travel creator series — and this one might just b...

You've landed somewhere new. The bags are unpacked. And then comes the question every travelling family knows too well — so what do we actually do here?

This week I'm back with Julie Talbot — British ex-expat turned global nomad — who after 12 years in the UAE took the leap into full-time family travel with her husband and children. She's worldschooling her kids, running a UK property business remotely, and somehow always seems to know exactly what's on, what's worth doing, and where to find the kind of experiences that don't show up in a Google search.

This is Epi...

Most people planning a trip to Holland for tulip season get the timing wrong. They book Keukenhof, they show up, and they either miss the peak bloom entirely or find themselves shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other tourists wondering why it doesn't look like the photos. Sound familiar?

This week I'm joined by Gerrit from Hidden Holland — a specialist in Dutch travel and someone who knows the tulip fields better than almost anyone — and he's sharing exactly what most visitors get wrong, when you should actually be going, and where to find the real tulip experience beyo...

Paula Barnes lived in Seoul 15 years ago — and honestly? It was hard. The language barrier was real, the taxis were brutal, and getting around without Korean felt nearly impossible. So when she went back, she wasn't expecting to fall in love with it. She did. In this episode, Paula goes solo to unpack everything that's changed, everything that's stayed beautifully the same, and every reason why Seoul should be at the top of your travel list. From the DMZ to Dongdaemun, Korean BBQ to Olive Young skincare halls, cherry blossom season to single-digit winter temps — this one covers it all...

MADRID UNCOVERED: Insider Tips, Hidden Gems & La Movida – Life in Spain's Capital

Join Paula as she chats with Kristin Montgomery, an international teacher who has lived and worked across Switzerland, Singapore, Colombia, Germany and beyond – and is now back in Madrid completing a master's degree in Spanish. Kristin first fell in love with the city as a young graduate on an English assistantship program nearly 20 years ago, and she's back to tell us exactly why Madrid keeps pulling people in.

Whether you're planning a first visit or adding it to your bucket list, this...

Join Paula as she chats with Jen and Brett from Expatsi about their expat journey from Birmingham, Alabama, to Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. Discover practical tips for moving abroad, exploring local culture and cuisine, uncovering hidden gems, and how community support made their transition inspiring. Want more Mexico content, then you should listen to episode 16, where I chat with Carm about her experience in Mexico.

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In this engaging conversation, Paula Barnes interviews Stacy McCandless, an expat with extensive experience living in Vietnam. Stacy shares her journey from working at Tokyo Disney to navigating life in various Vietnamese cities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Nha Trang. She discusses the challenges and joys of being an expat, including the cultural differences, the vibrant food scene, and the importance of community among fellow expats. Stacy also highlights the beauty of Vietnam's landscapes and the unique experiences that come with living in such a dynamic country.

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Join Paula Barnes as she shares her personal journey and insights about Hong Kong, covering its neighbourhoods, attractions, food, and travel tips. Perfect for travellers and expats alike.

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