Day 435: Vancouver, Canada
Now that I am back in Canada the 20-hour South American bus rides feel like a distant memory but in many ways I nostalgically miss them. They were opportunities to just sit and do nothing.
Most often I wrote but in between I would spend hours listening to podcasts. The truth is I probably spend more time listening to podcasts than music.
If you love them too, or want to find some good ones here is what’s on my iPod:
Inspiration
TED Talks: All about ideas worth spreading. They inspire me to be a better person and rethink the norm. I often feature what I think is the best on my monthly newsletter so if you haven’t signed up here’s another reason.
The Moth: I met the couple from Postcard Valet in Buenos Aires and when we swapped podcast favourites they recommended this one. Each episode is a person telling a true story from their life and they are so funny and engaging.
Slate Magazine: I listen to the cultural podcast. I like being able to listen to intelligent people discuss and debate without fighting.
Food
The Splendid Table: From American Public Media, you have to be a real foodie to listen to this as she plays games like stump the cook where you give her 5 ingredients and she has to make something out of it.
KCRW’s Good Food: Similar to The Splendid Table, it’s an hour long show about food news, politics, recipes and what’s in season.
Travel
Amateur Traveler: I have been listening to Chris Christensen for years. He interviews interesting travelers and his quirky sense of humor is really endearing.
Indie Travel: Another I listened to long before I started traveling. I like listening to Craig and Linda’s perspective on travel, especially when they disagree.
This Week in Travel: I discovered this through Chris Christensen as he runs this podcast with Gary Arndt and Jen Leo. It’s more of an industry podcast in which they discuss the latest in travel news.
yTravelBlog: new on the blogging scene, this couple has a great site and nice to see them getting into podcasting.
Work
BlogcastFM: A series of interviews with successful bloggers, it’s nice to see what people do beyond the travel blogging community.
Internet Marketing for Smart People: Run by Copyblogger, really solid advice on blogging and writing.
Learn Spanish Survival Guide: My only source of Spanish when I first arrived in Mexico I remember singing the days of the week on the bus. I still listen to this podcast as it helps with vocabulary and relevant phrases.
Play
The LOST Podcast with Jay and Jack: Yes I know LOST ended last year but guess what, they are watching it all over again and discussing it.
Explore Music with Alan Cross: Alan gives the latest music news and also introduces new bands around the world.
Chelsea Lately: A video podcast, she usually messes up her lines but she’s always funny.
Ricky Gervais: Sometimes he is far too mean but I do enjoy him from time to time.
The Jillian Michaels Show: Yes the chick from The Biggest Loser she has some good topics, like 7 kinds of poo and why you have them
Have I missed any good ones? What do you recommend for long hours on the road?
I'm Ayngelina and in my mid-thirties. I left an amazing job, boyfriend, apartment and friends to find inspiration in Latin America. I'm creating a new life choosing what I want instead of what other people think I should do.
You know I’ve had an ipod for years and have never listened to a podcast. From this list it looks like I’ve been missing out…
Wow, I had no idea all of these were out there. Honestly, I don’t have time to listen to music much less podcasts. I know about Chris and ytravelblog but some of these sound interesting.
I’m a bit of a podcast whore and a lot of these stay on my IPod. Now I have some new ones to check out, thanks.
Oh no! You must share what you listen to!
I’ve never listened to a podcast either. I think I’m more of a visual person, but I could see how it would be good on a plane or bus ride.
Well there are video podcasts as well…
Even after you told me about the podcasts… Now that my tech guru is with me, I can have him load these up on the ipod for me. Sweet list. Thank you!!!!
yay!
I enjoy listening to audiobooks, but haven’t really tried podcasts yet. An inspiring selection here.
Funny I’m the opposite, I haven’t made the natural transition to podcasts yet.
cool stuff
got to say im more of a music man myself. however, when my ners-self takes over i occasionally get amongst time or the economist podcasts. huge ricky gervais fan, so can totally agree on that one!
glad to see Ricky unites
Never actually listened to a podcast – don’t even know how hah.
If the bus has power sockets then, I use it to blog on my iPod Touch. If there’s wifi, I usually just waste time surfing the net!
we need to meet in person, I will blow your mind!
I listened to the Learn Spanish Survival Guide when I was preparing to leave for Latin America too.
I think I’m going to have to start getting into podcasts now that I’ll be facing the 20 hour bus rides in South America. And I’ll need a new iPod with a battery that doesn’t die in 3 hours
Critical to a good bus ride, fortunately there are lots of places that can replace your battery.
Thanks for this. I haven’t ever given podcasts a second thought (I’m a little slow on the uptake) but this is definitely something I’m going to get on top of before we hit South America and the accompanying long bus journeys this year.
it makes the bus rides so much more pleasant!
You almost managed to make a 20 hour bus trip sound appealing. Cept I haven’t got an ipod.
Oh you need one…or a REALLY good book!
Fans of sports and pop culture should listen to the BS Report with Bill Simmons. It’s a bit biased at times, but is funny and insightful
Fans of sports and pop culture should listen to the BS Report with Bill Simmons. It’s a bit biased at times, but is funny and insightful.
I feel like I never have time for Podcasts but I am really going to try to work on that and add some of these into my day.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who actually misses the long bus rides! There is nothing like staring out the window for hours on end…it’s just not the same sitting on the couch and staring into space!
We listened to a lot of NPR’s This American Life but I’ll be checking out some of those others too.
“This American Life” was what I was going to recommend too. Love that one!
Kind of similar to The Moth, a bunch of wacky/sad/uplifting/interesting true stories.
Compared to The Moth? ’nuff said!
I love TedTalks. Not a big podcast fan though. But I’m willing to give it a try. The first few I listened too – can’t remember who they were, were just poorly done and boring. So I had a bad experience from the get-go.
PS. I could fall asleep to Alan Ross’voice. It’s so soothing.
Oh me too except the last time he talked to me I had my veneers off waiting for new ones and he asked wtf was up with my teeth
not traumatic at all…
Thanks for this list of podcasts! I just recorded my first podcast this month and am going to post it soon. It’s a big change from writing!
Can’t wait to hear it, let me know of the feed and I’ll sign up!
Love The Moth and yTravelBlog podcasts! Looking forward to checking out some of the others.
The Moth was my biggest discovery this year, not surprising you guys listen to it as well.
My favorite is “Camera Position” by Jeff Curato.
He is a great photographer and approaches the podcast from the creative side.
I really like this suggestion, I have been looking for solid photography recommendations.
We listen to a lot of the same podcasts! I am big into Jillian now, mostly because of how she breaks it down about food, toxins and vitamins, not so much about working out, etc. I have listened to Ytravelblog’s podcast, which I think is getting very good and totally relate to. I’ll have to check out copyblogger’s podcast, sounds perfect. Great list, well done!
Jillian is awesome and Copyblogger is sound advice on how not to be a douche bag…
Really interesting list of podcasts. Thanks for sharing! Not that I would do a 20 hour bus ride but I’ve done 21 hour plane rides (and then some).
I love these for a 30 minute grocery store walk
I know that your ipod came in handy when we were in Eucador, once I figured out how to use it since I technologically peaked at an MP3 player. . Rick Gervais certainly distracted me from thinking that I was going to die on a mountain cliff!. I think he could be a guilty pleasure.
Just bought an iPod Touch so that one is now yours
Yeah for me!
What do I get?
you get to be next in line after me.
I haven’t really gotten into listening to podcasts as of yet, but I’ll check some of your suggestions out!
It will rock your world, TED alone is life changing.
I love podcasts! I faithfully listen to This American Life, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and RadioLab (I’m a big fan of NPR!) I also enjoy Stuff Mom Never Told You and Savage Love.
Thanks for the list, I’m going to check some of them out!
Ooh good recommendations, thank you!
Thanks so much for including us on the list. We are only new to the whole podcasting thing. It’s a little daunting but a whole lot of fun. I’m definitely going to check some of these out. Podcasts are so great for when you are mobile or cooking, which is when i listen to a lot of them. I also love Positive world Travel’s podcast. You should listen to that one too!
You guys totally deserve it, you may be new but you know your stuff!
What a great list of podcasts! We are facing some long bus rides in Central America and are looking forward to looking these up. Big thank you for our mention Caz. Much love
Interesting. I listen to a lot of NPR throughout my day, so maybe podcast is a good next step for me. Thanks!
I love podcasts, such a relaxing time for me.
Another vote here for This American Life. I’ve been enjoying Moth podcasts a lot. And Most Emailed Stories from NPR often has great stuff!
I had only listened to NPR Food, which was disappointing, but maybe I need to give the general podcasts another chance.
I love The Moth!!! As for “7 kinds of poo and why you have them” – informatively hilarious.
Thanks for all of the new podcast recommendations!!
I love to share good stuff!
I’ve never been able to get into podcasts or books on tape – my mind wanders too much and the next thing I know I’m lost!
I found that too at first but if you find something that interests you, you will listen for hours.
Great idea!! And I love that you miss the long bus rides– it’s so rare that we have time to sit and enjoy doing next to nothing. I teach ESL and will use some of these for my students to get more listening practice.
It’s actually quite calming when you know you only have yourself to talk to for 20 hours – or wait is that crazy…
That made me laugh out loud, I love mothers who are honest.
Great list – thanks! I also really enjoy This American Life, I can totally get lost in the stories on this show.
I love that this post inspired such a strong recommendation.
New things to click. Yay.
For head-expandery and general thinkiness, I absolutely adore:
1) RadioLab (http://www.radiolab.org/)
2) Big Ideas (http://www.tvo.org/TVOsites/WebObjects/TvoMicrosite.woa?bigideas_about)
Listen to these, and you will think better and wider. Big believer.
On your recommendation alone I’m downloading these!
Oh! Well in that case, let me recommend my amazing ebook that I just wrote, called…
[commend deleted by Bacon Is Magic admin ]
Comment, I mean. DAMN. JOKE. IT RUINED! &%*£*”£*!¬!
Ha! I love this. I’m in total agreement. Not because I’ve been listening while traveling, but because I’ve been listening while saving money to travel…
Love The Moth, love The Splendid Table…love The Dave Ramsey Show (morale-boosting straight talk on financial management). The Relevant Podcast. Deconstructing Dinner. The American Planning Association.
Yes, Erin! This American Life is fantastic…
I’m such a nerd! Most other friends and family don’t understand the podcast lure… I’m glad to find some fellow listeners
I think I need to start listening to American life, even though I am Canadian, because so many people love it.
Just came back from a not so long bus ride back to Granada. As I am not technologically up to date, I spend my time people watching in the bus and on the roadside. ON shorter rides, I am usually just trying to breathe as it is a game of lets see how many people, animals and object we can fit on a bus made for 20 riders!
If you write about a 20 hour bus ride, I’m afraid you have just scratched the surface of traveling.
You get a pass because you’re from Canada.
Well I’m not sure you would describe my experience as scratching the surface but I don’t believe in competing about travel experiences. I have done plenty of trips that were more than 20 hours including a 72-hour jaunt from Cartagena Colombia to Quito Ecuador but most of the trips in South America begin at 20 hours due to the size of the continent.
Great list, i’ll have to check some of these out. I use podcasts mianly for quickly gathering information such as blogging and marketing tips. You know for the stuff that is someitmes fairly boring to read!
When will we get to hear one from you???
Thanks for sharing this awesome list, Ayngelina! We just subscribed to some 6-7 podcasts that catch our interests most and yes including This American life, even though we are Filipinos. Yaay!
It was worth writing this post just to find out so many people recommend The American Life.
First off, I STILL don’t know how you deal with a 20 hour bus ride. I’d go insane
Having said that… love these suggestions. Big fan of Slate.
I love Slate too but I teeter between them being a bunch of pretentious hipsters to loving the way they can disagree and not be screaming at each other. Regardless of how I feel I always listen to it.
Podcasts have gotten me through the long and bumpy bus rides of southeast Asia for the past 3 months.
For news, I love PRI’s The World – they’re heavy on the cultural aspects of current events and usually have cool music at the end.
For travel, I like Travel with Rick Steves. He has often has regional/country experts on and many times interviews travel book writers as well.
For fun, I like WNYC’s Radiolab – always interesting Sciency-type stuff.
Ooh I have a new podcast to download.
I can’t get into Rick Steeves, I find he’s a wussy traveler that warns people about things they really don’t need to worry about.
Hi Ayngelina, those are some great ways to kill a 20 hour bus ride. When I traveled in South America in 2010 they were certainly the norm. The longest continuous journey I ever had on the continent was from Quito, Ecuador to Puno, Peru. It was 68 hours (total transit time) and it nearly did me in
Anyhow, I just returned home from a one year trip across Asia. Happy Canada day from Fredericton!
Thank you so much for these great suggestions.
I also love podcasts, but usually I listen to those from my home country (Portugal).
In English, I also enjoy the TED Talks, The Do, and Travel with Rick Steves (http://www.ricksteves.com/radio/podcast.htm).
Cheers
I’ve actually never listened to a podcast on my iPod. I usually listen to a lot of them on my MacBook but other then that its just music. Some great links here will check some of these out soon. Thanks for the list.