Remember when wedding registries meant crystal and china? Sara Margulis didn't just question that tradition—she built an entire business around challenging it. As co-founder and CEO of Honeyfund, Sara turned her personal solution into a platform that's helped nearly 1.6 million couples receive over $1 billion in wedding gifts. But this isn't just about funding vacations. It's about a fundamental shift in how we celebrate love and what actually matters when starting a life together.

In our conversation, Sara reveals what she's learned from watching millions of people give the gift of travel, why couples who honeymoon stay happier longer, and how Gen Z is completely rewriting the wedding playbook. We dive into 2026's surprising honeymoon trends, the psychology behind why experiences beat things, and practical strategies for making dream trips happen. Whether you're planning a honeymoon, questioning wedding traditions, or just curious about how love and travel intersect, this episode will shift your perspective on what truly matters.

Remember when wedding registries meant crystal and china? Sara Margulis didn't just question that tradition—she built an entire business around challenging it. As co-founder and CEO of Honeyfund, Sara turned her personal solution into a platform that's helped nearly 1.6 million couples receive over $1 billion in wedding gifts. But this isn't just about funding vacations. It's about a fundamental shift in how we celebrate love and what actually matters when starting a life together.

In our conversation, Sara reveals what she's learned from watching millions of people give the gift of travel, why couples who honeymoon stay happier longer, and how Gen Z is completely rewriting the wedding playbook. We dive into 2026's surprising honeymoon trends, the psychology behind why experiences beat things, and practical strategies for making dream trips happen. Whether you're planning a honeymoon, questioning wedding traditions, or just curious about how love and travel intersect, this episode will shift your perspective on what truly matters.

What happens when a rebellious kid barred from the kitchen becomes a self-taught chef creating meals that make people lose their minds? Meet Hannan, the chef behind Tamoont Dining + Gathering, whose culinary journey began not in a prestigious cooking school, but watching Food Network on basic cable while her stepmom ruled the kitchen with an iron fist.

Raised between Wisconsin, Morocco, and Tunisia, Hannan has traveled to over 20 countries across four continents, always observing how people gather, slow down, and use food to build genuine connection. From flying solo at age seven with a diplomatic passport to working in professional kitchens at 15, she's someone who learned cooking the hard way—through failure, persistence, and an obsessive attention to how food brings people together.

In this episode, we dive deep into the lost art of slowing down, trusting your instincts even when everyone thinks you're crazy, and why Americans have completely forgotten how to relax.

Self-taught Kenyan wildlife photographer Justin Emanuel shares his journey from high school camera owner to safari expert, plus insider tips on overlanding, what to pack (and not pack), and why the best camera for your safari might be no camera at all.

That $499 tour deal you're eyeing? Someone in the supply chain isn't getting paid fairly.

In this episode, I sit down with Iris Serbanescu, founder of By Iris Representation and wmnsWORK, to unpack the truth about ethical travel and greenwashing in the tourism industry. With 13 years of experience across tech, luxury, and adventure sectors, Iris has seen both the best and worst of our industry.

We dive into how to identify truly ethical tour operators versus companies just using sustainability buzzwords for marketing. Iris breaks it down into two key questions: Where does your money actually go, and how does the company minimize harm to local communities and ecosystems?

The conversation covers the real economics of solo travel and why women travelers face a "single supplement" penalty on top of already making 75 cents on the dollar. We also discuss the sobering reality that while 60% of the travel industry is made up of women, less than 8% of executive positions are held by women.

But this isn't just about what's wrong—Iris is actively changing the industry through wmnsWORK, the first tourism-specific business accelerator for women and non-binary entrepreneurs in North America. She shares practical travel hacks from her years in the industry and explains why supporting small, locally-owned operators matters for sustainable tourism.

Whether you're planning your next trip or work in travel, this episode will help you become a smarter, more conscious traveler who understands that the cheapest option often comes at someone else's expense.

Travel coach Sonia Cruz Oro reveals how astrocartography maps your birth chart to geography, showing which destinations amplify creativity, healing, or major decisions—and why Laura keeps getting called to Egypt.

What happens when you stop waiting for perfect timing and start saying yes to everything? Laura sits down with Teresa Kalina, who rebuilt her life after divorce at 44 by embracing every opportunity that came her way. From signing up for BumbleBFF to build new friendships, to traveling to five countries, taking singing lessons, learning to paint, and working toward visiting all 50 states before turning 50, Teresa proves that it's never too late to start over. They discuss why waiting for the "right time" is dangerous, how group travel creates instant community when you need it most, and why your 40s might be the best decade to reinvent yourself. If you've ever thought "it's too late for me," this conversation will change your mind.

Forget the broken New Year's resolutions that fizzle by February. Laura sits down with Rachel Trapani, an elementary school teacher from Michigan who transformed from someone who took one trip she couldn't afford in 2019 to traveling internationally five times per year by 2023. They're sharing the exact 10 travel resolutions that made the difference—from automating savings accounts to packing light, surviving long-haul flights, and saying yes to trips that scared her. This episode includes a free downloadable guide packed with product recommendations, travel credit card tips, packing essentials, and apps they swear by. If you're done with vague promises and ready for an actual roadmap to make 2026 your best travel year yet, this is your episode.

What does it really take to leave everything behind and build a life abroad?

Five years ago, Lindsey Tague answered that question by buying a one-way ticket to Mexico. She hasn't looked back since. Today, she runs a successful content marketing business while living as a full-time digital nomad across seven countries—and in this episode, she's sharing the truth about what that journey actually looks like.

This isn't your typical "quit your job and travel the world" story filled with sunset photos and inspirational quotes. Lindsey gets refreshingly honest about the parts of nomadic life that don't make it to Instagram: the Airbnb disasters, the Colombian island with no electricity or running water, the language barriers that complicate everything from daily errands to romantic connections.

We dive deep into navigating the dating scene across multiple countries and cultures, and Lindsey opens up about the complicated reality of being an independent American woman in Latin American cultures where traditional gender roles still dominate. It's both attractive and challenging in ways she never expected.

What I love most about this conversation is how Lindsey makes the digital nomad lifestyle feel genuinely accessible. She's not promoting an unrealistic fantasy or selling you a course. She's simply sharing her experience—the messy, unglamorous, beautiful reality of building a life by design. She wasn't rich when she started. She wasn't fearless. She didn't have it all figured out. She just took one step, then another, and figured out the rest along the way.

If you've ever wondered whether this kind of life is possible for you, or if you're tired of the polished, curated version of nomadic life flooding your feed, this episode offers something different: honest answers, real stories, and proof that you don't need to have it all together to start living differently.

What happens when you throw three adventurous travelers into Mexico City during Day of the Dead? Magic. Chaotic, unpredictable, sometimes frustrating magic. In this episode, Laura sits down with Stacey, Betsy, and Megan to relive their unforgettable journey through one of Mexico's most sacred celebrations. You'll hear about Megan's 45-minute battle with acrophobia in a hot air balloon, a shaman cleansing that revealed everyone's reproductive health secrets, and the epic traffic disaster that turned their welcome dinner into a midnight taco run. But this episode isn't just about the adventure—it's about why Laura is saying goodbye to this trip. The overtourism during Day of the Dead has reached a tipping point, conflicting with her core mission to take travelers off the beaten path and support destinations that genuinely need tourism. It's a conversation about responsible travel, cultural immersion, and knowing when to let go.

Remember that I Love Lucy episode where Lucy stomps grapes and everything descends into beautiful chaos? That was essentially our Georgia trip—except our version included shotgunning wine from roof tiles, topless sulfur bath bonding within hours of meeting, and consuming absurd quantities of khachapuri. In this episode, Laura reunites with travelers Mea, Melissa, and Erik to share the real stories behind their Georgia adventure. This isn't just another travel highlight reel. You'll hear about the wine harvest day that spiraled gloriously out of control, abandoned Soviet spa complexes begging to be explored, unforgettable carpool karaoke sessions, and why this group formed the deepest bond Laura has experienced across nearly 30 trips. Georgia remains a mystery to most Americans, but with 8,000 years of winemaking history and hospitality that feels like aggressive kindness, it's a destination that transforms everyone who visits.

What happens when you lead 14 women to one of the world's most challenging destinations without ever having visited it yourself? Dawn Mullarney—known as the Unique Connector—did exactly that when she brought a group to Cuba this past January, and she's doing it again next month. After spending over two decades in corporate leadership and nearly burning out (doctors suspected a stroke at 35), Dawn now works as a business strategist helping leaders who've built successful businesses but feel like they're drowning. She chose Cuba not for personal bucket-list reasons but for its transformative nature—the discomfort that forces growth, the community connection, the opportunities to give back. In this episode, Dawn and Laura discuss the reality of group travel leadership, why perfectionism is the enemy of transformation, and why busy entrepreneurs desperately need to prioritize travel even when—especially when—they insist they don't have time.

Kerry Breckle got divorced in her early 60s and decided to fall in love with life again. Before this transformation, Kerry was afraid of flying, uncomfortable being away from home for long, and spent her days reading books to pass the time instead of living her own adventures. She describes that version of herself as "just existing"—a feeling many of us recognize when we're unhappy. The Kerry you'll meet in this episode is radically different. She's the woman who jumped into a hot air balloon over ancient pyramids in Mexico and got her first tattoo at 63 in a foreign country. In this powerful conversation, Kerry and Laura discuss the messy reality of starting over: the fear, the doubt, navigating divorce while booking plane tickets to unfamiliar destinations with strangers. Kerry's core message is both simple and revolutionary: You have a choice. Are you going to be bitter or better?

When Laura started planning her Kenya group trip, she wanted it to mean more than just adventure. She wanted to leave something meaningful behind. That's when she encountered period poverty—and felt embarrassed she'd never considered it before. Globally, 500 million women and girls lack access to safe, reliable period products. Girls miss school every single month. Their futures shrink because of something as fundamental as menstruation. Abby Hay, founder of Nora Period Care and Soul Purpose Foundation, has made eliminating period poverty her mission. Just back from Malawi where Nora's products are ethically manufactured, Abby shares how responsible production transforms entire communities while getting safe period care into the hands of women who desperately need it. Laura's partnering with Nora to provide reusable period kits to 260 Kenyan girls—each kit lasts 10 years and costs just $10. That's a decade of period care for the price of lunch.

What happens when you put two Hollywood stunt doubles on a group trip to Morocco? They push your 4x4 out of the mud during a historic Sahara Desert flood, coordinate everyone like it's a stunt scene, and completely change how you think about fear. Meredith and Dorenda are two of Laura's favorite travel companions and some of the most badass women she knows. They literally get set on fire, thrown off buildings, and punched in the face for a living—yet when it comes to travel, they're among the calmest, most grounded people you'll encounter. Here's what's fascinating: people who do incredibly dangerous things professionally often have a completely different relationship with fear than the rest of us. They've spent entire careers assessing real risk versus perceived risk, and that skill translates beautifully to travel. Hear about ATVs in the Sahara, pregnant bellies on set, sandstorms, flash floods, and why Meredith would rather get set on fire than deal with airline customer service.

What if saving for travel didn't require deprivation? Rachel Covert proved it's possible when she retired at 36 with over half a million dollars saved. But here's the plot twist: she found full retirement boring and pivoted to helping other women build wealth without giving up the things they love.

In this episode, Rachel and I tackle the paradox of high-income earners who still feel like they can't afford to travel. We discuss practical strategies like sinking funds, automated savings systems, and the surprising impact of small convenience spending habits. Rachel also breaks down credit card points strategy and explains why group travel can actually stretch your budget further.

If you're tired of feeling stuck between living your life now and saving for future adventures, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on building wealth while still experiencing the world.

Why does travel crack us open in ways that everyday life simply doesn't? Krista Parks, IFS practitioner and Reiki master, helps answer this question and so many more in our latest conversation.

As Camp Lola Whiskey's beloved "hippie-dippie camp counselor," Krista has guided countless travelers through everything from relationship struggles to pre-trip anxiety. In this episode, we explore the difference between intuition calling you to a destination and fear trying to keep you safe at home. We discuss astrocartography and letting the stars guide your travels, share stories about food poisoning in Morocco, and examine why your body often screams at you long before you finally listen.

If you've ever made a major life decision while traveling or felt more authentically yourself on the road than in your daily routine, this conversation will validate everything you've been feeling about the transformative power of travel.

Ever wondered what it's really like to travel with complete strangers? In this episode of Type 2 Travel, Laura reunites with three women from her recent Morocco group trip to share the unfiltered truth about traveling together for 10 days.

Carrie, Teresa, and Danielle came to Morocco not knowing each other at all. Ten days later, they were inseparable. From monkey encounters in cedar forests to hammam bonding experiences, from navigating 108-degree desert heat to getting pulled over by Moroccan police, these four women experienced it all together.

This conversation is packed with honest stories about what group travel really looks like—the good, the chaotic, and the moments that create lifelong friendships. If you've ever considered joining a group trip but felt nervous about traveling with strangers, this episode will either convince you to book immediately or at least make you laugh until you cry. Probably both.

What happens when you combine trail running with travel storytelling? You get Joe Baur—a writer who's discovered that the best way to understand a destination is often to run through it.

In this episode of Type 2 Travel, Laura sits down with the Cleveland-born, Berlin-based travel writer and host of Without a Path podcast. Joe's work has appeared in BBC Travel and National Geographic, but what sets him apart is how he uses running as a lens for cultural exploration.

From dressing up as ninjas on Japanese trails to pushing through pneumonia during an 8-day stage race in Nepal, Joe shares stories that can only come from moving through destinations on foot. They discuss the Japanese concept of ikigai, why country counting misses the point of travel, and which "off-limits" destinations are actually worth exploring. If you've ever wondered how to combine your passion with authentic travel, this conversation is for you.

Ever stare at a "book now" button and freeze? You're not alone. The same limiting beliefs that keep us from traveling are the ones that keep us stuck in every area of life.

In this episode of Type 2 Travel, Laura sits down with her mindset coach, Bonnie Surie, to explore the psychological barriers that stop us from doing what we actually want to do. Two years ago, what Laura thought would be a quick networking call turned into a two-hour session where Bonnie identified patterns nobody had ever recognized before.

They discuss why we need permission to live our lives, the elaborate stories we create to avoid risk, the difference between dreamers and doers, and what manifestation really means (hint: it's not just vision boards). Whether you're hesitating on booking a trip or making any big life decision, this conversation about discomfort, worthiness, and transformation will meet you exactly where you are.