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.

Casey Hanisko, a 25-year veteran of the adventure travel industry, joins Laura to talk about something keeping many travelers up at night: how do you keep exploring when the world feels uncertain? They discuss the difference between smart risk management and letting fear steal your passport, why travel matters more than ever, and how to navigate loved ones' concerns about your plans. Plus, questionable decisions that led to the best stories.

Laura's former sister-in-law Kari Chance joins her to relive their most ridiculous travel disasters—from Turkish bath confusion to airport bathroom chaos. They're talking about the mishaps that had them crying from laughter and why the best travel stories come from things going hilariously wrong. If you've ever turned a simple trip into a comedy of errors, this episode is for you.

What does it look like to prioritize solo travel as a parent? Leadership and embodiment coach Andrea Andree joins me to talk about leaving her two kids at home for a week in Cuba—and why the decision to go made her a better mom. We dive into the cultural myth that adventure stops once you become a parent, how to navigate loved ones projecting their fears onto your plans, and why modeling boldness matters more than shrinking yourself to avoid judgment. Whether you're a parent craving more or simply someone who's tired of asking permission to live boldly, this conversation will remind you that your joy isn't selfish—it's essential.

Best friend Tamara Robertson shares 20 years of international dating disasters - from Italian castle chaos to airport security mishaps with mom's ashes. Learn safety tips for dating abroad, why locals make the best tour guides, and the brutal self-reflection question that finally led to real love: "Would you date you?"

Laura sits down with retreat photographer and dear friend Allie Jorde for a conversation about travel photography, storytelling, and the art of being present while capturing the moment.

Allie and Laura first connected when Allie photographed Laura's Arizona retreat years ago. Since then, she's joined Laura in Greece, danced with her in Oaxaca, and become her favorite person to laugh across continents with. Whether floating in the Aegean or eating ceviche on a patio doing absolutely nothing, every trip together creates magic.

They dive into Allie's journey from shooting Arizona weddings to photographing retreats worldwide, her most surprising travel destination, and the real secret to telling stories through photos instead of just capturing pretty pictures. Allie shares practical advice on camera gear—what to pack and what to leave behind—and why your iPhone is more powerful than you think when starting out.

If photography feels overwhelming or you're unsure where to begin, Allie's approach is refreshingly simple: you don't need fancy equipment. You just need to notice things and be intentional. And maybe be willing to look a little ridiculous in the middle of the road for the perfect shot. This episode offers honest, approachable guidance for capturing travel memories that feel authentic and story-driven.

Rethinking Travel: A Conversation on Responsibility, Consumerism, and What We Owe the Places We Visit

What does it mean to travel responsibly in 2025? It's a question that keeps me up at night—and one I knew I needed to tackle on this podcast with someone who thinks as deeply about it as I do.

Enter Yulia Denisyuk: award-winning travel journalist, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Going Places, an independent journalism platform. We met in Okinawa during a press trip, and I was immediately struck by her authenticity and the depth of her work. When I saw her speak at the Women in Travel Summit in New York, she brought the room to tears with her raw honesty about the state of our industry and our world.

In this episode, Yulia and I have the kind of conversation you don't often hear in travel media. We talk about the uncomfortable truths: how tourism can harm the very places we claim to love, why "glamping in the desert" might be destroying local ecosystems, and what happens when Instagram-worthy moments replace genuine human connection.

We discuss tourism leakage—the phenomenon where money spent by travelers leaves local communities instead of supporting them—and why choosing where you stay, eat, and spend matters more than you think. Yulia shares her perspective as an immigrant who has lived between Kazakhstan, Estonia, and the United States, and how those experiences shaped her approach to storytelling and travel.

This conversation also gets political. We talk about media bias, the genocide in Gaza, the erosion of American values, and why staying silent is no longer an option. Yulia explains why she's building an independent media platform and why legacy travel publications aren't telling the full story.

If you've ever felt conflicted about your impact as a traveler, wondered whether your trip is helping or hurting, or questioned what "sustainable tourism" really means—this episode is for you.

It's not easy listening. But it's necessary. And I'm grateful Yulia was willing to go there with me.

Ever wondered what it takes to quit your stable job and build a travel business from scratch? In the debut episode of Type 2 Travel, host Laura Ericson sits down with her marketing manager Lauren to share the unfiltered story of how a divorced 34-year-old with a passion for "sketchy" destinations turned spontaneous adventures into a full-time career.

What does it look like to live unapologetically single and childfree? In this episode, Laura sits down with Angela Gentile—speaker, educator, and founder of the Single Childfree Community—to talk about choosing freedom over expectation.

Laura and Angela connected through the podcast algorithm, and they immediately knew they had to meet. Now Angela is joining Laura's Cuba trip this winter, and they're co-hosting a Morocco adventure for other single, childfree women who refuse to apologize for their choices.

They dive into Angela's journey to embracing childfree life, the viral TikTok that accidentally built a global community, and the realities of solo travel—including the emotional labor of navigating life on one income. They also swap stories: Laura's unexpected love for Brazil, Angela's hippo chase in Africa, and why being single and childfree doesn't mean less-than. It means limitless.

This conversation is for anyone living outside traditional norms, questioning the life script they were handed, or simply curious about what happens when choosing yourself first. Angela brings fire, honesty, and zero apologies to this transformative discussion about redefining what it means to live fully.

Hey adventurers, I'm Laura Ericson and this is Type 2 Travel - where the journey might occasionally make you question your life choices, but the stories are always worth it. Just like Type 2 fun, we're diving into those travel experiences that transform us, challenge us, and connect us. So grab your passport and an extra dose of curiosity - let's get lost together.