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Take a profound and distant journey. Call it Deep Travel, Immersive Travel, Slow Travel, or Vagabonding. Francis Tapon guides you to the intersection of travel, technology, and transformation. The podcast will compel you to go beyond your comfort zone. Occasionally, you‘ll also delve into the misunderstood world of cryptocurrencies.
Episodes
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
We begin this WanderLearn Show with Johnny Ward's update. Afterward, he tries to answer the troublesome question of "How many countries exist?"
April 25, 2023 update
On April 25, 2023, after 6 days of acclimatization on Mt Everest's base camp, Johnny is starting the climb in earnest!
Climbing to Everest's summit is like a yo-yo hike. You go up and down the mountain many times to spur your body to produce the red blood cells you need to survive above 8,000 meters.
Johnny is starting the first of several yo-yo hikes. He'll go to Camp 1 and 2 and then back down to base camp to recover.
On April 24, 2023, Johnny wrote:
After weeks and months of nerves, I feel ready. Confident and keen to try my best. We're hoping to take on the infamous Khumbu icefall tomorrow night as we make our way to Camp 1 and Camp 2, but it’s weather dependent.
6 days at our @furtenbachadventures base camp has our acclimatisation going well, and @luckydavewatson has us all feeling like we can do it. The mental game is such a big part of these huge undertakings and it feels like we are in a good place. We’ll know what’s up in the next 4 weeks, one way or another
Ric Gazarian of Counting Countries made a nuanced video to tackle this thorny topic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=542UIhQcmC0
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Today (April 19, 2023), Johnny Ward is on Mt. Everest, aiming to summit by the end of May!
Between now and his summit day, the WanderLearn Show will cover Johnny's climb up Earth's highest mountain!
I'll begin each episode with an update on Ward's Everest climb, and then we'll feature an excerpt from my interview with him when we were together in Chinguetti, Mauritania.
I interviewed him when I dropped in on one of his guided Mauritanian adventure trips. Later, we reunited in his adopted hometown, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
About this episode
Johnny Ward had no rowing experience, yet he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean with three men he had never met!
Learn about his adventure!
Watch it on YouTube, which features 3-minutes of BBC footage of his row!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8EQ4W0rmpg
April 19, 2023 Ward update on Everest
2 weeks into our Everest expedition and sh*t is starting to get real.
We finally ventured off the lovely Everest Base Camp trek to tag a 6100m (20,000 feet) Himalayan summit, Lobuche. For our Everest climb, this is simply a warm up. For me personally, it’s the 3rd highest mountain I’ve ever climbed! Very grateful for @luckydavewatson guiding our crew. It’s been a brilliant 3 days, challenging but brilliant.
Climbing Lobuche is a privilege and makes me so confident I choose the right operator in @furtenbachadventures. Climbing it alone can cost $3k to $4k, but these guys add it to the expedition to avoid another rotation through the dangerous (and sometimes deadly) Khumbu icefall.
The team is going strong. We’ve all trained hard, dedicated the best part of the last year of our lives to this expedition. Tomorrow we finally reach base camp
Follow Johnny Ward on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
Visit his OneStep4Ward.com website.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
I've sold my WanderLearn podcast to Palle Bo, who is the host of the Radio Vagabond podcast!
That's right I've given up podcasting!
Most importantly, I've proven that I can be bought!
In this case, I sold it for $350,000!
All that talk about doing podcasts for the love of it was BS!
It was always about the money!
April Fools!
Yes, it's April 1, 2023! You admit that you believed me for a minute!
Although that was a joke, this episode is unique because I'm airing a Radio Vagabond episode where I appeared in the first half.
In the second half is my friend Daniel Shachory, who is trying to hitchhike in every country.
Palle and I are airing an episode from each other's podcast to introduce our audiences to a new podcast.
If you liked this episode, encourage you to search for The Radio Vagabond podcast in your podcast player and subscribe!
Read my Forbes article about the Top 10 Hitchhiking Tips.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Mar 24, 2023
Friday Mar 24, 2023
This is the final episode of my 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians. This is episode 230!
Sorry that the audio quality is mediocre. I was in Georgia without my normal mic.
I ask him:
Part 4: Will Russia Break Up? Will it Balkanize?
- 00:00 Living Abroad
- 02:30 Where's best to live?
- 03:30 How could Russia break up?
- 05:30 How are Russians in the Caucasus
Watch it on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yimmo76A0pY
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Mar 17, 2023
Friday Mar 17, 2023
Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.
In this episode, Richard Delong talks about the Transcaucasian Trail. He's an ultralight backpacker who has explored most of Eastern Europe's mountains.
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1TSP1fnd4Y
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.
I ask him to evaluate this analogy: Ukrainians are like Canadians and Russians are Yanks.
He says a better analogy is that Russians are like Canadians and Ukrainians are like the Quebecois.
Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZPHzyUlmpw
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Welcome to a 4-part series featuring Eastern Europe Expert Richard DeLong. He's lived most of his life in Eastern Europe & the Caucasus among Slavs, especially Ukrainians and Russians.
Sorry that the audio quality is mediocre. I was in Georgia without my normal mic.
I ask him:
Part 1: How will the Russo-Ukrainian War end?
Richard DeLong explains the two most likely scenarios.
Richard believes scenario 1 is more likely than scenario 2.
Timeline
- 00:00 Who is Richard DeLong?
- 03:45 How will the Ukraine War end?
- 04:50 Scenario 1
- 09:30 Scenario 2
- 11:00 Who would replace Putin?
- 12:00 Will Ukraine Get Crimea back?
- 14:14 Will Russia Nuke Ukraine?
- 20:00 Why Russia May Want NATO to Fight
Watch the Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL7f_aXcJfA
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Saturday Feb 25, 2023
Saturday Feb 25, 2023
On the first anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian War, I discuss the present and future of the war with War Analyst Nejc Trušnovec.
Technically, it's not the first anniversary since the war started in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. This is the anniversary of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Nejc was a contrarian when the war broke out.
When everyone predicted a quick Russian victory, Nejc was confident the war would go badly for Russia. Nejc was right.
On the first anniversary of the Ukraine War, I ask Nejc to reflect on the war.
Timestamps
00:00 Nejc was right
01:12 Where Nejc was wrong
08:30 Could the Western consensus be wrong?
13:00 A conspiracy theory
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Although this is available as a podcast, I encourage you to see the video on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0D9PwWIJM4
In this episode, I discourage you from doing a colonoscopy without anesthesia, even though that's what I did.
I mention three reasons why you might want to avoid anesthesia:
- You lack a ride.
- You need to save money (if you lack insurance, you may have to pay extra for anesthesia).
- You are against anesthesia due to a phobia.
In the episode, I mentioned I had "PTSD" about feeling the probe inside me after the procedure. I didn't mention that that sensation only lasted for three hours and was mild. I didn't want some people to think I suffered for days or weeks.
Being afraid of anesthesia is reasonable since, every year, patients have complications, albeit rarely.
Michael Jackson died because he overdosed on propofol, the same drug used to sedate you during your colonoscopy.
Luckily, your physician will be better than the Moonwalker's doctor.
I do not practice medicine, and it's stupid to believe everything you read on the Internet, so I encourage you to be skeptical about what I say.
Still, I may opt for sedation when I have to do a colonoscopy again at 60. Or I'll ask the doc to lube my ass up thoroughly!
Dr. Peter Attia explains why you should do a colonoscopy every 1-3 years
You can read what Dr. Attia says or listen to this video.
Feedback
Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon
Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.
More info
You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!
On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:
My Patrons sponsored this show!
Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon
Rewards start at just $2/month!
Affiliate links
Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!
In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.
Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!
For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Today (May 25, 2023) is the third anniversary of George Floyd's horrible death.
As I predicted, the number of unarmed Black (and White) people killed by the police would remain unchanged despite all the protests and defunding movements.
I explained what needed to happen for those statistics to improve. (Hint: it's got little to do with racism.)
My wife, Rejoice, is a black African (she's from Cameroon).
When the George Floyd protests erupted, Good White Racist came out, making it a timely book, so I wanted to read it.
As other critics have mentioned, Connelly's tone is condescending.
I feel like the Spanish Inquisition has strapped me to a chair; no matter what, I am a sinner.
I'll quote the parts that made me want to vomit:
"To readers in the BIPOC [black, indigenous people of color]: Beautiful soul, thank you for reading even this far. . . . You've done enough, borne enough of this weight."
Yuck. It's like a mother patting her little black child on the head as if the child is some fragile creature that must be coddled and pampered.
She falsely asserts: "White people cannot be victims of racism. So-called reverse racism is just not a thing, people."
She's the classic politically correct person obsessed with "micro-aggressions."
Since she's treating us like babies, hasn't she heard about "sticks and stones may break my bones...."?
Grow up.
She talks about "gaslighting." Example: "A white woman might touch a black woman's hair while telling her it's pretty."
According to her rules, "this is inappropriate behavior."
My wife LOVESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS when people complement (or even touch) her hair. She has 20 wigs and finds it hilarious how easy it is to fool white people.
Of course, every person who gave this book one star is doing one or more of the dreaded Ds:
DENY/DETRACT, DISTRACT, DISCLAIM, AND DISAPPEAR.
In my case, I commit the DISCLAIM sin because I say I'm not a racist because my wife is a black African.
You're damned either way if your skin is white, which, frankly, is a racist idea.
The author spouts a "truism" from one of her friends, who has some color. She said, "If the white people in the room are happy and comfortable, chances are the people of color in the room are not."
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Of course, I'm sure some POC feel that way, but to imply that it's universal is absurd.
My wife spit out her drink when she heard that line - and laughed so hard.
It's also racist to suggest that POC and whites all think the same way.
Yes, this book is cringeworthy.
I feel a bit guilty blasting this book because Connelly means well.
She wants to improve this planet and race relations.
She wants white people to be more self-aware of their privilege and sensitive.
These are noble goals.
The problem is that her execution is atrocious and offputting.
Racism is terrible. So is this book.
VERDICT: 1 out of 5 stars.