Travel Tales from the #nerdbirds
by #nerdbirds
The #nerdbirds met on a Virgin America final flight in 2018, and believe the journey is just as fun as the destination. They discuss all aspects of the travel experience, focusing on design, sustainability, and destinations off the beaten path.
Episodes
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The Price is Flight: Fifth Anniversary Game Show Special (#188)
For the fifth anniversary podcast, Bobbie Barker (Rachel), Johnny Gecko (Brendan), and Sebastian serve as hosts as contestants Pilot Sarah, Erik, Marc, and new-but-not-new #nerdbird Jorge bid on questionable travel gadgets, ninja their way through a pricing game inspired by Charlie and David's...
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Filipino American Culture in California (#187)
The Travel Gym hits the road -- but not too far! -- to explore what it means to travel through culture without hopping on a plane. In this episode, #nerdbird Rachel chats with Oscar, who was born in the Philippines and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area with a short stint in California's…
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Chewing on Airline Food, Part 1: From the Early Days to Special Meals (#186)
It’s the Summer of Food, and in Part 1, #nerdbirds Rachel and Sebastian ponder the surprising history of airline cuisine, based on the book "Food in the Air and Space." From sand-tainted roast chicken and a cat in a hot air balloon to kosher meal hacks and specially seasoned snacks at 30,000…
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Reviewing 50 Years of Travel Tips: From Intentional Travel to Hostel Vla (#185)
Inspired by Kevin Kelly's “50 Years of Travel Tips,” slightly younger #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel apply their Book Club snark to a blog post that felt in sync with their travel ethos, sharing personal stories that support (and sometimes question) advice on travel from an intentional, engaged...
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April Fooled: Travel Like a Lion, Not a Lamb (#184)
In a nod to the podcast’s first episode on April 1, 2020, #nerdbirds Sebastian and Rachel break down two of David’s January travel mishaps that felt more April Fool’s than New Year fresh. Learn more about navigating international check-ins, understanding partner airline/codeshare bookings, and...
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Leading Group Travel, Improv Style: Flex Your Travel Muscle, Level 4 (#183)
In Part 4 of the Travel Gym series, listen in as #nerdbird Rachel asks both John the Traveler to reflect on organizing his first Mexico City CuriosiTrip in January and Robin from the Cortona School of Photography to share wisdom from 27 years of leading photo workshops in Tuscany. Learn about...
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Lightning Round: Luggage & Packing (#182)
Luggage regrets? #nerdbirds Brendan, Sebastian, and Rachel have a few, along with opinions and advice on size, wheels (or not), colors, packing cubes, laundry, and all the creative ways one can bring various food and plants on a plane -- from leis and orchids to bricks of cheese and lilikoi…
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Year-End Travel Tales, 2024 Edition (#181)
Cheap theater tickets in London, Taco Boy stickers in Durango, and off-season Christmas markets in Milan: Welcome to the world of 2024 travel moments from #nerdbirds Brendan, Charlie, and Rachel. Learn more about mattress runs, space (or the lack thereof) on transatlantic lie-flat seats, and…
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Mastering the Art of Curious Travel: Flex Your Travel Muscle, Level 3 (#180)
It only took three years since our first visit to the Travel Gym to come up with a Level 3 version of building travel muscle. Part 1 focuses on John the Traveler's thought process while building a Mexico City CuriosiTrip for a group, and Part 2 looks at the powers of observation, purposeful...
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Destination Series: Mexico City for Curious Travelers (#179)
Buenos Dias! Brendan shares his first impressions of Mexico City, followed by special guest John the Traveler whose first visit sparked an idea to lead a CuriosiTrip to the city in January 2025. Learn more about how to flex your travel muscle to cultivate curiosity in a new location! Visit...
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LAXplored: Unexpected Adventures Around the Los Angeles Airport (#178)
The #nerdbirds celebrate six years since the Virgin America final flight with a meetup at the Los Angeles airport. Brendan and Rachel review the Flight Path Museum and a presentation on the history of LAX, and share tips on spots that are mostly walkable (!) from the airport, from burgers with...
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Squished in Economy with Ketchup-Flavored Everything: Live on a Plane, The Return Edition (#177)
#nerdbirds Rachel and Sebastian adjust to economy seating on a Porter Airlines flight to San Francisco, and share highlights from Toronto—where residents are chatty and poutine rules the day.
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Live on a Plane, Canada Edition: Porter Airlines Inaugural to Toronto (#176)
Since Brendan and Sebastian had never been on an inaugural flight, it was time to go on one (eh?) and go on one they did: Porter Airlines from San Francisco to Toronto. Listen in as Rachel attempts to stay sane with the two most animated #nerdbirds (on a small plane) (for five hours) while...
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The Best and Worst Travel Moments of 2023 (#175)
What do the Newark, New York JFK, and Seattle airports have in common? Could burnt avocado toast in Chile compete with a Times Square Applebees for the worst food on the ground? #nerdbirds Brendan, Charlie, Rachel, and Sebastian share their answers to the best and worst flights, airports, hotels,...
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Brakes on a Plane & Future Travel Experience Expo Recap (#174)
Still more September travel stories await, with Rachel recapping her afternoon at the "CES of Aviation" and a more-recent thwarted attempt at a millionth mile flight. The two events had more in common than she realized, and she and fellow #nerdbird Sebastian ponder how much technology can help...
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Virgin Voyages Cruising & Cereal Vending Machines (#173)
More stories from late summer travels await, with #nerdbird Sebastian sharing his Rockstar experience on Virgin Voyages. Rachel's only contribution is explaining why she no longer travels during the summer, despite stumbling upon a cereal vending machine, finding a rat in the Detroit airport, and...
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Blimp Rides, Alaska Airbus Farewell, Million Mile Flight Quest: September Travel Tales (#172)
Travel Tales return with a focus on late summer/September experiences: Eric talks about his spontaneous ride on a blimp, Charlie recaps a record number of canceled flights, and Rachel starts to ponder where to take a millionth mile flight.
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Lightning Round: Passport Edition, Part 2 (#171)
When Lightning Round episodes were the rage in 2020, some of the #nerdbirds answered questions about all things passports. For 2023, a few more (Brendan, David, Pilot Sarah, Sebastian) appear and share thoughts on passport design from esoteric countries (and a micronation), what happens when one...
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Pilot Sarah's Retirement Flight: From Paper Airplanes to Water Cannons (#170)
Pilot Sarah retired as a commercial airline pilot in January and reflects on her final flight -- "a wedding and a funeral on the same day" -- complete with rolling delays, paper airplanes, water cannons, and heartfelt tributes. She and co-host Rachel also chat about what happens during retirement...
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Cheeky Air India Design & Airport Art Musings (#169)
As a nod to our (not-so-former?) Design Series episodes, #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel discuss an exhibit of Air India's award-winning vintage Maharaja posters at Poster House in NYC, and share interesting art finds during a recent San Francisco airport field trip.
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Spontaneous Antarctica & Expert Cruise Advice (#168)
What happens when 27-time Disney Cruiser Sebastian and first-time "it's-not-a-cruise-it's-an-expedition-ship" Rachel record an episode? Typical #nerdbird banter ensues, from (lack of) Internet connectivity and handling seasickness to ship (and flight) upgrades. Learn from all of Rachel's mistakes...
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Anniversary Musings & Pilot Sarah's Post-Retirement Life (#167)
It's anniversary month: Five years since the Virgin America final flight where the #nerdbirds met, and three years of this podcast! Co-host Rachel chats with Sebastian, Pilot Sarah, and Brendan about how travel has changed and what their magic wish would be to transform anything in aviation.…
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Pilot Sarah's Retirement Flight: Tales from Family Members (#166)
While honorary #nerdbird Pilot Sarah was flying her final flight with a commercial airline, friends and family were having a good time sharing stories of her love of aviation. Listen in as #nerdbird David learns about life with a pilot in the family from Sarah's spouse, brother-in-law, and son --...
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Inaugural 2022 Recap: ZipAir Tokyo, JetBlue to Kansas City, Delta's A321neo (#165)
Because #nerdbird Eric can't hog all of the airline inaugural celebrations, co-host Rachel finally goes on an inaugural flight (ZipAir from Tokyo to San Jose) and swaps tales with Eric's inaugural flights: JetBlue from Boston to Kansas City, and Delta's new A321 from Boston to San Francisco. They...
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Uncomfortable Travel Questions, Live on a Plane: The Parent Edition (#164)
In the first of a series of episodes recorded during Pilot Sarah's retirement flight festivities, #nerdbirds co-host Rachel's seatmate David gets asked the uncomfortable questions during dessert (with a few inflight interruptions). Listen in on David's take on feeling rich and growing up with…
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More Uncomfortable Questions: Laundromat Woes in Japan & Culture Comparisons (#163)
The "ask the #nerdbirds the same uncomfortable questions" series continues, with co-host Kai quizzing Brendan and learning that even a Los Angeles native can enjoy public transit!
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A Travel Newcomer Answers the Uncomfortable Questions (#162)
Continuing from last episode's conversation about flexing your creative travel muscle, #nerdbird Rachel asks Charlie the six questions she and Kai answered in December 2022. Charlie's answers share a perspective on only recently starting to travel, combined with managing family group trips. Bonus...
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Flex Your Travel Ninja Muscle, Level 2: Back to the Gym (#161)
Co-hosts Kai and Rachel revisit the Travel Ninja Gym and up the ante with stories and advice on how travel can spark inner transformation -- or not! Few stones are left unturned as they discuss situations and topics that force them to think about how, why, and how often to travel.
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Scent Tales From the #nerdbirds (#160)
#nerdbirds Kai & Rachel, with input from Pilot Sarah, discuss how scents are one of the strongest memory recall triggers, and how scents impact our journeys, for better or for worse!
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Goats & Bloat: Revenge Travel Tales From Switzerland, Milan, & Lake Tahoe (#159)
Travel Tales Time! #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel compare their recent trips based on phases from the Traveler Lifecycle. Contrast Brendan's meticulous planning a year in advance vs. Rachel's three days, along with how they arrived, top moments, top hiccups, and heading home.
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Heat, Smog, Tsunamis: Planning & Surviving Weather-Related Travel (#158)
#nerdbirds Kai and Rachel ponder how weather factors into planning for and rolling with the travel punches, with stories from dealing with heat in Singapore and Hawaii, to smog in China, a tsunami in Tokyo, and bitter cold in Berlin. They ponder whether avoiding places because you don't like the...
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Is it Worth Reading When You Travel? (#157)
When #nerdbirds co-host Rachel overheard Brendan pondering what (paper-based) books to bring on an upcoming trip, she wondered if anyone else reads while traveling. Learn more about what the other #nerdbirds (don't) do, listen to a few stories of books that inspired tourists and fellow airline...
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Summer Tales: Authentic Maui, Biased Facial Recognition, Prison-Themed Hotel (#156)
The #nerdbirds are back after a summer break full of flight delays and cancellations -- with thoughts on the complexities of cruise ships, what's an "authentic" Hawaiian experience, a prison-themed hotel and scooter adventures in Helsinki, experiences with bias in facial recognition software at…
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Meet Flight Attendant Joey: It's (Also) All About the Food (#155)
Pilot Sarah needs some company in the honorary #nerdbird department, so it's time to welcome Flight Attendant Joey! Co-host Rachel dug up the lightning round initiation questions from 2020 and Joey was more than up to the task, with tales of travelers losing common sense when they board a plane…
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The World: Cringe-Worthy and Thought-Provoking Travel Tales (#154)
It's time for another Brendan's Book Club episode, where he and fellow #nerdbird Rachel review "The World: Travels 1950-2000" by Jan Morris. A deeply fascinating series of articles from Jan's travel assignments to every part of the world, the book also includes a tale of her gender transition.…
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Do We Even Know How to Travel Anymore? (#153)
In a quick return to a shorter Travel Bite episode, #nerdbirds Kai and Rachel ponder the awkwardness of restarting travel after so much time staying put, and provide a quick update on our "slow season" post-episode 150.
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Pilot Sarah Becomes a Captain (#152)
Pilot Sarah spent two months earlier this year becoming a Captain, and answers questions from the #nerdbirds -- everything from bathrooms on airplanes to the number of stripes pilots wear on their sleeves, flight simulator pranks, and the changing views of Earth from far above.
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Cruising the High Seas, Magnets in Tow (#151)
#nerdbird Sebastian has been on over 20 cruises, and shares his stories with co-hosts Rachel & Kai -- including fun things to do on a ship, how to handle seasickness, and a reminder to always read your cruise documents before getting stuck in the wrong city.
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Super #nerdbird 150th Episode Special: Do You Know the Password?
It's the fourth anniversary of the final Virgin America flight where the founding #nerdbirds met, and our 150th episode! Brendan and Rachel channel their inner game show hosts, with contestants Charlie, David, Kai, and Sebastian trying their hand at the Password game show. Will Charlie be able to...
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To Souvenir or Not to Souvenir? (#149)
Making memories is core at any travel experience - and souvenirs are one physical representation to evoke those memories. But does it make sense to always buy souvenirs when travelling? And for whom? #nerdbirds Rachel & Kai talk about their souvenir philosophies, their favorite treasures and...
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Short Stories from Airplane Reading: A Book & Website Review (#148)
Brendan's Book of the Month is an anthology of super-short stories from the website Airplane Reading (airplanereading.org [https://airplanereading.org/]), where readers submit a travel story that involves an airport or airplane and everything imaginable that can happen at either. Selected works...
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More Solo Travel & Lonely Moments: Stories from NYC, Japan, & North Korea (#147)
#nerdbirds Charlie and Rachel continue last week's topic on lonely moments during solo travel with Charlie's contrasting stories of trips in New York City and Japan. They segue to self-awareness during travel, which includes making sure one's mental health and emotional needs are met.
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Solo Travel: Solitude, Loneliness...and Connection? (#146)
Solo travel, just like any other kind of travel, has its positives and negatives. #nerdbirds Kai & Rachel discuss both sides, how they kicked loneliness to the curb while still maintaining the positives of solitude, and making your own way through the travel world.
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All the Midday Food That's Not Lunch: From Brunch to Fika (#145)
Nearly two years after the first stay-at-home order, #nerdbirds David and Rachel catch up in real life with a trip to an aviation memorabilia show and a super-late lunch afterwards. While waiting for their food, they thought about midday eating events that aren't labeled lunch. David recalls the...
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Breakfast Travel Tales & Tips (#144)
Food is an integral part of travel - so #nerdbirds Rachel, Kai & Sebastian chat about their favorite breakfasts, where to get them, what to eat, and the travel stories that go with them.
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Finding Art in Airport Towers (#143)
If you can find a way to make concrete airport towers look cool, you can probably do anything! #nerdbirds Brendan and Rachel review "The Art of the Airport Tower," a photographic book and Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit. They discuss favorite photos, and Brendan shares trivia on…
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Checking in on Diversity in Travel (#142)
Travelling the world is a great way to experience new cultures and get out of your comfort zone, but company leaders tend to be anything but diverse. #nerdbirds Rachel & Kai chat about one Black-led travel startup (localeur.com [https://localeur.com/]) and their own experience with travel and how...
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Laundry Tales from Around the World (#141)
#nerdbirds Rachel & Kai riff on how laundry is done differently around the world - and some very unique ways to wash (or not) your clothes, rugs, and so much more!
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Travel Apps: Planes, Trains, Automobiles...and Boats! (#140)
#nerdsbirds Rachel & Kai chat about their individual favorite travel apps: MarineTraffic (track boats around the world!) & Rome2Rio (want to get from Point A to Point B? Here's how...) respectively - and also their shared joy for Flightradar24.
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Retro Posters Galore! "Airline Visual Identity 1945-1975" Review (#139)
For 2022, #nerdbird Brendan will pull a travel/aviation/airport/design-themed book from his library for the Book of the Month. This episode looks at Airline Visual Identity 1945-1975 [https://www.callisto-publishers.com/project/airline-visual-identity-1945-1975-standard-edition/], a hefty…
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About this show
The #nerdbirds met on a Virgin America final flight in 2018, and believe the journey is just as fun as the destination. They discuss all aspects of the travel experience, focusing on design, sustainability, and destinations off the beaten path.
Hosted by
#nerdbirds