Travel Devil (Clara Francken)

Join Clara for her first solo episode where she opens up about her Flixbus experiences and tells you about this new travel podcast. In the theme of Halloween this is a horror story which takes place at the bus station in her home town. Clara shares her personal experience with Flixbus and reacts to other's bad experiences on Reddit. If you're asking yourself if you should travel by bus... This episode is for you!

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Is it really dangerous to go bike packing  solo as a woman? Travel Devil host Clara talked to Tania, full-time traveler on her bicycle about 8 month a year! Tania did a 10.000 km tour in South America, 9.000 km in Afrika and many more km's on other trips. Her  story isn't only very strong, she's extremely inspiring and was a big inspiration to start Clara's own bicycle touring journey.

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Is cargo ship traveling better than boarding a cruise ship? Travel Devil host Clara talked to Joris, he traveled the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger on a container ship. After that life-changing experience, he started his own travel agency CptnZeppos. In this episode, Joris shares everything you need to know about being a passenger on a cargo ship. I promise you will feel good, inspired, and laugh during this episode. 

Want to watch the podcast-related video? Go to https://youtu.be/vJIZgIryJes

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How to explore your home country? Can you travel close to home and have fun? See beautiful destinations? Travel Devil host Clara talked about weekend trips and micro adventures with Emma. She started exploring Belgium when the pandemic hit, and shares her experience on Instagram on @emmasroadmap. In this episode, she'll share the top beautiful destinations in Belgium, how to find micro adventures close to your home, how to plan your weekend trips, and more. This episode is full of fun tips and will inspire you to start explore your own home country.

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Everything you need to know about a gap year, and more. What is living in Turkey like? Living in a host family? Learning a new language? Travel Devil host Clara shares her own experience in this week's episode. She answers your questions about her year abroad, and explains how she chose to travel with the exchange organization AFS. At first, she opens up about the process of deciding the country Turkey and shares insights of AFS camps. Then she dives into how living in Turkey, Izmir, changed her perspective on life. After that, she answers all your questions which were sent in via Instagram.

If you have more questions, don't be shy to jump into her dm's, maybe she can answer them in a next episode.

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In this week's solo Christmas special, Clara is talking about her experience celebrating Christmas for the firs time abroad. Spending Christmas away from the family, in a place surrounded by new friends only. Social life is already hard during winter times, let alone finding people to celebrate Christmas with. Your host Clara Francken explains how her family Christmas tradition looks like, how she spent her Christmas in Turkey, and answers your questions about spending these days away from home. Get ready to laugh and to get cozy!!

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This guy is traveling to every continent of the world using his own human power. No plane, no car, no engine was used for his journey. He takes us back on his road in Oceania where he took the rowing boat to sail between Java and Papua. He rowed 4.00 km in Indonesia and is the first one rowing this long road. In total he rows and sails 12.000 km and cycles 70.000 km to reach his ultimate goal: the summits of Puncak Jaya (Oceania), Mount Everest (Asia), Kilimanjaro (Afrika), Mount Vinson (Antarctica), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), Mount Elbrus (Europe).

What is human powered traveling? What are the 7 summits? Why to chose a rowing boat to cross the ocean? How to find food and places to sleep? What is his craziest travel story? ...

Send Jelle a message: share.garmin.com/secutec7summits
Jelle's website: jelleveyt.be
YouTube video about his rowing journey: youtube.com/watch?v=pfQ3hHA-VvY

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These female ecoleaders are changing the travel industry by raising their voice.  9 women who will inspire you to travel differently and show that there are many solutions.

1. Tania Muxima
2. Dalisa Camci
3. Emma’s Roadmap
4. Margreen Margarita Samsonova
5. Olivia Piana
6. Jane Goodall
7. Sylvia Earle
8. Wangari Maathai
9. Greta Thunberg

First, I talk about my past interview partners (1-3) who have inspired my own travel journey: long distance cycling, hitchhiking and local travel.
Afterwards, I'm sharing the stories of upcoming and well-known ecoleaders (4-9): sustainable tourism, marine life, preservation, reforestation, sustainable transport.

After listening to these stories I felt proud to be a woman, I felt inspired and loved. I hope these ladies can inspire you as well!

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What is it like to go long-distance bicycling?  This week’s guest William Spencer biked from the U.K. to India in less than one year, experienced culture shock, danger and profound friendship on the road. Now he's older, but still traveling by bike. He explains which life lessons he learned from being on the road, why age doesn't matter, which challenges he faced and how he overcame those.  William cycled more than 100.000 km across 23 countries. He even wrote a bestselling book about his 14.000 km journey to India called “Far Sweeter Than Honey”.

You will laugh, get inspired and learn a lot from this conversation! 

"Far Sweeter Than Honey" available on Amazon: https://bit.ly/CF_FarSweeterThanHoney_Amazon
Connect with William: https://www.facebook.com/groups/870373953763578
Watch our YouTube video: https://youtu.be/uwJx6EpqiWI

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How to find cheap train tickets? How to travel comfortably? Which countries should you visit by train? Join our host Clara Francken as she shares expert tips, insider secrets, and captivating stories from the rails, guaranteed to elevate your European train travel experience.

Stories from delayed journeys through Belgium and Germany to sun-soaked escapades in Spain and a four-day trip to Greece, this episode is your ultimate guide to mastering European train travel. Discover how to snag budget-friendly tickets, unlock exclusive insights on packing essentials, engaging with locals, and unleashing the full potential of your Interrail pass.

But it's not just practical advice—immerse yourself in the stories and unforgettable encounters that await you on the tracks. Whether it's chance meetings with fellow travelers or breathtaking views outside your window, each journey is a story waiting to be told. 

And don't forget to stay tuned until the end, where Clara Francken answers your burning questions about train travel sent in through Instagram. Get ready to experience Europe like never before. Get ready to find the inspiration you need to start planning your summer holidays!

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Luxembourg, the world's richest country, made public transport free. Today we're talking about Luxembourg and its buses, tramway and train system. This is great for the environment, is very practical and reduces the amount of traffic which was going in the capital. Luxembourgish railway system is called the SNL (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois).

How did this change affect the country? Is it free to take the train to Luxembourg from neighbouring countries such as Belgium, France and Germany? Is there still a first class and a second class? What are the best places to visit in Luxembourg?
And more coming up in this episode!

Get in contact with Joé: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo%C3%A9-voncken-b8843014b/
Music playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0l2U4H02smi6ID0dDg6JEC

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Suggestions for future guests? Dm me on instagram.com/clarafrancken
Want to watch my videos? Go to YouTube.com/clarafrancken

Write us your thoughts on the show

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Suggestions for future guests? Dm me on @clarafrancken
Want to watch my videos? Go to YouTube.com/clarafrancken

1500km of cycling around the Dutch border & crossing to neighbor countries hundreds of times. Bicycle touring around your own country while following strict rules. Vincent Wever cycled around his homecountry The Netherlands. His rules? 
1. stay as close to the border as possible
2. don't do the same route twice

The borders of Holland touch both Belgium and Germany. But they also cross houses, stores, gardens, rivers and more. What inspired Vincent to travel around The Netherlands? What did he learn about crossing boarders? What are the differences between The Netherlands and Belgium? And more... coming up in this episode!

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In the 1950s, Klaus' parents left Germany on a ship, aiming for a better life in Canada. In this episode, our host Clara Francken talks to Klaus about his travel dreams. Klaus wishes to travel back to Germany and sail back to his roots.
Why does he want to travel on a freighter ship? Why did his parents migrate to Canada? What is the impact of sailing aboard a cargo ship?

Check out possible cargo ship voyages: cptnzeppos.com/en/alle-reizen/
The video Klaus is talking about (Cargo Ship Travel | Everything You Need To Know): youtube.com/watch?v=vJIZgIryJes

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Responsible travel means that we need to be aware of our impact. And to say that this conversation is a wake up call, is an understatement. Today's guest Praneetha Monipi explains all the do's and don'ts when touching nature. The goal is to keep the biodiversity alive. 

What is the real impact of our seashell collection? Why is rock-stacking not a good idea? What's the impact of tourism on local wildlife and communities? Host Clara Francken asks all of this and more to learn from her guest, a biologist and wildlife conservationist. 

Links:
https://www.instagram.com/planeta_praneetha
https://www.linkedin.com/in/praneetha-monipi
https://cites.org/eng

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Bikepacking or work 'n holiday? Mix both to get workpacking. This week's guest decided to leave his office and make it mobile. Gunnar Fehlau started working from his e-cargobike, as he calls it "workpacking". 

Gunnar shares tips on how to start your own bicycle touring workpack journey and explains how his start wasn't the best. Our host Clara Francken talks with him about the difficulties he faced and the solutions he found. How Gunnar arranged his one-year trip from idea to the start to the power to continue. Which insights did he learn? What advice can he give us? Find all of that out in this episode.

Want to connect with Gunnar Fehlau, the ultimate workpacker? 👇
- https://workpacking.de
- https://www.instagram.com/velopreneur/

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Many tourists prefer fun facts and experiences over the heavy truths of wildlife conservation, leading to a tourism model that often neglects the needs of the animals and the environment. 

What are green flags and red flags of wildlife safaris? Where is a volunteer's money actually going? ...

Margarita Samsonova, an unconventional GREENfluencer and the founder of Behind The Greens media, explains the big differences between fancy safaris and real conservation efforts. She shares how luxury safaris often care more about tourists than animals, leading to poor treatment of wildlife. Margarita's love for animals and nature pushes her to support eco-friendly travel and reveal the true impact of these trips on the environment and local people.

We discuss the importance of transparency in where your money goes and the red flags to watch out for, such as companies promoting selfies with animals or overemphasizing the "big five" sightings. Learn about the green flags that indicate a positive impact, like eco-friendly practices and community involvement.

You'll get inspired, listen to stories about wildlife conservation camps, stories of beautiful interactions and of bad examples of safaris, laugh and get chills. 

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Greenfluencing and its role in promoting eco-friendly travel
• Differentiating between wildlife experiences and safaris
• The impact of safari tourism on wildlife and ecosystems
• Challenges faced by local communities and wildlife due to safari tourism
• The difficulty in balancing conservation efforts with the desire for entertainment and profit.
• The impact of social media on travel and environmental awareness
• The importance of authenticity and transparency in travel content creation
• The challenges of balancing tourism with wildlife conservation
• Criteria for choosing responsible and ethical wildlife tourism experiences.
• How different types of tourism (safaris, conservation parks) operate and generate revenue.
• The illegal trade of wildlife parts and its devastating effects on animal populations.
• The rise of voluntourism and its impact on wildlife tourism.
• The impact of the covid pandemic on travel trends
• The importance of research and education in responsible tourism
• The concept of the "Big Five" and its implications
• The role of local communities in wildlife conservation

Connect with Margarita Samsonova?
Instagram: @margreen_s
Website: www.behindthegreens.co

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How can we visit Portugal in a more sustainable way? Today's guest is the portages Marta Domingues, a founder of eco-projects and a biodiversity activist.

Marta explains the problems she faces on a daily basis living in Portugal. Over tourism caused her not to visit Lisbon anymore, taking the bus can take a long time, visiting beautiful beaches with her kids became a 3-hour-queue experience by car... But all of those negatives make room for positive solutions.

How can we do eco travel in Portugal? Take the bicycle, visit locals, support communities, find small businesses to do your activities.. Marta shares very valuable information on how to find these activities and inspires you thanks to a great amount of examples.

You'll get inspired, listen to stories and get lots of useful tips!

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Background of Marta Domingues
• Public transport in Portugal
• Portuguese intercity busses vs trains
• Impact of over tourism on housing prices in Portugal
• How to find sustainable travel alternatives
• How to find great activities via Facebook, TripAdvisor and Google Maps
• What's the impact of expats on Portugal
• ...

Connect with Marta?
Instagram: @florestadaslebres

Complaints / Suggestions about Portugal:
visitportugal.com/en/contact
livroamarelo.gov.pt/en/

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Today's episode is all about beach cleanups, sharing the story of the coastal and marine management expert and founder Daniel Angelis, who got started during the refugee crisis. Daniel shares his journey of how the refugee boats impacted his home island Lesbos in Greece, and how they dealt with the trash. 

He's opening up about leading ocean cleanups and tackling plastic pollution along some of the world’s most beautiful yet fragile coastlines. In Lesbos, environmental conservation met humanitarian aid as more than one refugee boat arrived on the shores. His efforts transformed coastal cleanups into missions of social responsibility, providing listeners with a unique look at how travel, environmental action, and human compassion intersect.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Coastal trash due to the refugee crisis on Lesbos: What happened to the stranded refugee boats, how to recycle all the ocean waste after this humanitarian crisis
• Microplastic and beach cleanup efforts: The growing issue of plastic pollution on coastlines and how it affects marine life.
• Coastal cleanup do's and don'ts: What to keep in mind before going on a beach cleanup, what to avoid
• Ocean cleanup: How to clean the ocean with a team of free divers and ships, how to manage waste found in the ocean
• "One Beach at a Time" NGO: Daniel’s mission and how his organization combines ocean conservation with social responsibility.

Whether you’re passionate about ocean cleanup, curious about the intersection of travel and sustainability, or interested in the refugee crisis, this episode offers powerful stories and insights that will inspire you to make a difference.

Connect with Angelis;
onebeachatatime.org
instagram.com/angelis.daniel

Where is your trash traveling (plastic tracker)?
theoceancleanup.com/plastic-tracker

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In this episode of Travel Devil, I sit down with Victor Figèra from La Route du Soja to discuss his incredible long-distance train journey from Paris to Taiwan with his partner Léa. Victor shares how his childhood shaped his passion for sustainable travel and how they navigated a route that emits five times less CO2 than flying. We dive into their most memorable experiences—crossing breathtaking landscapes in China and Kyrgyzstan, a heartwarming arrival in Hong Kong, and culinary adventures in Taiwan. Victor also opens up about the challenges they faced, including illness in China and navigating central Asia as vegetarians. Tune in to hear the highs and lows of their epic two-month journey and how they managed to finance their trip through sponsorships.

How to contact Victor:
https://www.instagram.com/la_route_du_soja/
FREE carbon footprint calculator:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uMGQMJHwxp5gdQp4jyE__QP5BQZLcZWifyBgMB_TK5U/edit?usp=drivesdk

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Can we take selfies with monkeys? Can I feed apes? Why are macaques aggressive towards humans? Can I eat primates? In this episode of Travel Devil, we're exposing the wildlife exploitation in southeast Asia's tourism culture - with Connie Needham.

While Vietnam and Southeast Asia is a backpacker’s paradise, it’s also home to more and more wildlife exploitation marketed as “once-in-a-lifetime experiences.” Today we focus on primates: monkeys and apes. Researcher Connie shares her insights on street-level exploitation of monkeys on chains for tourist photos and how travelers can make more ethical choices. Join us as we discuss the impact of these activities and how to travel with compassion.

How to contact Connie:
https://www.instagram.com/connie.needham
https://www.projectwild.uk

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From funny and awkward border-crossing moments to the occasional frustrating delays, this episode is packed with relatable and entertaining train tales. Host Clara Francken welcomes Jon Worth, an independent EU policy commentator and expert on sustainable transport, for an engaging discussion on European train travel.

It's not just about stories, this episode dives into the bigger picture of sustainable travel across Europe. Discover how EU policies are shaping the future of rail travel, how we can solve the ticketing issue, and how Europe wide data sharing can solve the hassle of finding the best train connections. Whether you're navigating international rail systems for the first time or you're a pro at deciphering timetables, this episode is full of useful tips, policy insights, and a sprinkle of humor to inspire your next journey by train.

Don't miss this episode if you're curious about how railways are driving Europe's push for sustainability and a greener future!

Contact Jon Worth:
http://jonworth.eu/contact/
https://bsky.app/profile/jonworth.eu

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