El Cafecito Travel Talks

Odcinki

• 
  #62 Finding Family In Ecuador 16.08.2026 24min

  When Hannah O’Hare Bennett arrived in Ecuador as a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer, she wanted more than travel...she wanted to build relationships and truly understand a place. Placed in a small rural community near Saraguro, Hannah initially struggled with isolation, limited Spanish and the thought of spending two full years away from home. But through the patience, humour and warmth of her host sister Sandra and the rest of the family, an unfamiliar community gradually became another hom...
• 
  #61 40 Years Backpacking 14.08.2026 25min

  “Home is where the backpack is.” Ken has spent 40 years travelling the world and 36 years working internationally as a United Nations peacekeeper and diplomat. Born in what is now Zimbabwe, he was given 48 hours to leave the country at the age of 18 and began building a life without a permanent home. In this episode, Ken remembers travelling before smartphones, GPS, online reservations and ATMs...when backpackers depended on guidebooks, postcards, travellers’ cheques and advice from strangers...
• 
  #60 Looking for Home 11.08.2026 25min

  Dan left London with a plan to travel through eight or nine countries across Latin America. Almost a year later, that plan looks very different. Three months in Panama became six months in Colombia. In Salento, an unexpected relationship pulled him into a local family and changed the direction of his journey. When the relationship ended, Dan had to move forward — but he doesn’t regret the experience. Now in Ecuador, he’s asking a bigger question: Is he simply travelling, or is he looking for ...
• 
  #59 The Travelling Lion 06.08.2026 19min

  What if your travel companion had been to 117 countries, needed his own luggage, had his own Instagram account—and happened to be a lion? Meet Montgomery J. Lion, better known as Monty, Ken’s rather unusual travel companion. Monty’s story began in Tanzania, when Ken brought him home for his son. Years later, when his son left for university, Monty joined Ken on the road—and never really stopped travelling. Since then, he’s crossed borders around the world, attracted the attention of airport s...
• 
  #58 Documenting the Journey 04.08.2026 16min

  What will you remember from your travels a year from now? Carina, a traveller from Germany, has taken a sabbatical to spend more than a year exploring the world. But she isn’t just travelling; she’s documenting the journey. Through a private written journal, photography, and printed photo albums for each country she visits, Carina is creating a personal record of the places she sees, the food she eats, the things that go right and the things that don’t. We talk about: • Why she has kept...
• 
  #57 Finding a Wife Abroad 01.08.2026 20min

  At 73, a traveler shares a very personal story about looking for companionship abroad, using an international matrimonial agency, and eventually marrying a woman in Colombia. He talks openly about spending thousands of dollars through the agency, the excitement of arriving in Medellín, falling in love, getting married and the red flags he admits he ignored along the way. At his request, we have chosen not to use his name. But we felt his story was important to share. This episode isn’t about ...
• 
  #56 Black Queer Travel 31.07.2026 23min

  What is it like to travel the world as a Black queer couple? In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Ash and Phae, two slow travellers from the United States who share their experiences navigating the world while embracing multiple identities. From defining what “non-binary” and “queer” mean in their own words to discussing safety, community, and the realities of long-term travel, this conversation is thoughtful, honest, and approachable. The discussion also explores ...
• 
  #55 7 Wonders Quest 29.07.2026 16min

  What does it take to visit all Seven Wonders of the World before turning 26? In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, I sit down with Austin from the Netherlands, who set himself an ambitious goal: visit all seven of the New Seven Wonders before his 26th birthday. From watching the sunrise over Machu Picchu to seeing the Taj Mahal at dawn, Austin shares the unforgettable moments, unexpected travel challenges, and the lessons he learned along the way. But perhaps the biggest surprise wasn’...
• 
  #54 One-Way Exploration 04.07.2026 19min

  What would you do if you had no return date? At just 24 years old, Fabian left behind a career in sports event management in Austria and bought a one-way ticket to South America. Six months later, he’s still exploring—discovering new cultures, making friendships in hostels, cheering alongside locals during the World Cup, and learning that travel is about much more than checking countries off a list. In this episode, we talk about experiencing Ecuador during football fever, discovering Ecuavol...
• 
  #53 Group Tours vs. Solo Travel 02.07.2026 28min

  Should you join a group tour or travel independently? In this episode, I sit down with Nathan, an experienced traveller and international teacher, to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both styles of travel. We discuss safety, flexibility, cost, meeting new people, language barriers, and when each approach makes the most sense. We also talk about cruises, all-inclusive resorts, relocating abroad, and why sometimes having someone else handle the planning can make all the difference. W...
• 
  #52 Irish Teacher in Colombia 30.06.2026 26min

  In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Azim, a 27-year-old teacher from Dublin, Ireland, who is working at an American international school in Valledupar, Colombia. Azim shares what led him to leave Ireland, how international teaching can open the door to travel, and what life is like in a hot, music-filled Colombian city famous for vallenato. The conversation explores culture shock, language barriers, Caribbean Colombian Spanish, power cuts, dance culture, social li...
• 
  #51 Behind the Hotel Desk 26.06.2026 23min

  What really goes on behind the scenes of a hotel? In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Pierce Lowney, an Irish hospitality professional who started working in a local pub at just 14 years old before building a career in luxury hotels. Now backpacking across South America, Peirce shares the stories, lessons, and unforgettable moments he’s experienced from both sides of the reception desk. From hilarious “Fawlty Towers” moments and unforgettable guests to bizarre onl...
• 
  #50 Medellín to Ushuaia – A Motorcycle Journey Across South America 23.06.2026 17min

  In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Gregorio Cárdenas from Medellín, Colombia, who set out on the adventure of a lifetime: riding his motorcycle from Colombia to Ushuaia, Argentina—the southernmost city in the world. What started as a dream became a journey through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Along the way, Gregorio balanced life as a digital nomad, crossed deserts, navigated some of South America’s most challenging roads, battled freez...
• 
  #49 Moving to Ecuador with a Dog: What Nobody Tells You. 21.06.2026 24min

  In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony sits down with Troy, who recently relocated from the United States to Cuenca, Ecuador — along with his dog, Cosmo. Troy shares the real process of moving internationally with a pet, including paperwork, airline restrictions, unexpected costs, and why he eventually used a pet transport service with a pet nanny. He also talks about the extra complications of travelling with a flat-faced dog, finding pet-friendly housing in Cuenca, and how Cosmo ...
• 
  #48 What Ecuador Taught a 12-Year-Old Traveller 15.06.2026 18min

  What is it like to move to another country at age 10, learn a new language, attend school in a different culture, and build a new life from scratch? In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony Lloyd sits down with Karmarri and his mother, artist Iyahdae Rose, as they reflect on two years living in Cuenca, Ecuador, before returning to the United States. Karmarri shares his experiences learning Spanish, adapting to school, making friends, discovering Ecuadorian food, and what surprised hi...
• 
  #47 Sailing to Latin America 08.06.2026 21min

  What would make someone from Switzerland trade a plane ticket for a sailboat? In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony Lloyd sits down with Tobias, a young traveller who chose the slow route to the Americas. Instead of flying across the Atlantic, he spent 26 days at sea, sailing from Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands to Martinique in the Caribbean. Tobias shares what life was really like on board: night watches, endless ocean horizons, dolphins swimming alongside the boat, rough wea...
• 
  #46 Photography, Identity and the African Diaspora with Skye Jalal 02.06.2026 24min

  In this episode of El Cafecito Travel Talks, Tony Lloyd speaks with photographer and recent graduate Skye Jalal, who is travelling through Ghana, Kenya, Germany, Ecuador, and Mexico on a Watson Fellowship. Skye shares how photography became her way of exploring identity, community, family, and the African diaspora. She discusses her experiences photographing Afro communities across different countries, the challenges of travelling alone, and how travel has changed her perspective on culture, ...
• 
  #45 Welcome Back – The Relaunch of El Cafecito Travel Talks 31.05.2026 22min

  After several years away from the microphone, El Cafecito Travel Talks is back. In this special relaunch episode, the tables are turned as Skye Jewel interviews host Tony Lloyd about his journey, life in Latin America, travel, community building, and the experiences that have shaped his perspective over more than 25 years living in Latin America. In this episode, we discuss: • Growing up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and living in multiple countries • Life as a hostel owner in Ecuador and Co...
• 
  #44 Hash House Harriers 11.04.2021 16min

  Ed Howell a.k.a. Hazukashii, after retiring from the US military, decides to spend his time hashing around the world. Hazukashii shares with us the tales of the Hash House Harrison, how he was renamed, and his quest for hashing in over 100 countries. His words of advice for us: people are people and the hash is a great way to meet new friends and to discover new cultures His Hash web site: ttp://gotothehash.net Guest: Ed Howell aka Hazukashii Host: Tony Lloyd Editor: Tony L...
• 
  #43 Father & Son 22.02.2021 23min

  Brian and Alec Altonen farmers Michigan USA taking a winter break to do a father and son trip to explore Ecuador together They share with us the reasons for travelling at this time, what they hope to get out of this trip and what life was like back at home for the last year. Their words of advice for us is, do your research go travelling but do it safely. Guest: Brian and Alec Altonen alecaltonen@gmail.com Host: Tony Lloyd Editor: Tony Lloyd To donate to our show please cli...