What happens when you stop treating retirement like an ending… and start treating it like an expedition?

On this episode of Stacking Adventures, Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond connect with retirement mindset mentor George Jerjian (creator of the DARE Method) from London to unpack the 80-day, around-the-world journey that reshaped how he thinks about identity, courage, and life after 55.

George didn't just plan a bucket-list sprint. He worked with a travel agent, chose mostly countries new to him, and intentionally left space for serendipity. Along the way, he learned to stop "ticking boxes," listen to his body, skip prepaid tours when needed, and even find peace wedged into a middle airplane seat. Because sometimes the biggest shift isn't geography—it's mindset.

This isn't just a travel story. It's a retirement reset.

• Why George chose unfamiliar destinations to stretch himself

• How leaving room for spontaneity created the most meaningful moments

• Why slowing down and listening to your body matters more than "getting your money's worth"

• Reflecting on Nelson Mandela's legacy at Robben Island

• Five days on safari in Timbavati near Kruger—witnessing both the beauty and brutality of nature

• What wild places teach us about humility and resilience

• The Great Barrier Reef near Hamilton Island (yes, wetsuits required—sharks and jellyfish are real)

• Melbourne's Immigration Museum and Australia's "populate or perish" story

• Driving the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles

• Why exploring national identity helped George reflect on his own

• Digging hot-water pools on Coromandel beaches

• The train ride from Christchurch to Greymouth

• Milford Sound, the Southern Alps, and swimming with dolphins in Kaikōura

• A Māori dance lesson that challenged the need for approval (hint: wrist-shaking beats applause)

• Learning from a samurai historian in Kanazawa about service in Japanese culture

• Visiting Hiroshima after reading John Hersey's Hiroshima

• What rebuilding after devastation teaches about forgiveness and human strength

• Vancouver's rain-soaked greenery

• The sleeper train to Jasper

• Banff, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway

• Quebec City's French character and layered history

George closes with a simple but powerful idea: travel restores awe—and awe restores perspective.

For listeners in that 55–75 sweet spot (and honestly, anyone thinking about what's next), George shares how extended travel can:

• Help you shed old identities tied to work

• Build courage in small, repeatable ways

• Reframe uncertainty as adventure

• Replace "What am I without my job?" with "Who do I want to become?"

Retirement isn't a withdrawal from life. It's a redeployment.

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal?" listener game (she's not in the continental U.S. or Aruba…)

• A nod to the show's Gear of the Day archive at stackingadventures.com/gtd

• George's memoir recommendation—his own book, Odyssey of an Elder: Around the World in 80 Days, written so you feel like you're traveling beside him

If you had 80 days and the courage to go somewhere unfamiliar, where would you go—and what part of your identity might you leave behind?

Share your answer in the comments or in the Stacking Adventures community. Because sometimes the biggest journey isn't around the world.

It's into the next version of yourself.

Want to travel more without overspending or falling for tourist traps? In this episode of Stacking Adventures, Crystal reports back from the Travel & Adventure Show in Washington, DC, breaking down what the experience is really like, whether the upgraded ticket was worth it, and what she'd absolutely do differently next time (hint: show up early and never skip the insider perks).

Crystal and Joe swap travel confessions, talk about navigating crowds and convention chaos, and share how small detours can transform an ordinary trip into a memorable adventure. Along the way, the conversation turns practical, focusing on smarter ways to plan trips, stretch travel dollars, and discover destinations you might never have considered.

What the Stacking Adventures traveler will take away from this episode:

• What a major travel show is actually like and how to decide if attending one is worth your time and money

• Why arriving early can completely change your experience, from smaller crowds to better vendor conversations and bonus perks

• How upgraded passes can pay off when they include seminars, early access, and food that offsets the ticket cost

• The value of talking directly with destination experts instead of relying only on online research

• How adding small, unexpected detours can dramatically improve road trips and create memorable experiences

New destinations and ideas added to Crystal's travel list:

• Alaska trips focused on viewing the Northern Lights

• Tuscany cycling vacations through Pedal & Sea Adventures

• European Christmas market itineraries explored by train through Rail Escape

• Jamaica experiences beyond resorts, including private Blue Hole excursions

• Hidden-gem domestic travel, including Moundsville, West Virginia's mix of history, quirky attractions, and outdoor stays

• Scenic driving routes like Oklahoma's Talimena Drive as a stress-free alternative to major highway routes

Smart travel planning tips you can use immediately:

• Setting Google Flights price alerts to track airfare without constant searching

• Enrolling in the free government Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for travel alerts, safety updates, and easier passport assistance abroad

• Evaluating travel swag, deals, and promotions without getting distracted by flashy booths

• Using train travel and regional transportation to simplify European itineraries

• Thinking beyond headline destinations to find better value and fewer crowds

Meaningful travel conversations from the show floor:

• How tourism initiatives in places like Zanzibar and Tanzania support local youth and communities

• Opportunities through AFS Intercultural Programs for study abroad, hosting exchange students, and scholarship-supported cultural exchange

• How travel perceptions often lag behind reality, especially after major weather events or news cycles

Because every adventure needs a little fun:

• The ongoing "Where in the World Is Crystal Trying to Travel?" guessing game

• Funny moments from the convention floor, including murals, test drives, and unexpected wins

• Travel stories that prove the best memories often come from places you never planned to stop

Your next adventure starts here:

Share your own travel stories and submit destination guesses for a chance at Stacking Adventures swag! Here's the URL for either: StackingAdventures.com/MyStory.

Because the goal isn't just to travel more, it's to travel smarter, connect more deeply, and come home with stories worth telling.

What starts as a European trip in 1987 turns into a quirky quest across England after a chance bookstore discovery, and eventually becomes something far more meaningful than anyone expected.

Crystal Hammond and Joe Saul-Sehy are joined by award winning mystery writer Michael Balter, who shares how stumbling upon a coffee table book listing historic pubs across England accidentally launched him on an unforgettable pub crawl adventure. What began as "let's see if we can find these places" became a journey crisscrossing the English countryside, visiting tiny villages, atmospheric taverns, and discovering stories in every corner.

But Michael's 1987 trip wasn't just about pubs. Along the way, he experienced a life-changing reunion with his long-lost biological father in Berlin, proving once again that travel has a funny way of revealing what you're really searching for, whether that's a perfect pint in a centuries-old pub or missing pieces of your own story.

The conversation weaves between colorful English pub tales, practical travel lessons learned the hard way in an era before Google Maps and smartphones, and the deeply human side of international travel. How being far from home can bring you closer to who you are. There's also a peek at Michael's upcoming novel Dead Exit, plus a brand new, slightly chaotic game where listeners try to guess where in the world Crystal is this time (no passports required).

This episode is part travel memoir, part accidental quest story, and part reminder that the best trips don't always go according to plan, and that's exactly why we remember them.

What You'll Discover:

• How a bookstore find turned into an accidental pub crawl across England
• Why traveling without modern tech made every pub hunt feel like a real adventure
• What it's like to track down historic taverns in tiny English villages
• How Michael's European journey led to reconnecting with lost family in Berlin
• Why pubs and local hangouts tell you more about a place than guidebooks alone
• How travel stories turn into novels and sometimes into healing
• A new interactive game that might just become a Stacking Adventures staple

This Episode Is For You If:

• You love the idea of travel with an accidental quest built in
• You're drawn to stories where serendipity leads to the best adventures
• You've ever wondered what travel was like before smartphones solved everything
• You believe the best discoveries happen when you follow unexpected leads
• You're looking for your next unique travel challenge or inspiration

Question for You:

Have you ever taken a trip where a random discovery (a book, a recommendation, a wrong turn) completely changed your plans for the better? Share your story in the comments or the Stacking Adventures community. Bonus points if it involved tracking something down without Google's help.