Society & Culture
We are joined by Jamie and Skylar from Explorcation on this episode of the podcast. They have a fantastic blog and vlog on YouTube. They share a ton of advice for staying healthy and well when you are traveling. Jamie and Skylar are a couple who loves to travel, explore new places, and try new experiences. Many of their travels include adventures like hiking to secluded beaches, jumping off of waterfalls, paddling to beautiful destinations, and learning to rock climb. They also travel to relax and include videos from cruising and spending time on beaches. They live in Florida and travel as often as they can while still working full time. In this episode, Jamie and Skylar share their top tips for staying healthy and well while traveling and many planning and preparation tips and resources. Make sure to stay tuned until the very end to hear their favorite three places they have visited. Show Notes: [01:39] They both work full-time, but they love being active as much as possible. [01:52] They both grew up in the midwest and had limited opportunities to travel. They moved to Florida to travel more often and live a more active lifestyle. [02:31] Explorcation started four years ago when they went on a cruise to the Virgin Islands. They came back from that trip with so much video footage and decided to start the YouTube channel as a way to document their travels for themselves. [03:53] They hope to inspire other people to visit new places, try new things, and live a healthier and more adventurous lifestyle. [05:01] Some days it is a struggle to balance it all, but it really helps to have a second person to get input and help with the process. [05:57] Learning to set time boundaries and sticking to them have really been key to working full-time and growing Explorcation. [07:35] Their relationship has grown from working on the blog and vlog together. [10:08] They were fortunate to have a big trip right before COVID hit. They still have footage they are sharing and working on from that trip. [11:11] They were also lucky not to have any trips interrupted by COVID because they didn’t have any additional trips planned for that time. [13:19] They encourage their viewers to find healthy activities they enjoy, make them feel good, and add joy to their lives. [13:31] First you have to make the decision to keep healthy habits while you are traveling. That is the first challenge. [14:43] They found themselves not feeling well for several days after returning from trips after enjoying too many drinks, food, and sun. [16:29] They still enjoy these amenities, but only in moderation. [17:15] They realized that the best stress reliever for them was just to get out and do what they loved in nature and be adventurous. [17:37] Returning with more energy and less stress was definitely a big motivator for them. Jamie had a second motivator and that was her health. [19:01] For Jamie adopting a healthier lifestyle and being more active is what she needed to take back her life. She started by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and taking vitamins. [20:11] The one thing that has contributed to their health and happiness has been finding the activities that they both enjoy. [21:35] When they moved to Florida they started to find active hobbies that they both enjoyed doing together like paddleboarding. [23:11] They both also enjoy rock climbing. They got into rock climbing because they found a Groupon online. [25:15] They started rock climbing indoors and climbed for over a year before they thought about outdoor rock climbing. Their first outdoor rock climbing trip was to Asheville, North Carolina. [27:09] Their rock climbing trips were only day trips. Some destinations do offer multiple-day backpacking trips. [28:17] They have also developed a love for hiking. They really appreciate the hills and mountains. [29:12] They love to hike to secluded beaches. They find these beaches by doing research and watching other vlogs. [32:01] They usually take backpacks. They have one backpack with essentials and a cooler backpack for cool drinks. [34:01] It is important to do the research to find out what exactly can you do that is something that you are interested in. [36:30] On cruises you can use the excursions that the cruise ship provides or find your own. [37:03] You know that if you book your excursions through the cruise ship they are not going to leave you. If you are doing excursions on your own research them ahead of time and make sure they are legit. They suggest having a back-up plan just in case you are left behind. [38:14] When they are planning and preparing for trips they watch a ton of travel vlogs, check Trip Advisor, read blogs, travel magazines, and many online resources. [39:54] Their top tip staying healthy while traveling is to stay as active as possible. They find activities that they both enjoy and plan their trips around those activities. [41:56] When you are traveling to a destination where you have the option to prepare your own food they highly recommend visiting the local market and local produce stands. [42:51] They recommend booking a hotel with a gym or a swimming pool to increase your options for physical activity. You can book a cruise that has several activities aboard. [44:05] For travel or active days it is important to pack healthy snacks and stay hydrated. You can bring an empty water bottle through airport security and fill it up once you get to the terminal. [45:22] The last tip for when you actually reach your destination is to avoid foods that have a negative impact on your health. If you put the effort in you can almost always find healthy produce. If you have the opportunity to cook your own meals they highly recommend it. Many cruise ships offer healthier options. [47:41] Skylar’s top 3 places he has visited are Costa Rica, St. Lucia, and Joshua Tree Park. [49:02] Jamie’s top 3 places she has visited are Costa Rica, St. Lucia, and Puerto Rico. Links and Resources: Fly with Chris and Di on Facebook Fly with Chris and Di on Twitter Fly with Chris and Di on Instagram Fly with Chris and Di on Pinterest Explorcation Blog Explorcation on YouTube Explorcation on Twitter Explorcation on Instagram For pictures, tips and more, be sure to check out our Fly with Chris and Di Facebook page and signup to download a copy of The Best City for You. Please take a moment and subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Become a Fly Insider and get the inside scoop, behind the scenes photos, and exclusive travel deals.