New Orleans to Crystal River: What the podcast????

This was a quick trip across the coast. I stopped in Mobile, Alabama for lunch and stayed overnight in Crestview, Florida. Mobile was a fun place for a break, walked around a bit and bought a beautiful hand-made wooden vase and then had a roast beef po-boy for lunch with gravy. Yum.

So, I thought I would write about driving. I have had a lot of long days driving all by myself, trying to stay active and engaged during this time can be a challenge. You want to have something to listen to that won’t take your mind off driving. For me, music can put me in a trance-state as I love music!

About 2-1/2 years ago I finally got an iPhone and I started listening to podcasts during Covid. Some were for health challenges at work, on finance or nutrition, etc. Then I found some fun blogs to listen to while going on walking breaks. I had accumulated a few and I went out to look for more to keep me company during my trip.

Favorite – Welcome to Nightvale. This is SO funny and quirky. It started in 2012 and I would definitely recommend going back to the beginning and starting there. The characters run throughout the stories and there are so many subtle plotlines running throughout that you don’t want to miss out! Plus it is always good for a laugh! They are so popular they have live shows, a website and souvenirs you can buy. I also support them a little bit through Patreon. https://www.welcometonightvale.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/WelcometoNightVale

Second Favorite. Amateur Traveler. There are currently at number 711 for postings. The speaker does not profess to be an expert on all the locations he discusses. He brings in a number of fellow travelers to speak to the various locations. I also love how they incorporate pictures with the talks, which do show up on my screen. So cool!

Worst – Down. I listened to the whole thing because I really wanted to know what happened, but I ended up skipping a couple episodes just to get it over with. It was a great premise, but I think the story could have been told in about 70% of the time spent on it. Anyone else listened to this one?

Very good:
Derelict – An underwater / alien contact adventure. I am looking forward to another season!
Thrillist Explorers – A travel blog that has a number of eclectic-travel related posts as well as more traditional ones on sites visited. I only listened to a couple of these, but they were good.
The Earful Tower by Oliver Gee – This is also a travel blog, but it focuses on France and particularly Paris. Oliver is Australian but has lived and worked in France for a number of years now and in fact had a baby that they incorporate into their stories on how to be a tourist. 🙂 Since I am going to spend some time in France this fall, listening to this has been inspiring.
Atlas Obscura – A classic on obscure and odd travel sites to visit. Everyone should try this out.
Weird Things: The Podcast – The site states this is a blog for those who love both science and are fascinated by the impossible and fantastic. It’s for people who believe a mystery is interesting no matter the outcome. I listened to a few, and they were very good.
Minnesota Circle – Highlights events and products developed in Minnesota. I loved the one on proper breathing techniques and breathwork for adults, and school.

For the way home I have also downloaded “Overheard at National Geographic” and “The Join us in France Travel Podcast”.

Do you have any recommendations?