440 Emma Carmichael ~ Road Trip Adventures in the Balkans
Table of Contents
Today’s Topic
I’m excited to introduce this week’s guest, Emma Carmichael. I first met Emma in the London Indie Authors Meetup Group, where I found out about her adventures, particularly the one we discuss today. In 2009, Emma quit her job and bought a classic Serbian car, which she drove in a huge circle around the Balkans.
This adventure is unlike anything else we’ve discussed on this show. It’s also unlike any trip I’ve ever been on. I hope Emma’s journey inspires you to come up with your own wild adventures.
What You’ll Learn
- What inspired Emma to quit her job and drive around the Balkans in a Serbian Zastava 750 car
- What it was like to drive a classic car around the Balkans
- How Emma traveled around tiny villages without speaking the local languages
- How Emma remembered all the details from the adventure so she could write her book
- Emma’s top tips for a Balkan adventure
Things We Discussed
About Emma Carmichael
- Born in Edinburgh. Lived in Edinburgh, London, Sydney, Strasbourg, Pristina, Sarajevo and now back in London for now.
- Traveller, podcaster, writer – not particularly in that order!
- Worked as a Conservation Building Surveyor for Historic Royal Palaces from 1995-2004
- Worked for the Council of Europe, involved with post-conflict conservation and cultural heritage from 2004-2009
- Travelled the Balkans in a vintage Zastava 750 from August-October 2009
- Wrote the first draft of Driving Tito in 2010 while living in Strasbourg, France
- Moved to Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina worked on a cultural heritage programme for the town of Vares. 2011-2012
- Returned to the UK in 2012 and opened my bookshop Travelling Through in 2014-2019.
- Published Driving Tito in June 2019
- Began podcasting in 2020 to present day
- Travelled solo, in groups, with my partner, with my sister, my family, my brother and/or with a friend. Each experience is different. Each notable in its own way. Each can be enjoyable or a nightmare – it’s a mindset thing. It’s about compromise even when travelling alone!
WALKED: a section of the St Jacques de Compostella from Le Puy en Velay to Conques; the Mozarabe Camino, Portuguese Camino, the Coast to Coast (UK), Hadrian’s Wall Walk
TRAVELLED to: Round the world ticket when 22yrs old for 20 months. Partly with a friend / and solo.
Separate trips to: Russia/Mongolia – Vietnam – Argentina/Chile – Brazil – Colombia – many parts of Europe.
RUNNING: love 5km runs; ran half-marathon in Stockholm, Sweden (never again!)
CYCLING: still have my bicyle from when I was 14yrs old – who needs more than five gears? Cycled many of the Scottish isles. Cycling cities of Strasbourg and Amsterdam.
Travelling Through is a concept, whether it be a place, a community, or life. It’s how we respond instinctively to this constant state of movement that’s important to our well-being.
Related Episodes
- 438 Jenny Mowbray ~ Solo Travel + Adventure When You’re in a Relationship
- 433 Robert Twigger ~ How Adventure Satisfies Our Need for Childlike Play (now with downloadable transcript!)
- 383 Anne Malambo ~ How Solo Travel Can Change Our Lives (now with downloadable transcript!)
- 374 Holly Worton ~ How Outdoors Adventures + Travel Help With Digital Detox (now with downloadable transcript!)
- 367 Holly Worton ~ Finding Yourself Through Solo Travel and Outdoor Adventures (now with downloadable transcript!)
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