When Linda and Craig Martin set out to travel the world full time, they originally planned to start a blog with a focus on how to “not suck” at traveling, a theme that Linda says they personally needed help with.
To Linda, the couple seemed to be terrible travelers — they forgot to validate their train tickets, they couldn’t figure how to wash their clothes on the road, and they made countless mistakes wherever they went. They wanted to share what they’d learned from these mishaps and offer readers the kind of practical information most travel sites often ignore.
But when they told a friend about their idea, he spun it around, saying, “Don’t write a blog; start a podcast.”
Although they had no idea what a podcast was, or what it took to start one, they decided to give it a go. Thus, Indie Travel Podcast was born.
Linda and Craig began recording just a few days after the idea was gifted to them, using only the internal microphone on their computer. And they didn’t overthink it — they just gave the first episode a rough edit and threw it at the Internet.
Originally, the show was under five minutes long — the idea was to share a single tip and be done. But, a few months in, Linda and Craig conducted a poll on their site to ask listeners how long they wanted each episode to be, and 100 percent of respondents wanted them to be 15 minutes or longer, which came as a surprise.
Listeners also wanted to know what Linda and Craig were up to, and where in the world they were, so the show evolved into what it is today: 20-minute segments that include a general travel catch-up, the couple’s personal stories, and tips on how to travel well.
Even though they now use a real field mic when recording the show, Linda says that the process can still be challenging since they don’t always have a quiet spot to record. That said, they do travel with a full office setup, so editing and producing is just as easy on the road as it would be if they were recording in the same place every week.
Since its start in 2006, Indie Travel Podcast has gained a global following. But for Linda and Craig, the most rewarding aspect of running the show has been hearing from listeners and learning how they’ve inspired others to get out and travel. Traveling has always been an important part of their lives, so helping others understand that it isn’t scary, expensive, or impossible is a dream come true.
When asked where the podcasting duo is headed next, Linda says that though they’re resting in New Zealand for the southern summer, they’re heading back to Europe in April, where they’ll venture to Greece, spend some time in Spain, and house-sit in England before returning to New Zealand at the end of the year.
Now full-time adventurers, the couple has indeed learned to “not suck” at traveling.
All photos by Craig and Linda Martin