The travel blogosphere isn’t a big place, and I’m always bumping into folk here and there. So it was with great pleasure to speak with Craig and Linda over at the Indie Travel Podcast, an award-winning travel blog. I smiled when hearing some of their travel suggestions as they are experiences I have also had. Craig and Linda are from New Zealand – my favourite country – so what’s not to like? Anyway, on to the scoop…
Thanks for joining us, Craig and Linda. Please introduce yourselves and give us a bit of background about you.
CRAIG: We’re a couple of Kiwis who have been travelling around the world for over three years. We’ve spent most of that time in Europe, but we’ve also visited places around the Pacific and in Asia.
LINDA: In the next six months we plan to be in China, New Zealand and Tonga.
CRAIG: Then next year we’re doing a round-the-world trip starting in South America. Life is very good.
LINDA: Apart from travel, we’re into hiking, wine, reading, psychology and spirituality. And Craig plays the bagpipes.
CRAIG: Well, not since we’ve been away!
Wow, you’ve been to over 40 countries and still plenty to go. Does all that travel and exploring the world ever loose its shine?
LINDA: Sometimes we get a little bit jaded and the amazing things we’re seeing seem boring. When that happens, we try to take a break,
or go somewhere completely different – somewhere new and exciting.
Tell me about some of the most inspirational places that you’ve been to.
CRAIG: I’ll never forget an evening in Cesky Krumlov in the south of the Czech Republic. We were sitting outside by the river, at a little
restaurant called the Two Marys. We were wrapped in blankets, drinking hot mead in the chilly night air. It was perfect: one of
those nights that you travel for.LINDA: My love of travel was renewed when we visited Turkey for the first time. We’d been travelling a lot in Central and Western Europe,
and it was all starting to look the same. But when we got to Istanbul, it was so crowded and beautiful. We drank salty yogurt
drinks and ate at sidewalk cafes where there was one food option, where the men spent hours every afternoon playing backgammon.
Now, the two of you are from New Zealand, which everyone here knows is my favourite country. I’ve gone on and on about the place – would you care to share with us a few secret Kiwi tips for my next trip over?
CRAIG: You’ve certainly made a good choice! To enjoy New Zealand, you need a car or van. Full stop. There’s no point in bothering with the
public transport — give yourself at least one month for each of the islands and get your own wheels. February is a great time to come,
because it’s the end of summer (temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius) and all the kids have gone back to school after their holidays. All the great places are nice and quiet.LINDA: Our two favourite places are relatively unknown. Tapotupotu beach is a great place to camp in summer – it’s about 10km south of
the northenmost point in New Zealand, Cape Reinga. There’s a river and a gorgeous beach with mid-sized waves. And the Mangatainoka hot
springs are hidden away in a forest in the Central North Island – seven hours’ drive from Auckland, followed by a four-hour tramp into
the bush. But it’s worth it for the natural spa pools you find at the end of the walk.
What attracted you to podcasting? You’ve won many awards for your blog – what’s the magic formula?
LINDA: We started the podcast after a trip where we did everything wrong. We learned a lot and wanted to share this knowledge with other
travellers, since we wished we’d known these things before we started. Podcasting was attractive because it seemed like more fun
than just writing a blog, and it was all pretty new and exciting at the time.CRAIG: We haven’t won that many awards though! Last month Lonely Planet announced us winners of the “Best Podcast” category in the
Lonely Planet Travel Blog Awards 2009. They’re a big brand, so that’s huge for us. People can find us at Indie Travel Podcast or in iTunes — everything there is free to download.LINDA: I guess the magic formula is having fun as you go, and trying to post regularly.
Craig and Linda Martin are the hosts of the Lonely Planet award-winning Indie Travel Podcast (iTunes). These Kiwis have been travelling full time for over three years and have visited more than 40 countries. You can find Craig and Linda on Twitter or other social networks.
Thanks again, Craig & Linda. I’ve been to the Two Marys in Cesky Krumlov – and indeed it is fantastic. I’ll definitely take up the suggestions for my next trip to New Zealand. Bagpipes, though? Is there some Scottish blood in your bones? 
I look forward to your upcoming podcasts, and the next round-the-world trip sounds incredible. Bon Voyage!
Images of Craig & Linda courtesy of, uhm, Craig & Linda. Cape Reinga vista courtesty of travellingred.
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