Wherever We May Roam - Travels With Jim and Rita

Not all travel is created equal. Some people take a two-week vacation and call it an adventure. Others disappear for months—or years—without ever really “coming home.” We discuss the challenges, rewards, and drawbacks of travel both domestically and overseas. Information for the would-be expat, digital nomad, roving retiree, or just plain traveler. We can help you find the travel style that is right for you. But this isn’t just theory. Drawing on over 16 years of real-world experience, Jim and Rita Santos share practical, honest advice on what it actually takes to travel longer, smarter, and with fewer surprises. Host Jim Santos is a published travel writer with over 200 articles and eight books (jimsantos.net). He and his wife Rita lived in Ecuador for 6 years, and have tried every style of travel - including selling their home at one point to travel full-time. They and are currently enjoying the roving retirement lifestyle, taking trips of 2-3 months and returning to the

Wherever We May Roam - Travels With Jim and Rita is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 74 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Wherever We May Roam - Travels With Jim and Rita, a society show with 74 episodes published.

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  Episode #75

  Picking A Travel Credit Card

  Aug 19, 202623 minS3

  Send us Fan Mail That $895 annual fee can either buy you real travel freedom or it can quietly drain your budget while you chase perks you never use. We put premium travel credit cards under a practical microscope and share what happens when you treat points like a tool instead of a hobby. We walk through the exact cards we carry and why: what Amex Platinum is good for when you’re traveling heavily, why Amex Gold can be the smarter long-term play for dining and groceries, and why you still need a Visa like Chase Sapphire Preferred when you’re overseas and merchants refuse American Express. We also talk about booking travel through credit card portals, including when the multipliers and customer service make it worth it, and when you give up flexibility or hotel loyalty benefits. And yes, we tell the truth about airport lounge access, because “included” does not always mean “available.” Then we get into the details that actually protect your wallet: how to think about a 3% credit card surcharge, what point values really look like in dollars, and how point maximizer services and award travel tools work behind the scenes. We share safer ways to find partner award redemptions, plus the biggest rule we follow when transferring points so you don’t get stuck with a one-way, non-reversible mistake. Finally, we cover underrated perks like foreign transaction fees, paying in local currency, rental car insurance options, trip interruption coverage, and purchase protection, along with scam red flags you should never ignore. If you like practical travel strategies and real-world money decisions, subscribe, share this with a friend who loves points, and leave a quick review so more travelers can find us. NEW BOOK ALERT! "Before the Wheels Came Off: A Fly on the Wall in the U.S. Senate" by Jim Santos Available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H8TBR88L Available as a PDF along with other titles at https://jim-santos-books.square.site/ Subscribe to our Mailing List https://www.buzzsprout.com/2292506/supporters/new http://jimsantos.net https://www.instagram.com/jimsantosblog https://www.youtube.com/@jimsantos508 jim@jimsantosbooks.com " Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style " - On Amazon

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  Episode #74

  How Educational Travel Builds Confidence Through Connection

  Aug 12, 202635 minS3

  Send us Fan Mail Saying yes to the kind of trip that makes your stomach flutter can be the start of a brand-new life. We sit down with Jewel Rozanski, a former public high school Spanish teacher who turned her passion for educational travel into Cultured Travel, creating immersive small-group tours built around history, culture, and real human connection. With a background in educational psychology, Jewel brings a teacher’s eye for how people learn best, and a traveler’s respect for the moments you cannot script. We talk about what actually makes travel transformative: stepping into a new place, hearing first-person stories, and letting your assumptions get challenged in the safest way possible. Jewel shares how conversations with locals and guides can change you more than any checklist of landmarks, including powerful reflections on recent history in Belfast. We also dig into group travel misconceptions, and why her approach caps group size, protects free time, and offers a flexible “tag along with me” option so first-time travelers feel supported without feeling managed. You’ll also get practical travel planning insight, from why group flights can be a money trap to how smart transportation choices reduce stress in destinations that might feel like culture shock. Plus, we make the case for domestic travel in the United States, with places like New Orleans and Savannah delivering deep cultural immersion without crossing an ocean. If you’ve been craving a trip that teaches you something real, press play, then subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review so more travelers can find us. More info at https://culturedtravel.org/ NEW BOOK ALERT! "Before the Wheels Came Off: A Fly on the Wall in the U.S. Senate" by Jim Santos Available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H8TBR88L Available as a PDF along with other titles at https://jim-santos-books.square.site/ Subscribe to our Mailing List https://www.buzzsprout.com/2292506/supporters/new http://jimsantos.net https://www.instagram.com/jimsantosblog https://www.youtube.com/@jimsantos508 jim@jimsantosbooks.com " Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style " - On Amazon

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  Episode #73

  Choosing The Fear Of Regret Over The Fear Of Change

  Aug 5, 202638 minS3

  Send us Fan Mail They sold their starter home, got rid of nearly everything, and pointed their lives toward Mexico with a dog and a whole lot of unknowns. Chris and Deanna Hahn join us from San Miguel de Allende just one month after making the move from the Los Angeles area, and they share what the jump actually feels like when the spreadsheets end and real life begins. We talk about what first opened their eyes to living abroad, why they chose adventure over waiting for the “perfect” retirement timeline, and how family dynamics shift when your kids are grown but still close to home. They walk us through downsizing without a storage unit, selling cars, choosing whether they really need a vehicle in Mexico, and what it’s like to build a new rhythm in a city where walking, markets, music, and chance conversations can turn an ordinary day into something memorable. We also get practical about the questions everyone asks when you say you’re moving to Mexico: healthcare and safety. Chris and Deanna share what they’re learning about insurance before Medicare, private medical care, pharmacy access, and why they feel safe walking at night in San Miguel. Along the way, we dig into culture shock in both directions, the slower pace at restaurants, the joy of speaking even imperfect Spanish, and the mindset shift that makes this lifestyle sustainable: letting the fear of regret outweigh the fear of change, because nothing is forever and you can always pivot. If you’re researching expat life in Mexico, retiring abroad, digital nomad logistics, or the real cost of living and daily routines in San Miguel de Allende, this conversation will help you picture your next step. Subscribe for more stories like this, share the episode with someone planning a big move, and leave a quick review so more future roamers can find us. NEW BOOK ALERT! "Before the Wheels Came Off: A Fly on the Wall in the U.S. Senate" by Jim Santos Available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H8TBR88L Available as a PDF along with other titles at https://jim-santos-books.square.site/ Subscribe to our Mailing List https://www.buzzsprout.com/2292506/supporters/new http://jimsantos.net https://www.instagram.com/jimsantosblog https://www.youtube.com/@jimsantos508 jim@jimsantosbooks.com " Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style " - On Amazon

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  Episode #72

  You Can Still Have A Great Trip In Peak Season

  Jul 29, 202623 minS3

  Send us Fan Mail Summer travel can turn into a perfect storm: packed parking lots, brutal heat, inflated hotel prices, and kids melting down in line. We’ve lived it, and we also know it doesn’t have to be that way. Jim and Rita Santos share a smarter way to plan a family summer vacation when your only time off matches everyone else’s: stop chasing the most famous spots at the worst time, and start choosing places that give you space, shade, and real value. We talk through underrated U.S. destinations that stay enjoyable in peak season, from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Maine’s Acadia region, plus quieter stretches of the Carolinas and the less-crowded side of the Smoky Mountains. We also make the case for state parks as the most overlooked summer travel win: cabins or campgrounds, lakes, easy hiking, and activities kids actually love without paying premium prices for stress. Going farther? We explore international summer options built around climate and timing, including northern Portugal and Spain, Costa Rica’s rainy season rhythm, Ecuador’s mild temps and Andes hiking, and the underrated Canada Maritimes. And when Disney World is non-negotiable, we get tactical: what it can really cost, why weekdays matter, how to arrive early, how to avoid the “everyone goes clockwise” trap, and why a midday escape can save your trip. We also flag destinations to avoid in summer when heat, humidity, storms, or crowds turn “uncomfortable” into “miserable.” Subscribe for more practical travel planning, share this with a friend who’s dreading peak season, and leave a quick review so more families can find the show. What’s your favorite summer hidden gem? Companion Blog With Details: https://www.jimsantosbooks.com/wordpress1/2026/06/14/beat-the-summer-rush/ Subscribe to our Mailing List https://www.buzzsprout.com/2292506/supporters/new http://jimsantos.net https://www.instagram.com/jimsantosblog https://www.youtube.com/@jimsantos508 jim@jimsantosbooks.com " Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style " - On Amazon

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  Episode #71

  What If The Summer Getaway Is Disappearing

  Jul 22, 202618 minS3

  Send us Fan Mail Memorial Day weekend at Virginia Beach is supposed to be packed, so when we stepped onto a nearly empty beach and a quiet boardwalk, we knew it wasn’t just the rain. We’re Jim and Rita Santos, and we use this familiar trip as a real-time signal that something bigger is shifting in American travel, especially for middle-class families trying to plan a simple vacation without financial stress. We break down the economic reality behind the quieter crowds: gas prices that still sting, grocery inflation that rolls straight into restaurant bills, and credit cards that feel maxed out for many households. We also talk about why drive-to beach destinations can be especially vulnerable when budgets tighten, and how a “normal” week away can start to look like a $3,000 decision once food, entertainment, and extras pile on. Then we zoom out to the political and sociological pressure points that change travel habits even when people still want to get away. From federal job anxiety and military deployments to the post-pandemic revenge travel wave fading, vacation patterns are evolving. Remote work and flexible schedules create more long weekends and fewer big annual trips, while staycations become a practical reset. We share eye-opening examples of today’s family fun costs, from arcades and movie theaters to zoos, aquariums, and theme parks, and what that means for seasonal small businesses that live or die by a short summer window. If travel feels different for you this year, we want to hear what you’re seeing. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s budgeting a trip, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. And if you want to go deeper, you can check out my book, Wherever We May Roam, Finding Your Travel Style , where I walk through all of this in more detail. If you have any questions, a topic you would like discussed, or would like to be on our show, email us at jim@jimsantosbooks.com . "Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style" is available on audiobook on Amazon , Audible, and other audiobook outlets! Subscribe to our Mailing List https://www.buzzsprout.com/2292506/supporters/new http://jimsantos.net https://www.instagram.com/jimsantosblog https://www.youtube.com/@jimsantos508 jim@jimsantosbooks.com " Wherever We May Roam: Finding Your Travel Style " - On Amazon

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