EPISODE 1
Welcome to Exploring New Adventures with The Traveling Aquarian Podcast! I’m your host, Keyanna, and I’m excited to have you here.
On this podcast, I’ll be sharing my personal travel experiences, inviting guests to provide tips on traveling, and inspiring you to embark on new adventures both locally and abroad.
In today’s episode, I’ll introduce you to the following:
- Who is the Traveling Aquarian?
- What inspired me to start this podcast?
- What you can expect from future episodes.
So, who am I? I’m Keyanna, a mother, wife, self-proclaimed hippie, and lover of mysteries, conspiracy videos, and alien movies. I’m also an Aquarian. When I’m not traveling, I work full-time as a marketing manager.
I’m not trying to sell you dreams of luxurious vacations or portray myself as a seasoned world traveler. While I aspire to travel the world, I’m here to share my experiences traveling on a budget with my family. Ever wondered what we do when we go on vacation, and our boxer Dakota needs a sitter? Yes, our dog has a babysitter and a good one!
Now, why did I start this podcast? Let’s rewind to 1990 in New Jersey. As a young girl, I had a passion for exploring different countries and cultures, fueled by my love for the TV show Golden Girls. Back then, computers weren’t common, but I had a set of encyclopedias, which I would eagerly browse through, dreaming of visiting those far-off places.
Coming from a less fortunate background, these travels remained distant dreams. I was also fascinated by the Indiana Jones movies and even entertained the idea of becoming an archaeologist, imagining the thrill of discovering ancient artifacts.
Fast forward to adulthood. I found myself investing in a professional camera and capturing nature’s beauty, but I didn’t know where to go. Traveling wasn’t something I did frequently, and I was initially nervous about venturing too far from home. Thankfully, that changed. I turned to Google and searched for “places to visit for great photos near me.”
To my surprise, there was a beautiful garden just 20 minutes away from my home, with a photography class being offered. Even better, it was just a short 10-minute drive from my workplace.
That experience was a turning point, and I became hooked on finding more places to capture through my lens. I started leaving reviews on Google and became a Google Guide contributor, sharing my honest opinions about the places I visited. My photos on Google have now garnered over 13 million views.
With this podcast, I aim to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and embrace your adventurous side. I want to encourage families to get off the couch and put away their electronic gadgets. Perhaps you’ll even consider jumping out of an airplane like I did (but don’t worry, I survived to tell the tale!). I’ll have my husband as a guest to discuss that particular experience, as it was his brilliant idea.
Fear not for those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground. I’ll be sharing the places I’ve visited, how I saved money for my trips, and offering some intriguing history lessons along the way.
So, what can you expect from this podcast? I’ll primarily focus on exploring destinations in the Tri-State area, including New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. I’ll also share my experiences from my visits to Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Hawaii, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and one of my absolute favorite places, Mexico.
