Welcome to my Live Broadcast Page
At the time of a live broadcast, you can join us here:
Upcoming Live Events
I don’t have any live broadcasts scheduled at this time. In the meantime, below is an archive all all the previous broadcasts along with the broadcast notes.
Contact Cathy if you would like to be notified of future LIVE broadcasts.
Archived LIVE Events
Various Topics about Travel
3 Videos
Cathleen’s Odyssey LIVE: Staying in Hostels
53:36
8 Feb 21: Independent Travel
1:01:05
21 Feb 21: Shopping…Cooking…Eating… while Traveling
32:00
About
Links & Resources
About
During my two-year odyssey, I slept in 96 different hostels. No wonder I am so comfortable in them. You don’t necessarily have to share a room with strangers, AND they are not just for “youth” anymore. I encountered many people in their 40s, 50s, and even 70s in hostels. I have learned what is important for me when I look for a hostel and I will share my search techniques with you in this LIVE broadcast.
In this week’s LIVE broadcast from Cathleen’s Odyssey, you will learn:
- What I Look for When Choosing a Hostel
- Choosing the Best Hostels
- The Pros and Cons of Hostel Stays
- Hostel Etiquette
- and more…
Links & Resources
Hosteling International
HIHostels.com
Booking Independent Hostels
HostelWorld.com
HostelBookers.com
Booking.com
Links to my favorite hostels and guesthouses:
CathleensOdyssey.com/accommodations
About
Links & Resources
About
I am an “independent traveler.” That means that I mostly make all my own travel decisions, itineraries, and reservations. This frees me from the confines of escorted tours. In this week’s YouTube live broadcast I will talk about the pros and cons of independent travel and how you can learn this empowering travel technique.
Links & Resources
Do-It-Yourself Travel My blog post about Independent Travel. It includes the worksheets to help you determine if DIY travel is for you and how to get started with your own trip
CathleensOdyssey.com/diy-travel
The Pros and Cons of Escorted Tours My take and opinions of escorted tours.
CathleensOdyssey.com/escorted-tours
Movin’ On My instructions showing the steps I go through to decide on and make all the arrangements for my next destination.
CathleensOdyssey.com/movin-on
Trip Planning Technique In this blog post I demonstrate in detail how I used the steps from “Movin’ On” for a specific journey from San Sebastian, Spain to Utrecht, The Netherlands.
CathleensOdyssey.com/trip-planning-1
You can find all my blog posts on trip planning here:
CathleensOdyssey.com/travel-how-tos
I recommend AirBnb.com to find local hosts and homestays. But be sure to read the reviews and descriptions carefully if you want to find a host who will help you find your way around and provide recommendations for places to go. Not all hosts live on the premises or even nearby.
Rome2Rio.com is a great place to START with your itinerary planning. However, do not rely on their routes. Double check the bus, train, plane websites for current prices and schedules.
Bonus: My friend, Annie, who has been an independent traveler her whole life recommends Couchsurfing, which you can learn more about here:
couchsurfing.com/
Personal Essays
In “A Ship in the Harbor is Safe” I confess my fears on my first day in a new country and how I overcame them.
CathleensOdyssey.com/a-ship-in-the-harbor-is-safe/
In “Lost in the Old City” you will read the entertaining story about what happened the first time I “ditched” my escorted tour and explored Jerusalem on my own.
https://cathleensodyssey.com/lost-in-the-old-city
About
Links & Resources
About
(Sorry for the abrupt start to this broadcast. I had major technical difficulties for the first 16 minutes which I cut out for you!)
Who isn’t excited to try new food when we travel? While living in Peru’s Sacred Valley, I had the opportunity to shop in the local mercado for all my meals and learn to cook local dishes. In this week’s LIVE Broadcast I will share my experiences and provide some tips for anyone who would like to do the same.
Links & Resources
A couple resources for learning about local cuisines and ingredients all over the world:
www.UncorneredMarket.com
www.TheCultureTrip.com
Blog posts that I have written about my travel food experiences:
CathleensOdyssey.com/food/
Link to Casa Wilkamayo on AirBnb:
www.airbnb.com/users/19565810/listings
Destinations
5 Videos
Series on Peru
28 March 21: Arequipa and Lake Titicaca
55:28
11 April 21: The Sacred Valley
1:00:21
25 April 21: Special Excursions
1:05:15
Other Destinations
17 Jan: 50 Days on the Camino
41:59
14 March 21: Portugal’s Douro Valley
48:05
About
Links and Resources
About
Peru holds a special place in my heart. I have spent more time there than in any other country outside the US. Although I certainly have not even scratched the surface of this magnificent country, I have had some wonderful experiences interacting with locals and exploring a few of the hidden places. In this week’s LIVE broadcast, I will share my views of Arequipa and Lake Titicaca in the south of Peru.
Links and Resources
This video has LOTS of links associated with it—too many to list here. So go to this post to see all of the resources.
About
Links and Resources
About
The Sacred Valley of Peru lies along the route from Cusco to Machu Picchu and is probably the most-visited area in the country. Despite the number of tourists, there are many hidden gems that will make you feel like you have left the beaten track. I lived there for two months in 2015. In this LIVE broadcast, I will share some of the special places, hiking trails, and experiences I discovered. (Apologies for the poor video quality and a few typos!)
Links and Resources
Media Luna Tourism Cooperative
Cusco Tourist Ticket Information & Prices
Abel Gutierrez for cultural tours in Chinchero or to the Cacao/Coffee Farms
Abel Gutierrez WhatsApp +51992061606
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Abel Gutiérrez Sallo
Accommodation in Calca
Blogs Mentioned in the Presentation:
Natural Dyeing Workshop at Apulaya
Hiking from Lamay to Huchuy Qosqo
Hiking from Chinchero to Huchy Qosqo without a guide:
https://slightnorth.com/hike-huchuy-qosqo/
Walking the trail from Chinchero down to Urquillos
Calca’s market and shopping for food
I talk a lot about shopping and cooking in Calca on this broadcast.
About
Links and Resources
About
I normally prefer to travel independently (without a guide). There are pros and cons to this travel style, and occasionally, I choose a guided excursion. In this LIVE broadcast, I will tell you about the times I joined a guided tour and why am glad I did. Join me as we visit the ruins of Choquequiero, learn about growing cacao and coffee, and visit the Islands of the Uros and Amantani in Lake Titicaca. We will even go to the jungle.
Links and Resources
Blogs Mentioned in the Presentation:
My blog post, “The Pros and Cons of Escorted Tours”
If you would like to travel more independently, this post may offer some tips.
My two-part series about visiting the organic coffee and cacao farms:
Part 1 Part 2
My three-part series about our trek to Choquequirao
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
If you are considering trekking to Choquequirao without a guide, here is a great blog post about that.
My partly-guided excursion on Lake Titicaca
Part 1 Part 2
Guides:
Abel Gutierrez for cultural tours in Chinchero or to the Cacao/Coffee Farms
Abel Gutierrez WhatsApp +51992061606
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Abel Gutiérrez Sallo
Sam Covarruvias Ccaihuari was our guide to Choquequirao
WhatsApp: +51 930343195
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Peruinkasadventures
Recommended agent to arrange Manu National Park trips: Peru Viajes
About
Links and Resources
About
In 2017, I made a 720-kilometer pilgrimage on the del Norte and Primitivo routes to Santiago, Spain. With meditations on gratitude as my guide, I walked 50 days along the coast and through the mountains from Bilbao to Muxia. Learn what a day is like in the life of a pilgrim.
This presentation will include stories, images, and inspiration from the pilgrimage. I will also answer questions about the ins and outs of planning a Camino pilgrimage.
Links and Resources
You can find the blog posts I made about my journey on the Camino del Norte here
Cathleens Odyssey.com/camino-de-santiago/ You can find the very helpful Camino forum that I mentioned here: Caminodesantiago.me/community/It can be a bit challenging to learn to navigate the forum, but it is a gold mine for anyone planning to walk any of the Camino routes. Bonus: My friend Annie, who has walked SIX Caminos, recommends Gronze.com for up-to-date information for planning and details about all the albergues.
About
Links and Resources
About
The food…the wine…the landscapes…the people…I am so glad I ended up in Portugal’s Douro Valley. It is a bit off the beaten tourist path. When I walked through the vineyards, I felt like I was living in a sweet romance movie!
In this week’s live broadcast, I will talk about the town of Alijo where I spent 3 relaxing weeks in the fall. And where I returned with my daughter the following May to enjoy spring in the only place in the world where Port wine can be created.
Links and Resources
You can read the account of my walk from Castedo to Pinhao here: https://cathleensodyssey.com/under-the-douro-fog/
Tourism center for Alijo:
https://www.facebook.com/visitalijo
Pelourinho Alijó Restaurant:
https://www.facebook.com/pelourinho.alijo
Address: Largo do Pelourinho 8, Alijó, Portugal
Olive Oil Press Museum on the D’Origem Estate
https://dorigem.pt/
EM585 1, Casal de Loivos, Portugal
Wine and Bread Museum
1 Direita 21, 5070-272 Favaios, Portugal
Favaios Cooperative
https://adegadefavaios.pt/en/enoturismo