In-person experiences are becoming a rare commodity, and making them happen requires smart planning, great companionship, and a bit of creative system-hacking.

Daniel chats with writer, performer, and musical theater artist Cheeyang Ng, who has made it a mission to travel the world luxuriously through travel hacking while learning more about themself as a global citizen. After years of solo travel, Cheeyang met their parents in Italy and spent a transformative few days together in the city of Florence.

As Cheeyang takes us through the city’s complex history, iconic art, creative meals, and a hands-on pasta-making class in the Tuscan hills, they reflect on travel as a tool for perspective, access, and deeper connection. Through this timeless experience with their parents, Cheeyang is reminded that, in the modern era, human connection may be the rarest luxury we have.

Follow Cheeyang Ng on Instagram & YouTube @cheeyangmusic

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Nourishing rest, much-needed reconnection, and a message in a rainbow… sometimes we have to follow the unexpected to arrive exactly where we’re meant to be. For travel creator and swimwear founder Becca Ingle, a babymoon in Cabo San Lucas became a long-overdue reset. Traveling without their children for the first time in a decade, Becca and her husband traded packed family schedules for warm air, quiet mornings, indulgent wellness rituals, and the kind of presence that’s hard to access at home. While reliving the the trip, Becca reflects on marriage, motherhood, and the importance of making space in our busy lives. And when a familiar rainbow appears at just the right moment, the trip takes on deeper meaning, reminding her that sometimes stepping away is exactly how we find our way forward.

Follow Becca Ingle on Instagram & TikTok @beccaingle and check out her swimwear line, LainSnow.

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Personal refuge, self-discovery, and chosen family... Beyond the neon lights and chance encounters, NIGHTLIFE in Bangkok runs deeper than it first appears.

Daniel sits down IRL with Pangina Heals: drag icon, club owner, and one of the defining forces of Bangkok’s club scene. Recorded the morning after a night out together, their conversation traces Pangina’s journey from a childhood in the suburbs to building some of the most influential queer spaces in Thailand, including her drag venue, House of Heals. Moving in & out of drag history, queer nightlife, Thai flavors, and a very spiritual shrine, they reflect on how Bangkok’s many contradictions lay the groundwork for personal liberation, and how its club culture has become both stage and sanctuary for those looking to become fully themselves.

Follow Pangina Heals on TikTok & Instagram @panginaheals

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Immersive spaces, curated meals, rich destinations, and a floating city filled with possibility... Sometimes travel reminds us how good it feels to be taken care of.

In this episode, Daniel follows content creator Cynthia Andrew aboard Virgin Voyages, where a solo cruise became an unexpected reset. From cozy corners and quiet sea days... to live music, thoughtful dining experiences, and spontaneous connection with others, Cynthia basks in all of the luxury and fun that Virgin Voyages has to offer, and shares the many reasons cruise skeptics are missing out.

Through her island stops in the Caribbean, locally guided excursions, and moments of stillness under open ocean skies, Cynthia maintains a balance between festivity and calm, and reconnects with the part of herself she’d been craving.

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The color of the bougainvillea, the hum of the medina, the cleansing touch of the hammam... For travel consultant Joy Malonza, Tunis's sensory captivation was exactly what she needed, transforming a quick summer pit stop into an unexpected lesson in presence. Daniel traces Joy’s exploration of Tunisia’s historic capital by way of her senses, conscious luxury, and genuine connection to its community. Through the city’s signature winding corridors to its Mediterranean seaside cafés, Joy shares her experience of a place that is alive with history, rhythm, and beauty, alongside her wisdom on how to travel ethically.

Follow Joy's guide to sustainability and ethical tourism on Instagram: @joy.malonza

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Austrian traveler Elisa arrived in Tahiti, she expected a job as an au pair, not a Polynesian adventure that would take her hitchhiking between islands and diving among sharks. In the premiere episode of Wayfinder, host Daniel Scheffler traces Elisa’s journey through the island’s waters, communities, and living sense of mana: the life force that connects all things. Alongside some firsthand Tahiti travel tips, come journey with us as Elisa learns to surrender control, find peace in the unknown, and rediscover herself through the art of travel.

Follow Elisa on TikTok: @elisaveta.sc & Instagram: @elisaveta.schwarz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wayfinder invites you to indulge in the art of travel through story, sensation, and self-discovery. Hosted by Daniel Scheffler, veteran travel writer, this immersive new series ventures beyond guidebooks and itineraries into the transformative journeys that reshape how we see the world and ourselves.

Rediscover the beauty and awe-inspiring moments that define life-changing travel. From swimming with whales in Tahiti to savoring local flavors and hidden traditions in Tunisia, each episode captures the heart and humor of adventure through the eyes of real travelers.

Every other week, join Daniel as he explores the experiences that can only be found when we follow our senses, trust our inner compass, and let curiosity lead the way.

Check out Daniel Scheffler's Substack: https://withoutmaps.substack.com/about

Follow iHeart's Ruby Studio: https://www.instagram.com/rubyiheart/?hl=en

Our Team:

Executive Producer: Ciara Kaiser

EP of Post Production: James Foster

Supervising Producer: Nakia Swinton

Story Producer: Ryan Amador

Post-Production: Siara Spreen

Theme Music: Max Hershenow

Show Art: Samantha Rayman

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