Shows
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeAre Vegans Prone To Osteoporosis?In 2025, I catch up with one of the most remarkable 72-year-olds you’ll ever meet, Sym Blanchard!Watch this podcast!This page features five episodes starring Sym.Listen to all the episodes featuring Sym Blanchard since 2018!* A 66-year-old Adventurer Shows How To Live A Meaningful Life in 2018 (one of the top 5 most popular WanderLearn episodes!)* Traveling To Find One’s Ancestors in 2019* Near Death on the CDT + Sym’s 60-Year Love Story in 2020* Nine Shows Sharing Travel Wisdom Featuring Sym Blanchard in 2022* Unstoppable 70-year...
2025-11-0931 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life2024 Election, Israel, Ukraine, & Taiwan with Sym BlanchardSym Blanchard & I look into our crystal balls to assess global politics. Sym listens to countless political podcasts during his long hikes. I love to debate his reflections.00:00 Presidential Election 202402:40 Ukraine War04:00 Israel & Palestine09:50 TaiwanWatch the VideoPrevious episodes featuring SymListen to my first interview with Sym. Connect with Sym Blanchard on Facebook and Instagram. More infoTo leave an anonymous voicemail that I coul...
2023-09-2216 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeAre Vegans Doomed To Get Osteoporosis?Sym Blanchard is a 70-year-old thru-hiker who completed America's Triple Crown hike in 2023! He's section-hiked all the sections of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail!Sym Blanchard has been a vegan for the last 10 years. He just got diagnosed with osteoporosis. Although I still encourage veganism and vegetarianism, his tale emphasizes the importance of carefully watching your nutrition.Timeline00:00 Vegan gets osteoporosis02:50 Diet changes05:50 Long-term decline13:13 Plans for 2024Watch the Video
2023-09-1519 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeCompleting the Triple Crown & the Israeli TrailSym Blanchard is a 70-year-old thru-hiker who completed America's Triple Crown hike in 2023! He's section-hiked all the sections of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail!Sorry that the audio quality is mediocre. Future episodes are better!00:00 Finishing the Triple Crown01:30 Israeli Trail04:20 When age slows your hiking down11:20 Rating trailsVideohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRTp-5znY5IPrevious episodes featuring SymListen to my first interview with...
2023-09-0817 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeHow Dangerous is South Africa’s Drakensberg Traverse?Two of my business school classmates, Brad Graff & Sam Sliman, have a spreadsheet listing the top 40 Global Hikes. On that list is South Africa's 205-km Drakensberg Traverse.Since Sym Blanchard & I hiked the Grand Traverse, Brad & Sam wanted to pick my brain on the experience.Timeline00:00 Brad & Sam's hiking experience03:30 Drakensberg Traverse Safety10:00 When to go10:40 Trail GPS GPX Tracks15:00 Section hiking & logisticsIf you've hiked the Drakensberg Traverse in the 2020s, comment below!Watch V...
2023-08-2523 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifePreparing to DieIn my 10th & final 2022 episode with Sym Blanchard, we get morbid and talk about death.FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:FacebookTwitterYouTu...
2022-12-0211 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeTaking LSD 45 timesAre you eating turkey for Thanksgiving?Take LSD instead! It might help you get through a lousy family reunion, or at least, it will make the family reunion more interesting.Sym Blanchard took LSD about 45 times. He describes the good and bad acid trips.We talk about being addicted to drugs like caffeine, tobacco, & alcohol.FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More inf...
2022-11-2510 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeThe Meaning of LifeSym Blanchard asks me:What is THE meaning of life?What is YOUR meaning of life?FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:Faceb...
2022-11-1808 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeFitness, Eating, & EducationSym Blanchard asks me about my:Fitness habitsEating habitsEducationFeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:FacebookTwitterYouTu...
2022-11-1105 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeMy Favorite Places & ExperiencesSym Blanchard asks me about:How The Unseen Africa book going?My motivationsThe best places I've been to & experiences I've had after traveling to 123 countries FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! On soci...
2022-11-0414 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life$10/month rent! Family update! Racism in the USA?!Sym Blanchard asks me:Where I went in 2022The lowest monthly rent I have ever paidMy family updateRacism in the USAFeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! On social media, my username is a...
2022-10-2814 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeHiking, Genealogy, Mont Blanc, Languages, & China with Sym BlanchardSym Blanchard and I discuss where he's been traveling this year and his plans. That leads us to talk about chasing your genealogy and these other topics:00:00 Hiking in Spain & Triple Crown07:00 Why seek your genealogy08:30 Mont Blanc13:00 Language learning15:35 ChinaFeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.
2022-09-2325 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeWho Wins the 2024 USA Election?Sym Blanchard, who listens to more news podcasts than any man alive, discusses who might win the 2024 USA Election for President.Francis Tapon struggles to get an answer out of him, but we have a fun discussion.FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More infoYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.If you like this pod...
2022-09-1607 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeWhat’s the Truth About Ukraine?Sym Blanchard volunteered near the Ukraine border to help refugees.We talk about what's the truth about Ukraine.What's going on?What do Ukrainians & Russians want?What's happening in Ukraine, and why is it so hard to uncover the truth?CORRECTION: In the podcast, I say that 25% of Ukraine is ethnically Russia. That's wrong. It was 17.3% in the 2001 census (the latest data). In the Donetsk (eastern) Ukraine region, ethnic Ukrainians make up 56.9 %, and ethnic Russians are 38.2 % of the population.FeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.c...
2022-09-0914 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeHow To Travel CheaplyGet travel tips from Sym Blanchard. He's been vagabonding for several years. If you don't mind trading comfort for a longer trip, listen!00:00 Intro01:11 Hotels & Hostels06:35 Airlines8:40 Car rentals#travel #save #cheapThe embedded video that shows the hotel capsule can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLv_i_vbAzgFeedbackLeave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTaponOr go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment.More info
2022-09-0212 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeKosovo's Past and FutureI interview Teouta Luri, a Kosovar & ethnic Albanian who was born in Yugoslavia in 1976.She is the daughter of a prominent Yugoslav politician.We discuss:Why Tito was the most popular dictator ever.Why Milosovic's policies inadvertently brought on civil war.Why she thought getting married and having a baby in the middle of a war was a brilliant idea.Why Albanians love the USA more than anyone else.Whether women in Kosovo are more or less liberated than American women.Her first impressions of the U...
2021-04-3034 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeNear Death on the CDT + Sym's 60-Year Love StoryFor this Xmas, here's a special present - a podcast like no other!Sym Blanchard's first podcast with me in #3 in my all-time downloaded podcasts.My second one with him was also super popular.To make his third podcast even more interesting, Sym is joined by his girlfriend, Patty Montgomery. Together, they share:Why it took them 60 years to finally become a couple.How they manage their relationship when Sym is vagabonding.How their paths crisscrossed until they finally merged.How Sym nearly died on...
2020-12-241h 31
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life5 Predictions for 2020 and 11 for the 2020sBefore you look at these predictions, you should see how accurate my 7 predictions for 2019 were.Also, if you want to watch me talk about this, see it on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwI739M9vKUIn 2020...1. Bitcoin will end 2020 above $10,000.Unlike my previous two bitcoin predictions which were perfect (the 80% decline followed by the 100% rise), I'm unsure about 2020. As you can see from my 2030 predictions, I'm bullish long-term for bitcoin, but 2020 is a bit fuzzy. There's a 30% chance that it will soar pass $20,000.
2019-12-3139 min
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeTraveling To Find One's AncestorsLast year, my podcast with Sym Blanchard became the 2nd most downloaded WanderLearn episode. It was super popular because he really was a fun guest. You must listen to it before listening to this podcast.Because he attracted so many listeners, I invited him back to the show!I begin the podcast asking Sym the most profound question I've always wanted to ask him.After that, we move onto discussing how he has used DNA testing to inspire his travel. He's used these four DNA testing kits to find thousands of...
2019-12-251h 24
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeHow To Avoid and Survive an AvalancheWhat would you do if you were caught in an avalanche? How do you minimize your risk when you're traveling in the snowy mountains?Robert Hahn has studied avalanches and still managed to get caught in one. He works for the Northwest Avalanche Center. He shares his personal avalanche survival story.He also shares tips on how you can avoid repeating his fate.After 50 mins, we shift away from talking about avalanches and we talk about his harrowing experiences in the Himalayas.A...
2019-09-302h 07
WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & LifeHow To Live A Meaningful Life: Wisdom From a 66-year-old AdventurerSym "Symbiosis" Blanchard has had so many adventures in his 66 years, including:Hiking half of MadagascarWalking El Camino de SantiagoThru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail (as a section-hiker)Hiked half of the Continental Divide Trail (and plans to do the rest)Hiked the Annapurna Circuit.Swam across a river in MadagascarHiked to Everest Base CapeHitchhiked all over the planetBiked across AmericaCruised in Garrison Keillor ships And much moreSym knows a ton about longevity. He shares his...
2019-01-182h 09