AO : What is your outlook on travel in general ? Is it something everyone should do as much as possible ?
JG : I see travel as vital . I think in America we ’ ve come to think of travel and vacation as the same thing , and that ’ s a mistake . I ’ m all for vacationing , but travel is something that should challenge us . I ’ m a firm believer that not all travel should be easy or even fun . I think it ’ s important that people put themselves out there and get into environments that are unfamiliar and even a little scary . That ’ s where we learn – not just about another place , but about ourselves . In Europe , aristocratic youths used to undertake “ The Grand Tour ,” to visit the great landmarks of antiquity . It was designed not just for young people to party or sightsee , but to study our broader , collective history . I always tell people to look for challenging travel opportunities that are both fun and , on some level , a real education .
AO : What advice would you give to beginners who are planning to travel out of the USA for the very first time ? If you could plan a trip for them , where would you send them and why ?
JG : A lot of people say to me , “ I wish I could travel to exciting places like you do .” The fact is , you can . Travel is like any other goal . You have to plan , save , and make it a priority , or it doesn ’ t happen . We live in the greatest time in history for traveling – long haul flights can connect almost any major city on earth , and seasonal airfare sales , direct booking deals , and things like home share sites have made travel more affordable than ever . The internet is also a near-bottomless well of travel information , userreviewed experiences , and expert advice , that , with a little research , anyone can leverage to become an expert on a destination .
My advice for first time adventure-travelers is to start with a place that ’ s challenging , but also accessible . I love the Yucatan . Cancun is an easy place to fly to and just a few hours west of all those resorts are jaw-dropping Mayan ruins , uncharted jungles , and otherworldly flooded caverns . Nearly everyone speaks English , and if you get too banged up you can always retreat to the coast and sip a margarita by the pool . Further afield , I love Thailand . Sure , it ’ s overrun with backpackers , but it ’ s still stunning , the people are delightful , and it feels a million miles from home . Best of all , it ’ s cheap and has enough tourist infrastructure to get you started with plenty of opportunities to do your own thing .
AO : Expedition Unknown is unlike any other travel series , in that you embark on a quest , seeking answers to unsolved historical mysteries , as well as investigating new discoveries . Is there a mystery you haven ’ t explored yet that you would like to ?
JG : So many . I think when we started the show we wondered , “ will there be enough mysteries to keep this going ?” But as we travel to each location , we learn about legends and tantalizing artifacts we ’ ve never heard of before . Amazingly , the more I travel , the longer my bucket list gets .
90 | Summer 2017 | Adventure Outdoors