Baggage Claim

Heather Heying: Mugged in Ecuador

September 07, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 121 MB

Evolutionary biologist Heather Heying isn't shy when it comes to controversy. She first rose to national attention when her and her husband, Bret Weinstein found themselves embroiled in a scandal at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Recently, she's been in the hot seat again with controversial takes on Ivermectin and Covid vaccination policy. But the mild-mannered Heying's true passion lies in uncovering the human condition, especially through travel. In this episode of Baggag...

Ali A. Rizvi: Reading Bootlegged Bertrand Russell in Pakistan (Full Interview)

June 24, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 108 MB

His book, "The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason" has earned him death threats that make a return to his childhood homes impossible. He's known as The Atheist Muslim to some. For others, he's the Secular Jihadist. Ali A. Rizvi was born and raised in a bubble inside a bubble: in a middle-class liberal family in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia (he also spent time in Pakistan and Libya). Today, he lives in Toronto, Canada with his daughter. His writing on secularism, jihad and...

Ali A. Rizvi: Reading Bootlegged Bertrand Russell in Pakistan

June 24, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 108 MB

His book, "The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason" has earned him death threats that make a return to his childhood homes impossible. He's known as The Atheist Muslim to some. For others, he's the Secular Jihadist. Ali A. Rizvi was born and raised in a bubble inside a bubble: in a middle-class liberal family in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia (he also spent time in Pakistan and Libya). Today, he lives in Toronto, Canada with his daughter. His writing on secularism, jihad and...

Aella: A French Castle and Ten Months of LSD

June 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 124 MB

She did LSD once a week for ten months. Later, a stranger on OKCupid invited OnlyFans star and renowned rationalist Aella to a party in a castle in France. She went. "I have a high risk-tolerance," she says with a smile. Understatement of the century. Will and Aella discuss Aella's travels in France, Turkey and other places, pickup artistry, risk tolerance and resilience, #MeToo, escorting, the relevance of dogs as a symbol of danger, ego death, the existence of other people, psychedelics...

Jacqueline Trumbull: Alone in Slovakia at Eighteen Years Old

May 20, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 78.8 MB

Years before she starred on ABC's The Bachelor, Jacqueline Trumbull landed in Slovakia as a sheltered eighteen-year-old high school graduate. "I wanted to be interesting," she says in hindsight. But she could have found "interesting" in France or Italy. Instead, she found a creepy janitor, a supportive host family who changed her life, and a certain maturity that's hard to quantify. Will and Jacqueline discuss loneliness, self-examination, the core purpose of travel, authentic experiences...

The Gilded Cage

May 18, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutes - 11.8 MB

A traveler explores the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena in Arequipa, Peru, and meditates on religion, faith and freedom. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to join a wonderful community of travelers and definitely get a call from host Will Conway. Text MEMBER to that same number if you're interested in bonus material from the upcoming interview series. Outside the US and Canada or just not into texting strangers? Fair. Visit heybaggageclaim.com. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are availa...

Bridget Phetasy: Two Years Around the World

May 06, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 90.2 MB

She was nearly murdered in Sri Lanka. She accidentally joined a sex cult (an offshoot of the infamous Osho ashram) in Australia. When she was a child, all Bridget Phetasy wanted to do was travel and write. It mostly worked out. These days, Bridget is a successful political pundit, writer/comedian, YouTuber, and a general silly person who says important things. But there was a day not so long ago when she was struggling with addiction and alcoholism and failing to find her footing. She fille...

Andes by Morning

May 05, 2021 03:00 - 14 minutes - 19.5 MB

A woman sings in a bathroom high in the Andes Mountains. Two men take beautiful sights for granted. Will hikes the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to join a wonderful community of travelers and definitely get a call from host Will Conway. Text MEMBER to that same number if you're interested in bonus material from the upcoming interview series. Outside the US and Canada or just not into texting strangers? Fair. Visit heybaggageclaim.com. Nicole Allen (the wonderf...

Reintegration

April 27, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutes - 18 MB

A traveler tells an epic story of love and death and warfare as Will struggles to reassimilate into city life after weeks in the Amazon Rainforest. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to join a wonderful community of travelers and definitely get a call from host Will Conway. Text MEMBER to that same number if you're interested in bonus material from the upcoming interview series. Outside the US and Canada or just not into texting strangers? Fair. Visit heybaggageclaim.com. Show notes, weird trivia ...

Ayahuasca: Found

April 20, 2021 23:00 - 24 minutes - 34 MB

One-on-one with a shaman at an intimate Ayahuasca ceremony deep in the Peruvian Amazon, a traveler frees himself from undue psychological suffering. He uncovers truths about love, ego death, consciousness and spirituality. This is for those interested in the subjective human experience of psychedelics: it's an intense, immersive first-person recounting of a true story. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to join a wonderful community of travelers and definitely get a call from host Will Conway. Text ...

Ayahuasca: Lost

April 13, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 27.1 MB

At an Ayahuasca ceremony deep in the Amazon Rainforest, a traveler comes face-to-face with serpents and jaguars and a mythical woman, but nothing quite as intimidating as the inside of his own mind. This is a psychedelic first-person recounting of a true story. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to join a wonderful community of travelers. You can also text MEMBER to keep Baggage Claim ad-free. Outside the US and Canada? Visit heybaggageclaim.com. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available a...

Carlos and a Canoe

April 06, 2021 17:00 - 17 minutes - 24 MB

Surrounded on all sides by endless jungle, a man named Carlos has an odd reaction when his boat's motor cuts out in the middle of the Amazon River. Maybe life isn't so serious after all. Text MEMBER to (332) 877-9540 to keep Baggage Claim ad-free, or text POD to that same number to join a wonderful community of travelers. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode18_carlos_and_a_canoe

Scenes from a Slow Boat

March 23, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MB

Two men spend days on a rusty cargo ship crawling along Amazon River, moving slowly from Leticia in Colombia to Iquitos in Peru. They're late for an appointment. Will reads a few chapters of One Hundred Years of Solitude to pass the time and finds the lines between reality and fantasy blurrier than he'd imagined. To keep Baggage Claim ad-free, text MEMBER to (332) 877-9540. If you don't want to do that but you do enjoy the show, text POD to that same number to get a call from the host. Show...

Intermission

March 16, 2021 12:00 - 23 minutes - 31.8 MB

In this exclusive intermission episode, Will discusses why the podcast exists, a movement of compassion and the future of Baggage Claim. He also answers listener questions and has a hard time deciding on background sounds. If you're interested in supporting Baggage Claim, text MEMBER to (332) 877-9540, or visit heybaggageclaim.com/support

Lost in the Amazon

March 09, 2021 11:00 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MB

Lost deep in the Amazon Rainforest with a drunk veteran of the Colombian guerilla terrorist organization FARC, Will and Geoff must keep themselves together to find safety. Text QUESTION to (332) 877-9540 to submit a question for next week's Q&A episode. Also, text POD to that same number just to be friends. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode15_lost_in_the_amazon

The Strip Club

March 02, 2021 08:00 - 9 minutes - 13 MB

Trapped in a Brazilian strip club with two women from his hostel, Will makes an unlikely connection. Have a question you want Will to answer on the forthcoming Q&A intermission episode? Text QUESTION to (332) 877-9540 to submit. Otherwise, text POD to the same number for friendship. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode14_strip_club

The City of Mirrors

February 23, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 16.9 MB

Sidetracked in Rio de Janeiro with a friend from his past, Will misses Colombia, blissful ignorance and the blessings of magical realism. He also reads a passage from a book and doesn't find it particularly interesting. If you have a question for Will to answer on the show in the intermission Q&A, text QUESTION to (332) 877-9540 to submit. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode13_city_of_mirrors

Where Rain Doesn't Fall

February 16, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutes - 18.4 MB

Confronted by difficult truths from his past, Will seeks time alone for stargazing in Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert, where the weather takes a surprising turn. Deliberate solitude, mental hurdles and the difference between running and searching. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 for friendship, or text COMMUNITY to the same number to join the Authentic Travelers community. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode12_where_rain_doesnt_fall

White Men on a Park Bench in Colombia

February 09, 2021 08:00 - 16 minutes - 22.3 MB

Two men traveling South America discuss privilege, growth, learning and failure. Text COMMUNITY to (332) 877-9540 to join the Authentic Travelers Facebook group. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode11_white_men_colombia

Two Left Feet

February 02, 2021 07:00 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MB

Four white guys walk into a salsa bar in Cali, Colombia. It goes roughly as you'd expect. Will is humbled and takes dance lessons. Text COMMUNITY to (332) 877-9540 to join the Authentic Travelers Facebook group. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode10_two_left_feet

60-Second Travel Shorts: Invisible Snakes

January 28, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 2.54 MB

Will wakes up disoriented in the Amazon Rainforest in the early morning hours. He has a rough time navigating wildlife (both real and imagined) and does something he promises never to tell anyone. And then he released this podcast, of course, so it didn't work out. This is the goofy first installment of the 60-Second Travel Shorts series from Baggage Claim. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/trave...

Fire Trucks and Roses

January 26, 2021 06:00 - 13 minutes - 18.7 MB

Will and Geoff ride mopeds through the hills outside Guatapé, Colombia. Later, they mistake a house for a bar and it works out to everyone's benefit. Will is happy. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode9_fire_trucks_and_roses

The Pivot

January 19, 2021 08:00 - 10 minutes - 7.39 MB

Will and Geoff see a terrible motorcycle accident from the window of a taxi in Medellin. They have no choice but to go on living their lives. Will discusses romance and cultural differences between the United States and Colombia. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode8_the_pivot

Lessons from Santiago

January 12, 2021 07:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MB

Will and two friends witness police brutality, government authoritarianism and anarchy during protests in Santiago, Chile in late 2019. Will contemplates the future of the United States, empathy and compassion, and the importance of institutions in the wake of a summer of protests and the assault on the United States Capitol Building. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode7_lessons_from_santiago

The Classic

January 05, 2021 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MB

Will and two Irishmen go to a soccer match in Colombia, which is amusing because he doesn't know the first thing about the sport. But this isn't just any old football scrap. It’s El Clasico, between Medellin's two local clubs: Nacional and Independiente. Will has thoughts about community, pride and commitment. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes, weird trivia and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode6_the_classic

Purple Shirt

December 29, 2020 08:00 - 13 minutes - 9.57 MB

Paranoid and terrified, Will spends an afternoon in a bathroom at a bus terminal in Buenaventura, Colombia after a mysterious interaction has him convinced he's about to be kidnapped. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes and credits are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode5_purple_shirt

Poop Waits for No Man

December 22, 2020 07:00 - 7 minutes - 5.15 MB

Will stumbles all over a cherished local holiday when he has to poop at the worst moment. The Flower Festival in Medellin, Colombia is a wonderful tradition. Will maybe ruined it. To be named at the end of a future show, text FRIEND to (332) 877-9540. As always, you can text POD for a more laid-back relationship (I'll text you new shows when they go live). Show notes are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode4_poop_waits_for_no_man

About a Bracelet

December 15, 2020 10:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MB

Lost and alone in Cartagena, Colombia, Will struggles to make friends and confronts paralyzing loneliness. When he finally does make friends, Bank of America and Verizon Wireless conspire to ruin his night. Salsa bars and exotic adventures will have to wait. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode3_about_a_bracelet

Treading Water

December 15, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MB

In the series premiere of Baggage Claim: travel stories no one tells, Will Conway confronts his mortality when he and a friend go kayaking and nearly drown in a mangrove lagoon in the Rosario Islands off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes are available at heybaggageclaim.com/episode1_treading_water

A Guy Needs a Pen

December 15, 2020 10:00 - 10 minutes - 7.15 MB

Will's international travels hit a brick wall while he’s still in the Bogotá airport. Elsewhere, a German teacher on vacation is confused by Will’s ancestry. Join Will as he leaves behind his life - his career, his fiance, his home in New York City - to explore the globe only to find that the world out there is just as rife with confusion and awkwardness as life anywhere. Text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be our friend. Show notes are available at https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/episode2_guy_nee...

Trailer - This Way to Baggage Claim

December 06, 2020 20:00 - 1 minute - 1020 KB

Join host Will Conway as he leaves behind his life - a career, a fiance and his home in New York City - to do whatever it is people do when they buy a one-way plane ticket to Colombia. The first three episodes drop on December 15th, followed by new stories every Tuesday for 28 Tuesdays. Subscribe on your favorite platform and text POD to (332) 877-9540 to be Will's friend. Lord knows he need friends. Show notes available here: https://www.heybaggageclaim.com/trailer

Episodes