WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life

WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life

byFrancis Tapon

SocietyCulturePlacesTravelTechnology

Take a profound and distant journey. Call it Deep Travel, Immersive Travel, Slow Travel, or Vagabonding. Francis Tapon guides you to the intersection of travel, technology, and transformation. The podcast will compel you to go beyond your comfort zone. ftapon.substack.com

Episodes(40 episodes)

Episode 392
Debunking the "Finding Satoshi" Documentary
Warning: this show has spoilers!Watch the video of this podcast:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd-jGXonSzMTIMELINE00:00 Spoiler01:00 Three positive features02:00 Fatal Flaw 103:30 Fatal Flaw 205:10 Sleep schedules06:00 And then there were 208:00 Confirmation bias10:20 Hal Finney is NOT half of Satoshi18:00 Widows19:33 Benjamin Wallace's 5 points22:00 ConclusionWatch the trailer for Finding Satoshi.In April 2026, Finding Satoshi is the only place where you can see the full...
Published: Apr 27, 2026Duration: 26m 1s
Episode 391
NYT is WRONG! Adam Back Did Not Create Bitcoin!
See the video:https://youtu.be/3kGTgRjpcRwLast week, John Carreyrou and Dylan Freedman of The New York Times reported that Satoshi Nakamoto is Adam Back.Read the full New York Times article (and to bypass the NYT paywall legally).Or if you have a NYT subscription, read the original.Last year, I interviewed Benjamin Wallace about his remarkable book, "The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto." Watch the interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0KVOcLJe50X post by a pro programmer comparing Adam Back's code...
Published: Apr 16, 2026Duration: 38m 24s
Episode 390
Sawyer CEO - Philanthropist Kurt Avery
Corporations are often seen as evil, selfish entities. We overlook that they allow billions of parents to feed, educate, and heal their kids. Jobs also generate taxes that allow governments to build roads, hospitals, and schools. Taxes fund welfare and protect national parks.None of this would be possible (or at least easy) without corporations.Don’t believe me? Consider humanity before corporations. Our global standard of living was far lower than today.Still don’t believe me?Listen or watch this episode with Sawyer CEO Kurt Avery.https://yout...
Published: Apr 3, 2026Duration: 31m 40s
Episode 389
Taking the Stairs & Liking It with Lauren Speeth of Elfenworks
Sometimes a brief meeting with one human can change your life. Lauren Speeth, President of Elphenworks Productions, met US President Jimmy Carter decades ago.Watch!Lauren Speeth, PhD, combines a lifelong background in Silicon Valley technology with a commitment to educational, pro‑social storytelling. A classically trained violinist and longtime member emeritus of The Peninsula Symphony’s first violin section, she is also a voting member of The Recording Academy and has produced films and media projects that address poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis while aiming to foster hope.Her work in soci...
Published: Mar 27, 2026Duration: 25m 4s
Episode 388
Vietnam's Sexism, Religion, Education, & Future
Watch this interview to enjoy the b-rollhttps://youtu.be/35UMP6SV-zwHal makes informative videos about Vietnam.1st video of the series:Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channelB-Roll credit: @HalOnEarthTimeline00:00 Do The Vietnamese Like China More Than The USA?03:20 Learning the Vietnamese language05:00 YouTube channel goals07:00 What Hal Loves & Hates about Vietnam10:00 Sexism in Vietnam?13:00 Religion14:45 Educational system19:00 Vietnam's futureHal's videos mentioned in the interview:...
Published: Mar 20, 2026Duration: 27m 19s
Episode 387
What Do the Vietnamese Really Think About Americans?
Watch the video version of this podcastHal makes informative videos about Vietnam.See my previous video with him:Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channel. ConnectSend me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTaponYou can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:* Facebook* X* YouTube* Instagram* TikTok<...
Published: Mar 13, 2026Duration: 8m 46s
Episode 386
Hal On Earth, Especially Vietnam
Hal makes informative videos about Vietnam.Watch the video of this podcasthttps://youtu.be/RFcLm9fe4a0Hal gets credit for the B-roll in the video!Subscribe to Hal's outstanding YouTube channel.Timeline00:00 Who is Hal Medrano?04:00 Pittsburgh, PA06:30 Why Hal Returned to Vietnam08:00 Hal On Earth ChannelHal's videos mentioned in the interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo0mkcMbDHISE Asia 30 years agoConnectSend me an...
Published: Mar 6, 2026Duration: 15m 27s
Episode 385
Everest Alone in Winter via West Ridge
Jost Kobusch, a 32-year-old German mountaineer who summited Denali in winter, is attempting what some experts give a 1% chance of success: he wants to summit Everest in winter, alone, without supplemental oxygen, and following a rarely climbed route, the dangerous West Ridge.https://youtube.com/watch?v=b1QtNL4CqJoIn this WanderLearn Show, Jost discusses his overall goal, the extreme winter conditions at Everest’s altitude, being blown off the mountain on past attempts, why he chose the West Ridge, details on route maps, filming mishaps, rope use, when he might change his plan, th...
Published: Feb 27, 2026Duration: 30m 5s
Episode 384
How Erik is Escaping Normal Life
I bumped into Erik while visiting Big Basin National Park in Nevada, USA. He's been a nomad, living out of his Subaru on a modest budget, and vlogging about his experience. He shows us how he does it.youtu.be/BhUD0pjITsUhttps://youtu.be/BhUD0pjITsUFollow Erik's YouTube channel Why Erik Ditched His Teardrop TrailerLoneliest American RoadCREDIT FOR THE TWO EMBEDDED VIDEOS:Kenai Pop-Up Truck Camper Tour - Scout CampersOverland Ready! 2024 Toyota Tacoma with Kimbo Camper Walkaround - Salty Gears Off Road<...
Published: Feb 20, 2026Duration: 12m 12s
Episode 385
What Everyone Got Wrong About the Kiss Cam Scandal
Dr. Isabelle Morley is a couples therapist and author of "They're Not Gaslighting You."https://youtu.be/cPahcRnG_FgThe kiss cam moment exposes much more than a couple’s private drama—it reveals how we judge, label, and punish one another in the court of public opinion. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Isabelle Morley to unpack why cheating feels unforgivable to most people, how labels and “therapy-speak” get weaponized online, and what gaslighting really looks like beyond the memes. We also explore when it makes sense to set boundaries, walk away from tox...
Published: Feb 13, 2026Duration: 27m 50s
The Satlantis Event App
WanderLearn explores travel, tech, and transformation. This is a tech-related episode.Aleksandar Svetski is the CEO of Satlantis.io, which began as a travel app but has pivoted toward events, including travel-related events.Satlantis is a new kind of social network for “Sovereign Individuals.” It aims to become the go-to place for people who want more out of life and refuse to conform to the mainstream.Satlantis is part map, part directory, part aggregator, and part social app. Imagine elements of Instagram, Google Places, Meetup, TripAdvisor, NomadList, and Facebook Groups, but built for the...
Published: Feb 6, 2026Duration: 28m 25s
Episode 381
8 Hypotheses About Mallory & Irvine on Everest by Dr Robert Edwards
Dr. Robert Edwards, author of The Last Step but One, proposes 5 hypotheses about Mallory and Irvine’s final ascent of Everest.Two of the hypotheses have sub-hypotheses, bringing the total number of conjectures to 8.Robert Edwards's Mallory & Irvine book.Watch the YouTube videoTimeline00:00 Hypothesis 106:10 Hypothesis 209:00 Hypothesis 312:20 Hypothesis 4.119:30 Hypothesis 4.223:00 Hypothesis 5.125:35 Hypothesis 5.228:30 Hypothesis 5.331:50 ReflectionsDISCLOSURE: I used AI to generate the thumbnail for this video. So if you're wondering why the image is...
Published: Jan 30, 2026Duration: 37m 21s
What We Know & Don't Know About Mallory & Irvine's Everest Climb
It’s easier to watch the episode because of all the slides. The comments on YouTube will be interesting to read, too!TIMELINE00:00 Exclusive announcement!05:00 What we know10:30 Odell sighting14:00 Ice ax17:00 Oxygen bottle19:25 Mallory's body23:45 Irvine's boot29:30 What we do NOT knowRobert Edwards’s Mallory & Irvine bookDISCLOSURE: I used AI to generate this video's thumbnail. So if you're wondering why the image is inaccurate, you'll know why.On the 100th anniversary of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's death on Mount Everest, I interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards, author of Mall...
Published: Jan 23, 2026Duration: 34m 28s
Episode 362
Surprises on a 1,200-Mile Paddleboard Pilgrimage
Buy Dan’s book, Waterborne.Dan Rubinstein undertakes a 1,200‑mile solo stand‑up paddleboarding journey from Ottawa through Montreal, New York City, Toronto, and back, traveling rivers, lakes, and canals over ten weeks.Along the way, he explores the concept of “blue space”—how being in, on, or near water can promote healing, enhance mental and physical health, and foster care for the natural world—while meeting a diverse range of people connected to these waterways.Blending research, interviews, and a reflective, anticolonial adventure narrative, the book argues that water can reconnect fractured communities an...
Published: Jan 16, 2026Duration: 23m 38s
Episode 378
1,200-Mile Paddleboard Pilgrimage SUP
In this two-part interview, Canadian Dan Rubinstein discusses the logistics and surprises of his stand-up paddleboard (SUP) journey!Buy Dan’s book, Water Borne.Dan Rubinstein undertakes a 1,200‑mile solo stand‑up paddleboarding journey from Ottawa through Montreal, New York City, Toronto, and back, traveling rivers, lakes, and canals over ten weeks.Along the way, he investigates the idea of “blue space”—how being in, on, or near water can heal, improve mental and physical health, and inspire care for the natural world—while meeting a wide range of people connected to these waterways....
Published: Jan 9, 2026Duration: 11m 8s
Episode 377
9 Predictions for 2026
I made several gloomy predictions for 2025 that did not occur.So, now, like a lousy gambler, I am doubling down on those gloomy predictions and reiterating some of them for 2026!A broken clock is correct twice a day! I will be a glorious Nostradamus in 2026!1. Global recession strikes.I incorrectly predicted that we’d have a recession in 2025, so how about 2026? I asked Perplexity.ai, and most experts say my prediction is wrong. Screw them. I say that the US unemployment rate will rise above 7%. Tariffs send the world into a do...
Published: Dec 30, 2025Duration: 10m 56s
Part 2 of the 2026 Recession & Crash
In Part 1, Forbes Contributor Clem Chambers predicted that Bitcoin & crypto will continue being a bear market throughout 2026. In Part 2, Chambers predicts the NASDAQ & AI will surge up like a balloon, and then will pop, with prices crashing in 2026-2028.Clem’s Bitcoin PredictionsChambers says that either BTC will “never” get to $1 million or it will get there in 12 years. Specifically, he breaks down its future rise in these steps:$250k in 2030$500k in 2034$1 million in 2038Connect with Clem* Clem Chambers Alpha channel: https...
Published: Dec 17, 2025Duration: 18m 57s
Episode 375
The 2026 Crash: Crypto & Stocks Will Tank
Clem Chambers has been a Forbes contributor for 20 years. His predictions have often been surprisingly accurate, so it’s worth listening to what his crystal ball has to say about 2026.VideoConnect with Clem* Clem Chambers Alpha channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ClemChambersAlpha* X (Twitter): https://x.com/ClemChambers​* Personal site: https://www.clemchambers.com * LinkedIn (Online Blockchain / ADVFN profile): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/clem-chambers-756145196​* Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/chambers.clem/​Perplexity wrote...Clem Chambers has generally predicted a capped...
Published: Dec 13, 2025Duration: 21m 30s
Episode 374
Te Araroa, Korea, & Shakespeare
Sym Blanchard and I have a lively, informal discussion. Think of it as eavesdropping on a debate between long-time friends. Yes, I talk over and interrupt Sym, which is unprofessional for a typical interview, but meant to be a natural, fast-paced conversation.00:00 Te Araroa09:40 Koreas uniting14:00 ShakespeareScott Williams, a hiking buddy of Sym and me, disagrees with Sym about the Te Araroa trail. Unlike Sym, Scott hiked almost all of it. Subscribe to get his take in 2026!More from SymIf you enjoy this philosophical episode, listen to the dozen...
Published: Dec 6, 2025Duration: 21m 1s
Episode 373
Estrangement & Free Will
Sym Blanchard and I talk about families and free will.Sym Blanchard has a 36-year-old daughter and a 38-year-old son. He is estranged from his daughter, but has a close, positive relationship with his son. I ask:* What is the hardest time to raise children?* Why does Sym struggle to get along with his daughter and yet gets along great with his son?* Free Will vs. Environment?I mention Dr. Isabelle Morsley’s book, They’re Not Gaslighting You.Timeline00:00 Estranged daughter05:15 Francis’s disc...
Published: Nov 28, 2025Duration: 34m 22s