Episode 38 - Ellen Wayte: Know Why You Travel

Travel Bubble

Episode 38 of Travel Bubble is with Ellen Wayte. As a former overland tour leader for Dragoman, she took tourists through 40+ countries on five continents over a period of six years.

Back in 2009 Ellen was, the director of marketing for a real estate company. She had ‘a proper adult job’. But after taking a vacation with Dragoman to Kyrgyzstan, Ellen fell in love with the idea of becoming a Tour Leader and that’s exactly what she did. Returning to the US, selling all her possessions, leaving her job, leasing her flat out and starting work for Dragoman.

Ellen, currently based out of Bend, Oregon, has led expeditions across Africa, South East Asia, the silk road and through south America. She has worked as a scuba dive instructor, and a snorkel instructor in Alaska and is currently creating a travel arm for overlanding vehicle company called EarthCruiser.

We also get into a bit Tour Leader chat, talk music and there’s even a tale of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Putin thrown in for good measure. Did I mention that she also built her own off-grid house during the pandemic?

Ellen is quite a character who has been all over, not just as a tourist but as a Tour Leader and this is an exemplary Travel Bubble episode. Listen to it now by clicking the link in our bio or searching for Travel Bubble wherever you get your podcasts.

You can find Ellen on Instagram @ellenwayte and you find more about the overlanding vehicles at EarthCruiser.com.

Spoilers below, don't forget to like, subscribe, rate and tell your friends about the Travel Bubble podcast.

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Country No.1: Zimbabwe
Activity: Victoria Falls
Food: Game meats - Eland

Country No.2: Colombia
Activity: Visit Taganga and Minca
Food: Oysters on the beach in Cartagena

Country No. 3: India
Activity: Visit a national park – Panna in particular.
Food: Dirty truck stop meal

Wildcard: Papua New Guinea

Top Travel Tip: Put away your phones.

Best Souvenir: Anatomically correct wooden puppet from Ethiopia

Travel Bubble Film Club
The Happiest Girl In The World, Romania (2009)

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