In this episode, I'm talking with someone who proves that adventure doesn't have an expiration date. I met Kim Kephart last year at a travel conference in Spain, and we connected instantly because she's just refreshingly real about the messy, beautiful side of creating your own path.

Kim is a solo travel writer, hiker, and military spouse who's basically the poster child for writing your own story. She's lived across Europe and Asia, built a travel blog and career while navigating the unique challenges of military life, and is passionate about showing women that it's never too late to choose adventure over convention. Through her blog, Kimberly Kephart Travels, she helps women build confidence through travel, especially those who feel like they've somehow missed the right window for bold choices.

We're diving into her journey from following someone else's timeline to creating her own path, why the best time to start your adventure might be right now, and how she's carved out independence while moving countries every few years. Plus, we're talking about that invisible permission we think we need (spoiler: we don't) and why the grass isn't always greener - even when you're living in Europe.

Kimberly Kephart is a travel writer, solo hiker, and unconventional military spouse who's contributed to Stars and Stripes Europe and Military Families Magazine. After years of moving across Europe and Asia with her husband's military career, she learned to carve out her own path through solo travel and hiking. She shares her adventures and hard-won wisdom on her blog, Kimberly Kephart Travels, showing others they can do it too - even when they have no idea what they're doing yet.

Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

Georgia: October 3 - 12, 2025

Links & Resources (Kimberly)

• Instagram: @kimberlykepharttravels
• Facebook: @KimberlyKephartTravels
• Website: kimberlykepharttravels.com

Links & Resources (Laura)

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
• Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

What happens when 30 adults decide to recreate summer camp magic with craft cocktails and zero adult supervision? You get epic storms, spontaneous tattoos, a pickle fountain malfunction, and the kind of weekend that makes you believe strangers can become family in 72 hours.

This week I'm sitting down with three brave souls who survived our inaugural Camp Lola Whiskey in the Wisconsin Dells - Troy from Milwaukee (who proved engineers can be the life of the party), Rachel from Michigan (who said yes to adventure with just two days' notice), and Megan from Texas (who got an old fashioned tattoo before catching her flight home because that's apparently what you do after Wisconsin camp).

We're breaking down everything from Chef Hannan's mind-blowing food that had people comparing camp to "a wedding in the woods," to the borderline tornado that turned into the weekend's most bonding moment, to the cow hunting game that nearly started a camp civil war. Plus we're talking about Troy's secret life as camp's unofficial intern, Rachel's musical chairs injury, and how a single tarot card survived a storm to become the perfect camp memento.

If you've ever wondered what happens when you combine Wisconsin hospitality, craft cocktails, adult games, and Mother Nature's wildest mood swings, this episode is your behind-the-scenes pass to the chaos.

Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

• Camp Lola Whiskey 2026

Camp Sponsors Mentioned:

• Siren Shrub
• Dancing Goat Distillery
• Beren's Old Fashioned Brandy
• Driftless Glen Distillery
• 45th Parallel Distillery
• Lazy Coconuts
• Olympia Granola
• Viiq Wellness

Links & Resources (Laura):

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
• Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.

Erin Fish is my travel insurance partner, and before you roll your eyes thinking this is just a boring sales pitch - hear me out. This is one of those partnerships that happened organically because Erin genuinely gives a shit about travelers and the world, not just profits.

Erin co-founded Wanderwell Travel Insurance, a certified B Corp that's legally required to consider their impact on travelers, employees, and the planet. While most travel insurance companies feel designed to collect your money and find creative ways to avoid paying claims, Wanderwell actually walks you through the process like humans instead of robots.

We're diving into why travel insurance isn't just another expense to grudgingly add to your trip budget, but actually one of the smartest investments you can make in your adventures. From the traveler stuck in a Thai hospital with dengue fever to someone whose entire European itinerary got derailed by a massive air traffic control meltdown - Erin's seen it all.

This conversation covers the real stuff: when you actually need coverage, the difference between travel insurance and your credit card "coverage," and why some claims involve people sleeping outside under desert stars (you'll have to listen for that story).

Upcoming Trips Mentioned:

• Morocco: April 10 - April 19, 2026
• Cuba: Dec 27, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026
• India: Feb 25 - March 7, 2026
• Kenya: March 25 - April 4, 2026

Links & Resources (Erin):

• Get travel insurance through Wanderwell
• Learn more about Wanderwell
• Follow Wanderwell on social: @go.wanderwell

Links & Resources (Laura):

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips: lauraericson.com
• Check out our podcast page: lauraericson.com/podcast
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you’re listening.