For today’s #TRLT Tuesday Traveller I am happy to present you with avid traveller Joe Baur! Thank you again, Joe, for taking the time for our #TRLT interview.

Joe is a car-free travel writer and filmmaker who likes to find everything from neighborhoods to countries off the tourist trek. Besides travel writing, he does some speaking and hosts the Without A Path travel podcast. His passion is convincing people to travel outside their comfort zone and laugh a little more.

Q: Why do you like taking The Road Less Travelled?

A: You’ll always find more interesting stories and experiences on TRLT. For me, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be roughing it in the middle of the jungle (though it can). It can also mean taking on the familiar, but with a unique angle or lens.

Q: What are your top 5 destinations?

A: For very different reasons… Bern, Switzerland; Suchitoto, El Salvador; Pico Bonito, Honduras; Rural Japan; Northern India. That list is subject to change based on my mood and where I go next.

Q: What destinations are you most keen to visit?

A: Iran has been at the top of my list for a few years now. I also recently followed someone in Uganda via Snapchat, so that bumped up East Africa in general on my list.

Q: Share the story of one of your favourite travel photos.

The Road Less Travelled in El Salvador!

A: El Salvador was a special experience for me. Leading up to that trip, my wife and I had a number of people telling us that we were varying degrees of crazy for wanting to go. Unsurprisingly, these were all warnings from people who have never been. Needless to say, it was one of the best trips of our lives. And on our last full day, we went on an unmarked hike outside of coastal El Tunco with a local referred to us by the hotel we were staying at. On our way back, we passed some school kids playing in a river with some chaperones looking on, seemingly having the time of their lives. I smiled, but also distinctly remember thinking, “Fuck you. Fuck you people who see some story on CNN and broadly paint a place as not worth visiting. These kids are having more fun than whatever monotony awaits you in your Starbucks drive-thru en route to a decaying suburban mall.” I’m not trying to belittle the very real problems some places have, but there’s nothing I hate more than fear-mongering. Plus, that trip through El Salvador is what made me passionate about visiting those places on the so-called “road less traveled,” so that I can find those unique stories and share them with a wider audience in hopes of changing some unfair perceptions we’ve all held at some point in our lives.

Q. What is it about joining #TRLT Twitter chat and the community that you love most? 

A. I join #TRLT because of its very nature — it’s on the road less traveled. I’ll listen to most anyone’s travel story, but I’m infinitely more interested in hearing about places I’ve never thought of or simply aren’t covered that often. I’m often finding folks who have been to countries that don’t exactly make the cover of Travel and Leisure whenever I join a #TRLT chat. Those are the people I want to mix with, because they understand that travel has power and that power is wielded best when used to better connect the world to those destinations, those people who are unfairly overlooked for one reason or another.

Q: What is the best piece of travel advice you can share?

A: Don’t be scared. Don’t be timid. I know the world looks scary, but it’s statistically as safe as it’s ever been. You’ll be fine. Be curious. Be inquisitive. Be restless to continue telling stories. And perhaps most importantly, don’t take life too seriously. Don’t be afraid to laugh. One of my favorite travel stories goes back to when I lived in Costa Rica and accidentally stepped in some dog crap. My landlord was outside doing some chores and started laughing at me. “Joe! Joe! Caca en tu sandalia. Hahaha! Joe. Huele feo!” See? Poop is funny everywhere, so keep on laughing.

Casco Anitguo, Panama City

Fanad Lighthouse, Arryheernabin, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Hiking, Japan

Maah Daah Hey Trail, North Dakota, USA

Plaza de Armas, Lima Peru

Santa Ana Crater, Honduras

Be sure to follow JOE on Social Media:

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat/ Pinterest/YouTube 

If you LOVE travelling as much as we do and want to share your stories and pics with like-minded people join us today at 1pmNYC/6pmUK time on Twitter! Don’t forget to use the #TRLT hashtag. See you then!

For more info on how to participate in #TRLT on Twitter and what our upcoming topic and Qs are, click HERE

Stay tuned for next week’s interview with #TRLT Tuesday Traveller – Ali Hunter

Savannah Grace