Learn how Derek got kidnapped for 3 nights and escaped &amp; what it’s like to spend an evening talking with the Taliban.&nbsp;  ____________________________ SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: GALACTIC FED I use Galactic Fed for SEO and CRO on The Maverick Show website, but they are an end-to-end digital marketing agency that also offers social media, website design, paid media and more. Get Your Free Marketing Plan at  and mention "Maverick" for 10% off your first month of services. ___________________________  &nbsp;Derek Baron takes us on his journey growing up in Boston, studying abroad in Australia, and then taking a life-changing trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia for the Millennium that inspired him to travel full-time, forever.&nbsp; 23 years later, he reflects on his travels to 133 countries, how he financed it all, and shares some of his highlights.&nbsp; After 40 trips to India, Derek makes some recommendations on where to go, how to approach the country, and shares the story of how he acted in a Bollywood TV series.&nbsp; He then explains why Romania and Mauritius are some of his top recommendations for digital nomads looking for medium to long term stays. Derek also reflects on his trip to East Timor two decades after the genocide.&nbsp; Next, he shares his 6-week experience in Pakistan, which included unexpectedly spending a hash-and-opium-filled evening with the Taliban, traveling through the Tribal Regions, and crossing the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan.&nbsp; Derek then shares the story of trying to return through U.S. customs after that experience and what happened when they found a bullet in his pocket.&nbsp; Next, he talks about his experience being kidnapped in Dhaka, Bangladesh for 3 nights, how he eventually escaped, and what overall safety lessons he learned.&nbsp; And, finally, Derek reflects on processing negative travel experiences and how it impacts his overall impression of the place and of travel safety more broadly.&nbsp; FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT  ____________________________________ Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s “Monday Minute” Newsletter where I personally send you an email with 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in under 60 seconds:&nbsp;   See My “Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads”  See My “Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads”  See My “7 Keys For Building A Location-Independent Business” (Even In A Space That Is Not Traditionally Virtual)  Watch My Video Training On “Stylish Minimalist Packing” and Learn How to Travel the World with Carry On Luggage:  See The Travel Gear I Use And Recommend:  Learn How You Can Buy Turnkey Rental Properties In The Best U.S. Real Estate Markets From Anywhere:  See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The Equipment, Services And Vendors I Use):&nbsp;  FOLLOW THE MAVERICK SHOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram:    Twitter:    Tiktok:    Facebook:    LinkedIn:    YouTube:     BUY ME A COFFEE: Enjoying the show?&nbsp; Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! &nbsp;Now you can support The Maverick Show by buying me a coffee: &nbsp;  &nbsp;

253: Smoking Hash with the Taliban, Getting Kidnapped in Bangladesh, and Acting in a Bollywood TV Show with Derek Baron

Learn what it’s like in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Central Asia &amp; how you can participate in one of Derek’s sustainable tours.  ____________________________ SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: GALACTIC FED I use Galactic Fed for SEO and CRO on The Maverick Show website, but they are an end-to-end digital marketing agency that also offers social media, website design, paid media and more. Get Your Free Marketing Plan at  and mention "Maverick" for 10% off your first month of services. ___________________________  &nbsp;In this episode Derek Baron talks about his experience traveling through Iraq, Syria and Yemen, including the incredibly unique island of Socotra.&nbsp; He explains why he loves the Middle East and talks about the small group tours he runs to Iraq, based on his personal local contacts on the ground.&nbsp; Derek also talks about his love for Central Asia, and the tours he runs to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.&nbsp; He explains how he designs all of his tours sustainably to have a maximum positive impact on the local people and places.&nbsp; Derek reflects on the trends of over-tourism, digital nomad gentrification, and offers some suggestions for how we can make thoughtful travel decisions.&nbsp; He also talks about stability anchors in an itinerant lifestyle, and pillars for sustaining the lifestyle longterm. Derek opens up about dating as a digital nomad, how his lifestyle design choices have changed in different seasons of life, and why he does not have a goal of visiting every country.&nbsp; Finally, Derek reflects on the biggest impact 23 years of world travel has had on him, why he continues to travel, and what travel means to him today.&nbsp; FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT:  ____________________________________ Subscribe to The Maverick Show’s “Monday Minute” Newsletter where I personally send you an email with 3 short items of value to start each week that you can consume in under 60 seconds:&nbsp;   See My “Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads”  See My “Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads”  See My “7 Keys For Building A Location-Independent Business” (Even In A Space That Is Not Traditionally Virtual)  Watch My Video Training On “Stylish Minimalist Packing” and Learn How to Travel the World with Carry On Luggage:  See The Travel Gear I Use And Recommend:  Learn How You Can Buy Turnkey Rental Properties In The Best U.S. Real Estate Markets From Anywhere:  See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The Equipment, Services And Vendors I Use):&nbsp;  FOLLOW THE MAVERICK SHOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram:    Twitter:    Tiktok:    Facebook:    LinkedIn:    YouTube:     BUY ME A COFFEE: Enjoying the show?&nbsp; Espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! &nbsp;Now you can support The Maverick Show by buying me a coffee: &nbsp;  &nbsp;

254: Wandering Across Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lessons from 23 Years of World Travel with Derek Baron

In-depth conversations with today’s most interesting world travelers, location-independent entrepreneurs, and digital nomads.  Matt Bowles travels the world full time to find the most fascinating people on the planet, draw out stories of their most epic adventures, and unpack the skills, tactics, and strategies they use to build their remote businesses and design their lifestyles.  Ranked the #1 Digital Nomad Podcast by Web Work Travel and the Top 1% of all podcasts by Listen Notes, each episode pulls out actionable tips and advice you can implement in your own life each week.  You’ll meet diverse travelers from every continent who are also willing to reflect on themes of identity, dislocation, passport privilege, the power dynamics that shape our world, and how we can be more thoughtful, conscious travelers as we move through it.