t’s just Jake and Becky this week, no guests, no plan… and absolutely no filter.

From January burnout, insane workloads and sleep deprivation, to the things travel agents actually sacrifice behind the scenes, this episode is a brutally honest look at life in the industry when peak season hits hard.

Becky reflects on the opportunities she’s missed from years of being constantly on the move, Jake talks visibility, supplier relationships and why shouting loud actually matters, and somehow the conversation spirals into boxing matches, Hinge dating disasters, porn accidentally playing on ferries, nightmare transfers, and why agents end up telling clients to just get a taxi and send the receipt.

If you’ve ever:

• Questioned your work-life balance in January
• Been burned by transfers (again)
• Felt personally attacked by bed bank room descriptions
• Or wondered why you still love this job despite all of it…

This one will absolutely hit home.

Unstructured, unhinged, and very relatable — welcome back to Tales of a Travel Agent. ✈️🎙️

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Tales of a Travel Agent, Becky finally tells her story.

From being bullied at school, to becoming a senior librarian nerd, to living and working in eight different countries, Becky opens up about a decade spent as a professional nanny for high-profile families, travelling the world, living a life most people never see… and constantly being asked “when are you going to get a real job?”

She shares what it’s really like working 24/7, the emotional toll of childcare, why Covid changed everything, and how a breakup, burnout and a bold leap of faith led her into the travel industry full time. This is a raw, honest conversation about risk, passion, side hustles, imposter syndrome and finally backing yourself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, judged for your career choices, or scared to take the leap into something new – this episode is for you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re kicking off the new year by heading to the coldest, wildest corners of the planet as we’re joined by Akvile, co-founder of the Expedition Cruise Network, to talk all things expedition cruising.

From her unexpected start in the travel industry to spending a decade at Silversea, Akvile shares how expedition cruising went from a niche product to one of the fastest-growing sectors in travel — and why Antarctica remains the ultimate bucket-list destination.

We chat about what really defines an expedition cruise, why ship size matters, and how travel agents can confidently sell high-value trips by matching clients to the right experience. There’s also a big focus on sustainability, responsible tourism, and why promoting lesser-known expedition destinations is more important than ever.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the most wonderful (and chaotic) time of the year, because Becky’s birthday and Christmas collide into one glorious celebration. In this very special episode, Jake turns the mic firmly onto Becky as they celebrate all things Bex – whether she likes it or not.

Expect birthday messages, questionable gifts (including a Grow Your Own Boyfriend), a quiz designed to humble even the most confident travel pro, and plenty of laughs along the way. The pair dive into solo travel, dating disasters, free upgrades, airport pet peeves, industry events, and why themed parties are actually a gift to humanity.

There’s festive chaos, travel chat, gentle roasting, and proof that when your birthday falls at Christmas, you’re absolutely entitled to make it everyone else’s problem.

Pour yourself a drink, pop it on 1.5x if you’re Becky, and enjoy… Merry Bexmas! 🎁✈️🎙️

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode, Becky and Jake catch up on December life, the quiet weeks before peaks, and plans for their upcoming consumer travel show. They read a new listener email that sparks the idea of a “Becky vs Jake” itinerary challenge — and put out a call for any suppliers brave enough to host it.

Becky talks through her recent trip to Egypt, including visiting the pyramids, exploring Cairo, and what it’s really like going inside the ancient tombs. Jake shares a few customer stories from the week, and the pair inevitably drift into their usual mix of travel chat, life updates, and light-hearted tangents.

As always, listeners are invited to send in their stories, questions, and votes on who they'd rather travel with to talesofatravelagent@gmail.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by Bruce from Travel Gossip. We dive into how a tiny Facebook group became one of the most chaotic, powerful and downright addictive corners of the travel industry. From fam trip scandals to keyboard warriors, from award nights to who’s on the amber list… we get into it all.

We play This or That, talk about what really happens behind the scenes of the trade, and Bruce faces Becky’s quiz based entirely on Travel Gossip’s own headlines. (Spoiler: it goes about as well as you’d expect.)

If you’ve ever worked in travel, lurked in the group, or wondered why agents are always 3 seconds away from a meltdown – this is your episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the 1st of December, and Becky and Jake are getting festive—well, sort of. From the realities of being a travel agent during the quiet pre-Christmas lull to budgeting tips (and confessions of blowing it all), this episode dives into the highs and lows of the holiday season.

Jake reveals why big ship cruising just isn’t for him, Becky shares a wild story from her days cliff jumping with strangers in Australia, and the pair swap restaurant disasters, book recommendations, and TV obsessions (spoiler: Below Deck and Race Across the World feature heavily).

Plus, there’s another hilarious listener email, some strong opinions about TV volume settings, and a peek into Jake’s chaotic back-to-back event schedule.

Grab a cuppa—or something stronger—and get ready for another unfiltered, laugh-out-loud episode of Tales of a Travel Agent.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.