<![CDATA[Francis Tapon]]>https://ftapon.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NB2S!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7e3ee9e-8c15-4295-b10e-3aaf9fdfeb45_2841x2841.jpegFrancis Taponhttps://ftapon.substack.comSubstackThu, 03 Sep 2026 13:18:16 GMT<![CDATA[How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Travel]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/how-artificial-intelligence-willhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/how-artificial-intelligence-willTue, 25 Aug 2026 11:55:01 GMTUse the discount code FTAPON when you buy your ticket to the Extraordinary Travel Festival.

Watch on YouTube!

Subscribe now

Timeline

00:00 ETF3

06:00 How do ETF members travel?

11:00 Ric’s road to 193

13:00 Saving the best for last

16:45 Top ETF Speakers

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Extraordinary Travel Festival 3 with Ric Gazarian]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/extraordinary-travel-festival-3-withhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/extraordinary-travel-festival-3-withTue, 18 Aug 2026 11:49:24 GMTUse the discount code FTAPON when you buy your ticket to the Extraordinary Travel Festival.

Watch on YouTube!

The ETF is probably the best travel conference for adventurous travelers! I’ve spoken at two of the events, and you won’t want to miss the third!

Timeline

00:00 ETF3

06:00 How do ETF members travel?

11:00 Ric’s road to 193

13:00 Saving the best for last

16:45 Top ETF Speakers

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Chapter 40: South Sudan + 24 photos!]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/chapter-40-south-sudan-24-photoshttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/chapter-40-south-sudan-24-photosThu, 13 Aug 2026 06:44:27 GMTDear Wanderlearners,

Greetings from Africa! I’m back!

I’ve been in Côte d’Ivoire for a week, working on my book and revisiting this West African country for the third time!

Tomorrow, I’m going to drive east to Ghana!

Later, I’ll drive to:

  • Ghana

  • Togo

  • Benin

  • Nigeria

  • Cameroon

Leave a comment

Ultimately, I plan to end my journey in the African country I know least: Libya.

Although I’ve climbed to Libya’s tallest peak, I never saw where 99% of Libyans live: the Mediterranean coast. If you’re interested in joining my Libya tour, write to me!

South Sudan Chapter

I passed a new milestone: chapter 40 of The Unseen Africa.

Below, you’ll find photos from South Sudan to help you visualize the chapter. If the book has photos, there will be few, so most of the photos I share with you won’t appear in the book.

As usual, you’ll get everything I’ve written so far: chapters 1-40.

I’m often tweaking earlier chapters: adding new facts, updating old facts, or injecting humor.

The changes are usually minor, so it’s not worth re-reading, but if you haven’t read the previous chapters, always use the latest document and delete the previous ones.

As always, I appreciate your patience as I plow through this book!

15 chapters to go, including the Conclusion!

72% done!

In two weeks, I promise to pump out one of the most difficult chapters: the DRC.

Subscribe now

24 Photos from South Sudan

The top photo of me doing a quasi handstand is on the summit of Mount Kenyeti, South Sudan’s tallest peak.

A Mundari tribesman playing an instrument
A Mundari tribesman playing an instrument
A boy and his cattle
A boy and his cattle
Mundari boy tending to his cows. His face is dusted to protect himself from bugs and mosquitoes.
Mundari boy tending to his cows. His face is dusted to protect himself from bugs and mosquitoes.
Mundari tribe women
Edith from Uganda with a guide. They are flanked by two young South Sudanese men doing a rite of passage on the White Nile.
Edith from Uganda with a guide. They are flanked by two young South Sudanese men doing a rite of passage on the White Nile.
Fish lunch in Juba
Fish lunch in Juba
Juba restaurant
Juba restaurant
Fedrick Pitia, the guide
Fedrick Pitia, the guide
The prettiest part of Juba
The prettiest part of Juba
Boys
Boys
Mundari camp
Mundari camp
$160 worth in Sudanese pounds
$160 worth in Sudanese pounds
The boys
The boys
Among the many women I asked how many kids they wanted: 5-15 was the answer
Among the many women I asked how many kids they wanted: 5-15 was the answer
Mundari men
Mundari men
Huge horns!
Huge horns!
Goats for eating and milk
Goats for eating and milk
Dusting the cows to protect them
Dusting the cows to protect them
Girls caring for babies
Girls caring for babies
Women always toil
Toiling women

Below are photos that have nudity & you’ll also find the latest manuscript.

Share

Read more

]]><![CDATA[URGENT! Coldcard MK3 Vulnerability! Move Your BTC Now!]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/urgent-coldcard-mk3-vulnerabilityhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/urgent-coldcard-mk3-vulnerabilityMon, 10 Aug 2026 18:37:49 GMT3-Step EMERGENCY for Bitcoin Coldcard users!


1) Move your funds from your Coldcard, especially the MK3 model.
2) Update your Coldcard firmware.
3) Generate a new seed phrase

Share

Get the new Coldcard firmware


Coldcard Status Update
and
Coldcard Firmware Downloads

If you want to get a new hardware wallet, consider the Ledger crypto hardware wallet:

Leave a comment


Now that so many eyeballs have looked at the Coldcard code, it might be the safest hardware wallet now.
It's like after a United Airlines plane crash, United becomes the safest airline because they become extra cautious.

Subscribe now


DOUBLE APOLOGY

1) I apologize for not getting this message out earlier. I was traveling intensely, but I should have done it sooner.

2) I apologize for recommending Coldcard.

The vulnerability went undetected for five years, despite the open-source firmware.

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[The Best Long-Distance Trail: Triple Crowner Scott Williams Answers]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-best-long-distance-trail-triplehttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-best-long-distance-trail-tripleFri, 07 Aug 2026 13:11:26 GMTWhat’s best: the AT, PCT, or CDT? I ask a 73-year-old hiker who has done all 3!

Be sure to watch last week’s episode featuring Scott!

Connect with Scott on FB!

Watch this episode

Timeline

00:00 Arizona Trail

1:50 Favorite Triple Crown Trail

Subscribe now

Connect with Scott Williams on Facebook!

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Does New Zealand's Te Araroa Trail suck? Scott Williams Answers]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/does-new-zealands-te-araroa-trailhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/does-new-zealands-te-araroa-trailFri, 31 Jul 2026 12:51:10 GMTI talk with renowned long-distance hiker & Triple Crowner, Scott Williams, about his experience on New Zealand's Te Araroa Trail.

This is part 1 of a 3-part interview series featuring Scott.

Watch this interview

Share

Scott's buddy, Sym Blanchard, explained why he disliked the Te Araroa Trail here:

Subscribe now

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[AMA with the Top Serb Nomad, Nenad Stojanovic]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/ama-with-the-top-serb-nomad-nenadhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/ama-with-the-top-serb-nomad-nenadFri, 24 Jul 2026 12:37:13 GMTThis is part 5 of 5 episodes featuring Nenad! We saved the best for last: Q&A with Nenad!

Most of the questions focus on the Balkans, which is ironic since Nenad spends little time there!

Follow Nenad on FB & IG at whereisNenad.

Subscribe now

Watch this episode!

Share

Timeline

00:00 What's going on in the Balkans?

01:40 Book recommendations

02:35 Life in Serbia

3:34 Souvenirs

4:20 Best kept secret in the Balkans

08:00 Balkan vibe now

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Extreme Nomad Reveals Tips & Plans]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/extreme-nomad-reveals-tips-and-planshttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/extreme-nomad-reveals-tips-and-plansFri, 17 Jul 2026 12:17:33 GMTNenad Stojanovic is 42. He's been traveling the world nonstop for nearly 20 years.
You can follow him on WhereisNenad on FB & IG.

Watch previous episodes to learn more about this remarkable traveler!

Subscribe now

Timeline

00:00 Travel plans

02:30 Favorite spots

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Tales of a Couchsurfing & Hitchhiking Expert]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/tales-of-a-couchsurfing-and-hitchhikinghttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/tales-of-a-couchsurfing-and-hitchhikingFri, 10 Jul 2026 15:33:06 GMTCouchsurfing isn’t simply a way to save money when traveling, but it’s mostly a way to connect with locals, to understand local culture, and see what you’ll never see in a hotel.

Nenad seldom stays in a hotel. Watch this video to hear about his unique lodging experiences.

Subscribe now

Timeline

00:00 Couchsurfing tips

04:00 Chilling in Indonesia

6:45 Longest wait for a hitch

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Pro Hitchhiker Shares Tips & Experiences]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/pro-hitchhiker-shares-tips-and-experienceshttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/pro-hitchhiker-shares-tips-and-experiencesFri, 03 Jul 2026 15:07:10 GMTHere are my 10 hitchhiking tips on Forbes.

Nenad Stojanovic hitchhikes everywhere.

He shares the joys of hitchhiking and why it's more fascinating than public transportation.

At 9:00 he discusses money issues.

Watch the video!

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Uganda Chapter]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/uganda-chapterhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/uganda-chapterThu, 02 Jul 2026 01:31:39 GMTDear Wanderlearners,

First, if you’re interested in Bitcoin, watch my final video about the dubious stock-to-flow model.

Second, I’ve attached photos from Uganda to help you visualize the latest chapter of The Unseen Africa, which you’ll find attached at the bottom of this page!

Below, I’m suffering with Miss Tourism Uganda…all three of them! Poor me!

Uganda has Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile. Here, it’s making its way north to Egypt.
Uganda ladies working hard
Ugandans
Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda
Happy children at Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda
Rejoice jumping
Rejoice rejoicing
Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda
In Kampala, Uganda, at the South Sudan embassy, we met my first South Sudanese. They're known to be tall. He didn't disappoint.
In Kampala, Uganda, at the South Sudan embassy, we met my first South Sudanese. They’re known to be tall. He didn’t disappoint.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Most Well-Traveled Serbian Ever!]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-most-well-traveled-serbian-everhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-most-well-traveled-serbian-everFri, 26 Jun 2026 14:58:31 GMTI met Nenad Stojanovic in 2008 when he hosted me on Couchsurfing.com. He’s been traveling ever since!

This is a 5-part series featuring Nenad, one of the world’s most fascinating travelers. This is part 1!

Watch!

Timeline

00:00 Who is Nenad Stojanovic?

04:25 North American journey

05:25 Remarkable borders

08:20 China

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[400th Episode! ]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/400th-episodehttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/400th-episodeMon, 22 Jun 2026 23:20:16 GMTI explained 6 years ago why Plan B’s Stock-to-Flow Bitcoin model was doomed and would fail.
Few believed me.
Most insulted me.
Today, I can confidently declare that I was right and Plan B was wrong.

Watch the video of this episode:

Watch my May 2020 video that started all the controversy and read the detailed article about why Plan B’s stock-to-flow model was doomed!

Share

In mid-2026, with the price of Bitcoin languishing around $65,000, below the lowest stock-to-flow band, we can officially declare that Plan B’s stock-to-flow model is dead.

I waited until Bitcoin was consistently below the outer bands before declaring “victory” in my debate with Plan B. It’s a Pyrrhic victory because I was hoping all along that he would be right and I would be wrong, since I have stacked bitcoin.

Unfortunately, time proved me right.

Ultimately, Plan B’s model was only good for one Bitcoin cycle.

Given how wide a price band the model has, it’s unsurprising that it lasted for four years.

However, it couldn’t keep up with the aggressive, uber-optimistic price prediction.

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Stop saying, "If I Die..."]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/stop-saying-if-i-diehttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/stop-saying-if-i-dieFri, 12 Jun 2026 14:26:03 GMTMy mom often says, “If I die….”

I sometimes accidentally say the same thing.

The “if” is a cognitive security blanket I pull over my head so I can pretend that death — the only thing every single human being who has ever lived has accomplished — might somehow not apply to me. As though the universe looked at my particular assortment of questionable decisions and said, “This one, we keep.”

It will not say that. I am, biologically speaking, a disaster in slow motion. I have a weakening knee. I have eaten gas station sushi. Twice. I once stayed up until 3 am reading reviews for a blender I did not buy.

“If I die, give my record collection to someone who will actually appreciate it.”

Wrong.

“When I die, some stranger at an estate sale is going to pay $4 for a crate containing my entire personality.”

The “if” started innocently enough. Parents use it. “If something happens to me...” they say, then trail off.

But I’ve decided to stop. As an act of radical honesty, I am replacing every “if I die” with “when I die,” and I am inviting you to join me in this terrifying linguistic journey.

Share

Let’s try

Before: “If I die, make sure the kids know I loved them.”

After: “When I die, make sure the kids know I loved them — and also that the router password is taped inside the drawer.”

Subscribe now

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[Rwanda Chapter for "The Unseen Africa"]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/rwanda-chapter-for-the-unseen-africahttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/rwanda-chapter-for-the-unseen-africaWed, 10 Jun 2026 22:26:17 GMTDear WanderLearners,

Greetings from the Galapagos Islands!

I’m following Darwin’s footsteps, or should I say handsteps?

In the Galapagos, Darwin was taking notes that would lead to his opus, The Origin of the Species.

Similarly, I’m penning a chapter on Rwanda in my opus, The Unseen Africa.

This difference is that Darwin will have sold 1 million copies for every copy I sell.

But who cares!? I’m enjoying it.

And I hope you are, too.

Scroll down below to see photos of Rwanda, covering places I mention in the chapter.

Also, you can download the 168,000-word file, including chapter 38, which is about Rwanda.

This was a challenging chapter because Rwanda is filled with drama, and I have a sharp tongue.

Let me know your thoughts.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[72-Year-Olds Admit Their Parenting Mistakes]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/72-year-olds-admit-their-parentinghttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/72-year-olds-admit-their-parentingFri, 05 Jun 2026 10:44:53 GMTSym Blanchard & Joan Chan discuss the ups and downs of their parenting journey. They are both around 72 years old. Each had a boy and a girl with their exes.

They candidly share their mistakes and how things turned out decades later.

Timeline

00:00 Two parents made 4 children

02:00 Sym’s daughter

04:20 Teenagers

06:00 Cultural difference

09:00 Change after 40

16:20 Sym’s mistakes

21:50 Kids having kids

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

10. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[The Unseen Africa: Burundi Chapter ]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-unseen-africa-burundi-chapterhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-unseen-africa-burundi-chapterSun, 31 May 2026 13:23:21 GMTTo celebrate nearly 1,000 Substack subscribers (a.k.a., WanderLearners), I am giving the paid subscribers access to the draft of my upcoming book, The Unseen Africa: 8 Years of Overland Travel to All 54 African Countries.

Summit of Burundi's tallest peak
Summit of Burundi’s tallest peakI have thick skin, so feel free to insult me.

I’m releasing a chapter before I go to Ecuador & Peru for nearly a month.

My book is 164,000 words already. That’s 100,000 more words than many books!

I still have 17 chapters to go, so it will be hard to keep it under 300,000 words—about the size of The Hidden Europe before I cut it in half.

Therefore, I’m doing my best to be succinct with the new chapters I write.

Burundi is a tiny country, so I had to keep it short—and I did.

Photos

I wish I could include many photos in the book, but that will increase the page count, cost of production, weight, and price. So I’ll include a few photos from Burundi to help you visualize what I discuss in the chapter.

Guide up the tallest mt of Burundi
Guide up the tallest mt of Burundi
The pyramid symbolizing the start of the Nile
The pyramid symbolizing the start of the Nile
A few locals are joining us on the pyramid
A few locals are joining us on the pyramid
Source of the Nile
Source of the Nile

Read more

]]><![CDATA[2 Skeptics Try Earthing & Grounding! Results?]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/2-skeptics-try-earthing-and-groundinghttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/2-skeptics-try-earthing-and-groundingFri, 29 May 2026 10:44:05 GMTIs grounding & earthing BS?

I interview two skeptical people. Hear what happened.

Timeline

00:00 Car accidents

04:55 Intro to Earthing

08:00 Placebo effect?

11:30 The Limits of Grounding

14:50 How to start

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

  1. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[The Downsides of Dating a Nomad]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-downsides-of-dating-a-nomadhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/the-downsides-of-dating-a-nomadFri, 22 May 2026 12:19:36 GMTSym Blanchard has appeared on many WanderLearn episodes. In this 3-part series, Sym appears with his sweetheart, Joan Chan.

Both are in their early 70s. I love elders because they usually don’t give a fuck what others think of them. They’re the opposite of teenagers. Elders are genuine, transparent, and wise.

They’re also human, as this three-part series will reveal. Watch it:

Subscribe now

Timeline

00:00 How they met

05:00 First night together

8:00 First trip

11:00 Downsides of nomads

16:00 Relationship management

Share

What do you think?

Put your thoughts in the comments.

Leave a comment

Connect

Send me an anonymous voicemail at SpeakPipe.com/FTapon

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my Substack newsletter.

If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!

On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on:

Sponsors

1. My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron for as little as $2/month at https://Patreon.com/FTapon

2. For the best travel credit card, get one of the Chase Sapphire cards and get 75-100k bonus miles!

3. Get $5 when you sign up for Roamless, my favorite global eSIM with its unlimited hotspot & data that never expires! Use code LR32K

4. Or get 5% off when you sign up with Saily, another global eSIM with a built-in VPN & ad blocker.

5. Get 25% off when you sign up for Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in.

6. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free!

7. In the United States, I recommend trading cryptocurrency with Kraken.

8. Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees!

9. For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear

  1. Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing!

]]><![CDATA[1,000 Subscribers! Thank you!]]>https://ftapon.substack.com/p/1000-subscribers-thank-youhttps://ftapon.substack.com/p/1000-subscribers-thank-youWed, 20 May 2026 17:06:02 GMTThank you, Sande, my 1,000th Substack subscriber!

Naturally, the other 999 of you are equally valuable!

Thank you to Adam Gasner for being my first Founding Member and Sym Blanchard for being my first paid member!

When you create content, you often feel like you’re speaking to a wall. Even when you have 1,000 Substack subscribers or 4,500 YouTube subscribers, it’s sometimes a lonely endeavor: crickets.

Still, I’m grateful for days like today.

So, thank you!

Next goal: 2,000 subs by August 2026!

Francis Tapon

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