S2, Ep. 17: The Real Heroes of Machu Picchu

Marinel de Jesus is the type of outdoors-person the world needs more of. As the founder of The Porter Voice Collective, Marinel advocates for porters’ rights in top international trekking destinations including Peru and the Himalayas. She rallies for better working conditions, pay, and even food for the hard-working porters lugging our gear up the world’s highest peaks – and after hearing her speak about the cause you’d be hard-pressed to not want to sign on.

In Hot Takes, Tim ponders a digital nomad he met briefly at the Denver airport and wonders aloud if he’s a stalker for continuing to follow this guy on social. Eben makes his case for Dry January being bullsh*t, and the two discuss the pros of ordering two drinks at the same time when at a busy bar.

Show Notes

Marinel de Jesus is the type of outdoors-person the world needs more of. As the founder of The Porter Voice Collective, Marinel advocates for porters’ rights in top international trekking destinations including Peru and the Himalayas. She rallies for better working conditions, pay, and even food for the hard-working porters lugging our gear up the world’s highest peaks – and after hearing her speak about the cause you’d be hard-pressed to not want to sign on. 

An avid trekker herself, Marinel and the crew dive into packing for treks, including what isn’t necessary to bring along (key takeaway – keep it simple, stupid). They also discuss Marinel’s other project, Equity Global Treks, which highlights long-distance jaunts led by women, for women. The trio also hit on what travelers can do to ensure that porters on their trip are treated fairly, and how to vet a tour company for proper treatment of staff. 

In Hot Takes, Tim ponders a digital nomad he met briefly at the Denver airport and wonders aloud if he’s a stalker for continuing to follow this guy on social. Eben makes his case for Dry January being bullsh*t, and the two discuss the pros of ordering two drinks at the same time when at a busy bar. 

Relevant Links:

• The Porter Voice Collective
• Equity Global Treks
• The Transformational Travel Council (how Tim and Marinel know each other)
• Tim’s Instagram
• Eben’s Instagram

News of the Day:

• The strangest sex laws around the world
• Diplo took to TikTok to expose what Tulum is really like these days

BONUS: What you need to know before visiting Machu Picchu

What is No Blackout Dates?

No Blackout Dates, hosted by Eben Diskin and Tim Wenger, is the official podcast of Matador Network and provides a truly unfiltered and honest look at the world of travel and adventure. Join these two travel writers each week for completely raw stories from the road that any responsible editor would (and has) cut from print. They talk about what it’s like to travel for a living, introduce you to the wild characters they’ve met along the way -- from astronauts and flight attendants to Amsterdam sex workers -- and expose a side of the travel lifestyle that Rick Steves doesn’t want you to know about. No Blackout Dates introduces you to the beautiful, bizarre, and batsh*t crazy world of travel!