WanderLearn With

Francis Tapon
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Who is Francis Tapon?

Francis Tapon is the author of Hike Your Own Hike and The Hidden Europe. He has traveled to 125 countries. He has walked across America four times, Spain twice, and Madagascar once. From 2013-2018, he traveled overland nonstop to all 54 African countries. In 2019, he was inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. He also spent 2021-2024 in Africa; thus, he spent 8 years in the hot continent. In 2025, he plans to release his book & film, The Unseen Africa.
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About Francis Tapon
Francis Tapon is the white guy in this photo, which was taken 100 km away from Agadez, Niger.
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What are experts saying?

“Francis Tapon provides us with a wide-ranging personal and historical travelogue. . . . The result is one of the world's most personal, idiosyncratic, and unorthodox cultural and historical travel guide. It's really an impressive and ambitious book.”
Michael Krasny
Michael Krasny Host on KQED's Forum
"The Hidden Europe is an invigorating narrative packed with useful tips and colorful stories. . . . I had so much fun reading through this book. And it covers every country and every corner of Eastern Europe with a beautiful breezy style, with a fun, intimate report on how Francis enjoyed 3 years exploring Eastern Europe."
Rick Steves
Rick Steves Travel Expert
“Francis Tapon is a modern-day Marco Polo, though unlike Marco Polo he has taken a nude sauna with a gorgeous Finnish woman. So maybe even a little better than Marco Polo. His book The Hidden Europe is a great adventure story.”
AJ Jacobs
AJ Jacobs Bestselling Author
Kilometers traveled
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Many words and expressions irritate me when people misuse them.

Here's my ongoing list.

"You can't compare X with Y..."

In this episode, I destroy the inaccurate expression that says, "You can't compare...." About 99% of the time, you CAN compare anything with

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Who you vote for in the 2024 US Presidential election matters little if you don't live in Maine, Nebraska, or a battleground state. 

If you want to be highly pedantic and annoying, you could argue that your vote matters even in non-swing states like California.

That's because if

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On the 100th anniversary of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's death on Mount Everest, I interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards, author of Mallory, Irvine, and Everest: The Last Step But One, which reexamined their mysterious

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How do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hikeoffers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs. 

In my first TEDx Talk, I

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In 2022, I delivered this speech at the inaugural Extraordinary Travel Festival in Yerevan, Armenia.

I was the only in-person speaker invited to speak again at the 2nd conference. Why?

Because the

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Eric Gilbertson is attempting to climb every country's high point. He's two-thirds done.

His clone (Matthew Gilbertson) is joining him for most of the mountains. You can ...

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Africa is a destination that offers extraordinary landscapes, vibrant cultures, and unforgettable wildlife experiences. Whether you're exploring the savannahs of Kenya, trekking the mountains of Morocco, or enjoying the

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