337: Finding the Crab Whisperer in Cameroon, Traveling with Beaker from the Muppets, and Being Changed Forever in Iran with Phil Marcus

337: Finding the Crab Whisperer in Cameroon, Traveling with Beaker from the Muppets, and Being Changed Forever in Iran with Phil Marcus

Author: Matt Bowles: Full-Time World Traveler Since 2013 May 19, 2025 Duration: 1:03:29
Hear unique stories from traveling to 190 countries including Cameroon, Iran, China, India, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Phil Marcus joins Matt and starts off talking about his adventure trying to visit the Crab Whisperer in Rhumsiki, Cameroon to find out if he will ever get married. He then explains how his early interest in travel developed, shares his career trajectory in entrepreneurship and music, and how he eventually embarked on a 6 month journey through Asia that would turn into something much longer. Phil tells the story of how he made a last minute decision to take Beaker from the Muppets with him on his trip, and how it turned out to be life changing and created very unique opportunities for deeper cultural connections. Phil then talks about literally rolling into his 100th country, deciding to visit every country in the world, and starting his YouTube channel “Phil’s Guide to the World”. He talks about his highly impactful trips to Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and how Iran changed him forever. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally You can buy me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes! :)

There’s a certain texture to life lived in motion, a collection of stories that emerge not from postcards but from the messy, beautiful reality of planting roots in foreign soil. The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders captures that essence through long-form conversations hosted by Matt Bowles, who has been navigating the world full-time since 2013. This isn't a guidebook podcast; it’s a series of intimate dialogues, often unfolding casually over a shared bottle of wine, where the destination is understanding. You’ll hear from a diverse range of voices-expats, digital nomads, women forging paths abroad, and diaspora storytellers-each sharing the raw, unfiltered nuances of what happens when you cross borders for good. The focus is on the human narrative beneath the itinerary: the cultural misunderstandings that become breakthroughs, the loneliness and liberation, and the profound ways a global life reshapes identity. Listening feels like pulling up a chair at a cafe somewhere in the world, eavesdropping on a conversation that’s equally about internal discovery as it is about geographic change. Matt’s own experience as a long-term traveler informs these discussions, steering them toward the substantive lessons learned far from home. If you’ve ever wondered about the true weight and wonder of building a life between cultures, this podcast offers a genuine, thoughtful window into that journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Maverick Show: Global Travel Stories & Life Beyond Borders
Podcast Episodes
370: A New Year’s Message from Matt Bowles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:40
Learn how to schedule a free video call with Matt and lock in special discounts on 2026 trips and travel conferences. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, cu…