Angel Castellanos, (Castayanos) (www.AngelsTravelLounge.com) is a passionate world traveler, freelance travel writer, content producer and nationally recognized speaker dedicated to helping people travel smart, well and often. Traveling to over 80 countries on 5 continents (and counting), Angel travels 12-14 weeks internationally each year and draws on his experience and frequent travels to teach “Smart Travel” and equip travelers with the skills they need to make travel easy and enjoyable. Angel is a multi-media travel personality and travel expert that has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Fox News, CBS, ABC, Univision, Frommers Radio, USA Today & Travel & Adventure Show and New York Times Travel Show.  Angel is also the executive producer and host of the travel and adventure tv show Hot Spots debuting in Europe in Asia in late 2021. 

Show Notes:

00:00 

• Angel reads an excerpt he wrote in March of 2020 - at the beginning of the pandemic

00:45

• Intro to Angel 

4:01

• Angel discusses the excerpt at the beginning and talks about his retrospective post while he was in Brazil

4:57 

• Drea asks about the transition from traveling so often to a halt once the pandemic kicked in.  Angel talks about mental health and how much he realized the isolation at home really affected him.  He traveled to Mexico in the summer and he realized how important it was for him and for the local economy there. 
• The global effect of the pandemic and how everyone was feeling the same way all at the same time
• Some of the positive effects of the pandemic 
• How the pandemic affects connection when you travel

9:27

• Angel defines travel and what it means to him 

10:20

• Angel discusses where his love for travel all started

12:45

• Angel is a renowned travel expert who has spoken on news channels and has offered sound advice for many outlets.  He explains that journey to that title.  
• He talks about his company, Travel Ambassador 

15:40 

• Drea discusses Angel’s incredible ability to speak well.  
• Angel shares that he actually speaks 3 languages

17:38 

• Angel talks about slow travel and how that all started for him
• What is slow travel?  Angel shares what that looks like and the meaning of slow travel
• His best slow travel trip was from Beijing to London on the train - And stopping along the way in Mongolia. Siberia, Poland, etc in 7 Weeks!

23:59

• Packing tips from Angel

25:59 

• Angel talks about the beginning and the lack of fear he had.  He was fearless because he was young and really ambitious

27:59

• Angel talks about some of the challenges he has faced when he has been traveling
• Flexibility 
• Pandemic and the lack of connection
• Angel shares some interesting stories in Brazil and a passport situation in Turkey, Bribing his way out of Egypt TWICE!

35:00 

• Angel shares the two most valuable things he has learned while traveling 

36:00

• Angel talks about Traveling with a purpose and his evolution of travel 
• Eco Tourism

41:00 

• Angel talks about his most fulfilling moment when he travels

42:00

• Angel shares his most meaningful people he’s ever met while he was traveling.  He is still friends with them today.  

46:00 

• Angel...