Nikki turned 40 last September, and she hadn't traveled internationally in almost half that time. So she decided to give herself the gift of getting back out there by joining a group trip to Cuba with her best friend of 28 years and one of my frequent travelers, Danielle.

In this episode, we talk about being intentional with how you define yourself when the old labels start falling away, the fear of letting more time pass versus the fear of finally taking the plunge, and what it means to feel financially, emotionally, and physically ready in a way you weren't in earlier seasons of life.

And since this is Cuba, the conversation is also about choosing gratitude in hard places, singing at the top of your lungs in the back of a classic car, and the kind of female friendship that lifts you up instead of competing with you.

If you've ever stuck a trip on the back burner because life kept getting in the way, this one's for you.

Upcoming Trips Mentioned

• Camp Lola Whiskey (August 27-30, 2026)
• Greece (September 19-27, 2026)

Links & Resources (Danielle + Nikki)

• Danielle's Instagram: @yeahdani
• Nikki's Instagram: @w0witsnikki

Links & Resources (Laura)

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips
• Check out our podcast page
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you're listening.

Most of us have grabbed a bottle of SPF 50 at the airport without reading a single ingredient. And most of us have stood at the edge of the water thinking we're doing the right thing because the label says "reef safe." Christina Kuklinski would like a word.

She quit a career that was killing her, spent two years diving the world's most protected reef systems, watched her hair break off from daily saltwater exposure, and couldn't find a single product that solved the problem without making the reef situation worse. So she built one.

Kook is an ocean-first beauty brand that's B Corp certified and donates 5% of revenue to mangrove restoration. But most importantly, the products actual work and don't damage the ocean's fragile ecosystem.

In this episode, Christina pulls back the curtain on what "clean beauty" and "reef safe" really mean, how your sunscreen is affecting the ocean (even on days you never get in the water), and what self-care actually looks like when you're sweaty, sun-baked, and bouncing between time zones.

She also gets real about burnout, the identity crisis that comes with walking away from a high-earning career, and why the best business ideas usually come from the thing that's been driving you absolutely crazy.

And if you're coming to Camp Lola Whiskey this summer, you'll get to try Kook firsthand — Christina is one of our amazing sponsors and will have samples at camp.

If you can't wait until camp, all listeners can use code TYPE2TRAVEL20 for 20% off your first order at gotkook.com.

Upcoming Trips Mentioned

• Camp Lola Whiskey (August 27-30, 2026)
• Greece (September 19-27, 2026)

Links & Resources (Christina)

• Website: gotkook.com
• Instagram: @got.kook

Links & Resources (Laura)

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips
• Check out our podcast page
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you're listening.

Katie Holden didn't come to the points and miles game because she wanted a hobby. She came because she needed to make travel work on a real budget. Like funding a nine-month family gap year on $50 a day budget. Once she did, she realized there wasn't a lot of good information out there for people in her exact situation. So she built it herself.

Katie is the founder of Katie's Travel Tricks, and her philosophy is simple: you shouldn't have to pay money to learn how to save money. Whether you're brand new to this or you've been at it for years, her approach is the kind of refreshingly practical advice that actually sticks.

In this episode, we get into the mistakes most beginners make, the Chase 5/24 rule, a card combo she swears by that most people have never heard of, and why she won't let anyone on her team use the word "devaluation."

If points and miles have ever felt overcomplicated or just not designed for the way you actually travel, this is the conversation you've been waiting for.

Links & Resources (Katie)

• Website: katiestraveltricks.com
• Podcast: Points for Normal People
• Instagram: @katiestraveltricks

Links & Resources (Laura)

• Follow my personal IG: @lolawhiskey
• Follow my business IG: @lauraericsongrouptrips
• Follow our podcast: @type2travelpodcast
• Learn more about upcoming trips
• Check out our podcast page
• Join my Facebook group: @lolalovestravel

Thanks for being here! As always, rate, review, share with a friend, and tag us if you're listening.