Reviving History’s Forgotten Female Adventurers w/ Elise Wortley

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel like a great historical adventurer? 

Today I am joined by Elise Wortley, a journalist on a mission to quite literally walk in the shoes of some of history’s most fierce female explorers.

After reading Alexandra David-Néel’s book My Journey to Lhasa at age 16 (and again at 28), Elise was left with many questions about the trials and tribulations Alexandra must have faced being a female traveler in the early 1900s. In search of answers, she set off to India to follow in the author’s footsteps, using only items that would have been available during the original journey - a Yak wool coat and wooden backpack. This trip has snowballed into multiple adventures sprinkled throughout the globe, tracing footprints from the past.

If you love adventure, you will not want to miss this episode. Elise shares epic stories from her travels and describes exactly what it was like to travel without modern luxuries, important lessons she’s learned from the journeys, actions she took to start her first journey, and so much more. 

Which modern technology do you think would be the hardest to give up when traveling? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you will share them by sending me an audio message.

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Today’s episode is brought to you by The North Face - providing athlete-tested Jackets that are proven to be highly insulated, warm, breathable & durable so you can focus on what matters. It’s more than a jacket, it’s a calling to get out and explore. Get yours today in stores or at www.thenorthface.com.

This episode is also brought to you by US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card, earn up to 6% cash back at selected stores. Visit https://usbank.com/shopper to get $250 Cashback after spending $2000 in the first 120 days of opening your account.

We also proudly support the About the Journey podcast. Host Oneka Raymond takes you around North America to answer the question what does it mean to travel better? Search for About the Journey today wherever you get your podcasts!

Tune In To Learn:

• Why do female adventures lack the same recognition as their male counterparts
• How Elise conducts research on history's forgotten female explorers
• The book that led Elise down the path of reliving adventures from the past
• How Elise came up with the inspiration for her first adventure
• The importance of bringing stories from the past back to life
• How to walk the walk and not just talk about it
• What it felt like to wear historical clothing during big treks & how others reacted
• Hacks for finding and creating old-school adventure gear
• Lessons from traveling without technology and how it will change your relationship with your phone
• Why adventure is for anyone and everyone
• Highlights from traveling through the Valley of The Assasins in Iran (Elise’s most recent trip)
• Advice for anyone who is looking to do something different with their lives
• How Elise’s projects help fund charities and what’s next
• And so much more

Resources:

• Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport
• The North Face, US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Card, & About the Journey - Today's Sponsors
• Check out Woman with Altitude
• Learn more about Elise
• Get your copy of My Journey to Lhasa (the book that changed Elise’s life)
• Follow Elise on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Want More?

• Inspiring Female Adventurers Series: Around America And Beyond with Renata Chlumska 
• 3 years Alone On Foot: An Interview With Sarah Marquis
• The Only Woman To Walk Around The World: Inspiring Female Adventurers Series with Polly Letofsky