Episode 49 Finding Yourself through Travel with Journalist Luke Russert

Luke Russert is an Emmy-award winning journalist who left his career covering American politics on NBC Nightly News, TODAY, and MSNBC to travel the world. After the death of his father, the legendary journalist Tim Russert, Luke set out on a three month trip that turned into three years as he traveled to six continents covering 67 countries. He journaled every step of the way, and it was only upon returning — in his grandmother’s kitchen in San Francisco — that he realized his journey was much greater than his trip. He turned his journal entries into a NY Times Bestseller, Look for Me There, which details how travel helped him process his grief and ultimately led to self-discovery. 

Through beautiful storytelling, Luke shares the greatest lessons he learned on his adventure around the world. From profound moments of awe in New Zealand to his travels in the birthplace of wine in Tbilisi, Georgia to one of the best meals he (and Melissa) have ever eaten in Uruguay; Luke shares a deeply personal, internal journey and reminds us of the power in travel. 

Lightning Round Q&A with Luke:

• Earliest travel memory? Riding in the back of my Grandpa’s station wagon on the way to see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls from Buffalo. I’ll admit, the Canadian side is prettier!
• Most memorable souvenir? I was at a crafts market in rural not far from Lake Titicaca and picked up a crystal necklace. The seller said in Spanish, “That’s the stone of writers.” I set it next to my desk while when I wrote Look For Me There so I guess it worked!
• Favorite meal from your travels? Very hard, Turkish, Vietnamese and Georgian food were my tops but I’d say the Georgian Khinkali meat dumpling with local spices in Tbilisi just hit different.
• Favorite book or a book you think everyone should read? The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Ayer.
• Favorite notebook for journaling? I pick up different ones all over but my rules are: Must have rings so it can lay flat on either side, small enough to carry easily and large enough to not get lost.
• Top 5 destinations for awe-inspiring nature? South Island of New Zealand, Dalton Highway of Alaska, Southern Patagonia in Argentina, Coast of Oman, Andean Mountains of Colombia

Tune in live: August 24, 2023 at 12 p.m. ET

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