Let’s talk about flights.
Like, long flights. International flights. Flights where suddenly you’ve got hours upon hours in a cramped up space and you have to entertain yourself.
You might be surprised to learn this, but, despite being a full-time traveler, I actually hate flying.
I get a little plane sick. I get a little jittery being stuck in such small spaces. And I have found over the years that, despite having a long, uninterrupted stretch of time, I can’t get much real work done on a plane.
So instead I entertain myself with books, TV show marathons, and (you guessed it) great podcasts.
I haven’t talked about my podcast loves on here before, so I thought I’d share some of them with you today. If you’ve got a long flight coming up, these are pretty binge-worthy:
1. My Favorite Murder
Most of you have probably already heard of it, but I’ll start here anyway: I adore My Favorite Murder. It’s true crime meets comedy from some of the most delightful podcast personalities you’ll ever meet (including a very vocal cat). If you’re into true crime, this is the podcast for you.
2. Modern Love
You know those gorgeous essays the New York Times publishes on all things love? Here are some of the best of them read aloud by celebrities. Bring tissues. Some of these are tear-jerkers.
3. Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
If you’re looking for a comedy podcast, this one’s for you. The idea? A doctor and her comedic husband talk us through nonsense medicine from bygone eras. The episodes on birth control and urine are particularly hilarious. And, bonus, if you’d got a kid listening along, there’s no swearing.
4. Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
This game show podcast invites 3 – 5 super smart contestants to tell us something we don’t know. From killer snails to faking your own death, there are interesting, obscure facts here for everyone. Plus a little comedy thrown in by judges, fact-checkers, and the host.
(Fun random fact: every time I listen, I think of Croatia, since I binge-listened to multiple seasons while in Dubrovnik last winter.)
5. The Thinking Atheist
Even if you’re not an atheist (because I know the title just freaked some of you out), this interesting, thoughtful podcast might have a few episodes that make you think. The host, Seth Andrews, covers everything from naturopathy to the Satanic Panic (an episode that’ll probably make you laugh if you grew up in the 80s/90s) to bitcoin, all through a lens of skepticism. He’s also damn good at holding religious leaders accountable and doing so without malice.
6. Zealot
With a somewhat similar format to My Favorite Murder, this is a comedy podcast about cults. And who doesn’t love a good cult? Every episode the host and a guest discuss one of the world’s cults (past or present), with humor and a little goofiness.
7. No, You Go
This brand new podcast is run by some smart content strategy and web thinkers and is (in their own words) “all about helping you figure out what to do with your life (even if you ought to know by now)”. Start with their interview with Eileen Webb.
8. Science Vs.
Does MDMA have any legitimate medical uses? How effective is birth control, really? Are vitamins and supplements actually helpful? Does taking away guns actually reduce risk or increase it? This podcast tries to answer these questions and more with the latest science. It’s fascinating.
9. 88 Cups of Tea with Yin Chang
Writing a novel? Finishing up a screenplay? Hoping for some inspiration from other authors? This lovely podcast is for you. Bright, bubbly hostess Yin Chang interviews a different author each week, talking about everything from craft to how to make time for writing if you’ve got a house full of kids.
Now, what have I missed? What podcasts should I be binge-listening to on my next big flight?