People on the Move
Some people travel to find themselves. In contrast, others travel to lose themselves in a new landscape. The individuals documented here represent both ends of that spectrum. They are people who have built their lives around movement, whether that means a seasonal shift or a permanent relocation. Their stories explore the internal curiosity required to keep moving when the path ahead isn’t always clear.
NAO has been documenting these journeys since the beginning. Because travel is more than just a change of scenery, these conversations focus on the internal shift that happens when you leave home. Indeed, the best stories are often found when you stop looking at the map and start looking at the world.
THE ARCHIVE OF MOVEMENT
The journey begins with individuals like , who has returned to the San Fermín festival in Pamplona for decades. His story is about the specific pull of a place that remains honest despite the crowds. Similarly, the move to southern Spain led to create Algeria De La Vida. Because she understands the rhythm of the hills above Malaga, her interview serves as a study in slow travel and intuitive hospitality.
The intersection of art and location is perhaps best captured by , a concert pianist who took a Fulbright to Vienna and never left. He offers a unique look at how a city can shape a career. This sense of cultural transition is also a central theme for. As a Colombian photographer based in Amsterdam, she explores what gets lost between cultures. Because she carries two identities, her story is essential for anyone living between two worlds. Finally, proves that the long way around often leads to the most authentic destination, having traded a career at the United Nations for a sustainable retreat in Catalonia.
WHY THESE STORIES MATTER
Every interview in the archive follows a similar thread. We look for the moment where the traveler becomes a local. We ask about the practicalities of the move, the lessons learned from getting things wrong, and the rewards of staying long enough to understand the “invisible rules” of a place.
The result is a collection of stories that act as a map for your own journey. Whether you are planning a move or just looking for a new perspective, these individuals offer proof that the world is smaller—and more welcoming—than we are often told.
IN-DEPTH Europe — The continent that rewards the slow traveller more than any other. Ancient cities, regional cuisines that change every hundred kilometres, and a train network that makes it possible to wake up in one country and have dinner in another. The NAO Europe guide covers it all — from the obvious capitals to the places most people fly over.
IN-DEPTH North America — Road trips, national parks, cities that operate like countries unto themselves. North America is bigger than most people who live there fully appreciate. The NAO guide covers the scale honestly — what to prioritise, where to go beyond the obvious, and how to navigate a continent that doesn’t always make it easy.
IN-DEPTH Africa — The most misunderstood continent in travel media. Diverse beyond any single description, with landscapes, cultures, and histories that most Western coverage gets wrong or ignores entirely. The NAO Africa guide goes in without assumptions and comes back with something honest.
IN-DEPTH Latin America — From the Caribbean coast of Colombia to the mountains of Peru, Latin America is the region that consistently surprises the people who show up expecting one thing and find something else entirely. The food alone is worth the flight.
IN-DEPTH Asia — The largest continent on earth, covered across multiple episodes. Street food in Thailand. History in Japan. Architecture in India. The rhythms of Southeast Asia that reset your relationship with time. Asia is the region that most travellers say changed them the most. The NAO guide explains why.
How NAO Covers Travel
Every IN-DEPTH guide follows the same approach. Start with what makes a place itself — the history, the culture, the food, the specific details that don’t make it into the top ten lists. Then go into the practical — what to do, where to go, how long to stay, what to skip. Then add the firsthand layer — what it actually felt like to be there, the things that surprised us, the things we’d do differently.
The result is something between a travel guide and a travel story. Useful enough to plan a trip. Honest enough to feel like a conversation with someone who has actually been there.
No affiliate hotel recommendations pretending to be editorial. No sponsored content dressed up as advice. Just the places, the experiences, and the stories that came out of them.
The Full Guide List
The complete collection of NAO travel guides is organised by region and updated regularly as new episodes are published. Start with the continent that’s calling you. Go from there.
Europe. North America. Africa. Latin America. Asia.
Pick one. The rest will follow.