Melissa Rodway Why Travel Changes Us and How to Know When It Is Time to Go Home

Every so often, you meet someone whose stories open a wider doorway into what adventure can teach us. My conversation with Melissa Rodway brought me into the quiet truths of travel, the power of humor, and the way purpose often appears when we least expect it.

Melissa is a writer, journalist, and global traveler who has spent years observing human nature with curiosity and heart. Her debut book The People You Meet grew out of a four month journey across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. What started as simple emails written during long rides became the foundation for a book she revisited fifteen years later. She also created Fly Travel Radio, hosting more than 180 episodes, and recently stepped into standup comedy, blending honesty with lightness in a way that reflects her natural storytelling voice. 

In this conversation, Melissa shares how travel shifts as we grow, how intuition guides her next steps, and why some places feel instantly familiar while others never fully land. We talk about travel burnout, the art of knowing when it is time to go home, and the difference between joining someone else’s adventure and creating your own. Melissa also opens up about connection, humor as a universal bridge, and the unexpected moments that shape us on the road.

Takeaways from this episode

•  Knowing when to pause or go home is an important part of every journey.
•  Humor can create connection faster than anything else on the road.
•  Purpose often appears when you choose to create meaning for yourself.
•  Some places feel like home for reasons the mind cannot explain.

Learn more about Melissa

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fly_travel_media
• Website: https://www.flyrodway.com
• Podcast Archive: https://on.soundcloud.com/bLhpxbhiQRk0J0mTWW
• The People You Meet book: https://a.co/d/6PCUKN4

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