Episode 191: The People You Meet with Melissa Rodway

“If you constantly feel like you’re meant to be doing something else, then you probably are.”

— Melissa Rodway

This week, we’re honored to welcome Melissa Rodway to the campfire, author, podcast host, and lifelong adventurer who lives by a simple but unsettling truth. If you constantly feel like you are meant to be doing something else, you probably are. Melissa has followed that inner agitation across continents, letting curiosity and discomfort guide her toward a more honest life.

Melissa takes us deep into her multi month journey through Southeast Asia, traveling through Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. What began as an open ended backpacking trip became something far more personal. From leech filled jungle treks and chaotic ferry rides to unexpected luxury resorts and powerful encounters with locals, Melissa shares how travel stripped away distractions and forced her to confront herself. You cannot escape your own head by changing countries. But you can learn to listen to it.

In this episode, we explore the meaning of agitation, the courage to leave a life that no longer fits, and the wisdom of knowing when a journey is complete. We talk about resilience, human connection, and why the real story of any adventure is not the destination but the people you meet. Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about paying attention to what lights you up and having the bravery to follow it.

Scott and Melissa also discuss:

00:00 Welcome to Campfire + Meet Travel Writer Melissa Rodway
02:50 The ‘Agitation’ Signal: Listening to Your Body When Life Feels Off
05:53 What Sparked Southeast Asia: Quitting the Job & Becoming the ‘Plus One’
07:31 Writing as a Lifeline: Weekly Internet Cafés, Purpose, and a Book 15 Years Later
10:00 ‘Order Is Restored’: Finding What Lights You Up (and Letting It Change)
16:13 A Life Built on Adventure: Early Travel, Meeting Her Partner, and Going Bigger
18:10 The Route & the Rhythm: 90% Backpacking, 10% Luxury (and Rolling In Dirty)
22:34 Thailand Highlights: Songkran, Getting Lost, and Handling Predicaments
26:14 Thailand’s Dark Side: Confronting the Sex Industry
01:57 Into Laos: Culture Shock, Less English, and the Jungle Trek from Hell
28:35 Leech Horror Story in Laos (and Why You Don’t Wear Shorts)
29:10 Laos’ Untold History: The Secret War & Unexploded Bombs
30:04 Laos Highlights: Luang Prabang Vibes & Remote Slow-Boat Villages
31:41 Cambodia Magic: Resilient People, Dark History & the Bamboo Train
34:15 Vietnam: Hustle Culture, Hydrofoil Hell & Coastal Beauty
38:19 China Challenges: Heat, Culture Shock & the Rural Roundhouse Stay
40:07 What Hard Travel Teaches: Resilience, Limits, and Knowing When You’re Done
41:07 Why the Book Is Called “The People You Meet” + Solo vs Group Travel
44:39 East vs West: Community, Simplicity, and Why “More” Never Satisfies
47:16 Calling It: The Moment She Knew It Was Time to Go Home
50:50 Where to Get the Book + The Podcast Chapter (and What It Gave Her)
54:10 Hollywood Casting, Lady Gaga, and the Final Send-Off