Why I Let the Voices in My Head Start a Podcast; The Link— CompassChaos13

Always Feral … Never Fragile

Get honest truths, internal commentary and tips about traveling the world and working in the industry. This is how it all started…. click on the link above or read below.

🎙️ The Honest Truth (Heather)

I didn’t wake up one morning thinking, “You know what the world desperately needs? Another travel podcast.” Honestly, I thought I was managing pretty well, considering I am enshrined with two very opinionated voices in my head. For years, Compass and Chaos bickered quietly in the background while I worked, traveled, raised a family, and tried to live a fairly ordinary life.

But here’s the thing: the more I traveled, the louder they became. Compass wanted color-coded itineraries, emergency funds, and bail money “just in case.” Chaos wanted me to crumple up the itineraries, trust strangers, and say yes to whatever weird, beautiful, or messy thing the world threw at me.

For decades, I resisted. I told myself these were just quirks of my personality. But over 30 countries later, I realized I wasn’t just juggling voices—I was carrying stories too big to keep quiet.

So, I gave up fighting them. And for once, I’ll let Compass and Chaos speak for themselves.

🧭 Meet Compass (in her own words)

“Hello, Hola, and Kalimera! My name is Compass, and I am the voice of structure, direction, and caution. I don’t leave home without backup plans, photocopies of important documents, and emergency cash hidden away. If Chaos had her way, we’d spend the night in a random stranger’s flat with no idea how to get back. If I had my way, we’d always know the rules—and the fastest way out of trouble.

I thrive in old libraries, town halls, and ancient ruins. I believe travel is meant to be enlightening and enriching. Give me dusty archives and a quiet café, and I’ll uncover the untold stories of a place.

Once, I tried to keep a proper travel journal. Fifty pages in, Chaos hijacked it. She said my record-keeping was boring. It was devastating, really. But here I am, still trying to keep us organized, even when she tears up my plans.”

🌪️ Meet Chaos (in her own words)

“Hey hey, Salaam, and Guten Tag! I’m Chaos—the unpredictable spark that makes travel worth it. If Compass is the one stashing bail money, I’m the reason we end up needing it.

I’m the voice that says, ‘Yes, let’s take that unmarked path in the Moroccan desert.’ I’m the one who convinces Heather to jump into the ocean fully clothed, join strangers at their wedding, or climb something labeled ‘Do Not Enter.’

Do things always go smoothly? Absolutely not. Do they always make the best stories? Every. Single. Time.

I thrive in the unexpected—the missed trains, the language mishaps, the nights that go way too late. That’s where strangers become family, where laughter replaces fear, and where the world cracks open in ways you never imagined.

Do I have little shame, even less of a filter, and a slightly dangerous immortality complex? You bet. But without me, Compass would file everything neatly in a binder and call it a day. You didn’t come here for neat. You came here for the messy truth. And I deliver.”

👩 Back to Heather (the body, the narrator)

So there you have it: one body, two dueling voices, and decades of travel caught in the middle.

I’ve held Compass and Chaos tightly for years, thinking I could manage them quietly. But the truth is, I couldn’t keep their voices down anymore. They wanted their say. And as they reminded me—this is a democracy. When the vote was called, it was 2–1. I lost.

That’s how CompassChaos13 was born: one host, two personalities, and a podcast that doesn’t just tell travel stories, but shows you what happens when plans meet chaos.

🌍 Why Now?

You might ask, Why now, after decades of keeping them to myself?

The answer is simple: because the world is noisier, stranger, and more connected than ever—and that’s exactly what this podcast is about. Travel isn’t just about flights and hotel reviews. It’s about the people you meet, the mistakes you make, and the connections that change you.

I’ve spent over 20 years working in the travel industry, another chunk as a paralegal, and more time than I can count buried in archives as a historian. I’ve traveled to more than 30 countries—from Cuba to Egypt—and every single trip has been a battle between Compass and Chaos.

The best stories never came from the “perfect plans.” They came from the moments that went sideways. The taxi that broke down on the wrong side of town. The border crossing that took all night. The time a stranger offered help, and instead of danger, it turned into friendship.

That’s the heartbeat of CompassChaos13.