In conversation with tourists

Podcast by Oana

In conversation with tourists

"In Conversation with Tourists" is a series of interviews designed to explore travelers' stories and encourage reflection on the meaning of journeys. Through honest, heartfelt conversations, we aim to understand our shared desire for exploration, adventure, authentic experiences, self-discovery, cultural understanding or meaningful connections. We advocate for slow tourism—encouraging pauses, observation and thoughtful reflection. At the same time, we invite local tourism industry experts, creatives and sometimes residents to share their insights, with the hope of fostering a more human and relatable understanding of Edinburgh’s rich history, vibrant present, and authentic character.

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Latest episodes

24 August 2026

Comedy, migration and belonging at Fringe

For the final episode of our Edinburgh Fringe series, and the Season Two finale of In Conversation with Tourists, I’m joined by the artists behind two wonderfully different shows.

Kayla Eisenberg and Marguerite Stern discuss The Sound Within with Eisenberg and Stern, their musical character comedy featuring two self-proclaimed “gurus of the throat” and their hilariously questionable insights into voice, performance and the entertainment industry.

Petunia Hu introduces Cinderella and Frankenstein’s Monster Are Dead, a gothic fairytale about a Chinese exchange student navigating cultural barriers, identity and the complicated search for belonging in America.

Together, the conversations explore what it means to find your voice, whether through comedy, music, storytelling or the experience of living between cultures.

This episode is the final of our four-part Edinburgh Fringe series and brings Season Two of In Conversation with Tourists to a close.

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19 August 2026

Divine communication and new identity

This episode went somewhere I absolutely wasn’t expecting.

I’m joined by two Fringe performers whose shows begin in very different places: Three Times I Killed..., drawing on one guest’s experiences as an attorney and her relationship with divine intuition, and The Rise and Fall of a Mormon Homecoming Princess, a deeply personal story about a teenage girl leaving the Mormon faith and beginning the difficult process of rediscovering herself and building a new identity.

What followed was a completely unscripted, surprisingly emotional conversation about belief, intuition, identity, spirituality, the systems that shape us, and what happens when we begin questioning the stories we have inherited about who we are supposed to be.

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32:58

16 August 2026

Behind the Shows: Actors, Edinburgh and Fringe Life

What happens when performers from two very different Fringe shows sit down together to talk about theatre, Edinburgh and everything that happens beyond the stage?

In this episode of In Conversation with Tourists, I’m joined by performers from Emoji: The Hieroglyphs of Our Life and Big Tobacco’s Pinocchio for a lively, slightly chaotic conversation about their Edinburgh Fringe experience.

We talk about performing at the Fringe, discovering Edinburgh between shows, connecting with locals, what they would love to do on a day off, and the memories, encounters and ideas they’ll be taking home with them.

Two shows, plenty of unexpected detours, and one very Fringe conversation about what it really feels like to arrive in a city as both an artist and a visitor.

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10 August 2026

Between the lines: communication, vulnerability and happy endings

What do we say, what do other people hear, and how much of who we are gets lost somewhere in between?

In this episode of In Conversation with Tourists, I’m joined by Margarett, Brian and Austin for a wonderfully open, funny and honest conversation about communication, vulnerability, sexuality, relationships and our sense of self.

We talk about the meanings we attach to words, the difference between intention and interpretation, becoming comfortable with vulnerability, and the complicated relationship we can have with our own bodies, identities and desires.

And, because this is Edinburgh in August, we also dive into Fringe life: performing for different audiences, cultural differences, unexpected reactions, connecting with strangers and what happens when a room responds in a way you never quite anticipated.

Three guests, very different perspectives, and a conversation that moves from thoughtful to funny to surprisingly personal, with plenty in between.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and if the conversation resonates with you, please share the episode with someone who might enjoy it too.

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34:45

27 July 2026

The purpose of a museum is to bring meaning

In this episode of In Conversation with Tourists, Oana speaks with Evelyn, a recent University of Edinburgh graduate and the founder of TheiaMuse, an emerging app focused on travelling exhibitions.

Together, they explore how museums are changing, what happens to the collections that remain hidden in storage, and how new and more experimental exhibitions are being developed.

They also consider whether museums need to be packed with objects, information and historical detail, or whether a carefully designed experience can sometimes create a more meaningful connection.

Why do people visit museums? Do visitors really explore every room? What motivates us to enter, move through and spend time in these cultural spaces? Are we there to learn, to be entertained, to feel connected, or simply to find something that speaks to us?

At the heart of the conversation is Evelyn’s thoughtful observation:

“The purpose of museums is to find meaning.”

A reflective discussion about collections, curiosity, visitor behaviour and the future of the museum experience.

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06 July 2026

The Thoughtful Traveller: Planning, Wandering and the Perfect Wild Card

In this episode of In Conversation with Tourists, I speak with travel consultant Lindsay Nielsen about what really goes into planning a memorable holiday.

Drawing on her experience in travel consultancy, tourism boards and her own journeys around the world, Lindsay shares how she helps clients shape holidays around their interests, preferences, budgets and personalities. We discuss the many different ways people travel, from adventurous itineraries and cultural exploration to cruises, beach holidays and trips where the best moments come from leaving space to wander.

Our conversation explores the balance between planning and spontaneity, the value of having someone who can take care of the practical details, and the importance of listening carefully to what travellers actually want. Lindsay also explains how she brings creativity into the process, sometimes offering a “wild card” suggestion that gives clients something extra to consider.

This is a conversation about travel trends, customer experience, thoughtful planning and the quiet work that happens behind the scenes before a holiday begins.

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29:35