There's almost no limit to the surprises and the lights you can encounter as an independent traveler.

Hi, I'm Rick Steve's.

When Richard Grant was on a trek to find the source of the Nile, he took a side trip to the

fabled island of Zen Zavar and fell under its spell.

Children cycling by with a huge fish strapped to their bicycle and as women walking by in these African fabrics, I would just sit there for hours just soaking it up.

And even in touristy Italy, you can still find a wild region of your own in the mountains of a Brutzo.

Strangely enough, just a few hours away from Rome,

you could have the Marticano bear, which is also the symbol of the region.

In Southeast Asia is a natural for timeless adventures.

And I think everyone who goes there discovers it's a fair East Asia is at natural for timeless adventures.

And I think everyone who goes there discovered it's a fairly extraordinary place of natural

beauty of extraordinary people, of fascinating culture.

From Abruzzo to Zanzibar, and even to Vietnam, we're taking you off the beaten track in the hour ahead on travel with Rick Steve's.

Prepare to add some curious places to your travel bucket list in the hour ahead.

Hi, I'm Rick Steeves.

Our guest today share their fascination for destinations in Southeast Asia

and in the wild spaces and untouristy towns of Italy's Abruzzo region.

But first, Richard Grant returns to travel with Rick Steve's to tell us what he found in

Zanzibar, an island whose very name is synonymous with exotic.

Richard reports on the wacky things that happened to him on his way to discovering the

source of the Nile in his book called Crazy River.

Richard, thanks for joining us. Hi Rick.

...