How Maps and Metaphors Was Born
From campervan voice notes in Iceland to Spotify storytelling — our journey into travel stories & podcasting began here.
We always wanted to share this. Our thoughts, our travels, our random tangents about life and the world. But like most good things, it started with... procrastination. Lots of it. Between work, parenting, and everyday “we’ll do it soon” conversations, the idea of a podcast floated around for months — maybe even years. But it never landed.
For years, we were too occupied to share — life was fast, and honestly? We were slow. But the stories kept piling up.
Then came April 2023. Pranav, in a spontaneous moment of tech joy, ordered a DJI mic. Why? No major reason — just wanted to record fun audio clips with our son. That was the excuse anyway. Deep down, something was brewing.
Fast forward to May 2023. We were headed to Iceland — a road trip we’d dreamed about. The DJI mic made it into our camper van. And one crisp evening, parked in a silent valley, Pranav said, “Let’s just record something.” So he did. A short voice note — raw, real, slightly awkward. Then Palak took the mic and recorded her bit. That moment… something shifted. We uploaded our first episode to Spotify — straight from our campervan. Just like that, Maps & Metaphors was born.
A few days later, while exploring a tiny museum in Hvammstangi, we met the manager — a kind soul with stories about seals, scientists, and sea history. Pranav felt a spark: “Would you mind if I interviewed you?” And he agreed.
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Jnb2PIG7avXYePxVDZnxq?go=1&sp_cid=9f308dd6dc3f4df0f29b4d4080828f55&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=f3ee4e40940543a0
It wasn’t perfect. We were learning on the go — how to record, edit, speak freely. But the joy… oh, the joy was real.
From there, we just kept the mic close. We interviewed people we met — travelers, artists, locals — anyone with a story. Some episodes were messy, but every one of them helped us grow. We weren’t chasing perfection. We were chasing connection. And slowly, Maps & Metaphors became our way of capturing life's little moments — in sound.
For us, AI showed up as an unexpected partner — helping us catch up, organize, and express all those stories we’d been holding onto for so long.
The podcast bug really bit during deep conversations with strangers-turned-friends from around the world. That spark never left.
Now, whether it’s strangers, friends, or locals, the microphone is always packed. Because every person has a story worth hearing.
And lately, we’re learning about vlogging every day — finding our way between the world of podcasts and the world of video. It’s a very special corner to be in, capturing moments in both sound and sight.
☕ Our Learnings:
- Start before you’re ready. The mic won’t bite.
- Authenticity > perfection. What matters is your voice.
- Your story matters. And someone out there is waiting to hear it.
- So, if you’ve been thinking of starting something — a podcast, a journal, a silly YouTube channel — this is your sign.
- All you need is a mic, a moment, and a little chai.