Ever since Alicia and I became interested in traveling in university, we’ve been looking for ways to continue to live vicariously through other people’s adventures or to help get ideas for our next trip while we’re stuck at home. The problem is, most travel shows tend to be pretty stuffy and dull, and little more than glossy ads or fact sheets for your typical tourist destinations. This is where Departures proves to be refreshingly different.

It’s a Canadian travel show now in its third season on OLN, and it stars three friends (one of whom is the cameraman) trekking across the globe in search of the unknown. Because they’re fairly young (still in their twenties), there is a sense of unpredictability and adventure as they aren’t afraid to veer off the beaten path if it means having more fun. Whether they decide to enter a kickboxing match in Thailand on a whim, get asked to judge a beauty contest in Siberia, or get caught in the middle of the Indian Ocean during a monsoon, you never know what might be around the corner.

Since they’re good friends with a history together (and sometimes meet up with other friends along the way), stories build out of these relationships and their personalities colour the episodes, helping to bring out the ups and downs of life on the road. Justin is the free-spirited, goofy and occasionally immature surfer dude who is inexplicably drawn to animals, while Scott is the pragmatic and more conscientious of the two, pushing them to get the most out of the experience while also being respectful of other cultures.

The show has also won a Gemini Award for its cinematography, and it never ceases to amaze me how much beautiful footage they manage to capture on the fly. If you’re a fan of The Amazing Race or The Long Way Round, this could easily be your new favourite show. Departures airs on OLN in standard def and CityTV in HD in Canada, while it can be found on The National Geographic Channel elsewhere.