“Walk Like a Girl” by Claudia Esnouf
Brie sat down with Claudia Esnouf to talk all about her travel memoir, Walk Like a Girl—a story of courage, adventure, identity, and the soul-shifting power of walking across the world. This episode is inspiring, deeply personal, and full of vivid travel stories that will make you want to lace up your boots and go find yourself somewhere breathtaking.
The narrative: about Walk Like a Girl
Claudia’s memoir, Walk Like a Girl, follows the journey she took in her mid-twenties with her partner at the time, traveling through Georgia, Armenia, India, Nepal, and beyond—walking, camping, and navigating the physical and emotional toll of long-term travel on foot. What begins as an outward adventure becomes an inward one too, as she confronts exhaustion, culture shock, fear, unpreparedness, and ultimately the fierce internal strength she didn’t know she had. The book is part travelogue, part coming-of-age, and part exploration of resilience, identity, and the courage to keep moving even when the path turns steep.
The nightcap
Amaretto — a nostalgic, marzipan-sweet sip Claudia loves to share with her aunt in South Africa, her best friend, and her husband. Warm, comforting, and a little unexpected… just like her memoir.
In the episode
In this episode, Claudia shares the origin of her journey—from post-university uncertainty and itchy feet to becoming “ugly obsessed” with travel literature and determined to walk her way into a new version of herself. She talks candidly about the challenges of unprepared trekking, the intensity of places like India, the physical strain of mountains and miles, and the emotional evolution that shaped her memoir. Listeners will love her honesty, her humor, and her reflections on how walking became not just an activity, but a way to find clarity, strength, and purpose. We talk about:
The real story behind Walk Like a Girl: the countries explored, the hardships faced, and the inner transformation sparked by long-distance walking
Claudia’s travel inspirations—from Cheryl Strayed’s Wild to her own lifelong exposure to adventure and movement
Raw and funny stories about unprepared trekking, culture shock in India, and the mental battle of pushing up mountains in rain, snow, and exhaustion
Reflections on identity, courage, and how travel forces us to confront who we are and who we hope to become
Listen to the full author interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts
Purchase your copy of WALK LIKE A GIRL here (Narratives & Nightcaps is an Amazon Affiliate)
Connect with Claudia on Instagram!