Unlikely Explorer: Overcoming Doubts and Divorce, Documenting the Human-Elephant Conflict In India, and Holding Two Truths with Kim Frank

Kim Frank is an award‑winning writer, multimedia storyteller, and explorer whose work has appeared in The Explorers Journal, Sidetracked, and Earth Island Journal. She is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society. Kim’s latest book, Elephants in the Hourglass: A Journey of Reckoning and Hope Along the Himalaya, reflects her deep engagement with the human elephant conflict in northeastern India.  

In this episode, Kim joins me to talk about her personal and professional evolution from mom and fiction writer to author and storyteller, tackling one of the world’s lesser‑known environmental crises: the human‑elephant conflict. 

This conversation moves beyond travel storytelling to explore deep themes of identity, fear, and the bravery required to act. Kim shares how she navigated self‑doubt, embraced vulnerability, and found strength through community. Listeners will gain insight into the realities of conservation work, especially the nuanced human‑elephant relationship in the Eastern Himalaya. You’ll also learn how storytelling and openness can bridge cultural gaps and inspire action for coexistence. Specific personal stories, like balancing motherhood with fieldwork, and philosophical reflections on the space between are woven throughout. 

What’s one fear you’re holding that might be the gateway to your next big chapter, and how might acknowledging two truths about it help you move forward? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Tune In To Learn: 

• How Kim’s childhood and family travels shaped her perspective on exploration and meaning 

• Why Elephants in the Hourglass became both a conservation story and personal memoir 

• What Kim learned about fear, confidence, and taking action in big life transitions 

• The role of mentorship and community in pursuing meaningful work 

• How cultural assumptions about motherhood impacted Kim’s work and identity 

• What the space between means and why it matters in our relationship to nature 

• The complexity of human‑elephant conflict and why simple narratives fall short 

• How language and framing influence conservation and public perception 

• Why holding opposing truths is essential to peaceful coexistence 

• Practical takeaways on curiosity, empathy, and openness in travel and life 

• And so much more 

Resources: 

• Sign up for our FREE newsletter 

• Kim’s website 

• Instagram 

• Elephants in the Hourglass 

• Wildlife Trust of India 

Want More? 

• Living in Ecuador, Indigenous Communities, Rainforest Conservation, and Cultural Experiences With Photographer Mark Fox 

• 100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav 

• Myanmar’s Secret Railways: Uncovering Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Oppression with Clare Hammond 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 

• Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

• Atlas Obscura Podcast - Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices