SPEAKER_01: All month long, Wamanica's partnered with Mercedes-Benz to bring you stories of dynamos from all walks of life. Tomorrow we turn the spotlight on one of their own, Senior Trackside Aerodynamicist for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team, Kimberly Stevens. While fast-tracking into Formula One early on, she's seen the industry change to include more women than ever before. Here Kimberly share her story of what it takes to live life unapologetically in the fast lane. Tune in tomorrow for this special episode brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. I want to tell you about another show I think you might like. Warpedology is an award-winning true crime podcast by author Emily G. Thompson that uncovers a different true crime case in a way that's thought-provoking, compassionate, and victim-focused. The episodes are enhanced with primary audio like trial testimony and interrogations. Morbidology also looks at systemic failures that may have had a part to play in the crime. A recent episode of Morbidology looks at the case of Diane McIver who was shot dead by her husband Tex as they drove through a part of Atlanta that Tex was unfamiliar with. What happened that night would lead to one of the most controversial cases the area had ever seen, raising questions on privilege and race. Check out Morbidology on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening. Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. This month we're highlighting dynamos, women who've led dynamic lives that have shifted, evolved, and bloomed, often later in life. Today's eccentric character refused to stay still. She defied strict Victorian expectations to lead a truly unbelievable life of adventure. Please welcome Alexandra David Nel. Alexandra was born in a suburb of Paris on October 24th, 1868. She was an only child, the daughter of a Protestant and a Catholic. Growing up, Alexandra read the work of French adventure novelist Jules Verne, dreaming of the adventures she'd someday have. That dream would absolutely come true. The first half of Alexandra's life was just as much a whirlwind as the last. But the accomplishments that solidified her celebrity status wouldn't happen for decades. At five years old, she ran away from home. Then as a teenager, her family went to Belgium for a vacation. But Alexandra decided to go her own way and walked into the Netherlands. There, she arranged to travel to England so she could meet an English occult writer she greatly admired, Elizabeth Morgan. Elizabeth would become a mentor in Alexandra's life, and later bequeath Alexandra an inheritance when Elizabeth died. Each time Alexandra strayed from home, she would eventually find her way back. But her heart never stopped yearning for adventure. She became interested in theosophy, an alternative spiritual belief system. She read the works of Kierkegaard, Plato, and the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. She also studied Buddhist teachings. Over the course of her teen years and young adulthood, Alexandra hiked through the Alps, studied music and English in France, and spent her inheritance from Elizabeth on travel to India and Sri Lanka. She studied yoga and Sanskrit and wrote two books. She sang opera in Vietnam, Greece, and Tunisia. In 1900, Alexandra's opera singing caught the attention of the wealthy railroad engineer Philippe Nel. The couple married in 1904. Alexandra tried to live the respectable life expected of Victorian women. But the strain of pretending to be something she wasn't started to take a toll on her health. She longed for travel, and she wanted to learn about Buddhism from its source. So in 1911, when Alexandra was 42 years old, she dropped the charade, left her husband behind and set off for India. She wouldn't return for 14 years, and thus began the journey that Alexandra truly became known for. She traveled through India, moving from one Buddhist monastery to the next. After a year, she met the Dalai Lama and began studying the Tibetan language at his suggestion. Over the course of her travels, Alexandra met a teenaged monk named Afor Yongden. They felt a spiritual connection immediately, and Alexandra adopted Afor as her son. Together they ventured into the Himalayas. For more than two years, they lived in a cave more than 13,000 feet up a slope on the edge of Tibet. Though it was illegal to cross the border into Tibet, Alexandra set her sights on visiting a particularly forbidden spot. The city of Lhasa, the place of the gods. There lay Patala Palace, the winter home of the Dalai Lama. In the duo's first attempt to enter Tibet in 1917, they were discovered and expelled. World War I was in full swing, and they didn't want to return to Europe yet. So they abandoned Tibet for the time being and continued on to Japan and Korea. After Korea, Alexandra and Afor went to the Khumbum Monastery in China. For two years, they lived among the monks and translated Tibetan holy books. Still, Alexandra wanted to see the city of Lhasa. While Alexandra was in Japan, she'd met a monk who disguised himself as a Chinese doctor so he could sneak into Lhasa. His story inspired Alexandra to enact a plan. She covered her skin in soot and wore yak hair pigtails to disguise herself. In this disguise, she and Afor set out for Tibet again, despite being banished during earlier attempts. They crossed the Gobi Desert, braved uncharted jungles and winding mountain paths. Every step of the way they were at risk from wild animals and inclement weather. But soon they closed in on the lush valley that housed Lhasa and the Patala Palace. In 1924, they entered Lhasa at long last. There, Alexandra saw some incredible feats of human spirituality. She later wrote of telepathic messages sent between masters and pupils. People who ran for days in a state of meditation. And rituals meant to guide the dead down the right spiritual paths. She got the opportunity to tour the palace, and she even snuck some photographs. But after two months, Alexandra and Afor were discovered. They escaped the city before they could be arrested and made the arduous journey back to Europe. At one point, they were in such dire straits they had to boil the leather from their shoes to have something to eat. In 1925, Alexandra and Afor arrived in France. Two years later, Alexandra published her first book about her experience, titled My Journey to Lhasa. And Alexandra wasn't finished traveling. In 1937, she went back to China, Japan, and India. When her husband, Philippe, died three years later, she arranged passage home to manage his affairs. When she made it home to France in 1946, she reluctantly settled down for good. Alexandra's travels made her a celebrity. Over the subsequent 40 years, she would write more than 30 books about her excursions. Her home became a waypoint for young pilgrims and travelers. In 1955, Alexandra's adopted son Afor passed away, plunging Alexandra into a deep depression. She became reclusive and bad-tempered. Still, she longed to travel. At the age of 100, she started planning yet another trip to Germany, then Russia, then New York. But her housekeeper convinced her to abandon the idea, insisting there was no way she'd be able to endure it. Alexandra passed away on September 8, 1969. She was nearly 101 years old. Though Alexandra had been accused many times of faking her many outlandish tales, even while she was alive, her story and determination to follow her own path have inspired countless others after her. In total, she traveled more than 18,000 miles. All month, we're highlighting dynamos. For more information, check us out on Facebook and Instagram, at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. As always, we're taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you on Monday.
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SPEAKER_03: You can listen to How Rude, Tanneritos on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by the Hyundai Tucson. It's your journey.
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