Flight, Road, Rail: These POV Vids Whisk You Away

Travel is escape. Whether by train, plane, automobile — or even on foot. Leaving our everyday routine lifts us into something new, exciting, and full of possibility.

And for many, the best part begins the moment we settle into a window seat. As novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux says, “The journey, not the arrival, matters.”

But what if wanderlust strikes and getting up and going isn’t an option? That’s where travel ambience videos come in. The best ones are real-life, recordings of real trips that transport you virtually. No music, no narration, just the raw sights and sounds of the journey. We’ve covered some favorites on here before, like Dave’s Walks through Great Britain and the MS Victoria’s voyage along Norway’s Telemark Canal.

Lately, we’ve been captivated by Langston Hunter’s Flavas of Chill YouTube channel. Most of his videos document actual travel in motion from his own POV — window views from planes and trains, cross-country road trips, and walks through lively cities and serene forests. Many run the full length of the actual journey, like a 10-hour flight from New York to Thailand, complete with ambient “brown noise” from the cabin — perfect immersive experiences for relaxing, or even a deep sleep.

When Hunter isn’t traveling, he’s making music as DJ Scandalous, blending hip-hop, R&B, and EDM with classical influences. Whether in sound or sight, his work takes you places.

Q&A with Langston Hunter

What inspired you to start making real-life travel ambience videos?

Honestly, it started because I was searching for a very specific kind of content -- real-life travel ambience that felt authentic, immersive, and calming. I wanted the sounds and visuals of being on a cruise ship or a plane, not overly edited, just real moments that made me feel like I was there.

I found a few things on YouTube that came close, but nothing quite captured the feeling I was looking for. So I figured, why not create it myself? I started filming what I wanted to experience -- whether it was the view from a cruise suite balcony or the quiet hum of an early morning flight. It became a way for me to share that peaceful, ambient atmosphere with others who might be looking for the same kind of escape, whether for sleep, focus, or just a mental getaway.

What kinds of reactions have you gotten from fellow travelers?

The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive -- most fellow travelers tell me how surprised they are by just how immersive the videos feel, as if they’re right there again, hearing the hum of the engines or the ocean breeze off a cruise ship balcony. Some say it helps them sleep, others use it to relax or to travel in their minds when they can’t in person. That kind of response reminds me why I started doing this.

I’ve even heard from people I never expected to reach -- those with sleeping disorders, children who struggle to fall asleep, and individuals living with ADD and ADHD. Knowing that something I created brings them peace or comfort in some way…that’s the most meaningful part.

Of course, not every comment is glowing -- a few wish that I had filmed things differently, from angles or perspectives they expected. But that’s the beauty of this kind of work. It’s real, unpolished, and personal. I don’t try to please everyone; I try to capture the quiet moments that speak to something universal. It feels good to know I’m putting something positive into the world.

Have you ever had to edit out crying babies or an audible restroom toilet flush?

I’ve never removed the sound of a toilet flush -- there’s something oddly honest and hilarious about it. It’s part of the charm of real-life travel: the unexpected, the unfiltered. As for crying babies, in the beginning, I left everything in, every tiny human wail echoing through the cabin. Over time, I’ve found a balance -- sometimes I keep those moments if they feel natural to the ambience, and other times I soften or edit them out if they pull too much from the atmosphere I’m trying to create. Travel is rarely perfect, and I love honoring that imperfect beauty when it serves the mood.

Are you the type of guy who can fall asleep right away on a flight or a train journey?

I wish I were the type who could drift off as soon as the wheels lift or the tracks begin to hum -- but I’m not. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sleep only finds me mid-flight if the timing is just right, when the rhythm of the journey syncs with the rhythm of my own body clock. Otherwise, I sit quietly, somewhere between dreaming and waking, watching the world move past my window. As for trains, I’ve never once fallen asleep on one. There’s something about the motion -- steady, alive -- that keeps my mind too curious to close its eyes.

What’s next on your travel itinerary?

Next up, I’m heading back to Las Vegas and Portland within the next couple of weeks -- both places that keep pulling me back for their energy and contrast. But that’s just the start. This year is all about movement. I’ll be visiting a range of cities across the U.S., soaking in the sights, sounds, and everyday details that make each place feel alive. And before the year is out, I’ve got plans to cross oceans too -- Dubai, London, and a few other international stops are on the horizon. Every destination brings its own ambience, and I can’t wait to capture and share those moments as they unfold.

Aside from your own recordings, what do you like to listen to when you need to relax?

When I really need to relax, I often turn to jazz -- it has this way of slowing time down and softening the edges of the world. There’s something deeply calming about Coltrane’s soulful phrasing or the gentle elegance of Beegie Adair’s piano -- it’s like stepping into a quieter part of myself.

Wayman Tisdale always brings that smooth, feel-good rhythm that lifts the weight off a long day, while Brenda Russell and Julia Fordham blend emotion and melody in a way that feels like a soft conversation with the heart. I love those two! And then there’s Brian Culbertson—his music is cinematic, full of rich layers and grooves that feel both relaxing and alive and is great for sex. LOL.

Whether it's one of his silky ballads or a funk-tinged instrumental, he always manages to create a world I want to stay in. While I spend so much time capturing natural ambiences through my own lens, it’s artists like these who help me retreat, reset, and remember why sound is such a powerful part of how we heal and connect.

Watch Video: Historic Route 66, Part 5 -- Santa Rosa NM to Flagstaff, AZ

Photos: Langston Hunter/Flavas of Chill

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