Travel expert Rick Steves talks about 'regrets' after prostate cancer diagnosis

European travel expert Rick Steves has spoken about his life's regrets following his prostate cancer diagnosis.

Steves, 69, said battling the disease has led to reflections about his life and the choices he has made during a recent episode of the podcast The Interview.

"There's regrets," he said, explaining his career "has not been good for my family. I got divorced. It's not been great for relationships with loved ones".

Watch the video above.

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"I would love to be the person I was before I was a travel writer," he said.

"I would have had a very, very beautiful life being a piano teacher, coming home every night for dinner and mowing the lawn, and joining clubs, and, you know, being regular and reliable."

Steves said he has "chosen a different path" and feels his work is "a mission."

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"I calculated it," he said. "And I've got an opportunity to be what I consider extremely productive ... helping people travel in a constructive way. And I choose that knowing it's not gonna be without a cost.

"Yeah, I'm aware of that. And I'm in a way, I'm sad about it. But, again, you have to make a choice."

Steves was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August and had his prostate removed. He said his prognosis is "good."

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"I'm doing as well as you can be doing when you have prostate cancer," Steves said. "A month ago I said goodbye to my prostate and I see it as a journey.

"I don't speak the language, I don't know exactly where it's going and I'm not in control of the itinerary, I wanna tackle it with what I consider a traveler's mindset, but it's scary at the same time," he shared.

"My prognosis is very good, if you're gonna get cancer prostate cancer is the kind of cancer to get, and it's interesting to me, it hasn't gotten me down, I'm kind of having, not fun, but I'm having a learning experience.

"I didn't really wanna be an expert on incontinence but I'm gonna get through it."

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He said since sharing his story he has been contacted by other cancer sufferers.

"I've always felt it's important not to keep these things secret, to be embarrassed about anything," he continued.

"When I was a teenager, a long time ago, my mum had some kind of depression, and they were fiddling around trying to find some kind of a depressant medicine for her and I know there's a lot of depression in our society and even as a teenager I felt, I can't keep this a secret, we've got to share it with people so that when they have depression in their family they will be more open about it and sharing and not be alone and afraid but be in community."

He said the "thoughts and prayers" he's received since going public have had "almost a tangible" impact.

"I'm really thankful for it."

American-based Steves built a career as a travel writer, activist and TV personality. He has always encouraged travellers to explore less touristy areas of popular destinations and experience local people's way of life.

Steves hosted Rick Steves' Europe from 2000 an also worked in radio on the show Travel with Rick Steves from 2005.

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