My Finest Journey Moments of 2025

2025 was a landmark 12 months for journey, taking me to seven new nations and to so many new and fantastic locations.

And it was a 12 months of memorable journey experiences, lots of which sprang out of nowhere.

Listed here are my favourite journey moments of 2025!

Seeing Rachel Zegler Sing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” in London

This 12 months, the revival of Evita in London made headlines for an uncommon staging choice: Eva Perón, performed by Rachel Zegler, would sing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” not within the theater, however from the balcony overlooking the folks under.

So sure, the showstopper track of the present wouldn’t even be carried out contained in the theater. The viewers would watch it stay, however filmed from exterior. What the hell?!

But when you understand the present or the historical past, it makes good sense. Eva Perón was a girl of the folks. She cared for the working class — not the rich. That’s why she was so beloved. After all they deserved the most effective of her.

I occurred to be within the West Finish near showtime one evening, so I headed right down to the London Palladium about half an hour earlier than Rachel was resulting from come out. Boy, was it crowded there! The streets have been filled with theater followers anticipating a glimpse.

After which Rachel got here out — and he or she sang so fantastically, I used to be almost in tears. This track is so shifting and Rachel has an angelic voice, completely fitted to it.

It was completely value being squished in that crowd for 45 minutes to listen to Rachel sing. What a second.

Our Social gathering in Prague

Two years after our wedding ceremony, Charlie and I made a decision to do one thing a bit loopy — throw one other wedding ceremony reception. Similar vacation spot (Arthur’s Pub in Prague!), identical invitees, identical particulars, the one factor could be that we might be celebrating Charlie’s fiftieth birthday and our second anniversary.

We invited buddies from all world wide, and so lots of them got here again for spherical two — and lots who missed spherical one have been capable of make it this time!

Nicely, there have been some variations — particularly, it was COLD! We had our wedding ceremony in Might 2023 as a result of Might is essentially the most stunning month of the 12 months in Prague, and it couldn’t have been nicer — heat days with blue skies streaked with puffy clouds. In 2025, Might was freezing, grey, and wet. I used to be really sporting my lengthy wool coat that month.

And so the social gathering began off exterior however we ended up packing ourselves into the lounge space of the bar, and the bartenders have been ON POINT, making countless cocktails, saying to us issues like, “You appear like you would use a Cosmopolitan.”

All in all, it was so good having so lots of our buddies again, sharing our metropolis with them, and having fun with all the great vibes a second time round.

Climbing the Grand Tsingy

When it got here to visiting Madagascar, I knew that climbing the Grand Tsingy could be one of many coolest adventures of the journey. However I had no concept that I must clip in. I’ve by no means clipped right into a hike, ever, and I’ve at all times been vaguely afraid of Through Ferrata-style hikes.

The hike is intense. You must haul your self up ledges, put your toes on tiny steps, and there’s an precise danger of falling if you happen to don’t step proper. You wouldn’t fall to your demise, however you would possibly land arduous in your harness and break a rib.

You’d assume that may be terrifying. However to my shock, there was nothing scary about this hike in any respect. It was 100% pure exhilaration. I felt so robust and expert!

Even after I walked throughout the scary rickety bridge, I solely faltered momentarily as a result of it wiggled. Aside from that? No downside in any respect!

Conquering the Grand Tsingy felt like such an thrilling achievement, and I’m so pleased with myself for doing it so effectively!

Mardi Gras with Charlie and Nick

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one in every of my favourite festivals I’ve ever attended. I skilled my first Mardi Gras in 2014, and it left a bit to be desired — so I used to be decided to do issues significantly better in 2025.

I needed Charlie and our pal Nick to like it, too. I knew Charlie would have a superb time in New Orleans — however if you happen to’ve ever met Nick, you’ll know he’s MADE for New Orleans.

So sure — I made positive we did issues proper.

We spent three nights gallivanting on Bourbon Avenue and bought on prime of some balconies to throw beads. We took in stay music on Frenchman Avenue. We wandered among the many costume-clad festival-goers and went on an all-you-can-drink mimosa and Bloody Mary riverboat cruise on the Mississippi.

We drank numerous frozen daiquiris and paid far an excessive amount of for fried rooster at midnight. We headed out to the Backyard District to take pleasure in a parade with the locals. We discovered a bar with an superior band and vibe and sang, “All people within the bar getting tipsy!” with everybody.

We ate SO a lot good New Orleans meals, the standout being Dooky Chase and their very good barbecue shrimp, which is maybe the most effective factor I ate in all of 2025.

However you understand what the blokes loved essentially the most? Arguing with the doomsday preachers telling us we have been all going to hell. (There have been a LOT extra of them in 2025 than 2014.)

Touring by 75 Onerous

In June, I made a decision to participate in 75 Onerous: a psychological toughness problem. For 75 days, you will need to do two exercises per day of not less than 45 minutes, not less than three hours aside, and not less than one have to be exterior. You’re taking a photograph of your self every day, observe a weight loss plan of your alternative (I did no sugar and no junk meals), drink one gallon (3.8 liters) of water per day, learn 10 pages of a private improvement ebook per day, and devour zero alcohol.

And you can’t mess any of these items up ONCE, otherwise you’ll want to start out over.

I’ve by no means discovered it troublesome to abstain from alcohol, however I knew planning the exercises and meals could be a problem whereas on the highway. I had a reasonably gentle journey schedule throughout 75 Onerous, however I nonetheless had journeys to Germany, Slovakia, and Poland.

And so I rucked on bus layovers in Nuremberg and Poprad, strolling for 45 minutes with my heavy backpack on, moderately than sitting in a restaurant like ordinary. I packed lunches and ate salads and souvlaki bowls on my live performance journeys and didn’t contact McDonald’s or chips or Twix bars as soon as. I went a complete summer season with out ice cream.

I awakened at 5 AM to do yoga and Pilates, and even had a birthday apple as a substitute of any type of birthday cake or dessert (TBH, that was a bit unhappy). I swam laps for 45 minutes within the pool on the Grand Kempinski Excessive Tatras, beneath the chandeliers, as children jumped within the water round me.

However I accomplished the problem, and didn’t let my travels be an excuse to indulge. In truth, as soon as the problem was over, I made a decision to proceed avoiding alcohol and sugar by my Mauritius, Réunion, and Madagascar journey. I succeeded on the booze, however gave in midway by Madagascar and had a number of desserts.

These days, ingesting is one thing I save for particular events. It’s not a part of my common routine anymore. And I’m very comfortable for that.

Swimming off the Royal Clipper

There’s a lot that I loved from my Caribbean cruise with Star Clippers in December, which took us to a number of completely different Caribbean islands. However quickly I spotted that the primary character is the ship — the Royal Clipper.

The Royal Clipper is a completely beautiful crusing ship that looks like a throwback. Each bit of it’s meticulously designed. And among the greatest moments are on the ship, like climbing the mast, or standing out on deck because the sails unfurled.

However for me, my favourite half was swimming off the marina platform behind the boat. We might be docked in deep water, but it surely was the Caribbean, so it was so clear and vivid and exquisite.

From right here, we may leap in, swim about, lounge on floats, or do some little bit of paddle boarding. All whereas having fun with the proper view of the ship, understanding that we belonged right here.

Swimming out right here on a wonderful day was nothing wanting bliss. And it was essentially the most spectacular after we did it off the island of St. Lucia, maybe some of the visually gorgeous islands within the Caribbean.

Cailin’s Birthday Meals Crawl in Kraków

When Cailin came visiting for our social gathering in Might, we determined to plan a close-by journey collectively that may coincide together with her birthday. And so we ended up in Kraków, Poland! It was her first go to ever, and my first go to in almost a decade.

And we ended up having a very nice day! I introduced cat birthday candles and cat momentary tattoos, which made the day festive, and we spent a day simply wandering round, treating ourselves, and having fun with Polish specialties.

There have been paczi, Polish donuts (together with, sure, one Dubai chocolate donut). There have been zapiekanki (Polish French bread pizzas). There have been ten unusual flavors of vodka in a tasting. Clearly, there have been pierogi! And there was additionally some market-shopping, cocktail-having, and simply sitting in cafes and watching Kraków go by.

One other main spotlight was taking Premium Class on the Leo Categorical from Prague to Kraków — a luxurious practice expertise (solely six seats within the automobile!!) for a surprisingly respectable worth.

Driving in Réunion

I’m not essentially the most snug driver on this planet — particularly relating to driving in new areas. I knew I must drive on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion, because it’s fairly arduous to discover by public transit, so I steeled myself fastidiously.

However then I discovered among the greatest driving of my life. The roads in Réunion are buttery easy. To get on the freeway, which runs in a hoop across the island, you drive by these winding, twisting onramps that appear to go on ceaselessly, as you’re surrounded by spectacular volcanic surroundings.

And I had the proper music: as I used to be listening to Rolling Stone’s prime 500 albums of all time, it was time for Daft Punk’s Discovery. Driving these easy, beautiful roads whereas listening to Y2K-era French dance music was maybe the most effective mixture of driving and music I’ve ever had!

One caveat — I did rent a driver for the drive into Cilaos someday, as a result of I didn’t know the way I might deal with the steep switchback-covered roads. On reflection, I may have performed it, however it might have been tremendous tense, and I’m glad I had a information to point out me numerous nice picture spots.

However general, Réunion’s roads have been such a pleasure that I can’t wait to get again and drive them some extra!

Changing into a Live performance Traveler

I’ve by no means been a lot of a concert-goer. However you understand what modified my thoughts? The Eras Tour. I’m not a Swiftie within the least, however numerous my buddies are, they usually traveled throughout oceans to see Taylor carry out in several cities.

And actually, that made me assume that I ought to make an effort to see artists I like, even after they’re not coming to Prague.

And so I bought tickets to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA each in Frankfurt and Warsaw, and Beyoncé in Paris. These have been additionally the primary concert events I ever went to solo.

And was it a good suggestion? Sure! I had a blast in any respect three concert events!! I preferred getting to show them into mini journeys, and it was so good simply basking within the music and having fun with the neighborhood. Being solo made completely no distinction in my enjoyment (not that that must be any shock to you).

Subsequent 12 months, I’ve bought 4 concert events on my schedule: Raye in Prague in January, Belle & Sebastian in Berlin in March, Miguel in Prague in April, and Pitbull in Prague in July. And I might LOVE to someway get tickets to see Dangerous Bunny someplace, however these have all bought out a number of instances over.

An Impromptu Dance Social gathering in Morondava

On our final evening in Morondava, Madagascar, a number of of the women and I went out to a bar for a number of drinks, then determined to see if there was anything cool open on the best way residence. Nicely, it appeared like we have been about to strike out…then we discovered a tiny place proper by our lodge.

There wasn’t a lot inside. Tremendous casual. It was tremendous casual. One man behind the bar. Two younger guys dancing.

Sure. We have been in.

We threw on some music, turned it UP — particularly the Dadi Love track that everybody in Madagascar goes loopy for — and had a dance social gathering that lasted effectively previous 1 AM. An awfully late evening in comparison with the remainder of the journey!

I simply love that this evening got here out of nowhere and was SO MUCH FUN.

Enjoyable at a Luxe Lodge in Crete

This 12 months, Charlie and I stayed in a number of nicer accommodations than ordinary, however one in every of them stood above the remaining: Minos Seaside Artwork Lodge in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. And WOW — I feel this lodge might need ruined me a bit.

The rooms have been tremendous good, and felt very personal. The breakfast buffet was actually among the many prime three I’ve ever loved in my life. And there have been many areas by the water’s edge the place you would chill out on large beds beneath palapas, and never be surrounded by all the opposite lodge visitors.

We’re not lie-on-the-beach folks — we would do this for half a day, possibly a full day, however more often than not we’re out and about doing issues. However on this journey, I used to be reminded that grabbing an hour or two by the water’s edge is totally value it in a spot like this.

Whereas Agios Nikolaos wasn’t my favourite place in Crete, there are some good issues to do within the space, and this can be a lodge I might LOVE to return to sooner or later.

Seeing Tituss Burgess in Oh, Mary!

There are some entertainers who’re so particular to me, I’ll observe them wherever. Tituss Burgess is a type of folks. I’ve been a fan of him ceaselessly, I even met him at a fundraiser he threw, and he couldn’t have been sweeter.

So after I heard that Tituss could be starring within the play Oh, Mary! for a three-week interval that coincided with my first go to to New York in 5 years (!), I knew I needed to go see it!

Oh, Mary! is a hilarious, unusual, and totally authentic play by Cole Escola, in regards to the behind-the-scenes marriage between Mary Todd Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln. Abe is coping with the civil conflict and Mary is off in her personal world, dreaming of turning into a cabaret singer. It’s WILD and DARING and SO, SO FUNNY. Tituss, after all, performs Mary in a large ballgown.

My sister and brother-in-law are big followers of the present, having seen in a number of instances, they usually kindly bought tickets for the 4 of us to go collectively.

We laughed till we cried. I imply, I’ve no phrases for this present.

When you’ve got an opportunity to see Oh, Mary! — GO SEE IT! Irrespective of who’s starring in it. Each Mary places their very own spin on the character. I might have cherished to see Jane Krakowski play Mary, and my casting want is for Fred Armisen to play her sometime.

Getting mistaken for honeymooners on the cruise terminal

Have been Charlie and I excited after we set out for our cruise with Star Clippers? Oh sure, we have been. And we arrived at Barbados’s cruise terminal with time to spare, so we grabbed a cocktail and sat down, chattering away about what awaited us.

Two nights later, we ended up sitting with a pair from Wisconsin. “I noticed you two within the ferry terminal,” the lady stated, “and I believed you have been honeymooners.”

“Actually?” we stated. “We’ve been married two and a half years.”

“You have been simply being so cute and romantic collectively. And your nails regarded good, so I figured you’d simply gotten married!”

It was so good to get that go with from a stranger! I assume we ARE cute and romantic. (And if you happen to’ve met me in actual life, you understand I’m very severe about my nails!)

What was your favourite journey second of 2025?