My Worst Journey Moments of 2025

You might want to take the unhealthy with the nice! Yearly, I share my worst journey moments of the 12 months as a result of I believe it’s necessary to be sensible if you journey the world for a residing.

Issues can and do go flawed on each journey. And that’s not an indication of failure in your half as a traveler! That’s simply the way it goes. And the unhealthy moments actually assist you to respect the nice ones.

It’s additionally price noting that not each vacation spot goes to be a house run for you. Typically locations look nice on paper, however you’ll be able to’t understand how it is going to be till you get there. Sadly Austin and Dominica fell into this class for me this 12 months.

As all the time, remember that these damaging experiences are usually not that unhealthy within the grand scheme of issues. My precise worst experiences of the 12 months have been way more severe. Deaths. Critical accidents. Mates struggling in numerous methods.

And people powerful instances don’t belong on this lighthearted record, so simply maintain that in thoughts.

(And don’t neglect to take a look at my greatest journey moments of 2025 and my favourite new journey locations of 2025! These two are must-reads!)

Listed here are my worst journey moments of 2025!

Unrest, Tear Fuel, and Delays in Madagascar

I knew Madagascar can be a vacation spot of extremes, however I had no concept that we might find yourself in the midst of protests resulting in a navy coup!

I’ve traveled to areas throughout protests earlier than — Thailand in 2013, Greece in 2015, France in 2023. Every time, the protests have been simply avoidable, and I stayed away from them.

However in Antananarivo, our resort occurred to be within the coronary heart of the protest space. As we arrived, folks have been swarming the streets and the resort workers grabbed us and escorted us in rapidly, simply as a gaggle was pushing a dumpster down the road in our course.

We took movies of individuals working down the road from the home windows upstairs, and altered our dinner plans to eat within the resort restaurant that night time.

After which got here the tear fuel. The police have been blanketing the neighborhood with tear fuel, and as we have been within the courtyard, it wafted over the partitions and damage our eyes and throat. The resort workers handed out masks and urged us to move inside.

We have been supposed to depart for Nosy Be the subsequent morning, however home flights in Madagascar have been cancelled. We moved to a family-run guesthouse near the airport the place they handled us with such kindness, and for the reason that metropolis was beneath curfew and shops have been closed, we made clandestine getaways to tiny little bars and comfort shops that allow us within the again entrance.

The president of Madagascar fled the nation in secret, flights have been canceled one other day, and sadly, three of our journey companions determined to move house, reasonably than simply go to Nosy Be for 2 nights and are available again, or danger getting caught once more.

One other fear at the back of my thoughts was the US authorities shutdown. If the protests turned severely violent or acquired to a degree the place we would have liked to be extracted, there would solely be a skeleton crew working within the US Embassy.

Lastly, due to our chief Helen’s tireless work on the airport, she acquired us prioritized on the flight record and we made it to Nosy Be! What a reduction it was to be out of Antananarivo and on a wonderful island.

However that wasn’t all! I booked a flight again to Réunion after two days in Nosy Be, however that flight was cancelled as properly, and I used to be given a brand new flight two days later. Let’s simply say I wished to kiss the bottom after I landed again on EU soil in Réunion.

Total, I’m grateful that this wasn’t worse. The worst half was the uncertainty as issues have been up within the air, worrying and worrying and having no thought how lengthy we’d be caught.

However these protests, and the coup, have been for good causes. They started with Gen Z members protesting the facility cuts and lack of water entry — very fundamental freedoms that all of us take without any consideration. These are what the Malagasy folks deserve. And my Malagasy associates are very completely satisfied that the president is gone.

Frankfurt’s Prepare Station at Night time

After a few years of touring solo and residing in huge cities, I’m fairly snug in terms of visiting new locations for the primary time. Particularly in Europe. How unhealthy may a spot be?

Then I found the realm round Frankfurt’s practice station. I’ve traveled extra extensively in Europe than nearly anybody I do know, and that is fingers down the worst neighborhood I’ve ever encountered on the continent.

I used to be solely in Frankfurt for twenty-four hours and can be going via the practice station 4 instances, so I assumed it will be greatest to remain at a resort shut by. WELL. I’m completely appalled by what I noticed.

An extended line of males smoking crack throughout the road from my resort. (Fascinating odor, that crack.) Individuals on all types of medicine sitting on the streets, syringes out.

Getting back from the live performance at night time, 4 totally different males saved following me, coming as much as me, and making an attempt to intimidate me. It actually freaked me out, however I discovered a mother with grownup children and pretended I used to be a part of their group.

I need to emphasize that that is one particular neighborhood, and never all of Frankfurt is like this. I explored extra of the town on my brief go to, together with the New Previous City, and loved it. However I’m not staying close to the practice station EVER once more.

Drunk Australians in Kraków

I didn’t sleep one wink my first night time in Kraków. It was a nasty mixture of an adrenaline-infused late arrival at midnight, adopted by nervousness as a result of I had a 6:00 AM wakeup for our Auschwitz tour. Both of these on their very own can maintain me up for hours; each of them directly was a catastrophe.

However the worst half was what occurred at 3:00 AM. Unexpectedly I heard yelling outdoors our room.

4 extraordinarily drunk Australians of their sixties have been climbing up the steps, laughing and shouting and simply being extremely thoughtless. I heard them get to the highest of the steps, then they only stayed there, nonetheless speaking on the prime of their lungs.

I burst out of my door, in my pajamas, eye masks on my head, most likely wanting like a loopy particular person. “You might want to shut the fuck up,” I hissed.

Welp. Seems that was the flawed factor to say.

“DON’T SWEAR AT ME!” one of many girls shrieked. “SHE SWORE AT ME! DON’T YOU SWEAR AT ME!”

“It’s 3:00 AM and you might be waking everybody up,” I snapped. “You might want to get yourselves to mattress.”

And slowly, SO SLOWLY, they acquired themselves into their rooms, nonetheless chatting on the prime of their lungs.

I went downstairs to speak to the receptionist about their conduct and talked to the supervisor the subsequent day. Two days later, I bumped into the 2 males of the group, and so they truly apologized to me.

The Tragedy that’s Texas

I’ve wished to go to Austin for years and years, and it lastly occurred this 12 months. Charlie and I attended the SXSW convention and spent greater than per week in Austin.

However for those who’ve learn my record of favourite new locations for 2025, you’ve most likely seen one thing: Austin didn’t make the minimize.

It’s not that I hated Austin. I simply discovered it tremendously disappointing. It felt like I arrived a decade too late — like the town’s well-known weirdness now solely sparkles sometimes between shiny new chain eating places and rental buildings. You possibly can really feel the burden of Large Tech’s enlargement in every single place you look.

I frolicked with 4 associates in Austin, two of whom are longtime Austinites who have been so concerned within the metropolis’s various scene. Listening to them discuss their Austin of yore, I couldn’t consider they have been taking about the identical place it’s right this moment.

Rainey Road broke my coronary heart. This road is house to historic little bungalow bars, however they’re being bulldozed, one after the other, and changed with high-rise condos. How can that occur? Nicely, they don’t have historic safety. And everyone knows Texas hates authorities overreach. So there you go. They’ll’t compete with rich property builders.

And one thing else we seen was how a lot waste there was. On the bars, each SXSW-oriented and in any other case, there was SO a lot plastic and no recycling. Everybody was chucking thick plastic cups that may very well be reused into the trash.

It made me understand that the states I’ve lived in — Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut — are on a very totally different wavelength in terms of waste and recycling. Who knew reusable glasses have been radical?

And what else didn’t I like? The truth that you want to drive in every single place. The truth that buses barely run. The truth that the primary 5 flooring of buildings are parking garages. The truth that the botanical gardens have been actually subsequent to the freeway, and filled with freeway noise and smells? I discovered it miserable.

Once more, I had enjoyable on the convention, cherished spending time with my associates, and ate loads of good meals — however I actually want I may have skilled Austin in its bizarre heyday.

The Electrical Automobile Follies

For our lengthy weekend journey to Piemonte this fall, Charlie and I made a decision to lease an electrical car. We had rented one as soon as earlier than — for a short journey to the UK that didn’t contain a ton of driving and required no charging — and thought we’d have an analogous expertise.

Oh HO HO HO.

This was a catastrophe in so some ways.

Our first concern was after we drove from Milan Malpensa to Alessandria — a few 75-minute drive — and the battery was practically drained upon arrival. HOW?!

We have been capable of cost briefly there, however then charging elsewhere turned out to be a lot tougher than we anticipated. It’s not simple to seek out chargers on Google Maps — after they seem on the map, they’re usually restricted or hidden — and you’ll’t simply present up and cost, you want to enroll with an account for the actual app.

And as soon as we signed up for Plenitude, the primary charging app in Italy, we discovered that they have been having a glitch and couldn’t create an account for anybody who didn’t have an Italian cellphone quantity. CLASSIC ITALIAN DYSFUNCTION!

We additionally realized that a lot of rental firms will provide you with the worst electrical car they’ve. I discussed this to my readers and plenty mentioned that they had been baited and switched — a couple of instances even given an EV after they ordered a fuel car.

Our car was not capable of cost at any fast-charging stations — solely the slowest. And there was no means we may learn about that forward of time. Moreover, our automobile, like many EVs, was the type that drains in a short time with freeway driving and is best fitted to again roads.

Total, I’m a agency believer in electrical autos and look ahead to the EV infrastructure being improved all over the world within the subsequent decade. However at this level, not each area is well-outfitted for exploring by EV. Rural Piemonte shouldn’t be.

The truth is, I doubt I’ll go electrical anyplace in Italy anytime quickly — until I’m staying at lodging with a devoted charging station.

Cat Well being Issues Whereas Touring

Being away from the cats is the toughest a part of touring — full cease. After we go away on longer journeys, we all the time have a live-in cat sitter staying in our condominium with them, often our good friend John.

By now, John and the cats have a routine, and issues go easily — however this winter after we have been in Mexico and the US, Lewis was coping with a watch harm.

Lewis whacked his eye or acquired one thing in it, and our native vet gave us a prescription that didn’t actually work, so we took him to the flamboyant vet throughout city (the one which handled his FIP). Lewis would want extra remedy, and eye drops.

The great factor is that Lewis is MUCH extra agreeable than Murray in terms of being held. And for the times that we gave him his drops, adopted by John’s first days giving him drops, he was wonderful, accepting his destiny.

Then he began FREAKING THE FUCK OUT. Jerking, snarling, and working away anytime it was time for extra drops.

At one level, Lewis wanted a follow-up vet appointment whereas we have been away, however we didn’t need to make John undergo the trouble of getting him into his provider and transporting him throughout city, particularly since Lewis was already in spicy mode.

Amazingly, our vet AGREED TO A HOUSE CALL. I’m nonetheless floored that this was a chance (albeit for a excessive value, although nonetheless considerably cheaper than what a daily vet appointment within the US would price).

Then the vet came visiting…and Lewis, as soon as once more, freaked out. She and John chased Lewis everywhere in the condominium earlier than they have been lastly capable of extract him and get him examined.

I’m so glad that it in the end labored out — the second treatment labored properly and Lewis totally recovered. Nevertheless it was a LOT of fear whereas we have been away, and I really feel so responsible that we needed to put our good friend into this powerful scenario.

Dinner at Pujol in Mexico Metropolis

Again in March 2020, I had an audacious plan to eat at 4 of one of the best eating places in Latin America inside per week: Quintonil and Pujol in Mexico Metropolis, and Central and Maido in Lima.

Evidently, Covid hit and none of these dinners ended up taking place. I did make it to Quintonil in 2022, and loved it, however Pujol was nonetheless excessive on my record, so Charlie, our good friend Nick, and I made a reservation throughout our time in CDMX.

Pujol has two Michelin stars, so our expectations have been excessive. We anticipated revolutionary and complicated dishes.

We have been served their tasting menu, and it was…wonderful. The smoking carrots served in a clay pot that began off the meal have been good, and attention-grabbing. And all the things else on the menu was unremarkable. First rate tasting, sure. However not thrilling.

With every dish, we shrugged. Good? Certain. For about $200 USD every? HELL NO.

After which got here the ultimate dish: a chunk of wagyu steak and mole sauce and some accoutrements. “We advise you make this right into a taco,” our server advised us.

Charlie and Nick have been offended. “We’re purported to make the taco? I don’t understand how thick to chop the meat, how a lot sauce to incorporate, what the ratios ought to be. You’re leaving this a lot as much as me?”

Whereas the meal wasn’t unhealthy by any stretch, we have been disenchanted that of all of the world-class eating places in Mexico Metropolis, we selected Pujol for our costly meal.

Later that week, we went to Contramar for lunch and it was DELIGHTFUL. Completely scrumptious, filled with surprises, and 1/6 of the value of our Pujol meal.

A Hip Harm that Dominated My Yr

Once I was in Oaxaca this February, I began feeling some occasional twinges and soreness at the back of my proper hip. As we moved on to Louisiana and Texas, the ache acquired worse. Then one night time in Austin, I leaped up and about, landed a bit bizarre on my proper foot, and I shrieked in ache for about 30 seconds nonstop.

I headed straight to an orthopedist upon returning to Prague, and was deeply relieved to be taught it wasn’t arthritis or a bone concern — it was a muscle deterioration concern associated to one thing I used to be born with, however didn’t present up till I turned 40. That’s your forties for you! Random points present up!

So it was okay — but it surely led to a LOT of bodily remedy and physiotherapy (two various things, it seems!) that went on for months, in addition to house workouts and getting my physique again into respectable form with extra intense weight coaching.

I’m glad to be in a a lot better place than I used to be a couple of months in the past, however this concern is one thing I’ll need to control long-term.

One useful factor I did be taught is that if I’m going to be on my toes for a very long time — like a live performance — I’ll really feel MUCH higher if I do some yin yoga earlier than the occasion and the morning after. That made an enormous distinction with how I felt after Kendrick in Frankfurt vs. Kendrick in Warsaw.

Nosebleed on the Streets of Austin

When was the final time you bought a nosebleed? For me, I used to be most likely a child on the time. So I had no thought what to do when my nostril all of the sudden began gushing on the streets of Austin.

And Charlie and I have been in an space of workplace buildings. Not like we may run right into a restaurant to seize some napkins. The blood was getting in every single place and I didn’t even have any tissues in my purse.

However then a person referred to as out from a automobile from throughout the road. He gave Charlie a thick stack of napkins.

Then a mother got here by with a stroller, and she or he gave me some moist wipes.

As terrible because it was to sit down stiffly whereas coated in blood for awhile, these two type folks actually lifted my spirits and made me really feel higher. Particularly after my time in Austin was a little bit bit meh general, it’s good to know that folks right here will soar in that can assist you if you want it.

Dominica Roads and Drama

I assumed I knew what to anticipate on the Caribbean island of Dominica — that it was “the character island,” that there have been no respectable seashores, that it was much less developed and would require a little bit of persistence. It will be totally different from each different Caribbean island.

Dominica turned out to be essentially the most tense vacation spot I visited this 12 months, and my time there was a steady slog.

If I needed to decide the only worst concern, it will be the roads. The roads have been in horrible situation, completely coated in deep potholes. The roads have been usually extraordinarily slender and winding, particularly from the airport to Portsmouth, and so they had deep trenches on either side that would simply flip your automobile for those who drove too far to at least one facet.

Charlie drove (they drive on the left in Dominica) and I navigated — and every drive was so tense, my coronary heart fee was via the roof.

It rained continually, though it was the dry season. Someday I counted sixteen rainstorms earlier than giving up. And we needed to abandon our hike to Middleham Falls simply 5 minutes from the perspective as a result of it was raining so arduous and the path was a scramble over rocks that we didn’t suppose we may do safely whereas moist.

Our flight out was rescheduled to 7:00 AM, which led to us reserving a resort close to the airport for our remaining night time — solely there is no such thing as a airport resort, nor any motels anyplace close to the airport, simply easy guesthouses.

We ended up in a $100 per night time guesthouse that reeked of dried shrimp, the place a child confirmed us a room the place somebody had clearly simply slept within the mattress and it hadn’t been modified.

Oh, and meals? There is no such thing as a restaurant or grocery retailer anyplace close to the airport. Locals would shrug and say they didn’t know after we requested the place we may purchase meals. Finally we made it to the airport snack bar simply earlier than they closed for the night time — at 5:50 PM.

Google Maps? Not enjoyable to make use of in Dominica. It ceaselessly despatched us down blocked and harmful roads, and was filled with “at present open” eating places that hadn’t existed for years.

Many of those points are as a result of Dominica is a poor nation that’s nonetheless pretty new to tourism, and I don’t need to lose sight of that. (The Chinese language are actually conscious of this, and they’re investing like loopy in infrastructure initiatives on the island, as a result of no one performs the lengthy recreation just like the Chinese language.)

It will not be honest to match Dominica to, say, Barbados, which has much better infrastructure and a extra strong tourism trade. And I’m not doing that.

Naked minimal, I might have had a greater expertise in Dominica if I had 1) employed an area driver 2) are available by ferry within the southwest, not airplane within the northeast 3) visited between February and April, the least wet a part of dry season 4) introduced in depth waterproof gear for mountaineering 5) stayed in a nicer resort 6) stayed for fewer days general.

In the event you’re contemplating Dominica, I hope you’re taking the factors above into thoughts as you propose your journey. It’s not a vacation spot for me, however I do know lots of people who’ve and who would take pleasure in it there.

What have been your worst journey moments of 2025?