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This month I turned 41! Within the coronary heart of summer time, I made just a few fast visits round Europe, however stored issues fairly low-key for probably the most half.
From rural Slovakia to city Poland to suburban England, listed below are one of the best moments of August 2025!
Locations Visited
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Poprad and Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia
- Warsaw and Piaseczno, Poland
- St. Albans and Watford, England
Highlights
An ideal birthday getaway to the Excessive Tatras. After the large Croatian blowout for my fortieth birthday final 12 months, this 12 months I needed one thing quiet, in nature, accessible by practice, with a pleasant lodge. And so Charlie and I went to the Excessive Tatras, the gorgeous mountainous area of Slovakia!
We stayed on the Grand Kempinski Excessive Tatras, a lodge I’ve needed to remain at for years, which was SUCH place for a splurge. The largest spotlight was the lodge spa, which we visited daily. The indoor pool truly has three chandeliers hanging above it, and a glass window so you’ll be able to see outdoors to all of the individuals strolling the trail across the lake.
And it was a wonderfully low-key journey. We hiked, we strolled, we ate garlic soup topped with cheese, and it was very nice having a chill itinerary with out feeling pressured to do all of the issues.
I used to be absolutely ready for the realm to be overrun, as we had been visiting on a weekend in early August. Nevertheless it actually wasn’t that unhealthy! When climbing, we had been solo 1/3 of the time, with just a few others 1/3 of the time, and in an enormous crowd 1/3 of the time. I’d intention for a barely extra off-peak time sooner or later, although.
I completely cherished this journey. It was so good that we’re already speaking about extra journeys like this we are able to do sooner or later: straightforward nature getaways with climbing and lodge with a spa. And hopefully a return to Štrbské Pleso and the Excessive Tatras quickly!
From Slovakia, I hopped on a bus and a practice to Warsaw to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA for the second time this summer time! The live performance was implausible, and it was completely different experiencing it from the ground. General, I believe the Warsaw crowd was higher than the Frankfurt crowd.
This was my first go to to Warsaw in a few years, and I took a LOT of lengthy walks across the metropolis, seeing what it needed to provide. And I occurred to be there on inauguration day (along with being in Kraków on Election Day in June), and staying in lodging proper throughout the road from the place the swearing-in occurred. Oops.
And on the finish of the month, we visited England for our buddy’s annual bonfire social gathering. It was a really temporary go to, however we did spend a little bit of time in St. Albans, a pleasant suburb with a stunning downtown that I think about is pricey as hell to reside in. It’s just like the London model of Lexington, Massachusetts, or New Canaan, Connecticut.
Enjoyable occasions in Prague. Dinners with pals, a go to to Letná Beer Backyard, and plenty and plenty of walks across the metropolis….
Challenges
I obtained stung by a wasp for the primary time since I used to be a child. Enjoyable occasions. It landed on my higher arm, obtained crushed towards my physique, and stung.
And there was the time I obtained caught in an epic rainstorm nowhere close to shops that bought umbrellas…
Not a problem, actually, however residing in a spot as trendy and good as Prague type of will get you used to it. Like the truth that the overwhelming majority of public loos in Prague take bank cards — simply maintain up your cellphone and scan your means in.
And it struck me upon arriving in Slovakia and Poland, even in malls, that you just not solely wanted money for public loos, you wanted cash. Sort of annoying while you’re in every nation for just a few days and also you don’t wish to carry round loads of change you’ll by no means find yourself spending…
What I Watched This Month
The Thursday Homicide Membership is a pleasant new film on Netflix. A comfy homicide thriller set in a fully beautiful retirement house, with 4 actors you like starring as senior residents making an attempt to unravel a thriller and save their group. I actually loved it.
Additionally. I lastly watched White Chicks. Yeah. It’s not unhealthy should you don’t suppose too exhausting about it.
Under Deck replace: After just a few months off, Charlie and I obtained again into Under Deck! This month we watched Under Deck: Down Beneath Season 3, which truly takes place within the Seychelles. (And has satisfied me to not go to the Seychelles in February or March, after seeing how a lot they suffered via the warmth, humidity, and storms!)
So far as seasons go, it was…effective. Not among the finest. Captain Jason is such chief that it’s instructional simply watching him — however he appeared a bit faraway from all the things this time round. The solid had been good, there have been some villains. No horrific visitors. It was effective.
What I Listened To This Month
I’m listening to all 500 of Rolling Stone‘s 500 Best Albums of All Time, which I’m having fun with immensely. I’m loving discovering new artists and listening to albums I’ve by some means missed my total life till now!
In August, I listened to albums 284-250. I’m formally greater than midway! And to suppose — those I’ve listened to have been the WORSE half. How good is it going to get?!
Listed here are the highlights:
Favourite Discovery: The Hissing of Summer season Lawns by Joni Mitchell. I’m kicking myself for not stepping into Joni Mitchell’s music at a youthful age. She is TRANSCENDENT. And to suppose that is simply the primary of her a number of albums on the listing!
I really like how each track on this album is so detailed and distinctive, it will be sufficient for a complete album in its type — but they’re all cohesive. Each track belongs on this album. And I can’t cease listening to them.
I additionally wish to give a shoutout to Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves. I’ve by no means heard her music earlier than, however I instantly turned an enormous fan of her pop-blended nation with a liberal background. I really like that this problem has proven me nation artists I actually love, fairly than dismissing the style as a complete.
Different Favourite Discoveries: Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman, What’s the 411? by Mary J. Blige, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan, The Bends by Radiohead, Nillson Schmillson by Harry Nillson.
Favourite Revisited Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys by Alicia Keys. I listened to this album a TON within the early 2000s, and I believe it’s among the finest R&B albums of its period. It’s the excellent mix of sturdy songwriting, uncooked expertise, and producers who understood how one can form this album to perfection. I nonetheless hum these songs to myself on a regular basis.
Aspect notice: revisiting this album made me lookup Jermaine Paul, her backup singer on this album and her reside Unplugged album, who truthfully sang circles round her at any time when potential (particularly on the reside model of “Diary” on Unplugged) and went on to win season two of The Voice. Seems he’s now a pastor in Bridgeport, Connecticut?!
Favourite Songs: “The Rain” by Led Zeppelin, “Love is a Wild Factor” by Kacey Musgraves, “Amy” by Elton John, “21 Questions” by 50 Cent, “Edith and the Kingpin” by Joni Mitchell, “Woman from the North Nation” by Bob Dylan.
Get the playlist: I’m making a playlist of my favourite songs from the five hundred albums — most one per album — on Spotify. You possibly can hearken to it right here.
Lowlight of the Month: Q: Are We Not Males? A: We Are Devo! by Devo. By this problem I’ve realized that I don’t care for brand new wave in any respect — if it’s pop- and punk-adjacent inside 5 years of 1980, I hate it. However this album simply aggravated the hell out of me, begin to end. I hated their voices, the music, the lyrics, all the things.
Additionally, I used to be irked that Rolling Stone selected a four-album field set of Merle Haggard’s biggest hits for the listing. Actually, you’ll be able to’t consider considered one of his common albums that was higher than the others? Placing a four-hour and forty-five-minute album on the listing is taking the piss, for actual.
And I had a seven-hour practice journey that day, so I listened to the entire rattling factor in a single sitting. Sort of out of spite.
Random Music Ideas: Each the Buzzcocks and the Pharcyde have a track referred to as “Oh Shit.”
And all alongside I assumed the Jackass theme track was one thing authentic created for the present. Seems it’s the track “Corona” by Minutemen, whose album Double Nickels on the Dime was on the listing this month.
What I Learn This Month
I’ve felt a bit embarrassed that my studying fell off SO a lot in recent times. At first I stated it was as a result of I used to be working so exhausting on my New Hampshire website; from there it snowballed into “I’m doing an excessive amount of.” However I’m making an attempt to get again into it, for actual for actual.
Die with Zero: Getting All You Can From Your Cash and Your Life by Invoice Perkins (2020) — This ebook may be very common in private finance boards, and I at all times seeing individuals consult with it, so I used to be glad to lastly learn it. The ebook encourages you to spend all of your cash when you’re nonetheless alive — and extra importantly, to have the proper experiences on the proper time.
It’s the half concerning the experiences that rang so true for me, and I’ve been planning my very own journeys this fashion. I’m SO glad I did a lot backpacking in my twenties after I didn’t thoughts hostel dorms. However as you age, you must prioritize doing extra of your bodily journeys, as a result of it received’t be as straightforward doing them later. Save cruises and safaris for while you’re older. While you’re actually outdated, you probably received’t wish to go very far in any respect.
The ebook additionally makes an incredible level about leaving cash to your children — that they will get a LOT extra out of a smaller reward at age 30 to assist purchase a home than their full inheritance at age 55 or 60, when their life is slowing down.
I believe everybody can get lots out of this ebook — particularly, sketching out completely different eras in your individual life and what objectives to prioritize throughout every of them.
Higher Than Earlier than: What I Realized About Making and Breaking Habits — to Sleep Extra, Give up Sugar, Procrastinate Much less, and Usually Construct a Happier Life by Gretchen Rubin (2015) — Gretchen Rubin is legendary for The Happiness Undertaking, researching what makes people actually pleased, and the way we are able to put it into motion. On this ebook, she dives into behavior formation.
Now, I’ve learn behavior formation books earlier than, together with James Clear’s extremely popular ebook Atomic Habits. However I believe that is one of the best behavior formation ebook I’ve ever learn. What makes it so good? I really like Gretchen Rubin’s writing type. I really like how she divides individuals into 4 kinds of completely different behaviors, fairly than assuming a one-size-fits-all framework for everybody. I really like how the ebook is a component memoir and half self-development tome. And I really like how she shares tales from a number of completely different individuals in her life.
Now, Gretchen Rubin and I are very completely different individuals. She states outright that she doesn’t look after music, meals, video games, or trend. She generally is a bit inflexible. And I believe that’s behind a number of the detrimental opinions of this ebook. However she’s not asking you to be her buddy. She’s asking to you check out what she found. For me, that is the primary time I noticed why it’s a lot simpler for me to abstain from issues than to reside sparsely.
I Hope This Finds You Effectively by Natalie Sue (2024) — On this novel, Jolene is a depressed 20-something Persian Canadian working a boring workplace job and sending her coworkers insults in hidden in white textual content in her emails. When her messages are found, she’s pressured to have her emails monitored — however in a tech mishap, she abruptly will get entry to each inbox within the firm. Jolene decides to make use of this to her benefit, studying everybody’s emails to get forward in her profession and enhance her work relationships.
I favored this ebook, however felt it may have gone in some higher instructions. In actual fact, I believe it will have been higher not stepping into a romantic path in any respect. I did benefit from the characters within the workplace and the proper descriptions of workplace politics, and the work Jolene did to make her life higher. There are some comparisons to Eleanor Oliphant is Fully High quality, which I believe is a significantly better ebook.
The 10X Rule: The Solely Distinction Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone (2011) — You understand how most enterprise books may basically be a weblog submit? It is a enterprise ebook that would have been a tweet.
“Work 10x more durable than anybody else. Set objectives 10x larger than anybody else.” Increase. You bought as a lot out of the ebook as I did.
Moreover, I hated that it was written on this terrible, virtually singsongy voice, and that he doesn’t embrace any examples of anybody within the ebook apart from himself. Full waste of time.
Coming Up in September 2025
Lastly, it’s time for my huge journey journey of the 12 months. I’ll be spending many of the month in Mauritius, Réunion, and Madagascar!
I’ll be touring in Mauritius and Réunion solo, for just a few days every. No, this isn’t a great period of time. Initially I used to be simply going to go to Réunion for just a few days, however then Air France moved my flight again and I noticed I now had JUUUUST sufficient time to go to each islands. And so they’re solely a 45-minute flight aside…
So will probably be a little bit of a teaser go to for each locations.
I made a decision to not drive in Mauritius, towards typical knowledge, as a result of I’ll be arriving after an in a single day flight in economic system the place I virtually actually received’t have slept one wink, and I don’t suppose it’s protected for me to drive in that state, not to mention on the left aspect of the street for the primary time ever. I’ll be staying in Flic en Flac and Grand Baie, and I’ve a personal tour of the southwest someday.
In Réunion, I might be driving, partly as a result of a three-day automobile rental is similar value as a one-way taxi to my lodge in St. Gilles, however someday I hope to affix a tour to Cilaos within the inside. Réunion has such a dramatic panorama and I can’t wait to take all of it in.
After which comes the BIG a part of the journey — greater than two weeks in Madagascar! I’m touring on this tour with Rock My Journey, run by blogger Helen in Wanderlust. Helen is an Africa specialist and I’ve heard her excursions are implausible.
I booked this tour greater than a 12 months in the past as a result of the itinerary appealed to me a lot, with time within the locations I needed to go to probably the most — the Tsingy, the Avenue of the Baobabs, and plenty of time within the islands off Nosy Be. Plus there’s a two-day river tenting journey and LOTS of overland driving on not-quite-roads. I’m just a little bit nervous — and tremendous excited.
