My Finest Journey Moments of 2025

2025 was a landmark yr for journey, taking me to seven new international locations and to so many new and great locations.

And it was a yr 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 yr, the revival of Evita in London made headlines for an uncommon staging determination: 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 tune of the present wouldn’t even be carried out contained in the theater. The viewers would watch it stay, however filmed from outdoors. What the hell?!

But when you realize 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 perfect of her.

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

After which Rachel got here out — and he or she sang so superbly, I used to be practically in tears. This tune is so transferring and Rachel has an angelic voice, completely suited to it.

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

Our Occasion 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. Identical 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 pals from all around the globe, and so lots of them got here again for spherical two — and many who missed spherical one had been capable of make it this time!

Nicely, there have been some variations — specifically, it was COLD! We had our wedding ceremony in Might 2023 as a result of Might is probably the most stunning month of the yr 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 truly carrying my lengthy wool coat that month.

And so the celebration began off outdoors however we ended up packing ourselves into the lounge space of the bar, and the bartenders had been ON POINT, making infinite cocktails, saying to us issues like, “You appear to be you would use a Cosmopolitan.”

All in all, it was so good having so lots of our pals again, sharing our metropolis with them, and having fun with all the nice 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 should haul your self up ledges, put your ft on tiny steps, and there may be an precise danger of falling should you don’t step proper. You wouldn’t fall to your demise, however you may land exhausting in your harness and break a rib.

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

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

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

Mardi Gras with Charlie and Nick

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is considered one 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 wished Charlie and our pal Nick to like it, too. I knew Charlie would have a superb time in New Orleans — however should you’ve ever met Nick, you’ll know he’s MADE for New Orleans.

So sure — I made certain we did issues proper.

We spent three nights gallivanting on Bourbon Avenue and received 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 hen at midnight. We headed out to the Backyard District to get pleasure from 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 excellent barbecue shrimp, which is probably the perfect factor I ate in all of 2025.

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

Touring by means of 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 a minimum of 45 minutes, a minimum of three hours aside, and a minimum of one have to be outdoors. You’re taking a photograph of your self every day, comply with a eating regimen 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 e book per day, and eat zero alcohol.

And you can’t mess any of this stuff up ONCE, otherwise you’ll want to begin 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 street. I had a reasonably mild 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 common. 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 an entire summer time with out ice cream.

I awoke at 5 AM to do yoga and Pilates, and even had a birthday apple as an alternative of any form 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 youngsters jumped within the water round me.

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

These days, consuming is one thing I save for particular events. It’s not a part of my common routine anymore. And I’m very completely satisfied 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 totally different Caribbean islands. However quickly I noticed that the principle character is the ship — the Royal Clipper.

The Royal Clipper is a fully attractive crusing ship that seems like a throwback. Each bit of it’s meticulously designed. And a few of 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, however it was the Caribbean, so it was so clear and vibrant and delightful.

From right here, we might bounce in, swim about, lounge on floats, or perform a little little bit of paddle boarding. All whereas having fun with the proper view of the ship, realizing that we belonged right here.

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

Cailin’s Birthday Meals Crawl in Kraków

When Cailin came to visit for our celebration in Might, we determined to plan a close-by journey collectively that might coincide along with her birthday. And so we ended up in Kraków, Poland! It was her first go to ever, and my first go to in practically a decade.

And we ended up having a very nice day! I introduced cat birthday candles and cat short-term 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 prepare expertise (solely six seats within the automobile!!) for a surprisingly first rate worth.

Driving in Réunion

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

However then I discovered a few of 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 means of these winding, twisting onramps that appear to go on eternally, 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, attractive roads whereas listening to Y2K-era French dance music was maybe the perfect mixture of driving and music I’ve ever had!

One caveat — I did rent a driver for the drive into Cilaos at some point, as a result of I didn’t understand how I’d deal with the steep switchback-covered roads. On reflection, I might have accomplished it, however it will have been tremendous aggravating, and I’m glad I had a information to indicate me numerous nice picture spots.

However total, Réunion’s roads had 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 realize what modified my thoughts? The Eras Tour. I’m not a Swiftie within the least, however numerous my pals are, and so they traveled throughout oceans to see Taylor carry out in several cities.

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

And so I received tickets to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA each in Frankfurt and Warsaw, and Beyoncé in Paris. These had 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 appreciated getting to show them into mini journeys, and it was so good simply basking within the music and having fun with the group. Being solo made completely no distinction in my enjoyment (not that that needs to be any shock to you).

Subsequent yr, I’ve received 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’d LOVE to by some means get tickets to see Dangerous Bunny someplace, however these have all offered out a number of occasions over.

An Impromptu Dance Occasion in Morondava

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

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

Sure. We had been in.

We threw on some music, turned it UP — particularly the Dadi Love tune that everybody in Madagascar goes loopy for — and had a dance celebration that lasted properly previous 1 AM. A very 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 Resort in Crete

This yr, Charlie and I stayed in a number of nicer motels than common, however considered one of them stood above the remainder: Minos Seaside Artwork Resort in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. And WOW — I believe this resort may need ruined me a bit.

The rooms had been tremendous good, and felt very personal. The breakfast buffet was truthfully 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 loosen up on massive beds beneath palapas, and never be surrounded by all the opposite resort visitors.

We aren’t lie-on-the-beach folks — we would try this for half a day, perhaps 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 completely 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 resort I’d 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 comply with them wherever. Tituss Burgess is a kind of folks. I’ve been a fan of him eternally, I even met him at a fundraiser he threw, and he couldn’t have been sweeter.

So once 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, concerning 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 changing into a cabaret singer. It’s WILD and DARING and SO, SO FUNNY. Tituss, after all, performs Mary in an enormous ballgown.

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

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

If in case you have an opportunity to see Oh, Mary! — GO SEE IT! Regardless of who’s starring in it. Each Mary places their very own spin on the character. I’d have liked 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 had 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 girl stated, “and I assumed you had been honeymooners.”

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

“You had 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 should you’ve met me in actual life, you realize I’m very severe about my nails!)

What was your favourite journey second of 2025?