2025 was an ambitious travel year for us. We continue to enjoy the hell out of our retirement – trying to travel as much as we can. We have the time, and while both of us continue to enjoy good health (knock on wood, throw salt, and whatever other magical superstition applies), we’ll continue this pace. Eventually, there will come a day when we slow down and stay put.

But not yet.

Checking in with Mr. Twain

I love this quote from Mark Twain – because it so clearly captures why we travel. Stepping into unfamiliar places stretches our perspective (and our patience), and reminds us how much of the world exists beyond our own routines and assumptions. Travel has a way of humbling us (there’s nothing like mustering the courage to try out a phrase in a foreign language only to be answered in English), reshaping how we think, and sending us home seeing the world – and ourselves – with fresh eyes.

My 2025 Travel Map

Here’s my 2025 travel map – because you know I can’t think without a map. I visited 19 countries this year – 13 of them new to me (in bold below). That brings my total country count (and yes, I’m counting) to 48.

• Portugal
• Spain
• Germany
• Estonia
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Italy
• The Vatican
• France
• Monaco
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Hungary
• Slovakia
• Croatia
• Serbia
• Bulgaria
• Romania
• The Bahamas

Favorites

One of the questions we ask ourselves when we travel is this: do we want to come back and see more, or is it a one-and-done experience? Of the new-to-me countries I visited, I’d most like to revisit Portugal and Estonia. I felt very safe in both countries, and both are particularly easy for English speakers – almost everyone there (especially younger people) speaks excellent English. That’s especially helpful given that I have zero Portuguese or Estonian skills. Beyond that, I feel a particular affinity with Estonia, likely because many Estonians identify as Nordic people, and my people are Nordic. So much of it just felt familiar.

One and done? Probably Tunisia (shockingly dirty) and The Vatican (shockingly crowded). We probably won’t go back to Serbia and Bulgaria anytime soon – they weren’t necessarily bad per se, but there are too many places we want to see before we’d circle back there.

The People We Met Along the Way

I started putting together some of my favorite photos of our year in travel, and it felt redundant. I’ve already published photo essays, and I keep my photography portfolio page current. What started to stand out to me were the people we met along the way this year – old friends and new. But each of them made an impression on us in one way or another. And I wanted to share their lovely faces with you.

What’s Next?

Looking forward to 2026, Ken and I have two trips to Asia planned, plus Argentina and Uruguay. This will be my first time in Asia, and I am really looking forward to the experience. I am not looking forward to the 15 hour flights to get there.

• Japan
• Korea
• China
• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Laos 

As for the next few weeks, I’ll finish posting about our Danube River cruise. I’ll have a river cruise wrap-up post, along with a post about what it’s like to travel in Eastern Europe. I hope you enjoying reading my little blog as much as I enjoy writing it.

My best to all of you for a healthy and happy New Year.

Cheers!