June 30, 2026 Cheers Reader ~ Japan is one of those destinations that stays with you. The food, the temples, the gardens, the quiet rituals, the sense of order and beauty — it all feels deeply considered. And in autumn, with cooler weather and a softer seasonal atmosphere, it becomes an especially beautiful time to travel. Japan is also a destination where planning really matters. Hotels, trains, luggage transfers, guides, timing, and the question of how to see enough without making the trip...
28 days ago • 2 min read
June 16, 2026 Cheers Reader ~ Some cities are exactly what you expect. Berlin wasn't. I expected a city defined by its history. What I found instead was a city energized by it. Of course, the reminders are everywhere. Memorials, museums, preserved sites, and moments that force you to stop and reflect. Berlin doesn't shy away from its past, nor should it. What surprised me was everything else. The creativity. The art. The striking mix of old and new architecture. The independent shops and...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
June 2, 2026 Cheers Reader ~ Certain journeys feel larger than travel itself. The kind that carries you through civilizations, across legendary coastlines, and into places you have spent a lifetime reading about. This September, I am thrilled to host an extraordinary 21-day Oceania voyage: Kingdoms of Sea and Sand — a remarkable sailing from Athens to Doha aboard the elegant Oceania Nautica. Imagine standing before the marble grandeur of Ephesus in the quiet morning light, wandering the...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
May 26, 2026 Cheers Reader ~ If you’ve looked at international airfares lately, you already know the reality: travel now requires a bit more strategy than it used to. And honestly? Sometimes the most satisfying trips are the ones that don’t involve a ten-hour flight, brutal jet lag, or two days of recovery time once you get home. Having just returned from French Canada, I’ve been thinking a lot about destinations that deliver genuine character, cultural depth, and a real sense of place —...
2 months ago • 2 min read
May 7, 2026 Dear Reader ~ East Africa is one of the few places where you can combine a classic savanna safari with a deep-forest gorilla trek—without the logistical headache. Africa is a vast continent, but in this specific region—Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda—you can experience incredible diversity within a relatively close geographic range. By focusing on this strategic regional connection, you spend less time in transit and more time actually immersed in the wild. I put together a...
3 months ago • 1 min read
April 21, 2026 Dear Reader ~ In my last note, I shared the idea of the “Pivot” — shifting just beyond the obvious cities to find the places that still feel authentic, layered, and a bit more breathable. But there’s another layer to that strategy that matters just as much. If the Pivot is about where you go, this is about how you experience it once you’re there. I was reminded of that very quickly in Amsterdam. Over the course of three days, I stepped on and off 16 different river ships. Many...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Oceania Special April 18, 2026 Cheers Reader ~ There’s a very limited window right now to plan now for 2026 travel—with an unusually light commitment. Oceania Cruises is currently offering: ➡️ Just a $25 deposit per person to reserve a 2026 sailing➡️ Select voyages with up to 50% savings➡️ Available through April 30, 2026 What makes this compelling isn’t simply the pricing—it’s the flexibility. Oceania’s smaller ships, destination-focused itineraries, and “Your World Included” amenities...
3 months ago • 3 min read
April 7, 2026 Dear Reader ~ I hope your Easter weekend offered a restorative pause—the kind of quiet that is increasingly hard to find once the momentum of Q2 takes hold. With the first quarter of the year behind us, the lens for 2027 travel is officially coming into focus. Having just returned from the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam, my takeaway is clear: the "Havens" of Europe—cities like Amsterdam and Budapest remain essential anchors, but the real magic for the next two seasons lies...
4 months ago • 3 min read
March 20, 2026Curated journeys & custom travel design Hello Reader ~ I wrote this from a train between Amsterdam and Berlin, watching the Dutch countryside slip by (and wishing I’d packed a heavier coat!). I’ve just wrapped up the annual river cruise showcase in Amsterdam, where I toured 16 ships from Europe’s top lines side-by-side. While most ships look similar on paper due to river lock constraints, the actual experience varies wildly. Here is what you need to know for your 2026 and 2027...
4 months ago • 1 min read