WanderList: Our globe-trotting adventures in 2025
Planning a break for the year ahead? These travel essays might just inspire you
As we enjoy a short break before 2026, our fond look back at articles we’ve penned in 2025 continues with some reminiscences of places our writers have visited across the globe. From the other side of the world to short hops into mainland Europe, our WanderList series has been enthusing about the places and people of planet Earth every month. Read a selection of our sojourns below.
McLaren Vale
‘See any Melbourne or Sydney-based comedian at Adelaide’s Fringe and you’ll hear plenty of jokes about the city itself: too wee, too dull, and what’s with the extra half hour on the time difference?! (I mean, that one’s fair enough). But there’s so much that’s endearing about Adelaide. It’s home to 1.3 million people (hardly a village, lads) and packed with outdoor community pools, cracking city beaches, a vibrant food scene, beautiful parks, world-class galleries and a fantastic year-round festival programme, including the aforementioned Adelaide Fringe and the equally stellar Adelaide Festival. Heck, it’s even home to Coopers Brewery (mine’s a pale ale).’
Thailand
‘I’m ashamed to say I had never heard of Krabi until a friend suggested we meet there around a week before I set off for Thailand, pushing it near the top of my list of recommendations. Located on the west side of the country’s stunning south coast, Krabi can be accessed by boat from Phuket or via a short flight from Bangkok, and comes with a distinctly more relaxed, subdued atmosphere than those two popular tourist spots.’
Manhattan
‘New York is a city of walkers and is best seen around nine o’clock at night. My tour starts at the very southern edge of Manhattan at Battery Park, overlooking the water, and heads two miles north to the West Village. This is the same quiet walk I took three times a week last year after my screenwriting class.’
Lyon
‘Eavesdrop on any group of Gen X-ers, and you’ll likely overhear someone bemoaning the end of the cheap flights era. It’s not that we don’t get it: it’s more that discovering random European cities through bargain EasyJet trips landing in shed-airports at least 50km from town at midnight was a formative experience. ‘
Oslo
‘Trust the Norwegians to find beauty in contradiction. A city entirely comfortable within its paradoxical skin, Oslo is a dynamic blend of natural beauty, peak cutting-edge cultural movements and a lot of reflective architecture which is undoubtedly the city’s pride (with a dusting of Viking flair).’
San Pedro De Atacama
‘With its 2700 miles of length, Chile has an enormous variety of landmass to explore. From the major metropolis of Santiago to Torres Del Paine in Patagonia, there truly is a region for every biome enthusiast. But among its plentiful natural wonders is the otherworldly Atacama Desert. Located in the north-east by the Bolivian border, the Atacama region sits at an altitude of 2400 metres and spans over 40,000 miles. These numbers explain the initial light-headedness you feel on arrival, but somehow still don’t accurately embody the vastness of this landscape.’
Boston
‘Let’s get one thing straight: Boston is not New York. However, Beantown is just as worthy as the Big Apple for a grown-up getaway, sipping cocktails at rooftop bars, shopping til you drop and catching a big game. Centuries of history, from rebellious tea-dumping to revolutionary plots, can be found on Boston’s Freedom Trail, a 4km walk that does a stellar job of orienting you in the city. Boston’s defining blend of old world and new is on display as red brick meets sleek skyscraper. Afterwards, it’s time for a drink. Luckily, the trail ends at the sprawling green expanse of Boston Common (smaller and more sedate than Central Park) and the famous Cheers bar is nearby. Nobody actually knows my name, but a cold Sam Adams goes down a treat in classic dive-bar surroundings.’
Vietnam
‘Hanoi is not a city you arrive in gently. It hits you head-on: a kaleidoscope of colours, smells and sounds. Motorbikes swarm like schools of fish, weaving around fruit sellers, children, even dogs balanced on handlebars. Crossing the road isn’t an act of planning, it’s an act of faith: step out, walk steady and watch as the chaos parts around you. Nobody crashes. Nobody even looks rattled. It’s choreography, just without the music.’
Athens and Hydra
‘There’s nothing new about the two-centre holiday. But when one half of a couple wants a city break while the other craves a bit of peace and quiet, and you’re not over-endowed with annual leave between you, flying to Athens with a side trip to Hydra ticks all the boxes without adding anything like two travel days.’
Morocco
‘Four hours away by plane, Morocco is a traveller’s paradise. In the west, Marrakech hides a treasure trove of medieval architectural beauty within its high, red sandstone walls. Palaces, impeccable riads and magical gardens, all stunning examples of Islamic and African design, act as serene spaces away from the enticing chaos of the Medina, the city’s historic heart.’