Andrew and James share their favorite destinations and experiences from 2019 as we set the stage to welcome a new decade of adventure! Here are our combined Top 10 Adventures of 2019. Five from James, and five from Andrew, in no particular order:
JAMES’ TOP 5
Buenos Aires
From the kilos of parrilla–Argentinian grilled meat–to the red wine, then dancing ’til dawn, Buenos Aires absolutely refused to submit to hunger, thirst, or exhaustion. The beat played on and we didn’t stop until the sun came up. We traveled a’way down south below the Equator to celebrate love, friends old and new, and the warmth, kindness, and openness that accompanies the joining of two lives as one. La noche está en pañales! Y yo soy la niñera!
Banff, Alberta, Canada
How do you feel about hot springs and Alberta beef, handcrafted cocktails, mechanical bulls, and karaoke? Perhaps you’d prefer a breathtaking view of Lake Louise, also known as the Sapphire of the Rocky Mountains? Well, they were all on the agenda for the only full off day while on holiday tour in Canada. 24 hours chockablock with debauchery and dietary detriment that can only be described as decadent. Deliciously so.
VEGAS, BABY!
When your gym buddy from your last contract on cruise ships texts you to tell you he’s getting married, hints at making you a groomsman, you clear the calendar to get to Sin City. Flash forward to an insane 8 hours in Vegas before leaving for tour. Cue showgirls, steakhouses, and keeping an eye on a groom with some stagger in his step after his posse gets him lit up on his big night before the big day.
New York, New York
I called it home for 17 years before moving back down south. Luckily, I get back to “the city” plenty of times a year to catch some shows on the cheap, haunt my favorite watering holes, and pick up some heavy stuff with the fitness community that made leaving NYC one of the hardest decisions I ever made. From the best coffee in Queens to the coolest bars in Brooklyn, New York will always have a special place in my heart.
Senegal
When the whole thing goes sideways, the best you can do is smile through it. Even better if you can SING. And you won’t get much better than the dynamic duo formed by the tenor powerhouses in Andrew and James as they made their way through western Africa. Trekking deserts in station wagons, learning to assemble mosaics on islands off the coast, savoring roast fish straight from the beach after soaking up the sun, makeshift percussion ensembles pulsing and thrumming in your ears and lungs–Senegal offered a smorgasbord for the senses at every turn, whether expected or surprise.
ANDREW’S TOP 5
Madrid
Though I only managed to see it for something like 72 hours, I fell for Madrid quickly. The architecture, the history, the culture – they’re all incredible. But the thing that stood out to me was the food: churros, strong coffee, paella, all the tapas, but most of all – croquetas. Madrid is mainly on this list because it gave me the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth: a squid ink and some sort of cheesy, gooey something rolled and fried up into a croqueta. If you’re ever in Madrid, you gotta check out La Gastro de Chema and try it out for yourself. You will NOT be disappointed. I promise.
Lanzarote
My two and a half-day excursion to the tiny Canary Island was definitely full of drama (click here for the whole story and itinerary). Technically a part of Spain, the Canary Islands are actually off the coast of Morocco, but the fact that they’re Spanish makes them incredibly cheap to visit if you’re flying from Spain – which we were! We got our roundtrip flights for $35! Thanks, RyanAir!
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The North side of Lanzarote, looking at the island of La Garciosa, which is almost entirely National Park 
Famara Beach at Sunset
Lanzarote is a little desert island covered in volcanoes, and it’s an adventure paradise – as long as you only stay for a few days. I imagine I’d get bored there pretty quickly, but as a quick stop, it was fantastic. Great food at cheap prices, jaw-dropping views, otherworldly landscapes – it’s SO worth the visit. Locals call it the “Hawaii of the Atlantic”, and while there are definitely some Maui vibes here, I’d say it’s more of a combination between the desert parts of Hawaii and Greece.
Saint-Louis, Senegal
This is another one that deserves its own post, and it’ll come! But in the meantime, Saint-Louis, Senegal was a real slice of Senegalese life. Visiting this town – a place that looks like a dilapidated and crumbling New Orleans – will stick with me forever. We stayed at a dance and cultural center, ate in the locals’ homes, met their families, and napped on their beds. We saw the local fishermen unloading their daily catch in a chaotic and vibrant sea of colorful boats and fabrics, and marveled at the amount of garbage just… everywhere. But the harsh reality in developing countries is that folks just have much more pressing matters to worry about than where they throw their plastic bottles when they’re done with them.
Saint-Louis is harsh and beautiful at the same time. And I’ve never met such happy kids.
Squamish, British Columbia
I’ve already spilled a lot of ink (pixels?) on Squamish HERE, but suffice to say that anywhere with mountains and rainforest and world-class rock climbing is always going to be high on my list. Just a hop, skip and a jump from Vancouver, Squamish, BC is my true happy place – a spot I’ve revisited three times and hope to again and again and again in the future.
Dominican Republic
Probably the most shockingly easy trip I’ve ever taken. Despite all the Dominican Republic horror stories, literally nothing went wrong. Not even the tiniest thing. There were literally no problems to solve, our car didn’t break down, all of our accommodations were beautiful, all the people we interacted with were welcoming and warm and fantastic… just… a DREAM trip. From perfect and secluded white sand beaches near Pedernales to the hustle and bustle of Santo Domingo, to the hospitality we found in Barahona in between, I couldn’t recommend a visit to the DR more highly. It’s cheap to get to, cheap once you’re there, and the people and food are great. Pro tip: ignore the all-inclusive resorts of Punta Cana and stay South. You’ll get a more authentic, more enjoyable experience. And we DEFINITELY recommend glamping at Eco Del Mar if you’re up for a little “roughing it”.
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