My 2025 Review of My Travels, Winging It, Personal Goals + What Is To Come in 2026.

In this bonus New Year’s Day episode of Winging It, I’m taking a deep dive into my 2025 travel year, the evolution of the podcast, and what’s coming next in 2026.

I break down the numbers behind my travels — 22 flights, 90,000km flown, nine countries, three new destinations — but more importantly, I reflect on the moments that shaped me as a traveller and storyteller. From seeing wild elephants in India to sharing breakfast with a Bhutanese monk overlooking Thimphu, this episode is about perspective, purpose, and how travel changes over time.

I also open up about the realities of running a long-form travel podcast, including burnout, why I’m stepping back from guest-heavy interviews, and why immersive, sound-rich storytelling is where Winging It is heading next.

If you’re interested in slow vs purposeful travel, how travel content is evolving, or what it’s really like to juggle full-time work with global adventures, this episode pulls the curtain back.

In this episode, I talk about:

My full 2025 travel recap across Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America
Why Bhutan was my favourite country and Bangkok my favourite city
The most surreal travel moment of my life (and why it changed me)
What I learned after releasing 57 podcast episodes in one year
Why immersive travel podcasts matter more than ever
How travel priorities shift as you get older
The behind-the-scenes reality of podcasting, pitching, and guest fatigue
Becoming a dual UK–Canadian citizen and what that means for future travel
A full preview of my Bhutan podcast series is coming in 2026
Upcoming trips, travel ideas, and where Winging It is heading next

This episode is part travel reflection, part creator reality check, and part forward-looking roadmap for anyone who loves meaningful, honest travel stories.

🎧 Next up: the first episode in my immersive Bhutan series, recorded on location in Thimphu.

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the 2025 Travel & Podcast Year in Review

02:00 – 2025 travel stats: flights, distance & time in the air

04:40 – Why I don’t slow travel anymore

07:00 – India reflections: Bangalore, media trips & first impressions

10:20 – Luxury travel vs real experiences on the road

13:40 – Wildlife moments & seeing wild elephants in India

16:40 – Favourite countries, cities & food from 2025

19:20 – The most surreal moment: breakfast with a monk in Bhutan

22:20 – Podcast stats, burnout & lessons from 2025

25:20 – What’s coming in 2026 & final reflections

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Produced by Winging It Productions - ⁠https://www.wingingitproductions.com⁠

Voyascape: Travel Podcast Network - https://voyascape.com/

Winging It Travel Podcast - Website

Please leave a review and a 5-star rating wherever you get your podcasts!

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Winging It Travel Podcast Credits

Host/Producer/Creator/Composer/Editor - James Hammond

Contact me - jameshammondtravel@gmail.com

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Thanks for supporting me and the podcast!

Cheers James.

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