The main reason many of us travel is to make memories, and it’s the rare editorial trip that doesn’t leave us with an unforgettable moment or three. Even though each of us on the small editorial team has traveled professionally for many years, we’re still awestruck by the beauty of the world and fascinated by the richness of its innumerable cultures. Indelible memories often happen unexpectedly, but they’re usually a result of planning: putting ourselves in the right place at the right time. The reminiscences below represent just a few of our favorites from the past year.

Stargazing in the Canary Islands

On cruises, overnight stays in ports of call are a rarity, but high winds and a change of itinerary on the Sea Cloud Spirit gave us one in Tenerife, the location of Spain’s highest peak, at 12,198 feet. Since it’s known as one of the best places in the world for stargazing, we made it our mission to find a guide willing to take us to the top that evening. We arrived just as the sun was setting beneath a bank of clouds below us, making the sky itself look like an ocean. As the temperature dropped precipitously, the stars began to twinkle against a dark blue backdrop, framed by a silhouette of jagged rocks. We opened a bottle of wine from the little island of El Hierro to toast our good fortune.

Read more about our trip to the Canary Islands »