Hey, Travellers!

We've recently been talking a lot about jet lag here at Jack's.

After our recent meet-up in Mallorca, many of the more far-flung members of the team made the most of their time on the continent by hitting a few extra Spanish cities. But when it came time to head home and get back to work, their body clocks were all over the place. 

During a busy few weeks of travel shows in January, I tried my best to stick to a fairly normal sleep schedule as I bounced across the Atlantic. However, the dark winter mornings made it particularly difficult to convince myself not to adjust. My only winning trick? Taking a daytime flight back to the UK instead of a sleepless overnight journey.

The internet is full of tips, like eating and sleeping for the timezone you want to be in (oh that we were all blessed with that kind of control over our circadian rhythms), avoiding alcohol on the plane (but then you can't enjoy the sacred tradition of plane wine), and even eating chilli and chocolate (or chilli chocolate?). But what actually works?

As serious travel nerds, you'd think we would have this one down by now, but apparently we really don't. Please share your tips in the comments, and hopefully you'll help preserve Navigator Larissa's sanity when she returns from her trip to Australia next month.

Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

By Olivia

A San Diego native, Olivia left home three years ago to live on the road. Since then, she's had homebases everywhere from Quebec to England to New Orleans, but she always ends up back on the West Coast. When she's not hiking through the desert or the woods, she can usually be found exploring her current city and scoping out the best bars and coffee shops.

It’s June, and you know what that means! It’s the month for rainbow-colored, flag-covered, queer celebrations! That’s right, ladies, gentlemen, both, and neither, it’s Pride Month.

As a fan of block parties, street fairs, drag shows, and all things involving queer culture and history, I’m delighted to introduce you to a handful of June’s most popping Pride festivities. Here’s how a few cities around the world spend this month celebrating LGBT equality, visibility, and self-love:

New York City

It would be remiss of me to make a list of June’s Pride festivals and not start with New York, because it’s the birthplace of Pride! June is widely celebrated as Pride month because on June 28th, 1969, the queer community in NYC fought back against homophobic police outside a Manhattan bar called the Stonewall Inn. Today, that night is recognized as a turning point in American (and global) LGBT activism, and we celebrate Pride every June to commemorate it and to celebrate our culture and history.

The centerpiece of NYC Pride still takes place on June 28th, when the largest Pride parade in the world winds through Manhattan and draws millions of visitors. This march has taken place in some capacity since 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the rebellion, back when demonstrations like this were actively dangerous. 

Other, more whimsical queer events take place around the city all throughout June as well, including oil wrestling matches and sapphic-themed roller skating. 

Toronto

As the biggest hub in one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world, Toronto puts their heart and soul into their Pride celebrations. Their 2024 festival (attended by yours truly!) was the fourth largest LGBT event ever recorded, despite having a much smaller city population than the other places vying for that crown. It was also one of the first non-US cities to hold a Pride March, with their first taking place just three years after New York’s. 

Canada’s pro-LGBT culture definitely lends Toronto’s queer scene an extra sense of love and safety. When I was there, it wasn’t uncommon for Mayor Olivia Chow to make appearances at the same gay bars that I and my buddies frequented. During Pride, that support is extra noticeable — the festivities may start in the historic queer neighborhood of Church-Wellesley, but the upbeat rainbow vibes spread alllllll over the city.

Events for Pride Toronto 2026 (which are happening now by the way, if you’re in the area!) include a pool party, a jazz festival, and Family Pride.

Madrid

I just got back from Madrid, and while I narrowly missed the Pride celebrations, I spent some time wandering through Chueca at night. Most gayborhoods feel like nightlife districts, but this one felt more like a community living space to me. You could really feel the decades of queer love that have thrived on those narrow streets.

So I wasn’t surprised to discover that Chueca is where Europe’s largest Pride party begins! This celebration dates back to the late 70s, when it started as a dangerous demonstration of about 1,000 people in the early post-Franco days. Spain has since become one of the most queer-friendly countries in the world, and Madrid Pride has blossomed right alongside it. When the city was chosen as the host of EuroPride in 2007, 2.3 million people showed up to participate. 

The festivities in Madrid start at the very end of June and run into July, beginning with parties in Chueca and culminating in a massive parade through the city. Free outdoor concerts are a big draw at this one, plus the beloved annual high-heel race. 

See more top Pride festivities around the world and share your favorites →

In last week's edition of The Detour, I asked for tips on visiting the World Cup debutants (other than Uzbekistan): Cape Verde, Jordan, and Curaçao. Unsurprisingly, you delivered.

Here's what RaputrousWanderer78593 (yes, you can change those randomly generated names in your Members Lounge profile) had to say about Jordan...

"Regarding your question about new World Cup participants, I must throw my support behind the idea of visiting Jordan. My friend and I travelled the country extensively for two weeks, spanning the 2025/26 New Year period. Time very well spent in our opinion! As well as the obvious must-see ancient city of Petra (which is genuinely just brilliant), there are some other places that we absolutely loved.

The ancient city ruins at Jerash are amongst the best I've ever seen—you can absolutely SEE the old Roman city as it was because it is largely intact. It rivals anything you're likely to find in Rome or Athens (and is free if you buy the Jordan Pass, which you almost certainly should because it also gets you into Petra, which you're definitely visiting, right?)."

"A night sleeping under the stars (or inside a golf ball-esque 'pod' more accurately) in the Wadi Rum desert is another must! Tours around the desert are widely available and range from an hour to a full day depending on how adventurous you feel. Watching the sunset over the sand dunes and heading back for a mint tea and some slow-cooked lamb and homemade flatbreads with a view of the uninterrupted night sky is surely a great use of anyone's evening.

A final shout out for the wonderful Shobak Castle (also free with a Jordan Pass). The country is full of castles but this one really captured our imaginations and was brilliantly set up for visitors. Plus, if you fancy a night sleeping in an actual real cave - which obviously you do - the beautiful family-run 7 Caves Hotel allows you a comfortable, unique and incredibly hospitable place for a local meal and a great night's sleep with clear views of the castle when you venture above ground, all without stretching even the modest budget very far at all."

"The only thing I might have chosen to skip if I were visiting the country again would be the city of Ajloun. We went for the castle but to be honest there are many better across the country and the town itself is pretty uninspiring.

Apart from that, Amman, the Dead Sea and Aqaba all had plenty to offer and I would happily return to any or all of them! Give it a try :)"

Thanks so much for these excellent recommendations! It really sounds like you had a fantastic trip. 

While we're waiting for all those lovely low-cost flights to Jordan to return, we'd love to hear more recommendations from Jack's Travellers who've visited Jordan—especially if there are tours or hotels you'd recommend, or unmissable things to see and do in the cities. Drop them all in the comments. As always, bonus points for pics.