Don’t worry — we’ll return to the green hills of the Emerald Isle soon. I’d never leave you hanging too long when the next Ireland post is about my first visit to a castle. But for this week, we’re taking a detour.

For the next couple of posts, I’m trading sheep-dotted hills for open seas and boarding Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady for the True Crime Cruise. To call this a last-minute trip is an understatement. Yep — I saw a great deal, and I’ve been wanting to try Virgin’s cruises. Then I saw it was the True Crime Cruise that just happens to feature the hosts of my favorite podcast, Buried Bones.

So, a chance to check out Virgin Voyages for my clients, an opportunity for a hotel site visit in Miami, and the possibility of meeting Paul Holes? How could I say no?

Who’s Paul Holes, you ask? Let me tell you. He’s a former forensic detective who helped capture the Golden State Killer using forensic genealogy — and yes, he’s my podcast crush.

If you’re not familiar, Buried Bones revisits historical crimes. Co-host and historian Kate Winkler Dawson (who also has another great podcast called Wicked Words) researches old cases and presents them to Paul Holes, who then examines them through a modern forensic lens. It’s fascinating — and I’m not going to lie, I’ve been known to fall asleep to the sound of Paul Holes analyzing trace evidence. Some folks unwind with beach reads; I like a cold case…especially if there’s a twist!

There will be a couple of other podcasts on board as well — Betrayal and Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know. Neither are ones I’ve listened to before, so I’m excited to see what spin they take.

For me, the connection between true crime and travel is simple: I’m endlessly curious. What happened here? Who stood on this spot before me? How did their story end — or did it? Ask friends who’ve traveled with me before – I touch old walls, floors…anything that isn’t alarmed! I like to feel that history! Cold case file or a castle ruin, I’m chasing the same thing: the story that lingers.

So as the Valiant Lady pulls away from port, I’ll trade one set of stories for another — not leaving Ireland behind, just taking its spirit of discovery out to sea.

Get ready — next week I’ll have details about the ship, the shows, and true crime podcasting on a cruise. It’s going to be a mix of maritime adventure and a little mystery. Whether it’s Ireland or the open ocean, you know I can never resist a good story!

See you soon!!