For the final 16 years I’ve been creating vacation wrap up movies rather than sending vacation playing cards. That is one custom I’ve been capable of sustain since I began touring in 2006. It’s nice to have all of my 12 months in assessment journey movies all in the identical place!
Every year I’ve to sit down and relearn tips on how to use the rattling video enhancing software program – which usually results in me consuming a bit an excessive amount of eggnog. However hey – the eggnog and the tens of millions of occasions I’ve listened to the vacation soundtrack whereas attempting to edit usually places me within the vacation spirit. Woohoo Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years!
As a lot as I hate the video enhancing course of (sure – the truth that I proceed to do it tells you simply how a lot I like you expensive readers), it’s enjoyable to type of relive my 12 months of travels every year.
Grateful for my Travels Every 12 months
It by no means fails as I finish the day of vacation greeting enhancing – I really feel so ridiculously grateful for the life I dwell, my pals & household, individuals I’ve met alongside the way in which, and new experiences. And this 12 months was no exception.
It’s enjoyable for me to take a stroll by way of the 12 months and get perspective. Nonetheless I understand that watching a video like this may be type of like being compelled to observe somebody’s wedding ceremony video…gag (I don’t care if you’re household). So – if you wish to skip the video (and fairly photos), then simply take this message with you – Glad Holidays to you and your loved ones from Ottsworld!
My Present Journey 12 months in Evaluation Video – 2022
This 12 months I spent extra time exploring the US for the primary a part of the 12 months. I lastly made it again to Canada, and I went again to Europe for the primary time in 3 years and it was tremendous to be again! I ended the 12 months with an epic expedition cruise heading to three new international locations within the distant South Pacific.
I kicked off a long run biking undertaking, Capitol to Capitol, with a particular connection to my household which I’m excited to proceed subsequent 12 months.
It was a superb 12 months of journey, I traveled A LOT…perhaps an excessive amount of (sure that’s really doable)! I spotted that the business for me isn’t fairly again but. As well as, one factor that turned clear to me this 12 months is that I’m able to make some adjustments in my life once more. Subsequent 12 months I don’t plan to journey as a lot and as an alternative give attention to another little tasks that I need to do. Generally you simply want to combine issues up in your life a bit and see the place you land – and that’s my solely plan this coming 12 months.
This 12 months I checked out my 12 months in numbers and put among the quantity highlights in my video. However there have been many I omitted too…like
1 – Variety of occasions I obtained COVID
6 – Variety of lobsters I ate whereas biking PEI in 7 days
11 – Variety of months I had my automobile earlier than it obtained totaled by successful and run
Get pleasure from my 2022 in numbers!
Previous Years in Evaluation Movies
Along with seeing how my travels have modified, how I’ve modified, and to see simply what number of locations I’ve gone – it is a fascinating journey by way of video know-how too if you’re into that type of factor! My enhancing has positively improved through the years – and it additionally appears that my travels have develop into extra epic.
2021 – Popping out of a Pandemic
2021 was filled with challenges – however I believe one of many nice issues that has come out of the pandemic is that persons are getting used to uncertainty – and I’ve all the time believed that may be a good factor. I lived greater than a decade in uncertainty as a nomad, and my career is filled with uncertainty (even outdoors a pandemic!) – so I really feel like I’m fairly used to it. However for many people – this degree of uncertainty is actually uncomfortable. I hope you possibly can be taught to embrace it – it makes life rather more gratifying whenever you don’t have expectations in my view!
Merriam Webster’s phrase of the 12 months for 2021 was “vaccine” – and by the top of the 12 months – I had 3 pictures, and was so grateful. On this 12 months’s video you possibly can see my phrase of the 12 months, my phrase for subsequent 12 months, how I shrank myself, my home travels, and naturally so many foster kittens!
2020 – Travels and COVID
It began like some other 12 months. I – like most individuals – had a variety of plans for it – beginning with a giant fiftieth party in El Salvador with girlfriends, France, Australia, Iceland, Switzerland, and Ecuador already deliberate.
Nonetheless, shortly after my fiftieth birthday, the whole lot modified. I watched because the world got here to a halt, my journeys disappeared off my calendar, my work dried up, and lives have been modified eternally.
All of a sudden our regular large broad world turned fairly small…and life turned all about House.
Once I determined to make Denver my house in 2017 after a decade of being nomadic, I had no thought how necessary this house can be. My house has actually saved my life twice. First, after I contracted blood clots from flying in 2018. And second – this 12 months…when the world closed and out of the blue the one place anybody may go was house…fortunately I really had a house to go to!
For somebody who’s used to by no means being house, this journey in staying house was new and unique to me. Simply final 12 months I had mentioned that I wanted a break, however I had no concept that it might come on this kind.
2019 Travels
This might need been the very best 12 months of journey I’ve ever had. I actually can’t imagine all the unbelievable locations I used to be fortunate sufficient to go in 2019. Nonetheless, I traveled SO MANY locations this 12 months that this video is 8 minutes lengthy…which looks like an eternity for a video. I celebrated 13 years of journey running a blog and I traveled on 24 completely different journeys in 2019. I took a browsing workshop, traveled with my father to Panama, and took my first journey to Sweden.
2018 Travels
The 12 months I went to Alaska within the winter to see the northern lights. I additionally was fortunate sufficient to go to Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. Though I had a house, I gave the impression to be touring greater than ever. It was additionally the 12 months I did my first Ottsworld Tour in Eire. This was additionally the 12 months I completed the Niece Mission with my youngest niece who went to India with me.
2017 Travels
The 12 months I obtained a house base in Denver and introduced my nomadic way of life to an finish. It additionally took my 2nd journey to Antarctica on an epic 28 day cruise from New Zealand to the Ross Sea Antarctica. I visited Norway for the primary time!
2016 Travels
The 12 months I hiked the Cami de Ronda – a 130 mile coastal hike in Costa Brava Spain with my dad. I went to Alaska for a second time to discover the distant parks. And I took a polar bear safari in Churchill whereas engaged on a giant influencer marketing campaign with Corning Glass.
2015 Travels
The 12 months I crossed the Arctic Circle and went to Alaska for the primary time. I additionally went to a distant Island within the Arctic Ocean – Wrangel Island to see Polar Bears. Lastly – I did a undertaking the place I lived in Alberta Canada for a month within the winter – it was enjoyable to have a ‘house’ once more for a month!
2014 Travels
The 12 months I spent almost a month in Hawaii doing a 2 week educating job at Iolani College. I additionally took on one other journey in India – the Rickshaw Run. I drove an auto rickshaw throughout India, 2000 miles, for two weeks and elevating $15,000 for Charity Water.
2013 Travels
This 12 months I used to be on the transfer greater than ever sleeping in 107 completely different beds and transferring roughly each 3 days. I used to be loving my nomadic life! I explored Patagonia for a complete month, lived in Buenos Aires for a month, hiked the Lycian Approach in Turkey, and took part in my first large model influencer undertaking with Carlson Corporations.
2012 Travels
This was the 12 months I began the Niece Mission with my oldest niece who I took to Italy. It was additionally the 12 months I walked the Camino de Santiago – a 5 week hike throughout northern Spain. And at last, I made it to the seventh continent – Antarctica – with my father.
2011 Travels
The 12 months I drove a automobile throughout 13 international locations from London to Mongolia within the Mongol Rally. This was the craziest and most fun journey I had completed so far. I slept in 75 completely different beds for the 12 months and one automobile!
2010 Travels
The 12 months I turned a real nomad. With no house, I needed to maintain transferring across the nation and globe and rely upon the kindness of strangers, pals, and household. This was additionally the 12 months I began doing home sitting!
https://youtu.be/F-LBxSNKqx4
2009 Travels
The 12 months I discovered tips on how to drive a motorcycle whereas residing in Saigon Vietnam! I additionally made my first journey to Mongolia, and hiked the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal with my father!
2008 Travels
The 12 months I bought the whole lot, left NYC for good, and moved to Vietnam to dwell and educate English.
2007 Travels
A practice begins! My first vacation video I made after finishing my 16 months of travels world wide on my profession break.
Associated