This year we visited several new countries, continuing the adventure that began on our around-the world trip on Dirona. We also picked up two activities, one old and one new: scuba diving and rucking; made many local trips in and around the Pacific Northwest; and attended numerous live music concerts and sporting events. James continues to work on technology across Amazon, and the role remains both challenging and rewarding. And we still enjoy our now-not-so-new downtown lifestyle, with easy access to restaurants and entertainment.

When we first visited Antarctica in 2022, the rugged beauty really appealed to our love of wild, untamed places. We wanted to see more, so returned over the holiday season in 2023 to the modern Echo Camp on the continent. From there we visited a vast Emperor Penguin colony and on New Year’s Eve the geographic South Pole, where we walked “around the world” to celebrate New Year’s in multiple time zones. This was only four months after standing at the geographic North Pole. There aren’t many places in the world you can go to where tens of thousands haven’t preceded you, but those lucky enough to have stood on both poles are a relatively small group. It was an exciting adventure to ring in the New Year.

As part of the South Pole trip, which began in Cape Town, we filled in another gap with a visit to world-famous Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves on the African continent. We’d wanted to go when we were traveling through South Africa on Dirona, but the logistics didn’t work. We had a fabulous time, and particular enjoyed many big cat sightings.

Left: Emperor penguin colony, Antarctica. Right: Leopard in Kruger National Park.

Despite all our travels, Jennifer had never been to Mexico and James had only briefly visited once, years ago for a conference in Cancun. So early this year, Jennifer finally reached America’s neighbor to the south on a relaxing weekend trip to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.

In late spring, we added several more countries to our visited list on a Danube River cruise with stops in Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Dramatic landscapes and centuries-old castles and fortresses line the river, and each city we visited had its own unique architecture and flavor. The weather was unseasonably warm during our trip, drawing residents and visitors in droves to the outdoor cafes and bars overlooking public squares beneath striking historical architecture.

Left: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Right: Kalemegdan Fortress in Belgrade, Serbia

We so much enjoyed last year’s icebreaking trip to the North Pole aboard the luxury French cruise ship Le Commandant Charcot that we took another in 2024, this one in early summer to the frozen coast of Greenland via Iceland. What would have been a memorable adventure turned into an exceptional one with the rare and amazing opportunity to spend a day at a whale carcass, beached on the ice, that had attracted an astonishing 68 polar bears, including several mothers with cubs.

Some of the 68 polar bears we saw off the Greenland coast.

Before the pandemic changed our plans, we’d intended to spend the summer of 2020 moored at Genoa to explore Italy, particularly the northern regions. We made up for that a bit this year with a last-minute trip to attend the Italian Grand Prix just outside Milan. Even if we weren’t Formula 1 fans, it would be hard not to be carried away by the excitement when Ferrari won at their home track. We reached Milan by road via Venice and the Dolomites, an area that was high on our list of places to visit for the spectacular scenery. In addition to some incredible hikes, we were particularly excited to do a Via Ferrata course there, where the activity originated.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo, left, and Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio in the Dolomites, Italy.

Over Thanksgiving this year, we returned to the Caribbean with a cruise aboard the Norwegian Joy from Miami to Mexico, Honduras and Belize. As part of this trip, we also returned to scuba diving for the first time in ten years. We had a wonderful time exploring underwater Honduras, and are looking forward to doing more diving in 2025.

Locally we made many weekend trips around the Pacific Northwest and the US: to Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, and Marina del Rey in California; Las Vegas, NV; Victoria, Canada; Seneca Lakes, NY and in Washington to Gig Harbor, Alderbrook Resort on the Hood Canal, Port Townsend, Tacoma, Everett, Bainbridge Island, Point Ruston, Granite Falls, Enumclaw, and Langley.

Left: Scuba diving in Honduras. Right: Alderbrook Resort on the Hood Canal.

On the Granite Falls and Enumclaw trips we made some excellent view hikes into the Cascade Mountains, and several of the other local trips included rucking, a new activity for us this year. Rucking is a form of exercise derived from military loaded marches, where soldiers walk for long distances carrying heavy packs. The activity has recently been gaining mainstream popularity as a low-impact means of improving strength, balance, endurance and cardiovascular fitness. We initially tried it as a way to get some exercise when on a road trip with no access to a gym, and were hooked.

Left: Mt. Pilchuck Trial from Granite Falls. Right: Rucking in Discovery Park, Seattle.

We’ve always loved live music, and this year watched several major concerts, including Pearl Jam and Weezer in Seattle, and U2 and The Eagles at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Seating only 18,600 people and with excellent acoustics, the Sphere is an exceptional venue for live music on its own, but the interior also features a wrap-around LED display that is the highest resolution and largest screen in the world and provides an even more immersive experience. We also attended many sporting events, including the baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and football.

Left: U2 at the Sphere, Las Vegas. Right: LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA pre-season game in Seattle.

Although we had an exciting year, our lives lost some joy when our constant companion, Spitfire the wonder cat, died in January. He lived for 20 years, 5 months, and 28 days and his personality never faltered. He always had lots to say, loved following us around the apartment, and slept every night on the bed. He boated around the world, lived in 24 countries, and was the star in thousands of pictures. He’s met people all over the world and we frequently got email asking how he was doing. Despite his fame, he still always had time to watch a football game with us, listen to music, or enjoy a drink out on the balcony. What a great partner he was for us over the last two decades, and we miss him tremendously.

Spitfire the wonder cat. We miss him tremendously.

We’ll be ending 2024 on a cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic peninsula aboard the Silver Endeavour. Our cruising plans for Dirona long included a visit to Ernest Shackleton’s grave in Grytviken, South Georgia, but we just didn’t get that far south. We’re looking forward to filling that gap and taking in the region’s diverse and striking wildlife. It should be another memorable adventure to end the year.

Ernest Shackleton’s grave in Grytviken, South Georgia.

Click below to view previous annual summaries:

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012