Goodbye 2023
The Year That Was
2023, man. Where did that jet-powered rocket of a year even go?
Poof! Maybe it's just me, but the years seem to be shrinking faster than my
jeans after a holiday pie binge. Maybe it's because after those pandemic years
spent in our collective cages, 2023 was like a lion unleashed, tearing through
our calendars with a roar that could rattle a rhino's tusks.
Speaking of roars, check out our 2023 travel map. Thanks to Google's
trusty tracking magic, it looks like we were hopped-up kangaroos, bouncing
across continents like nobody's business. First stop: Oz, where we hadn't seen
our Aussie mob since 2019. Koala cuddles, barbie blowouts, and enough tofu on
the grill to make any vegan drool – let's just say it was a total
koala-fications success.
Next, we boomeranged across the pond to see our British mates for
the first time since 2018. Think scones, stiff upper lips, and enough rain to
fill the Thames (and then some). Yeah, 2023 was basically a global
escape-the-cage mission, with wanderlust as our high-octane fuel.
Central
Tilba, New South Wales, Australia
England, USA, Canada, Australia – we collected so many passport
stamps, it’s hard to believe. We were practically urban nomads, leaving a trail
of laughter and maybe a few new friends across the map. 700 locations? That's a
lot of landmarks for just one year.
But hold onto your gardening gloves because it's time for the
botanical bonanza that was 2023. We did two garden tours. England's green glory
had us swooning, and Canada and the USA tag-teamed to unleash a plantastic
extravaganza of epic proportions.
Think roses redder than a flamingo's blush, lilies bigger than
basketballs, and trees so old they could tell you about the dirt dinosaurs
rolled in. We inhaled enough flower power to make bees jealous, and our cameras
practically burst with enough botanical beauty to make David Attenborough cry
tears of joy. Well at least “we” think so.
Caterbury
England
From manicured masterpieces to wild wonderlands, we waded through
waterfalls of wisteria, tiptoed through tunnels of tulips, and shimmied under
willow trees weeping diamond tears of dew.
Buckle up, fellow wanderlusters, because it's time to summarize our
two-wheeled 2023 escapades. On our trusty electric bikes, we cycled 130 miles
of road and tracks, our legs pumping like pistons fueled by wanderlust and
maybe a questionable amount of oats. We biked through quaint villages, hugged
windswept coastlines, and even braved a few hills that threatened to turn my
lungs into bagpipes (thank goodness for that electric assist!). 18 hours in the
saddle was not bad for one year.
That's not all, folks. We flew 27,376 miles in 61 hours. Not much
when you say it fast, but enough to circle the globe and then some. We watched
sunsets over cotton candy clouds and even managed to avoid the in-flight movie
selection to get some sleep.
Somewhere
in the Pacific Northwest
But hold on, let's not let our wanderlust eclipse our eco-cred. All
that jet-setting did generate a not-so-heavenly 11,060 kg of carbon.
Thankfully, at home, we were Mother Nature's secret agents, churning out 9.5
megawatts of our own green power in 2023 thanks to our home solar and battery
storage. Alas, that only offset all this flying by 3,800 kg of carbon. Flying
is carbon-heavy, but we did the best we could to reduce our footprint.
And sometimes, “they” say, the best journeys happen on four wheels,
and “they” were right. We drove 9,467 miles in 354 hours, most of which was in
electric cars. We devoured highways and back roads like a hungry Pac-Man,
blasted singalongs to questionable road trip playlists, and navigated detours
with the precision of seasoned cartographers. We enjoyed so many locations in
the USA and Canada, I have to say we are privileged to have done so. What a
year 2023 was for road trips.
Japanese
Garden in Portland
But let's not forget the good old-fashioned shoe leather. We hiked
and walked 463 miles on foot, 217 hours of soaking in the world one step at a
time. From sun-drenched beaches to misty mountain trails, dry arid deserts, our
boots painted the earth with our footprints. We hiked through ancient forests
that whispered secrets in the wind, crossed babbling brooks that tickled our
toes, and climbed hills that offered views that could launch a thousand
postcards.
2023 wasn't just a year, it was a symphony of motion, a kaleidoscope
of experiences, a testament to the fact that the greatest adventures are often
measured in miles, laughter, and maybe a few blisters. So, bring on 2024! We're
ready to crank up the wanderlust meter and keep this epic journey rolling. I
hope we can.
White
River, Oregon
Here's to 2023, filled with jet lag, family hugs, and enough
adventures to fill a library. Now, excuse us while we dust off our passports
and dream up our next whirlwind escapade. Who knows, maybe 2024 will be the
year we travel even further.