I think a lot of people had a mellow New Year’s Eve celebration thanks to old mate Omicron and ours was no different. Add a pandemic with an ankle recovery and you don’t exactly get the celebration of a lifetime but I’ve never been one for the huge party anyway. We ended up having new years celebration at the beach with fish and chips. How simple and Australian.
A beautiful sunset, time with my parents, and a classic Australian take-out were our way to send off 2021. I am constantly thankful that I’ve been able to look back on this pandemic and say that I’ve still been able to chase my passions and shoot some goals. I’m lucky to have the flexibility within my work and lifestyle to escape from one place to the next. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing but with a degree of courage, luck, and determination, I’ve been able to travel the world consistently throughout the pandemic.
Looking back on the year it has been quite a journey. The highlights in order were the following:
- New Years Eve fireworks in Madeira with friends and loved ones
- The Caminho Real 23 six-day hike in Madeira
- Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa
- Hiking to K2 Basecamp in Pakistan
- Climbing Spantik Peak (7,027m)
- Climbing Manaslu (8,163m)
- Climbng Ama Dablam (6,813m)
It was a big year but strangely at times, it felt slow-paced. I guess that is my nature more than my itinerary. 2021 was my introduction to climbing. I feel a sense of positivity when I look to the future and see a mixture of day-hiking, multi-day trekking, and mountain climbing… with a dash of tropicality in the form of beaches, waterfalls, and lagoons.
So, cheers to 2021. Here’s to another lap around the sun.