I had the best intentions of doing a wrap-up post of 2024 highlights before the end of the year, but the holiday lethargy/turkey coma set in and I didn’t feel particularly inspired to spend more time on the computer. Instead, I squirrelled into books, went on outdoor adventures, played guitar, and spent time with the family. After recharging with several 9.5 hour/night sleeps over the break, I’m excited to share what I enjoyed most in 2024.
Travelling to Europe, NYC, San Francisco, Montreal and Joshua Tree
I was so glad to finally get over to Europe again for the first time in over 9 years. I went down to Brighton and enjoyed coastal walks with family to Beachy Head in South Downs, explored the winding, cobbled streets of Lewes, and watched UEFA European Championships soccer at night instead of noon accompanied with a pint and meat pie.
Then, I crossed off a bucket list item and went to Barcelona. I had a tremendous time, with beautiful weather, and culinary and cultural experiences, which you can read about in 4 Days in Barcelona: A Tale of Gaudi, Tapas & Flamenco. After a short flight north to the Basque Coast, I spent time in Bilbao and San Sebastian and enjoyed pinxtos, visited “Dragonstone” from Game of Thrones, and learned about Basque culture (4 Days in San Sebastián: Pinxtos, Beaches, and Basque Culture.) Finally, I returned to London to go to Wimbledon and experienced being at Centre Court with a dear friend – truly a “pinch yourself” moment complete with strawberries and cream, and a green Wimbledon hand towel for home.
I was also able to revisit New York, San Francisco, and Joshua Tree and extended a work trip to go to Montreal for the first time. In New York, I went to Wicked on Broadway (before the movie appropriately made it “Popular” again), saw the dinosaurs, meteorites, and geodes at The American Museum of Natural History (mesmerizing), and went up The Edge Observation Deck (which made NYC look like a toy town from such great heights.)
In Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, I jumped on Jumbo Rocks, did a hike to an oasis, and forded rivers at Indian Canyons. I created a post on my top reccs for the area here “My Favourite Places in Joshua Tree & Palm Springs” that I hope might be helpful to you.
In Montreal, despite being a bit under the weather, I enjoyed the views from Mont Royal, exceptional coffee and bagels, and long walks through Le Plateau, Old Montreal, and Mile End. You can learn more my trip in “4 Days in Montréal: Brasseries, Bagels, and Bienvenues.”
Finally, in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to go to an epic Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks game, take in the sunset behind the Golden Gate Bridge, and do a 5-mile walk along the coastline from Sutro Baths to Baker Beach.
Seeing the Total Solar Eclipse Sweep Over North America
While I did not experience this first hand, I loved how the North American continent was held rapt by the total solar eclipse on April 8. I did my best to convince those near totality to make the effort to see it, and many who were initially apathetic ended up being incredibly moved by the experience. This was a particularly good time to see a total solar eclipse as the Sun is reaching its solar maximum (once every 11 years), so there were a lot of coronal prominences visible with the naked eye. Learn more from my post “From Outside the Eclipse Shadow (Looking In).”
Virtually Visiting the International Space Station
Despite my love of space, my conservative risk-taking inclinations, myopia, and allergy to advanced math make me ill-suited to be an astronaut. So, I was overjoyed to experience the next best thing – a 3D immersive experience of being on-board the ISS delivered through an Oculus headset. While the only disappointing thing was having a mere 40 minutes for the experience, it was truly spellbinding to feel as though you were floating in a module or doing a spacewalk and looking down at the shimmering auroras below your feet. I hope everyone can experience something like this in their lifetime. Learn more about my experience from my post “I Finally Got to Live Out My Dreams of Becoming an Astronaut.”
My Favourite TV, Movies, and Books
As I do every year, I watched a lot of TV and movies. The television shows that stood out the most for me this year were Shogun, Heartbreak High, Nobody Wants This, Black Doves, House of the Dragon S2, Extraordinary S2, Silo S2, and Tour de France: Unchained S2. Movie-wise, I saw three in-theatre: Dune 2, My Old Ass, and Challengers, all of which I really enjoyed.
I almost always had a book on the go, including plenty of WLW books that I’ve added to my recommendations. I closed out 2024 with Orbital by Samantha Harvey, which won the Booker Prize, and centres on beautiful descriptions of Earth from those aboard the Space Station intertwined with reflections on humanity.
Top Concerts & Music
I was fortunate to go to a few great concerts, including Medium Build at The Biltmore Cabaret, Explosions in the Sky at the Orpheum, and the VSO playing Star Wars and Star Trek classics. Among the new artists I discovered and enjoyed a lot in 2024 were Louis La Roche, Miles Hardt, Angie McMahon, Phoebe Go, and Martin Luke Brown.
Seeing the Aurora Borealis and Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas
I was fortunate to finally see the Northern Lights from the 49th parallel. While not as evident with the naked eye due to light pollution, you could still make out ethereal shapes – almost like ghosts – dancing in in the sky. While mostly appearing monochrome to the eye, the colours were quickly revealed with a 3 second exposure from my iPhone. This was also how I saw Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas – thanks to the long-exposure from my iPhone revealing the comet and its tail low on the horizon after sunset. While it didn’t hold a candle to seeing the Comet Hale–Bopp from the cockpit of a 747 while flying over the Arctic Circle (a top life moment), it was still spectacular to see.
Watching the Paris Olympics 2024
I adore the Olympics, and seeing humanity come together to celebrate extraordinary feats of athleticism and perseverance. From watching Mondo Duplantis breaking his own world record to seeing Summer McIntosh win multiple medals for Canada, the Olympics were full of incredible achievements and human moments – like when a heated beach volleyball match was calmed down by John Lennon’s “Imagine”. You can find my highlights here.
I hope 2024 was kind to you, and that 2025 is full of good health, adventures, and time well-spent with friends and family. Thank you for reading!
