It proved to be a busy year.  Fourteen countries visited in twelve months, some of them on multiple occasions: UK (five times), Japan (twice), United Arab Emirates (twice), Jordan (twice), India (three visits), Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, St. Lucia, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.  Somehow I managed to touch down in four countries in a single day: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Japan, a milestone for me that I never want to repeat or recommend to anyone else.

What will I always remember from 2016?  Walking completely alone in the chilly, early morning hours through the ruins at Petra.  Exploring the temples of Kyoto and an unforgettable kaiseki dinner.  The road from Queenstown to Glenorchy.  The quiet streets of Segovia.  I’ll never forget my first-time visits to Jordan and New Zealand, two beautiful countries where I couldn’t have been welcomed more warmly, countries I already want to re-visit, countries I want to share with others. Not all the delights were international.  My first sight of Fallingwater – just a few hours drive from my home – was unforgettable.

Don’t believe the clichés or the cynics.  It’s not a small world. It’s not a homogeneous world.  It’s a huge, diverse, gorgeous, thrilling, and humbling world, and here are a few pictures I took in 2016 to prove it!