Have we accomplished all we wanted to Before that final ticking of the clock? What are the burdens we will carry through That we could not rid ourselves from the stock That we collected through the course of the year? Is this something we must really endure Or should we look for a life full of cheer? Maybe that is where we will find the cure To the tiny moments that bring us down. Maybe we should leave those problems behind. We do not need to wear that heavy crown, For to its weight, we did not have to bind. We can enter the day with a new start, Taking with us a joyous and free heart.
2024 was an interesting year where I only traveled to eight different countries, four of which I had never been in before. I also hit the fiftieth country I have visited this year, and after all of the travel I have done, it is getting harder to find those places where I have never been before. Still, the new countries I went to, Georgia, Armenia, Slovakia, and Romania, are not the ones that many people put on their lists for travel. I found that they were some of the best traveling experiences I have had in a long time due the fact that the places were not overrun with tourists, and I was able to find some spectacular hidden gems out there. The interests of some of these sparked my readers’ interests as well, especially the country of Georgia, because this was the best year I have seen for this little blog that I write, and I appreciate that all of you come to visit to see what I am up to in this world.
Enough talking, here is the list of the most popular posts I wrote this year:
This is the first appearance of the country of Georgia on this list, and it is not the last. My exploration of this country on the Baltic Sea captured the imagination of my audience throughout the year even though I was only there for a couple of weeks early in the Summer. It is not a place that is on the usual destination route for many Americans, but after being there, I think that this might change. The capital, Tbilisi is a great undiscovered city that I can see becoming the next big city that people will flock to. I loved the blend of the European feel with the old relics lingering around from the Soviet era. There is a reason that this country will appear on this list a couple more times.
Wadi Rum has gained in popularity over the years, but because of all of the unrest that is happening in the Middle East right now, it is not getting the tourists that it used to have. This means that the place is quieter, and it makes it feel like you are the only one there as you get explore the amazing landscapes. It was the second time I have made it to my favorite place in Jordan, and I am also amazed at the pictures I am able to get while there. It will only be a matter of time before people once again make there way out there to see its beauty.
This is the second time that Georgia will appear on this list, and it will not be the last. Sighnaghi is not as big of a town as Tbilisi is, but it is one of the must-sees if visiting this country. This is the wine country of Georgia, and they are known as the place where wine originated. They still produce it the same way they did over 8,000 years ago in huge clay pots that are buried under the ground, and there are numerous wineries in this region that allow you to go and try out the unique blend that can only be found here. It was one of the more memorable parts of this trip and I can see why the post connected with the crowd.
Officially this is a different country than Georgia, but it was a day trip that I took while staying in Tbilisi. It was part of a day tour that took us through the majestic mountains of this country to explore its many monasteries. It was a great way to spend the day, and the landscapes out there were breath-taking. I also had fun getting to know the variety of people on the tour. They had come from all corners of the world with different beliefs, and ideologies, yet we were all willing to share in the beauty of the day.
I was able to spend my wedding anniversary in Hood River in Oregon. It is a touristy town in the Columbia Gorge area that attracts many people who enjoy windsurfing. The town also boasts one of the oldest hotels in the state, the Columbia Gorge Hotel. We spent the night here, and enjoyed the accommodations. It was fun to take a little trip back in time while enjoying the landscape of the Gorge.
Yes, we are back in Georgia. This time we traveled to the border for the mountain town of Kazbegi. I remember taking this picture and saying, “I can see Russia from here”, and yes, we were that close. This post does not surprise me about its popularity. It talks about how to find the hiking trail that will take people up to the small church that sits on the peak of one of the mountains. This was one of my favorite days of the year taking this hike and staying in this small mountain town. I am glad that it was one of the bigger posts from the year as well.
This was another one of my favorite days of the year, and also one that we had stumbled upon. Because of the recent turmoil in the Middle East, it had been difficult to find a quick flight to any place in Europe. Ryan Air had just about left the region, and the prices of air fare had grown a lot. We were able to find a cheap flight to Vienna, and we flew there to take a short bus ride to the town of Bratislava. We spent a long weekend in this small European town, and spent one of those days stopping at the various restaurants in town and having a drink and a small bite to eat. It was a great way to spend a day, and I would love to do it again in other small towns I get to visit.
I was able to travel to other place other than Georgia this year, and another place I enjoyed was Transylvania in Romania. I did go to two of the bigger tourist sights, Bran Castle and Peles Castle, while I was there, and I did a quick comparison of these bigger attractions. Both of them were fun to go to, but they both had their own vibe and reason for going there. Many people found this post helpful as they made plans to make it out there on their own.
One of the strangest places I went to over the past year was also in Georgia. The Chronicles of Georgia is on the outskirts of the city of Tbilisi, and overlook the people as they move about their daily lives. It is actually a relatively newer structure that hints back to the days of Soviet occupation as it tells the history of the Georgian people. It was never finished, but there is enough going on in the carvings on the stone that it easy to spend half a day here looking at all it has to offer.
This is the post that surprised me the most this year. I have been writing board game reviews on the side ever since I got back into the hobby during the pandemic. Some of them have done well, but I never expected anything big to come out of it. I got this game because I knew I was going to have some time where I would be by myself and could play it alone. I really enjoyed the game, and posted the review. Apparently it is a game that many people are interested in because this was the post that is constantly being clicked on. It easily became the biggest post of the year, and has inspired me to write more board game reviews in the future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The following post also had a lot of traffic, but they were written in previous years.
After all of the presents have been wrapped And placed underneath the glittering tree; After the snows have come and kept us trapped In the one place where are meant to be; After the chimney flu has been opened For the crackling fire to keep us warm; After the wine is no longer rationed And swirls in the glasses we hold firm; After we snuggle down on the love seat With soft carols playing in the background; After we’ve prepared for the night to greet With all the family we want around; Then I can tell all my worries to pass As I welcome on the the day of Christmas.
I lean back in my chair in the cafe As I take another pull off my beer. The sun is departing us for the day, But I am glad that its warmth is still near. People come and go on the cobblestones, Checking off errands and meeting their friends. I try to distinguish their foreign drones To see their desires meet the same ends. I will find the time to order again Because there is no place I need to be, For it would surely be a mortal sin Without another drink in front of me. It may be Wednesday in the business land, But I got more important things on hand.
The sun will eventually come today Though it’s hidden behind the morning fog. Somehow those rays of light will find a way To tear it to tiny bits like a dog. It will take away the cold autumn chill To give us remembrance of summer. When the daytime breeze gives us a small thrill, It is now nothing more than a bummer Portending for us the call of winter. We can just pretend that it is the spring Where we’re to the sun, only a renter Of the fall’s warmth it is willing to bring. We will soon have to batten down our doors, So we should take what the autumn implores.
Sometimes, it’s about the destination Because the journey is such a headache; You just want an end to the frustration, For, in life, you are in need of a break. You can’t enjoy leaving at witching hour On a plane limited with open space. They will take away all of your power, So your wallet can save a little face. Even when your plane eventually lands, It does not mean you’ve finally arrived. It just checks off one of many errands, And you still wonder if you will survive. It is not until the following day Where we can go out and enjoy the play.
No one will visit us in the country As they have to drive up a windy road Made of dirt, guarded by a horde of trees, Not offering much room for a wide load. We can nestle in our tiny chateau, Listening to the low of the neighbor’s cows. The wild grasses are allowed to grow; As wind blows, they join in uniform bows. The winter snows will eventually come, Locking us in the valley until Spring. The weather will continually drum As we enjoy the freedom that it brings. I’ll revel in the mountain solitude, Not believing my escape to be rude.
On the hill, we built the fortification To discourage the invading forces From thinking they can take this great nation. They may bring their catapults and horses To show off their might at our castle walls, But we are ready for their advances. They expect our sovereignty to fall Because of their military dance, But we will not be intimidated By their shiny medals and puffy hats. We will not be so easily bated For they are nothing more than spoiled brats. There is a reason we built it so high, Just so out heritage will never die.
I did have a couple of expectations when I traveled to Romania during the month of October. The idea of a creepy landscape with rolling fog and old world charm had to be around every corner, and it would be like walking into some gothic horror story. My expectations might have been a little too big, but what I encountered instead was even more exciting and exceeded the expectations that I did have.
Transylvania does have an old world charm to it, but not in the creepy gothic vibe that I was expecting. It is more of the walking through the country side on a crisp autumn day that allows you to feel the nostalgia of days past, and an excitement for the days to come. I was able to feel the joy of the season again which does not come with the places I have lived recently such as Jordan or Thailand. It used to be my favorite season, and I enjoyed being able to experience it again.
Transylvania is also a mountainous part of Romania that give spectacular views of the fall colors. There are many beautiful drives between the bigger cities in the mountains that take you through these mountains. At many times it is like driving through a tunnel made of large deciduous trees shedding their leaves on the road. There were also many spots along the roads that made for great pictures of the faraway landscape. A perfect picture was always around the corner.
There are two major cities that people visit in Transylvania and each of them offer their own specific type of charm. Brasov is a mountain community that feels like an older European city with a long and expansive walking part of the town. It has more of a medieval feel to it because of the old wall that protects this part of the city, and the old towers and churches that you can explore there. The restaurants and shops definitely cater to a tourist crowd, but it feels as if that crowd would come from a different part of Romania, and you do not see as many out of country tourists hanging out there.
Sibiu is the other major city in Transylvania, and it has a completely different vibe. There is still a huge walking part of the city that most of the tourists spend time in, but the platas, or squares are much bigger, and attract the usual crowds that can be seen in most Western European cities. There are numerous restaurants with tables spilling out into the square, and behind them hold various shops that tourists can be seen entering and leaving. Overall, it feels more like a typical European city rather than the mountainous Brasov, but both are great places to stay and enjoy the chilly atmosphere that this spot of the world offers in autumn.
Each place is a great place to settle down and then from there take day trips to the various places that are worth visiting in the region. There are historic churches and castles waiting to be explored, and beyond that there are so many paths through the woods that take you to the most unexpected places. Some of them are more populated than others, and you never know when you will run into a pop up shopping area.
There are many other things out there to explore that just add to the beauty of the region. Even the quiet solitude of a graveyard seems like it should belong on the typical tourist itinerary. It may feel a little gothic to even consider doing it, but somehow it belongs on this trip. It just adds to part of the atmosphere of the experience, and it is also interesting to read the history that some of these places hold in its grip.
I am glad that I have gotten to experience Romania in the fall, more specifically Transylvania. I was a little surprised to see that there were not more people out there enjoying the same experience that we were because it seemed like the perfect time to be out there. The fall colors were amazing, and I don’t believe that we hit the height of those colors. I could only imagine what it would have been like if we were out there then. The weather was perfect for most of the trip, and it just heightened the atmosphere of what the location is best known for. Maybe because of the smaller crowds, it made for a more memorable trip, but I could not imagine another time to come out to this beautiful part of the world. I hope that someday you can find the time to understand the joy that I found by coming out to Romain and seeing what it has to offer in the fall.
Uneven cobblestones make up the lane As I try to find some better footing, But the were leaves won’t allow any gain. The path is gathering them by looting The fall tress of their greatest finery. They can no longer offer protection Against the strong wind that blows so chilly From its mountainous fortification. I dig my hands deeper in my pockets As I peek out from underneath my hood. I start to remember things life forgets Like how moments like this used to be good. Nostalgia returns in the autumn As each step sings with the crunches that come.
John Collings 