It’s nearly 2017! That really sounds terrifying to me, I keep in mind once I was youthful (manner again when Pluto was nonetheless a planet for my youthful readers) 2017 appeared like a 12 months the Jetsons would dwell in after we’d all have flying automobiles and all that. Though I suppose we’re not far off from issues like that with driverless automobiles and supply companies for all the pieces now.  Anyway, it’s the top of the 12 months so it is sensible to have a look again and see the place I went and share classes I realized alongside the best way.

It began in California

So let’s return to the start of the 12 months.  Personally and professionally issues have been altering fairly shortly as I had accepted a brand new place in my firm that will transfer me to Singapore.  However earlier than we get to Asia, I took a visit with an excellent buddy out to the San Francisco space the place we explored Huge Sur, Alcatraz, and a precarious cliffside photograph spot in Sausalito.

Off to Asia

As a part of my new position I ventured off to Asia to begin getting the lay of the land of my new territory/continent.  I spent two weeks touring round Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore.  It was my first time doing enterprise in Japan, which was…nicely let’s simply say it was a bit totally different.  However I bought my legs beneath me and bowed at largely applicable instances by the top of my keep there earlier than venturing onto extra acquainted Hong Kong and Singapore.

On the tail finish of my Asia journey I took a “fast hop” over to Dubai to fulfill up with some pals at Gulf Picture Plus.  I bought to expertise Enterprise Class on Qatar Airways new A350, which was an incredible expertise, and likewise bought a beautiful image of the Burj Khalifa from my lodge room!

Burj Khalifa

I returned from Asia with plans to begin packing and setting a shifting date round my birthday in April, despite the fact that I used to be a bit nervous concerning the transfer.

Mileage Runs to Asia

I needed to ensure I locked in American Airways Government Platinum standing by means of January 2018 so I wanted to fly 100,000 elite-qualifying miles in 2016.  My enterprise journey to Asia positively bought issues off to an excellent begin, however I figured some mileage runs wouldn’t damage.  February and March are normally nice for airfares to Asia and in February I managed to discover a $460 roundtrip flight to Hong Kong from Chicago!  It was manner too fast of a visit however I used some systemwide upgrades to improve to enterprise class so a minimum of the flights didn’t kill me.  It was throughout this primary mileage run to Hong Kong the place I took one in all my favourite Hong Kong footage ever!

March introduced one other mileage run, however this one had extra of a goal.  Properly, barely.  An organization known as Bluffworks bought in contact with me and requested if I’d wish to overview their tremendous superior journey pants.  Not eager to do a typical “I wore these pants, I appreciated these pants, I’d purchase these pants” overview I as a substitute discovered a dust low-cost flight to Hong Kong and Beijing and flew off to Asia but once more.  I bought some good footage and climbed the Nice Wall of China once more, all in these pants.  I put collectively two movies concerning the journey that I’ll insert under.  All in all this was one of many first journeys the place I set out particularly to make a video and I started to understand simply how laborious videography is with out a crew!

My flight again from Beijing was aboard American’s 787-8 in Enterprise Class, which was a fully pretty journey.

In between all of those mileage runs I managed to seize some unimaginable footage of bluebonnets in my pretty hometown of Dallas in addition to a beautiful subject of bluebonnets in close by Ennis, Texas.

New York Metropolis

April introduced some tough moments.  To begin with, and I by no means actually posted a lot about this, however I’ll say it now: my transfer to Singapore fell by means of.  It was one of many greatest shocks of my life, having dedicated to shifting internationally solely to seek out out every week earlier than shifting that it hadn’t labored out for some purpose (we’re nonetheless unsure why).  In order that was a shock to the system, however a buddy inspired me to get my crap collectively and never let it get me down an excessive amount of, so I attempted to choose myself up as greatest I might and transfer on.

My candy youthful cousin obtained a devastating most cancers analysis in December 2015: stage III ovarian most cancers.  It rocked our total household.  As she courageously took on chemo she displayed a energy that helped me and jogged my memory that every one issues occur for a purpose.  As a part of her remedy she was scheduled for a extremely complicated surgical procedure at Sloan Kettering in New York Metropolis.  I used to be in a position to head as much as NYC for a number of days to be with my household and pray with everybody as she went off to surgical procedure.  I additionally had time for a keep on the new Park Hyatt New York, which was superb.

I’m very glad to report that my cousin’s surgical procedure was an enormous success and it actually saved her life.  She’s thriving and having fun with life and provoking 1000’s along with her story.

Wanting again on the Singapore factor and the confusion and anger I felt when it fell by means of, I’m reminded that the moments I spent with my household in New York Metropolis are reminiscences I’ll cherish for the remainder of my life and I’d not have been in a position to be there if the Singapore transfer had gone by means of.

Europe and my new all-time favourite image

After issues settled down on the workplace post-Singapore I ended up heading off to Europe to work with some prospects there to see if we might present some worth for them.  I spent a number of days in Paris and London earlier than extending the journey for a fast journey to Italy.  I did arrive a bit of early, nevertheless, so I might drive out to see an unimaginable place that was well worth the journey, Mont-Saint-Michel.

My journey to Italy was fairly fantastic.  I flew into Milan after which took a practice south to Cinque Terre, the place I captured two new all-time favorites within the village of Vernazza.

I completed off that journey in pretty Bellagio overlooking Lake Como.

Again to Asia

In a little bit of an ungainly journey I went again to Asia for work to do just about the identical journey I did in January, solely this time I wasn’t going to maneuver there a number of months afterward.  I adopted nearly the identical itinerary and hit up Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Sundown at Tokyo Tower

I put collectively a bit of informational video concerning the historical past of Singapore as nicely since I had a while to kill over the weekend.

Even once I was again residence in Dallas I made it a behavior to maintain taking nice footage of my hometown too.

After which the journey type of…stopped

After my Asia journey my big-time journey got here to a little bit of a halt, which was most likely for the perfect (I used to be bodily and emotionally exhausted).  July consisted of some enjoyable helicopter flights in addition to a composite image from the Addison Kaboomtown! celebration for the 4th of July.

To Zion

August featured a return to Zion Nationwide Park to hike Angel’s Touchdown once more.  Most individuals would take their time and luxuriate in all the character however I’m type of a moron and did your complete journey from Dallas in sooner or later.  I did handle to seize a tremendous sundown image although the place a bolt of lightning was within the left facet of the body whereas the superb sundown was in the best.

Again to the skies for one more inaugural

Lets fast-forward to October.  As a result of some gracious and sunny of us at American Airways I used to be granted entry for some once-in-a-lifetime photographs of American’s new 787-9 plane on the tarmac at LAX after the inaugural home flight!

The inside, with its new enterprise class seat, was very good as nicely.

Dallas discovered its manner into the weblog but once more with the assistance of some new tilt-shift lenses.

Wrapping up the 12 months with Canada and Mexico

It had been nearly 6 months since I had traveled for work in November however I lastly made my return to the street with a sudden journey to Toronto the week of the US Thanksgiving vacation.  We labored laborious and realized loads, sufficient actually to immediate a return go to in December.

My journey 12 months led to Mexico simply final week.  Some household pals invited me to affix them at an unimaginable home they rented in Cabo San Lucas, the place I noticed a few of the most superb sunrises and sunsets ever!

That’s it for 2016!

I hope you’ve loved my recap.  Placing this publish collectively jogs my memory how blessed I used to be to have the ability to journey the best way that I do.  Even by means of laborious instances there’s a sure vitality I get from touring (to a sure level) and my urge for food to see the world is as robust as ever.  I don’t actually know what 2017 will deliver however I realized an enormous lesson in 2016: irrespective of your circumstances you’ll be able to all the time discover the great in life however you might need to look tougher than you ever thought potential.