Our 2024 travels took us through Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and the broader Aegean and Mediterranean, capturing moments of history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. From the ruins of Knossos and the timeless charm of Ikaria to the towering pyramids of Egypt and the vast desert of Wadi Rum, each destination left a lasting impression. Along the way, I explored Montenegro, Albania, and Italy, discovering hidden coastal gems and ancient wonders. This collection of ten photos isn’t just about places—it’s about stories, emotions, and the unforgettable experiences that define travel. Join me in revisiting these incredible moments through my lens.

2023 was another remarkable travel year as we made our way around the planet on our Vagabond Adventure. Thanks for joining us!

There was plenty to see and we captured thousands of images — many of them shared in our regular Journal updates.

But which were the best? You tell us. You’ll find all 12 below, including one beauty from fellow Vagabond, world-class hiker and orthopedic surgeon Jorina Jurth.

Traveling is wonderful, but there are some places you simply can’t explore because time has left them behind. Luckily we have writers, adventurers and books. Over the years I’ve read a few. These are my 10 favorites. Each one changed the way I looked at the world. My guess is they’ll change your life too.

If you have a favorite travel book you’d like to add to our Vagabond list of classics, drop us a comment or send us an email and we’ll happily share them!

In Lisbon today, there are monuments to Magellan, Prince Henry the Navigator and the others whose voyages of discovery took them to every corner of the globe. In the Philippines, people celebrate a man who resisted colonization just as fiercely. Both cultures consider these men heroes. History and human behavior works this way. Tribalism still abides, whether it’s football games or outright war. We seem to be making progress, but can we find a way to celebrate diversity without demonizing those who are different?

They crashed in the Sahara desert without food, water, a radio or anything but their wit and stamina to save them. The last night they began to freeze in the night wind, unable to move enough blood through their coagulating blood streams to summon up warmth. In the cold their throats closed, their saliva retreated, their tongues turned to cloth and they waited for death. But it did not come … This is rates as one of the great adventures ever.

(Photos by Chip Walter)

Disaster often walks with adventure whether we want it or not. Recent floods in Kentucky evoked old memories of previous disasters in the minds of one journalist. Old lessons revisited and new ones learned. (Supercell thunderstorm image by Laura Rowe)

Sometimes adventure exacts a steep price.

Is is difficult to imagine a tougher, or luckier, man than British adventurer Apsley Cherry-Garrard. At the tender age of 23 he finagled his way onto Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova expedition hoping to become among the first humans to reach the South Pole. Scott and several members of the team died. But this story is about an even more harrowing expedition — what Cherry-Garrard called the Winter Journey to retrieve the eggs of Emperor Penguins in the dead of the Antarctic Winter. It is one of the most astounding adventure stories I have ever read. I think you’ll agree.