Welcoming 2026: New Continents, New Chapters, and Endless Curiosity

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026, a year already unfolding with continued travels, new continents, and unforgettable experiences.

I spent the Christmas holidays and welcomed the New Year in a way I could never have imagined years ago, on a cruise ship journeying to two entirely new continents, South America and Antarctica. What made it even more special was sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience with my sister. There is something deeply meaningful about exploring the ends of the earth with someone who knows your beginnings.

After travelling extensively through Asia, stepping onto new continents brought a complete shift. New countries, new foods, unfamiliar languages, different cultures, breathtaking sights, and dramatically changing weather all became part of daily life. Even after a week or two, I am still catching up with myself. At times it feels like I left a part of me behind in Asia, or perhaps somewhere in the wild, rolling waters of the Drake Passage, where three bodies of water converge and give you a proper shake-up, LOL.

This feels like the next chapter of my life journey, and I am ready for it.

People often ask me, “Gail, don’t you get tired or homesick?”

The honest answer is no, not yet. I do not miss any aspect of my former life. Of course, I miss my family, that never changes, but I am intentionally choosing something different and deeply transformative. I want to grow, mature, have fun, laugh at myself, try unique foods, and live in ways that are far removed from my former routines.

I want to return home one day with memories etched into my soul, stories worth telling, and reflections worth writing about. Experiences shaped by seeing the world through the eyes of a 60-year-old woman travelling the globe as a solo female sonderer and saunterer. Curious, observant, and unrushed.

I will continue to travel until I get tired or until the money runs out, whichever comes first.

So here is to 2026.

A year of travel filled with passion, fun, laughter, authenticity, and JOY.

Let the journey continue.