Every December, I shake the dirty socks out of my suitcase, crumple up the last airline ticket, and think back on the places I visited over the previous 12 months.

This year, I traveled above the Arctic Circle and sank beneath the waves in the Indian Ocean. In all, I booked 15 round-trip flights. I stepped foot in six different states besides Texas and seven foreign countries. I zoomed around Texas in my camper van, too, exploring more of this beautiful state I call home.

I did things I’ve never done before, like drive a sled pulled by dogs across the frozen tundra, and a few I’d rather not repeat, like get intravenous fluids at a small clinic on a remote island.

It sure beats sitting at a desk in an office building. I’m flat-out, can’t-believe-this-is-my-life grateful for what I get to do for a living. And next year’s shaping up to be a doozy, too.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 travel experiences of 2024…

1. Snowshoeing to Skokie Lodge in Banff National Park. Because I was recovering from ACL surgery, I couldn’t snow ski last season. But I could strap on snowshoes for an all-day snowshoe trip across two mountain passes and a frozen lake to historic Skokie Lodge during a cold snap. Skokie Lodge doesn’t have running water or electricity, but it has a gourmet chef on site, a pot-bellied stove, and cozy rooms. (That midnight dash to the outhouse in minus 25-degree temperatures was memorable…)
2. Highlights of a village-to-village hiking trip through the Val d’Anniviers region of Switzerland? Incredible mountain scenery, wild blueberries, an elf-like chamois that popped out of the woods to watch us hike past, and a backyard party where everyone wore cowboy hats and we became celebrities since we were from Texas. And did I mention the cheese?

Sun rises at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Pam LeBlanc photo

3. I’ve wanted to visit Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, home to a long-running wildlife study about the resident population of wolves and moose, for decades. I finally climbed aboard a float plane and made the trip to the islands, where I stayed in a cabin, canoed, hiked, and jumped off a dock into ice-cold water.

4. An hour after my plane landed above the Arctic Circle in Sweden, I was driving a sled pulled by dogs through the snow and ice. It didn’t feel real. I camped in the snow, took a cold plunge in a hole cut into the ice, and ate a reindeer sandwich, too.

Pam LeBlanc recommends the Maldives for scuba diving. Chris LeBlanc photo

5. If you travel all the way to the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean, spend as much time as possible under water. I loved the beachside bungalows at the Sun Siyam Resorts we visited but was even more interested in the marine life – and the Maldives have sharks, spotted eagle rays and eels galore.

6. Big ship cruises aren’t my thing – but put me on a smaller vessel and send it along the coast of Italy, Spain and France, and I’m all in. My favorite stop on a week-long Windstar cruise through the Mediterranean was Nice, where we roamed narrow streets, visited museums, and went for a dip in the ocean.

The Devils River is one of the most pristine rivers in Texas. Pam LeBlanc photo

7. As much as I love traveling around the globe, some of my favorite places are right here in Texas. That’s why I spent my 60^th birthday canoe camping along the Devils River in West Texas. The water is clear, the rapids are just challenging enough, and the landscape reminds me that wild places do still exist.

8. As a kid, I always associated Idaho with potatoes. I’ve since learned it’s much more than that – and this year’s rafting trip down through Hells Canyon on the Snake River combined outdoor adventure and pampering (a black bear chased our raft down the river, but someone cooked and set up my tent every night.)

9. I’ve made more than 30 trips to Big Bend in my life, and every time I go, I discover something new to love. This year’s trip included stops to swim in Balmorhea, camp in the Davis Mountains, and hikes a few new-to-me trails at the national park – Pine Canyon and Blue Creek.

10. A few years have passed since I took horseback riding lessons, but instinct took over during the Great American Horse Drive, when I helped drive a herd of 300 horses 60 miles across Colorado. I even earned a buckle for my efforts. Yeehaw!