THE YEAR THAT WAS

2024 WRAPPED

Biking through the Namib Desert.

I'm starting to feel like this is becoming a 'Wrapped' blog, maybe that's what I should change it to. I think its time I be honest with myself and my future-self because this is pure betrayal. How I keep talking about blogging and podcasting more and this year, I think I am managed one podcast episode (that was in September). Nothing on the blog. Nada. Niks. Zilch. Zero.

We have gone from a couple posts a month to not even one a year, well one with this one, and I think that is more realistic than anything. At this point that is the only goal I want for the next year in terms of the work I put out: at least three pieces of work, be it in the form of a podcast episode or blog post and we take it from there.

Now what a year this has been!

Picture: Swakopmund Skydiving. The craziest thing I have done this year- I wonder what's next...

I don't want to add the cliché "there has been so much going on" bit, especially when this post is so late. There is so much to share, and because I have not shared it throughout the year, it just becomes a pile of everything that I shove into my diary and the rest documented in picture form.

So, to share what has been the highlight of this year: traveling back home to Namibia! And this time, not alone; this time I had my amazing partner and my sister with me, and it was one hell of a trip. One day, when I am ready and well-rested, I will tell you all about it. I will tell you about the planning process, the excitement as the months got closer, the flights, and actually being on vacation in my own country.

Picture: Taken by Magnus from the Independence Museum in Windhoek, Namibia.

I will be sure to tell you about how trusting and supporting local will sometimes be a disappointment because I got accused of placing a hair in my burger and then complaining about it. Mind you, I was starving, so me placing my own kinky hair in food and it suddenly becoming a long, black hair didn't make sense at all. The food was disappointing, and so was the service. I will tell you all about it one day— all in good time.

With that being said, its hard to wrap this year up because 2025 sort of just took up all the space now. I'm in that space now. But I officially need to let go, hence this post. One for the culture, to tradition hehe.

To a year filled with a growing love and growing love for all and everything- more adventures, more music and digging deeper into pockets. Sometimes to empty pockets too. What the hell, even that will not stop us from living, loving, crying and talking passionately about things we are clueless about.

Picture: One of my travel companions. Definitely something I didn't know I wanted to try until I first heard about it- snowboarding, sandboarding... all the boarding stuff I want to try!

This was 2024 and there was a lot happening, but now we have moved on already. We will never move on from the ones we left behind in this year, the lost ones in this year, all the sorrow in the world we've felt during this year. But there is hope, and with the new year we are looking at that (or just plain chaos- who knows, its started already). I don't know, there is so much going on right here, right now so let's start here.

There is hope, but I know it can feel hopeless. I've felt hopeless. And there is life, I've lived and I love that. I loved feeling alive this year- more of that please!

Picture: Taken by me. Start of semester hike with my good friend Theresa. Store Blåmann.

To making it into the new year and already feeling like this is going to be a year of big things, small things and all the in betweens. Every day is a year closer to who I've always wanted to be, my dream life and this year feels like it will bring me even closer. Really, I think that I will never truly be who I want to be, just so darn close and even that keeps me alive and going.

Picture: Janneth and Magnus riding fatbikes in the Namib Desert.

So to more days of getting closer to who we aspire to be, and still living in the now, because now is really where we should aspire to be. Really.

Picture: Taken by me. This is a painting/artwork/sculpture done by my uncle. It is painted, but he has also added some real life features using recycled waste materials. Like the melons in the picture, items smoothed out and then painted. The most fascinating to me is the anthill that he actually has an elevated anthill sticking out from the picture and it looks so much like an anthill! (He's used sand on it as well). Truly captures the Namibian landscapes and beauties well.

The new year has already taken over- embrace it. Go on and be awesome now!

Love,

Queen

#wrapped