Thursday Flakes: Looking Back On 2022

I don’t celebrate Christmas but I still managed to have a pretty eventful one in Mexico. On Christmas Eve, I went over to a new friend’s house for some food, snacks, drinks and wonderful conversation. I’ll be returning to the same place again for a New Year’s Eve party. For Christmas dinner, I went to a fancy restaurant with a couple friends where we had a delicious meal and more great conversation. It’s nice to be able to do this sort of things with other friends who don’t celebrate Christmas.

Looking back on the year, it was filled with quite a few travel highlights. I started the year in Mexico again, which included a trip to the Exploding Hammer Festival in San Juan de la Vega. I went back to the United States in mid-April and also spent the early summer in Central American favorites Guatemala and Panama. The summer included return trips to Peru and Colombia where I explored a few new places along with some places I had been to before. It was nice to share some of my Peru experience with my family in August. I returned to the United States again in November for a couple weeks before finishing off the year in Mexico.

I’m not quite sure what the next year will hold yet. I plan to spend January exploring some new places in Mexico before returning to my base in Guadalajara. I would also like to visit Turkey and the Balkans in 2023 so I will keep an eye on flight deals to those places. A return to South America could also be on the cards. It’s an open book. We’ll see how this go.

What are your plan for New Year’s Eve? What are your favorite travel moments in 2022? Have you already made travel plans for 2023? Do you see any travel trends becoming more popular in 2023? Feel free to answer these questions and discuss much more in the comments section.

Anyways onto the last Travel Flakes of 2022…

Garrett Nelson Declares for NFL Draft | Football | Corn Nation

Garrett Nelson, team captain in 2022 and leader of the Nebraska defense, has declared for the NFL draft. He was one of few Huskers who made all conference honors, being selected to All-Big Ten second team by coaches and media.

Nebraska Women’s Basketball Loses to Michigan 76-59 | Basketball | Corn Nation

The Huskers had their chances, but couldn’t come up with a run when they needed it. Michigan came in very motivated to avenge the loss a season ago, and they never were seriously challenged throughout this game. Nebraska missed Allison Weidner and I’m sure the news that she is done for the season affected the team.

Nebraska Recruiting: Who and Where Will the Huskers’ 2024 Recruiting Class Start? | Football | Hail Varsity

As of today, Nebraska has no commits in the 2024 recruiting class. That’s not an anomaly but it does reflect the road that lays ahead for Rhule and his staff. They’ve met that workload so far with enthusiasm.

Padding The Stats: Year Four Nonconference Shows Improvement for Hoiberg’s Huskers | Basketball | Hail Varsity

The Cornhuskers went 7-4 in the nonconference with three wins over high-major teams, no losses beyond the high-major ranks (including Memphis here) and no losses at home. That stands in stark contrast to the past there years where Nebraska posted a 14-14 record (excluding the NAIA win against Doane) including 1-9 against other high-major competition.

Merritt Beason’s ‘Crazy’ 9-Day Stint in the Portal Ends in Nebraska Commitment | Volleyball | Lincoln Journal Star

With Beason, Nebraska adds another experienced and proven player to a squad that as of now doesn’t have any seniors for next season. She earned all-SEC honors after leading the Gators in kills per (3.35) with a solid .261 hitting percentage.

10 Best Places to Celebrate New Year’s Eve | Travel | Lonely Planet

Join the celebrations on Copacabana Beach, the party at Sydney Harbor or a peaceful New Year’s Eve ritual in Tokyo. With so many exciting hot spots, the only issue is choosing where to celebrate. Here are 10 destinations where you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable NYE experience.

The 10 Best US Cities to Celebrate New Year’s | Travel | Travel Pulse

Personal finance website WalletHub recently compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 29 key indicators of a great New Year’s Eve celebration, including important factors such as the legality of fireworks, the average price of a New Year’s Eve party ticket and the forecasted precipitation for December 31st.

Year in Review: Biggest Travel Stories of 2022 | Travel | Travel Pulse

Despite a rough start to 2022, the travel and tourism industries started to bounce back in a major way as restrictions were lifted and leisure travel demand surged. From the cruise industry finally having COVID-related requirements lifted by the United States government to airlines finally meeting demand after dealing with massive delays and cancellations, this year was as wild as it was unpredictable.

15 Travel Trends That Will Define 2023 | Travel | Travel Pulse

We asked some of the leading voices in the industry to share their predictions for 2023 and the answers ranged from exciting and intriguing to truly inspiring. From transformational adventures and new age wellness retreats to immersive slow travel, the year ahead promises to be full of dynamic offerings. Here are 15 of the most interesting trends to watch for in 2023.

Where the Lonely Planet Team Wants to Go in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

At Lonely Planet, the constant desire to add new places to the bucket list is an occupational hazard. Our travel plans are vast, varied and ever-changing – and many of us already have something in mind for 2023. Find out where a few of us are planning to travel next year.

10 Travel Ideas We’re Excited About in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

It’s been a turbulent couple of years for travelers. So, once again, nothing makes us happier than having our next trip to look forward to. Whether you’re traveling to learn something new, giving back in a meaningful way or simply immersing yourself in the beauty of the world, here are 10 travel ideas we’re excited about for 2023.

15 Places to Go Off-Grid in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

Peace, quiet and the freshest of air: some of the world’s most remote destinations are sanctuaries of stillness and solitude. These are the kind of destinations that give you the luxury of disconnecting from the glare of a screen as you reconnect with your natural surroundings – and yourself.

The Best US Exhibitions in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

Whether you want to rekindle a sense of wonder, trace the career of a distinguished artist, learn about something new or all of the above, this selection of exhibitions offers myriad opportunities to be inspired. From rarely seen old-master works to thrillingly scary predator fossils to a fully functioning roller coaster in a museum, these are the 10 best exhibitions to see in the USA in the new year.

The Best European Train Routes to Try in 2023 | Travel | Lonely Planet

Fans of train travel like me are looking toward 2023 with excitement – and a newly expanded to-do list. Here are some of the most enticing European train journeys to take in the first half of 2023.

17 Travel Trends You Will See in 2023 | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

In 2023, travelers will be going one step further as we look to deepen these experiences by having a lasting positive impact on the places and people we visit. From psychedelic retreats and adaptogenic menus to flat-pack hotels and electric road trips, these are the 17 travel trends likely to guide how we see the world in 2023.

17 Travel Deals to Snatch Up Before the End of the Year | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

A few worthy offers that caught our eye earlier this month also remain fair game, including January hotel deals. Encouraging off-season travel, New York City Hotel Week and Rhode Island Hotel Month are providing major sales on accommodations in two of our favorite, albeit very different, destinations in the Northeast. Below, our list of the most valuable travel deals to book while you can.

12 Best Places to Travel in 2023 | Travel | Vogue

Wondering what the best places to travel in 2023 are? Us too—so we decided to ask a panel of hospitality experts to find out. Their answers were quite literally all over the place (which, in this case, is a very good thing). After re-opening their borders after years of COVID-19 closures, trips to the Asian and Australian continents are set to make a roaring comeback, with countries like Japan and Singapore leading the way.

How the Transcontinental Railroad Forever Changed the United States | Travel | BBC

It spread Anglo-European culture across the nation and caused trade to flourish, but the story of the Chinese laborers who built the track has largely been forgotten.

The World’s Surprising Fried Chicken Capital | Travel | BBC

Why is the small town of Nakatsu – with its nearly 50 “karaage” shops – considered to have the best fried chicken in Japan, and quite possibly the world?