I had an amazing 2014, and here are 35 photos to prove it.

I spent the first few months of the year in Bangkok.

I spent the first few months of the year in Bangkok.

I spent a week in Cambodia and saw sunrise at Angkor Wat

I spent a week in Cambodia and saw sunrise at Angkor Wat.

I went back and spent four more months in Cambodia later in the year. Here I am at Angkor Wat again.

I went back and spent four more months in Cambodia later in the year. Here I am at Angkor Wat again.

The faces at Bayon, one of the Angkorian temples

The faces at Bayon, another one of the Angkorian temples.

I went to the beach in Cambodia with some friends

I went to the beach in Cambodia with some friends.

Mike and I bought $35 bikes and rode them across Cambodia

Mike and I bought $35 bikes and rode them across Cambodia.

I experienced flooding a couple of times in Phnom Penh

I experienced severe rains and flooding a couple of times in Phnom Penh

I went to the killing fields outside of Phnom Penh

I went to the killing fields outside of Phnom Penh.

I saw Cambodian shadow puppets

I saw Cambodian shadow puppets.

I lived in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand for two months, and I went climbing several times while I was there.

I lived in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand for two months, and I went climbing several times while I was there. 

I rode an elephant down a river near Chiang Mai

I rode an elephant down a river near Chiang Mai.

I went to a fish spa

I went to a fish spa.

I be wared the scamp

I be wared scamp.

I saw some really cool temples

I saw some really cool temples.

I went to a bunch of waterfalls in northern Thailand

I went to a bunch of waterfalls in northern Thailand.

I spent a month living on the little Thai island of Koh Tao

I spent a month living on the little Thai island of Koh Tao.

I jumped off of a couple big rocks on Koh Tao. I did not dive like this crazy guy.

I jumped off of a couple big rocks on Koh Tao. I did not dive head-first like this crazy guy.

I saw some incredibly beautiful places

I saw so many incredibly beautiful places.

I spent a week in Laos and saw craters made from bombs that American planes dropped

I spent a week in Laos and saw craters made from bombs that American planes dropped.

I saw a bunch of bombs and stuff in Laos

I saw a bunch of bombs and stuff in Laos.

I saw the incredible Laotian countryside and went climbing there

I saw the incredible Laotian countryside and spent a day climbing there.

I saw some huge ancient jars of unknown provenance

I saw some huge ancient Laotian jars of unknown provenance.

I survived a speedboat ride down the Mekong River in Laos

I survived a speedboat ride down the Mekong River in Laos.

In Laos I saw the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen and probably will ever see

In Laos I saw the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen and probably will ever see.

I spent ten days in Myanmar (Burma) and saw a ton of the ancient Buddhist temples of Bagan

I spent ten days in Myanmar (Burma) and saw a bunch of the ancient Buddhist temples of Bagan. I also spent a day there being deathly ill in bed.

I ran into the first two Mormon missionaries in Myanmar and took them out to lunch

I ran into the first two Mormon missionaries in Myanmar and took them out to lunch

I saw Shwedagon Pagoda , the holiest site in Myanmar

I saw Shwedagon Pagoda, the holiest site in Myanmar and one of the most famous Southeast Asian temples.

I hung out at U Bein Bridge near Mandalay, Myanmar.

I hung out at U Bein Bridge near Mandalay, Myanmar.

I saw people eating in a lake in Myanmar

I saw people chillin’ in a lake in Myanmar.

I returned to Nepal and spent a couple of months in Kathmandu

I returned to Nepal and spent a couple of months in Kathmandu and felt another earthquake (the first I felt earlier in the year in Chiang Mai).

I went trekking in the Langtang Himalaya

I went trekking in the Langtang Himalaya

I climbed the 16,348 ft/4983 m Tserko Ri in Nepal

I climbed the 16,348 ft/4,983 m Tserko Ri in Nepal.

I spent a couple of nights in a pod in Singapore

I spent a couple of nights in a pod in Singapore.

I ate pho in Vietnam

I ate pho in Vietnam

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I spent the whole year in Southeast Asia and Nepal. I went to seven countries in all: Thailand (6 months), Cambodia (4 months), Myanmar (10 days), Laos (1 week), Vietnam (3 days), Singapore (3 days), and Nepal (2 months).

I read 103 books in 2014. Some of my favorites were

I wrote one book (expect a dozen more in 2015. Seriously.) and launched a new site.

I met a bunch of great people, including some that I expect will be lifelong friends.

I decided that it’s time for a change of scenery.

2014 was the best year of my life, and I fully expect 2015 to be even better. Here’s hopin’.