I flew to Europe for a celebration, a moment of family triumph. I left with a deeper understanding of loss, gratitude, and what truly matters. Rome gave me everything—and then it took something irreplaceable. This is a story about memory, serendipity, and finding resilience in unexpected places.
I started writing this in the days before and after New Year’s. What began as a simple reflection somehow turned into something else entirely. At times, it felt like I was writing another book. It took me until April to finally put my pen down. To say, it’s done. As we turn the calendar each year, our minds rush ahead—to what’s next, to fresh goals, to promises we make with fingers crossed and hearts hopeful. But rarely do we stop to ask: What actually happened? Did we follow through? Did the year deliver what we imagined—or something else entirely? Don’t worry—there’s always something to look forward to. But before we leap ahead, I think it’s worth pausing to look back. This post is my way of doing that. A collection of stories, moments, photos, and memories—some small, some sweeping. A year in reflection. So if you’re curious what last year actually felt like—well, here’s my take.
It’s funny. This WorldRider blog has over 900 posts in its archive. I started it in 2004, right around the time I began planning my life-changing, epic motorcycle journey around the world. You know, the journey that inspired my best-selling book, “FORKS.” For three years, I wrote religiously, nearly every day. I’d spend hours riding […]
Do I have a guiding list of principles or rules I live by? The Caucus Mountains, Azerbaijan. As a world travel adventurer, professional inspirational speaker, and author, people often ask me for advice. Some want travel tips, others ask about technology and photography gear, and others are looking for life lessons learned from the road. […]
My Greek Adventure Blows Up In My Face In the second episode of season five of my WorldRider YouTube series, I find myself still without luggage and therefore no riding gear. What to do? I travel via taxi, bus, ship, and by foot and head to the islands. So I mend the wounds on the […]
After three years I return to Athens to retrieve my motorcycle and continue my Eastern European & Northern African adventure. It should be so easy, but it’s not. This is the first multi-episodic series on WordRider TV. Enjoy episode one and subscribe to my channel for notifications of new episodes. Watch The Video Here: Technology […]
Journalist & Philanthropist Neale Bayly on Writing, Inspiration, & His Journey To War-Torn Ukraine #75 In this episode of the Journeys With WorldRider Podcast, Allan Karl WorldRider talks with legendary motorcycle journalist, TV host, philanthropist, and photographer Neale Bayly. Enjoy this encore interview with Neale as the two world-traveling motorcyclists dig deep into the creative […]
If you’ve tuned into any news regarding travel in the post-pandemic summer of 2022, you know it’s been a rocky road for both travelers and those working in the travel sector. I am a victim of this rough start having been without my baggage for seventeen days. While waiting those days, I went to the […]
It wasn’t my plan, but as the adage pointedly goes, from Lemons we must make Lemonade. So I made the most of my time. Enjoy the video below as I share with you my whirlwind of finding fun, food, wine, people, and love in the capital city of Greece, wild Athens—while living in a fog […]
My motorcycle journeys have taken me all over Greece. From the Peloponesse to Zagoria, Thessaloniki, Athens, the Adriatic, and of course, the intoxicating islands of the Cyclades. In this short video, I share the experience of my explorations from the seat of my motorcycle, Doc. This is another classic WorldRider Moto Vlog where I share […]
