The year is coming to a close, and I’ve been reflecting on my 2013 year in travel. During these twelve months, I visited sixteen countries on three different continents. This was definitely my best year for travel thus far.

In looking through my Instagram account, I relived many wonderful memories. I also was able to detect several themes in my photography. Here’s a look at my favorite travel photos from my 2013 Instagram stream.

Blooms

“The earth laughs in flowers.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tropical flower on Maui

Making use of oil cans in Jordan

Flowers blooming at Petra in Jordan

Spring flowers in London

In Hong Kong’s Flower Market

Four Seasons Gresham Palace’s lobby in Budapest

Flower poking through the Roman ruins in Jerash, Jordan

Peak Season

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” –John Muir

Sunset at Allred’s in Telluride, Colorado

The vastness of Wadi Rum in Jordan

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado

Ma’In Spa in Jordan

Verbier St-Bernard in Switzerland

The Lone Star State

“You can all go to hell. I will go to Texas.” –Davy Crockett

Sunset near Marfa, Texas

View of Lady Bird Lake from the Four Seasons Austin

The Colorado River near Columbus, Texas

Texas gate near Tobyville in the Hill Country

The Austin skyline from Lady Bird Lake

Lookout over the Hill Country near Jonestown, Texas

Sweetberry Farm near Marble Falls, Texas

Sunset from my dad’s backyard near Marble Falls, Texas

I10 near Ft. Stockton, Texas

Discovery Green in Houston, Texas

It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere

“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says to love your enemy.”—Frank Sinatra

 Champagne with a view from the Four Seasons Canary Wharf Presidential Suite in London

 Gold Rush Champagne cocktail at Four Seasons Park Lane in London, England

 Watermelon Crawl at the Four Seasons Austin

 Fresh mint and pear cocktail in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

 Build your own cocktail in Maui, Hawaii

 Weininger wine cellar in Vienna, Austria

Modelo beer in Mexico

Chow Down

“We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly.”–Anna Thomas

Chips, guacamole, and pico de gallo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Coco puffs at Liliha Bakery on O’ahu, Hawaii

Puto maya and sikwati at the Shangri-La Mactan in The Philippines

Fruit stand working on the honor system on Maui, Hawaii

Escargot from Cafe Delmas in Paris, France

Cos’ Chili by Dean Fearing at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival on O’ahu

Meats, cheeses, and bread in Verbier, Switzerland

Aligot at Au Pere Louis in Paris, France

Brisket, sausage, and chicken fried steak from Hickory Hollow in Houston

Steak at the Four Seasons Canary Wharf in London

Sardines in Costa Brava, Spain

Spam and eggs on O’ahu, Hawaii

Get Out of Town

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” –Dr. Seuss

Cruising in an Indy car in Indianapolis, Indiana

American flight from Newark, New Jersey

Air China from Beijing to Manila

Hanging 10 on O’ahu, Hawaii

Train station in Prague, Czech Republic

Paddington Station in London, England

On a traditional Catalan fishing boat in Costa Brava, Spain

Waiting for the train near London

Parasailing on Maui, Hawaii

Leaving Toronto, Canada

Maritime

“My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

From the pool to the ocean at Shangri-La Boracay in The Philippines

The boats at Lahaina, Maui

The beautiful Red Sea near Aqaba, Jordan

The famous White Beach of Boracay, The Philippines from the air

Turquoise water at Shangri-La Mactan in The Philippines

The Mediterranean Sea in Cadeques, Spain

The beach near the W Hotel in Barcelona, Spain

Floating in the Dead Sea in Jordan

Dusk or Dawn

“Every sunset gives us one day less to live, but every sunrise gives us one day more to hope.”–Ritu Ghatourey

Sunset near Marfa, Texas

Catching the last bit of sun on Waikiki Beach on O’ahu, Hawaii

The sun dips behind the hills of Vienna, Austria from the top of the Ritz Carlton

Another beautiful sunset on Maui, Hawaii

An English countryside sunset at the Four Seasons Hampshire

Summer sunset in the Texas Hill Country

Sunrise on Cebu, The Philippines

A dusty sunset in Jordan

A Costa Brava sunset from a Medieval castle window in Spain

My favorite sunset ever comes from Boracay, The Philippines

Sunrise on Maui, Hawaii

Creature Features

“Animals don’t hate, and we’re supposed to be better than them.”—Elvis Presley

Lamb and pig saying hello

Polar bear at Salvador Dali’s home in Cadeques, Spain

Horse farm between Houston and Galveston, Texas

Miniature horse at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines near Austin, Texas

Reunited with my dogs after a month in Europe

Gorgeous longhorn grazes near Marble Falls, Texas

Me, Myself, and I

“Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.”—Isabelle Eberhardt

Loving my time in another beautiful home by Charming Villa Catalonia

Taking a break from the sun in Jerash, Jordan

Just a little windy in Jordan

My first night in Maui celebrated with a mojito

Setting sail on the Red Sea in Jordan

Sandy beaches on Maui

Waiting for Super Typhoon Haiyan to hit Boracay, The Philippines

Seattle’s Travels caught my leap off the top of a yacht into the Red Sea

Fun south of the border in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Sailing and snorkeling in Maui, Hawaii

Checking out one of the best views in Budapest, Hungary

My glimpse of the Dead Sea in Jordan was breathtaking.

I’m excited about what’s to come for 2014, but I can’t help but be in awe at all the amazing places I visited and things I saw in 2013. The world is a spectacular place, and I can’t wait to explore more through not only my travels, but yours as well. Are you on Instagram? If so, feel free to leave your Instagram handle in the comments.

Find me on Instagram as LeahTravels.