December 2024

To our family and friends,

We hope this letter finds you and your family happy, healthy and enjoying the holiday season! Continuing the Neader tradition, here is the 2024 Year in Review.

It was a busy travel year for Scott and Laurie, visiting 17 countries in 2024. In March, we traveled with all three of our kids to visit Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau for two weeks. As a bonus, Macy’s boyfriend, Ryan, joined us in Taiwan and Cameron’s boyfriend, Chris, joined us in Hong Kong. Macy lived in Taiwan for one year during her Rotary Youth Exchange and Chris is from Hong Kong, so we were lucky to have their expert help as personal tour guides!

After a few weeks back in the states, Scott and Laurie headed out again, this time to Europe, where our 4 week, 2500 mile drive took us through Spain (Catalonia), France (French Rivera, Occitania, Provence, Pyrenees), Italy (Italian Alps / Aosta Valley, Dolomites, Lake Como, Italian Riviera), Switzerland (Lugano), Andorra and Monaco.

We enjoyed a fairly quiet summer, including a lot of time spent at our campsite in West Salem. In September, Scott was busy replacing a large ham radio antenna on his tower, then he celebrated his 60th birthday at the campground and at our local Oktoberfest. A few days later, we were off on our next adventure, flying back to Europe, where we toured the eastern Balkans. During our 5 week, 3100 mile drive, we visited Serbia, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and northern Greece. Near the end of our trip, Ashlyn flew in from Vienna to join us while we were in Albania and Kosovo.

An update on our kids… Cameron is 27 years old and is still in New York City, but now living in the Flushing area. He absolutely loves being in NYC and enjoys showing the city to his friends from around the globe when they come to visit. He’s been working remotely for Wisconsin-based Trilliant Food and Nutrition for about a year now, and was recently promoted to Associate Category Manager. Cameron and Chris were able to do some traveling this year, including trips to Tokyo, Japan and Orlando & Miami in Florida.

Ashlyn is 24 years old and has been living in Vienna, Austria for a little over a year and really loves it there. She had several friends visit her this year, and enjoyed showing them around her beautiful city. Ashlyn is working at a “travelers / international” bar, while she awaits a full-time job opportunity. Ashlyn enjoys participating in pinball tournaments and has also done some traveling in Europe this year, including Hungary and Slovakia.

Macy is 21 years old. She is living in Downtown La Crosse with her boyfriend, Ryan, and their cat, Miso. Macy has been creating amazingly beautiful wire-wrapped jewelry for a while now, and just recently started selling her jewelry at local craft fairs and through her own website. Take a look at
https://SylvanJewelry.com.

Well, that’s the 2024 Year In Review. Until next year… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,

Scott, Laurie, Cameron, Ashlyn & Macy Neader

Overlooking Port de Fontvieille, in Monaco

Surprise 60th Birthday at Neshonoc Campground in West Salem, WI

360-view Cable Car, crossing Tung Chung Bay in Hong Kong

Hiking the Alpe di Siusi, in the Dolomites, near Bolzano, Italy

Hiking in Whitefish Dunes State Park, Door County, WI

Overlooking Athens, Greece, from the Acropolis

Palace of Parliament, Bucharest, Romania

Temple of Saint Sava, in Belgrade, Serbia

Monasteries of Meteora, near Kalabaka, Greece.

Patriarchal Cathedral St. Alexander Nevsky, Sofia, Bulgaria

Underground wine storage at Mileștii Mici Winery in Moldova. (1.5 million bottles, world record!)

Meeting with friends from Wisconsin, at a cafe in Kaçanik, Kosovo

Enjoying a glass of “Le Verre de Cassis” in Cassis, France

Lighting fireworks on Grandad Bluff in La Crosse, WI

Click photos to enlarge

Tian Tan Buddha (aka ‘The Big Budda’), in Ngong Ping, Hong Kong.

Scott and Laurie enjoying an Aperol Spritz on the Italian Riviera.

Macy and Ryan, at the Lingjiao Watefall in Taiwan.

Scott and Laurie, at Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle), near Brasov, Romania.

Overlooking Prizren, Kosovo, from the Fortress

Overlooking Tirana, Albania, from atop the Pyramid

Church of Saints Clement & Panteleimon, Ohrid, North Macedonia

Enjoying a beer aboard a Pirate Ship in Thessaloniki, Greece