For my wife Lorna and me, 2009 started and ended with two icons of our teenage years: Vietnam and Paul McCartney. In between, our year was punctuated with friendships, for which we are very grateful. Now that the kids have left the house, we have more time for friends, which makes this a very positive stage of life.

February took us to Vietnam aboard the Silver Whisper of the Silversea cruise line. In our teens, Vietnam was a war, not a country. It preoccupied the nightly news then raged in the cinemas as Apocalypse Now, Platoon, The Deer Hunter, and numerous others. Four decades later, in real life, the openness of Vietnam’s vibrant, peace-loving people lifted our hearts. They’ve built a safe, well-organized country from the ashes of the carpet bombing. The country feels rustic, not poor, and may keep motorcycle manufacturers in business forever.

December brought us Paul McCartney. I was twelve when he appeared with the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show; Lorna and I have been fans ever since. We flew to Paris for the ambience, the window shopping, the food. Sir Paul was there, too, within walking distance of our hotel. We snagged the best seats in the house for his fabulous concert. He sang for 2½ hours without stopping for even a glass of water; played our favourites with renewed vibrancy and sophistication; interacted wittily with the crowd; projected a youthful manner and appearance. The visuals were dazzling. His presence touched our souls.

All the best for 2010.

Ross