A few things that made my 2025 interesting..

Kigali, Rwanda by night!

2025 is my best year so far, followed by 2024, 2023, 2019, and 2017. 2025 had some resemblance to 2024: two academic semesters, with a "mostly jobless" summer vacation in between! The year started with the fear that the Mt Spurr volcano would erupt. Luckily, it never did! This post lists 30 things that made my 2025 interesting.

1. New Year 2025 in Shenzhen, China.

Family time and busy streets.

2. Smoggy and windy Los Angeles, CA.

Although the wildfire with its smog was not fun, the winds and the dark sky were interesting in a scary way. 

Hilly Kigali!

3. Coffee in the mornings in Bangkok, Thailand.

The interesting drinks and ending the year in style with family. 

4. Experiencing the first real earthquake.

It was 6.0 and felt strong in our home in Anchorage, with things moving and books falling down the shelves. Luckily, the center was still a few tens of miles from Anchorage. So it was not a disaster.

5. Northern Lights at Cleary Summit, Fairbanks, AK. 

While I have seen northern lights before in Anchorage and Utqiagvik, this one was stronger and clearer in the darker location.

6. Music of 2025.

What is a year without some new good music! 

 

7. Published journal papers!

A CONTROL-CORE-2 CLUSTER journal paper: my last paper from the postdoc era. Nice to see it getting published, finally. Two IEEE Computer Magazine papers: Both are products of my collaboration with the Department of Alaska Native Studies. And one RSASE Polar Science paper, a collaboration with Canadian researchers.

Harrison's Cave, Barbados

8. Making friends at a community event in Kigali, Rwanda.

This time for Africa! Now I have visited 6 continents. Only Antarctica is pending! 

9. Walking the hills of Kigali, Rwanda.

It was up and down, and Kigali looks peaceful at night, with lights that look like stars in the adjacent hills.  

10. A long hike in the Foreshore Trail around UBC.

Muddy trail and mudflats of Vancouver, BC, Canada. The stay at UBC for the IEEE CCECE 2025 conference. The university town is peaceful and calm.

11. San Antonio River cruise and dining by the river at night.

Beautiful restaurants of Kigali

It was a productive workshop by NHERI. 

12. Trying diverse cuisines in New York City.

Got to love the diversity of food in the US.

13. Waves of Christ Church, Barbados.

The beachfront hotel let us go to the beach several times.

14. Atlantis Submarine in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The colors disappear, and everything gets blue as we go deep underwater.

Deep into the Ocean, Barbados

15. Black bear sighting at Campbell Park, Anchorage.

A momma bear and her two cubs on our little hike in the park, pretty close. None of us were harmed. The bears minded their business and we minded ours as we slowly walked away. Anchorage reminds us every now and then that we live with wildlife with the frequent moose sightings and now, these black bears.  

16. New Research collaborations.

Including Stellenbosch University in South Africa and Cooper Union in NYC.

17. Fall 2025 semester. Teaching three courses.

One of the three was a new course for me. A full load. I survived.

18. MATLAB Educator Workshop at Carleton University.

Busy days in Northfield, MN, followed by a long walk in Mall of America.

View from the submarine, Barbados

19. My big diary!

I got a nice diary in China. It was very heavy though, like a big brick. 

20. Harrison's Cave Eco-Adventure Park in Barbados.  

Exploring the caves in an underground tram!

21. Atlanta once more!

Returned to Atlanta after two years briefly. Visited both Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market. Interestingly, not too strong memories from the past even from the airport and these places that I used to frequent. 

22. IEEE IPCCC 2025 at Hotel Viata in West Lake Hills, TX.

and some random walks in downtown Austin.

23.  Temples and statues of Hindu Gods in Bangkok. 

Mariamman, Brahma, and Indra. 

24. Croatia EQUISYS project until September 30th, 2029.

This project collaboration of four summers. I am looking forward to it in 2026. 

Malls of Bangkok, Thailand

25. Snowy mountains of Juneau, AK.

Juneau has the mountains much closer to the town than Anchorage! Makes it feel more beautiful and wild than Anchorage.

26. A night in Singapore.

Family reunion, which was supposed to be the moment in 2020 February. Pandemic memories. We have come a full circle.

27. New Year's Eve, crowds, and celebrating 2026 in Bangkok.

Siam Center and Em Quartier malls, celebrating the new year. The malls of Bangkok are so inviting.

28. Museums of Seattle, WA.

Northern lights in Fairbanks, AK.

Although Seattle is not new to us, this time we had a long time to explore it well.

29. A long multi-part trip that started with Tacoma, WA.

Night walks in Tacoma. The beautiful view of the Puget Sound from the hotel window. One of those magical moments. Perfect wrap to the year. 

30. The Amsterdam Airport!

It felt nice to be in Europe, even though it was just a layover in the air side. The last time I was in Europe was 2019 December when I visited Istanbul (and 2020 January in the LHR airport, air side). It reminded me it is long overdue to visit Europe, and also perhaps time to visit Portugal again sometime. I have not been in Portugal since 2019 July.

Every year, I have only one new year's resolution - to outperform my previous years. :) 2026 appears exciting with interesting events already planned. I wish you a happy new year. Thanks for reading my list until the end. You may read the blog posts of all the previous years as well. 

A few things that made my 2024 interesting..

Shenzhen after almost 7 years

2024 is my best year so far, followed by 2023, 2019, and 2017. This post lists 30 things that made my 2024 interesting.

1. A new template for many years to come.

2024 felt unique, but I feel many future years will closely resemble this year.

2. New continents and new horizons.

Long inter-continental trips. Reaching Country #50 and Continent #5.

3. Meeting new and old friends.

The frequent conference travels helped!

4. Designing and Teaching Distributed Computing course.

Delayed flight and a night in Abu Dhabi

It brought back memories from my own time as an MSc student in distributed computing.

5. Alaska as a Google Summer of Code organization. 

The mentor summit gave deja vu, like a repeat of the last year's experience!

6. A quick trip to UNLV for an NSF workshop.

It was my second time in Las Vegas, again very briefly, with just one night in a hotel.

7. Anchorage Ganesh Temple.

The temple itself is tiny. But nice to know the community.

8. Four papers at the IEEE CCECE conference in Kingston, ON, Canada.

I presented two and two of my students presented another two.

San Andres, Colombia

9. Huge malls of Shenzhen, China.

We used to alternate between China and Sri Lanka each year: Sri Lanka (2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019) and China (2014, 2016, and 2018). But that pattern broke with the pandemic. Returning after almost seven years felt historic.

10. Food and cocktails in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Had three dinners in three different restaurants on a single day. That sounds extreme. 

11. Sunset view and the view of moving ice in Kotzebue lagoon from the hotel room. 

This Arctic town reminded me of Utqiagvik in so many ways. 

A beautiful view from Bogota

12. Crossing the International Date Line.

That made our Christmas day disappear in the sky!

13. A train journey to Seward, AK.

We have now covered the entire Alaska railroad. From Anchorage to Fairbanks in the north and Seward in the south.

14. Tavira Portuguese Restaurant in Chevy Chase, MD.

Made me feel connected to my times in Portugal (i.e., the Season 2).

15. Sharks Cove near Pupukea Beach in Oahu, HI.

Loved the weather in Hawaii. Reminded me of Sri Lanka in many ways.

16. La Jolla Cove, San Diego, CA.

Those noisy sea lions and seals looked adorable in the night!

Brighton Bathing Boxes, Australia

17. Johnny Cay from San Andres, Colombia

Traveling with a family of a friend I made in the conference.

18. Crowded buses in Bogota, Colombia.

Reminded me of my Sri Lanka days. I manage to get around without even having Internet access while in the road.

19. PAEE-ALE conference experience in San Andres, Colombia

Probably my best conference experience so far. 

20. Bogota Airport, Colombia.

The capsule hostel "Wait N' Rest" experience in the airport and the always-open restaurants/cafes that let us add whiskey or a cream liqueur (as common across Colombia) to coffee as an extra! 

Luau in O'ahu, Hawaii

21. Luau in Waipahu, HI.

My first exposure to the Polynesian culture and the indigenous people of Oceania. 

22. Extremely hot Abu Dhabi, UAE.

But at least my hotel room was comfy and fancy-looking.

23. Whale watching in Seward, AK.

It is a touristy cute little town.

24. Airport meetups and emotional goodbyes.

Airports in three continents - Toronto, Melbourne, and Shenzhen... with many family reunions - some after almost two decades.

Melting sea ice in the Arctic, Kotzebue

25. Night walks in Little Tokyo, CA.

Staying in a hotel in this cute neighborhood has its perks!

26. Diverse cuisines of Los Angeles, CA.

Been to LA several times. But this time tried cuisines of several origins.

27. The 4-flight trip to San Andres, with a recently sprained ankle, canceled flights, and sleeping in airports.

Anchorage → Minneapolis → Toronto → Bogota → San Andres. A tiresome trip. Discomfort. But a story to share.

Kingston Waterfront, ON, Canada.

28. Christmas decorations and New Year lights in Shenzhen, China

A very crowded new year's eve in OCT!

29. Early mornings at work.

6:15 am - 6:15 pm, as a perfect morning person.

30. Cocktails in the beach in San Andres, Colombia.

The island had a great cocktail scene, many nice beaches, and cocktails in the beaches!

Every year, I have only one new year's resolution - to outperform my previous years. :) 2025 appears special. We are 25% into the 21st century. I wish you a happy new year. Thanks for reading my list until the end. You may read the blog posts of all the previous years as well.

A few things that made my 2023 interesting..

A neighborhood park in Anchorage

2023 is my best year so far, followed by 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2013. This post lists 30 things that made my 2023 interesting.

1. Joining University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) as a tenure-track assistant professor.

It is nice to wear the faculty hat.

2. Successful Goals

My goals for 2023 as of 2022 December were: moving to Alaska and a tenure-track faculty position. This makes my 2023 professionally successful.

3. A week in the Adak Island, AK.

Canceled flights made us stay longer - throughout the Christmas vacation. This land of 37 residents has a soul and a heart.

4. Train to Fairbanks, AK.

The ride was my most remarkable train ride ever, with views of Denali Mountain.

Snow meets the waves in the Bering Sea

5. Being a student again.

I did two undergraduate courses from Alaska Native Studies (AKNS) at the UAA. I got "A" for both!

6. The feeling of moving and starting from zero once more!

Moving to another city after 5 years brought back memories of my migrations of Erasmus Mundus days (2012 - 2019).

7. Learning a language after a long time.

It is nice to learn some elementary Dena'ina Language, the native language of Anchorage (Dghayitnu) in Denaina homeland (Dena'ina Ełnena).

8. Reading on Alaska Native Perspectives.

A lot to learn on the topic. I am looking forward to working on the topic more with  Alaska Native scholars.

9. Siberian folk music.

I recently found some Siberian folk music and got addicted to those. 

10. The most beautiful Bering Sea.

The mountain view with snow and waves separated by a narrow strip of sand.

The Niagara Falls, ON, Canada

11. Sleet storm and extreme winds with wet snow and blowing snow in the Adak Island

This westernmost city of the US have extreme weathers due to its location in the Aleutian island chain.

12. Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX

It is now one of my favorite downtowns in the US.

13. Flight with miles.

Our flight to ADK was the first time I used miles to buy a flight ticket. I am getting more used to traveling Alaskan.

14. Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, CA

I have been to Santa Monica thrice. But this was the first time spending long time in the beach.

Montego Bay, Jamaica

15. Google Summer of Code (GSoC) Mentor Summit.

This was my third time for the mentor summit. Second time attending one in the US. Last time was in 2019 Munich. Some familiar faces, some new friends.

16. Two papers at the IEEE Computer Magazine!

One each at 56(8) and 56(9)!

17. A day in Seattle.

And first time using a "DayUse" hotel. It is so helpful for early arrivals.

18. Season-3.

Anchorage made me feel like the start of the season 3 of my life. It is also the first city I connected to, after Lisboa.

Denali, AK

19. Traveling abroad after 2020 February.

And smooth border crossings.

20. Hot beaches in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Nice to be back in the Caribbean. 

21. Family reunion in ON, Canada.

We can see how time flies.

22. The Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.

This is my first time with this waterfalls, although this is often the first stop for Sri Lankans coming to Canada or US.   

 23. The Nepal Restaurant in Anchorage, AK

This reminds me of the now-permanently-closed Restaurante Kathmandu in Arroios, which we used to frequent while in Lisboa.

24. Early morning walks to work.

I love the morning view from my office. So I always arrive at 7:35 am or earlier, even in the dark Anchorage winters.

Fairbanks Twice, this year!

25. A night walk in Pittsburgh, PA.

This city felt mysterious. The visit was a rushed one due to other travel plans.

26. Faculty Interviews.

Enjoyed meeting interesting colleagues. This year was also my first time having proper formal interviews. All my previous job interviews were kind of informal.

27. Meeting my late mentor's family and colleagues at Los Angeles, CA.

A sad moment, but also somewhat refreshing to meet his caring family.

28. Meetups at Anchorage Pel'Meni.

This Russian dumplings spot has become my default spot to meet colleagues and friends.

29. Northern Lights from Campbell Park.

This year, we saw clear displays from this neighborhood park with some sleepless nights.

30. My github.io website.

I always wanted to make an academic website. This year got the motivation to set one up. Big achievement, indeed. :P

Every year, I have only one new year's resolution - to outperform my previous years. :) This will be an interesting challenge for my 2024, indeed, to overtake my 2023. I wish you a happy new year. Thanks for reading my list until the end. You may read the blog posts of all the previous years as well.

A few things that made my 2022 interesting..

A walk on the frozen Arctic, Utqiagvik

2022 was a good year, although often it felt like a single blob of 2020 - 2022. 2022 was still better than 2020 and 2021. As expected, 2022 had its negative moments, But this post focuses on the happy moments.

 1. New year in Utqiaġvik with Northern lights in the dark Arctic skies

Watching the fireworks over the frozen lake.

2. A walk on the frozen Arctic Ocean with icy white eyebrows in a -40 temperature.

That magical moment made me realize I had fallen in love with Alaska and I must return more often.

Northern lights on the New Years day

3. Friendly and diverse people in Birmingham, AL.

I did not expect Alabama to be this cool.

4. A night in Providence, RI

and a pleasant train ride from Boston.

5. A night walk around Harvard and MIT

Loved the vibe of Boston's academic circles.

6. The Hindu Temple of Atlanta

It reminded me of my times in the Hindu temple of Lisboa.

7. The decade, the two decades, and the three decades.

I reached 35. It is a decade since I left Sri Lanka for my grad school in Lisboa, two decades since my school memories in O/L, and three decades since I remember anything.

The Atlantic Ocean, Boston

8. Accepted journal papers

CONTROL-CORE at IEEE Access and Niffler at IEEE Computer Magazine.

9. Dark alleys and urban decay of Detroit, MI

Detroit made me feel like I am back in the early days in Lisboa. Energetic and excited for a long journey ahead.

10. A trip of trips by train

A spring train trip from Detroit, MI to Albuquerque, NM with a diversion to Milwaukee, WI. Staying in different towns/cities each night of the trip.  

11. Chicago Chinatown

I love Chinatowns, and Chicago has a good one.

12. The walkable town, Fort Madison, IA, with a paved trail along the Mississippi river.

Stayed in a cute hotel. The town and its riverside paved trail reminded me of Vila Franca de Xira in Portugal.

The Pacific Ocean, Santa Monica

13, Michigan lake in Hammond, IN

Hammond was much cheaper than Atlanta.

14. Crossing state borders and a long walk in Kansas City (MO to KS).

It also had a beautiful Amtrak train station.

15. Random walking the streets of Milwaukee, WI

and enjoying some soul food.

16. The unique homes of New Mexico.

Albuquerque and its Sunport were nice. It was also an overnight train ride to ABQ.

17. Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean

Although second time in Santa Monica, this was my first time stepping into the water.

Train to Albuquerque

18. Little Tokyo in Los Angeles.

This cute little neighborhood never disappoints.

19. Reuniting with family

This brings an end to my home alone life throughout the pandemic.

20. A Portuguese restaurant in Atlanta.

Reconnecting with the Portuguese cuisine after leaving the country. 

21. Hybrid conferences

Presented virtually at MoNeTec and SDS. I miss attending conferences physically though.

22. Views from Stone Mountain.

It is a panoramic view of Atlanta from the top.  

23. A Christmas filled with powdery snow in St Paul, MN

Always comfy to walk on the snow when it is still fresh and powdery.

24. Rapid changes of travel plans.

Amtrak messed up a planned train trip from St Paul to Seattle. Had to make alternative plans quickly.

25. Booking direct

I was already booking the flights directly from the airlines for a few years now. This year, I ditched booking.com and booked directly with the hotels as much as possible.

26. Stuck in the twin cities.

Canceled trains, extending what was supposed to be a 2-night stay into a 7-night stay in MN. But we enjoyed the food scene in the twin cities.

Frozen Chena River, Fairbanks

27. Much calmer winter in Fairbanks.

A repeat visit to Fairbanks in December. But this time, no blizzards. Fairbanks felt mild compared to last December, with clearer starry skies and some northern lights.

28. Slow return to "normal?"

I worked from the lab one day this December, almost after 3 years since March 2020. The pandemic is still on though.

29. Atlantic Ocean and seagulls in Boston.

Oceans connect us.

30. Cooking in my hotel studio room in Utqiagvik

As I was able to cook my own (proper) food in the hotel for my 3 days in total darkness in Utqiagvik, Utqiagvik felt more like home during this second visit.

Every year, I have one new year's resolution - to outperform my previous years. :) I wish you a happy new year. Thanks for reading my list until the end. You may read the blog posts of all the previous years as well.

A few things that made my 2021 interesting..

Two Arctic seas meeting, a late midnight

2021 is still a pandemic year that often felt like 2020. However, overall, the year was more positive. It was not better than my pre-pandemic best years (2019, 2017, 2015, and 2013). But this post focuses on the happy moments.

1. The Alaskan Arctic, twice - in the peak summer and the peak winter!

Witnessed the Arctic transforming completely with seasons from 24 hours sunlight to no sunrise. Visit Alaska was my childhood dream since 2001. After two decades, visited twice this year, and experienced the taiga and tundra biomes of Alaska.

2. A "Polar Bear Plunge" in the Northernmost Point of Alaska in the North Slope Borough

On a fine summer day, I jumped into the Arctic Ocean at Point Barrow (Nuvuk), where the Chukchi sea meets the Beaufort Sea. Nuvuk and Utqiagvik are now the northernmost and westernmost points I have ever been to. The water was not as cold as I anticipated. But I had to dry myself quickly and put my layers of clothes back on - as outside air in Utqiagvik was cold even in the peak summer, and water on skin makes it feel colder.

3. Witnessing Northern Lights two nights consecutively!

On New Year's Eve and the night of Jan 1st, 2022. The NYE had a magical feeling to it.

Valley of Fire State Park, NV

4.  Exploring the culinary scene of Northern Virginia (NOVA).

A calm Uzbek restaurant in Arlington and a seafood restaurant in Alexandria.

5. Getting stuck in Fairbanks in a historical "Icemageddon."

Canceled and delayed flights lengthened my stay from 4 nights to 6 nights. I handled an extremely volatile itinerary elegantly.

6. Long walks on cold Arctic winter temperatures of -34C, feels like -40C.

The weather app warned frostbites to exposed skin in 2 minutes and asked not to go outdoors. I did. I got a frostnip on my left thumb once too. 

7. Spencer Glacier and the blue glaciers of Whittier and surroundings

A scenic hike and standing in Spencer glaciers, and short walks in Whittier.

8. The view from Mount Evans, high at 4,348 m elevation

It is the highest I have ever been. And the scenic drive with mountain goats in the streets.

9. Arriving at Las Vegas, NV via long dark streets from Kanab, UT 

Slushies in Las Vegas was the weakest alcohol I have ever tried. 

10. The desert landscapes of NV and CA

Licked (!! because, why not?) some salt from the lowest elevations (-86 m) of death valley, and some hikes in the valley of fire, Joshua tree, and Mojave parks and forests.

11. The French Quarter of New Orleans

It has this genuine European charm and nightlife that I haven't felt elsewhere in the USA.

Mount Evans, a Fourteener of CO.

12. Witnessing the bore tides in real-time from the train ride

From Anchorage towards the south, magnificent views of mudflats and glacier-covered mountains of Chugach National Forest.

13. 20 km frequent weekend walks in Atlanta Beltline west and south and Stone mountain trail

More explorations of South and West Atlanta; leisure walks in roadsides of various neighborhoods such as Edgewood, Cabbage town,  and College Park; and interesting mini hikes such as Doll's Head Trail/Constitution Lakes Park.

14. Disconnecting from the world in Charlotte.

Long weekend brief trips are fun. I liked the 7th Street Public Market.

15. EmoryBMI Google Summer of Code - a successful summer as a mentor for two projects and the org admin

Our sister organization caMicroscope had a productive summer too, I learned from their mentors. 

16. The 2 Pfizer shots and the Moderna booster

They gave hope for a year that overwhelmingly felt like a twin of depressing 2020.

Spencer Glacier in summer

17. Crossing the bridge to Camden, NJ from Philadelphia, PA.

Almost summer - but it was rainy and cold. Thankfully, Philly had some nice cafes.

18. Getting soaked in a heavy thunderstorm in Bonita Lakes Park in Meridian, MS.

The town has some ghost vibes, like a haunted town. I won't recommend walking alone there at nights. It is a ghost paradise.

19. Burgers and CBD water outside the Illegal Burger restaurant, Denver downtown
Met some interesting strangers in Denver/Colfax, Idaho Springs, Boulder, and Littleton.

20. Accepted journal papers - a productive year for research.

Niffler at Journal of Digital Imaging (JDI), NEXUS at IEEE Access, and Viseu at Elsevier Computer Networks (COMNET).

21. Regular dentist visits after a decade. It was expensive.

Since I did not spend considerable time with humans this year, my dentist became the person I most interacted with this year.

22. Exploring Washington DC with my former colleague.

It reminded our Atlanta walks pre-pandemic in 2020.

New Orleans French Quarter

23. Discovering Chungha's music and becoming a fan.

INNA, my all-time favorite since 2013 from Romania, also had some great music this year.

24. A colorful view from the apartment in central Portland.

It was a trip-inside-a-trip from Seattle in a serial trip. In such backpacking trips, especially including flights, packing-unpacking-and-repacking, ensuring not to mix the still-clean clothes with dirty/used ones, is an art.

25. Up and downhills of Seattle on rainy Thanksgiving days.

The Chinatown / International District was nice for a good walk, despite the bad weather.

26. Software-Defined Systems SDS 2021 Conference.

Nice to meet my peers, although it was virtual. I was also the technical program committee (TPC) chair.

27. Snow covered Christmas Eve in Anchorage

This was my first white Christmas, everything covered in heaps of snow and snowflakes falling occasionally. Loved that feeling. I used icicles to write Happy New Year on snow. 2021 was easily my most favorite and unique Christmas.

Walking across the frozen Chena River

28. Crossing Chena River on foot from Pike's Landing, College, AK.

To get a selfie with the "Love Alaska" sign on Christmas day. In the winter, this "path" is also known as "Ice Bridge" but becomes an actively flowing river when it gets warmer in spring to autumn.

29. Reading a book outside in the snow by the fireside in Fairbanks.

Thanks to the hotel's library and the beautiful view that the snow had crafted.

30. Dangerously slippery roads of downtown Fairbanks

Walked across the entire downtown Fairbanks on various types of snow, ice, and slush - The good traction for my long boots prevented me from slipping on the heaps of snow with ice layers.

Every year, I have one new year's resolution - to outperform my previous years. :) 2021 was not a bad year, and comparing it with my pre-pandemic years is unfair. It was better than 2020, and it was the best I could achieve solo in a pandemic. I expect 2022 to bring an end to this crisis and bring back happiness to the 2019 pre-pandemic level. I wish you a happy new year. Thanks for reading my list until the end. You may read the blog posts of all the previous years as well.