Another year gone and another round up! The thing that has struck me the most about this year is just how quickly it has gone, I seems like yesterday it was January and then suddenly it’s new year again. Because the year has gone so quickly I do kind of feel like I have achieved very little, especially in comparison to last year where my life was flipped on it’s head and I came back to the UK. But really our achievements don’t need to be measured year on year, maybe staying still isn’t a bad thing and slowing down is just a way of recharging for the future. Perhaps I didn’t achieve all that much in 2017 in my own eyes, and yet not all achievements have to be grand. Maybe it’s a healthier outlook to take joy and pride in the little things that happen and stop focusing on having to always over achieve compared to others. In 2017 I became an assistant team manager and then took a step in a different direction by moving into corporate travel – these are achievements. I spent time with friends who make me laugh and we helped each other through those times where maybe it wasn’t so easy to laugh – that’s an achievement. I found a new obsession in Korean language and culture and starting teaching myself (very minimal and basic) Korean – that’s a kind of achievement too.
So in 2017 I may not have found my calling in life, or be ending the year with a ring on my finger, but in 2018 I’m going to focus on those small victories that so often get forgotten amongst the desire for more, and better, not enough. Like the saying goes:
Outside of any kind of achievements though, I have been lucky again this year and managed to get out of my London bubble quite a lot. A lot of people say that I seem to be away the whole time but it seems to me like I’ve had a very quiet year, then again 3 long haul trips and 5 European trips isn’t really all that quiet! I enjoyed writing the run down of travel for 2017 (even though I posted it in November), so here’s the 2017 edition of my year of travel in review.
Mexico (February/March 2017)
Mexico was hands down my favourite trip of the year. It was the perfect mix of history, culture and chill, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it – except maybe saying a bit longer! I would happily go back to Mexico and explore the bits of the country I missed out first time round.
Highlights : Exploring Chichen Itza and learning about the history of this fascinating ancient culture.
Cooking class in Oaxaca, which I have written about more than once elsewhere because it was just so good.
Chill out time in Mazunte, beautiful blue ocean and hammock and stunning sunsets. Who could ask for more?
Brussels (April 2017)
I went to Brussels with my good friend Amy and stayed with her parents, it was a flying visit but we managed to see the highlights of Brussels on a lovely sunny weekend.
Highlights : The comic museum, full of memorabilia from Hergé’s Tintin books, which I grew up with
Wandering around the many many chocolate shops, and taking advantage of the post Easter sales.
Hunting down allegedly the best Belgium waffles at Maison Dandoy, only to discover after one bite that I didn’t actually like Belgium waffles and throwing it immediately away.
Barcelona (June 2017)
I adore Spain, I have lots of amazing memories of summers in Seville and Madrid but I’d still never been to Barcelona. The real reason I was in Barcelona was for one of my oldest and dearest friends hen parties, this just added another layer of fun to the trip – I’m not sure I would have had an afternoon on a private boat had it not been for her hen party!
Highlights : That afternoon on a private boat, relaxing and swimming in the sea. It helped that we did the very Hen thing of matching swimsuits and creepy masks of the bride-to-be!
The Mercado de La Boqueria just off la Rambla is a foodie heaven. A maze of food stalls that I could spend hours exploring. From towering fruit stands serving fresh juice, to oysters they have it all. I recommend browsing the stalls, grabbing a picnic lunch and eating it by the quay at the bottom of la Rambla.
Exploring Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces at la Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà. Each building is completely unique and Gaudí was light years ahead of his contemporaries, I haven’t seen anything else remotely like it.
Versailles and Paris (July 2017)
Although I’d been to Paris before this was my first time going with someone who really loves the city, and the oozing passion for all things Parisian was hard to ignore. I have a new found appreciation for the city and still need to go back an explore the many many areas I still haven’t seen. Versailles was a trip because I had been watching the BBC series and loved it. We went for Bastille Day and the festivities were something else, as for the palace itself well...it was a little underwhelming for me. For its time the palace of Versailles was something else, but compare it to Sans Souci in Potsdam or Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin it just didn’t have the same wow factor.
Highlights : Drinks on the roof bar at Hôtel Raphaël, with views of the Eiffel Tower to one side and the Arc de Triomphe to the other side.
The Bastille Day fireworks at Versailles, a story of Louis the Sun King told in a magical display of lights.
Shakespeare and Company, the cramped English book store. Full of tower of books about everything you could ever want. Go upstairs for the really cool stuff, old books and comfy chairs for browsing.
Venice (October 2017)
Venice was an impromptu 24 hours trip purely to see the Damien Hurst art exhibition which was on at the time. The exhibition was great but we also managed to cram in other bits of site seeing for a jam packed weekend trip.
Highlights : Damien Hurst’s bizarre but fascinating exhibition. Set out like a museum rather than an art gallery it told the story of an “excavation” of a fictional ancient ship sunk hundreds of years ago. A wacky concept but an incredible piece of work on a massive scale.
Real Italian pizza eaten off paper plates in a plaza, nothing beats fresh mozzarella on a pizza.
Getting lost and exploring Venice’s winding canals, the perfect way to get your bearings in Venice is to get lost and then find your way back to where you want to go.
New York (November 2017)
New York isthe ultimate bucket destination and somewhere that everyone should visit at least once. For me, it was my first visit to the USA and also my first visit to an English speaking country for a long time, I had very high expectations. But for all that I loved about New York, it wasn't exactly how I had imagined it. I always thought that I would quite like to live in New York, it turns out that I wouldn't really - the local peoplpe are just too rude, and that's saying a lot coming from a Londoner! Despite all the rude New Yorkers, I had an amazing week exploring and eating my way through the Big Apple.
Highlights : Watching a basketball game at Madison Square Garden and cheering on the Knicks, it turns out that basketball is a simple enough sport that even I can follow what is going on! Beer in one hand, and hotdog in the other, I got a little bit too into it.
I am a sucker for views from high up places and New York has views in abundance. My favourite was the ever classic Rockefeller Centre with stunning views over Central Park to one side and across the city to the Empire State Building on the other side.
The food is New York was to die for, there is such a big variety and so many options that it can be overwhelming. That's why I've written my guide to New York's epic food scene - keep your eyes peeled.
Gdańsk (December 2017) Earlier in 2017 I went to a travel agent event and won a one night stay in Gdańsk from the Polish Tourist Board, it took me until December to use it and I'm glad that I did because I loved it! Gdańsk was a perfect mix of beautiful architecture, Christmas vibes and history; and even bet it's the perfect size for a quick weekend away. Don't miss out on the Solidarity Museum, I had no idea how important Gdańsk was in European history, especially when it comes to the fall of the Soviet Bloc
Highlights : The little Christmas market was perfect for exploring with a cup of Grzaniec (that's mulled wine to you and me) in hand. The talking moose head on the side of one stall was a particular highlight.
As always, food is up there in my favourite moments, we tried all sorts at the Christmas Market, but my fare my favourite thing we ate was pirogi at Mandu Restaurant. The classic cottage cheese and potato, topped with onion and bacon, dipped in sour cream was a definite winner, but the more adventurous flavours were amazing too. The borscht was incredible too.
Gdańsk has the most beautiful architecture, the whole place reminds me a lot of Venice - a lot of people don't realise how beautiful Poland is but Gdańsk is the perfect example of how Poland really does have it all.
Sri Lanka (December 2017) Sri Lanka was my true impulse trip of the year; I had holiday that I needed to use, I wanted to go somewhere hot, and Sri Lanka was pretty much the only place that fit my dates. So, I went to the first place that wasn't near the top of my bucket-list, and it was good. Honestly it didn't blow my mind, but I did have a good (if busy) trip. The great thing about Sri Lanka is that there is so much to see, the not so great thing is that infrastructure is terrible so it takes a long long time to get anywhere. Over all I am glad I went to Sri Lanka and I would recommend it to people, but definitely do what I didn't do and tag on some relaxing beach time at the end.
Highlights : Udawalawe National Park is one of Sri Lanka's 22 national parks and most famous for it's wild elephant herds. This was my first experience of safari and I had an amazing time getting up close with the elephants. I also really enjoyed watching another jeep get stuck in a huge puddle while the Western tourists freaked out.
Climbing to the top of Sigiriya Rock was an incredible experience, sure it's 1249 steps but somehow this was easier than the 405 steps to the top of the St Mary's church bell tower in Gdańsk. Every step was worth it for the incredible views over the rain forest. An afternoon kayaking down a river with a little Sri Lankan man to a local village where the women showed us how to cook an authentic spread to Sri Lankan food. Anything where I get to join in and get my hands dirty is a winner for me!
So in 2017 I may not have found my calling in life, or be ending the year with a ring on my finger, but in 2018 I’m going to focus on those small victories that so often get forgotten amongst the desire for more, and better, not enough. Like the saying goes:
Don’t sweat the small stuff...and it’s all small stuff.
Outside of any kind of achievements though, I have been lucky again this year and managed to get out of my London bubble quite a lot. A lot of people say that I seem to be away the whole time but it seems to me like I’ve had a very quiet year, then again 3 long haul trips and 5 European trips isn’t really all that quiet! I enjoyed writing the run down of travel for 2017 (even though I posted it in November), so here’s the 2017 edition of my year of travel in review.
Mexico (February/March 2017)
Mexico was hands down my favourite trip of the year. It was the perfect mix of history, culture and chill, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it – except maybe saying a bit longer! I would happily go back to Mexico and explore the bits of the country I missed out first time round.
Highlights : Exploring Chichen Itza and learning about the history of this fascinating ancient culture.
Cooking class in Oaxaca, which I have written about more than once elsewhere because it was just so good.
Chill out time in Mazunte, beautiful blue ocean and hammock and stunning sunsets. Who could ask for more?
Brussels (April 2017)
I went to Brussels with my good friend Amy and stayed with her parents, it was a flying visit but we managed to see the highlights of Brussels on a lovely sunny weekend.
Highlights : The comic museum, full of memorabilia from Hergé’s Tintin books, which I grew up with
Wandering around the many many chocolate shops, and taking advantage of the post Easter sales.
Hunting down allegedly the best Belgium waffles at Maison Dandoy, only to discover after one bite that I didn’t actually like Belgium waffles and throwing it immediately away.
Barcelona (June 2017)
I adore Spain, I have lots of amazing memories of summers in Seville and Madrid but I’d still never been to Barcelona. The real reason I was in Barcelona was for one of my oldest and dearest friends hen parties, this just added another layer of fun to the trip – I’m not sure I would have had an afternoon on a private boat had it not been for her hen party!
Highlights : That afternoon on a private boat, relaxing and swimming in the sea. It helped that we did the very Hen thing of matching swimsuits and creepy masks of the bride-to-be!
The Mercado de La Boqueria just off la Rambla is a foodie heaven. A maze of food stalls that I could spend hours exploring. From towering fruit stands serving fresh juice, to oysters they have it all. I recommend browsing the stalls, grabbing a picnic lunch and eating it by the quay at the bottom of la Rambla.
Exploring Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces at la Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà. Each building is completely unique and Gaudí was light years ahead of his contemporaries, I haven’t seen anything else remotely like it.
Versailles and Paris (July 2017)
Although I’d been to Paris before this was my first time going with someone who really loves the city, and the oozing passion for all things Parisian was hard to ignore. I have a new found appreciation for the city and still need to go back an explore the many many areas I still haven’t seen. Versailles was a trip because I had been watching the BBC series and loved it. We went for Bastille Day and the festivities were something else, as for the palace itself well...it was a little underwhelming for me. For its time the palace of Versailles was something else, but compare it to Sans Souci in Potsdam or Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin it just didn’t have the same wow factor.
Highlights : Drinks on the roof bar at Hôtel Raphaël, with views of the Eiffel Tower to one side and the Arc de Triomphe to the other side.
The Bastille Day fireworks at Versailles, a story of Louis the Sun King told in a magical display of lights.
Shakespeare and Company, the cramped English book store. Full of tower of books about everything you could ever want. Go upstairs for the really cool stuff, old books and comfy chairs for browsing.
Venice (October 2017)
Venice was an impromptu 24 hours trip purely to see the Damien Hurst art exhibition which was on at the time. The exhibition was great but we also managed to cram in other bits of site seeing for a jam packed weekend trip.
Highlights : Damien Hurst’s bizarre but fascinating exhibition. Set out like a museum rather than an art gallery it told the story of an “excavation” of a fictional ancient ship sunk hundreds of years ago. A wacky concept but an incredible piece of work on a massive scale.
Real Italian pizza eaten off paper plates in a plaza, nothing beats fresh mozzarella on a pizza.
Getting lost and exploring Venice’s winding canals, the perfect way to get your bearings in Venice is to get lost and then find your way back to where you want to go.
New York (November 2017)
New York isthe ultimate bucket destination and somewhere that everyone should visit at least once. For me, it was my first visit to the USA and also my first visit to an English speaking country for a long time, I had very high expectations. But for all that I loved about New York, it wasn't exactly how I had imagined it. I always thought that I would quite like to live in New York, it turns out that I wouldn't really - the local peoplpe are just too rude, and that's saying a lot coming from a Londoner! Despite all the rude New Yorkers, I had an amazing week exploring and eating my way through the Big Apple.
Highlights : Watching a basketball game at Madison Square Garden and cheering on the Knicks, it turns out that basketball is a simple enough sport that even I can follow what is going on! Beer in one hand, and hotdog in the other, I got a little bit too into it.
I am a sucker for views from high up places and New York has views in abundance. My favourite was the ever classic Rockefeller Centre with stunning views over Central Park to one side and across the city to the Empire State Building on the other side.
The food is New York was to die for, there is such a big variety and so many options that it can be overwhelming. That's why I've written my guide to New York's epic food scene - keep your eyes peeled.
Gdańsk (December 2017) Earlier in 2017 I went to a travel agent event and won a one night stay in Gdańsk from the Polish Tourist Board, it took me until December to use it and I'm glad that I did because I loved it! Gdańsk was a perfect mix of beautiful architecture, Christmas vibes and history; and even bet it's the perfect size for a quick weekend away. Don't miss out on the Solidarity Museum, I had no idea how important Gdańsk was in European history, especially when it comes to the fall of the Soviet Bloc
Highlights : The little Christmas market was perfect for exploring with a cup of Grzaniec (that's mulled wine to you and me) in hand. The talking moose head on the side of one stall was a particular highlight.
As always, food is up there in my favourite moments, we tried all sorts at the Christmas Market, but my fare my favourite thing we ate was pirogi at Mandu Restaurant. The classic cottage cheese and potato, topped with onion and bacon, dipped in sour cream was a definite winner, but the more adventurous flavours were amazing too. The borscht was incredible too.
Gdańsk has the most beautiful architecture, the whole place reminds me a lot of Venice - a lot of people don't realise how beautiful Poland is but Gdańsk is the perfect example of how Poland really does have it all.
Sri Lanka (December 2017) Sri Lanka was my true impulse trip of the year; I had holiday that I needed to use, I wanted to go somewhere hot, and Sri Lanka was pretty much the only place that fit my dates. So, I went to the first place that wasn't near the top of my bucket-list, and it was good. Honestly it didn't blow my mind, but I did have a good (if busy) trip. The great thing about Sri Lanka is that there is so much to see, the not so great thing is that infrastructure is terrible so it takes a long long time to get anywhere. Over all I am glad I went to Sri Lanka and I would recommend it to people, but definitely do what I didn't do and tag on some relaxing beach time at the end.
Highlights : Udawalawe National Park is one of Sri Lanka's 22 national parks and most famous for it's wild elephant herds. This was my first experience of safari and I had an amazing time getting up close with the elephants. I also really enjoyed watching another jeep get stuck in a huge puddle while the Western tourists freaked out.
Climbing to the top of Sigiriya Rock was an incredible experience, sure it's 1249 steps but somehow this was easier than the 405 steps to the top of the St Mary's church bell tower in Gdańsk. Every step was worth it for the incredible views over the rain forest. An afternoon kayaking down a river with a little Sri Lankan man to a local village where the women showed us how to cook an authentic spread to Sri Lankan food. Anything where I get to join in and get my hands dirty is a winner for me!
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