I think most would agree that 2016 has not been the greatest of years, on the world stage. With all the crazy and the sadness, travel was more than just a distraction – for me this year it had the power to inspire as well as entertain. This, I am well aware, is a privilege many do not have.
I may have travelled overseas “less”, by the fairly high standards set in my first few years living here, but I still managed to have plenty of adventures… here are some of my favourites!
My 2015 travels definitely featured a lot of contrasts, from freezing in Berlin to Mediterranean sunshine in Mallorca, and from eating my way around San Sebastian to hiking up a cliff in Norway. I’ve also managed to fit in not one but two visits home to New Zealand! It’s tough to pick favourites from this incredible year, but here goes… [Read more…]
Looking back on 2014, I’m amazed and grateful for the incredible adventures I’ve had. From London to Cappadocia, Athens to Copenhagen, it’s been a year of travel, and I’ve loved it! I’ve been lucky enough to be accompanied by my awesome friends on every trip, with a particular standout being my sister’s three-week summer visit in the middle of the year. It’s tough to pick a few favourites, but here goes…
I kicked off 2014 with a very quirky adventure exploring the City of London. I’d read that at each of the old city gates there were now statutes of dragons – I was utterly intrigued! After a bit of research Nicole and I walked, biked and tubed around the city on a chilly but gorgeous day to hunt down all the dragons – it was a fantastic way to explore and see the sights with new eyes.
Read about how I hunted down the dragons
My ten days in Turkey was an eye-opening experience. It was fascinating to witness the East-meets-West in Istanbul, magical to float above Cappadocia in a hot air balloon, and a privilege to visit the Gallipoli Peninsula to commemorate ANZAC Day, the New Zealand and Australian day of remembrance. The country was very different to what I’d anticipated, ranging from snowy mountains to crystal-clear waters, and it was hard to leave at the end – I feel like I’ve so much more to see!
Read about Eating My Way Around Turkey, my experience Hot Air Ballooning in Capadoccia, and ANZAC Day at Gallipoli
I was lucky enough to visit Barcelona twice this year – once for a bank holiday and once when Kiwi friends were in town. I quickly grew to love the city, from its Gaudi architecture to relaxed beach-town vibe to beautiful sunshine! Most of all, I loved eating my way around, sampling tapas, paella, pintxos, fresh seafood and so much more, all of it delicious.
Read about Eating My Way Around Barcelona and Visiting Sagrada Familia
Colourful Copenhagen took me by surprise in late May. I was expecting an interesting city-break, but hadn’t anticipated the warm weather, laid-back vibe, beautiful buildings and above all, sheer colour everywhere. I really loved the long weekend there and would love to visit again soon!
Read about the Colours of Copenhagens and Finding Elephants
It would be impossible not to include one of the biggest music festivals in the world in my 2014 highlights – Glastonbury was nothing short of epic. I saw favourite bands like Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, legends like Dolly Parton, and partied til the small hours in Shangri-La. It was an experience for sure, from the crowds to the mud to the incredible range of music. Can’t wait to do it all again next year!
Read about my experience of Glastonbury
My younger sister Zoe and I are close, so with me living over here there are a lot of texts, snapchats and Skype calls exchanged between us. It was a total treat to have her staying for almost three weeks in July, and the highlight was without doubt our four days in Paris – even if it rained every day! We consoled ourselves with macarons, art and wine, and had a fantastic time together.
Read about The Best Views in Paris and Visiting Versailles’ Gardens
Normally my holidays are about seeing as much as I can see in a very limited time, so a week where the toughest decision was swim or sunbathe definitely took some getting used to! I relished the opportunity to soak up some Vitamin D, relax with great friends, and enjoy a change of pace in an incredible setting. Greece was a treat!
Watch my video of Sailing in the Greek Islands
Can you call something a tradition if it’s happened twice? If so, I’ve got a very indulgent birthday tradition going on – a trip somewhere that’s been calling my name. In 2013 I tied in a trip to Dublin with a nail-biting rugby match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Ireland. In 2014 the focus shifted from sport to a girls weekend in a stunningly gorgeous town, complete with beautiful autumn sunshine. Prague intrigued me and a weekend was not enough to explore – I’ll be back!
Read about Eight Awesome Things To Do In Prague
I’m so excited for 2015 and all it has to offer – I’m ready to jump right in!
What was your travel highlight for 2014?
Late 2012 was pretty rough for me , with the sudden passing of my beloved grandpa and the breakup of a long-term relationship happening within a few months of each other. By February 2013 I had decided that I was definitely going to do what I had always wanted to and move to London in May. I’m naturally a planner, so sticking to this goal helped me even when it felt like the rest of life was going off the rails.
My first week in London
Parts of the move have not been easy. Adjusting to London life with all its intricacies (from administrative to making my accent understood!) is definitely an ongoing process. And finding a permanent job in my industry has proved more difficult than I thought, so six months in I’m still in a contract role.
I love exploring with these awesome ladies!!
But I was also lucky enough to move over at a similar time to three close friends, and together we’ve started finding our feet in the city. Even when I have my bad days, I’m so grateful that I made the move – and nothing lightens my heart like planning where I might travel to next!
My favourite places and events of 2013 were:
Pompeii is the big daddy of the Vesuvius explosion scene that everyone has heard of – I vividly remember doing a detailed school project around the age of 10. But I was less familiar with the neighbouring Herculaneum, which turned out to be by far my favourite of the two. It was so well-preserved you could get a scarily good sense of how life was in the town, and small enough that it was easy to wander all the streets in a few hours. The big tour buses can’t get down to Herculaneum, meaning there were way less flag-toting tour guides and snap-happy lemmings following them – result!
Read about Herculaneum & Pompeii
From Sunday with the new Pope to exploring the ruins of Ancient Rome, my week in Rome had it all! I loved having time to explore the city and get to know the centre a little better – and also fit in a bit of beach time at Ostia. Summer in Rome was chaotic, action-packed, adventurous and full-on… and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Read about Rome, the Vatican City and Sunday with the Pope
At the time I said that Oktoberfest was one of the best weekends of my life – and I still stand by that 100%. An awesome mix of costumes, singalongs, beer drinking, festival rides and so much more, Oktoberfest has to be experienced at least once – and I’ll be back next year!
Read about how I survived Oktoberfest
I’m probably biased, but I think this Food Festival really does have it all, from an amazing setting across the whole centre of town including inside a castle and next to a beautiful priory, to incredible food and vendors. I can see why Abergavenny attracts foodies from far and wide in September – it was the perfect weekend in Wales.
Read about Abergavenny Food Festival
My trip to Lisbon in October was more than I could have hoped for – a beautiful city, loads to explore, and delicious food and drink! With its gorgeous castles and palaces and quirky architecture, our day-trip to Sintra was a particular highlight – I already want to go back to spend more time with its hilly delights.
I was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year – I think between the chilly weather and being away from my family, it was too much of a disconnect from what my run-up to Christmas is usually like. To combat this I planned a Christmas Extravaganza Day taking in Southbank Christmas Market and a walking tour of some of London’s beautiful Christmas lights – it shook off the Grinch and kick-started my Christmas celebrations.
Read about my Christmas Extravaganza
I adored the gorgeous little town of Bruges (Brugge) and its Christmas markets – the whole town seemed to come alive with lights, decorations and festive spirit. Our 24 hours in Bruges saw us drink mulled wine, stroll the markets, climb the Belfort and wander along the beautiful canals – perfect!
Read about the Brugge Christmas Markets
London continues to delight me, from the little things like glimpses of St Paul’s (my favourite church) on my morning commute, to the sheer breadth of events and things to do, every single day. I love how easy it is to travel, and I’m planning lots of exciting trips for the new year. Bring on 2014!
