Thursday 31 December 2015

Some travel and blogging thoughts and resolutions for the New Year



As 2015 draws to an end, it is only natural to reflect on the past 12 months and the year that is about to start. In terms of both travel and blogging, it has been a successful one and I hope to build on this in 2016. I've been lucky enough to travel to Malaga with work and discover a highly compatible travel companion in the wonderful Tania. We spent a crazy two weeks dashing around northern Argentina and discovering the charms of Uruguay with a brilliant 12-hour stop-off in Munich on the way back. I look forward to more travels with her in the future.

That South America with an added dollop of Germany trip taught me that circumstances can lead to some very serendipitous happenings. Our flights to Buenos Aires were cheap, seriously cheap, with our stop-off in Munich being one of the reasons why. But it ended up being a highlight of our trip and just goes to show that making the most of such situations can lead to brilliant experiences.

It would be impossible to look back over 2015 and not mention the craziness that was La Tomatina. Despite the early morning start, the GoPro getting nicked (and returned) and washing tomato out of our clothes three days later, it was a bucket list experience I'll never forget. I'm not sure I'd want to be squashed into the streets of Buñol again, but I'm really glad I did it once.

Having clear targets, supplied by my bucket list, has added an extra dimension to my travels and helps to gauge where to go next. Many of the principles I applied to 2015 I simply want to continue and this goes for both travelling and blogging. Trying to post at least once a month and ending up with more articles in total than the previous year is a definite aim that I intend to stick with. I may have slipped ever so slightly on the first point, but the second one I have achieved in 2015 and hope to improve upon in 2016.




Planned travels for the coming year

Morocco in February - because I can't think of anywhere better than the Marjorelle Gardens to celebrate turning 30

Jordan in May/June - this year's girly trip with my wonderful travelling companion Tania

Prague in November - the trip I have been dreaming about with two of my friends for years. The plan is to stay at The Alchymist Hotel to mark all our 30th birthdays

Some resolutions for 2016
  • Keep up the good work - try and blog at least once a month with an additional post wherever possible
  • Finish posts that have already been started - I have 18 blog posts in my drafts. Not all of these will become fully fledged posts, but many of them have the potential to be, so I need to get them finished and published
  • Travel more slowly - after dragging my other half around Barcelona and Valencia at break neck speed this summer, I realise I perhaps need to plan fewer activities and relax a little more on holiday
  • Be on holiday - speaking of being on holiday, I think I also need to remember to switch off the travel writer/blogger mode while I'm away sometimes. Turn off the camera and live in the moment

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