‘Passion is a cobweb duster for the mind’ 

Amanda Mosher

….and boy does my blog need dusting. So my hiatus turned out to be a WHOLE YEAR…disgraceful I know but academia comes first and I can tell you that I passed my Masters in Clinical Oncology (that’s a fancy word for cancer) with flying colours woop woop, so I can say it was worth it but I’ve missed writing about my travels on my own little piece of the web.

So although I became a ‘resting blogger’ I certainly did not stop travelling! And so I share my usual visual roundup of my travels of 2018 to kick-start my blog for 2019.  In total, I visited 9 countries last year (some totally unplanned) and two of my Wanderlist desires were completed! I admittedly did a lil’ less of the UK since when here I was living in the library working on my dissertation.

UK Adventures

I’m hoping 2019 I’ll do more of London town but last year here were some of my adventures…

Dove Dale, Peak District

This trip was originally planned for March but cos of SNOWMARGEDDON which we experienced in the UK (seems like a distant memory right after our amazing summer right?) it was moved to April.  We hiked from Dovedale to Milldale and I summitted Thorpe Cloud #GOme!

The Vyne, Basingstoke, Hampshire

A lovely Tudor mansion with beautiful gardens to walk around.

Cadbury’s World, Bournville 

Being at uni here meant I drove past this place every day on my way to lectures,  wishing I was going here instead of classes so when we were thinking of daytrips I was like the big kid saying ‘please let’s go here!’ I have never eaten so much chocolate in one day and it reminded me of when I attempted to make chocolate years back.

Birmingham Christmas Market

After a day of chocolate we rounded off the evening at the biggest German market outside of Germany and Austria.

Click to view slideshow.

Epping Forest

Another year, another visit…

Newcastle (a.k.a HOME)

I really enjoyed seeing my friends, it was a much needed break from London and actually left me really appreciating my Northern roots and growing up here.

I also got to see the Angel of the North up close for the first time!

Adventures abroad

The beauty of European travel is that you can do a lot of day trips within a country, and before Brexit hits (sob) I certainly took advantage of seeing more of a country with day trips in a short space of time.

Lisbon, Portugal 

My first adventure abroad of last year and it was full of  street art and beautiful elaborately painted tiles called azulejos (I’m sure I have a whole file of pictures of just different types of files).

It also included a lush day trip to….

Sintra, Portugal

Here we got to marvel at the wonderful palaces of this place with the company Amazing Day 4 U , which was much needed as its quite difficult to get around without transportation.

Milan, Italy

Milan gets a bad rap and often thought of as dull but I’m really not sure why.  Its not Rome and doesn’t try to be but I loved my time out here.  It just had to me such a chilled vibe and if churches are your thing it has a whole load of stunning churches just hidden from the street.

Lake Como, Italy

A beauty and thus one that I will certainly visit again with hubs in the future! (o;

Vienna, Austria

This was my first stop on my #3cities3countries tour which took us through Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Vienna is architecturally a visual delight and home to beautiful palaces.

Bratislava, Slovakia

I took the train here from Vienna to spend a day here and take in the capital which can be covered in a day.

Budapest, Hungary

This city had me googling jobs I could get so I could relocate out here.  I loved Budapest the perfect mix of culture and party and I can see why its a number one destination for hen dos.  Its a stunning city!

Dubrovnik, Croatia

My second time back to this beautiful place.  I knew I would be back here but never knew when. Croatia as a whole is a beautiful country

Split, Croatia

This visit here is gonna have to be repeated because there is SO MUCH to see and do but we were enroute to the stunning….

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

All I can say is BEAUTIFUL, just BEAUTIFUL

Bosnia & Herzegovina – the Bosnian highlands

Mostar,  Bosnia & Herzegovina

I had dreamed of seeing this bridge for years and I am so happy this item was ticked off my Wanderlist.

Montenegro  –  Budva, Kotor & Perast

This was a whistle stop tour of this country that only gained its independence 13 years ago.  I can see myself returning here for a family holiday in the future.

Johannesburg, South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA has been on my Wanderlist for the longest time!!! So chuffed I got to see this country.  It evoked all sorts of emotions in me due to its beauty, history and spirit.  Jo’berg was my favourite of all the places I visited in South Africa – the whole place is just a VIBE.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is cool and all but it isn’t Jo’burg.  Hit the tourist spots but the one place significant for history is Robben Island.

Stellenbosch, South Africa

A destination wedding brought me out to this wine region despite my intense dislike of wine.  Ironically I went on a wine tour which I found interesting despite not drinking any wine!  It is a beautiful region with gorgeous vineyards.

And there you have it my travels last year all summarised! I wonder what 2019 holds…Jan is my birthday month so I’ll be off somewhere (o:

Happy adventures for 2019!

The 5 to 9 Traveller

xx