2023 – Yet ANOTHER year of two halves!!

Personal, 36 Comments

I’ve to go back to 2018 to find our last relatively drama-free travel year…..

Because, in 2019, Tom had his unexpected 10 day vacation in Malaga Hospital (which was brilliant BTW) with some never identified infection. Then of course we’d the Covid years. 2022 was full steam ahead until Tom (yep – him again) gave us all a mighty fright with complications after routine surgery.

And that brings us to 2023…

After a few one-nighters in Ireland in January, I was ready to let Tom off the leash and so we dared venture to Dublin airport and beyond!  He passed his first test – a few days in Ely and London in February…

So on to bigger things – a lovely road trip in Southern Morocco in April. Down the coast from Agadir to Mirleft before turning inland to Tafraoute and Taroudant and then back to the sea at Taghazout.

We’d mused so many times over the years about the biggies on our bucket list – Machu Picchu, Bolivian Salt Flats, Komodo Island… and the Galapagos. Well – if the past few years have taught us anything it’s Carpe Diem so we decided – quite quickly – to book a trip to Ecuador in June. Our itinerary allowed for 3 days in and around Quito, 7 nights cruise of the Galapagos and 5 nights road trip down through the country once back on the mainland.

Well – regular readers know how that all worked out!!! After a few lovely days in Quito we flew to Isla Baltra and joined our boat. The islands were everything and more than we’d hoped for ……

….until disaster struck on day 5 when yours truly (not Tom for a change!!) missed a step and ended up with 2 broken bones – foot and ankle. The dismay at not finishing the trip was rather rapidly supplanted by the logistics of getting home but, 5 flights and some 10,000kms later, I made it through my front door!

Now, six months later, I’m still hobbling unfortunately (but I’ll get there eventually). Meanwhile, for yet another year, travel plans have been thwarted. We’d a fantastic 3 week road trip booked for Turkey for August which had to be scuppered. 

We DID go to New Jersey in early September for the Springsteen concert – mad in hindsight but survived to tell the tale! 

A busy, busy, multicity break in the Netherlands for October was replaced with a low key, minimal activity trip to Crete (although I did manage a few ruins!).

Finally, in November, we went to Bremen for a few nights with friends – feasible because we’d visited the city two years ago and were already familiar with the main sights..

A (very poor) photo of this year’s stash – (note – I admit to the tackiest tree on the planet!!)

Ely Cathedral / Amsterdam bauble (en route to Ecuador) / extremely tasteful furry flamingo and boobie from Galapagos / jumper and hat from Bremen / Jug from Crete / Silver Dice - Springsteen merchandise from New Jersey!!

As always, there was plenty to enjoy here at home…… 

Dublin’s Botanic Gardens in a very unseasonal January!!

Wexford in March

Joining the craic in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day

Bruce in Dublin in May

Midland bog walk, May

Clonmacnoise Monastic Site, May

Once back from Ecuador, I still managed to get around a bit – thanks to my chauffeur (mind you, he owed me BIG TIME from last year!!)

The lovely Glendalough, July

I couldn’t travel far but I could still oversee a makeshift picnic beside the tour buses!!

Carlingford Castle, August

Waterford’s Copper Coast, August

Waterford Walls Festival, August

Taking advantage of a sunny September day in nearby Bray

City Lights, Dublin, December

NOW!!! Reading back on all that I’d say this girl has nothing to complain about!!!!

And looking ahead to 2024…

We’re shortly heading off on a South African road trip with pals Jimmy and Paula. This is third time lucky for this venture – plans having been scuppered due to Covid and then last year thanks to Tom’s drama.  I’m determined not to be a burden in Cape Town, for fear they drop me at the wineries and keep going without me (now – there’s a thought!). 

After that, the year stretches out ahead – full of the usual expectations and hopes…

In light of this year’s drama, I can only repeat my New Years wish to you from last year…..

DON’T WAIT – JUST DO IT!

Happy Travels to all in 2024!!!

XXXX Marie

(Bremen, 2023)

36 thoughts on “2023 – Yet ANOTHER year of two halves!!”

  2. All the best for you in 2024 and may all your travels work out fine.
    My last incident free travel year was 2019. And last April I managed to break my kneecap. It is much better now but still not normal. But we went on a few trips in Germany and Austria which were really nice.
    I really miss long distance travel but I am happy that I didn‘t wait but did it!

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    1. I also needed those trips despite not being 100% – it was something to break the routine of physio and scans! Here’s to happy travels for us both!🥰

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  4. Marie, despite various impediments, no pun intended, the two of you managed to knock out a fairly adventurous year of travel. Maybe you didn’t reach the heights of previous years but I’m sure you’ll put that right beginning with Cape Town I 2024

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    1. It was only when I started listing them that I realised how much we actually did!! But hoping for a straight run in 2024 – HNY Barry – hope it’s a good one🥰

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  9. I can only repeat what you say, don’t postpone it, do it now! After many years of world travel together my husband died 14 years ago. I hesitated for only one year and then embarked on solo travel as well as travel with friends who wanted to visit the same places – not many I’m afraid – but then my eyes decided they didn’t want to play any more and two arthritic hips joined in, so limiting me a lot. My last big trip was to Japan 4 years ago and I still look longingly at places I want to visit but know in my heart I can never do now. Still I got to Tonga and Samoa, top of our bucket list, and the memories are great. So just go for it, don’t hesitate. And, like Marie, always have that pedi before you travel!

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    1. You’ve seen so much – and still managed to get to your beloved Italy this past year…. Here’s hoping that 2024 is good to you Marie. XXXXMarie

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  10. You’ve packed a lot into the year given the drama and inconvenience caused by your fall. Such a shame you didn’t get to finish that trip 🤗 However, I love your photo of the blue-footed boobie, proving you did some of the islands’ iconic sights, and I also love the furry version on your tree 😀 I hope South Africa is incident-free and delivers everything you want from the trip – I’m looking forward to reading about it. Happy New Year Marie 🥂

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    1. And likewise to you Sarah – you’re having your own drama of course but here’s to happy travels for us both this year!

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  13. Ahh Marie, I’m so sorry you’re still hobbling. You’ve had really bad luck with your travel over recent years, but you still did so much in 2023. I really hope SA goes well and there are no accidents and your foot holds up – you cannot miss the wine under any circumstances 🙂 Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks Hannah – over the years we’ve had a lot more luck than misses so loads of happy memories – We’ve booked the wine tram (the ONLY thing booked so far!) so the wine tasting is high on the list!

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  16. Despite the obstacles, I think you got to do a lot of things in 2023 Marie 😀. Looking forward to your adventures in 2024. Hopefully I’ll also manage to see many more places although I’ve not planned anything yet! “Carpe Diem”, is a good advice 😀..I wonder why they don’t teach it from childhood!

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