I’ve had a good year – a VERY good year!
We started off with a big one – South Africa for a self-drive trip in January. Now we know why everyone raves about the place! You can enjoy everything on one holiday – city break / wildlife safari / wine region / sun worshipping / shopping / foodie experiences / history / walking trails…. it really has it all. We were particularly impressed with Cape Town – I’d go back there any time!!
That, of course, was to be our big blowout for the year so we faced into springtime with no further plans…. yet!
But Ryanair reeled me in with an offer for Morocco and we headed off in early April. We love Morocco and have had some great road trips there but, for once, we’d no new destination or route in mind – just revisited Taroudant and Essaouira and spent the last few days in Agadir.
Its not every year one celebrates a 40th anniversary and we were always going to mark it with a trip – maybe a little one (!). Of course our modest intentions grew legs and, over one weekend, we booked Peru and Bolivia for June – yep – more bucket list stuff! I can’t believe that I’m facing in to 2025 and have yet to share the experience – it’s been that kind of year. But – suffice to say – it was just – well – wonderful!
Our celebrations didn’t stop there – late July found us in Florida with the rest of the family. We started off on our own in Miami (that was another new destination for us and we really loved the city) before joining the others in Orlando with a side trip to the Everglades and Clearwater. We left them in Orlando and headed back south to the Keys on our own for a few more days!
The rest of the year was relatively low key but we still managed 2 lovely city breaks – London to catch up with family and Malmo in late November.
So much for post Covid promises and resolutions but we didn’t manage to see as much of our own country as intended. We did squeeze in a few mini breaks during the year, spending a couple of days in Kerry and Northern Ireland as well as exploring the lovely Boyne Valley just north of Dublin.
Looking Forward…
We’re in the unusual position (for us) to be here on New Years Day with TWO confirmed trips to look forward to…..
We’ll be gone for March – New Zealand for 3 weeks and a week in Malaysia on the way home. A wedding will bring us to northern Italy at the end of June so we’ll definitely work a trip around that – I’d love Cinque Terre or else head the other way into Slovenia (or maybe both!!!)
December has been a strange month to say the least. 4 of our friends have endured the loss of a loved one within the past fortnight while I myself spent a lot of precious time with my ailing mum. 2 pals got bad health news over Christmas. 2 others are nursing broken bones. Everyone I’ve spoken to has had festivities disrupted either by the cancellation of the Holyhead ferry or (as in our case) ongoing Winter Flu.
What can I say …
except …
Carpe Diem!
If you’re thinking about it… will I won’t I – then GO DO IT!
And sure we’ll all be here to read about it afterwards!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR Y’ALL!
What a busy year! I’d love to see Uyuni after rainy season when the salt flats are filled with water. Have a great 2025!! Maggie
Just imagine! Although it felt such a privilege to be there regardless….. We loved it….
What a year you’ve had Marie, it looks absolutely wonderful. Congrats on your 40 year anniversary as well, amazing!! I’m with you on Carpe Diem, you just have to do and see things while you can as you never know what’s coming round the corner. I love your joie de vivre 🙂
I wouldn’t have believed you, Hannah, if you told me this time last year the year I’d ahead of me….. we’ve been very lucky indeed. And thank you for the congrats! I truly don’t know where those years went!
Great shots of Uyuni and Monasterboice! Best wishes for 2025, it promises to be another great year!
Yes – here’s hoping for another bumper year!! And best of wishes for you for 2025. XXXMarie
What a great year of travels you’ve had! I can’t wait to hear more about your Peru trip – it’s a country we loved but didn’t allocate nearly enough time to. It sounds like a wonderful place to celebrate your 40th 🙂 We’d planned a big trip for ours but Covid got in the way and we had to ‘settle’ for a weekend in Paris as long-haul was still off the cards! I’m also looking forward to hearing about Malaysia as it’s on our radar for a possible trip later in the year.
I also want to echo your final sentiment. None of us knows what’s around the corner, so it’s important to make the most of the now! My sympathies on your mother’s ailing condition – I’ve been there so know exactly what that’s like 🤗
The anniversary was the perfect excuse to justify another big trip! It’s been a difficult time with mum – although the situation has been with us for a number of years now, it’s still a shock when it comes round. Having said that, her 94th birthday unexpectedly approaches now at the end of January..we may have a celebration after all!
Cape Town has always been somewhere I’ve wanted to visit so you speaking so highly of it only tempts me further! It sounds like you had a great year and you’ve already got some exciting things lined up for this coming year!
A wedding is a great excuse to visit Italy and I’m sure you’ll have a great time in NZ too!
Funny it was never high on my list although it has become hugely popular with the Irish in recent years. But we really loved it once we got there – just sorry we hadn’t another few days. There’s plenty to do in the city and it’s a great base for tours.
Tom got the New Zealand Lonely Planet in his stocking so must start doing a bit of reading!!!
Yes, definitely get some NZ reading done! I’ll be looking on with envy!
Good on you! Quite a year.
Thank you Lynne – it certainly was! We’ve no rich relatives coming out of the woodwork so unless we do a few bank heists we won’t be able to maintain such a high standard !!!!
Wonderful memories. A year well spent.
Wasn’t it just! We ticked a fair few items from the wish list!
many great trips! Hope you travel a lot in 2025 too!
Heading to New Zealand on 298th – just booked Hobbiton so beginning to get a bit excited now!!!