As I say goodbye to 2016, it is bittersweet. You might be thinking, “Isn’t it always?”, but you would be wrong. I could not wait to let go of 2015. On the contrary, 2010 could have continued for 365 more days in my book. Different years produce different emotions and perspectives for me.
I felt it might be fun to reflect on 2016 by breaking down each months’ trials and tribulations, to truly capture all that was the ‘Year of Travel’.
January
In the beginning of 2016 I was sitting behind a cubicle in a Legal Finance Firm. It was in January that I made the decision to quit my job to travel the world! BEST DECISION EVER. Let me tell you. I purchased a one way ticket to London, said goodbye to friends and family, and never looked back.
February
Welcome to London! I was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life as I began to acclimate to my new country. I was introduced to one of my closest friends, Miss Sarah Safar. I think February was also the first time, in a long time, that I had felt like my independence had returned to me. Taking a leap of faith usually does that to a person.
March
March was still kicking my ass in the weather department, especially when Sarah and I made it up North to Scotland over Easter weekend. I spent this month exploring London and attempting to understand my new fancy-man camera. Update: I still haven’t figured it out. Regardless, this month was meaningful to me in the sense that I truly began to fall in love with London.
April
I turned half a century. In Bali, Indonesia! Say whaaaat? Despite my absolute fails in Bali {you can read about that here}, it was an incredible experience. I played with monkeys, visited temples, rode an elephant, and bartered with an old man for his traditional rice hat. I would say it was an overall success if you look at it that way…
May
With May, came Springtime in London. And that’s something you don’t want to miss out on. Therefore, I spent most of this month locally, soaking up the gorgeous weather surrounding me. This month included picnics, rooftop bars, and white wine for dayzzzz. And many a blog posts.
June
In June, I was cordially invited to attend the Ascot Races! Okay… so it wasn’t cordial. It actually wasn’t even an invitation. But I purchased tickets online to attend the Ascot Races. I couldn’t miss my opportunity to not only attend the most famous races of all time, but to also see the Queen of England herself. And she gave me a wave! {okay maybe not me personally, but you get it} It was the party of the year!
…thus far. We still have New Years Eve to consider.
July
I will never forget July as my last month in London. Six months flew by and I wanted nothing more than to stay in this beautiful city. I was heartbroken upon leaving. I spent as much time as possible at brunches with friends, visiting my favorite boroughs, and preparing for my next adventure.
August
August kick started my European tour! I began in Spain, solo, and eventually made my way to Austria, Hungary, and Croatia to meet one of my best friends from home. Bree and I met in high school and eventually became college roommates for years at CSU Chico. Having the opportunity to explore a piece of the world with her was remarkable! I spent a good three weeks of August in Croatia, really getting to know the country and all of its beauty. I have a bunch of Croatia blog posts that highlight my favorite memories.
September
Oh, September. This was one of my most memorable months this year. I visited Italy and France for the first time and spent a few days in Switzerland. The weather really turned out for the month of September, making my travel experiences almost flawless. I went wine tasting in Tuscany, rode a gondola in Venice, and picnicked under the Eiffel Tower. Much of which I still need to share here on the blog! This was a magical month and one that I will always hold very dear to my heart.
October
On a personal level, October was a rough one this year. There is no denying that. However, I still managed to stick to my travel plans and visit all of the remaining countries I wanted to see in Europe. October brought me to Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, The Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. October was easily the busiest month for me as I only spent a few days in each of the cities I visited, and there were quite a few.
November
I left Europe at the beginning of November and landed in Brisbane, Australia! I spent two weeks sailing, sun bathing, and sipping white wine along the coast. It was a perfect way to end my year of travel.
December
And that brings us to December, where I sit here, back home in California. I traveled all over the globe this year. Sometimes it still feels unbelievable. Nothing will ever compare to this year I spent abroad. And that’s fantastic. I hope to constantly push myself in order to make each year as memorable as the one before, in its own way.
I never want to live the same year twice.
As far as what is in store for the upcoming year, that is still a mystery to me. I have plans {as always}. But nothing concrete enough that I want to share publicly. I will always feel nostalgic whenever I hear someone speak of one of the many destinations I’ve visited this year. And that’s a gift. Just for me. I simply hope to continue reaching for the stars and explore more of the world!