So here I am on another end of year post, recounting travels of the year. One should always count their blessings and I cant do that enough whenever I look back on last 12 months and what new experiences they got for me.
A very hectic work year, I was awfully busy, paid no attention to my health, bad sleep timings and very bad food habits. Thanks to staying in London, one can be an explorer all 365 days. The first half of the year was relatively easy with more holidays so I traveled to three new countries. Second half of the year was traveling more inside the UK with family and friends. So here is the round up of the places that made it to my travel scrapbook of 2019
Manchester and Liverpool, England
My year started with two trips to two of the football capitals of England, Manchester and Liverpool. I did not visit them on same day but in two different months.
I have read several blogs on Manchester vs Liverpool, which is a better city. Well I ended up with the same question. Depends on what you like and what you are looking for when you visit a place. For me, architecture, history, old cafes and dreamy streets always makes the cut; so its the lovely Liverpool.
Portugal
Our annual sisterly holiday was to Portugal. Me and my sis travel to one new place every year. We spent 10 glorious days hopping from town to town with our base as Porto and Lisbon. It was a historical delight and we had a sumptuous dose of great architecture which we really love. I need to get all Portuguese destinations on my blog soon.
Denmark
During the Easter Break, I visited Denmark. I was literally dying to go to Copenhagen, well no great reason other than being besotted by its pictures on Instagram. Well it did not disappoint me at all, just my wallet was lighter on my way back home.
My five days were enjoyable full of travel to palaces, small towns and the manicured capital of Copenhagen
Bulgaria
Third country outside UK, I visited this year was the lovely Balkan nation of Bulgaria. So much is happening in this country which is at the cusp of shedding its communal past and a burst of digital economy. My three days on a Bank holiday weekend included traveling to Rila Mountains, Plovdiv and my base at the capital city of Sofia
Wales, UK
I have to mention Wales in the UK, many people know other wales in Australia too. So just to be clear I am referring to one of the amazing countries part of British Isles.
I really wanted to go to Wales. Five years of my stay in the UK and not once did I ever visit this amazing rocky castle country. House to Snowdonia mountain, with over 500 castles and an envious coastline, Wales was both gentle and ferocious. All I thought was what an idiot I have been to not to have visited this before. Well never too late mate!
Markets of London
One can never be short of finding an interesting weekend market to visit in London. From antiques to flowers, from fashion to gourmet cheese, London is not only a shopper’s paradise but a photographer’s delight too. Some of the markets I visited this year other than endless visits to Borough markets was to Columbia Road flower market, Camden, Blackheath farmers market and Portobello market in Notting Hill.
Kew Gardens, Hampstead, Richmond and other Neigbourhoods in London
There are several places I visit in London, which are usually weekend visits. I sometimes even carry my camera in my laptop bag to work and take walks while coming home and click pictures. Some of them make it to this blog and some don’t. I fondly recall some very pretty walks in beautiful neighbourhoods of London this year and would be bringing on my blog soon.
Stratford upon Avon, England
As part of my year end escape, I visited Bard’s country last week. Stratford is a timber town, literally everything here looks like made of timber, even my hotel room had timber beams inside and outside. The town is beautiful and one of the best small towns I have visited in England. Quite like York. Small alleys and streets, dolled up for Christmas and everything is Shakespeare here from the pubs, to shops, to hotel I stayed in. Get completely consumed in this literary town on River Avon.
Villages of Cotswolds, England
December is such a beautiful month; its festive all around and we get Holidays. I have a very stressful job, so I was desperately looking forward for totally Me time away from my laptop, emails and phone. I wanted to go to some very quiet place away from London. Cotswolds was my choice though its best to visit during summers or spring. But the best part was cheap hotels and less touristy streets. Trust me it was really therapeutic to be by myself walking along from village to village.
Well thats how 2019 was. Full of interesting travels though I was extremely tied up with work and did not travel out of UK for second half of the year. But you can never get bored in London, never ever.
I have absolutely no travel plans as I write this post for 2020. It will be very fluid next year due to work commitments. However I have Cornwall, Lake district and another trip to Wales on my mind.
As we bid goodbye to this year, I wish you all a very blessed and adventurous New Year. Keep traveling and see you on the other side.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
