mytravelbugbite

Just before the start of 2015 I moved my blog from a prior host domain, that just wasn’t working for me anymore, onto WordPress. I am so glad I did as it has not only allowed me to have more creative input but I also find it much easier to use. I didn’t expect anyone to read it, except perhaps my family, and was using it mainly as an online diary for myself however people do seem to be looking at my content and in November I passed 100 WordPress followers. This was a complete surprise to me so thank you to anyone who has stuck with me.

I am not a full time traveller and just have to make do with whatever annual leave I can get from my two jobs. After a few big trips in 2014 (skiing, Croatia and Japan) I spent more time exploring more locally in 2015 alongside trips to India, Edinburgh and Spain. So here is a little overview of my last year.

Highlights:

There have been so many high points throughout the year so to pick just a few was difficult. I have managed to do just that though.

• Holi festival in India– India was our big trip this year and proved to be eye-opening and awe-inspiring throughout. The best part was the Holi festival which we experienced in Pushkar. The sounds, smells and colours assaulted the senses and help create a once in a lifetime event.
• Visiting the Taj Mahal– The Taj is one of the great wonders of the modern world and for good reason. It is spectacular, even if it is spoiled by the sheer number of tourists.
• Visiting Hogsmeade station– Our weekend in Goathland not only provided a prime spot for walking but also meant I could continue my quest to visit as many Harry Potter related locations as possible, and where better than Hogsmeade station?
• Malfoy Manor– To continue Harry Potter theme, Hardwick Hall was another location. The house of my favourite villain is pretty awesome in its own right and marked the beginning of my National Trust membership.
• The Edinburgh fringe festival– I may have been before but this is always so much fun, if a little tiring, and allows access to exciting new theatre.
• A nostalgic trip to La Manga whilst finding a new way to appreciate it- The hike from our villa along the coastline was one of my favourite parts of this holiday and meant we could see the area we knew so well from visiting in our childhood from a fresh perspective.
• Zaap Thai– Discovering a new favourite restaurant is always welcome but one that is so cheap and accessible for myself was a huge bonus.
• Completing my first ever (and then my second) triathlon– For anyone who knows me it is surprising I even signed up to do a triathlon let alone actually completing it. Then because I clearly didn’t learn from my mistakes I did another one two months later.
• Celebrating with friends- This year I ended up going to 8 weddings and 5 balls to party with mates which has been wonderful.

Theatre:

My other big passion besides travel is theatre. I am lucky that I get to see a lot due to my job front of house at my local theatre. I have also paid to see a few shows also. I think I have seen about 15 productions this year (not including the 40 something watched in Edinburgh). “The Book of Mormon” was by far the best, “Jesus Christ Superstar” the worst. Some were my friends performing in local, amateur productions and then in November I was honoured to be invited to the dress rehearsal for Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s brand new musical “The Girls”.

From a performance point of view this year has been extremely quiet. I have only participated in one show this year which was as a dancer and chorus member in “Evita” with Guiseley amateurs.

Low points:

Not everything was peachy in 2015, some things were not as happy.

• My Grandpa passing- Never nice for anyone.
• Needing to have surgery- Earlier in the year I ended up in A&E (1 week before I was due to go to India!!) and was told I would require surgery to remove my gall bladder. Thankfully I was able to postpone the operation to allow me to travel but it certainly was less than ideal.

2015 has been a good year and full steam ahead for 2016 for which I’ll be doing a look ahead post.

How has 2015 been for you? Any particular highs or lows? What has been your favourite travel experience of the year?