My 2017 Travel Bucket List Moments

How on earth are we now reaching the end of 2017? HOW?! I’m sure that I blinked and suddenly we had shot from May to December. 2017 has been a year of very extreme highs and very extreme lows for me but this blog is a happy place used for celebrating the beauty of travel, so I’ll only focus on those nice elements!

Everyone has a “bucket list” of some description, even if you may not call it that. Some people want to own a Ferrari, others want to get their dream job, I on the other hand want to travel to as many corners of the world as physically possible.

This year, I’ve taken fewer trips but they have definitely been more extensive than in previous years. I was flicking through my Instagram photos recently thinking “wow, I’ve done some pretty cool things this year”, so here’s a big old round-up!

Morocco

The first adventure of the year took Callum and I to Morocco which was particularly exciting as it was my first time on the African continent (little did we know at this point that 2017 would feature two Africa adventures)! We were in Morocco for 5 days and every single day was filled with a different adventure; my favourites being:

1. Camping under the stars in the Sahara Desert
2. Riding into the Sahara Desert at sunset on camels
3. Singing African songs around a bonfire in the Sahara Desert with new found friends
4. Taking a boat ride under the Ozoud Waterfalls
5. Exploring the gorgeous tiled palaces and architecture of Marrakech
6. Getting lost in the sounds, smells and sights of the souks (and trying to resist buying ALL of the gorgeous plates)
7. Taking lots of Instagram shots in the gorgeous Jardins Marjoelle (the previous home of Yves Saint Laurent)
8. Driving through the winding roads of the Atlas Mountains enjoying the epic views

Isles of Scilly

Next up, two of my friends and I went to visit another friend who was living in the Isles of Scilly. While many won’t have this trip on their “bucket list”, it was the perfect trip to relax and spend time with some amazing people.

1. Taking a road trip from the East to the West of the UK with my besties (with lots of singing obviously)
2. Experience glorious sunshine and clear blue seas which I didn’t think were possible in the UK!
3. Spend some quality time with three incredible people
4. For once, taking the time to relax and detox
5. Eating ALL of the amazing food on the islands

Luxembourg

This was our spontaneous trip of the year. With cheap Ryanair flights and a whole bundle of Hilton hotel points at our disposal, we decided to have a quick Summer break to Luxembourg which exceeded all of my expectations!

1. Managing to book flights and accommodation for a total of £20!
2. Cycling through the vineyards of the Moselle Valley in the glorious sunshine
3. Obviously also tasting the wines in the aforementioned vineyards…
4. Wandering around the picturesque town of Vianden and exploring it’s impressive castle
5. Exploring Luxembourg City in the height of Summer and somehow avoiding all of the crowds (Luxembourg is a hidden gem)!

South Africa

2017 was the year that I became a Chartered Tax Advisor and no longer had to study whilst working full time. You know what this means? More spare time and more annual leave! I hadn’t taken a holiday longer than a week for 4 years, so this was a real treat and of course, I picked my #1 bucket list destination!

1. Loving every minute of 2 days on safari in Kruger National Park
2. Managing to spot every animal possible (including a few rhinos and a leopard which I didn’t think would be possible)!
3. Road-tripping this stunning country with my #1 travel partner (and developing an unhealthy addiction to the podcast “My dad wrote a porno” during our long drives)!
4. Exploring SO many gorgeous towns and cities along the Garden Route
5. Wandering through a forest filled with rescued monkeys
6. Eating some of the most incredible (and cheap) food
7. Watching whales in awe while in Hermanus
8. Facing my fears and zip-lining from mountain to mountain
9. Falling in love with Cape Town
10. Taking in the epic views from the top of table mountain
11. Cramming so much adventure into a jam-packed 2 week itinerary

UK

Of course, this year hasn’t only been filled with travels, here’s some of my favourite things that I’ve got up to in the UK during the course of the year…

1. Finally taking a trip to the Peak District whilst visiting some amazing extended family.
2. Revel in the masterpiece that is the Lion King on the West End (and continue to sing “He lives in me” for months afterwards)
3. Finally experience the West End performance of Aladdin and have it exceed all of my expectations my miles – the Genie in particular!
4. Pleasing my sweet tooth at the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon tea at One Aldwych
5. Helping a childhood American friend re-explore London
6. Visiting Grace at uni in Portsmouth and having the MOST touristy fun-filled weekend possible!
7. Having the most Instagram worthy afternoon tea at Sketch!
8. Meet a whole bunch of new travel blogger friends in Leeds at the Ice Lolly “Blog at the Beach” event (and win a trip to Ibiza)!
9. Taking a chocolate making class in London (and getting very messy)

Where have you travelled to this year? Has 2017 been fab for you?

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post and all thoughts are my own.

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