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Top 10 Travel Experiences of the Last Decade | 2010s in Review

Hello! I hope you’re all doing well during these difficult times.

We’re entering our tenth week of being at home. The Brit and I are lucky enough that our jobs are easily done at home and that we live in a nice quiet area near the countryside. We weren’t so lucky because, as you may have seen on social media, the Brit contracted Covid-19 and was extremely sick. He’s thankfully on the mend.

Working in tourism has been very difficult too. No idea when we’ll be able to welcome guests again, or what will happen to the company. It’s all shrouded in the unknown, like much of the world right now.

At the beginning, I thought it was quite tone deaf of travel bloggers to keep posting, but I think I took it personally because my husband was unwell. People are dying, there’s no need for a Top 10 Things to do in Madrid right now, you know?

But it’s great to get some lovely updates from everyone around the world.

As time is slowly moving along, as countries are starting to reopen (rightfully or not), people are definitely thinking of travelling again. When that will be, we don’t know, but we know we will again!

I have some travel content I was going to post, from our trips to Belgium, England and Spain from the last year, but it’s on hold right now. Instead, I thought I’d look back at some of my favourite travel experiences of the last decade.

I look back at these amazing times I’ve had and remember what a privilege it all was!

1. Visiting family in Chile, 2010

This is the last time I was in Chile and saw many members of my family, including my grandma who passed away the following year. It was a fun trip to be with them, I visited so many places and spent the best new year’s eve probably ever.

2. Girl time in Paris, 2013

After my masters, I stayed for a week in Paris with a friend from back home. What a lovely trip it was! We visited the Musée d’Orsay, walked for miles and really enjoyed ourselves. We also ate our weights in baguettes, cheese, croissants and so many macarons!

3. Trip of a lifetime in South Africa, 2013

I spend 5 weeks in South Africa with my bestie once we finished our masters. Her family was kind enough to welcome me for that duration and deal with me every time there was a huge spider.

I hope I get to go back one day, but I’ll always remember this trip. Filled with safari, pool swims, wanders and wine tastings.

4. A Harry Potter time in London, 2015

I think this was technically my third visit to London, but one of the best. Mostly because I roamed around visiting fun attractions, principally the Harry Potter studios. I went full nerd and still remember so well how I felt during the visit.

5. A Roman holiday in Italy, 2015

This was the Brit and I’s first real trip together. One of our most enjoyable, thanks to the delicious food, ancient history and gorgeous sights. We really enjoyed walking in Villa Borghese, seeing the Colosseum at night and eating all the gelatos!

6. Wedding time in the Netherlands, 2017

This was just a quick 3-day getaway, but it was so enjoyable that it makes the list. Mostly because of the gorgeous weather and seeing our friends. We visited Amsterdam (the Brit’s first time there) and stayed in quaint Leiden.

7. Discovering Poland with a local, 2018

When a friend told me I should join her on her trip home to Poland, I didn’t hesitate. I was in Wrocław with her for less than three days, but it was a great experience!

She brought me to all the cool places for brunch and we visited an outdoor pool, on top of some of the top attractions. Including spotting the dwarves…

8. Loving the sun in Cuba, 2018

Cuba is a weird country to visit, especially as a half white, half Latina person, but I generally really enjoyed it. Havana, although so deteriorated, was one of the most beautiful and interesting cities I’ve ever visited. So vibrant.

9. Northern Lights in Iceland, 2018

In 2018 I started working for an Icelandic company and got to go twice to this Nordic gem. During our trip in October, we were there four nights and we saw the northern lights twice. So fortunate! They are even more beautiful in real life! The Brit was able to join which made it even better.

10. Eating our hearts out in Spain, 2020

Before all of this kicked off, we were lucky enough to pop over to Spain for four days. It was such a relief from the rainy storms and work. Now more than ever we feel so privileged that we managed this pre-corona holiday!

We ate churros every day, as well as some delicious tapas and cheap wine. I loved being in a Spanish-speaking part of the world and it brought me back to my roots a little.

There are so many more good moments I can think of:

  • A girls’ weekend to Tallinn
  • Visiting friends in Dublin on two occasions
  • Spending New Year’s Eve in Stockholm with friends
  • Celebrating a friend’s birthday in Germany
  • Reuniting with friends in Colorado
  • A birthday weekend in Copenhagen

I’ve travelled a lot in the last 10 years and I’m so grateful for those experiences and for the people I met along the way.

Scotland didn’t make the list – because it’s getting it’s very own list in the weeks to come!

What are your top travel experiences of the last decade?xx

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