It’s time to look back at another year of totally epic adventures and reveal my top travel Instagrams of 2018.
A few weeks ago I published my blogging appraisal of 2018. It was a chance to reflect on the highs and lows of another year of exciting travels. I love doing what I do, and while it’s not without challenges at times, I still find it rewarding, interesting and can’t imagine doing anything else!
This year has been another year of serious jet setting. From the Rockies in Canada to the skyscrapers of Dubai, I’ve experienced different cultures, seen a heap of breath-taking sights, and tried plenty of weird and wonderful foods along the way.
It’s been a year of facing fears, including white water rafting a few weeks ago in Costa Rica and ice climbing in Canada. It’s been another year of unforgettable experiences, new friendships, challenges and stories.
But if you’re looking for inspiration for your next travels, or just fancy checking out some awesome places around the world, it’s time for a snapshot of 2018 through my eyes, in my top travel Instagrams of 2018.
CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO
It was my second time visiting this wonder of the world in Mexico. It was a really special day, starting with the famous ruins, then checking out some of the beautiful cenotes nearby. You can see some of the incredible spots we discovered in my travel guide to Cancun.
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ISLA HOLBOX, MEXICO
We chose to add a few days on to our trip to Mexico so that we could visit Isla Holbox. I’d wanted to visit for a while, seeing photos of white sand and bright turquoise water. I’d also heard it was really unspoiled. It didn’t disappoint. It was colourful, fun, rustic and had a feel of ‘real Mexico’. Oh and that water was just as amazing as I’d hoped! If you don’t believe me, check out my travel guide to Isla Holbox.
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LONDON, UK
What a bucket list tick this was! On a bright spring day I took to the skies in a helicopter and explored London from above. It’s genuinely my favourite thing I’ve ever done in the city, and if you’re planning a treat soon, I’d recommend booking seats. The views were absolutely mesmerising. Check out more pics from my helicopter tour of London.
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GLASGOW, UK
Glasgow surprised me! It was my first time properly visiting the city, and while I was looking forward to it, I hadn’t expected to love it as much as I did. It was the mix of beautiful architecture, friendly Scots and plenty to do that made it so special. If you fancy planning a trip, you might find my first-timer’s guide to Glasgow handy.
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ALBERTA, CANADA
What could be more magical than visiting the Canadian Rockies in winter? Our snowy trip to Alberta had it all. Cosy log cabins, outdoor adventures, epic views and plenty of delicious food too. If you’re considering a trip, I popped together some helpful guides including a guide to packing, driving and winter prices in Banff and this one all about the top things to do in Winter in Alberta. It’s already getting me in the mood for my winter trip to Montreal in February!
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ALBERTA, CANADA
So beautiful, I couldn’t resist showing you another snap from my snowy Alberta trip! It was my first time seeing frozen waterfalls… what a moment. To think a few days later I was ice climbing up one! It turns out I’m braver than I thought!
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CORNWALL, UK
I was over the moon to return to one of my fave parts of England for my final Visit England ambassador trip. It was a foodie trip, so stopping off in Padstow was a must! I dined at Paul Ainsworth and Rick Stein’s restaurants and found time to explore some stunning landscapes too. This spot (Bedruthan Steps) was a highlight.
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SINGAPORE
I haven’t explored much of Asia yet, so when a trip came up to visit Singapore with one of my best friends Emily, I couldn’t resist. We had a great time visiting the Gardens By The Bay, Marina Bay Sands and exploring Little India, Chinatown and some of the famous hawker centres. We had a lot of giggles along the way, and WOW did we cram a lot into just a few days. If you’re planning a visit, definitely take a look at my guide to Singapore.
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LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA
Straight after Singapore we caught a flight to Langkawi in Malaysia. Sadly the weather was a bit mixed, but we still made the most of our time on the island. We ventured to the local market, played around in the 3D art museum, island hopped and took the cable car up the mountain for some epic views. I’d definitely recommend a trip to Langkawi, and if you do make it there, bookmark my guide to the top 15 things to do in Langkawi.
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ST PETE BEACH, FLORIDA
Oh wow what a memorable experience this was! Our road trip around Florida was packed with surprises, including swimming with manatees in the wild in Crystal River, discovering Tampa has an amazing food scene and… this! Yep, that’s the view from a vintage biplane as we took to the skies over St Petersburg and St Pete Beach. That’s one of my highlights of 2018!
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GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
My sister lives in Stockholm, which, while I love it there, means that I’ve not visited any other parts of the country yet. So it was a real pleasure to go on an adventure to Gothenburg. I was only there 36 hours, but as it was peak summer, it was a great time to explore. I loved how cool and outdoorsy it was – so many people enjoying the parks and river views.
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MY FIRST CRUISE
2018 was the year I went on my first cruise! To where? Errrmm, nowhere!! Yep that’s right, I boarded the ship in Southampton and got off there again a few days later! I was testing out the newly revamped Independence Of The Seas, which you can read all about in my Royal Caribbean Review. I couldn’t believe that one minute we were playing laser tag, the next we were relaxing in a hot tub, then we were making sushi, followed by watching an incredible ice show. All that on a big floating hotel – pretty cool huh?
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SAXON SWITZERLAND, GERMANY
Who knew Germany looked like this? Nope, me neither before this trip to Saxony! This is the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland. The landscapes here are truly surprising, with huge rock formations, beautiful countryside and this famous bridges. It’s a great region in Germany for hiking too. Fancy planning a trip? Check out my guide to visiting Saxon Switzerland.
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PUGLIA, ITALY
We went on holiday! Yes, we actually did it, and we switched off… a bit anyway! We chose to visit Puglia so that we could visit some of the gorgeous little towns while feasting on rustic Italian cuisine. It was amazing and it’s an area I’d go back to in a heartbeat.
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PUGLIA, ITALY
Another snap from our holiday as I couldn’t resist showing you Alberobello – one of Puglia’s prettiest towns! What a beauty it is, with its little white stone houses. I loved it there!
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THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
Ooh another surprising destination on the list. Who knew that The Netherlands has beautiful beaches and adorable streets like this? I really loved our 48-hours there. We stayed in an amazing little beach hut right on the sands of Scheveningen Beach. The sunsets were totally dreamy, plus, we found some great cafes, restaurants and boutiques in The Hague too. It’d make a fab weekend away in 2019, so if you’re looking for inspiration, check out my travel guide to The Hague.
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AMALFI COAST, ITALY
Just ONE more from our holiday! We ‘accidentally on purpose’ ended up on the Amalfi Coast at the end of our trip after a disaster with some of the accommodation we booked in Puglia. It turned out to be the PERFECT end to our holiday. I couldn’t believe how stunning it was, and now we’re thinking of returning for our holiday next year.
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MINNESOTA, USA
I knew very little about Minnesota before visiting, but it’s another destination that I’ll admit surprised me! Minneapolis was super cool, with street art, funky restaurants and a real buzz. In contrast there were spots like Gooseberry Falls where you can really connect with nature. I really enjoyed the trip, and it reminded me just how much there is to see in the USA. Read more about our Minnesota road trip.
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WASHINGTON DC, USA
My first trip to Washington DC was really exciting! A chance to see all the buildings I’d seen on the news and in films. One of the highlights was venturing inside the US Capitol building – free to visit and full of fascinating history. The city also has a fab food scene, so if you want to find out a few top restaurants to visit, definitely take a look at my guide to Washington DC.
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IZU PENINSULA, JAPAN
Japan has been top of my bucket list for years, primarily for the food, but also for the culture. As you can imagine, I was SO excited to visit. While the cities were amazing (Tokyo in particular!) I really loved Japan’s landscapes too. It’s a country with SO much beauty, and a fave region of mine was The Izu Peninsula.
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WAKAYAMA, JAPAN
What a giggle this was! The tourist board in Wakayama suggested it might be nice to try on the traditional dress from the region, and we couldn’t resist but say yes. What do you think? Does it suit us?
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BARCELONA, SPAIN
A brief trip back to my fave city in the world turned out to be one of the most colourful trips of the year. It was also great to explore a few famous Gaudi spots again. Along with Parc Guell, this rooftop at Casa Mila is one of my faves.
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ABU DHABI, UAE
While the Middle East has never been a place that’s topped my bucket list, I’ve found it fascinating to visit places I hadn’t thought of going to before. Abu Dhabi certainly opened my eyes! Firstly, I never expected it to have such gorgeous beaches. We even saw dolphins one morning as we took a stroll. Oh and the grand mosque was every bit as special as I’d imagined it to be. You can find out more about the trip we did, and check out the video here.
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DUBAI, UAE
I visited Dubai for the first time last year, so it was nice to return and see a few other parts of the Emirate. The highlight? Arriving at this hotel and being invited up onto the helipad at sunset! WHAT A RUSH!
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RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE
I had to include RAK in this round up too, as after visiting all 7 emirates in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah was my absolute fave. I loved the Jebel Jais mountains in particular, and hurtling along the world’s longest zipline was the highlight of the entire trip.
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SPLIT, CROATIA
If you read this blog regularly, you’ll know that Croatia is one of my fave countries. I’ve been every year for the past four years! This quick trip back to Split was surprising, as I hadn’t expected it to be such a great place to go in October. It was warm and sunny, but without the intense crowds of high season. Keep your eyes peeled for the video and blog in the new year.
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TURIN, ITALY
When Lonely Planet ask you to visit a city and EAT EAT EAT, you say yes!! The home of amazing pasta, great chocolate and apperitivo hour, Turin is a great option for a foodie city break. The city is stunning too, with the Alps as its backdrop. Find out more about my Best In Travel trip.
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COSTA RICA
Oh Costa Rica! Have I saved the best to last? Maybe!! This was my final big trip of 2018. Costa Rica is somewhere I’d dreamed of returning to after visiting as part of my three month backpacking trip when I started blogging. It was magical to return, immerse myself in nature again, and see some of the sights I missed on round one. I loved this region, Orosi. It’s not a very touristy area, but the views are pure magic, with lush forests, moody skies and low hanging clouds. If you’re considering a trip in 2019, definitely check out my brand new two week Costa Rica itinerary.
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Sooo, what an incredible 12 months of travel it has been! I can’t wait to see where 2019 takes me… and don’t worry, you’re all invited (virtually!!)
Thanks for all your support this year, and I hope you all enjoy the Christmas break.
Until next year…
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