Everything Else Life

The Best of 2017

December 30, 2017

The Best of 2017

2017

It feels like it was just the beginning of the year a couple months ago, and here we are all writing our 2017 recap/highlights posts! I’ve done them every single year since December 2013 and I actually love writing them and randomly looking back through them throughout the year. It’s nice to have a little recap of the highlights of each year.

So it definitely looks like 2017 was the year of travel for us. I’m pretty impressed that Shane and I managed to go on 7 trips since February, both while working full time jobs and (slowly) paying off my credit card too. I mean, I’m sure that I could have paid my credit card off in full by now if I didn’t go on so many holidays, but life’s for living right?! I can worry about that later haha!

Belem Tower, Belem, Lisbon - PortugalField of Hyacinths at Keukenhof Gardens, HollandVernazza in Cinque Terre, Ligurai Region, Italy4x4 Dune Bashing Trip, Dubai

Amsterdam CanalThe Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyTorrent Beach, Lazy River at Aquaventure Waterpark, Atlantis the Palm, Dubai

Travel

So, it’s usually my goal each year to tick off 2 new countries each year, and this year I managed 2 – but we also re-visited 2 countries (and one of them more than once). I’ll do a separate post for our UK travel/day trips this year, but we started and finished our year of travel in Portugal!

We visited Lisbon in March, and then we just got back from a trip to The Algarve a couple of weeks ago and loved both trips so much! It’s definitely one of our favourite countries, and I’m hoping to see more next year (I’m looking at you Madeira). I’ll be posting about our recent trip in January!

We took the campervan out on it’s first trip (even if we did have a blow up bed and a camping stove) all the way to The Netherlands. I’ve wanted to see the tulip fields for so long and we finally made it. It was freezing cold, it rained and was SO busy (don’t go to Amsterdam over Easter Weekend), but it was a nice trip away!

I also went on a lovely little break with my Mum to Cinque Terre and Pisa back in June. It was so nice to go away with her for a change on a girls trip, so we’re hoping to go on another next year too!

And then back in October, we ticked off one of our bucket list destinations and splurged a little on a trip to Dubai! I asked Shane if he wanted to go to Mexico, Thailand and Dubai and he chose Dubai – so I booked it before he could change his mind haha! I got a REALLY good deal in the January sales for flights and a hotel and we managed to do Dubai on a budget! I’m hoping to get a post up about that next year!

See all travel posts

Durdle Door, Dorset UKPortmeirion Beach, North WalesViews over the White Cliffs of DoverRetro Amusement Park at Dreamland Margate

Durdle Door, Dorset UKTŵr Mawr lighthouse, Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey, WalesSouth Foreland Lighthouse at the White Cliffs of DoverBig Wheel at Dreamland Margate

UK Travel & Days Out

We definitely didn’t get to explore as much of the UK as we usually do and only had a few days out. We bought a van last year to convert it ourselves into a campervan, but that got written off with rust just after our trip to The Netherlands back in April. We ended up buying a new van in May and spent most of the summer getting back to the stage that we were at with the previous van so that took up most of our time!

We did start the year off with a little late valentines trip to Durdle Door in February though. It was SO nice to visit during the winter – we’ve visited twice in the summer and it’s been unbearably busy, but it was so quiet in the winter and I got some pretty amazing shots!

We also took a break in the (unfinished) campervan to Wales for a long weekend in September and I found my new favourite beach. How stunning is Wales? We’re definitely planning on going back and seeing the south of the country next time!

Other than that, we managed to take a day trip down to the White Cliffs of Dover and it was so stunning! I definitely want to go on more ‘hiking’ trips next year. I’m thinking the Peak District as it’s only a couple hours away from us. At the end of the summer, we also took a trip down to Margate for the day and stopped off at Dreamland. We had the best day being big kids, and it was kind of the end of the nice warm summer weather we had.

See all UK posts

Campervan Conversion, Fiat Ducato #demitheducatoApple and Blackberry Crumble Recipe

Campervan Bedframe

Life & Food

So the summer began with a pretty bad start. Our kitten Keeko (I say kitten, she was just over a year old) went missing back in May and I was distraught (and still am tbh). She means the world to me and not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. She was my little shadow and was so funny and I miss her so much.

But, on the plus side, we adopted Isla. She’s something else for sure! We adopted her from MK Cat Rescue back in August – she started her life as a feral kitten with her mum and brothers and sisters, but was rescued at 2 weeks old. She’s so fiesty, has a mind of her own and is so insane it’s unbelievable, but she’s absolutely hilarious and I’m dreading letting her outside now after Keeko going missing!

Other than being a crazy cat lady, nothing else has really happened in the life department because of the campervan conversion. I was really bad with sharing recipes this year, and definitely want to get back into that next year! I did share a couple of recipes this year though.

I’m excited for next year. I don’t really have anything planned yet, but I feel like it’s going to be good. I don’t tend to do ‘New Years Resolutions’ or anything, but I do really want to try get back to blogging on a schedule. I’ve been so bad at it lately (and reading blogs too), but I miss it so much!

How’s your year been? Don’t forget to follow along on instagram and twitter too!

Have you got much planned for 2018 yet? If you’ve done a recap post, link it below so I can check it out – I love having a nosey!

 

 

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  • Reply
    Of Ashes & Bones
    December 30, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    Sometimes it hurts that time passes by too fast! Like you try to hold the moment for so long as you can, but you know the moment will slip through your finger in a heart beat. But at the same time, we also excited of what’s ahead of us. hhhhaaa.

    Gosh, you definitely have a year full of adventure – which I think is the best kind of year.

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      I know right?! I feel like last year was 6 months long, but it was such a good year overall.
      I hope you have a great 2018!
      xo April

  • Reply
    TOUCH OF GS
    December 31, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    Love this post! All those travel pics are amazing! Looks like you had a fab year! x

    TOUCHOFGS

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      Thanks so much! We had such a great year!
      I hope you have a great 2018!
      xo April

  • Reply
    Jasmin Charlotte
    December 31, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    Sounds like a fun filled year! Your snaps of the Algarve were gorge, it was one of my fave trips this year too. I need to do a bit more UK travel next year! x

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      Isn’t the Algarve just stunning?! I wish we had enough time to go for a week like you did, because we didn’t get everything done that we wanted to see! Though, that just means we’ll have to go back again! 🙂
      xo April

  • Reply
    Amita
    December 31, 2017 at 8:23 pm

    Love your post! I’ve been to a lot of the places you’ve mentioned this year as well, Lisbon was one of my favourites this year! Happy new year xx

    amerzwithlove.com

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:14 pm

      Ah, which has been your favourite? Lisbon was so nice! I really want to go back again haha!
      I hope you have a great 2018!
      xo April

  • Reply
    katie
    January 1, 2018 at 10:33 am

    aw i would LOVE to rent a campervan and take it on a trip, that’s been on my bucket list for such a long time.

    it looks like you;ve had such a lovely year, with some gorgeous photos to remember it all by!

    wishing you all the best for 2018, lovely!

    katie. xx lacoconoire.com

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      You need to hire one! It’s so much fun and a nice chilled way to travel (and you get to see so much more along the way). We love it so much!
      I hope you have a great 2018!
      xo April

  • Reply
    syakirah
    January 1, 2018 at 2:55 pm

    i love the idea of driving to a new country. It sounds like fun. Definitely putting it on my bust list. Also, the photos are nice. Happy new year to you!
    https://sykirah.blogspot.my

    • Reply
      syakirah
      January 1, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      *bucket list

    • Reply
      April
      January 1, 2018 at 3:16 pm

      Yess! It’s probably my favourite way to travel!
      I hope you have a great 2018!
      xo April

  • Reply
    Gemma Evans
    January 4, 2018 at 9:45 pm

    It sounds like you’ve a great 2017 — lots of nice trips 🙂 I’ve also felt a bit behind with blogging and reading blogs towards the end of this year, but I think that’s the way it goes in the run up to Christmas. I hope 2018 holds many adventures for you.

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