A Look Back At 2014: We Visited Germany, Finland and Australia!

Today marks the last day of 2014 and what better way to reminisce than through a look back at photos? Yes, this is one of those year-end posts because I like lists and this is how I keep track of it all. So let’s rewind!

Scotland

Places visited: Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, The Highlands

The year started out in Scotland for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. There were street parties, fireworks over the castle, and I even tried haggis. From there we headed out on a fun tour of the Scottish Highlands where we castle hopped and searched for Nessie. I have to say, even though it was brutally cold and the wind nearly blew me over on more than one gusty occasion, the landscapes were incredible. I’d love to go back to Scotland in the summer to really do the place justice.

Thailand

Places visited: Chiang Mai, Pai, Bangkok, Hua Hin

I spent a lot of time in and out of Thailand this year and there were no complaints about that! Shortly after New Years we met up with Sam’s parents and their friends in Chiang Mai for what would mark the start of a two month long backpacking adventure. This proved to be the perfect excuse to play tourist in Chiang Mai; we tried new restaurants, visited wats, played with elephants, and even took a weekend trip to Pai. We also spent a few days hanging out in the Big Mango (aka Bangkok) and enjoying the beaches of Hua Hin.

Laos

Places visited: Luang Prabang, Vientiane

The trip to Laos got off to a rough start with the ultra budget slow boat down the Mekong (my fault for being cheap), but once we settled into Luang Prabang all that was forgotten. Honestly, this town was a dream. I loved the easy-going vibe, the French colonial architecture, the delicious meals at Tamarind, and the morning walks across rickety bamboo bridges. I could have stayed for weeks on end, but we had people to meet so we continued onward to Vientiane for a taste of the sleepy capital.

Malaysia

Places visited: Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown (Penang), Melaka

I revisited Malaysia for the third time this year, and while none of the destinations were new to me, it was still a lot of fun showing Sam’s parents around. The most exciting thing about being back in Malaysia again was all the food!!! Malaysia is home to a real blend of cultures and when it comes to the cuisine this means you can have dim sum for breakfast, thali served on a banana leaf for lunch, and then cendol for dessert.

Indonesia

Places visited: Bali

Ahh, Bali! It was hot, it was sticky, and I seriously spent most of my time by the pool or in the pool. I wasn’t very ambitious when it came to sightseeing around the island, but I climbed a freaking volcano! I think that should exempt me from extreme physical exercise for a while…

Singapore

Places visited: Singapore

Singapore surprised me. Yes, it was orderly, ultra modern, and expensive, but it was also colourful, flavourful, and a lot of fun to experience.

Germany

Places visited: Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Freiburg

Deutschland! Germany is one of my favourite countries and it was so much fun getting to spend an extended period of time there. One of the highlights was when my friend Rebecca came to Berlin for a visit – our outings were all about art galleries, pastries, and the occasional Currywurst!

Australia

Places visited: Townsville, Magnetic Island, Bowen, Airlie Beach, The Whitsundays, Gold Coast

I can’t believe I nearly didn’t go to Australia! I was a bit freaked out about the distance – I don’t particularly enjoy flying, and the thought of taking 4 consecutive planes for 2 days made me want to curl up into a ball – but I made it and Australia turned out to be amazing! My two weeks in Queensland were a little taster that only made me hungry for more.

I came face to face with wildlife I never even knew existed, held a python around my neck, visited the town where they filmed the movie Australia, ate my fill of Vegemite and Tim Tams, sailed around the incredibly idyllic Whitsunday Islands, and spent a week living it up in the Gold Coast.

Czech Republic

Places visited: Prague

From there we bid farewell to Europe with a week in Prague. The city was every bit as magical as I thought it would be, and this is also where I discovered the coolest thing ever – room escape games!

United States

Places visited: New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C.

I ended up stateside twice this year. The first visit was in the summertime with Sam, where we spent one week in New York City and another Chicago – the later revolved mostly around deep-dish pizza.

And then in early December I ended up travelling to Washington D.C. to attend the Travel Blogger Summit on Study Abroad and Global Citizenship (you can read more about it here). My visit was short, but I did manage to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing and visit the National Geographic Museum, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, and also tour the White House all decked out for the holidays. It was also nice getting to reconnect with bloggers I had met before and meet others I had known online for ages.

Canada

Places visited: Toronto, Montreal, Kingston, Gananoque, Quebec City, Fredericton

I spent quite a bit of time in Canada this year. Sam and I came back in the summer to get hitched (oh myyy!) and then in the fall we started our Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University. It was a big transition going from being on the move to temporarily settling in one place, but the biggest pro of it all is that we have been able to spend a lot of quality time with family, and that’s something I really missed!

Finland

Places visited: Helsinki, Kimito Island, Nuuksio National Park, Hanko, Ekenäs

This was my second visit to Finland and it was all about enjoying the outdoors. My week there was spent hiking in Nuuksio National Park where I learned about every man’s right, kayaking under the midnight sun, exploring Kimito Island and the archipelago region, and biking through the charming seaside town of Hanko. It was all topped off with a couple of days hanging out in Helsinki. For my third visit, I want to experience Lapland in the winter time!

Cuba

Places visited: Cayo Santa Maria

And then there was Cuba. For our honeymoon Sam and I spent a week enjoying the Caribbean island. This was my fourth (or fifth?) visit, so we ended up skipping the tours and just enjoying the beach. There were no complaints from Sam who looked like he was melting and only wanted shade.  I also insisted he wear these ridiculous sunglasses.

And that was 2014! We visited 4 continents, a total of 13 countries, 6 of which were new to me. I don’t have any grand travel plans to ring in the New Year, but I can honestly say I’m just as happy to be spending it at home with family, in my pyjamas, and popping a holiday movie into the DVD player.

Wishing you all a happy New Year!