2017. What a year.
Flight 22.
Traveled approximately 20 times.
There are many staycations.
Lots of glamping.
We laughed a lot.
Spend a long night under the stars, eating lots of delicious food with your good friends.
But most of all…so many memories.
This is what I love most about traveling and the memories I will treasure forever. For me, travel memories are stronger, more vivid, and happier than any other. It has to do with being somewhere new and exciting and keeping those memories in a separate space from everyone else. It’s not like all the memories from home blend into each other and blend into the everyday routine. The memories of these trips are special and I will treasure them for a lifetime.
At this time of year, I love looking back at my Instagram feed, blog posts, and travelogues to remember all the great trips I’ve taken throughout the year. It’s time to sit for a long time and enjoy a delicious cup of…
This week I was sent Yogi Tea’s newest blend, Turmeric Chai. I drank while remembering the highlights of 2017 and pondering my goals for 2018. Along with the tea, I was also sent a recipe for the popular Ayurvedic turmeric tea (as it is commonly known). As golden milk.
If you’re not familiar with golden milk, give it a try (instructions on how to make it are at the end of this post). A delicious milky turmeric tea with chai spice, black pepper, and apple.
Golden Milk is new to me, but I’m a convert and my two sons love it too.
Yogi Tea asked me to share my golden moments this year and the ones I hope to achieve next year. Well then…
Here are some of my golden moments from 2017
January – Barcelona
We took Sam to Barcelona for his birthday in January. It was my first time in Barcelona and I took a quick look at the surface of the beautiful city. Unfortunately it was cold and rainy the entire time we were there and Joseph, who was a few months old at the time, was with us. We were staying in a super luxurious hotel, so we spent a lot of time relaxing in the large room and at the hotel bar.
January – A trip around North Wales and Chester
We traveled to North Wales and Chester at the end of January. This is my home turf because it’s where I live, but I’ve never blogged about it before.
It wasn’t exciting or exotic, and I didn’t think people would be interested in reading about it. But I was so wrong.
Being out and about with the right camera shows me how beautiful this area is and I love sharing my home on the blog.
Since this trip I’ve started blogging more about Wales and 2018 is going to be a big deal for me with a ‘Welsh staycation.
February – Scotland
Log cabins, snowy mountains, pink sunsets, fireplaces, and steaming hot tubs. This is a memory from a weekend in Scotland. It truly was a pure winter weekend.
February – Skiing in Les Get
A ski trip with a toddler or young baby is something most people avoid, but we had a great time. We rented a gorgeous and cozy cabin with a friend and her kids for a lovely snowy week. I took skiing lessons, but I realized that I would never be good at skiing. But there’s plenty to tackle après-ski or a hearty après-ski dinner!
March – Aberdaron, Wales
We had an unusually nice weekend of weather in March, so on a whim I booked a weekend trip to the small village of Aberdaron in Wales. It was on this trip that I really fell in love with Wales.
Our vacations are rarely “perfect,” but this weekend’s getaway was about as perfect as it gets. The weather was perfect, our villa was gorgeous, the boys were both excellent, and we generally had a perfect, carefree vacation. We loved Aberdaron so much that we’ve been back to Aberdaron about 4 times since this weekend!
April – Hiking up Snowdon and an adventurous weekend in North Wales
Sam and I dusted off our hiking boots and went on an epic hike to Snowdon. The rugged mountains and dramatic scenery made me feel so lucky to call this place home. I often wonder why people travel so far when such views are right in front of them. The next day we took part in the Velocity Zipline, the fastest zipline in the world. It was an adrenaline rush like never before, and when I think about it now, I still get excited and my nerves are pounding in my stomach!
May – The Algarve, Portugal
A family trip to the Algarve in Portugal is becoming an annual tradition and we hope it continues for many years to come. We rented a big villa with my father and mother and we do little but enjoy the sunshine, take long walks to secluded beaches, splash in the pool and watch the sunset. We drink beer while watching the show, have a barbecue in the evening, and then get together when it gets cooler.
May – Hot air balloon ride
I ticked off a major item on my bucket list by riding in a hot air balloon. I was a little nervous about this as I had very high expectations. And when I’m so excited about doing something, I usually end up letting myself down. However, I am happy to say that the hot air balloon ride did not disappoint and the tranquil feeling of floating above the world was incredible.
June – Glamping in Anglesey
Until this summer, I hadn’t really seen much of Anglesey, a beautiful little island, even though it was an hour and a half from my house. But that all changed after our glamping trip with Wonderfully Wild in June. I fell in love with Anglesey and now return as often as possible. And this glamping experience was one of the first glamping trips I ever went on that felt truly luxurious. These safari tents are great, but I can’t really recommend them for family vacations.
July – Yoga retreat in Fuerteventura
This was my second trip to Azure Fit for a yoga and Pilates retreat, and I left feeling just as refreshed, energized, and relaxed as the first time, and I’m looking forward to another trip in 2018 I think. This place is an incredible little piece of heaven.
July – Timisoara in Romania
This was one of the most exciting weeks of 2017 as I had no idea what to expect in Timisoara, Romania. But what I found was a beautiful small town full of charm, character, and great nightlife. Not only that, but the temperatures were boiling and the city’s outdoor pools were pure bliss.
August – Road trip through the north of England
From Northumberland to the Lake District, Scarborough, the best of Yorkshire’s countryside, Harrogate, Manchester and Liverpool oh. It was a hectic, hectic journey, but an amazing one. See Bamburgh Castle, go coastelling, see Brimham Rocks, cycle part of the Tour de Yorkshire route, have afternoon tea at Betty’s Tea Rooms, have a great evening in Manchester, Then we had the best brunch ever and another great night in Manchester. Liverpool.
September – A weekend in the Cotswolds
Moving on to a quieter journey, the Cotswolds was the perfect getaway at the end of a busy summer. We stayed in a beautiful thatched cottage and spent the weekend wandering around the countryside, enjoying hearty pub lunches and exploring the beautiful small towns of the Cotswolds.
September – Tenerife
Elle and I traveled to Tenerife for just 4 days and had such an amazing time. We discovered a completely different side of this popular island and found it was much more than just beaches and booze.
September – Glamping in an airstream trailer
Return to Anglesey and stay overnight in a vintage Airstream trailer. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do with two little boys, but it was so much fun and I’m so glad to be back in Wales.
November – A cottage holiday in Harlech
This was a wonderfully relaxing short break in Harlech, a wonderful little beach town in Wales with the perfect combination of history, old stone buildings, lovely little shops, great places to eat and beautiful sandy beaches.
November – Tenerife for the second time!
I haven’t blogged about our amazing family trip to Tenerife yet. We had such a great time and we want to show it. For Sam and I, it was a very easygoing holiday and very relaxing, being able to spend time with the kids without having to worry about anything.
December – Warsaw
Our last trip of 2017 was a weekend in Warsaw. Warsaw’s Old Town is truly amazing and the whole city is full of interesting history and festive charm.
Golden moments of 2018…
Now comes the difficult part. What do I want my golden moments to look like next year?
Is it cheating to say more of the same thing?
I really enjoyed traveling more around the UK this year and hope to do the same in 2018. I love showing people how beautiful Britain is and proving that you don’t necessarily have to travel far to enjoy beautiful scenery wonderful holiday.
What were your Golden Moments from 2017 and what would you like them to be in 2018?
Share #GoldenMoments on social media using the hashtag and tag Yogi Tea as well. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
How to make your own cup of Golden Milk
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If you want to make a cup of golden milk, it’s really easy.
Yogi Tea’s new blend, Turmeric Chai, is made by boiling tea bags in milk for about 5 minutes. It bubbles and the scent of turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger fills your home. Boil brownies on a wood stove in a copper cup and earn Festive Brownie He Points!
This post was created in partnership with Yogi Tea