In 2015 I visited seven countries spanning four continents. I visited my dream destination, South Africa, as well as revisiting Italy, France and Turkey, Singapore and Indonesia. At the end of the year I added a huge tick to my bucket list by staying at Jade Mountain in St Lucia which was on my wanderlust wish list for 2015.
So what does 2016 hold for SilverSpoon?
Current Travel Plans for 2016
January 2016 – Paris
In January Mr S and I will be celebrating five years together by jumping on the Eurostar and heading to the capital of romance, Paris. I’ve got all the restaurants booked – natch – but having been to Paris a few times I’ve got a little something different planned for celebrating our wooden anniversary. Did you know there was such a thing as a wooden anniversary? I’m going to consider it the wooden spoon anniversary…
Having said that also expect quite a few Instagrams of macarons, the Eiffel tower and hot chocolates from Angelina…
March 2016 – Cornwall
I’m very excited to be invited down to Cornwall to stay in another one of my bucket list hotels.
- Image from iStock
Mr S and I are very much looking forward to a romantic jaunt to the South-West of England to enjoy a brisk walk on the beach, stunning coastal views and sample some of Rick Stein’s famous seafood. If you have any local favourites please let me know as I haven’t visited Cornwall since I was a child.
March 2016 – Florence
The beautiful Italian city of Florence already has a huge place in my heart as Mr S and I visited last year on a mini moon, just a day after our wedding. We simply loved the food, the architecture and discovering everything that the beautiful birthplace of the Renaissance had to offer.
This time I think it will be even more wonderful as we’ll be returning for my best friend’s wedding and I going to be bridesmaid! I can’t imagine anything more romantic than getting married with the rolling hills of Tuscany as a backdrop and I simply can’t wait! Though the trip will be about the wedding and I’ll be on bridesmaid duty, I’m hoping to try some great local restaurants and perhaps try and fit in a wine tour of Chianti.
May 2016 – Brazil and Peru
Earlier this year I wrote a post about places that I couldn’t get out of my head. I mentioned that, having never been to South America before, I was very keen to visit Brazil and Peru. Well it took a little convincing but I did manage to talk Mr Silver into it! We’ll be going for two and half weeks to party in Rio, eat ceviche in Lima and discover the history of the Incas in Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. I literally can’t wait for this epic adventure and I’ll be posting a more thorough itinerary nearer the time and asking for hints and tips of how to make the most of our time there.
Image provide by Inkaterra Hotels
The trip will involve seven destinations and six flights so I’ve also promised Mr Silver a holiday where he just gets to lie of the beach for a week…
Wanderlust Wishlist
Travel destinations that top my bucket list seem to change on a regular basis depending on what I’ve been reading lately, my current foodie obsession or something I’ve seen on TV. Currently I’m thinking about:
Japan
An obsession of mine which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at the moment is a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun. I would love to eat in world class restaurants and experience the intriguing pop culture in Tokyo, head to Hakone to see Mount Fuji and take in the culture and tradition of Kyoto. What really appeals to me about Japan, apart from trying authentic sushi, is the total ‘otherness’ of the country. Somewhere totally different to the Western culture that I’m used to, where I can get lost in translation and explore that wonderful contrast between old and new.
Iceland
I would also love to go to Iceland for a long weekend next year, mainly because of all the beautiful and enviable photos I’ve seen on other travel blogs.
In a short visit to Iceland I’d try and squeeze in some culture on Reykjavik as well as experiencing the natural wonders of the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle. I particularly love the idea of staying at the romantic Hotel Ranga where you can totally immerse yourself in the wilderness of Iceland and maybe get a view of the Northern Lights.
Argentina
Whilst doing my research on Brazil and Peru I kept stumbling on beautiful pictures of Argentina. Though we wouldn’t have time to include a visit on our South America trip this time, the birthplace of the tango, is now firmly on my bucket list.
Some of my friends have told me the vibrant city of Buenos Aires with its beautiful architecture, history and art is one of the best places they’ve ever visited. Also on my list for this trip would be a visit to Mendoza, a place with beautiful mountainous surrounding and one of the world’s best wine regions with some of the best restaurants in Argentina. I’d also include a visit to Bariloche on my Argentinian bucket list and a visit to the Lake District of Patagonia. I’m actually paying a very short visit to Argentina as our hotel in Iguazu Falls can arrange a trip to the Argentinian side to see the falls from a different perspective.
Budapest
I’d also love to take some time to see more of Europe and I’ve yet to see much of Eastern Europe. Hungary, especially Budapest, particularly intrigues me as one of the most historic cities in Europe.
Mr S is a little reluctant as he’s already been several times for stag parties, but I’d love for us to go together and learn about the rich Jewish history of the city. I’d also love to do a gourmet tour of the city and find out more about traditional Hungarian food and get some insider tips on where to eat.
Unless stated images that are not my own have been taken from iStock.
Blogging Resolutions
Last year on the 1st of January I stated my blogging resolutions to improve my photography, meet more bloggers, post regularly, attend some workshops and move to WordPress. I’m happy to say I achieved all of those goals and I’m so proud of how far my blog has come in the last year. This year I was thinking about what goals to set myself and I thought I’d sent one simple one: continue to be happy. I don’t want to get cheesy but my blog has enriched my life in so many ways; I’ve had exciting adventures, met new people, consistently stepped out of my comfort zone and learnt new skills. I just want to carry on enjoying myself, write more, take more photos and carry on meeting my new friends.
I’m excited to be the new host of the travel link up and this is my post for January.
