Travel plans
If there’s one thing that’s always true of me, it’s that I love to have a trip in my schedule to look forward to.
Knowing there’s a trip or two (or more) in the calendar fills me me enthusiasm and, especially during the dark, wet UK winters, a level of comfort knowing there’s sunshine and relaxation ahead.
I know, I’m lucky
I travel an inordinate amount, but I’m very lucky on a few fronts.
Firstly, I’m based in London (after 25 years here, I still don’t call it home, but that’s a whole different story), which is connected to the world via a plethora of airports. I can get to London City Airport in 30 minutes, door to door on public transport, from where I can get to most countries in Europe. London is just incredibly well connected and the choice of airports and airlines means competition - which means better deals for me.
Secondly, I work for myself, so I can gift myself any numbers of days off. I don’t tend to take significantly more than my peers (I think!) but I have the advantage of only consulting one person when booking time off: me.
Thirdly, the nature of my job means I can do so much of it while on the move or while in another country. It might be writing for the blog, editing a podcast episode or even running some training via a webinar. It matters little where I am, I just need a good quality internet connection and my laptop.
Travels to date
2024 has been a bumper year for travel so far. I’ve visited Vienna for the first time, enjoying a wonderful weekend of sunshine and walks around one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. And a cake or two!
I also enjoyed a weekend in Tallinn, Estonia - again, my first visit. A first to any of the Baltic States. I loved it and will definitely go back - if only for the excellent selection of craft beer venues and plentiful saunas.
I celebrated my birthday in Japan, with a combined onsen visit in Hakone and an incredible afternoon tea in Tokyo. I spent the East long weekend in Mallorca, pretending it was summer and wearing shorts when it really wasn’t warm enough yet! And I had an incredible week in Sitges, partaking of the very excellent Pride festival they organise every year.
Phew.
Time for a sit down, no? No.
Travels to come
I have some delicious trips planned throughout the rest of 2024 too. This weekend, I’m off to Malaga for the first time, with my favourite travel buddy. Next month, I have a week booked in Sitges (again!) where I go for a quiet retreat every year. The very opposite of Pride’s over-consumption and general bacchanalian partying.
Just over a week after that, I’m going to Singapore for a week, where I’ll no doubt eat my own body-weight in excellent food.
Back in the UK, September and October will see several business trips to Edinburgh and Dublin, which I’m really looking forward to. I always get to mix business with pleasure on these visits and have a couple of nice dinners lined up with local friends.
November sees a return to Japan, and we’ll be visiting Osaka and Tokyo. The final trip of the year (so far) is another first: Porto, in December, for a long weekend of exploration, eating and drinking. I’m looking forward to more of that incredible Portuguese hospitality.
Too much?
To my mind, there’s no such thing. One thing that changed about me as a result of the COVID pandemic was a very strong urge to carpe diem, and see as much of the world as I possibly can.
I’d like to leave this earth with absolutely nothing left on my bucket list. And right now, it’s mostly full of places I’d like to see with my own eyes. Yes, it’s a small world but it’s also a very big planet.
Now. Time to write my packing list for Malaga.