Today marks a very special milestone in my life - today, I have been travelling for exactly a year. I can't quite believe it; even my mum said that out of everyone I grew up with I was the last person she expected to jump on a plane, leave England behind and embark on a solo exploration of the world. And yet, one year on here I am in Australia with 7 months left on my working holiday visa, happy memories from time spent in 15 different countries and a truckload of places still on my travel wish list. Things may not have got off to the best start - I got so sunburnt on day 1 of my travels in Ecuador that my skin was bright red for two weeks - but since then I've learnt a lot about how to travel, making the most of the lifestyle and, most importantly, about myself.
Here are 52 highlights for the 52 weeks I've been on the road:
South America (April/May 2014)
1* Spotting and photographing a toucan at the last possible opportunity. We'd seen a few during our wildlife safaris in the Pantanal (an area of swampland the size of France!) but they were generally hidden behind branches and always flew off long before we managed to snap even the quickest of photos. I was losing hope of getting a decent view of this seemingly elusive bird when, on our way out of Iguassu Falls (the last place on our itinerary toucans call home) our driver casually pointed one out - and carried on driving! Following a panicked 'can you stop can you stop can you stop' I managed to scramble out of the car, slowly move into position and get the view and shot I'd been waiting for.
2* Standing alone in the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia surrounded by blinding white, feeling simultaneously absolutely insignificant and all-powerful. As someone who asks for the Planet Earth DVDs for their birthday, I've always been in awe of the natural world, but this experience was one of the first to really bring it home.
3* Watching the thick cloud clear in an instant and reveal Machu Picchu shining under beautifully clear skies. It was one of those moments where you're utterly transfixed - I just sat staring for ten minutes before I felt I was able to get up and start exploring.
4* Underwater experiences in the Galápagos Islands: getting the fright of my life when a gigantic sea turtle came into view during a snorkelling sesh, swimming with sea lion cubs and paddling with infant black tip sharks.
5* Finding the absolutely stunning natural saltwater pool in Trindade, near Paraty. Shallow water shimmering in the afternoon sun, curious blue and yellow fish drawn to you like a magnet, flat rocks perfect for sun baking, ocean on one side and jungle on the other = one of the best and most relaxing day trips I've experienced.
6* Swimming in the warm tropical waters off Paraty during a caipirinha booze cruise, strolling along hidden beaches and scrambling up slippery rocks to feed minuscule fluffy monkeys pieces of apple.
7* The breathtaking nighttime view of Rio from Sugarloaf. There's something about a city when it's fallen under the spell of darkness; the twinkle of brightly lit homes and an otherworldly sense of beauty that holds your gaze even when the sinking sun brings about a dramatic change in temperature. Standing on top of Signal Hill in Cape Town watching the sun set over the ocean and the city was worth the freezing cold, and New York is equally stunning at night. Times Square is so well lit that it feels like the middle of the day, even at midnight, plus all the stores are open until 1am.
The States (May/June 2014)
8* Feeling completely relaxed and at one with the world in a gorgeously warm outdoor hot tub gazing up at a pitch black sky lit up with countless bright white stars in the Eastern Sierras.
9* Being absolutely mesmerised by the beauty and colours of Horseshoe Bend - why this was only a half an hour stop en route I'll never know.
10* Yosemite National Park. All of it - the waterfalls gushing down from great heights in a powerful rage, the mirror-effect lakes, the lovely beaches framed by towering mountains, the lush greenery and clean air that came as a relief after two weeks spent in desert-like landscapes...everything was just epic. Clambering onto and crawling through fallen sequoias was a definite highlight.
11* Getting mashed at my first ever rodeo and barn dance. Who knew watching crazy fools getting thrown off angry-ass horses could be so much fun?
12* Going horseback riding through the Wild West and chowing down on an amazing homemade meal at cowboy camp
13* Shedding my flip cup and dirty Jenga v-plates in the cowboy camp party barn
14* Rocking up to a VIP pool party in Vegas for free where we watched Zedd do a DJ set. Being stone cold sober and having one of the best nights of my life
15* Chatting to the locals in New York - probably the friendliest bunch of people I've met.
16* Sipping fancy cocktails and socialising at a swanky rooftop bar in NYC wearing a fluffy red dressing gown. Watching the Empire State Building glitter in the background made it well worth the cold
17* Strolling across Brooklyn Bridge. I can't explain why I enjoyed this so much but it's a memory that stands out whenever I think back to New York.
Europe (July/August 2014)
18* Sitting on the sidewalk watching a lightning storm rage over St Mark's Square in Venice. There was no thunder, 'just' what felt like hundreds of purple flashes per minute.
19* Blogging down the side streets & on the main path by the canals and open water in Venice soaking up the beauty of my surroundings. I remember finally understanding the role this incredible floating city played in the creation of literary masterpieces dreamed up by the Romantic poets.
20* Similarly, blogging in the afternoon sun on Champs de Mars with the Eiffel Tower as a rather spectacular backdrop. Talk about inspiration! I crafted the blog post I'm most proud of during my time in Paris; you can read it here.
21* The sense of achievement after finally finding the old railway line that runs around the city, La Petite Ceinture; and the solitude and padlocked gates giving it a forbidden air that only made me want to explore more.
22* Breezing straight through the Barcelona night clubs we'd queued to get into and making a beeline for the beach - and staying there until 6am
23* Meeting Lakk. Funny how you meet someone for a couple of days in a random city then end up hanging out with them every weekend when you happen to move to their home city #Barcabesties #babutz
24* Making the taxi driver take a late night detour and stop for 10 minutes at the Sagrada Familia en route to the airport because it's one of my favourite buildings in the world - and because it features in a scene in an Almodovar movie that I love and moves me to tears every time.
Africa (August/September 2014)
25* Watching in awe as a giraffe stepped out right in front of our boat on my first ever African safari. It was so close I could hardly breathe; plus I'd got the shock of my life as it had been surprisingly well camouflaged in the bushes
26* Feeling like I was on a movie set with so many species of exotic animal everywhere I looked
27* Eating beautifully cooked dinners around the campfire while herds of zebra walked past or foraged in nearby bushes for food
28* Frozen in a bizarre mix of wonder and terror as a territorial white rhino charged straight towards our window in the truck (luckily it was all bravado and it didn't come too close)
29* Spotting an elusive leopard and watching it drag its kill up a nearby tree
30* Watching as a huge elephant lumbered straight in-between our safari truck and another. Getting closer than I ever thought possible to these animals in the wild (until I got to Asia)
31* Being lulled to sleep by the sounds of elephants in the distance and waking up to a pack of lions frolicking in the grass (a safe distance away) and tales of hyenas, giraffes & lions gracing our camp site during the night
32* The ocean views and beautiful houses at Clifton on a very long walk back from Camp's Bay back to my hostel in Cape Town (Atlantic Point)
33* Drinking the AP bar dry of wine #somethingsneverchange
34* Meeting Matty. Tacos. Strawberry daiquiris. Pancakes. Camp's Bay. Waterfront. KFC. Game of Thrones. Duvet days. Grilled cheese. Coastal walks. Laughter, happiness, love. A month I will never forget :)
35* Demolishing the best pizza I've ever tasted in my life at Meloncino
36* Getting an amazing bird's eye view of a whale on the cliff tops at Cape Point as it surfaced
37* Watching Southern Right whales breach just off the coast in chilly Hermanus, drinking hot chocolate and all snuggled up in fluffy blankets
38* Being wowed rather than terrified by four metre long great white sharks breaching in the middle of the ocean
39* Braai night at AP - melt in your mouth steak and dangerously delicious toasted cheese sandwiches. Good food, good company, stupid amounts of ping pong...Wednesday nights were the biz.
40* Soaking up the view from the top of Lion's Head. Only remembering my fear of heights once I'd reached the top (duh) and having to scale back down ladders, foot holds and slippery paths with shaky legs and a dizzy head. Perhaps not a highlight in itself but a proud accomplishment given the circumstances!
41* Meeting the friendliest, most wonderful people at AP. I'm lucky to call lots of places my second home but this really, truly is. I would love to go back one day.
South East Asia (October/November 2014)
42* Watching hundreds of glowing orange lanterns float into the night sky at the Yi Peng festival in Chiang Mai. The festival had been on my wish list for years, and it was nothing short of magical to finally be there in person, and release my own lantern.
43* Spending a day with rescued elephants in Chiang Mai. Feeding, bathing and getting to know these enormous yet incredibly docile animals remains one of my best experiences to date - if you ever go to Thailand's northern provinces I would 100% recommend spending time at the Elephant Retirement Park.
44* Spotting endangered 'pink' dolphins, or Chinese white dolphins, in Hong Kong. Learning that while they (and Amazon river dolphins) appear pink they are actually white; the pink colour comes from blood rushing to the surface following exertion such as swimming, breaching etc.
45* Strolling along the waterfront promenade in Hong Kong. Simple pleasures are sometimes the greatest
Australia (November - April 2014/2015)
46* Going on a day trip down the Great Ocean Road - soaking up the views of secluded beaches, the shimmering deep blue ocean and spotting koalas in the wild for the first time
47* Signing for the Weston Street house. WHAT a house - awesome housemates, epic house parties and the best location with pubs & bars on one side and Italian/Lebanese restaurants on the other
48* The beach! Being close (ish) enough to the beach to spend a day there at the weekends and go on some beautiful coastal walks, my second favourite thing to do after whale watching :)
49* Walking in Princes Park, the local park just around the corner from my house. This may not sound like much, but with palm trees, exotic birdlife and the opportunity to make the most of the weather, the park reminds me that I'm 16,000 km away from home whenever I'm feeling settled and restless.
50* Living in the city. There's no going back to country bumpkin living after this; with beaches, parks, street art, laneways, hidden bars, rooftops and avocado brunch recipes to boot, Melbourne is a great place to live.
51* The sun coming out for a trip to Bondi after two days of torrential rain
52* Booking my flights to New Zealand! With NZ, the east coast of Aus and possibly Fiji or Bali on the cards over the next couple of months, I can't wait to make new memories during my second year of travel.
