It’s been a while since I did a post summing up my year (in fact, it’s been a long time since I wrote about anything other than Russia…) but I feel like I did a lot in 2019, so I wanted to take a look back on everything that happened. And not just regarding travel, but life as a whole (but still mostly travel).
The travel part of this review will come a bit later, but for now I wanted to focus on the things I did this year that really made me feel proud. Incidentally, the last “year in review” post I wrote was at the end of 2015. Yikes.
A friend of made shared one of those very rare feel-good posts on Facebook recently, that just simply said: tell me one thing you did this year that you are proud of. It was simple and a bit cheesy, but it was a really nice sentiment and the idea stuck with me for a while – and probably became the inspiration behind this blog post.
My top 5 achievements of 2019
In 2019, I achieved a few things that I would probably consider to be on my ‘bucket-list’ (as well as just a few things I’d been meaning to do for a while, i.e. years.) This was perhaps motivated by the fact I will be turning 30 next year but who can say?
5. Falling back in love with blogging
Blogging on the road in Russia in 2019
One thing I am proud of doing this year is getting back into blogging. I gave up the blog almost entirely in 2017, dabbled again a bit in 2018, but starting in 2019 I launched a full re-vamp with a new name, new domain and some fantastic icons as provided by Sabina H Schmitz.
I’ve carried on blogging throughout the year and while I still continuously have more blog ideas than I have time to write them, I am fairly happy with the balance I have between blogging and everything else.
I still maintain that gaining significant traffic from Google for something you wrote is one of the most satisfying feelings ever!
4. Finally seeing more of Ireland
One of Kilenny’s beautiful grey stone buildings
As achievements go, this is perhaps on a smaller scale, but I made my sixth visit to Ireland in August 2019 – and finally ventured further than County Meath and County Louth! Together with my sister and brother-in-law, we spent a great weekend exploring the pretty town of Kilkenny. Although I am still fairly disappointed we didn’t try our hand at hurling.
3. Visiting the “Big Three” of Central Europe
Me in Budapest in February 2019
Despite my love of all things Central and Eastern European, up until this year I had never been to Budapest, Krakow or Prague – the region’s most popular destinations and biggest draws.
In 2019, I visited all three: a chilly visit to Budapest in February, a sweltering visit to Krakow in August and a foggy visit to Prague in October. Next year I am hoping to write a comparison on my experience in all three cities, which was quite different in each.
As to my favourite of the three? Watch this space…
It was without a doubt the best trip I’ve ever done in my life.
2. Travelling the Trans-Siberian
6am in Moscow at the end of my 9,289km journey
I am still so crazily happy I did this trip. And even more happy that I planned, organised and did it entirely by myself. Spending three weeks alone travelling through Russia had the potential to be a long and lonely experience but it was without a doubt the best trip I’ve ever done in my life.
Russia is absolutely one of my all-time favourite countries to visit and this trip allowed me to see so much of the country. It also made me realise how much I love long-distance train travel, which I would love to do more of in future. My journey this year will absolutely not be the last time I do the Trans-Siberian!
I have written extensively about my trip (with more blog posts still to come), so feel free to check them out or write a comment if you are interested in doing it yourself.
1. Running my first marathon
Around the 27km-mark during the Amsterdam marathon
My number one achievement this year has to be running my first marathon. Genuinely, this was an accomplishment like no other. Never in my life have I ever committed so much time or energy to one single goal. I spent 16 weeks training for the day itself, investing in new running gear and clothes and building my free time (and travel plans) around my runs.
Never in my life have I committed so much time or energy to one single goal
The day itself was hard (like really, really hard) and crossing the finish line was unexpectedly emotional, but the training itself was something I enjoyed more. Almost every week I was pushing myself further and further, clocking up distances I’d never done before. I fell in love with running in a whole new way.
And I can’t wait to do it all again in Berlin on 27 September 2020!
What were your most signification achievements this year?
Comment below!