2022 has been an amazing year of travel and adventures for me. It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these yearly recap posts – I skipped 2020 and 2021, for obvious reasons. But travel is certainly back post-pandemic, and I loved getting to look back at my favorite travel experiences of the year.

There’s no real criteria for a moment to make this post – I just have to have enjoyed the experience. In 2016, some of my top moments were seeing Victoria Falls in Zambia from a microlight and moving to the UK. In 2017, I picked White Nights in St. Petersburg, Russia, and seeing the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. For 2018, I chose eating all the food in Georgia and finally experiencing the magnificent beauty of Iceland. In 2019, I loved my adventures around the Balkans and wild camping on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

So without further ado, these were my favorite travel experiences in 2022!

Orkney – literally everything about Orkney

Possibly (probably) the best trip of my entire life was my trip to Orkney, an archipelago of islands off the north coast of Scotland, this summer. It’s nearly impossible to pick one favorite moment or experience, as for 10 days I did all my favorite things, all day, every single day. Hiking along the coast, swimming on pristine beaches, exploring ancient historic sites, spotting puffins – these were daily occurences on my Orkney trip.

I loved visiting the Ring of Brodgar at 8:30am, an early morning start that paid off as I had the entire site to myself. There was literally no one else there.

After hiking to see the Old Man of Hoy on the island of Hoy, I stayed overnight in the bothy at Rackwick Bay. The sun was shining and I sat outside, watching a seal bob about in the water, gazing at the cliffs of Dunnet Head on the Scottish mainland in the distance.

I took the shortest commercial flight in the world between the islands of Papa Westray and Westray. This was an absolute bucket list moment – the flight can be under 60 seconds if the wind is good!

Possibly one of the greatest moments of my year, and of my life in general, was as I was driving up the north coast on the way to Orkney. I took back the places I loved, where I had bad memories from 2020. The sun was shining, I was driving with the windows down, blasting my jams on my mix CDs. I was free. It was absolute pure joy. It was one of the happiest experiences of my life.

Read More: Orkney: What You Need to Know Before You Go, What to Pack For a Trip to Orkney, Scotland, How Much Does it Cost to Visit Orkney on a Budget?, The World’s Shortest Commercial Flight: Papa Westray to Westray With Loganair, Where to See Puffins on Orkney, Hoy Orkney: Visiting the Old Man of Hoy and Rackwick Bay, A Travel Guide For Papa Westray, Orkney, What to See and Do on Westray, Orkney

My whole trip to Greece

I’d been waiting to go to Greece for years. I always wanted to go with my ex-husband, and we had actually booked it twice and had the trip canceled both times. The first was when he nearly died in a car crash in 2019, the second was in 2020. Our flight was canceled due to covid well in advance – on the day we should have flown, I found out he was cheating on me. I knew I still wanted to go after we split, and for a variety of reasons it wasn’t until September 2022 that I finally, FINALLY, got to go to Greece.

So Greece was not only my 30th birthday present to myself, it was my divorce present to myself – and I don’t think I’ve ever deserved a trip more. The entire trip was strong treat yo’self vibes, as I drank wine on rooftops and watched sunsets, in love with myself and fully returned to my solo travel roots. I listened to ABBA, stepped back in time at ancient monuments, and swam in sparkling clear water. It was simply perfection.

Watching the sunset in Oia on Santorini was a bucket-list moment. It’s one of those moments that everyone dreams of, that iconic photo that everyone wants. It was pure bliss for me. I enjoyed it so much more because I was alone, because I was traveling solo, because I was happy with myself and happy with my life. They say a picture is worth a thousand words!

Turning 30 in the Lake District

30, flirty and thriving – and hiking up mountains in the Lakes, popping a bottle at the top, surrounded by incredible views. I spent my birthday this year in the Lake District, which is where I’ve spent it every year that I’ve been in the UK. On the day of my actual birthday, I met up with my friend Ashley to do the Mosedale Horseshoe in Wasdale. I’ve been slowly ticking off Wainwrights – notable fells in the Lake District, there are 214 of them altogether – and finished my 30th birthday by bagging my 50th Wainwright. It was a long, hard, challenging day – but what a day it was! I carried a bottle of prosecco all day and popped it on the summit of Pillar. We descended down and had a well-deserved pint and meal in the pub to finish off the day. It was perfection.

I actually ended up with an extra day of my trip due to the Queen’s funeral (it was an extra public holiday in the UK), and hiked Kirk Fell in the morning. On my way out of Wasdale to start the drive back home, I stopped to swim in Wastwater, the deepest lake in England. It was wonderful. The water was crystal clear, and I swam surrounded by mountains I’ve climbed. It was such a perfect moment and an incredible way to end my birthday weekend.

Summiting mountains in the Cairngorms with a bunch of random Scottish men I’d met in a bothy

The best travel experiences are often unplanned. Those spontaneous moments, those impetuous decisions that make the most exciting memories. Over Easter, I took a road trip to the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, and stayed at the bothy in Glen Feshie on my first night. I ended up meeting a great group of retired Scottish men, who invited me to join them on their route the next day – I was planning on hiking the same mountain, but from a different route.

I wasn’t totally sure, mainly as I had planned on going back to my car and didn’t have enough food. And with the exception of my dad, I hadn’t actually hiked with a man since the emotionally painful experiences with my ex. This group were all much older than me (by about 30-35 years!), but what if I slowed them down? What if something went wrong and I was stuck in the actual middle of fucking nowhere with a bunch of strangers? Well, fuck it – I said yes! It was a grueling 13-mile, 7-hour hike through snow and bog, but we did it. The selfie I took of all of us together at the top is one of my favorite photos from the entire year.

Read More: Cairngorms National Park Travel Guide: What to See and Do, A Bothy Guide for Beginners: What to Know About Bothies in Britain

Hiking the West Highland Way

This 96-mile long-distance trail has been on my bucket list for a while. I set off at the end of August to complete the hike, and it was simply incredible. The weather was perfect – I have no idea how I got so lucky! I got to hike through unbelievably remote areas of the UK, where there are no roads and no houses and no other people, just hikers on the trail. I got to see so much of Scotland and experience this beautiful country like never before. Finishing in Fort William was such a huge accomplishment for me.

There are so many smaller individual moments that made this trip special, but the one that sticks out is the descent into Glencoe. It was on day 5, my longest day of the trek – I’d walked about 19 miles that day. I came around the bend to see the impressive Glencoe peaks, sunlight streaming down between the mountaintops, the purple heather in bloom alongside the path. I could see the pub in the near distance. It was perfect.

Riding the Jacobite Steam Train

My entire West Highland Way trip was planned around one experience in particular, which actually had nothing to do with the hike besides that it was in Fort William. I finally took the Jacobite Steam Train through the Scottish Highlands, from Fort William to Mallaig! It’s often called the Hogwarts Express, as the train goes over Glenfinnan Viaduct – a famous scene from the Harry Potter movies. Crossing the viaduct on the train was a dream come true for a HP fan like myself. Even if you don’t care about Harry Potter, the scenery is spectacular. I recommend doing the journey on a normal Scotrail service, to see the area on a cheaper trip.

Spotting puffins all over the UK

I absolutely adore puffins – they are just so cute and I love them! I actually planned most of my trips this spring around puffin season. Luckily, I managed to visit the Farne Islands in Northumberland before they closed the islands due to avian (bird) flu. I saw puffins almost daily on my trip to Orkney. And I saw puffins close to home on my visits to Bempton Cliffs on the Yorkshire Coast. I love that I got to plan my trips this year around these experiences!

Read More: Where to See Puffins on Orkney, Puffin Heaven: A Guide to the Farne Islands, Northumberland

Eating and drinking my way around New Orleans

I had a BLAST on my trip to New Orleans this spring. The primary reason for my trip was to get to my best friend’s wedding in Florida, and New Orleans airport had the cheapest flights for me. But NOLA was just so much fun – such a fun city with amazing music, food, drink, and attractions. My friend Lisa and I ate so much during our time there, and there’s nothing like a night out on Bourbon Street if you like to party. This is one of my top recommendations for US travel.

Read More: New Orleans Travel Guide: What to Do and Where to Eat and Drink

Hiking the Foss Way

During the many months/years of lockdown, I started walking a lot of the paths along the River Foss in York. The Foss Way is a 28-mile trail, from where the Foss meets the Ouse in the center of York, to the source of the river at Oulston Reservoir. The trail finishes in Easingwold. I’d walked over one-third of the trail prior to 2022, so why not do the entire thing?! I spent one weekend in March and split the hike over two days – it was such a great experience! And a good reminder that you don’t need to travel far or have a lot of time off work to have an adventure.

Read More: The Foss Walk: Hiking the River Foss From York to Easingwold

Going underground at Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales

Gaping Gill is one of the biggest caves in England, and it’s home to the highest waterfall in England – it’s partly underground, so not everyone counts it. For most of the year, it’s only accessible to cavers. But there are two weekends each year where the local potholing clubs set up a chair winch, and you can take a trip down inside the cave. I did this in August, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the Dales! I woke up at 5am, and there was a lot of waiting around, but getting to go 98 meters (322 feet) underground and wander around the cave was just amazing. This is definitely one experience to put on your Yorkshire bucket list!

Discovering the Howgills and the Cumbrian Yorkshire Dales

There’s an area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park that’s located in the county of Cumbria, home to the Howgill Fells. Although it’s just over 2 hours from where I live in York, I’d never been. But this summer I set off for a weekend of hiking and outdoor adventures from Kirkby Stephen, and I loved it! I can’t believe I’d never been here before! Some of my favorite spots were Nine Standards Rigg, Wild Boar Fell, Cautley Spout, the Calf, and Sedbergh.

Read More: How to Spend a Weekend Around the Howgills, Cumbria

A hot-air balloon flight over York

Last year, I’d received a voucher from Virgin Balloon Flights for a hot-air balloon ride over York, as a thank you for my permission to use one of my photos on their website. The trip was canceled four times before I finally got to go one early morning in July – fifth times the charm. I’d never been in a hot-air balloon and it was so surreal! I loved the experience and would definitely love to go again – in York, or somewhere else in the world.

Finishing the Yorkshire Coast

This summer, I realized I’d hiked nearly half of the Yorkshire Coast between Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Bridlington. So I decided on a whim, why not hike the whole thing? It took me many different daytrips, as I’d previously done many different sections of varying length, and some sections I needed to do as an out-and-back as there was no public transport connecting my start/end points. But in December I finally finished at the harbor in Bridlington – my last section! I’ve hiked it all and I loved this challenge for myself!

Exploring Marrakech (and returning to Africa)

I chose to visit Morocco on a whim – I wanted to go somewhere over Christmas that was warm, and that would be a new country for me. The cheapest flights on the days I wanted to travel were to Marrakech, so off I flew! It was chaotic and I was well outside of my comfort zone for the first day or two. But by the end, I was walking straight into traffic to cross the street with barely a second glance, as if I’d been there for ages. I loved getting to visit somewhere so completely different from what I know. It was also a great destination for Christmas, as Morocco is a Muslim country – it was business as usual there, which was so different to experience! I also loved getting to return to Africa. I first visited the continent in 2016 when I went to Zambia, and it was great going back as a more experienced traveler. I can’t wait to see where my next destination in Africa will be!

While the whole trip was great, Christmas Day was particularly special. A group of us in the hostel spent the evening on the rooftop, sharing champagne and beer and snacks, swapping travel stories, talking about politics and places we’ve been and all sorts of things. It was one of those classic hostel experiences, and so meaningful to spend Christmas night with a group of kind and wonderful strangers.

Visiting Rachel in Groningen

One of the most meaningful travel experiences I had in 2022 was flying out to the Netherlands to visit my best friend. She’s doing her PhD in Groningen, a city I’d never been to. I decided to take a long weekend trip to go see her, and it was so great! I loved getting to see her city from her perspective, and to get to experience part of her life abroad. I love sharing my life in York with friends, and it’s so special for me when people come visit me. It was equally meaningful to do the reverse, and get to see one of my friends in their adopted city. Groningen is also a really cool city, with a great atmosphere!

Read More: A City Break to Groningen, the Netherlands

Getting to see so many friends/family all over

I started 2022 with my boo, Brayoon, visiting Minneapolis for the first time. I loved getting to show him my hometown! This set the trend for the year, as I got to see so many friends and family – some of whom I hadn’t seen since the pandemic, or even longer than that. I got to meet up with so many work colleagues for the first time in real life! I finally saw my friend Emma in Lincoln. I met up with Ashley for hikes all over the country. I went for swims with Sally all over Yorkshire. I had so many wonderful times with wonderful friends.

I feel so lucky and blessed that I got to be at my best friend’s wedding in Florida. Sigrid and I hadn’t seen each other in 6 years, since I’d moved to the UK – can you believe that?! It was such a special experience to be there at her wedding and celebrate with her and Ian. We met up first in an ice cream shop in Pensacola and bawled our eyes out.

My parents also came to visit me in York, which was so fun! I had a great time showing them more of my favorite places in Yorkshire. I especially loved our hike around Malham in the Yorkshire Dales – it was perfect weather, and such a quintessential Yorkshire spot.

I’ve had friends come visit me in York, but one of the most special visits was when Connor (finally) came to the UK in September! Connor and I have been friends for over a decade, and he’d never been to the UK, or York. And he obviously hadn’t been since I moved! His trip was short and sweet, but it meant so much that he was finally able to come visit.

As I finish off the year, I’m so happy to have traveled so much with my friend Lisa. We had so much fun (maybe too much fun on my part, haha!) in New Orleans in April, and our trip to Morocco over Christmas was just the best. I almost always travel solo, and I’m so picky about who I travel with – but we get along so well together and she’s a great travel partner. I’m grateful to have traveled with her twice this year!

 

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Making the decision, finally, to go to Australia

It’s been nearly a decade in the making, but in 2022 I finally decided to take the leap and move to Australia for a year. I’ve wanted to do this since I was 21, and as the age cut-off for the working holiday visa is 30, I knew I needed to go now if I was going to go. In February, my company announced a huge restructure, I had no idea if I’d keep a job or not, and by the time the summer rolled around I was pretty sure I’d be moving Down Under. I applied for the visa at the end of October, and finally announced the decision in mid-December. I am nervous and scared shitless, but also so excited for the adventure that awaits!

Read More: Surprise – I’m Moving to Australia!

While they’re not travel experiences, I have had so many important personal milestones in 2022 that it would be unfair not to mention them on the blog. In addition to all of the above amazing travel moments, I’ve continued rebuilding my life after the world came crashing down on me in 2020. I (FINALLY) got divorced, and threw myself the most epic Divorce Party that’s ever happened. I celebrated my one-year ILR-a-versary. I actually dated, maybe not very successfully haha, but I tried! And the small number of guys who made it past the first date this year were really, truly, great guys.

I managed to keep a job in travel after another turbulent company restructure, and had incredible professional opportunities to grow and develop. I supported myself financially, and budgeted hard. I was able to have an amazing year of travel in spite of financial stress/pressures. Both my physical and mental health improved by leaps and bounds – I have never been stronger or fitter than I have this year. I’ve been in the best shape of my life, and I’m 30! I am happier than I’ve ever been before, and despite the struggles and challenges, my mental health has never been better. I’ve been able to connect with family and friends all over the world, and spend time with people that matter. These are all important and meaningful to me, even if they have nothing to do with travel.

2022 has been simply amazing. I’ve accomplished major goals, experienced the best trips of my life, and traveled so much – both locally and further afield. After such a travel-filled year, I can’t wait to see what adventures 2023 will bring!

Happy New Year and here’s to an adventurous 2023! Thank you all so much for supporting my blog <3

What were your favorite travel experiences in 2022?! Any travel plans on the horizon for 2023?