“This time a year ago...” I was actually in Chiang Mai, Thailand about to head out to food markets pre-a Thai cooking class and then an awesome night out with lanterns, fireworks and ‘challenges’ with one of my besties - I genuinely don’t know where this year has gone!
Some of the highlights for me this year have been, in no particular order:
- Soaring over Rio, Brazil in a helicopter
- Scuba diving in Koh Tao, Thailand
- Having an authentic Russian bath experience (complete with branch beating!)
- Cuddling new born tigers and elephant-riding in Thailand
- Learning to ride a motorbike (and realising it wasn’t for me!), how to milk a cow (also not for me!) and teaching myself Spanish via audio tapes!
- Surviving (barely) a Bikhram yoga class
- Seeing Eminem live at Reading Festival
- Completing a 5k obstacle run
- Eating and partying in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Giving blood (!)
- Turning 30 – with the best afternoon tea ever!
- Being a UK tourist in Edinburgh and Stratford-Upon-Avon
- Eating at some amazing restaurants – Duck & Waffle, The Ivy, Gordon Ramsay, Dans Le Noir (pudding tapas and marmite champagne stand out in particular)
- Fab summer funtimes – Royal Ascot, Glyndebourne, outdoor Shakespeare plays and speedboats down the Thames, Hampton Court food festival
- Living in my Primark Christmas jumper for most of December
- Composing a ‘things to do before 30’ list in a hot tub with one of my besties – then working our way through them faithfully!
- Eating my way around Washington DC, including an Obama hotdog
- Living in central Moscow, Russia with work for two weeks
- Halloween – American style!
- Visiting 12 countries in 12 months and even going through 4 countries in 24 hours
- Seeing the ‘Dream Boys’ in action in Leicester Square
- Finally getting a onesie – courtesy of my roommate / sister at the time
- Joining in with gay parade in Rio, Brazil
- Eating the best calamari ever in Spain by the sea
- Riding skidoos and eating reindeer through frozen Finland
- Hunting for a ‘Rachel’ Diet Coke bottle
- Two of my oldest friends getting married, and one more getting engaged
- Weekly visits to Borough Market!
- Awesome party time in Green Mango, Koh Samui
- Quality sporting time – Rugby Rocks and Six Nations
- Massages, sunsets, pancakes and massive prawns in Thailand
- Visiting more of the world’s must-sees...Iguassu Falls, Christ the Redeemer, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, The White House, Bangkok’s Floating Markets, The Shard...
Times like this make me grateful for everything – I am so fortunate to have such great family, friends and life – with even more fun and adventure on the horizon for 2014. Though at least the first day of 2014 won’t be spent swerving around mountain roads and jungle trekking – all whilst extremely hungover! (though the ‘wash’ in a freezing cold waterfall dip did help...)
Have a great New Year’s Eve, everyone!
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