My 2022 Travel Round Up!

This has been another epic year for me in terms of travelling. We truly took the opportunity of freedom and ran with it after being let out of lockdown.

2022 started with an overland Europe trip, a solo weekend in Edinburgh and starting a working holiday visa in Canada.

January – February

1) Wales

The first two months were spent in our own basement flat in our home country of Wales while we were planning, wrapping things up and finishing off our contracts in work. It was also Scott’s birthday which we always planned to spend in Japan so it was a real shame that we didn’t get to go there. (Japan only opened borders in late 2022)!

I was eating in restaurants in Cardiff like Turkish food in Saray and Spanish Tapas in Curado as well as doing a day trip to London for my Canadian Visa!

March

2) The Netherlands

And come March, it was time to start our epic 4 month trip around Europe in The Netherlands! We caught a one hour flight to Amsterdam staying in the cool neighbourhood of De Pijp before travelling to the countryside of Rotterdam and Delft and then back to Amsterdam.

Delicious apple pie and whipped cream in Cafe Papeneiland Jordaan Amsterdam Food Tour

Bitterballen and pickles on a white plate and red and white napkin with Amsterdam flag on a stick in the centre on Amsterdam food tour with Eating Europe

We rented the cutest log cabin on Airbnb right on the river in Delft where we spent our time exploring, reading, drinking, eating and watching the rowers go by.

The Netherlands Blog Posts

3) Belgium

Next up was Brussels in Belgium where we spent three days drinking coffee and beer, finding statues, eating chocolate and waffles, exploring science museums and counting the flags in the EU quarter.

April

4) Germany

The third country we visited was Germany to surprise our friends in their hometown of Erfurt. It was so much fun seeing them again, getting to know their culture and region in Central Germany. They showed us how to shop for beer, where to find the best bratwurst and how to enjoy their nature. We travelled with them to Eisenach, Wartburg and Weimar.

Afterwards, Scott and I did trips to Nuremberg for the history and markets and Munich to see city surfing, join a food tour and go to a real biergarten.

Stein beer held up by Shireen's right hand in Erfurt at the Munich restaurant

Shireen and Scott with Maxberucke in background Nuremberg Germany

Germany Blog Posts

5) Czechia

We never planned on going to Czech Republic but for Scott’s Canadian Visa one the closest embassy locations was in Prague so it made sense to make a trip out of it. And I’m so glad we did because it was one of, if not the, best city we visited on our whole journey. I’d been once before but didn’t explore it as much as I did this time and LOVED it.

Grill Cheese stall with owner cooking in Prague

Shireen and Scott with View of Charles Bridge from the Swan Spot in Prague in the background

Prague Blog Posts

6) Austria

There was one reason to visit Austria and that was to travel to Salzburg, the movie location for one of my favourite films of all time: The Sound of Music. I joined a tour and it was everything I hoped it would be as well visiting my own spots along the way. We also climbed an epic castle in the city and had one of the best nights of karaoke with new friends in an Irish bar.

Image of residence square in Salzburg Austria

Image of Sound of Music Tour Panorama bus in Salzburg Austria

We ended up staying an extra night in a hostel because we were so hungover the next day we just needed a sleep and McDonalds before getting on a long train ride. Our hostel room ended up being next to the hotspot for heroin-users and we seen many people visiting and being arrested through the window. Always a random story when travelling! After this day we took one of the most beautiful train rides through the Alps to get to our next country and we admired the mountains which we didn’t realise would foreshadow our next semi-permanent base: The Rocky Mountains.

Every Sound of Music Location in Salzburg & Which Tour You Should Join!

7) Slovenia

Slovenia is one of the most underrated countries in Europe and I’m so happy we included it on our itinerary. Starting in Ljubljana, we had such a fun time exploring this capital city even though it rained the entire time. Still, we had epic Middle Eastern food, Scott taught me how to play chess, we witnessed a spicy wing competition at a Chilli and Chocolate Festival, discovered the autonomous neighbourhood of Metlkova and stayed in the home of a famous Slovenian music star!

From here we took a day trip to the beautiful Lake Bled for a fun hike and then moved to the Istrian peninsula in the town of Piran.

Image of Piran harbour showing three white boats on transparent water with houses in background in Piran Slovenia

Image of beige wall with cream window and two plants sat on the grey windowsill in Piran Slovenia

Slovenia Blog Posts

May

8) Croatia

Istria is also part of Croatia and we got to enter a non-schengen area so we could spend longer in Europe (brexit, don’t start me). Anyway, Croatia was hands down my favourite country so far in Europe. It was wonderful. The food, the people, the culture, the laidback vibe, the ocean, the coffee. I loved it!

Staying on Istria, we went to Pula before heading to the Dalmatian coast stopping in Zadar for epic sunsets and seafood, Split for atmosphere and fun and the islands of Hvar and Vis. Vis has my heart!!!!!

Croatia Blog Posts

9) Italy

We broke our overland streak here because we were too early in the season to catch a ferry across the water. Therefore we got a flight from Split to Naples. Napoli was immense, crazy and chaotic and I loved every second of it!!

We did catch a ferry to the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples for incredible, mouth-watering clam spaghetti before returning for a day and then heading to Salerno on the edge of the Amalfi Coast. We took a local ferry to the end of the Amalfi Coast (Positano) and then got a local bus to Amalfi town. We ended in Naples for the best god damn pizza in the whole world.

Italy Blog Posts

June

10) Scotland

I took a solo trip to Edinburgh for the Jubilee weekend in June. Scott was in Ibiza at the time. Then we met up in our home town.

I enjoyed my time in Edinburgh so much. I had a Diet Coke after months of missing it (part of a classic Tescos meal deal) while I did a self-guided tour of Harry Potter locations. I joined a food tour where I tasted Haggis and Whiskey. I stayed in a hostel spending time speaking with people I’ll never see again and toured the tourist hotspots of this great city.

Edinburgh Blog Posts

11) Romania

After many delays we finally got to Bucharest, Romania’s capital where we learned about the history, encountered lovely locals, tried fantastic national food and enjoyed the summer sun.

Next we travelled to Transylvania for Peles Castle and Dracula’s Castle then Brasov for an afternoon (having the best food here). Lastly, we went to Constanta, a coastal town in Romania not far from the famous Sunny Beach in Bulgaria (we were potentially going to go to Bulgaria but kept this for the future).

Romania Blog Posts

12) Greece

We had the privilege and pleasure of travelling to the island of Kefalonia in Greece to meet our friends. We started off in the South in a place called Vlachata before getting an (80 euro) taxi to Vasilikades in the North as there was no public transport!

We had an incredible week on this beautiful island including visiting a beach with the most transparent, warm and lush oceans I’ve ever swam in (and I spent hours in there)! We visited the fishing village of Fiskardo where we enjoyed delicious mussels and Greek wine overlooking the gorgeous views. And we had a local taverna we ate Greek food all the time in and attended a fun Greek night!! Most importantly, we had the best time with our wonderful eichhornchen friends 😉

July – December

13) Canada

Finally we activated our work visas when we entered Canada and stayed with family for a month in Red Deer. I flew home for one week before meeting Scott at Calgary airport where we left to move to Banff together and start new jobs. It was a whirlwind. It was amazing and I can’t believe we’ve already been in Banff for 4 months!

As I’m writing this it’s -38 degrees outside which is VERY off-putting but look out the window at the mountains and it’s so on-putting! 😉

Canada Blog Posts

Other 2022 Musings

We got to meet our niece finally after the Covid-years!
While travelling I still spent a lot of time with my family and friends by coming home four times this year. Home is a priority for me.
I put a lot of time and energy into my blog this year and am happy with where it currently is but plan on doing more next year!!
While my writing took centre stage, my reading fell a bit behind this year (still on track for 28 books though)
Scott’s got me well into stand-up comedy especially Kill Tony.
I still love cooking as much as possible (and learned a lot of recipes and ideas through travel this year)
I kept to my 10,000 steps a day, my cousin keeping me on track through our watches
I featured on my favourite podcast: The Travel Diaries!
I started a side gig for one of my favourite female solo travel bloggers.
Wales made the World Cup and we had a blast watching it in Winter in Banff with our Portuguese, Brazilian, English and Canadian friends
I’ve made so many new friends and a fun new chapter in Banff National Park in Canada!

Hopes For 2023

Call this my manifestation…

While living in Banff, I’m hoping to see lots more of the park (hoping to see the wildlife here like bears, wolves, coyotes, etc) and doing epic hikes (Cascade, I’m looking at you)!

I’m also going to use this opportunity to see more of Canada and the West side of USA (praying to see the Friends studio in LA obvs). NYC is always a desire. I want to read lots more books like my 2021 vibes. I’ll be making a few trips home to see my family and friends as it’s a priority for me. There are two countries that are major goals for us next year: Costa Rica and Japan. I also plan on travelling part of Mexico including a meet up with some family there! And anything else that crops up I will welcome with open arms!

By the end of 2023 I hope to be full time travel blogging as I’ll be back on the road full time come 2024 😉 Lastly, I’m on a health kick for now and now on!

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year! 🙂

2 Comments

Lynette Dubery says:

23/12/2022 at 09:36

It all sounds really amazing. We hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and a really Happy New Year. Love from Lynette and Colin xxx

1. Shireen says:
  
  28/12/2022 at 22:47
  
  Thanks Lynette, Merry Christmas to you and Colin xxx

2022 Travel Round Up!