Not being able to leave the UK for the foreseeable future (thanks Coronavirus), hasn’t stopped me from planning my next holiday. I’m sure that a lot of people are doing the same – picturing themselves backpacking through Thailand, walking through NYC in the snow or sipping a cocktail by the pool. I haven’t settled on where I want to visit next, but I have a lot of destinations that I’d like to go.
On top of planning my next trip, I found myself thinking about where I’ve been so far and the experiences that I’ve had. I haven’t managed to travel to that many places but I’m hoping that once I finish my studies I’ll have more time to explore the world.
If you’re not going on holiday alone, then picking the perfect destination can be difficult. You have to consider someone else’s wants and needs as well as your own. For instance I don’t like party holidays or holidays where I sit by the pool the whole time, I want to experience the country that I’m visiting – taste their food, experience their culture and learn their values. Once you’ve worked out where to go, you then have the difficulty of deciding where to visit/what to see whilst you’re in that country. I’m lucky that my partner likes similar things to me, but there are still things that I like to do, that she doesn’t, i.e. visit museums, look at art and walk around for hours. They say that compromise is the key to any relationship and I guess it’s key for holidays as well.
Wales
I’ve travelled to a few places in Wales but Little Haven has got to be my favourite place so far. Each time I’ve visited it rained most days, despite my dad assuring me that the weather prediction was hot and sunny, but this didn’t ruin the holiday at all. As long as you don’t mind rain then Wales is the perfect holiday destination.
Little Haven is a beautiful seaside village with little shops, a pub by the cliffs, a beach to sit on and countless places to walk. It’s neighboured by Broad Haven which boasts a beautiful beach, a chip shop by the shore and a shop to rent/buy kayaks, canoes and windsurfers. Every time I visit Little Haven I rent a kayak and visit parts of the shore that you can only get to via the sea. I kayak between Little Haven and Broad Haven instead of walking and I get to spend quality time with my dad out at sea.
Wales has been the go to destination for me, my dad and my sister for as long as I can remember and we always have a great time. We haven’t been in a couple of years and if we ever did go back, it would no longer just be the three of us, so I truly do treasure the memories that I have. It’s always been a goal of mine to own a house in Wales and this is still something that I am aiming to achieve.
Paris
I won’t lie I didn’t get to truly experience Paris as I would have liked to, but I still enjoyed my time there. Croissants for breakfast at cute cafés, sitting by the Eiffel Tower during the day and drinking wine at night – what more could I ask for you wonder? Well, I would have liked to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, see the Eiffel tower at night, visit the Louvre Museum, walk around the Palace of Versailles and visit the Notre-Dame. I said earlier that holidays are about compromise, but this is one holiday that I should not have compromised on. There’s a fine line between compromising and just giving in to someone else’s idea of what should happen.
This holiday taught me a lot about friendship. It taught me that it’s acceptable to be selfish when it comes to your money and how you spend it. It also taught me that it is very important to set boundaries and to make it clear that you will not accept these boundaries being broken.
I hope to go back to Paris one day and experience all that the city has to offer, because not doing so would be an utter shame.
Los Angeles
I was really excited for my trip to LA and it did not disappoint. My best friend and I had decided to treat ourselves for graduating university and we were both 21 when we went, so that was an added bonus. We rented an apartment through Air Bnb in West LA and had a fantastic time. People have said that a week is long enough to experience all that LA has to offer, but I disagree. We went for roughly two and a half weeks and did something different every day and never got bored of the sights. The only thing that I wish was different about LA is that is wasn’t as touristy. However, where we stayed was out of the hustle and bustle of the Boulevard and was in walking distance of most things.
We lounged on the beach, went to a football game, walked for hours in the Hollywood Hills, visited food markets, had cocktails during the day and ate at diners in the early hours. We made the most our time and only argued a couple of times. I didn’t have to compromise on this holiday because we wanted to explore the same places, eat the same food and see the same sights. I’m sure that my friend compromised at least once during our time in LA and I’m not sure I ever told her how grateful I was for it, but I hope that it was obvious by my actions at the time.
LA holds memories that I will cherish forever and not just because I came back with new ink.
San Francisco
I travelled to San Francisco from LA with my best friend and we stayed with my cousin. It was the best holiday that I have been on, to the point that I considered moving there. We attended a baseball game, went on a wine tour, visited Alcatraz and drank wine every night. I had meaningful conversations with my cousin and found a friend that I could trust for life. I realised what I wanted from life and further reinforced my commitment to achieving my goals.
Cuba
I went to Cuba for my partners mum’s wedding and I’m so glad that I did. Witnessing her mum’s wedding was a beautiful experience and being embraced into her family was magical. I first met the majority of her family at the airport, but they were so welcoming that I felt like I’d known them for years. The wedding was at an all inclusive resort, so it didn’t always feel like we were in Cuba, but the excursions allowed us to explore the country and experience the culture. We swam with dolphins, visited villages and perused the markets.
Even though we stayed at an all inclusive resort I still learnt a lot about Cuba. I spoke to the taxi drivers, the horse riders and the staff at the resort to understand their way of life. Even though Cuba is a very poor country, everyone I spoke to was happy and full of life. Bar staff earn more than lawyers and doctors, it takes hours for an ambulance to arrive even for an emergency and staple food products are provided by the Government so that the people do not starve. It was such a culture shock and if I went back I would love to visit more of their villages and towns and tour their prisons and cigar factories.
Amsterdam
I took my partner to Amsterdam for her birthday and I would most definitely go back. We went for a long weekend and managed to fit in everything that we wanted to. I’m gluten intolerant and had more food opportunities in Amsterdam then I do in England. I had the most amazing pizza and pancakes – not at the same time, although I wouldn’t mind this.
We visited the Anne Frank museum, took the tram around town, walked around the Red Light district and ate a lot of cheese. We went to Amsterdam in the winter and had a fantastic time, but I would love to go back in the Summer so that I could do a river cruise, picnic in a park and walk around without freezing.
Where To Next?
I’d love to explore more of America, like New York, Las Vegas or Texas. There are enough States for me to pick from, so I’m not sure that I’ll ever visit them all, but I’ll definitely give it a try. Anyone up for a roadtrip?
I’d also like to visit more of Europe, like Greece, Italy and Spain. I would have liked to have gone to more European countries when the UK was a part of Europe, but I’m happy to get a visa – nothing will hinder my travels.
I’d love to backpack through Thailand, walk along the Great Wall of China, snowboard in the South of France and go on a safari in Africa.
To go on all of the trips that I have planned, I’ll have to save a bit more and reconsider buying a house within the next year. I’ll also most likely have to wait until 2022 as I’ve used up my holiday allowance at work for my upcoming exams.
Hopefully 2021 will hold a holiday for me, but if it doesn’t I’ll just have to fit as many into 2022 as I can.
Think I Have It All Together? Guess Again 