Where My Heels Went In 2016 (Part II)

Welcome back! I’m finishing up my 2016 in travel. In case you missed it, click here for a recap of what I got up to from January to July with an unplanned trip to Paris in mid-July.

Next thing I knew, it was August! Edinburgh is a city of Festivals, and August is a great time to explore Edinburgh with four festivals in town at the same time. From the Art Festival, to the Military Tattoo, the Fringe, and the International festivals, the options are plentiful. I got to see the Edinburgh military tattoo, a comedy show, and a Jazz band.  There’s so much I didn’t uncover and I want to do better this year.

By Mid-August it was time to go back to see all my loves in the US (I moved from the US to the UK a year prior). I’d missed all my framily (get it?). I spent two weeks between Minneapolis, Midlands Texas, Houston, NYC/New Jersey, and the beautiful Island of Bermuda! It was a busy but fun two weeks. My heart came back full and my soul, renewed.

 

 

 

I returned to life and work in Edinburgh and then in Mid- September, I returned to Amsterdam for work for the last time in 2016. I had such a great time and actually spent  a night out in the city.

Instead of returning from Amsterdam this time I treated myself for my birthday by spending the weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was short but sweet and I met the most interesting gentlemen on Paper Island.

September was a busy month. I had a break for a week and then three of my friends from the US came to visit I can’t tell you how much visiting friends bring me joy! It was nine days of fun  including me renting a car and driving on the other side for one day, my old friends meeting my new friends, and then I travelled to Barcelona (what a turn up) and Paris (2nd time in the year) with them. I had the best time and I think they did too!!

 

October was spent drinking cereal/garri but I had booked trips for November and December way back in August because the way those cheap Easyjet  flights are set up… I have to say that it was nice to be ‘home’ for October after being on the road quite a bit in August and September.

November saw me and 11 other colleagues/friends go to Iceland over a long weekend. The logistics were a little crazy but we had a great time. I stood literally between the plates that separate North America from Europe (three of my even cooler friends’ snorkelled beneath) as we explored Pingvellir national park. We saw the northern lights, we saw amazing huge waterfalls, hiked, swam in hot springs and of course capped it off with a visit to the blue lagoon.

 

Soon it was late November, a friend invited us (from the U.S.) to Glasgow for American thanksgiving dinner. We got to see a pretty side to Glasgow and eat yummy southern home cooked goodness!

I love Christmas and I’m so eager to explore Christmas markets while I’m in Europe.Europe does Christmas right!  December saw four of us making a short weekend trip to Munich for some sausage, gluhwein, Christmas shopping and overall Christmas spirit! Icing on the cake, I got to spend time with a friend in Munich as well!!! Mission accomplished.

Next, it was Christmas! This saw my mama, papa, brother, and niece visiting me for the holidays. It was really cool to just catch up, share my new stomping grounds with, and to visit the Edinburgh Christmas markets with them. I also got to take my niece on her first and second flight (she’d only flown as an infant before). She loved it and we got pictures with the pilot too!!!

 

So there we have it!  13 countries and countless priceless memories. 2016 was definitely my most travelled year and being here in Europe helped a ton! I challenge 2017 to beat that. My accountant (me) is worried.

 

Where did your explorations take you in 2016? Please share in the comments section below