My Top 7 Destinations for 2015

With the New Year fully under way, it's time to think about new experiences and new adventures. 

The thought of a brand new adventure and a brand new country is always exciting, trust me I know. That feeling when you look at a map and start planning a route, the shivers of excitement that run down your spine, the jitters you get when you start looking at flights, it's easy to get carried away... 

BUT the new year is also a time to reconnect with old friends. So instead of going to all new places I am going to try to revisit some of the places I have already been. Whilst travelling I often find myself getting lost in the excitement of visiting a new place and the satisfying feeling of crossing it off my never ending list of places to see is way too much to handle. Yet in the midst of my excitement, my visits tend to be fleeting and rushed. This year I am determined to slow myself down, mix the old with the new and to revisit some of the countries I may have already seen. This time appreciating them to their full extent. This year I am going to take the time to remind myself that there is no rush to see the whole world. Travelling is not a competition and I have the rest of my life to continue exploring the world. And that, is what I fully intend to do. 

I hope you haven't fallen asleep after that rather *ahem* lengthy introduction. No? Some of you still here? Okay, good. Cause we've got to the best part. My top 7 destinations for this year and why. 

New York

I visited New York back in 2013 after working in Pennsylvania for 2 months (waaay before I even considered writing a blog but I wrote a brief summary here). I spent 5 days cramming in as much of New York as I possibly could, meaning that time for spontaneity, general wanderings and time to just take in and explore the city itself was lost. I want to return to do just that. Not to mention that some of my favourite campers live there and a reunion has been a long time coming...

Santorini

Photo Credit to my all time favourite photographer, Amber Mozo.

Who doesn't want to visit Santorini?! I'm pretty sure it's been on everyone's travel bucket list at some point and I am not going to deny it's on mine despite the mass tourism. Ever since I saw Kim Kardashian's (DON'T judge me, everyone has a guilty pleasure and this WAS mine. Notice the use of 'was' there, past tense!) instagram photo of an infinity pool looking over the ancient white village I was intrigued to know more about this serene looking, magical place. A few months later one of my all time favourite photographers/bloggers, Amber Mozo was there. From then on it was confirmed. Santorini is a must on my travel bucket list. 

Iceland

Photo courtesy of Greenland Travel

I'm not sure why but Iceland has always appealed to me despite my hate of cold weather. I guess it's appealed to everyone else as well considering it seems that everyone has made at least one trip to Iceland in 2014. But I can see why, the astounding northern lights, the luxuriously warm hot springs or maybe the chance of spotting a whale. I think I would be able to bear the cold for all of that! 

India

India feels like the unknown to me. Whilst I was a little out of my comfort zone in Thailand, I would be completely out of my comfort zone was I to visit India. But in my eyes that's definitely a good thing, I'm tired of playing it safe and it's time for something completely different to what I've experienced before. 

I feel like I owe the photographer of the two above photos a special mention. These were taken by Stefan Haworth, a good friend I met whilst I was in Bali. Stefan takes the most incredible photos and is really quite dedicated to his job. I shit you not, after taking that last photo he got escorted back to his accommodation after almost getting shot/eaten by wolves. Read about it on his instagram and be sure to check out his website! You won't regret it!

Bali

I know, I know, I hear your cries. "But didn't you just go to Bali four months ago?!" I most certainly did. But like I said earlier, we only had 10 days in Bali and it was so unbelievably rushed that I need to return and make the most of what that beautiful island has to offer. 

Italy

The home of pizza, pasta and ice cream. Need I say more?!

Morocco 

Credit to Rosie Londoner

I have The Londoner to thank for adding this to my Travel Bucket list, quad biking through endless sandy deserts, wandering through the crowded, colourful cobbled streets looking at the various treasures on sale, riding a camel on dusty tracks leading to no where. Rosie's trip looked so incredible that it has inspired me to visit myself. 

Plus many many more, including the likes of Paris. 

Where are you planning to visit this year? Love, S x