A new year calls for a new travel wish list because what is the start of year but a chance to daydream and think up some awesome travel goals!
Looking back on my wish list from last year I was so happy to see that, apart from one place, we actually visited everywhere I had hoped to in 2017 – plus more! Becoming a mother made it a wonderful rollercoaster of a year (a rollercoaster that included an awful lot of coffee) but we still managed to have some amazing adventures and Evie became the perfect little explorer.
We visited 6 different countries across two continents; went on planes, trains, boats and road trips; sunk our toes in the sand and dipped them in the sea; swung in hammocks and played in the snow; climbed mountains and visited one of the biggest mosques in the world; wandered through small local villages and explored big twinkling cities. I’m not sure 2018 can top last year but we’re going to give it one hell of a try!
Beaches and Birthdays in Cape Verde
I’ve never been away on my actual birthday but this year I have decided to go for it and am making the most of my maternity leave before I have to go back to work in a few months (but let’s not talk about that!). For the perfect birthday I imagined sunning myself on a tropical beach somewhere, with palm trees towering above me and a pina colada in my hand and Cape Verde, a slice of Africa I’ve wanted to visit for a while, seemed like the ideal place as it’s not too far for a spot of winter sunshine.
Fairytale Castles in Germany
In typical girly fashion, as soon as I found out we were having a little girl, I knew I would one day take her to visit all the fairytale castles in Germany. And when my lovely friend, fellow blogger and now fellow mama Allane from Packing My Suitcase also had a little girl last year we couldn’t resist the idea of a trip with our little explorers. Evie and I will be flying out to Munich some time this spring to meet up with Allane and Baby M for some girly adventures in Bavaria!
A Family Break
We’re hoping to plan another big family break this year but with so many of us – 18 now! – it’s always a bit of a hardship arranging dates and a destination that suits everyone. A mini cruise, Jersey, the South of France or possibly Gibraltar again are some places that have been thrown about so far so we will see where this year takes us.
The Wonders of Petra
This is somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for so long with its incredible sights and I am really hoping this will be one of our destinations later on in the year. My grandparents want to visit too so we figured we need to go before they get too old to do the walk through the canyon and before Evie gets too big to go in a baby carrier!
Winter Wonderland in Vienna
It feels a little weird to already be thinking of next Christmas when the last one has only just finished (sob) but we loved our magical trip to the Christmas markets in Prague so much that we’ve decided to make it a yearly tradition. It was a tough choice between Vienna and Prague so I would love for Vienna to be our next winter wonderland Christmassy destination.
Staycations in the UK
Of course we can’t miss out on one or two staycations a bit closer to home. I loved our girly getaway to the shepherd’s hut during autumn and I would love to go back here this spring when the the valley is covered in colourful bluebells. Some other parts of the UK that I’ve never been to but would love to visit are Norfolk, Wales and the Lake District.
Of course there are about a million and one other destinations that I would love to visit because, seriously, does the list never end?! I love Instagram but I also hate it in equal measures. Every – Single – Photo just gives me the ultimate wanderlust and these places are some of the main culprits that I would love to add to our adventures.
Canada
Alberta and Banff National Park with those mountain views, emerald colour lakes and wildlife spotting. Take me there already!
Slovenia
I feel like this is somewhere that is always just within my reach but I never quite make it. I would love to stick a pin in my map over Slovenia. How can I resist pretty Ljubljana and magical Lake Bled any longer??
Isla Holbox
White sand, clear blue seas, swaying palm trees, and almost no tourists (apart from the bloggers of course). Isla Holbox, a tiny island on the east coast of Mexico, sounds – and looks – like heaven and I totally blame Global Mimi for all the wanderlusting here. Maybe I’ll have another exotic holiday for my birthday next year and make this our first travel destination for 2019!
What exciting adventures do you have planned for 2018? Let me know in the comments below or at:
Mama Ayla's Adventures 
These sound like some wonderful adventures!!
I hope so! Hope you have lots of fun adventures this year too 🙂
I’m definitely up for more UK staycations … every time we go abroad, we think about how much there is to see/do in the UK alone! We’re hoping to return to Cornwall this year … love this list, Ayla!
xo Jaime
Angloyankophile
I know, I always pick abroad rather than seeing more of the UK and I shouldn’t as there are some lovely places. Cornwall is especially lovely!
I highly recommend Neuschwanstein Castle, it really does feel like you’re in a fairytale when you see it for the first time!
YES!! That is the top one I want to visit! I’m a massive Disney geek so I will be in my element here! 🙂
I love that your little one is having amazing adventures, too! And wow to the fact that there’ll be 18 of you travelling on your mega family trip!
Petra is one of those places that I’d really love to see in this lifetime!
Haha the family trips are brilliant but so much hard work to arrange as you can imagine! Yes Petra is definitely a must visit destination 🙂
That sounds like such an amazing year of travel! Enjoy exploring in 2018 with Evie.
http://www.adellbaker.com
Thank you so much! Hope you have a wonderful 2018 🙂
Wow! The photos are amazing! Just inspires one to travel. Thanks.
Thank you! I know, so much travel inspiration 🙂
Looking forward to seeing where you go in Cape Verde – we’ve wanted to go for ages but I can’t find a hotel for us! I should really look at AirBnb!
We’re staying at one of the all inclusive resorts. Not really my sort of thing but it makes life a lot easier with a baby plus my mum and grandparents are coming too so it was ideal for them. I still have my eye on lots of other things to do to get us out and about though as there are only a certain amount of days I can sit by the pool!
Looks like you have some great trips planned! Bavaria and Neuschwanstein are absolutely stunning so I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time when you head out there. Petra is another one that’s on my list too – I might get chance to head to Jordan this year with work but I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to visit from Amman. Happy travels! 🙂
Ooh that makes me even more excited for Germany! Ah I hope you get to visit Petra soon even if it doesn’t end up being this year with work. It’s looks stunning!
What an awesome blog you have! I have been doing some snooping around and really enjoyed it. I have to tell you that you’re a very brave woman and I really look forward to following you. Why do I think you’re brave? Raising a baby is hard work, on any given day to start with, yet here you are, traveling the world and living life just like you want! I love it! I’m the mother of 5 children, 3 being grown adults now, with a 16 year old and a 3 year old at home still. I only just started traveling with my children 2.5 years ago! When they were older. Now, we go all over the place, but I didn’t even consider travel with them when they were babies, unless it was across the States to see family. You’re amazing!
Wow Tammy that is so so sweet and you have just made my day! Travel has always been a huge part of my life (like breathing haha!) and I knew that I would never give it up even when Evie was here. And I’m so glad I carried on travelling as it has been amazing. She’s so confident and inquisitive, loves people, and she always seems to learn something new whenever we’re away so I really think it benefits her hugely. I’m glad you’re travelling now even if you didn’t do it before! Hope you have lots of amazing adventures in the future 🙂
So many exciting adventures to look forward to and not long until your first one begins! I loved following your adventures with Evie last year and it’s definitely inspired me to start planning some of my own with my little one. Can’t wait to show her the world!
Ah I’m so glad and I really hope you have lots of adventures with Betty too. Travel with your own little explorer is the best thing ever 🙂
You’ve got quite a wishlist! I love that their are so many endless places to travel to. The fairy tale castles in Germany are on my list as well!
xx
Courtney || https://courtneylivin.com
Yes definitely! The castles look magical!
Happy 2018! Your year is already looking so good. Petra is somewhere I always wanted to go too. Cannot wait to see all your beautiful photos and hear the stories! xx
Aww thanks Nano! I realllu hope we get to visit all of these. Hope 2018 is an exciting year for you too!
heres to another amazing year!
Right back at ya!
Well done on achieving almost all of your 2017 list! I’m very excited to follow your 2018 adventures with Evie and Alex, sounds like you have some fantastic plans. I just booked flights to Ljubljana (which I have to learn to spell before then :S) for Easter for a long weekend at Lake Bled – can’t wait 😀
Oh that is so exciting! I was looking at heading to Slovenia for Easter too but the flights were a bit pricey when I looked. Hope you have the best time!
I really appreciate you sharing the details with us.
🙂
Slovenia is on my list this year too! My boyfriend and I are planning an epic campervan road trip and are just debating whether we can squeeze the Dolomites and Northern Croatia in too… I can’t wait!
Ah wow that sounds awesome! Would love to road trip through Croatia and Slovenia so I say go for it!
Wow! Such an exceptional and detailed list of some wonderful places, Ayla! I really hope that you’ll get to explore all of them this year. Winter in Vienna seems like a great idea. 😉
Thank you! Hope you have an adventurous year full of travel too!
You visited so many gorgeous places on my wish list! USA looks like something from another world, and your photos capture it beautifully!