It’s a whole new year and as always that means it’s time for a wrap-up of the last 12 months; and what a crazy year that was. After a turbulent couple of years with Covid, 2022 flew by, quite literally. Travel was back, plenty of reunions were on the cards and normal had never felt so good. I started the year by getting on a flight to Australia. It had been only four months since I’d had to cut my life living abroad short, having to fly back to the UK, but I felt like I was dreaming when I stepped into the summer heat outside of Melbourne’s airport.
It’s crazy how easy it is to drop one life and pick up another and getting to spend those extra couple of months living in Melbourne and spending time with my friends meant the world to me. As anyone who has truly fallen in love with a place other than home will know, part of me will always be in Melbourne.
Of course, returning home was an adventure in itself. There was a whirlwind tour to Singapore to see one of my closest friends whose life in Australia had also been cut short by Covid. There were reunions with three of my best friends from Australia on their travels in Berlin and London. I took a solo trip to Paris and for probably the first time in my life, I wined and dined alone and didn’t care who was watching. I spend days eating in Seville with my family. I made a new life from my old life; meeting new people, moving into my own place, and getting my dream job.
I doubt 2023 will have the growth that the last year brought but that’s ok. This year I’m ready to stand still and take it all in.
Here’s a wrap of some of the best moments from the last 12 months.
Australia had just reopened its borders and I was on a plane back. Seeing the red land mass of Western Australia from the plane window felt like a bizarre dream.
I moved back into my old house and quite literally picked up my life once more. I escaped the UK winter and spent my days shopping at the local market with my housemates, visiting my favorite rooftop bars, and going on bike rides along the coast.
I got to see my old housemate in Singapore, and two of our friends came along to surprise him too.
I bought a bike in Brighton and went on rides along the beach. It felt like I was bringing a little bit of my Melbourne life back home with me!
I got to Paris and headed straight to Cafe Deux Magots where I sat with a glass of wine, doing some work and watching the rain.
Wandering along The Seine by myself, eating gelato at sunset.
Exploring Berlin with my friend from Australia (and visiting Germany for the first time!)
Getting the keys to my very own place!
Cooking dinner for my family at my house (or rather getting my boyfriend to cook the dinner.) Whoops.
Starting my dream job doing marketing for one of my favourite local businesses. (Free bread and no day is ever the same).
Spending my birthday at my own house, with my closest friends including my best friend from Australia who came to visit on his travels.
Passport Please 