2019: All wrapped up

‘Things end, but memories last forever.’ – the title of a book by Kumar Milan.

2019 has been a mixed bag

2019 has been a mixed bag across the board personally. More widely, around the world, it’s pretty much been a disaster of a year. I have to say, after this year, I will be glad to welcome 2020 and a new decade. One can only hope that the next decade will be the one where we finally take proper action to minimise our impact on the planet and that we move forwards more sustainably in the future. I for one am taking steps to reduce my personal carbon footprint. You can read more about them in my look forward to 2020 that will be posted soon.

The global climate crisis and all other wider world issues currently ongoing (*cough* Brexit *cough*) aside, this is the recap post I write at the end of each year. I recount my personal highs and lows, share my favourite books, meals and films / TV shows and the top five photos from the year. So settle back, get comfortable and prepare for a look back on this most turbulent of years – 2019.

Let’s start with the 2019 high points!

Seeing wild orca in Wellington.

Really, a truly wonderful way to start 2019. I could barely believe my eyes as we drove around the bays following the pod of orca as they cruised back into open ocean. We got incredibly close to a few individuals and it was actually an extraordinarily moving experience. You can view the video I took of them here.

Getting lost in Wadi Rum.

It was wonderful to go back to what is undoubtedly one of my favourite places in the world in 2019. Wadi Rum holds some special memories for me from 2017 when I first visited. This year, I got to explore the desert in greater depth and learn even more about the Bedouin culture. I loved getting offline for a couple of days. It was just sun, blue skies and endless, infinite amounts of sand… Perfect!

Spending my 30th birthday in Doubtful Sound.

My 30th birthday will be one I remember forever. To tick an item off my bucket list and spend my birthday in one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen on earth was just incredible. I felt so privileged to spend that time there, meet the lovely people that I met and experience Doubtful Sound in all its glory. I promise I will write about my birthday trip there one day, but in the meantime, I posted a practical guide to prepare you should you ever go yourself! You can read it here.

The call to prayer in Kalyan Mosque, Bukhara.

One of my favourite experiences in Uzbekistan. I find the call to prayer atmospheric at the best of times, and have been lucky enough to hear it in many different countries now. However, sitting in the courtyard of Kalyan Mosque as the muezzin sang out over the airwaves was extra special. There were few other tourists around and my face was warmed by the bright, late autumn sunshine. I closed my eyes and let the call echo around me. It truly was a lovely moment from 2019.

Standing atop mountains in the Alps.

My favourite experiences are often quiet periods in nature where I can reflect and recharge. Standing on top of Hafelekarspitze after enduring a nail-biting cable car ride to the summit was just one of those experiences. I wrote about my time on top of the Alpine mountains a little more in my June recap. Needless to say, with the wind tugging at me and the intense feeling of freedom I experienced while standing there, this was another highlight of the year.

Hiking the Chilham Circular in Kent.

Escaping to Kent once a month or so was a wonderful new beginning for me in 2019. We hiked many miles over the spring, summer and autumn months and plan to do even more hiking in 2020. By far the best hike of the year had to be the Chilham Circular. We were surrounded by wild flowers, the countryside was at its peak of fruitfulness and beauty and we barely saw another soul all day. It was the perfect day in Kent.

Wild swimming in New Zealand and Wales.

During my time in New Zealand, I took the plunge on several occasions, starting the year swimming in the ocean off the North Island’s west coast. I then swam in Doubtful Sound, in Lake Wanaka a couple of times and even jumped into a pool fed by glacial melt water. This last plunge was icy cold. I survived ten minutes, gasping at the shock, before I admitted defeat. While home in Wales in the summer I swam a few times in the river near our house. Wild swimming hasn’t and won’t become a big hobby, but those moments I spent in chilly waters this year stick out in my memory and make me smile.

Camel riding in the Kyzylkum Desert.

While the camel riding in itself was not particularly special, this experience remains in my list of highlights as it’s a special memory I’ll now always share with Mum. Her face, her squeals and her laughter as we mounted and then rode our camels through the desert made me so happy. It also provided me with some great entertainment! This was a lovely bonding experience and something we can look back on in future years with a laugh and a giggle.

Low Points in 2019

Granddad passing away in September.

Being with Granddad as he passed away was incredibly difficult to witness and experience, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Granddad lived a wonderful, long, happy and fulfilled life and thankfully, his illness was only short. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to say goodbye properly.

He will be remembered by me as the man I knew growing up. An amazing carpenter, helping Dad for endless hours to build the extension on our family home. An opinionated man with a good sense of humour – dogged, determined, always ready with a smile. He was generous with his time, always helping others and he would’ve done anything for his family. We will miss him.

Terror attacks in Christchurch and in London.

The terror attack on a mosque in Christchurch in March made my blood run cold. My heart went out to the entire country and of course, to everyone affected by this horrific incident. It was a shocking atrocity. Kia Kaha Aotearoa. Stay Strong New Zealand.

In December, there was another terror attack, this time in London. Another act of senseless, horrifying violence. As always, my thoughts go to the loved ones of the victims. I hope 2020 can be a year free of terror.

The December General Election result.

I did not hold out much hope that there would be a surge to the left, but I also didn’t quite expect such a big majority win for the Conservative party. As the exit poll was announced, a wave of despair, anger, hopelessness and sadness overwhelmed me. I did cry. I nested on the sofa with snacks and watched the results slowly roll in, until it became clear in the morning that there was a huge Conservative majority, as predicted.

If I think about it too much, I still get a bit panicky about the election result and what it means for our country. Time will tell. In the meantime, I will try to do my bit where I can to ease the hardships that some of our most vulnerable will feel. Donating to food banks. Volunteering. Donating to homeless charities and women’s refuges. I’ll help where I can, as much as I can.

The White Island volcanic eruption.

Another sad day for New Zealand in 2019. It was a shock to wake up to a message from P telling me that White Island had erupted and that people were missing, presumed dead. It became clear in the coming hours and days that many had been killed and injured in the tragic event. Again, my thoughts go to the loved ones of those involved.

We were involved in a fire in Samarkand.

I wrote an entire post about this experience. It was the final low from 2019 – quite terrifying at the time but thankfully everything turned out okay. You can read more about the fire here.

Reading in 2019

I’ve made a conscious effort in the past two years to read more. In 2018, this took the form of a reading challenge, but in 2019 I took a more relaxed approach. I’m pleased to say that I read 29 books in 2019, only five fewer than 2018, despite dropping the challenge element. The challenge really helped to kick start my reading again and in 2019, I proved to myself that reading is something vital and important I want to keep in my life. I read as much as possible whenever I got the chance.

As ever, my book selection was a mixed bag swinging between fiction and non-fiction. Compared to 2018, overall my book choices in 2019 weren’t quite as strong across the board. I found myself pushing through a book to get it finished more than once this year, rather than because I was genuinely enjoying it. This is something I need to work on in 2020 to ensure I start reading books I am enjoying. I don’t want to read just to say I’ve read it anymore – I need to be less afraid of putting something down if I’m not enjoying it.

However, from the 29 books, I do have a top five. It’s telling that four of the five are non-fiction. It’s also telling that all five are about my two favourite subjects to read about these days: travel and World War Two. I’ve become an avid reader of any book about these two topics, fiction or non-fiction. If you have any recommendations, pass them my way!

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing.

I reviewed the book in full in my December recap post.

This is the fascinating and gripping true story about Ernest Shackleton and his ill-fated voyage to the Antarctic on board the Endurance. When the Endurance sank in November 1915, Shackleton and his twenty seven men were stranded in Antarctica for nearly a year. It’s an incredible tale of courage, leadership, ingenuity and ultimately, survival. I could not put this book down. Highly recommended – five stars!

Eastern Horizons by Levison Wood.

I reviewed the book in full in my January recap post.

The third of Wood’s books that I’ve read and my favourite of the three. Wood immerses himself in multiple different cultures as he traverses the ancient Silk Roads, passing through Russia and many central Asian countries as he goes. His unique approach to travel and his openness to adventure and new experiences often made me feel like I was actually there with him as he explored Russia, Afghanistan and India, among other countries. Truly fascinating – four stars!

Cycling Home from Siberia by Rob Lilwall.

I reviewed the book in full in my March recap post.

When I picked this book up, I assumed it’d be a simple story of Lilwall’s cycling expedition back from the far reaches of Siberia to the UK. It quickly becomes clear that it is so much more. Lilwall’s ultimately travels through three continents and crosses more than fifteen countries over several years as his adventure unfolds. The story is not just a cyclist wending his way home from some remote location. Lilwall is a true adventurer and a fantastic writer. A must read – four stars!

The Choice by Edith Eger.

I reviewed the book in full in my April recap post.

A book about the Holocaust, but also so much more. Eger reaches far beyond the horrors of her time in Auschwitz that shaped her life. She delves into the psychological impact that her experiences had on her life post-war, when she moved to America. As well as slowly learning to free her own mind of the trauma she’s experienced, Eger helps countless others overcome their own traumas and demons through her work as a psychologist. An inspirational woman and a really great read. Four stars!

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

I reviewed the book in full in my November recap post.

The best fictional book I read in 2019 by far. A deserved winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this story centres on two key characters: Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig. Marie-Laure is a blind girl who is evacuated from Paris when the Germans invade and goes to live in Saint-Malo. Werner is a German boy who is conscripted into the German Army. Their stories edge closer and closer together until they briefly, beautifully collide. A plethora of other characters bring the tale to life. It’s a haunting, stunning piece of fiction. Absolutely brilliant – five stars!

For a full list of the books I read in 2019, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Memorable Food in 2019

I ate some really great food in 2019, from excellent home cooking to some special meals out across the world. I’ve outlined the most memorable meals below and linked to restaurants where possible so you might enjoy some great food in 2020!

• The best falafel I’ve ever eaten at Sufra Restaurant on Rainbow Street in Amman, Jordan. They were perfect – crispy on the outside, moist in the centre, completely moreish. We ate ten and ordered ten more.
• A smoked Comte eaten at Gordon’s Wine Bar, London that I am unable to find anywhere else. It’s got a beautiful flavour. Paired with a red wine, some bread and pickles, it’s the perfect snack.
• The first time I tried obatzda, a Bavarian cheese delicacy. It was part of a cheese board that C and I demolished in Tegernsee during April. Afterwards, C gave me a recipe which I must try soon!
• A traditional vegetable and bean stew prepared from scratch and cooked over an open fire in the middle of Wadi Rum. We ate it with our right hands, dipping warm Lebbah bread in, per Bedouin tradition. It was one of the best meals of the trip.
• Our favourite meal in Uzbekistan. We stopped in Nurota for lunch and were treated to a spread of salads, bread and delicious pasties. It was the most authentic and delicious meal we ate in the country!
• All of the Honest Burgers I’ve eaten this year. This chain of burger restaurants launched their plant Beyond Meat burger in 2019 and I must have eaten one at least once a month since then (definitely more often than that!). My favourite go-to chain restaurant.
• The first time I attempted homemade Yorkshire Puddings and they turned out amazingly! Not only were they delicious, they also rose like a dream and looked great. I used Mary Berry’s recipe, which worked a treat.
• Some really excellent bao at Mr Bao in Peckham. The buns were light and fluffy, the fillings adventurous and delicious. I could have stayed eating them all day!

Top TV Show of 2019

There was one absolute stand out TV show for me in 2019 and that was World On Fire. Brought to us by BBC One, this World War Two drama had me absolutely gripped. I binge watched it in two sittings as I couldn’t get enough! Season one takes place during the first year or so of WWII. The drama covers story lines set in the UK, France, Germany and Poland and introduced the main characters.

While admittedly some of the acting was wanting, the story lines are tight and the character development is excellent. I found myself rooting for the main characters. What would happen between Lois and Harry? Would Harry ever see Kasia again? Would Tom survive his time in the navy? What was going on with Nancy’s next door neighbours? How would Webster cope when Albert got imprisoned?

The first series ends on an absolute cliffhanger and I am dying to find out what happens next! Unfortunately, the next series isn’t due to be released until 2021, so I have a while to wait. I highly recommend this drama!

Top Five Photos from 2019

These top five images are the photos that received the most likes on Instagram over the course of 2019 and are not necessarily personal favourite images. Four of the five are from New Zealand, the fifth is from Wales.

The Most Vibrant of Days – Mt Aspiring National Park, New Zealand.

The image that got the most engagement on Instagram in 2019 and also my favourite image of the year. I was so happy this day. It was a crazy beautiful blue sky, blue water kind of day. I hiked for four hours in the New Zealand summer heat, shaded by the dense beech forest until I reached the top of the trail. There, in front of me, shining in the sunshine, Rob Roy Glacier. A beautiful wall of ice, rising up to meet the sky. I lounged on a boulder, stretched out like a lizard absorbing heat, and soaked up the silence and the warmth. Later, I plunged into the frigid waters of a pool fed by glacial melt water, gasping and shaking as the cold penetrated to my bones. It was the most refreshing dip I’ve ever taken and the absolute perfect way to end the day.

Hidden Pools – Mt Aspiring National Park, New Zealand.

A chink, a chasm, a little ray of sunshine streaming through and hitting the turquoise blue waters at just the right angle. The orange lichens glowing on the boulder, dappled by the shadows thrown by the trees. Vivid bright green leaves. Silver grey rocks at the river bed, worn smooth by ice, water and time. I didn’t realise how special this photo was when I snapped it, but looking back at it a few months later, I realised it was a beautiful image. It is an essence of New Zealand. A small detail of this glorious country. A tiny part of the overall beauty. Perfection.

A Little Ray of Light – Doubtful Sound, New Zealand.

The clouds hung low and heavy over our boat, turning the waters of the sound a murky, uninviting grey. There was a chop, a slight swell, as if the open water beyond the sound was rough and heavy and this was being fed back to us, rippled up, all the way to the back of Doubtful Sound. The wind was picking up and pitching the boat slightly more roughly. We had two more hours on board and I was desperate for the journey not to end. Doubtful Sound had captured my heart.

Suddenly, a burst of light. A golden beam of sunshine hit the cliff rising up from the dark waters and cast a glow across the mountains. I raised my camera and took this image. An instant later, the light was gone, extinguished just as suddenly as it had come. The clouds had rolled back in once more. But I had my shot. My ray of light.

A Perfect Summer’s Day – Llyn y Fan Fach, Wales.

A cloudless blue sky and a golden green mountain begging to be climbed. We set off in the mid-afternoon heat, hauling ever higher on a rocky stone road. A narrow stream chattered to our right as we walked, mostly silent. I hated the road. It ended suddenly, at the edge of the lake. Our climb would now follow a sheep track up the mountain, winding round the plateau and along the top. Suddenly, despite the increased incline, the climb felt easier.

All together, the hike took around three hours or so. We gazed across the Welsh countryside from our vantage point at the top of the mountain. It was easy to see for miles in every direction on such a clear day. I only wished I’d brought swimming things so I could take a dip in the lake on the way back down. It would’ve been the perfect end to a perfect hike.

Moody Milford Reflections – Milford Sound, New Zealand.

The rain cleared and a calm peace descended on Milford Sound as evening drew in. As the tide receded, the waters grew still, making the perfect mirror to reflect the mountain peaks in delightful symmetry. I wandered the waterfront of hours, taking photo after photo, thrilled with the scenes laid out before me. The other tourists had gone by this stage and I was largely left alone, undisturbed.

It felt like a special time of day to be there, with the clouds fully lifted and the sky opening up. I did my best to ignore the persistent sand flies, enduring them for as long as I could before finally admitting defeat. Time to beat a hasty retreat to the comparative safety of my car. As I drove away, I glanced back once in my rear view mirror at the scene, then focused on the road ahead. The drive ahead would be just as scenic. I had lots to look forward to.

Bonus Photos – My Personal Favourites from 2019.

Frolicking around Kent – Chilham, Kent.

When things got tough in 2019, I knew I could always count on E for support. Together, we escaped to Kent on numerous occasions, hiking miles at a time throughout the spring, summer and autumn months. We completed our favourite hike, the Chilham Circular, in August. The crops were ripe for the picking, the trails were dusty. All of the trees were vibrantly green. The grass was long and lush, the flowers were bright and colourful. We saw barely anyone else all day. This photograph shows E on that walk. It’s the perfect image that encapsulates not only how gorgeous Kent is, but also how great E is. That’s why it’s one of my favourite photos from 2019.

Sky on Fire – Powys, Wales.

It was agreed this year that if I needed to, I could work for a week at a time from Wales. I’ve found things a bit tough throughout 2019, and having an escape route and a safe haven if required has been a vital lifeline. I worked in Wales three times, and took this photo on the second occasion I was there. Sunset over the hills that I’ve known since childhood. A glorious paint box of colours. The familiar curves of the place I call home. Perfection.

Leaving the Mosque – Bukhara, Uzbekistan.

More than anything, I feel proud that I captured this image! I paused at the base of the steps out of the mosque, instinct telling me that if the right people came by, I could get a really great photo. And I was right. Less than a minute or so later, these two men walked past and climbed the steps. I took this photo just as they turned away from the entrance. Their silhouettes against the colourful facade of the madrassa opposite are, in my opinion, perfect. The fact that their stances are near symmetrical helps to elevate the photo and the alignment is good with the door to the madrassa just positioned perfectly between them. I’m so happy I managed to get this shot. It was one small win in 2019!

All the books I read in 2019.

• On the Front Line with the Women who Fight Back – Stacey Dooley.
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris.
• Four Feet Under – Tamsen Courtenay.
• The Russia House – John le Carre.
• Washington Black – Esi Edugyan.
• Arabia: A Journey Through The Heart of the Middle East – Levison Wood.
• The House by the River – Lena Manta.
• All This I Give To You – Dolores Redondo.
• Walking Home from Mongolia – Rob Lilwall.
• Still Waters – Viveca Sten.
• Winter Men – Jesper Bugge Kold.
• Hot Milk – Deborah Levy.
• Turbulence – David Szaley.
• A Love Story for Bewildered Girls – Emma Morgan.
• The Secret Barrister – Anonymous.
• The Salt Path – Raynor Wynn.
• Don’t Go There – Adam Fletcher.
• My Absolute Darling – Gabrielle Tallent.
• The Road Headed West – Leon McCarron.
• This Is Going To Hurt – Adam Kay.
• The Prison Doctor – Amanda Brown.
• Becoming – Michelle Obama.
• Just A Little Run Around The World – Rosie Swale Pope.
• The Volunteer – Jack Fairweather.