Some posts on this website comprise affiliate hyperlinks. If you ebook or purchase one thing by way of these hyperlinks, I earn a small fee (at no further price to you). Take a have a look at my privateness coverage for extra info.
It’s the time of yr once more. Annual weblog evaluate time! Every yr I write a protracted, rambly put up wanting again on the final twelve months; one thing midway between an end-of-year profession appraisal and a prolonged journal entry.
I’ve written considered one of these evaluate posts yearly since 2015, however I wasn’t going to hassle this yr. Maybe I’m nonetheless in that post-Christmas funk, however I simply might NOT be bothered! Until I remembered that the one individual I write these posts for is, effectively, me.
Blogs started life as primarily on-line diaries in any case, and mine was no exception. Even although I hardly write any private posts anymore, and have primarily been targeted on my freelance writing profession this yr, it’s nonetheless good to have these end-of-year round-ups to look again on.
So I made a decision to bung collectively a fast 2022 evaluate, with a few of my favorite (and most ridiculous) pictures of the yr, to offer Future Emily one thing to recollect all of it by. Because it has been a VERY good yr!
This yr, I’ve labored with considered one of my dream manufacturers, researched and written half a ebook (extra on that in a sec), visited 11 nations, and squeezed in a whole lot of adventures!
Career-wise, that is the toughest I’ve ever labored: I’ve felt burnt out lots, particularly over the previous couple of months. In between, I’ve had some wonderful adventures – and partied maybe a bit too laborious to make up for some lengthy weeks locked up writing! But it has all been value it.
So, with out additional rambling, right here’s my 2022 evaluate journey weblog evaluate…
This yr’s massive achievements…
✨ I used to be employed by Lonely Planet to put in writing HALF of their new Devon and Cornwall guidebook! Spent about 2 months visiting each inch of Devon, researching and writing over 40,000 phrases. Barely left my flat between analysis journeys, poured my coronary heart and soul into it, and completed the entire thing exhausted and so, SO happy with myself!
✨ Also wrote the Southwest England chapter of Lonely Planet’s new Experience England ebook (coming in February 2023) – and wrote 5 articles for his or her web site.
✨ Lonely Planet’s Experience Great Britain, which I labored on final yr, was revealed this summer season. This was a real dream come true second for me – one of the thrilling issues in my complete profession.
✨ Had my first-ever viral social put up when a reel of me getting jump-scared by a dinosaur in Universal Orlando obtained 4.5 million views!
✨ My Dorset Travel Guide weblog grew by 52.21% in comparison with 2021, with over 800,000 pageviews in whole. My objective is to interrupt 1 million in 2023 – watch this house.
✨ This website grew by 33.21% vs final yr! Also simply noticed that it’s up greater than 996.59% for the reason that first yr I began monitoring pageviews (2015), in order that’s good!!!
2022 Travel Highlights
I’m far too lazy to enter particulars about all my travels this yr. So listed below are a few of my favorite snaps from the yr…
January: Hiked a part of the Offa’s Dyke Path in Wales. Also headed to Lisbon to eat about 100 pastel de natas in a single weekend!
February: Meeting elephants, climbing Sigiriya and hanging out with these three babes in Sri Lanka…
March: London for a number of nights – made a dream come true by lastly watching Les Mis reside on the West End.
April: Eating ALLLLLL the meals in Bologna with the legend that’s Wanderlust Chloe!
May: Chilling within the UK – together with Chelsea Flower Show with my sister.
June: Orlando for IPW (an enormous US journey convention) with some epic events (together with the opening get together at a Disney’s Epcot). Also a number of days going geek-crazy within the three Universal Orlando parks
Then went to Puerto Rico for per week of kayaking, jungle hikes, zip traces and street journeys…
Also obtained caught in NYC for 2 nights after a delayed flight led to me and Teresa lacking our connection… which led to us spending a day on the Coney Island Mermaid Parade with some superior bloggers!
Also June: Took my sister Cheryl on a press journey to Cheltenham and Gloucester – which included a tour of Gloucester jail…
July: A month of paddleboarding adventures in Dorset, and a weekend glamping in Dartmoor.
August: Mountains, journey and cheese within the Swiss Alps with a summer season journey to Verbier. Took a journey on the world’s highest zipline – watch the reel right here!
September: Seals and seaside cities in North Devon adopted by a weekend of meals and wine in Vienna with Lisa.
Also September: Traverse (journey running a blog convention) in Brno, CZ – fab week of events, classes, networking, and catching up with a few of my FAVOURITE bloggers, adopted by a brief press journey exploring the South Moravia area within the Czech Republic (with a few of my fave individuals!).
October: Exploring what felt like each final inch of Devon for the Lonely Planet guidebook analysis – and attending to attempt some severely cool experiences!
November: A month of extremes: from sporting sweatpants 24/7 and barely leaving the home while hustling to complete the Lonely Planet guidebook, to per week of journey and leisure in Aruba with Monica (The Travel Hack).
December: Overnight journey to Calais with my dad… then a Christmas filled with household time and the beginning of my eleventh (yep, ELEVENTH) nibling*, congratulations to my little bro Aidan!
*(collective time period for nieces and nephews. I really need it to catch on!).
What a yr
And right here was me considering I might whistle by way of that rapidly! I find yourself saying this yearly… however WHAT A YEAR!!
At the beginning of 2022, I didn’t set a decision. I simply wrote an inventory of all of the locations I’ve at all times needed to go, and all of the issues I’ve at all times needed to attempt, and determined to spend my yr making an attempt to go to, see and do as lots of them as I might. The end result has been a yr of wonderful reminiscences – and I can’t wait to repeat the identical factor subsequent yr!
Wishing everybody a fully unbelievable 2023 filled with journey, journey, and pleasure. Let me know your highlights of 2022 within the feedback!