My 2017 in Photos

I feel like I’ve done a lot of reflecting recently, on our travels, adventures and the year behind us. I promise this is my last post about 2017. Here are some of my favourite photos of 2017. The majority of them aren’t pieces of art, they aren’t beautifully composed, crafted and edited photos, but they are special pictures and memories for me and they make me happy. So I thought I’d share them with you 🙂

Now, let’s all laugh at the dork with her raincoat under her helmet! Here’s Dad, James and I embracing the weather on Old Ghost Road. We spent a rainy long weekend hitting the tracks on the West Coast. I remember waking up, hearing the rain coming down on the roof of our warm fire-lit hut and knowing I’d have to put my wet clothes back on before putting my sore bottom back on my bike seat. Anyone who loves tramping and mountain biking knows that these feelings are the utter worst but also great parts of backcountry adventures.

This picture brings me so much joy! We walked through the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral (seen behind us in this photo). Then, we had a lovely Parisian picnic in the garden with macarons, french bread and wine. However, we spent lunch just looking at the lovely wine bottle because, as we found out, they generally only have corked bottles and we’re not crafty enough to open a cork without a corkscrew. Better luck next time.

We had spent a boiling hot day walking around Pompeii with very little shade. Our walking tour ended nicely in the old forum of the city in perfect view of Mount Vesuvius. It was such an amazing day to see how big Pompeii actually was and learn about all the ancient ways of life.

Another photo from another awesome day. We spent a lovely hot summer day biking through an old Roman road. This was one of the most important roads in ancient times leading from Rome directly to the Adriatic sea. We got to ride a couple of old bikes all the way down it, wicked! The road was cobbled and lined with ruins, it was like being back in time.

Dubrovnik was amazing and this photo is one of my favourite shots I took there. It was taken from our walk around the city walls, an expensive but worthwhile thing to do. I loved the orange rooves and the feel of the old city. This was another place where it felt like we were back in time, maybe mid 15th century when Dubrovnik was a strong Adriatic power. Or, if you’re GoT fans, like us, the views could also make you feel like you were in the middle of King’s Landing, hopefully not under Joffery’s reign.

This photo was taken in Vienna, Austria at Schönbrunn Palace. It was such a beautiful day at a stunning palace with amazing grounds and gardens. I also like this photo because I look quite tanned and my hair is blowing in the wind so elegantly 😉

I have mixed feelings when I look at this photo. This was taken the day after our drama of having our belonging stolen. We escaped the city to embrace some beautiful German castles. To me, this photo is about being positive and looking at the glass half full and even if some silly bugger takes all your valuables you can still skip around gardens and pretend you have no worries.

Linderhof Castle in southern Bavaria was so flipping beautiful. This photo says it all. The quaintest little castle (if a castle can be quaint, that is) was completely surrounded by hills and forest. It really was the perfect escape. I just love how green this photo is.

I still can’t believe I even got to look at this view. So beautiful and magical and stunning. The view from Mary’s Bridge may be one of the most iconic views of Neuschwanstein Castle but it’s freakishly high and people are just bowling on the bridge willy-nilly. We braved the height and crowds for this phenomenal view. Totally worth it!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber was one of the cutest towns I ever did see. It’s like skipping around a fairytale land with orange rooves, old iron hanging shop signs and the most amazing Christmas shop (even though it was July, it was completely kitted out for the festive season). Rothenburg was a dream to walk around and this photo just brings back all those memories.

Visiting the Black Forest with my German sister, Jenny was so much fun. Being reunited after 5 years was emotional, to say the least. And of course, hilarity ensued. Jenny was the perfect host showing us around southern Germany to Heidelberg and the Black Forest (just to name a couple), trying to teach us more German words and introducing us to German BBQs (which is James’ new favourite food).

I first saw the Brandenburg Gate on a cold winter’s day in 2010, it was awesome to go back to Germany’s capital to explore again. If you didn’t know already, I bloody love the Brandenburg gate. I don’t have much more explanation than that, I just find it fascinating, it’s so iconic and famous and it’s incredible to see with your own eyes. I love this late afternoon shot.

Here’s another beauty. Tower Bridge is my other totally random landmark obsession. When I took this picture I was fizzing with excitement because I was about to go inside Tower Bridge and learn all about it and how it works. Super exciting and great views of London from the bridge.

Primrose Hill was my favourite view of London. Here’s me spinning around with excitement in the middle of a beautifully autumnal park looking at the entire London skyline, a fantastic place to be. Also blue sky in the UK, it had to be captured on camera, otherwise no one would believe me!

One of our last photos together for the year and one of the nicest. It’s pretty difficult to get a good photo of both of us at the same time but somehow we managed to with a bit of Christmas magic.

There’s yet another round-up of our 2017. I think these photos sum up most of 2017 for me.

I’d like to think my photography and editing skills have improved somewhat throughout the year. I love taking photos and spending time editing and presenting them. I can’t wait to see what 2018 brings.