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It’s the time of 12 months once more. Annual weblog overview time! Yearly I write an extended, rambly submit 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 certainly one of these overview posts yearly since 2015, however I wasn’t going to hassle this 12 months. Perhaps I’m nonetheless in that post-Christmas funk, however I simply may NOT be bothered! Till I remembered that the one individual I write these posts for is, effectively, me.
Blogs started life as basically on-line diaries in spite of everything, and mine was no exception. Though I hardly write any private posts anymore, and have primarily been centered on my freelance writing profession this 12 months, 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 overview, with a few of my favorite (and most ridiculous) photographs of the 12 months, to provide Future Emily one thing to recollect all of it by. As a result of it has been a VERY good 12 months!
This 12 months, I’ve labored with certainly one of my dream manufacturers, researched and written half a e-book (extra on that in a sec), visited 11 international locations, and squeezed in a variety of adventures!
Profession-wise, that is the toughest I’ve ever labored: I’ve felt burnt out rather a lot, particularly over the previous couple of months. In between, I’ve had some wonderful adventures – and partied maybe somewhat too exhausting to make up for some lengthy weeks locked up writing! Nevertheless it has all been price it.
So, with out additional rambling, right here’s my 2022 overview journey weblog overview…
This 12 months’s large achievements…
✨ I used to be employed by Lonely Planet to jot down 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 pleased with myself!
✨ Additionally wrote the Southwest England chapter of Lonely Planet’s new Expertise England e-book (coming in February 2023) – and wrote 5 articles for his or her web site.
✨ Lonely Planet’s Expertise Nice Britain, which I labored on final 12 months, was revealed this summer season. This was a real dream come true second for me – one of the crucial thrilling issues in my whole profession.
✨ Had my first-ever viral social submit when a reel of me getting jump-scared by a dinosaur in Common Orlando bought 4.5 million views!
✨ My Dorset Journey Information weblog grew by 52.21% in comparison with 2021, with over 800,000 pageviews in complete. My purpose is to interrupt 1 million in 2023 – watch this area.
✨ This website grew by 33.21% vs final 12 months! Additionally simply noticed that it’s up greater than 996.59% because the first 12 months I began monitoring pageviews (2015), in order that’s good!!!
2022 Journey Highlights
I’m far too lazy to enter particulars about all my travels this 12 months. So listed here are a few of my favorite snaps from the 12 months…
January: Hiked a part of the Offa’s Dyke Path in Wales. Additionally headed to Lisbon to eat about 100 pastel de natas in a single weekend!
February: Assembly elephants, climbing Sigiriya and hanging out with these three babes in Sri Lanka…
March: London for a couple of nights – made a dream come true by lastly watching Les Mis reside on the West Finish.
April: Consuming ALLLLLL the meals in Bologna with the legend that’s Wanderlust Chloe!
Could: Chilling within the UK – together with Chelsea Flower Present with my sister.
June: Orlando for IPW (an enormous US journey convention) with some epic events (together with the opening social gathering at a Disney’s Epcot). Additionally a number of days going geek-crazy within the three Common Orlando parks
Then went to Puerto Rico for per week of kayaking, jungle hikes, zip strains and highway journeys…
Additionally bought 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!
Additionally 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.
Additionally 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 folks!).
October: Exploring what felt like each final inch of Devon for the Lonely Planet guidebook analysis – and attending to attempt some significantly 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 Journey Hack).
December: In a single day journey to Calais with my dad… then a Christmas filled with household time and the start of my eleventh (yep, ELEVENTH) nibling*, congratulations to my little bro Aidan!
*(collective time period for nieces and nephews. I actually need it to catch on!).
What a 12 months
And right here was me considering I may whistle by that shortly! 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 all the time wished to go, and all of the issues I’ve all the time wished to attempt, and determined to spend my 12 months attempting to go to, see and do as a lot of them as I may. The consequence has been a 12 months of wonderful reminiscences – and I can’t wait to repeat the identical factor subsequent 12 months!
Wishing everybody a fully unbelievable 2023 filled with journey, journey, and pleasure. Let me know your highlights of 2022 within the feedback!