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2018 Highlights | The Year In Review
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At the beginning of 2018 I spoke about the importance of new year Spa stays. Throughout the year I visited Aqua Sana, Centre Parcs 3 times and have booked another luxury spa break for February (I’ll definitely be branching out and trying other spa’s this year too). As Winnie the Pooh so eloquently puts it: ‘doing nothing often leads to the very best of something’ and during 2018, time out proved invaluable to me.
A Week in Ikos Olivia, Halkidiki | APRIL
I took my second trip to Halkidiki, Greece this April. Although I can’t pretend I’ve experienced any of the Greek culture, the 5* Ikos resorts there are outstanding, and the Olivia is definitely the better of the two. An ultra-all-inclusive, with everything from meals in their five a la carte restaurants to activities and room service all covered. The Olivia has various bars, a private beach and the most friendly and attentive staff. If you’re looking for a place to unwind in the sun, this one is a (relatively) nearby paradise.
Time Spent in London | FEBRUARY, JUNE, DECEMBER
In February we travelled down to London for the day to do little more than eat and browse. Jamie had bought us (surprise) tickets for the London Zoo, but it was bitterly cold so we decided against the idea. We had a great day regardless and from it I can recommend a trip to the Ivy in Kensington (more on that here).
At the grand age of 23 I finally found myself at a pumpkin patch and wasn’t disappointed. Not only does Undley pumpkin patch make the experience into more of an event (think food stalls and activities for kids) there’s also something nice about shopping locally and picking straight from the patch itself.
Trips to The North Norfolk Coast | SUMMER & OCTOBER
Sunny days at the coast were a highlight of the early Summer. I love the coast, but its considerably less enjoyable when a trip means contending with miles of traffic, parking spot wars and screaming children. We were very lucky with the weather throughout a period of the early Summer, so it was throughout this time that Jamie and I made the most of Wells while kids were still at school.
The seals at Horsey beach tend to have their pups from October through to February. If you enjoy marine life, seal spotting is a wonderful (and free) way to appreciate these gorgeous animals in their natural environment. Walking along the beach and admiring the few little pups was worth the rather stressful road-trip that led us there.
Festive Trips | NOVEMBER, DECEMBER
Throughout the later months of 2018 we enjoyed looking out for the best Christmas decorations. The most festive places we visited were; Lavenham, which is small but beautifully decorated; Norwich, which hosts a tunnel of light alongside some other lovely festive features and will always feel like home; and London.
The Years Best Films
Jamie and I visited the cinema a lot throughout the year. We saw so many films but the following are my favourite of them all (in order of release).
Black Panther and Avengers Infinity War make the cut on the basis that I find Marvel movies more enjoyable to watch at the cinema. Both were full of drama and Black Panther has an impressive soundtrack.
Oceans 8 lands a spot for an impeccably well cast group of strong and diverse female leads.
Christopher Robin was one the most touching films I saw throughout the year, a true Disney classic brought to life: I was always going to love it.
Venom exceeded my expectations, despite the relationships within the film being a little too quick-paced for my liking. Tom Hardy made the movie for me and I’m constantly impressed by his ability to play any role convincingly.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald made this list because despite poor reviews, I thought this was far better than the first. I felt a stronger connection to Hogwarts and the Harry Potter films in this one, and the magical elements were more impressive.
