My 2025 Travel Wrapped

If you live a life like mine - filled with constant movement, travel, adapting, changing, growing and learning - a year can feel like a million. The person I was on January 1st 2025, is worlds away from who I will be on December 31st 2025 at 11:59pm (except for the fact that they’ll both be a few drinks down.) If you look back at your year, count on your fingers all the things you’ve done, you’d definitely lose count. Because every second, action, place and conversation contributes to the person you’re going to be a year from now. Just like how everyone looks forward to their Spotify wrapped, a summary of their music throughout the year - I love that the end of a year comes with reflection. That we give ourselves the opportunity to summarise our failures, our wins, our adventures and our mundanities.

That being said, you might be thinking ‘Elisha, why would I care that you went to Budapest in March?’ Which is a valid questions. You may just be a person on the internet that want’s to read a travel blog without it feeling like your grandma has pulled out the old photobooks. Well, selfishly, I’m partly writing this post for me. But, I’m inviting you to join me in recapping our year of travel, whimsy and adventure together and I hope that I can share some lessons and life wisdom along the way.

January

In January, I did not travel outside of the UK. Instead, I changed my outlook. I started viewing my local places as if I was a tourist. I began to start looking for the beauty in the mundane. What are some local walks I can go on? Is there a museum I’ve never been to? Are there any landmarks that I walk past every day and never pay any attention to?

I found that I’ve had my eyes closed to what is around me for a long time. It all began with a series I wanted to do for social media - where I find the beauty in local places. To start this off, I went to a place called Crompton Moore, which is a Moorland in my hometown with a beautiful Summit view. I went here a lot in covid but that was before I started my travel Journey at all in 2023. It seems that the more places I go and the more views I see, the more of an emotional reaction I have to them. It seems backwards - surely I’d get used to them? But everything is about mindset. I could say ‘Oh well there’s no point caring about this view because I’ve seen the Cappadocia skyline or the Ha Giang mountains.’ I see it more like ‘The world is filled with such amazing things and how fantastic is it that we get to see a little piece of everything wherever we go.’

So here’s the things I did as a tourist at home:

Went to the ‘Sick to death museum’ in Chester

This museum is fantastic. Imagine if horrible histories was an interactive museum. It’s about the history of health and medicine with specific sections about Chester. With Chester being one of the most historical cities in the UK, with its best-preserved Roman walls - it’s a no brainer that it would be a good idea to visit a history museum. ‘Sick to death’ is probably one of the best museums i’ve been to as it’s fun for all members of the family.

The set pieces are perfectly crafted and curated - with different sections made to look like a historical scene or time period. The way that you take in the information is so interactive and innovative that you barely feel like you’re reading it. With games, sensory memorabilia, dynamic info-cards. I’d highly recommend the sick to death museum.

As someone who loves history but HATES museums (at the beginning of my Eastern Europe trip, I would visit around 5 a day for a few weeks and just over-exhausted them) most of the time - it still works as a fun activity to do in Chester.

Had a 2014 themed day in Manchester (my home town)

January 31st was an exciting day for my nerdy self as it was the day I went to see Dan and Phil on tour. If you’re not sure who they are, Dan and Phil are two youtubers who started their collaborative career in Manchester before moving to London. They were particularly popular in 2014 and were a major part of a craze of fandom culture with connections to major references of the era - such as ‘random’ humour, a rise in parodying or viralising major pop culture moments and of course, with the internet, a more authentic and relatable approach to media interaction. Youtubers like these, whether you’re aware of them or not, had a major influence on the world and it’s approach to media and technology.

So in 2014, Manchester would be the town that I would go to with my friends. Of course, being 13, instead of going to pubs or bars - we would go shopping. Manchester was one of the best places I could have been at this time in my life. I have a lot of thoughts that I wont bore you with about the downfall of Manchester but the good thing is a lot of these places still exist to this day and there’s more heart there than a lot of places - despite it’s major gentrification.

So, on the 31st January - the day of the Manchester performance of the Dan and Phil terrible influence tour - me and a friend decided to make it an entire event. We went to charity shops to find clothes reminiscent of the time period - with galaxy print, flower crowns and vibrant or pastel colour schemes. Then we planned a nostalgic day in Manchester - even following a video they had posted themselves entitled ‘Day in the life of Dan and Phil in Manchester.’ However, it being a landmark of my teenage years, I incorporated some of the usual places I would visit.

Afflecks Palace

Afflecks Palace is an alternative shopping centre that celebrates the whacky, artistic and eccentric. It has heavy nostalgic vibes with arcade games and photobooths dotted around as you go from shop to shop. Personally, I do love it, though I do believe that the way it changes its aesthetics to follow the alternative ‘trends’ does sometimes disregard the point of this kind of space. If there is no ‘alternative’ scene integrated into pop culture at the time - I have visited and it has simply resembled a normal shopping centre. However, after recent visits it seems to have returned to it’s roots - with a darker aesthetic, large variety of independent shops and it will also play music that fit with the ‘alternative’ culture such as goth or punk.

Affleck’s was the first stop on our Nostalgic tour as it is located in the heart of the Northern quarter. The Northern quarter is a famous neighbourhood for its art, music and bars. As a teenager, I could appreciate it for it’s independent shops, quaint cafes and unique street art. As a young adult, between the ages of 18 - 21, I appreciated it for its vibrant nightlife scene. Now, in my mid-20’s I can appreciate it all. It’s an iconic area that, gentrified or not, still encourages people to celebrate art, fashion and music. You don’t get that as much in present times.

Forbidden planet and Travelling man

I admit it, I was - and still am - a bit of a nerd. At the same time, I think whether or not comic book shops are your ‘thing,’ I do think that in a world where physical shops are being forgotten for online shopping, it’s always nice to visit a physical book, clothing, music etc store. Actually, especially in this sense do I think you should visit the sort of shops you wouldn’t normally. Algorithms are always showing you content that’s so specific to you that you can get wrapped up in your own world. Why would you need to know what sort of books or fashion OTHER people are into when you can make it so you only see the sort of thing’s YOU are into. Put your phone down and go and actually look at the books and music that’s out there.

Now, whilst Forbidden Planet and Travelling man aren’t exactly independent businesses, they’re still pretty cool shops that will often showcase local independent works. They also hold events to meet like minded people and communities. Popular media has always portrayed comic books as a hobby for the ‘lovable loner with no friends’ when that’s actually really far from the truth. Saying you don’t like comic books is like saying you don’t like books. How do you know? Have you read every comic in the world? Because it’s not just animal themed superheroes - there’s all sorts of comics out there. You just have to expand your horizons and find them. Best way you can do this is by going into a comic book shop. Really think about it, we as humans LOVE to tell and consume stories. There’s so many different ways out there that we do this now. Comic books combine art and written storytelling all in one.

On top of that, these stores often specialise in fun boardgames that you can play with your friends and create special and/or funny moments.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not as knowledgeable as I used to be and please don’t ask me to name 5 side characters from some niche comic series but I’m just trying to express how important it is not to forget about physical media. It connects you with the world outside yourself by actually going into a space specifically FOR the artform. Same with bookstores or music shops - even clothing shops. Bonus points if you can find independent, locally owned places.

So we visited these shops and I started to get a sense, again of my teenage self. I used to love Comic books and reading, I would get merchandise and go to conventions and find local artists. I would go to grassroots music venues to listen to local bands or spend hours losing myself in a book series that made you swoon and cry and think. That’s because I grew up in a world where there were so many options to do that and movements to fight for us to do that. Over the years, I feel i’ve simply forgotten about that part of myself. I put it aside to focus on - I’m not quite sure - life. But I realised that I can still live a normal life and care about the stuff that I love. I just need to use the time that I spend doomscrolling to remind myself of that.

To summarise, we quickly popped into these shops, had a mooch around. The staff were friendly as always and the nostalgia was palpable. I’m glad I did, the sort of memories that pop up when you retrace your steps can be the thing that reminds you who you really are. There’s such a major theme in the world of Travel where you have to go away to ‘find yourself’ but oftentimes yourself is already there. Yourself can be found in your home, in your town, in the places you’ve been and the places you go.

Lush

Next stop was Lush body shop where we simply strolled around and smelled the roses. Or, the rose-scented face masks.

Don’t worry, I don’t have a big philosophical speech about lush. I like the smell - though most find it overwhelming and I like the pretty colours. Is that so wrong?

Claire’s

We then went to Claire’s. This is where we bought our flower crowns and fun accessories to wear for the event.

Claire’s is a 2000’s Staple. Claire’s represents the whacky fun childhood of the 2000’s with its silly and gimmicky accessories and vibrant and bright colours. Even now, where colour is fading out of popularity, it is still a bright splash of flamboyancy. 2025 saw Claire’s go into administration nearly all stores were permanently closed. which I would genuinely find devastating. Around half the stores were saved by Modella capital in a rescue deal whilst the other’s shut for good. Modella capital plans to uphold the same aesthetics and branding so, thankfully, we get to keep our childhoods for now.

Dinner - Umami

At the time of going, I had told my friend that I was MAJORLY craving a pad thai as it had been around 6 months since I had returned home from South East Asia and I felt like I needed something. Whereas usually I’d just go to Mcdonald’s or something we thought well we’ve already made a day of it why not go all out. So we just typed in ‘Where to get Pad Thai in Manchester?’ Let me tell you - I’m ecstatic that we did because I’m pretty sure this small independent restaurant is the best in Manchester.

The seating was all on long wooden tables that people would share should it get busy. I like this aspect of it - makes it feel like a community event which it often is in East Asia. A lot of restaurants I went to in places like Japan were laid out this way - which is why it felt so authentic.

Then there was the food - which my mouth is watering just even thinking about (I am writing this in December and I went in January.) We ordered Edamame and Gyoza’s to share then I got a Chicken Pad Thai and my friend got a beef Ramen. We actually tried each other’s dishes and decided to split them in half as we couldn’t decide which one was our favourite. Sometimes you will go somewhere for Ramen and it’s too plain or oily or salty. The ramen at Umami was a perfect mixture of it all. The Gyoza’s were the perfect texture and the Edamame had the right spices sprinkled on to create that flavour sensation when you’d pop the tender beans out of the pods. The kicker, was the pad thai - with the harmonious blend of sweet and salty and well split textures of crunchy peanuts and soft, light noodles.

February

February was a busy month. In February the month started off heavy with a trip to Butlins Minehead for an Adult weekender, immediately followed by a University trip to Rome. The second half of the month was spent back in Chester. I threw myself into Wednesday socials as Social Sec of Women’s Basketball. I kept exploring Chester like I was a tourist. I was beginning to love the balance of not travelling or moving all the time. Home is special and deserves appreciation

Butlin’s adult weekender

Something you may not know about me, is that I worked as a Redcoat at Butlins from 2019 - 2021. In that time I got to meet some great people and we arranged a little reunion trip.

Butlins hosts adult weekend’s and they are so much fun! This is something I hadn’t ever really heard of before I started working there but the weekend I arrived in 2019 was for a cream-fields weekend.

They run essentially like a mini festival but you get more comfortable accommodation than a broken tent in a muddy field. They’re themed in certain way and groups of people will plan costumes and fancy dress. We went to a 90s weekend.

It was great to catch up with old friends and get in some dancing. I also came out with a funny curry sauce anecdote that I might share with you one day.

There were some artist that were popular in the 90s such as Blue and there were tribute bands and 90s themed nights. Day two had bongo’s bingo which was a major highlight. It’s a fun, party themed take on traditional bingo.

Rome

At the time, we felt we had a lot of things to complain about. Not about Rome in particular - Rome is stunning. There were issues with transfers and logistics and buses.

Looking back, there were so many amazing, funny and happy moments that I can truly smile about.

Rome is known for its food, historical architecture and art. Plus, I didn’t find it as touristy as a lot of people say. There were plenty of souvenir shops and definitely a lot of people but Rome has its merits as a city. Whilst I disagree with tourist traps and changing a place so that it’s palatable for tourism, I also don’t think that somewhere being coined as “touristy” should be a reason not to visit. (Unless it’s somewhere that locals have stated they no longer want tourists such as Hawaii -which has stated that, though the economy thrives on tourism - a lot of it can be disrespectful to the culture. My suggestion is either do your research, be respectful and if you go then use local businesses. If not just don’t go.)

Going back to Rome, it truly is a wonder to look at the great art, detail and structures that have been created. The grand and intricate designs of both interior (like the iconic artwork of the Sistine Chapel or the ornate sculptures and mosaics of St Peter’s Basilic) and exterior (the romantic sculptures of the Trevi fountain and the empiric history of the Colosseum.)

Sometimes it’s nice to be a tourist. As long as your respect the structures and historical and religious importance. Plus, you can get some pizza and pasta while you explore.

MARCH

March was the end of my university term and in person classes for the 2nd year. To celebrate me and my friends went to Challege point. I then went to Budapest for a weekend before returning to my hometown. Notable “tourist at home” things that I did were: taking a walk around Dovestones reservoir, taking my family on a Chester bar crawl and visiting the Folklore Centre in Todmorden.

Challenge point

Challenge point is a fun, new event place in Chester which is a sister company to the “breakout” escape rooms. It uses the classic gameshow theme and allows an interactive group experience for celebrations, birthdays, corporate events and more.

It consists of 7 rooms in which each team can enters, plays and alternates. Points are gathered up and the team with the most points get to go in the final bonus room to earn more. You can aim to earn enough points to be at the top of the scoreboard for the month. The top two teams of each month get gathered every quarter to re-compete and earn real prizes.

It’s such a lovely activity to do with your friends. Only read the next section if you don’t mind the rooms being spoiled. There will be a bold heading at the end stating “end of spoilers”

Spoilers:

The first room we entered was a laser room themed like mission impossible. It was completely dark with the exception of red, motion-censored laser beams. The aim was to go under or over the beams without setting them off to press a button at the end of the room. Your team takes it in turns to do each level, with the levels slowly getting harder. Sometimes you don’t know how much you’d love to crawl around a room pretending you’re a spy.

The next room was themed after Mr and Mrs and was like a group charades. They split our team in half and told us to stand in two rooms separated by a wall. There was a tv where we could see the other team and what they were doing. One group would be given a picture based on a theme and the other group would be given a list of pictures to choose from. The group with one picture would have to act it out for the others to pick. This always led to some hilarious moments where your group would be running around acting like idiots trying to get the other team to guess.

Room 3 was a huge game of guess who. Again, teams would be split in half but this time in the same wall with a wall between them. On each wall are identical cartoon photos of faces with buttons underneath that you’d press using a large boxing glove on a stick. Then each team would get on the screen a section of the same face that would be on the wall. We would have to work together to describe the face and make sure we both picked the right one.

Room 4 was probably my favourite. It was a trivia themed game where you would use a nerf gun to shoot the relevant answers.

At the halfway point we got the chance to have a break and all teams got the option to “spin the wheel” the wheel had fun options such as + or - point, playing a game of higher or lower or tossing a coin. We chose to spin the wheel and ended up playing higher or lower. We didn’t earn any further points :(

Room 5 was themed after supermarket sweep. Each team member was given a scanner and the interior was themed like a supermarket. There were 4 shelves with different items that you’d have to find and scan in correspondence with the prompts on the screen. This game was harder than you’d think so be careful in case it leads to arguments (if you’re the competitive type.)

Room 6 was called limitless. There were numbered buttons ordered clockwise around the room. Questions would appear on the screen and the answer would always be a number. Teams would press the button which had the right answer.

The final room was another laser room. This time with slightly more team communications. The room was split in half with a wall and two people, per level, would enter their section. The lasers were three different colours and we were given an order in which we would have to break the colours. Both sides had to make sure that all beams of one colour were gone before they could move onto the next. Once all the colours were broken the two people would run back to the start and the level would reset - again, getting harder with each turn.

At the end, all the teams return to the “tv studio” to find out their scores. We did win but I won’t spoil what was behind the door. You’ll have to go and play and find out for yourself.

End of spoilers

Budapest

I thought I’d treat myself at the end of my university term with a trip to Budapest, Hungary. I have actually been to Budapest previously, in my trip around Eastern Europe.

I stayed in the hive hostel. I think this would probably be a very popular hostel in the summer but at the time it was mostly empty. I got in late in the evening so I had only two full days to explore.

On day one I walked to Széchenyi Thermal Baths which is one of the most famous attractions in Budapest.

Hungary is famous for its many thermal baths. Széchenyi is Europe’s largest medicinal bath. The architecture is absolutely stunning and there’s nothing more comforting than stepping in after being in the cold outside. Your skin tingles as you take in the minerals.

Then I wandered around the various squares admiring the darker colour schemes of Budapest’s architecture. Its eras mixed together in a beautiful blend of historical prevalence. It showcased a diverse range of architectural styles and tells the story of its important history.

Following this, I chose the bar crawl that was suggested by the hotel. This was called “bingo bar crawl” and it was honestly the most fun I’ve ever had on one of these guided crawls.

We started off by picking everyone up from their hostel and having a few drinks at a local bar. Everyone was given a “bingo sheet” of activities that they would have to perform. Such as “do a handstand and take a drink” or “write a song about Budapest” it was such a good icebreaker and led to some hilarious moments.

Unfortunately, day two wasn’t particularly productive due to the after effects of said bar crawl. I did make sure, in the afternoon, to visit Buda castle and marvel at the stunning architecture and VIEWS.

Dove-stones reservoir

Dove-stones is a lovely circular walk located in greenfield. The walk is around 2.5 miles and is actually a part of the Peak District national park.

In March, I invested in a 55-250mm lens for my, at the time, EF canon camera. For the non camera nerds out there - this means I can zoom in pretty far to take high quality pictures of nature and animals. I loved getting to take photos of the wildlife and landscape at this beautiful national park.

The views are genuinely beautiful in the spring, with the natural marbling of colours and textures in the rolling hill that frame the glistening reservoir. It’s well worth a trip if you’re nearby.

Family bar crawl in Chester

My mum’s side of the family decided to let me show them around Chester for the evening. So of course, in Elisha fashion, I planned out the perfect bar crawl for us.

We started with a cheeky glass of Prosecco on the train to get us ready for the evening ahead.

A beer at Telford’s Warehouse in Chester. Telford’s is a really lovely bar on the canal.

The Liverpool arms - an LGBT friendly bar at the edge of the centre.

Northgate bar. On the way to where we’d booked our food. They always have fun music and cocktails.

Shrub bar and eatery for the most delicious vegetarian tapas.

We finished off the crawl in Palm - pink and cute cocktail bar.

The Folklore Centre - Todmorden

I think sometimes certain synchronicities happen that just puts the right things in the right places at the right time and it’s so strange that it’s hard to believe it’s just a coincidence.

That’s what happened with the folklore centre. I’d just finished uni for the year and wasn’t sure what to do next. My dad suggested I work on my book. I had been writing a fairytale book which required a lot of research about world folklore and I wasn’t sure where to look.

The next day after I’d had this conversation I met up with my friend and we made a last minute decision to go to Todmorden - the next town over. Whilst walking through I noticed a shop “the folklore centre.” I went inside and found everything I’d been looking for. There was a museum about world folklore and a library upstairs where you can pay £5 for the year to be able to go in and read any book on the shelf.

I find world folklore extremely interesting. Looking up a countries folklore tells a lot about the history and also makes it feel magical while you’re there.

As I was leaving, I saw a leaflet in the door advertising a creative writing workshop about fairytales. It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

Bonus - Mother’s Day

I like to pull out all the stops for my mummy. So for Mother’s Day I planned the BEST DAY EVER. It started with:

A thrift fair at Victoria baths

We’d never been to Victoria baths before and turns out that even without the vintage fair it’s a hidden gem. It’s absolutely massive - lots of different rooms decked out with stalls by a lot of different sellers.

The event was fabulous. I found some gems for sure and really appreciated getting to see trends from the 90s and 00s.

THE OAST HOUSE - SPINNINGFIELDS

The Oast house is a cozy cocktail bar located in spinningfields. A band was on accepting requests - which just added to the great atmosphere.

Everyman cinema

To finish off the perfect Mother’s Day, we went to see Mama Mia at the Everyman cinema. Everyman is known for being a luxurious place to watch a film, with red sofas and armchairs that recline. They also offer food and drink to your chair before the film and a more “premier style” experience.

April

In April, I started a completely different adventure: running. Our local running club offered a regular “couch 2 5K” in which they would meet every Thursday for 10 weeks and you would do 2 more runs by yourself in between.

I found the first few weeks extremely difficult but eventually got the hang of it and started to enjoy it.

May

There were 3 main events that happened in May. Whilst I was doing these, I managed to keep up my running and even hit some major milestones. Keep up with my blog to read more about my couch 2 5K experience.

AU awards

AU stands for athletic union. This was held back in Chester and was an award ceremony for all the sports societies. It was a lovely chance to get dressed up and celebrate everyone’s achievements of the uni year.

A weekend in London

Straight after the awards, I headed immediately into London because apparently I hate the thought of rest.

On day 1, I simply walked around London, exploring and taking in the sights, finishing the day with a showing of “Hadestown”

On day two, me and my friend went to London comic con. I found this so fun - ending up spending way too much money on surprise boxes, books and comics by local artists.

SOWERBY BRIDGE WITH SUNDAY HIKES AND PINTS

There’s an app that you can use called “CLIQ” which is a community focused app where people can create societies and clubs to share events and connect to communities. Personally I really like it - it’s often filled with health and wellness groups. You can still sometimes find groups like book clubs or crafts/baking events. Definitely worth a try if you live in or near a big city and want to meet other people.

“Hikes and pints” lead regular walks followed by a pint at the pub. In May, I attended one of these walks is Sowerby bridge.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got there, but I definitely didn’t expect to see up to 40 people. The walk was lovely and Sowerby bridge is stunning. Personally, I think my natural pace is a bit slower than most of the others in the group so It was a bit fast for my liking but the premise was lovely and I met some great people and had nice conversations. The views were nice too (especially the view of the pint at the end.)

June

June is the busiest month so far. It started with a “sober pub golf” that I created in Manchester. I then went on a week holiday to Spain and came back to then go to 2 consecutive PeachPRC concerts in Leeds and Liverpool. Following that, I got my family a weekend stay at a hot tub lodge in Wales. Finally, I finished my couch 2 5K program and to top it all off, I did a half marathon walkathon in the Yorkshire dales that same weekend.

Sober pub golf

Don’t ever say I don’t love to host. I arranged a night out with some of the girls from the Sowerby bridge walk at the gay village. When 2 of the girls said they didn’t like to drink I said “FEAR NOT. FOR I AM THE MAKER OF FUN.” And thus, sober pub golf was created.

I genuinely LOVE making these sort of fun day/night out activity sheets - sometimes it’s all you need to break the ice and turn a night into something special. It was genuinely so funny and we all had a really great time.

A week in Spain

For as long as I can remember, my dad has owned an apartment in Spain. And for as long as I can remember, I was a bit of a spoiled brat about it.

I’m not saying I ever hated it or didn’t want to go - I just don’t think I ever truly appreciated how lucky we are. Some people don’t get to go abroad or travel at all. And we have a reason to travel maybe twice a year. Yet, I had the AUDACITY, as a child/teenager, to COMPLAIN?!

Nowadays, a bit similar to my previous revelation about opening my eyes to what’s around me, I really love our apartment. It’s beautiful and so is this quaint beach town of Mojacar. There’s the playa which always has live music and events going on and gets really busy in the summer. There’s also the old town which is at the top of this hill where you can see for miles.

We also went to see a flamenco show in the old town. The experience was so intimate with a it being a small room and everyone sat on cushions along these wooden stairs. The dancers and musicians were amazing. Every song would have something special, maybe a fan or the way she would swing her dress around so close that I could feel the air on my face. There were songs where the guitar would get so loud and intense and the dancers face would twist with such strong and loud emotion that, without warning, my throat would swell and my eyes would water.

Overall, my new mindset was the reason that a trip to a place that was pretty much a second home, felt like visiting a completely new country. It’s such a special place that holds fantastic memories and hopefully that will continue.

Back to back concerts - PEACHPRC

As much as I do love PeachPRC, I didn’t actively PLAN the two concerts in a row thing. Essentially, two separate friends booked the concerts on different days and they were both friends that I don’t get to see very often. So, as an excuse to see my friends and one of my favourite artists - I went to both of the concerts.

I had a great time. I got to dress up like a pretty fairy and dance with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while. I particularly loved one of the warm up acts “Elphi” who did this really beautiful dj set that was like if a real life fairy made house music. It was twinkly and different to anything I’d ever heard. I’ll be watching out for Elphi in the future.

I also ended up chatting to her after the show and she was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met so I also really appreciated that.

In terms of the PeachPRC concerts, I thought she was amazing as always. Peach makes the best music to dance to with your girls and always attracts the nicest fans that dress the cutest. If I could, I would’ve gone to the rest of the concerts on the UK TOUR.

My biggest goal of 2026 is to photograph her if/when she comes to the UK.

Yr Hen Weithdy Or the Old Workshop cottage

I found this cottage online through their website which you can see here:

https://www.oldworkshopcottage.co.uk/old-workshop-cottage

The price was around £650 for a weekend (3 nights) for 6 people.

The drive up Wales is beautiful in the summer. It reminds me of when I was a child and we would drive up to a caravan site in Llandudno. We always knew we were close when we could see the sea on our right.

The lodge is located high up in the hills on the edge of the Snowdonia mountain range - with stunning Mountain View’s. It’s sat by a field of prancing horses and cows who, after a few drinks, we started singing to.

The cottage was formally a workshop for craftsmen at the Penrhyn Estate. The slanted living room with wooden beams sliding around the roof structure had a cozy and quaint feeling. Stepping in, we instantly felt comfortable and at home.

The sliding doors bring you into the outside area of the lodge, which is the main attraction. The outer of the house is all cobble-stone built adding to its old English history. There’s so much space to explore and sit in for outdoor barbecues. It would be perfect for children who love the outdoors. Finally, there’s a lovey hot tub at the side of the house that looks over the fields and mountains.

10/10 stay and will hopefully be staying again this coming year.

Finishing couch 2 5k

On the 26th June, it was week 10 of my 10 week training plan with Littleborough run club. I had carried out three runs a week in that time and learnt so much about what I’m capable of.

The evening was fantastic. We were joined by the existing members of the run club - a lot of whom had done the program previously. I was dead last, completing the 5K in 45 minutes but I did it and I was proud.

At the end, we got given meat and potato pie (which I had seconds of) and were presented with certificates. I’m so glad I did start this program as I met some great people and do genuinely believe it changed my life.

Walkathon

You know what the say - no rest for the wicked. Because, on the 28th of June (just 2 days later,) me and my family participated in the Yorkshire dales mighty hike.

The Mighty Hikes are walkathon projects that aim to raise money for Macmillan cancer support. MacMillan are an essential charity that contributes to physical and mental care for people and families dealing with Cancer. They offer support lines, community events and so much more.

The hike was very hard but also so much fun. And every now and then, especially after seeing people with tops of backpacks of their Ill or deceased relatives, I’d be reminded about the cause. It was like every time I’d start complaining about my feet hurting, something would show me “I GET to do this. I’m ABLE to do this.” And I’d just keep going. It really does put everything into perspective.

July

July was mine and my dad’s big epic trip to Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. I will share more information about the itinerary and incredible stories on my blog so make sure to watch out for that.

To summarise, we started our trip on the 18th July by flying into Aalborg, Denmark. We only spent one night here, however, we really enjoyed Aalborg and hope to return soon.

We then got a 36 hour ferry to The Faroe Islands, where we spend 3 days admiring the scenery and taking in local culture.

Finally, we ferried over to Iceland to start our trip around the ring road.

Like I always say, you learn so much when you travel and this trip was no exception. For instance, the disappointment we felt having to leave Aalborg after one day, proved to us that sometimes the places you just plan as a stopover surprise you the most. The Faroe Islands brought us wisdom about the local culture and the importance of community. Even the ferry to the Faroes had an amazing singer who reminded me of the importance of music.

August

August brought the end of our Iceland trip. We flew back home from Reykjavik on the 8th. I attended chester pride and went solo to Leeds fest. I also completed my first 10K.

End of Iceland trip

In August we finished off our roadtrip around Iceland. This section ended up having a lot of driving because we started off at Seydisfjordur in the east of Iceland, and wanted to finish off the circular ringroad before returning to Reykjavik in the southwest.

If I was to plan this trip again, of course I wouldn’t have us leave from Reykjavik and, instead, would either deal with the long stopovers of flights from Egilsstadir (Seydisfjordir airport. Mainly for domestic flights.) Or perhaps start the ringroad trip from Reykjavik. However, I personally think that the way we experienced the ringroad starting from the east was better than if it started in Reykjavik.

If you’re planning an Iceland Ringroad trip in the summer of 2026, learn from both my wins and losses. Itinerary and more information will be shared shortly.

Chester Pride

In 2025, a lot of people like to state that pride isn’t necessary anymore. I say to those people: say that was the case - it’s not politically necessary anymore - would you complain about a running club or a book club? The fact that people would complain about the existence of a community event - proves that the event is needed.

To add to that, pride is still a necessity in 2025 and 2026 and all following years until we have a society that is completely inclusive and supportive.

Originally, me and my friend were just going to go for coffee when we realised that pride was going on. So we grabbed some rainbow paraphernalia from a stall on a street corner and headed in. There were two event stages, one inside a tent hosting drag artists and the main one which was open air by the bar.

Stalls were littered around. Some were community service stalls such as lgbtq+ societies or the university stalls. Others were selling jewellery, fans and more. I ended up spending far too much money on earrings and a “brat” fan but it was all worth it.

We hopped between stages, enjoying the different styles of entertainment. Never underestimate the power of a local community event - especially not a pride festival.

Leeds Festival

I got offered a largely discounted ticket to Leeds festival a week before it was set to go. With such a short time to convince anyone to come with me - I ended up going alone. I’ve done lots of things alone; travelled, gone to concerts and even partied. I’ve never been to a festival on my own.

What’s scary isn’t the music - it’s the time between. Being by myself in a tent in a sea of people (in hindsight - kids) with little signal and nothing to really entertain me? A phone addicts nightmare.

I ended up enjoying myself. I’d spend the mornings getting ready for the day. Then as soon as it was possible, I’d go in and see an artist I’d never heard of before and just get consumed by the music.

Upon further reflection, I’d definitely go to a festival again by myself but likely not Leeds Festival. I like the music and do think it’s a well planned out festival. The audience is just a bit too young. But I’m glad that young people are still going out and enjoying music.

Completing a 10K

The best thing about running and fitness is getting to constantly watch yourself improve. With running, you can choose to track with distance or speed. I choose distance.

So one day I went on a run and, just like Dory or Forest Gump, I just kept running. I ended up running to Chester zoo. Then back. Then I looked at my Apple Watch and I’d just ran a 10K. Without even realising, I’d just done something that I couldn’t even fathom the idea of, a year previous.

September

In September of 2026, I was offered a 6-week contract to work at an activity resort in Sardinia as resort photographer. I didn’t have long to pack and prepare but sometimes that’s good. I can’t overthink it.

So on Saturday the 13th September, I flew to Olbia in Sardinia to start my photography journey. Arriving on resort, I was met with an iconic view that would become my daily landscape. Crystal clear ocean expanding out to the island of Tavolara.

Being in Sardinia was days filled with bright sunshine, the soft sound of cool waves and sunsets that melted the sky.

My days were long in a way that makes you forget about life and just throw yourself into work. It was the kick I needed in my photography journey. I was forced by the neck to learn about the stuff I’d been too lazy to think about and got the best thing I possibly ever could: experience.

October

In October, I stayed working in Sardinia. I got the chance to have 4 days holiday and, if you know me, you’d know that I’d make those days count.

So I formed a plan.

On day 2 of my holiday, I got two buses. One to Olbia, where I spend a couple of hours exploring. The next was to Santa Teresa Gallura - a town on the northern tip of Sardinia with ferry connections to the French island of Corsica.

I had one full day and as always, choose to make the best of it. I spent the morning exploring the local town. A highlight being the Torre di Longonsardo. Here, there were beautiful views of the edge of the island.

I then got a ferry over to the island of Bonifacio in Corsica. On the ferry I spoke to a very interesting man. He told me he’d been teaching art in Singapore and his family had a house in Corsica. He explained about the politics of Corsica, how they want independence which leads to lots of riots and crime. “Don’t worry” he said “no one would ever hurt you! You’re a tourist.” Which didn’t exactly disperse all my fears.

I’ll never forget the feeling of sailing into port and seeing the stunning face of the limestone cliffs with an entire city built into the jagged peak.

I loved exploring Bonifacio. It has so much history and beautiful viewpoints and landmarks. Keep an eye on my blog to see a post about my day trip in further detail.

Later that day, I returned to Santa Teresa Gallura and got my nicest makeup on because I’d been told there was a festival. The festival took place in the town square on an outdoor stage. I took a seat at a restaurant with faced the performance and got to take it all in - all whilst eating my pasta.

Did you know, in Sardinia, the traditional dress and dance differs from town to town? And I got to see it for myself. With local dancers performing in their traditional Sardinian style.

Next, there were a group of opera singers whose voices were so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. The group later decided to sit at the table next to me at the restaurant and I ended up getting my own up close show. I saw them sit together over beers and laugh as they decided which songs to sing. Then the whole restaurant would join in with a clearly old classic that I didn’t know.

The table next to me would look over and dance with me and sing as the next act came on - a dj and singer that was clearly TikTok famous in Italy. There were dances and lasers and general festival festivities going on as I paid for my food and went back to my hotel feeling fulfilled with my day.

I have to say it’s the kind of trip I needed to restore my energy at the time.

November

In November, I was back home and settling back in after six weeks living abroad. As always, I see everything just slightly differently, with the eyes of my new knowledge and experiences. This time, I had returned with a creative kick. I felt like I could finally see the direction I wanted to go down as a photographer - starting my journey with some conceptual portrait shoots with friends, which was so much fun. I began scripting and filming a creative project I have been working on for a while. Details will be announced soon ;)

The project has been so special to my heart and has definitely changed my perspective on the world around me.

In November, I did a day trip to London, where we watched my favourite musical Les Miserable. As always, I sobbed and cried the whole time.

I also ended up seeing an artist called James Marriott twice. Once in Manchester and once in Liverpool with my friend who I rarely get to catch up on. This is the second time this year I went to a concert twice. Both times, it’s been kind of by accident such as I was offered a free ticket or there were conflicting days when my friends could go. Both times, I actually really enjoyed it - noticing the similarities and differences and I feel like somehow it helped me enjoy the music more.

December

December is always for family and friends. I returned to my hometown of Manchester and spent the month reflecting on my year as a whole, sharing memories with the people that have been in my life for years and will continue to be for many more. I shared laughs and stories and it all felt like the end of a chapter. Do you see years as chapters? Or do you see them as just another moment in a constantly flowing stream.