Our Travels Before We Had Kids
Our travels before we had kids have taken us all over the World, we’ve had good times and bad, highs and lows but all of it has been incredible.
We have been together since we were 18. We’ve actually known each other since we were 11, we had classes together at school and become good friends.
2002 – 2007
Our travel life began very soon after we got together with a trip to Paris a month into our relationship!
During university we traveled to the Maldives (still one of my favourite places to date), Dominic Republic and India together.
Once we’d graduated we saved hard for almost a year and then embarked on a 9 month trip around the World. More on that another time!
After returning from traveling we desperately wanted to continuing seeing the World. However, at that point, peniless and without a home to call our own we had to accept that our first priorities needed to be getting jobs and buying a house.
Even whilst saving hard we found a few spare pounds to go to Vienna for the Christmas Markets (the start of a love of Christmas Markets, see more on our favourites here).
We also explored the South of France (absolutely stunning and still on the list to go back).
2008-2010
2008 bought more stability to our lives, with the purchase of our first home and now both in stable jobs. For the first time we could save our surplus cash and put it towards holidays. Fancy clothes and luxuries took a sideline as our priority was (and still is!) to see the World.
We headed off on a cruise of the Mediterranean that Summer, exploring Barcelona, Tunis, Rome and Portifino to name but a few.
Whilst we didn’t really enjoy the cruising experience (but this would probably be different now with kids), we LOVED ticking so many places off our to visit list in such a short period of time.
The Christmas Market of choice that year was Berlin in Germany. A fascinating country steeped in history. Perhaps not the prettiest place we’ve ever been but very very interesting and great for a mini break.
New Years was spent in Madeira with extended family and friends. We really appreciated the warm weather. It’s always lovely to get away from the British winter for a bit!
Early 2009 bought a visit to Morocco, a feast for the senses and an incredible, bustling place. Later that year we headed for a calmer holiday in Tuscany (I mean, is there any where more beautiful?!).
We finished the year off with a fantastic trip to Prague in the Czech Republic for, you guessed it, their Christmas Markets!
By 2010, we were well and truly ready to throw ourselves into some more ‘adventurous’ travel again and its certainly something that typifies our travels before we had kids. After our around the World trip in 2006 we’d been craving some normality and ‘easy’ trips. But this wore off 🙂
Our first trip of the year was to Croatia and Montenegro. This started off a love affair with Croatia that has seen us visit numerous times since. It’s such a stunning country and the coastline is hard to beat.
Next on the list was an emotional and very worthwhile drive around Belgium and France. We visited the Cemeteries and beaches from WWI and WWII. It was eye opening, heartbreaking and a complete education on every thing that happened during that time.
We started off in Ypres, Belgium and after some time there drove down to Beyeux in France. We visited the Tapestry (exceptional) and the Beaches of the Normandy Landings.
The highlight however, of the year, and perhaps all of our travels even up to now, certainly at least our travels before we had kids, was our trip that October to Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya to trek with the Gorillas.
Dave had had to beg me to go as I was scared to get so close to Gorillas. When I think that now I laugh. As it is, without a doubt, one of the best things we’ve ever done, and likely, will ever do.
If you get the chance to see these amazing creatures then go. It’s truly exceptional. And the trip wasn’t just about the Gorillas.
As with our 3 month overland trip in Africa during our around the World travels back in 2006 we overlanded and camped. We saw Giraffe, Elephants, Chimpanzees and obviously, Gorillas. And much more besides.
These types of trips aren’t easy. You have chores each day, you work with your travel companions to unload and load the van, you help cook the food. But it is amazing. You make firm friends. You see things you’d never think you’d see. And you never ever forget it 🙂
The year was topped off with yet another Christmas Market trip, to Copenhagen this time – it was FREEZING. But absolutely gorgeous and a lovely way to finish the year.
2011 – 2013
Early in 2011 I was preoccupied with training for the London Marathon. This is also up there with my top things I’ve ever done – such an INCREDIBLE experience! As soon as that was complete we headed off to Japan. I didn’t really have high expectations. But OH MY GOODNESS. We loved it. Loved it. Loved it. The people, the culture, the cities, the trains. Everything.
It was only about 6 weeks after the Fukushima tragedy and subsequent Tsunami that had rocked the country and the resilience they were showing was incredible. To this day, I’ve not been to a country with people more generous in nature, kind and respectful. So much love for Japan 🙂
That summer we took a trip to Talinn in Estonia. Another really pleasant surprise, such a pretty little city with turrets everywhere and a gorgeous old town.
A weekend break in Amsterdam (always a favourite) followed. At a flight time of just over an hour from London, it’s so easy to get to for a couple of days.
The year ended with yet another trip to Africa, this time to the west of the Continent and Ghana Togo and Benin. We overlanded, as before, and it really was quite the trip.
The West of Africa is quite different to what we’d seen before. Unfortunately our group did experience thefts, muggings and general feelings of uneasiness.
BUT, as always, we loved the scenery, made great friends and really enjoyed camping. It is, however, probably the most ‘hardcore’ trip we’ve ever done.
2012 began and wedding preparations were in full flow. This was also the year a lot of our friends got married, so we each had numerous hen and stag do’s to go to. Not to mention the 8 weddings.
London hosted the Summer Olympics that year and it was fantastic, there was such a buzz around the Country.
However, our focus was mainly on our wedding in August but we did squeeze in a fair few trips. Including, Oslo, Venice, Stockholm and Wales. All fantastic.
The biggie however was our honeymoon for pretty much the whole of September. The day after our wedding we hopped on the train and headed East to Cologne in Germany. This was our first stop on our train journey from London to Beijing.
Cologne was a very pretty city but the stop there was quickly over. We embarked on our first overnight train from Cologne to Moscow. I was so nervous as I had no idea what to expect. However, it was ok, the cabin was small, but comfortable and we enjoyed two days and nights on the train.
We passed through endless countryside dotted with the occasional town and city. Poland, Ukraine and in to Russia before we got to one of our major stops – Moscow.
Anyone who has been can probably attest to the fact that Moscow is unlike most other cities you will visit.
There’s a distinct Soviet feel to the city but this collides with the flashy cars, western supermarkets and high end bars of more modern times. There is such a lot to see and do there that we struggled to fit it in in the time we had.
We were soon off on our first Trans Manchurian Train headed towards Mongolia. A few days passed, reading about the places we stopped at and enjoying train life. Once in Mongolia it was straight to the countryside and a Ger Camp where we stayed for a week.
To date this was one of the most amazing experiences we’ve ever had….we horse rode, kayaked, walked for hours and just relaxed. With no electricity, heating, wifi. Just us. It was lovely.
After Mongolia we were back on the train and off to Beijing in China for the remaining few days of our honeymoon. We lived in luxury at the Raffles (which was much appreciated after the simple living in Mongolia and on the trains).
During our time explored Beijing, we visited Tianamen Square, The Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City before we flew home. We got bumped up to Business Class on that flight – the only time we’ve flown Business Class and one we’ll never forget.
Once home we didn’t pause for long before embarking on a whistle stop train tour of Switzerland in November. We saw the Christmas Markets in Bern, Geneva and Basal. We fell in love with Switzerland that holiday and vowed to return (which we have done since with the girls).
New Years of 2012 was spent in beautiful Lisbon, Portugal. It was a lovely escape to the warmth and we had a brilliant time exploring the stunning city.
2013 – 2014
Come April 2013 we were ready for a big adventure so headed off to South America to do a trip from Buenos Aires in Argentina to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.
South America had never been on my radar before then but WOW. It was vibrant, with delicious food and unbelievable scenery.
La Boca in Buenos Aires was bursting with life and Copacabana Beach in Rio was just as incredible as people say it is.
There were far too many highlights of this holiday to mention but I can’t recommend a visit there enough. What a place.
In the Autumn of 2013 we both turned 30 and knew that babies would be on the cards soon. So we bit the bullet, bought the tickets and flew to New Zealand for 2 weeks of driving around the North and South Island.
It was one of the most beautiful countries we’ve ever visited, outdoorsy, scenic, and so easy to travel around.
Come late 2013 our travels before we had kids slowly started to ease up with trips to Athens, Helsinki, Budapest and Slovenia before our eldest daughter arrived in Autumn of 2014.
And the rest….is a whole other chapter!
For some of our first travels as parents check out the blog post on our trip to Bruges when our daughter was 10 weeks old here. Or, our first longhaul trip to Mexico as a family of 3 here.
Thanks so much for reading!
