Another year has come and gone, and here we are at the start of a brand new one. Many things happened last year, and quite a lot of travelling was done. Following the "tradition", here's a look at five great things that happened in 2014.
In no particular order of greatness:
1 – Road-tripping Iceland
In July, I got to travel to one of the countries on the very top of my to-visit list. From the time I first got interested in photography, I have wanted to visit this country to capture the amazing landscapes of Iceland. While there were a number of disappointments on our trip (bad weather for most of the trip, tire punctures, etc.), I did get to shoot and experience a number of beautiful locations, and it was unforgettable.
I do plan for a re-visit, and hope that there would be improved weather the next time round.
2 – Visiting New York City
New York City is a place that everyone should visit at least once, because it is the city to visit. It is a very fast-paced place, and not everyone will like it. As someone who preferred natural landscapes, it wasn't amongst my top picks for places I wanted to photograph. But that didn't mean that I had nothing that I wanted to capture. In addition, I did want to experience the place and all its touristy activities (of which there are many). In fact, I would love to pay NYC a second visit, because I spent so much time being a tourist this first time that I didn't spend enough time taking photos that I wanted to take.
3 – Travelling through Wales by Rail
Most people may not have Wales on their must-visit lists, but it definitely was on mine. Wales may not have the most spectacular scenery, but the history and tranquility of the place is wonderful to experience. We traveled around by rail, which is not only an excellent way to cover a number of major attractions in the area, but quite a relaxing experience (assuming you don't have to rush for trains).
4 – Attending my siblings' Graduations
The most special of the trips I made last year would have been to attend my sister's graduation in Savannah, Georgia, in the States, and my brother's in Cambridge, UK. In fact, trips 1 - 3 were only possible because they were added to these two graduation trips.
Both ceremonies were very different experiences, but served the same purpose. And with them, it marked the point where all three of us kids are now moving into the next phase of life. Exciting, but also scary.
5 – The always awesome End of Year Trip
As usual, the End of Year trip makes this list. 2014's trip covered a wide range of places in five different countries. Starting with a day-and-a-half layover in Dubai, we then hoped over to Nice, in France, for half a day, before zooming through Monaco, a chunk of middle Italy, and ending the trip with a stop at Vatican City and Rome. The scenery was pretty good, but it was the company that made the trip truly excellent.
As we begin this new year, it is hard to say what 2015 will hold for me. There are many things that I hope to achieve, including a more consistent posting schedule on this blog. Keep your fingers crossed, and have a great year ahead.
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Till the next time,
Raylen