Wishlist for 2016 and the year that was in 2015…

Wow heeelllo 2016! Aren’t you shiny and new, warm and happy, tasty and a delightful year to meet?

Here’s to another year and some fantastic experiences, travels and moments ahead, many of which I shall share with you on Kiwi Footprints.

2015, the year that was

From the rooftop terrace of the hostel in Santiago, Chile as I saw in the new year I knew 2015 was going to be a year of change and boy was it ever!

I continued my South American travels up the continent through Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, even the Galapagos, had a few bouts of parasites and a sea urchin attack my foot before heading into Colombia, through the San Blas by boat to Panama, onwards to Costa Rica before hitting San Francisco and the much awaited Yosemite!

Wow was a trip that was. I met some amazing people, those of you that read my blog, let me say a very heartfelt thank you for impacting on my life throughout my travels, you’ll all be remembered wherever you are in the world.

That lead me to finally after over 5 years away, I finally reached my homeland of New Zealand.

All those travels brought me to halfway through the year and once I arrived in NZ, the new start began. It was a year of good and difficult times, many of which you’ll have no idea about. I dealt with many personal and health-related issues, but having worked through much of it, I’m in a much better space than I have been in years. I still have my moments where things are difficult, but I’m working towards a positive and healthy 2016 inside and out.

Travelling in New Zealand

The last half of the year between job, car and flat hunting I did manage to fit in a little taste of travel in New Zealand. Between jobs I took a week down to the South Island for the first time in my life. It was utterly incredible. As usual I was taking the solo travel route, but this time I’d hired a car and saw some specular scenery that made me fall in love with my home country all over again.

2016, the year and travels ahead

New Zealand will be my main focus of travels in 2016, it’s been a long time coming and now I want to see my homeland in all its beauty. A few places on the top of the list are Nelson, Russell/Bay of Islands and maybe a road trip down to the wearable art festival in Wellington later this year.

I’d like to pop over and see a bit of Australia if I can, see what life is like in Sydney and Melbourne possibly.

The BIG 3-0

Yes that’s right, I’m getting old. This year will mark 30 years I’ve lived on this earth. I’m tossing up a few ideas of maybe creating a list of ’30 Things to do before I turn 30′ or just planning a wicked trip to celebrate in November (suggestions welcome). Apart from my leaving do in London, parties never go well for me (no one ever really turns up), so that’s why I need to think about myself (yes this is the selfish new me), and what I can make happen to create a fabulous start to my 30’s.

There’s a few other things I’m working towards in 2016, but most of all I just want to be happy. I’ve learnt as much as I had aimed for a ‘fresh’ start in 2015, I still held expectations and hopes that were unrealistic. I’ve learnt that the only person I can rely on to create happiness and good health in my life is me. So that’s the focus of 2016:

Happiness and Good Health
(and a few exciting travels along the way)