UPDATED MAR 2020. Is anyone else super reflective this time of year? I certainly am. So, before we say farewell to 2017, let’s do some extraordinary travel reflections and recap where we went. I’m writing this as a recap post so that in case you missed any of the travel guides during the year, they’re all in one place. I’ve included links to the posts on each place for more information to help you plan your own trips.
Extraordinary Travel Reflections – 2017 In Review
Take an authentic Italian cooking class
We all associate Italy with great food and what better place to learn to cook right?
In January, I took a quick solo trip to Umbria to participate in an authentic cooking class complete with farm stay accommodation.
It’s definitely one of the best lunches I have had!
See the WWII sights in Normandy
My dad came to visit in February and he is a real history buff, so we went to France to visit many of the WWII sights in Normandy.
It was all so interesting to learn about but the best part was seeing it through my dad’s eyes and being able to share the experience with him.
Stretch out on a Yoga Retreat in Sri Lanka
I also attended my first ever yoga retreat on a solo trip to tropical Sri Lanka.
I’m not very flexible but the instructors welcomed people of all levels which was the best part for me because I didn’t feel out of place.
An added extraordinary travel bonus of this trip was a visit to Udawalawe National Park where I got to be surrounded by gorgeous elephants!
- Yoga retreat for beginners review
- Where to stay for a yoga retreat in Sri Lanka
- Solo female travel in Sri Lanka guide
Explore the Roman Baths and Stonehenge
Seeing Stonehenge is on most people’s bucket lists, and it is very cool to see with the informative headphone tour they offer.
My favorite travel experience on my solo trip to Bath though was a visit to the historic Roman Baths. In Bath, I stayed in a lovely set of apartments, the Halcyon Apartments, and of course I had a lot of tea and scones while I was there.
Do the Golden Circle Tour and Snorkel the Silfra in Iceland
Doing a tour with Bus Travel Iceland was a great way to see a lot of the incredible natural sights without having to worry about a thing. I absolutely loved it! My other extraordinary travel experience during my solo trip to Iceland was Snorkeling the Silfra which was my first time snorkeling in a dry suit. It was so cold but so worth it!
Have a complete Maldivian experience
The Maldives is a place where you can experience complete luxury.
My visit turned out to have the best of both worlds because I got the complete Maldivian experience with the resort-style luxury of an overwater villa as well as, my favorite, a stay on a local island with dive tours in the clear water every day with Boutique Beach Dhigurah.
Devour delicious Greek food in Corfu
‘Eat delicious Greek food’ is literally on my bucket list and I definitely ticked that off during this trip.
I also got to do a lot of snorkeling around the north of the island. Even though I was disappointed by how much trash was in the water, it was definitely some of the clearest and prettiest water.
Go border-hopping between Germany & Austria
August brought me to Austria and Germany where I got to see Hitler’s Eagles Nest and the Mauthausen Concentration Camp.
Endometriosis hit me HARD this trip and a lot of it was a struggle. I’m talking serious pain and thick, deep welts in my skin from swelling so bad.
It was so interesting to learn more about history though and a visit to the gorgeous Lake Königsee certainly helped me feel better.
Stay in a Riad in Morocco
On a solo trip to Marrakech, I got to live out my Princess Jasmine dreams while staying in a stunning riad – Riad Star.
It was truly extraordinary, the staff members were wonderful, and I really did feel like a princess the whole time.
I also got to travel into the Atlas Mountains to the Ouzoud Waterfalls which was a really cool day trip.
- Where to stay in Marrakech
- Touristy things to do in Marrakech
- How to stay safe as a solo female traveler in Marrakech
See the Alpine Cows descend from the mountains
This is possibly one of the cutest festivals there is.
I traveled to Switzerland to attend the Descent of the Alpine Cows festival which is where farmers bring their cows down from the mountains to escape the winter.
Alpine towns make a festival of it and cheer on the farmers then stop for a little beer and bratwurst afterward.
I also tried Raclette cheese for the first time which is AH-MAZE-ING!
Explore gorgeous Helsinki
For my birthday this year, I took a solo trip to Finland and the extraordinary travel experience I ticked off was experiencing an authentic Finnish sauna and icy cold sea swim.
Let me tell you that water was so cold – so cold you could only last a few seconds.
But it was a great way to spend my birthday and welcome in another year of life!
I also got to stay in a former prison at Hotel Katajanokka!
Saw WWE in Milan
In November I went to Milan for a weekend to watch my first love – WWE wrestling! This is the third country I’ve seen wresting in and there’s just nothing else like it. I love how fans are united in love for it around the world. Outside of the show, we have language barriers and different cultures, but during that show, we are all just wrestling fans and speak the ‘wrestling language’. I also got to stay in a really cool apartment with the most incredible view of the Duomo which topped off a great weekend.
Swam in the Mediterranean in Malta
November took me to Malta where I got to stay at the incredible Corinthia Hotel at St George’s Bay overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Of course, I couldn’t just look at it and I was glad that the hotel was so close that I could take a few steps ut and jump right in!
I also got to explore the island of Gozo with Gozo Pride Tours which was a lot of fun Jeeping around the island for a day.
Eat your way around Portugal
Seriously, the food in Portugal is pretty darn mouthwatering.
I jumped on the chance to go on a walking food tour with Culinary Backstreets Lisboa and had a great time walking around the city and trying a whole lot of food I never would have tried on my own.
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Blog Projects and Improvements
I released my very own travel journal
This year I released my very own Katie Show Blog Travel Journal
.
I’m really excited to have it out there and I think it’s a great product for us travelers who love to document our adventures. It’s super cute, with a photo on the cover that I took while in the Maldives, and it’s lightweight which makes it easy to take with me.
I began making more videos
This year, I have been really into making videos.
I began talking and explaining more in my videos too – it was so hard at first because I think my voice sounds weird on videos. I’m getting more used to it and have been enjoying being able to share the places through a different medium.
I got a drone
Yep, I joined the drone community this year. I even had my newborn drone story featured on Huffington Post.
Podcast feature
I was a guest on the Luscious Living Podcast which was the first time being on a podcast for me. It was so nerve-racking and I was super shy at first, but as the conversation went on it felt like talking to a couple of friends.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
How you can support my blog
Share your favorites
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Buy my creations
My Katie Show Blog Travel Journal and book Tips From A Former Fat Girl
are both for sale on Amazon. Any proceeds from the sales of them g back into running the website – hosting fees, domain fees, running giveaways, etc.
Donate
On my sidebar, I have a donate button. If you prefer to make a donation, this is where you can do it.
To close this out, I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has supported my blog throughout this year. I appreciate every single one of you and I hope I have brought you some interesting content and inspired at least one person out there.
For now, I raise my virtual glass of champers to you all and wish you a happy and healthy 2018. I hope it’s filled with enough challenges to make you grow, goals to aggressively chase, ‘wow’ moments to make you grateful, and reading material here on The Katie Show Blog to keep you inspired.
You are a true inspiration!
Thank you 🙂