2014 travel resolutions and travel wishlist

I’m always a bit ambivalent about New Year’s resolutions – January seems the worst month to opt for major life overhauls, complete deprivation and over-optimistic resolves. Which is almost certainly why research has found the vast majority of resolutions are ditched by February, a fair proportion within days.

But having said that, a clean slate to start to the year is tempting and with resolutions positively encouraged, it’s not a bad motivator. The key, for me, is to be clever. Pick something manageable and specific, and more to the point, pick something you really want to do.

So if you’re thinking about travel resolutions for 2014, you could do worse than the 12 trips challenge which I wrote about a few months ago: to make at least one trip every month for the next 12 months, whether that’s near, far or just around the corner.

I started in September (just as good a time to make a resolution) and after four months, I’ve racked up four trips – the Algarve, Copenhagen, my Caribbean cruise and Winchester.

For now, I’ve nothing planned for 2014 so I need to get thinking about where I’d like to go next. Which sounds like the perfect post-party activity for New Year’s Day…

Plotting holidays? Now that’s a resolution I like the sound of.

Check out how we fared the first year we took the Take 12 Trips challenge – 12 months on, before challenging ourselves again in 2015 and in 2016, the perfect way to inspires yourselves to get out once a month… at least.

My 2014 travel wishlist

It’s been an uncharacteristically despondent start to the year. A combination of time feeling like it’s slipping away, watching my (non-parent) peers taking on the world, plus tiredness, unceasing germs and equally unceasing rain, mean 2014 has some way to improve.

My usual solution is to make plans. Doing something, going somewhere, or just a new project to focus on will hopefully add a bit of sparkle to the new year.

My travel wishlist (Burma, Belize, Guatemala, Vietnam, Cambodia) is, inevitably, curtailed by Minnie – there’s still destinations which I feel are going to be a bit beyond us, simply too far away or too risky for a toddler.

But equally, in around six months, I’ll have to start paying more for her flights… so I should make the most of cheap fares while I can.

1. Granada

It’s somewhere which has been on my wishlist for a long time – usually as part of a week-long drive taking in Seville and Cordoba at the same time. I kept deferring it to head to further-flung places, then because of Minnie.

Now I’m thinking I should scale back the ideas, book a weekend and go, so at least I get to visit the Alhambra. The question is, do I try for a child-friendly trip, or cash in my 10th anniversary present – a child-free weekend, courtesy of my husband?

EDIT: I made it… and went child-free. Check out my Granada trip

2. Paris

It’s over three years since I’ve been, and as a city I’ve visited as an impoverished student, to celebrate my mum’s birthday, with friends, with my husband, in summer, in winter, I’m intrigued to try a child-friendly version.

As a bonus, Eurostar has a sale starting tomorrow until January 14 with returns to the city, plus Brussels and Lille, for £59 return between January 20 and April 3. Then I just need to work out how to get everything onto the train…

EDIT: We made it – check out our Paris trip

3. New York

Another revisit – again, I haven’t been for several years but after our relative success with flights to the USA in 2013, it’s tempting to go back with Minnie. Last time I was there, the High Line wasn’t finished so I’d love to see that.

I suspect the cocktails in concealed bars, hidden restaurants and shopping aspects of my last trip might have to be abandoned though.

4. Turkey

I’m craving some sun (more than I managed to get in the park this morning, certainly) and while I’ve visited Istanbul a few times, I’ve seen very little of the rest of the country.

Cappadoccia is hugely tempting but more realistically, the Turquoise (or Lycian) coast sounds pretty perfect – clear seas, warm temperatures, food and a nicely laid-back week chilling out. Alternatively, Explore has a couple of toddler-friendly tours, including one to the same area once Minnie turns two.

5. Israel

This one was on the wishlist for 2013 as well, and (so far) I’ve only managed a weekend while pregnant to get a glimpse of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, so fancy heading back for another taste.

As we have family living there, this one seems more likely to actually happen this year.

6. York

For no particular reason apart from the fact I’ve always liked York and haven’t visited for absolutely ages.

Part of me thinks it might be better to wait until I’m not pushing a buggy along cobbled streets and when Minnie can appreciate the sights and smells of Jorvik Viking Museum (which I loved as a child) but then again, York’s been around for quite some time, so we can always go back again.

So… a few ideas to keep me going. I can’t help feeling it’s not much more ambitious than last year – less, if you consider that we cruised around the Caribbean. In which case, maybe I should revisit it when the January grumpiness has worn off. Any suggestions?

 

Main image: Depositphotos, Granada copyright MummyTravels

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