Let’s catch up: 2018
2018 - A busy year!
We kicked off 2018 celebrating the new year in Paris. We got to see part of the light show at the Arc de Triumph before deciding it was too busy and cold and getting some warm food on our way back to the hotel! We spent New Years Day in Disneyland Paris in the pouring rain! We spent the next few days exploring Paris and enjoying the last of their Christmas market.
Between January and March we focused on getting the house in order after moving in right before Christmas. With a few trips up north to visit family and friends.
At the start of April it was time for Bev’s first hen weekend. This was the ‘everyone is invited’ one where she booked a few caravans and invited all those involved in the bridal party and the women in her family. This was based in North Yorkshire which meant that it wasn’t too far for Bev’s grandma to travel. During this weekend they explored Filey where they found some incredible fish and chips that were also gluten free for Bev’s sister! They ventured out to Whitby one day, exploring the historic sites with those who were more mobile.
As a couple we have always preferred celebrating birthdays and special events by having holidays or day trips. This year we decided to celebrate Bev’s birthday by taking a trip to France with Ewan’s parents and then continued our trip just us and our puppy. This was his first trip abroad, spot how proud of his puppy passport he was in the photos below! We based ourselves for a few nights in Saint-Étienne-au-Mont, but enjoyed visits to the local beach, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Le Touquet. Once Ewan’s parents started their journey home we headed east, towards the French/Belgium boarder. We stayed in Boeschepe, which gave us the ability to visit various places including Ypres and Nieuwpoort where our dog joined in with a game of football on the beach!
Once we were home it was back and forth to the Newcastle area, celebrating various different people including another hen celebration for Bev. However the biggest celebration that summer was for Bev’s Great Granny as they got all the family together to celebrate her turning 100!
In early June, Ewan went on his Stag Do with some family members. They travelled by Interrail through Paris, Luxembourg, Nancy, Liege, and Brussels.
Bev managed to squeeze in one more hen party with her family, going with a few of them to Disneyland Paris (second time in the year!). Thankfully by this point we had discovered Bev and her mum were entitled to an access pass each, meaning they were able to use the disabled queue. That helped Bev and her Aunty get some amazing photos of the castle at the end of the fireworks (below).
Between this trip to Disneyland Paris, Bev’s mum being extremely poorly and the last minute preparation for the wedding we managed a quick trip down to Devon to visit our friends.
After our wedding, we took a short trip to Wales before heading north for a second celebration with family members who couldn’t join us on our big day.
A few months later, we embarked on our main honeymoon, timing it to celebrate Thanksgiving with our American friends who feel more like family. We discovered it was more cost-effective to fly from Heathrow, London, to Oslo, Norway, before returning to Heathrow for our flight to JFK, New York. This detour marked the beginning of our “why not” travel philosophy, allowing us to explore an extra city while saving money and still reaching our destination.
In New York, we ticked off the major highlights: Madame Tussauds, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Museum, Central Park (by bike), Times Square, and a Broadway showing of Chicago. Afterward, we rented a car and drove to New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with our friends. It was an unforgettable experience! They treated us to American delights, including banana pudding, and introduced us to the novelty of oversized popcorn buckets at the cinema.
Before flying home, we spent one last night in New York and attended a breathtaking performance of The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet.
Returning to England, we added a new member to our family—a gorgeous Cavapoo puppy.
We wrapped up the year with a quiet retreat in Cornwall, enjoying peaceful walks, cozy cups of tea, and adventures with our two dogs.
