2012 has been a winding, bumpy road with a few potholes and some fabulous scenery along the way. For me it’s been a time of learning, thought-provoking encounters and extraordinary quirky travel experiences.
There have been a great many travel highs, including watching boiling hot geysers erupt in Iceland, marvelling at mountainous snow-covered majesty in the Swiss Alps, overwhelmed by the scent of technicolour tulips and hyacinths in Holland, walking all the way round tiny Herm in the Channel Islands, a close encounter with a wild boar in Lancashire, sitting in solitude in a tiny cave chapel on Gran Canaria, eating Michelin-starred food in an old Blacksmith’s Forge in Cartmel, and flying across the River Thames in London’s first cable car, feeding one of the world’s biggest alligators in Darwin and most memorably seeing the sun rise over Uluru from a tussocky hill and on the back of a friendly camel.
One of the most surreal was …
1. Meeting the President of Iceland …
I was on a media trip to celebrate Easy Jet’s new route to Iceland, led by their CEO, which resulted in our group of journalists and bloggers being invited to meet this quirky country’s President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. In a low-slung white building surrounded by silver-glinting mountains and Reykjavik’s icy cobalt water, it was extremely informal and strange. Very little security, a suavely charming President extolling the delights of his uniquely curious country, political ping-pong as the Daily Mail travel reporter tried to get an ‘angle’ on the bank loan the UK gave Iceland, having my question answered on why people should visit this wonderfully bonkers country with reference to imposing paintings on the walls around us (the stark, volcanic beauty that feeds the soul and is ever-changing). Finally juggling warm berry-bedecked pancakes and bitter-strong coffee whilst pinching myself ever so gently to see if it was really happening.
2. Listening to an Oompah Band amidst acres of flowers
On a very cold weekend in April I sailed over to Holland on an overnight ferry to sample the delights of Amsterdam. I’d never been before and thoroughly enjoyed it all, including the cycling tour, canal boat trip, many museums and the city’s beautiful old houses. However, the most memorable excursion was to the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens, with their tapestries of spring flowers in every colour of a painter’s palette. Even in a bitingly cold wind the scent was overwhelmingly heady. In a corner of the grounds is a huge wooden windmill, in front of which played a lively brass band, delighting the audience with their musical antics. It was so different from our somewhat reverential brass bands seen in public parks around the country, usually watched by old folk falling to sleep in fading deck-chairs. In their patriotic bright orange jackets and mischievous smiles, these musicians encouraged the audience to dance and young Japanese tourists dared each other to have their photos taken with this crazy gang of Dutch fun.
3. Learning about wartime occupation in Guernsey
The Guernsey German Occupation Museum is moving, informative, disturbing and illuminating. Recreations of living conditions and crammed full of fascinating artefacts from the dark and stressful days of the early 1940s, it brings home what daily life was like for the occupants of Guernsey, a tiny British island a few miles off the French coast, when the Germans took over and life changed in the blink of an eye. A short black and white film poignantly shows the story of the islanders’ struggle and newspaper pages tell of starvation, arrest and liberation. Amongst all the signs of hostility, fighting and austerity are quirky objects like the horse’s gas mask, a make-shift ambulance and home-made makeup and toys. They give a sense of reality to what for most of us today is a couple of lines in a history book. Particularly evocative is a dark street with a police bobby keeping an eye on what’s going-on along its virtually empty shops. The museum cafe is watched over by a soldier manning a machine gun but the red, white and blue bunting is a positive reminder of the eventual freeing outcome of the Occupation.
4. Being Proud to be British
For many of us Brits 2012 was a truly memorable year for two especially significant reason. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the Olympic Games seemed to give us back a sense of self that had been missing for some time. Whether you were an ardent royalist, an avid sports fan, a lover of a good party or someone who believes every country should have something to be proud of, there was a way to join in and have fun, even if it was simply watching it on TV with friends and family. Although many of the big events were in London, cities, towns and villages throughout the UK held parties and bedecked the streets with patriotic flimflam. The Torch Relay was what ignited the flame for the London 2012 Olympic Games, as it travelled up hill, down lanes, along rivers and through fields in some of the worst weather this country has ever experienced. And the crowds turned out in their millions to cheer on the chosen hardy souls who ran, jogged, walked, wheeled and staggered through wind, rain, snow and hail carrying this beacon of sporting excellencefor us all to see. My personal highlight was being able to hold the Torch and also the tiny golden Davy Lamp that kept the Flame alight as it sailed along Lake Windermere on a foggy day in July. I’ll never forget the fantastic atmosphere as we arrived in rain-sodden Bowness to a crowd of thousands all revelling in a little piece of national pride.
5. Soul connection at the Ultimate Rock Concert
Without doubt, my absolute favourite highlight of 2012 was a very special concert that took place in the shadow of Uluru, one of Australia’s most famous sights and a place of deep spiritual significance for Aboriginal people in the Red Centre of this incredible country. I was on trip to find out about Aboriginal food and culture and was staying at Yalara Resort, Ayers Rock, as it is still known. Our group was invited to go to the Mutitjula Community Carnival, where Aussie music legend Shane Howard was putting on a concert together with a load of his friends to celebrate 30 years since he released the anthemic hit ‘Solid Rock’. The song was inspired by a visit he made to this area and it’s become embedded in the country’s psyche. A few hundred people came along – it is literally miles from anywhere in the heart of the desert, and those of us who were there knew we were privileged to experience this awesomely uplifting concert. Elderly Aboriginal women chanted hypnotically as they performed one of their ancient dances. The rhythmic, pulsing beat of the feisty musicians boomed out through the sunset as Aboriginal and white singers shared harmonies that must surely have uplifted the Ancestors as much as they delighted the appreciative audience. The image that sums it all up for me is of laughing children covered in ochre dust leaping for joy as the sun set over their very own special piece of Planet Earth.
Wishing you a truly magical and fulfilling 2013 full of quirkilicious adventures
in mind, body AND spirit
From Zoë Dawes:
Wandering around near home and far away is a joy and brings all sorts of unexpected delights. If you’ve got a yearning to see and do more in 2013, it will be worth the effort. Mark Twain sums it up nicely …
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did NOT do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore … Dream … Discover …”
From santafetraveler:
What amazing things you got to do. I’ve wanted to to to Guernsey ever since I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Have a travelious 2013!
From Kay Cook:
What wonderful adventures Zoe, I’m envious of them all! (though come to think of it, I was in Bowness in the rain too . . . ) Wonder what delights 2013 will bring you?
From Zoë Dawes:
Loved that book Billie – and it does give a vague flavour of some of Guernsey folk’s struggle to keep going through a tough time. It’s such a pretty island and there’s certainly lots to see & do there.
From Zoë Dawes:
Not sure what 2013 will bring Kay but sure there will be some quirky adventures along the way! Hope it’s a great year for you too
From D.J. - The World of Deej:
I knew the Olympic torch had to be on here somewhere…pretty sure it would have been my #1!:)
From Rob:
Wonderful adventures Zoe.
From Zoë Dawes:
The torch was a real high DJ and one I will never forget. The best bit was the atmosphere on the boat – we’d all had security clearance so could just mix n mingle with The relay Team, chat to the Torch Bearers, watch the school kids getting overexcited and wave to boats escorting us up the Lake. And when we arrived the atmosphere was just amazing!
From Zoë Dawes:
Thanks Rob – am lucky to have been able to get time to do all that travelling. This year may be a bit less … but who knows? Hope your travels go well too
From Deb:
What a great year and so cool that you met the president of Iceland. I agree with you on it being an amazing year for Britain. I wanted to be British this year! You guys really had it going on and I hope the national pride continues because it’s a great country.
From Sonya:
Fab round-up of 2012 travel experiences! That is an awesome iPhone photo taken from the Swiss train window.
From Zoë Dawes:
Thanks Sonya – it was actually taken from a coach and was one of those “Maybe it will come out, maybe not, but I’ve just got to try!” Have a great 2013.
From Francoise Armour:
Sounds like you enjoy the unusual … if you ever decide to grace our shores in South Africa and you need some fun and excitement in Cape Town, feel free to contact me! The majestic Table Mountain, penguins sharing a beach with sunbathers, the tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, the island that was a prison then a leper colony then a prison again and now a museum, valleys of vineyards, whales frolicking near the shore, a desert that bursts into bloom for just a few weeks, folded mountains, we have all the quirks and fun!
From Rachel Davis:
wow! what an incredible year! The Guernsey trip sounds fascinating and I also would love to visit Iceland. A very inspiring post indeed!