Reflecting back on the year of 2020 and making some goals for a better 2021.
When I saw in 2020 on a beach watching the fireworks over Sydney harbour bridge, having drunken hugs with my bestie and our new friends, screaming and shouting ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ how 2020 would go was just an impossible future that I couldn’t even consider because who could? Who could have honestly imagined that this year would progress the way it has?
January to March was seemingly ‘normal’ and I can’t believe that’s where the normality ended. Up until where Covid interrupted my travels, I was so lucky and I did so many things I never thought I’d do and the year started exceptionally well. January was our last full month in Australia and we explored more of Sydney before picking up our first campervan of three. That had been a challenge we had overcome in itself with the devastating bushfires that tore through the country had altered our plans at first and once we’d rearranged our routes and plans we thought the rest of our trip had to be plain sailing! How could it get more complicated or altered than that?
Still in January, our first road trip took us from Melbourne to Adelaide, ticking off some amazing famous sites of Australia like the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians. We did our first freedom camping (terrifying but so much fun), we saw wild roos and watched the sun come up over the 12 Apostles. We checked off the Great Ocean Road food tour and arrived in Adelaide ready for ‘staya day which we celebrated with the locals before returning Cody the camper and flying back to Perth. The new destination saw us pick up our second camper DJ and complete a round trip of 900+ miles to Lucky Bay and back. We saw wild dolphins in Bunbury, walked alongside the wild Sting Rays in Hamlin Bay, saw the most insanely beautiful beaches and hung out with wild roos on the beach at Lucky Bay.
Early February saw us head back to Perth at the end of our Australia road trips and explore the city and the most amazing place; Rottnest Island. No words for how remarkable this island is and this day trip is my number one recommendation of Western Australia for sure. Late on the 5th Feb we headed to Perth airport and flew back to Melbourne for our final few weeks. I spent my birthday in Melbourne drinking frozen margaritas in huge Mexican hats and falling on old men on the tram – don’t ask! Melbourne was a beaut of a city and an amazing one to spend our final few weeks in. We explored so much, riding the famous old tram, having drinks on the river, going to ArtVo museum, playing mini-golf and eating $5 dominos. It was actually a lil heart-breaking to leave the country we’d called home for 3 months.
In mid-Feb, we were arriving in the New Zealand ready to explore the two islands for two whole months, all in a campervan. Between mid-February and mid-March, we had explored the whole of the North Island, walked the longest footbridge, tubed through watiamo caves, had a natural mud bath in smelly but lovely Rotorua, had breakfasts on beaches and sunsets over bays, too many ice creams to count, hiked 1 active volcano, stayed in many freedom camps and begun exploring the South Island. We had 2 final weeks exploring the beautiful South Island before the New Zealand Covid lockdown struck and we were so lucky to escape to Auckland to quarantine with our amazing new NZ friends. We spent the rest of March and the beginning of April with our Auckland bubble watching so much Netflix and Disney+ and making cocktails. We were so grateful that we were so safe & well looked after whilst the whole world was going into panic. Despite the drama of our travels ending, we made new special friends and that’s definitely something good to come out of the pandemic.
April saw the start of our lockdown and the end of our travels (for now). We arrived back in the UK on April 9thand it was amazing being reunited with our family so made the most of being back together & home with our pets. During the month, we celebrated my sisters 21stwhich was such a blessing in disguise as originally I wasn’t going to be with her for it. April was full lockdown and so we went on our daily walks, baked so much banana bread and rediscovered our love of Hama Beads.
May, June, July and August just blur into one. We had more celebrations for my sister with her finishing her second year of University, we took our walks to the seaside for a change of scenery, had many picnics in the garden, basked in the sunshine, read lots of books and after nearly 8 months’ of being apart Mike and I were finally reunited. We took part in a household ‘Come Dine With Me’ (the scoring was definitely rigged), celebrated more birthdays and had our first meals out in restaurants since March! By August more normality had returned with bars having reopened and groups of less than six of more than one household could mingle in outside areas (yay!). More river walks and a haircut later, and we were into September.
September saw a day trip to London which felt so normal, a mini break to Ramsgate and the Kent coast with my two favourite people and a trip to York for celebrations and Mikes 25thbirthday. So much love and fun was had in this month. It was also probably my busiest and most dramatic month of the year as this month I created my blog and started updating my Instagram page to reflect what was coming. It took days and days of learning around the workings of my blog and this took up the rest of my September. Finally putting my thoughts into words was so therapeutic and it felt the right time to start talking about my travels.
October saw the leaves change, many pumpkin patches, the first proper outfit pics for Instagram, more at home nails and books and so many Luna hugs. I embraced this season change in full force and I went crazy for everything autumnal. Last year it was overshadowed by my upcoming trip so this year, it just seemed even more lovely. I took more photos than I had before and did my first proper flat lay for Instagram. I even made a pumpkin patch reel because I just couldn’t get enough! I also launched and shared my first blog posts and received so much love and support from friends and family, it’s for sure one of my proudest achievements. It’s definitely a huge highlight of 2020 for me and something so good to come out of a pretty rubbish year.
November brought many more outfit pics, a day trip to London with my lovely mum, finding out my cousin and his girlfriend of 10 years were finally engaged, more flat lays and blogs, we sent a Christmas gift box to our New Zealand bubble and I had my first gingerbread latte of the year. Also a huge first for me, November included my first PR/AD/gifted post from the jewellery brand Mejuri! I also started a new job – a huge relief to finally be working and earning again, posted my first outfit reel and reminisced about the 1-year anniversary since we left the UK for our travels. My anxiety seemed to peak a little bit more in November so I prioritised keeping a routine and self-care and thankfully it levelled out. So to embrace the happiness of the pending Christmas bubble on the 22ndof November, my first Christmas tree went up!
Finally, it was December and this month brought so much with it. There were bubble baths, more Starbucks and costa Christmas beverages (too many to admit to but sometimes they’re just needed) lots of Christmas content, a quick trip to York to see Mike after 2 more months apart and the next lockdown. Whilst in York, we explored Dalby forest with his pup, ate fish and chips in the car over-looking Scarborough beach. Being back home saw the rest of the Christmas decs going up, present wrapping, lots of shifts at work, my sister home from uni, more Hama Bead Christmas cards and new Christmas bedding & mugs! December also included my second ‘blogger’ event. The lovely Bills Colchester branch invited me for a complimentary dinner of their Christmas menu which was I am still so grateful for & enjoyed so much. I was so lucky being able to fit it in before the December lockdown.
The lockdown and changes to the Christmas restrictions also brought lots of mixed emotions and definitely a peak in my anxiety. Our plans seemed to change again and again and again, which I know was the same for almost everyone. It seemed like Christmas was going to be the oddest one yet but when considering we were together, we were healthy and safe at home definitely put things into perspective and we made the very best of a day we had all been silently dreading. I really hope that you were able to make the most of your Christmas however different or unusual it was.
The last hurdle of December to come is New Year’s Eve. I never enjoy NYE, I always hope I will but I do just find it increases my anxiety and stresses me more than I care to admit. So this year, we’re going to play it by ear. If we’re feeling ok to get dressed up and have a few drinks we will and if not, we’ll have a lovely cosy night in PJs with our favourite TV shows and head to bed early and wake up in 2021. I think it’s essential this NYE to listen to your body and what it wants as well as your mind and what it wants.
2020 has been exceptionally hard but I’ve also had some of the most exciting or best moments of my life. It is basically impossible to word how much of a rollercoaster it really has been. Some days were filled with tears and so much sadness and other days, laughter and the optimism that it has to and it will get better. I think whilst my mental health has taken a battering, I am so grateful to be here, still going. Despite the year we’ve had, you’re still here and you can do this. I can’t begin to imagine the pain this year has brought some of you and I hope you’re treating yourself with more kindness than ever and are able to surround yourself with people and things that you love.
Goals for 2021 are few and far between this year. I’m never one for manifesting but I think this year I need more to focus on and so I’m going to attempt it but other than that, specific goals don’t really exist. I don’t think it’s a year for putting pressure on myself when it is impossible to say or know what’s coming. What I do hope and wish for, is a return of a normality, that I’m able to keep up the zoom calls with my uni friends and be reunited with special friends and family I haven’t seen for so long. I’d also like to hope the vaccination will mean Mike and I will be able to start our travels which have been long anticipated. Finally, I hope I am able to keep my blog up and continue sharing my ramblings with you all.
I truly hope when you reflect back across the crazy year that is 2020 you are able to find moments of love and happiness that shine through over the moments of pain and sadness. If not, remember you’re never alone and please reach out if there seems like it’s all just too much. Crisis hotlines are both confidential and available 24/7 and your worries are always, always valid.
Sending you all so much love and hugs for a much healthier, better and freer 2021. Catch up soon.
lots of love,
Han x
hannahshildrake.co.uk 