That Was 2023
Well, we have to say, 2023 was a pretty good year. After the distraction which called itself COVID which reduced our ability to travel, this proved to be the second successive year in which we really did make our dreams come true. It’s been good. We broke some of our records this year too: number of days travelling (270), number of beds slept in (93), countries visited (18), each of which set a new high.
There were some real highlights too, which hopefully we’ve managed to capture below. This is how it went:
JANUARY
Countries: Panama.
Route: Pedasi-Boquete-Boca Chica-El Valle d’Anton-Gamboa-Panama City-San Blas Islands (Pelicano, Aguja, Perro Chico)-Panama City-home
Bed count: 12
Memorable people: Herbie and Erika (hosts in Boca Chica), Maya and others (fellow travellers to San Blas), the guy at Gamboa who went out of his way to help us with a tyre repair.
Best bars/restaurants: Boquete Brewing Company (beer and live rock), The Butcher (also in Boquete, fabulous steaks), American Bazaar (Panama City).
Memorable events/Bucket list items: Zip lining and white water rafting in Boquete, going by boat through the Panama Canal locks, the classic desert islands of San Blas, the wonderful setting and wildlife at Gamboa Rainforest Resort.
Low point: Arriving at an inhabitable airbnb house filled with insects and cockroaches in El Valle d’Anton.
FEBRUARY
Countries: Italy, Switzerland
Route: home-Milan-St Moritz-Zermatt-home-Padstow-home
Bed count: 20
Best bars/restaurants: Hexenbar (Zermatt), pubs in Padstow as ever, Parkerville in Herne Bay (our best local micro pub).
Memorable events/bucket list items: Journeys on the Bernina Express and Glacier Express, seeing the Matterhorn at close quarters, the White Turf meeting (horse racing on snow).
MARCH
Countries: India, Nepal, Vietnam.
Route: home-Delhi-Gayá-Bodhgaya-Varanasi-Lumbini-Gorakhpur-Balrampur-Agra-Delhi-Hanoi-Ha Long Bay-Tam Coc-Hue.
Bed count: 32
Memorable people: Bob, Ben and Patrick on the Buddha train.
Best bars/restaurants: Embassy (Delhi, great paneer curries), Ninh Loam Rose (Tam Coc)
Memorable events/bucket list items: The Buddha train “cruise”, revisiting the Taj Mahal; revisiting Varanasi and witnessing the aarti again; the Halong Bay cruise; the amazing scenery around Tam Coc.
Low points: Disrespectful behaviour of rich Indians on the Buddha train; the chaotic border crossing into Nepal; floating garbage in Halong Bay.
APRIL
Countries: Vietnam, Cambodia
Route: Hue-Hoi An-Da Nang-Can Tho-Ho Chi Minh City-Siem Reap-Prek Toal-Battambang
Bed count: 39
Memorable people: Sarim (tuk tuk driver in Siem Reap), Var (our guide in Prek Toal), Pat (hilariously camp hotel worker, Battambang).
Best bars/restaurants: Just about every restaurant in Pub Street, Siem Reap, and simply great food everywhere.
Memorable events/ bucket list items: The lanterns of Hoi An, the bridges of Da Nang, the killing fields of Choeung Ek, the multiple wonders of Angkor Wat, spending a night in a floating village on the Mekong.
Low points: Rats everywhere in Can Tho.
MAY
Countries: Cambodia, Singapore
Route: Battambang-Phnom Penh-Kampot-Kep-Phnom Penh-Singapore-home
Bed count: 44
Memorable people: Tin Tin (our guide at Battambang).
Best bars/restaurants: The Mekong (Phnom Penh), Holy Crab (Kep), The Long Bar at Raffles, Brewerkz and The Public House (all Singapore).
Memorable events/ bucket list items: The Bamboo Railway at Battambang, the bat caves of Battambang, discovering Kampot pepper and Kep crab, drinking Singapore Sling at Raffles, the rooftop at Marina Bay Sands, Gardens By The Bay.
Low points: None
JUNE
Countries: None
Route: home-Padstow-home
Bed count: still 44
Best bars/restaurants: Padstow pubs as ever.
Events: None
Low points: Not travelling!
JULY
Countries: France, Spain
Route: home-Paris-Aix en Provence-Arles-Carcassonne-Chateauneuf du Pape-Carcassonne-Vernet les Bains-Perpignan-Barcelona-Sant Pol de Mar.
Bed count: 54
People: Erica (met in Chateauneuf)
Best bars/restaurants: Aixpression (Aix), La Part des Anges (Chateauneuf), Le Longchamp (Carcassonne), Bar Chez Jean-Louis (Vernet), a backstreet tapas bar whose name we’ve forgotten (Barcelona).
Events: Riding Le Petit Train Jaune in the Pyrenees, Pont du Gard, wine!
Low points: A joint bout of travel tum.
AUGUST
Countries: Spain, Andorra
Route: Sant Pol de Mar-Andorra La Vella-Zaragoza-Haro-Santo Domingo de la Calzada-Tarragona-Peñiscola-Alicante-Villajoyosa-Mojacar-Nerja
Bed count: 64
Memorable people: Roberto (host, Villajoyosa),
Best bars/restaurants: Vinos Nicolas (Zaragoza), Malavida (Haro), Bayarri (Peñiscola), La Sal (Tarragona) where we had the best paella of the whole trip.
Events: Seeing castellers in action, walking the Caminito del Rey, pintxos in La Rioja region.
Low points: None
SEPTEMBER
Countries: Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco
Route: Nerja-Granada-San Luis de Sabinillas-Seville-Algeciras-Chefchaouen-Tetouan-Tangier-Meknes-Fes-Errachidia
Bed count: 74
Memorable people: Jo & Darren.
Best bars/restaurants: McGuinness’s Irish Bar (San Luis), Cafe Catedral (Seville).
Events: Alhambra, meeting up with Jo & Darren, discovering Tangier, wandering Chefchaouen, the incredible food at Cafe Catedral.
Low points: Being let down by car rental company.
OCTOBER
Countries: Morocco, Turkey, Cyprus.
Route: Merzouga-Erg Chebbi-Merzouga-Midelt-Fes-Casablanca-Istanbul-Girne-Iskele-Lefkosa-home
Bed count: 84
Memorable people: Mohammed and staff (hosts at Merzouga)
Best bars/restaurants: Bar Atomic (Casablanca), Afitap Kebap (Girne), The Black Penny (Girne), Hoi Polloi and Majests (both Lefkosa).
Events: Overnight in the Sahara at Erg Chebbi, long camel rides, stargazing in the desert, visiting the tanneries at Fes.
Low points: Discovering the terrible expansion of tourism and destruction of countryside in Turkish Cyprus.
NOVEMBER
Countries: Portugal, Cape Verde
Route: home-Padstow-home-Lisbon-Sal Rei-Praia-Tarrafal
Bed count: 90
Memorable people:
Best bars/restaurants: Cegonha (Tarrafal)
Events: Hiking in Serra Malagueta mountains, loving Tarrafal.
Low points: None
DECEMBER
Countries: Cape Verde
Route: Tarrafal-Praia-Sao Felipe-Cidade Velha-Sal Rei-home
Bed count: 93.
Memorable people: Sylvia (host, Sal Rei).
Best bars/restaurants: Te Manche (Sal Rei), Cafe Encontro (Sal Rei), Melissa’s (Sao Felipe)
Events: Touring Fogo and seeing the amazing Pico do Fogo volcano, touring Boa Vista to see the incredible sand dunes by the Atlantic, the quality of the fresh tuna.
Low points: The awful seasick ferry from Fogo to Santiago.
And that, all, was 2023. Compliments of the season to everybody, and wishing all fellow explorers good health and happy travels for 2024.
30 Comments
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
Season’s greetings, good health and happy travels to you as well!
Lookoom
What an amazing collection of places and pictures, thank you for sharing them with us and Happy Holidays!
Phil & Michaela
You too bud
Alison
What an amazing year, I’m breathless just reading this. Most of your year in other countries, hardly any time to wash your clothes! You should really consider writing a book, maybe when you’ve stopped travelling!
Hope next year is as good as this one has been.
Parks and Planes
You’ve had such an incredible year filled with so many travel highlights. Congrats! You captured each place beautifully and it has been a delight to follow along with your adventures. Can’t wait to see where 2024 takes you!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you guys, and happy Christmas!
Helen Devries
Thank you for taking us with you to so many fascinating places. Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Phil & Michaela
And to you and Leo too, Helen….enjoy!
grandmisadventures
Wow what a year! Absolutely incredible to see how far and how much this year of travel has given you. I can’t wait to see where you take us in 2024 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Meg, have a great Christmas 😊
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Wonderful recap of an exciting year. Cheers to many new destinations and experiences in 2024.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Suzanne, you guys have a terrific Christmas!
Monkey's Tale
You had a great year! Merry Christmas! Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Merry Christmas to you guys too!
Andrew Petcher
An excellent round up.
Toonsarah
I love this way of summing up your travelling year, and although we’ve done rather less than you I’m tempted to pinch it! The main thing that strikes me, putting aside the impressive list of places you’ve been, is how many more high points there were than low 🙂
Have a wonderful Christmas, both of you, and here’s to many more adventures in 2024 🎄✨🛫 And who knows, we may even manage to be in the country at the same time for long enough to have that drink!
Phil & Michaela
Pinch away, there’s no such thing as stealing when it comes to travel blogs! Meeting up for a drink with you guys is very high on our agenda now…watch this space!
restlessjo
Enjoy the good times ahead, and make the best of the rest. Happy 2024!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Jo – merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too
Travels Through My Lens
You covered a lot of ground in 2023! The Camino trail looks amazing as does Halong Bay. Happy Holidays!
WanderingCanadians
You certainly made the most of being able to travel again post-pandemic! Wishing you many more travels and adventures in 2024! Cheers, Linda
wetanddustyroads
And what an incredible year you’ve had! Thank you for allowing us to travel with you, to see beautiful places (especially the less travelled roads) and all your funny stories. I can’t pick a favourite out of any of you destination for 2023 – that’s how much fun it was! Best wishes for the new year to both you and Michaela.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Cornaway- big happy new year wishes to you guys too
Phil & Michaela
I’ve just noticed that the stupid auto correct changed “Corna” to “Cornaway”! Oops, sorry!
wetanddustyroads
Haha, I saw that … and thought it might be like ‘gateway’ (I kinda like it)!
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leightontravels
A roundup of a truly mind-boggling travel year. To see it laid out like this reminds me of some of you best pieces in 2023. But also serves to reinforce that I wish we had more time for travel and at a much more relaxed pace. I’m sure you have equally exciting plans lined up for 2024. Happy New Year to you both!
Phil & Michaela
Happy New Year to you and Sladjia too, Leighton. And all I can say about finding time to travel at a relaxed pace is…..we can thoroughly recommend retirement! Best wishes bud.
Miriam
What a fantastic year you’ve had. Love the way you’ve broken it down into your categories. We’re just about to head off to Vietnam for three months. Happy travels in 2024. 😊
Phil & Michaela
Vietnam was absolutely fantastic, Miriam – as was Cambodia. Look forward to following your adventures.