Reflections on 2018 and Looking Forward to 2019

Cliched it might be but, it didn’t feel right posting on New Year’s Eve without some thoughts on the past year and maybe some resolutions for next year. It feels like a nice way to bookend those 12 months, to look back with some reflections on 2018.

 

2018 was tough in many ways in the British Virgin Islands. The start of the year was still muddled after Hurricane Irma. Not much was open, and life in the islands was still pretty rough. Friends and colleagues were away following the storm and some, sadly, would never return. Slowly life returned to some sort of normal, and unexpectedly, one of the best things about 2018 was the way that it blossomed during the year. As the Territory continued to recover, and we started to see progress being made! It turned out to be surprisingly positive and enlightening, despite the obvious challenges.

 

2018 saw us taking on one of our biggest travel adventures to date, with three weeks in South East Asia and time spent in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. I’m forever grateful to my adventurous parents for picking Sri Lanka as the destination for their holiday and, in turn, our family holiday. The perfect balance of family time, catching up with friends in far-off places, seeing my sister and where she’s living, and adventuring with the husband. Some truly unforgettable travel experiences.

 

 

In May I got to go back to Puerto Rico for the first time since Hurricane Maria. A bittersweet trip with many of my favourites sadly closed, but new favourites to be made! A wonderful birthday trip with opportunity to relax, wander, explore and eat.

 

 

I tried to do as much as possible in the BVI this year, as many islands as I could visit! Every boat trip I could fit in. Resorts and restaurants as they re-opened, I was there! I made new friends and worked to promote as many BVI businesses as I could. Something I plan to continue in 2019.

 

 

Now the tourism season is in full swing, the cruise ships are back and we’ve never been so happy to see so many boats on the water and new faces in the bars and restaurants.

 

Next year I am planning more adventures to look forward to, and bucket list items to tick off. I’m determined to visit at least two brand new destinations, starting with Morocco in May.

 

I plan on saying ‘yes’ to as much as possible, even things that terrify me! I’m hoping that 2019 brings more time on the water, more new experiences and more opportunity to learn. I want to do more, see more and learn more skills.

 

I’m excited to wake up tomorrow to a brand new year. What are your goals for 2019?