My Appraisal of 2022 Travel: the year world travel returned

Wow, what a year 2022 travel has been for Where Angie Wanders. I finally ventured out of the UK after two years to take trips planned initially for 2020.

2022 was also the year I saw growth on my blog, indicating that the world was open again for travel.

While travel in England was still the choice for many not ready to get back on a plane, my Europe travel posts were extremely popular, especially those about Europe’s 3-night city breaks.

That led me to believe travellers were tentatively dipping their toes back in the travel market with short getaways.

On the other side of the ocean, where borders remained shut for many, internal travel in Australia interested my readers. My travel guides on Tasmania were particularly well received.

So, while 2022 travel seemed a long time coming, it was worth every minute of the wait when it got here.

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March 2022 – Egypt

My first trip was to Hurghada in Egypt in March.

I normally plan and book my travel independently; however, I still felt apprehensive in early 2022 about things going wrong and long sessions of trying to get refunds back. Because of this, I thought a package holiday would leave the tour company with the headache of cancellations, not me.

Of course, I couldn’t go to Egypt to sit around a pool all day; that would make me stir crazy, so I did what I do best and booked a tour to Luxor to see the temples and tombs of ancient Egypt that I had only read about but longed to see all my life.

The strange thing is why it had taken me so long to visit one of the countries on my bucket list when it is only a 5-hour flight from the UK.

I have made long-haul trips to Africa, Asia and Oceania, yet this gem was not a million miles away from me.

Thankfully it was truly worth the wait. If you have ever wondered whether you should go to Luxor, the answer is Yes, Yes and Yes!

The impressive Karnak and Luxor temples and Pharoah tombs are like a film set, and I had to keep reminding myself that it was all real. Luxor is certainly unique, and the only place that comes near to it is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

One of the most special moments of my 2022 travel was going into Tutankhamun’s Tomb in the Valley of the Kings and seeing his mummified body lying in a glass case – gory for some but purely magical for me.

July 2022 – Norway

I had planned a super complex itinerary for us to go to Norway in 2020 to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary; however, like many others, our plans were scuppered.

But in 2022, we could finally go, and it was a fantastic trip. This wasn’t a Norwegian Fjord Cruise as many friends expected, as we had already done one of those years back, but instead, this was a road trip heading from Tromso, known as the Gateway to the Arctic, down to the remote Lofoten Islands and then on to Oslo.

I enjoy road trips as they allow me to stop and admire my surroundings whenever I want and explore hidden gems.

After taking this trip, this part of Norway has gone to the top of my list for the most spectacular scenery in the world.

The mountains, lakes and beaches (yes, golden sand!) are incredible, and if you like driving, there is plenty of things to see on a Lofoten road trip.

A 3-night city break in Oslo is also a fabulous way to see Norway’s capital. I love Europe’s street art, and there was plenty to see in Oslo. Also, historic monuments are abundant everywhere you turn, and I enjoyed visiting a few.

Probably one of the best things to do in Oslo was to jump on a ferry from the harbour and, within 10 minutes, be on one of Oslo’s fjord islands. Amazing!

August 2022 – Prague, Czech Republic

This was a return visit to Prague for us and was originally a break which we booked our son for his 21st birthday, but that was in the pandemic, so it didn’t happen. By the time he could take it, he didn’t have the time, so he said we could go instead.

I wasn’t sure what we would have left to see as we had done all of the main Prague landmarks on our last visit when we had spent three nights in Prague.

Still, with some intense research, I found some alternative things to see in Prague, as well as a couple of day trips to Kutna Hora, where we visited a bone church and Cesky Krumlov, a town straight out of a fairytale.

September 2022 – Devon

2022 was the year we got to see our friends from New Zealand, who we had kept up to date with during the pandemic through Zoom calls. Hugging each other again was very emotional, and tears were shed.

We headed with them to Totnes in Devon to spend a few nights in a traditional cottage. We had a lovely time and explored the area, including Dartmouth, a quintessential English seaside town with lots of history to uncover.

October 2022 – Santorini Greece

I can’t think many people haven’t heard of Santorini and either want to go, have been, or have even gotten married there. It seems from the people I have spoken to that this is the most popular of the Greek islands.

I have only ever been to Corfu before visiting Santorini because, as previously mentioned, I tend to head for far-flung places rather than nearby Europe.

Believe it or not, this was another holiday my son was meant to take and now couldn’t, so he let us have it instead. Don’t feel too sorry for him as we compensated him with a trip to Kavos and Agia Napa, so he still had a great summer.

We stayed in Imeroglovli, between the two busy towns of Fira and Oia and saw sensational sunset views. We loved our family-run accommodation and enjoyed four nights in Santorini chilling out after a busy year.

I enjoyed the break because I always enjoy visiting somewhere I haven’t been before, but as for the hype surrounding Santorini, I don’t get it, as there are far more stunning places to visit in Europe.

It has made me want to visit a few more Greek islands to see how they compare to Santorini.

November 2022 – Surrey Hills

My last trip of 2022 was an hour’s drive from home for a stay in a shepherd hut in the Surrey Hills. It was a lovely way to end my travels for the year, as I also got to go llama trekking which was so much fun.

December 2022

As I finish this round-up of my travels in 2022, it only leaves me to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year, and I hope that you will continue to support Where Angie Wanders and follow my travels in 2023.

As always, I am here to help you with any travel-related questions, and even if you can’t find a post about a certain place on my website, it doesn’t mean I haven’t been there. I still have hundreds of posts to write about the places and experiences I have had around the world.

Angie xx