So, 2014 is clearly a less exciting year than 2013, which is tough year to beat – getting married, giving birth, living in NYC etc.
But with the Boy’s help – because he really does think of putting everything down, whereas to me, my highlights were only ‘added new countries’ and ‘started a new job’ – I have a halfway decent list of “highlights”, albeit some pretty lame ones.
Highlights:
- Added 2 new countries (Mexico, Iceland). WHOO-HOOOOO!!! Travelling again! An almost normal, pre-baby life. HIGH FIVE!!!
- Travelled more north than I’ve ever done before (either at Husavik or Djupavik)
- Touched the Arctic Ocean (at Djupavik)
- Saw and touched icebergs for the first time in my life (at Jokusarlon) and tasted (thousands of years old) glacial ice
- First time in Latin America
- Visited Mayan pyramids, including Chichen Itza (One of the New 7 Wonders)
- Visited 7 UNESCO heritage sites (Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Campeche, Pingvellir, Fountains Abbey, Le Havre, Penang’s Georgetown)
- Visited Perlis to complete Peninsular Malaysia
- Ate whale and puffin meat (in Iceland). Whale is a really weird meat… it was only lightly grilled in this case – it tasted like beef, but with a tuna aftertaste. Puffins were out of season, but we had some slivers of smoked  puffin meat, which was dark red and quite tasty
- Got 3 job offers, and started a new job in a different field (Consulting). This isn’t really all it’s cracked up to be, because I actually wanted to work in corporate, but because I wasn’t getting any traction with corporates, I finally applied for professional services roles, and suddenly I got 3 offers (M&A, equity research, consulting).
- Winter Wonderland roller coasters. I’m a TOTAL WUSS when it comes to rides, and I haven’t taken a roller coaster ride in more than 10 years – the last time I took a ride was in 2002 when I worked in Lake Compounce over the summer. Back then, I took some rides (e.g. Wave Swinger, which I really loved), but only one roller coaster (Boulder Dash), and only because it was a wooden roller coaster, which make it a bit of a novelty. This time, I took the easiest of the 3 relatively tame-looking outdoor roller coasters, where the top of the carriage is attached to the frame (and the safety bar snaps down over our shoulders). I also took an indoor roller coaster ride Ice Mountain… which was less scary in a way (because it was dark, and there were interesting lights and sounds to distract you), but it was also probably the only ride ever during which I almost vomitted (I felt it coming up to my throat before I gulped it back down), probably because of all the spinning. Even though I was terrified on both rides, cussing and swearing all the way and wondering why I ever thought it was a good idea, and telling myself I’ll never do this again – I think it’s good that I tried them, and I’m trying to face my fears. I really want to be a good model for the Little Buddy in future, and it will never do for me to be overly fearful.
Lowlights:
- No 3 star restaurant
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Other key achievement / events / experiences.
The Good:
- No 3 stars but a bunch a high profile 2 stars (L’Enclume, Manoir Aux Quatre Saisons, SaQuaNa)
- Drove a boat (Norfolk Broads with my JC friend S. It was nice going on a weekend with her)
- Saw whales , seals (poorly, and from a distance, mind you) + Parrot Zoo, London Zoo, Brest Aquariums, Denver Aquarium etc.
- 3 weddings (PW/LT, MG the twin, KL/J)
- Attended Paris wedding in Madeleine (!!)
- Watched all 5 seasons of Breaking Bad (haha, this is what I mean by the Boy thinking of everything, because this wouldn’t really be considered remarkable by me. Although I guess he suggested it because Breaking Bad is one of the highest rated TV series of all time?)
- Walked Regents Canal for a full day
- Started using my first connected objects (Aria, Fitbit, etc.)
- Watched Book of Mormon (“Hasa diga eebowai”)
- Lived a couple of weeks in Denver, Colorado
- Started exercising and pole again. Did some barre and reformer pilates sessions, went rock-climbing once (baby in tow), and did one pole course. I was super super rubbish at pole to start with – couldn’t invert. But eventually I became just super rubbish, because I could invert and do a V-invert. Yay me!
The Bad:
- Our flat getting too small, and I’m constantly distressed by it and wondering what to do (move out of UK? move out of Zone 1? Sell our flat and rent instead?)
- Some short nights due to Little Buddy’s early wakings and disturbed sleep. Although mostly he does 7-7, so I can’t really complain
- Disastrous welsh weekend. Our plan to hike Brecon Beacons was foiled by the terrible weather, and Little Buddy being really ill with a high temperature, and we didn’t bring medication and the pharmacies were closed on account of it being Easter. A stressful and unpleasant weekend trip, probably my worst ever weekend trip.
The Ugly:
- Belly fat not disappearing, and not losing pregnancy weight (I would actually call it breastfeeding weight), which really sucks