I’ve been home for just over 48 hours now from an amazing, eye-opening, unforgettable and exhausting five weeks travelling around France, Italy, Greece & Turkey with my best friend. I’ve been meaning to begin sorting through my photos to find one for the first post after my return, and finally tonight I found some time – only to log on and be notified that today is WANDERBUG’s first birthday (or “anniversary” as WP calls it).

This blog has helped me relive, record and share not just the places I’ve been, but the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve had and the insight that travelling – around the world, around my country or just around my hometown – has allowed me.

I love being able to immortalise these memories and being able to order these snippets of thought by country, region, city or topic indulges my OCD tendencies a little too perfectly.

I’ve travelled to more countries since I started WANDERBUG, many more cities and seen many more things but one of the biggest pleasures I’ve had in writing WANDERBUG is sharing my beautiful country, state and city with the world. Taking to my hometown with fresh eyes and a blogger’s lens has been a reality check of what a fabulous part of the world I live in. I still have so many parts of the world I want to see, but coming home at the end of the trip is now almost as exciting as it was to set off in the first place.

Hearing feedback from readers is such a privilege of blogging, and I love being able to hear that someone has found my writing useful or learning from them when they have their own tips to trade.

I’m excited to start sharing my most recent escapades and to keep digging through the archives of my mind to bring new stories to life from past experiences, before my memories fade.

Happy travels!