Two thousand and fourteen is going to be a hard year to top but as an homage to this incredible year, here are my favourite memories from the adventures of 2014…

Bahamas

Starting off a Canadian winter in the Bahamas is always the right idea. We found the smallest town on the tiniest island and I awoke every morning to see the ocean over the tops of my toes.

Of all the endless empty beaches and rugged cliffs that gave way to gorgeous ocean views, my favourite memory was the road trip to the lighthouse on the very southern tip of Eleuthera island.

We set out one fine morning having rented a car from a lovely old man and proceeded to wreck the thing on a super fun road trip around the island.

First off, we decided Geoff would drive. After all, he needed the practice, not having driven in about eight years.

Also, the car was an automatic but had EXTREME difficulty switching gears. It became quite the game to urge and cheer on the car during gear shifts and then boisterously celebrate when the car didn’t explode but instead turned over. (The next day we realized the noise and shifting difficulties were due to not fully shifting the car into drive…ever…for the entire road trip…oops!)

While we likely needed a four-wheeled jeep, we took the tiny car down the most insane dirt road I have ever driven. Potholes would be the understatement of the century. Sometimes there was no road at all, the path just dropped off into the bush and the car jilted on a 45 degree angle as we drove. We feared we would flood the car in some of the “puddles” and when the “road” was too narrow, the trees scrapped along the sides of the car (sorry about wrecking the paint job sir!) and we had to put up the windows in order not to get attacked by branches.

We bounced and laughed and scrapped our way along the path until we abandoned the car completely and set out on foot to see the infamous lighthouse. It was fabulous!

Newfoundland

The most sentimental trip for me in 2014 was my trip home to Newfoundland, the first one with a boyfriend in tow.

Seeing the sights and sounds with a new set of eyes made me appreciate it more than I ever have in the past. It is somehow more beautiful. My family is somehow more wonderful – but definitely still crazy!

The view from my front porch is so incredibly peaceful. Nothing is more jolly than my grandma’s laugh (sorry Santa). There are guys named Randy Power (hearts!). And, when you lay down your beer to take a photo, it could get stolen…by a goat!

Niagara on the Lake

The little trips also brought good fun.

We went to Niagara on the Lake for a wedding in the summer, which was incredibly beautiful – because of the setting and because of the people.

When changing for the wedding, Geoff realized he had forgotten his belt and went to ask the bed and breakfast owner where the closest store would be. He came back with a borrowed belt from the Hindu priest who was to wed our friends that day. He, too, had chosen our little BnB as his homestead for the evening and insisted on helping out his neighbour.

So Geoff spent the wedding walking around with a bright and shiny red scorpion belt buckle strapped around his waist.

China

But, of course, China took the cake in 2014. There were so many adventures had and countless memories made. It was truly the adventure of a lifetime.

Our expedition to the Great Wall of China was the road trip of all road trips! Flashbacks of the countless market stalls and street food still make my mouth water. Adventures on the overnight trains, Halloween in a gay night club, champagne on rooftop patios, nighttime strolls along the Bund and so much more. But the most unique adventure was surely our home away from home, the night we spent in Ms. Wong’s cave.

Sights embed themselves in your mind and people in your heart. When your travel adventures leave you with memories of both, you’ve truly won the jackpot.

I won the jackpot in 2014…and so begins the bucket list for 2015!