travelling right, travelling light

We expected that coming back to real life would be hard.

And it was.

Happily, though, I started my new job - quite fittingly - a year to the day since I left my last one - on Wednesday, 18 June. A full twelve months out of the corporate world. A freedom that was all-but-forgotten within weeks of setting foot back in it. Of course, I had hopes that I'd come back a more balanced individual, but who was I kidding? I do genuinely enjoy working and given the choice of working or not, well, I'll pick gainful employment any day of the week. But working vs. travelling........? My bag is already packed in case Lloyd ever asks that fateful question again....

Anyway, as we approach the one year anniversary of our departure, we find ourselves pondering where we were one year ago today..... it gave us the idea of blogging something of a retrospective. We're telling ourselves that it's a good excuse to look back, post some more pictures and videos (which we've realized were quite light in the early days of our blog!), but in reality - I think - you should consider it a form of self-counselling. Bear with us over the next six months and you'll be contributing to our healing.

So! The first retrospective will be something that wasn't on the blog at all a year ago! Just before Lloyd and I set out from London, I spent a wonderful week cruising the Mediterannean with my Mum! For me, it was a great way to start the 'wind down' from working to travelling, but - most importantly - my Mum and I enjoyed some time together that we hadn't really ever had before.

Before we boarded "Splendour of the Seas", we overnighted in Venice - a wonderful time!

Our ports of call included Dubrovnik in Croatia, Santorini and Corfu in Greece, and Ephesus in Turkey. We were blessed with perfect weather everywhere, but I think my favourite place was Santorini overall. Mum and I scrambled through the windy, picturesque alleys and enjoyed wine spritzers and ice cream sundaes overlooking the cruiseships in the bay beneath us. Just a perfect, perfect day.

My favourite port of call, Santorini, with its famously white buildings with blue roofs....just gorgeous!

More piccies: our ship in port in Ephesus, Turkey. On the right: Mum and I on an excursion in Corfu.

Just as we settled into cruise life, we found ourselves celebrating our last night on board with a ridiculously lavish midnight buffet. Looking back, I'm not sure I was great company! I was rather tired from the pre-departure hustle and bustle and - if I have one regret - it's that my Mum and I didn't take the opportunity (final night midnight buffet aside) to check out the late-night-life on board! I'm sure we would have had some fun.

Midnight Buffet: the Most Food I've Ever Seen No One Eating.... And, on the right: keeping in touch on board - Lloyd video-conferencing from the US!

Regardless, we had a great time enjoying most of what Splendour-of-the-Seas had to offer. After a great week, and with a heavy heart, we sailed back into Venice, bathed in the light of a stunning sunrise. Cruising suited us both better than we expected, and I'd just love to do it all again one day!