2017 a review

Since 2017 has almost come to an end, I decided it was time to look back on our year. It has been a crazy year, that is for sure, but an amazing one.

2017 was the year that we sold our house and bought a piece of land to build our own home.

It has also been the year were we had to cut back on travel due to work, but even though we had to cut back on travel we did get out and travel as much as we possibly could. Even if that meant staying closer to home.

It was also the year that I decided to become a tourist in my own country, The Netherlands, because there are so many places that I had never been and still haven´t  been.

It was the year we fell in love with the Basque coast and in particular with the beautiful city of Zumaia.

So let me tell you about our top 5 moments of 2017.

1. Selling our house
We listed our house for sale in 2016 and we finally sold it at the beginning of 2017. For us it was a huge step, because it was our first home as a couple. We decided to take a leap and buy a piece of land, so we could realise our dream of building our own home.

2. A two week roadtrip to the Basque coast
This year we went on a two week camping trip to the Basque coast. We were planning on moving around, but we fell in love with the area near Ixtaspe so much that we decided to stay there for our entire vacation. It was a choice I haven’t regretted. We enjoyed all the delicious food, went on some of the most incredible hikes, and we just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful views.

3. A weekend get away to the Speulderbos

The last weekend of September we took a much needed trip to the beautiful Speulderbos in The Netherlands. Where I participated in a photography workshop about forest photography. The first day we were there we did a hike in the Speulderbos and the second day I had my photography workshop. We got so lucky this weekend, because the weather was so incredibly beautiful for the time of the year. We had sunshine, fog and no rain at all.

4. A day trip to Cap Blanc Nez and Cap Gris Nez in France
In November I went on a day trip to the Cap in France to photograph. The weather was incredible and the views and the food were amazing. I had never been here, even though it is only a two hour drive from where I live. Hence the fact I need to travel more in my own back yard.

 

5. All the trips to the forest
In 2016 I started with photography classes. I have loved to photograph ever since I was a child, but due to study and work I never had the time to take photography classes. After I had finished college in 2015 I decided in 2016 to finally take those photography classes I had always wanted to take.

Since I love to be outdoors and I love to go to the forest, I found my love for forest photography in 2017.  Which leaded to a lot of day trips to the forest in 2017 and even a photography workshop. Pretty much all my spare mornings were spend in the forest and I loved every minute of it. Most of the time I will head out by myself, because I am seriously no fun to go with when I photograph, but I love to be out there by myself, just taking in all the beautiful things the world has to offer.

I hope 2018 will be an equally amazing year as 2017. It will also be a crazy year, since we will start building our home. I hope we get to travel as much as possible, but we already have a three week roadtrip planned. So I can´t wait for all the beautiful things 2018 will bring us.

I hope your year has been as amazing as ours and I wish you a happy new year!

Cap Gris Nez France

Like I wrote in my blog on november 30th I went on a day trip to France to both the Cap Blanc Nez and the Cap Gris Nez at the end of November. We spend the day at Cap Blanc Nez and headed to Cap Gris Nez for sunset. And let me tell you, what and incredible sunset we got to witness there.

Ourneverendingwanderlust Cap Gris Nez-4383

 

Cap Gris Nez is situated only 50 meters above sea level, where as Cap Blanc Nez is situated at 134 meters above sea level. Here you will also find a lot of hiking trails, so this is an amazing place to visit if you like to hike.

There are three different view points up at the top and there is a light tower, so there is plenty to see. When the tide is low you can also go on the beach at the foot of Cap Gris Nez. When we got to Cap Gris Nez the tide was high though, so we couldn´t get on the beach anymore. Which means I have to go back another time, so I can go down to the beach.
Ourneverendingwanderlust Cap Gris Nez-4418
When we were here it was only 5 degrees Celsius out and it was wind, which is normal for the Cap Gris Nez. I seriously had trouble to hold my camera still, because it was so windy.

I would take a chilly and windy day everyday though if I get to spend it in a place like this, I mean look at these pictures.

 

 


At Cap Gris Nez the sun sets right in front of you over the sea. We got lucky with the sunset, because it was cloudy that day and the sun treated us to a spectacular sunset with sunrays. The sunset even lighted up the white Cliffs of Dover in the United Kingdom. The sun was reflected on the Cliffs, which turned them bright orange.

Do you ever take day trips?

Ourneverendingwanderlust Cap Gris Nez-4442