My 2016 Travel Bucket List & Work Goals

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I never do resolutions. To me, everyday is a fresh start. Whenever you want to do something or stop doing something, now is always a good time. Also, I rarely make a bucket list. I generally just have ideas and then see what happens because the things which I have done on the road, could never have been planned!

However, in saying that, 2016 is going to be big. Really big. In terms of both my travel movements and my professional growth, we are going to see a lot going on here! So, let’s get into my 2016 travel bucket list!

Publish my book

freelance thumb

I think it is obvious that publishing my book is my highest priority right now! I am giving myself 6 months to finish the first draft, have it edited, changed, edited again and finally, published! I know that this will take a huge toll on me mentally and physically. After closely following Lauren’s struggle from Never Ending Footsteps, I am hoping to learn from her mistakes and only pray I can be half as successful as she is!

The book will be very uncut in the sense that it will reveal everything which I cannot disclose on YouTube. The good, the bad and the VERY ugly. It may shock and disturb but it will cause laughter and inspiration… I hope! It needs to tell a real story of a traveller. A normal backpacker from Birmingham who went with the flow and could never ever imagine what the road had in store for her. I finally get to tell the real tale. I’m both terrified and excited. Let’s do this!!!

TBEX Asia conference

This is something I have wanted to do for a while and last year I missed it! The TBEX conference is a major travel blogger event held around the world and this year the Asia conference shall be held in Manila, The Philippines. So it could be a trip back there, which I am not sad about at all as I have a feeling The Philippines shall steal my heart!!

It will be great to connect with other bloggers/vloggers as well as mingle with different companies and brands to up my game and get some cool connections!

Live in Chiang Mai for a month

Chiang mai food

The moment I stepped off the over night train in Chiang Mai, I fell in love immediately. Scott thought I was crazy to devote my love for a place having spent 30 seconds in it but it just gave me a feeling. A strange feeling that just washed over me and I couldn’t really explain it!

Chiang Mai is easily the blogger capital of the world where vloggers, bloggers and other digital nomads come to live and work because rent prices are ridiculously low!! I am hoping to coincide the release of my book with staying here as I know for a fact I won’t be able to move around and publish my book!

Hike the Tongariro crossing

Tongariro National park

Something we put off the last time we were in Taupo because of the snow. If you know anything about me, you will know that snow is not my thing. The trek is 8 hours and is a challenge, but from what I have heard, challenging in all the right ways. You would be mad to come to New Zealand and not do the Tongariro Crossing! Mt Doooooom, baby!

Swim with Wale Sharks in Oslob

It seems that everyone who visits The Philippines have the same story. “The best part of my trip was swimming with Whale Sharks!!” I can see why that would be unbelievable and I can’t visit without getting with beautiful gentle giants!!

Visit Milford Sound

Again, something we wanted to do whilst we were down in Queenstown, however it is a very long drive! So we are hoping to hit up Milford Sound when we take our little tour of the south island in a couple of months! Depending on the weather we may Kayak or boat it. Not sure yet!

Watch the sunset in Koh Lanta

Sunrise over Outback Queensland
Sunrise over Outback Queensland

When I posted out a photo of the sunset at Piha Beach, a tonne of your sent in photos of the sunset at Koh Lanta. Adventurous Kate also got me excited when she showed us the sunset over her SnapChat! I have a small obsession with sunsets, so this is firmly on my bucket list!

Produce A Travel Calendar

This IS NOT my “secret project”… I thought I should say that here as the video made it sound as though it was, but no (that is something which shall stay a secret for now!) During 2015 I had a thought to do something like this however had left it far too late! Over the next year I want to comprise 12 of my best shots across the world and bring you all an inspiring calendar for 2017!!

2014 is still my best year of travel, but hell this year could really knock that one off and make bush fires and sheep stations look like a wet flannel! 2016 will be different. Every year is. The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia… I’M COMING FOR YA!

Have you made a bucket list??? What’s made the cut this year? Let me know in the comments!