End of the year, and end of the decade

It has turned into somewhat of a tradition to write my reflections on the current year but as we end this decade, I’m also writing my reflections of the ‘teens’. I’m so pleased I blogged on 31 December 2009, and stated my aspirations for the next decade  ‘So, now to look forward to the next decade, the decade of my 30's and my hopes and dreams. I hope to be married, to have children, to stand on Antarctica, to have the diversity job that i love, and for Ali and I to be very very happy.’ And I’m super happy to have done them all.

So, first a look back at 2019. Last year I blogged about the best year of my life, but alas, this year was the worst of my life. I would never have predicted this year. On January 1 2019, I started the year knowing I had seven months off work with my wonderful daughter, a trip to Iceland was booked and I was turning 40. However, the 3 June changed our world forever when mum suddenly and unexpectedly passed. As such, that’s all I can think of, and then a couple of weeks later, our greyhound Sailor joined mum. However, something sticks in my head – Don’t put off to tomorrow, what you can do today. We need to live.

Highlights of 2019

• Reyka milestones – Sitting up, first tooth, crawling, first steps, first words. Our lives were full of baby yoga, messy play, Hartbeeps, swimming lessons, rhymetime sign language, baby gym, Moo Music and messy play. Absolutely loving nursery!
• Visits – so many National Trust and English Heritage visits. Hampton Court Palace, Duxford, Bletchley Park every month, Weston Super Mare, zoo’s, parks, Peppa Pig World. Holiday with our NCT group in Lincolnshire. Emmeline statue in Manchester.
• Trips abroad – Paris for Ali’s birthday, Iceland for Reyka’s first birthday and Budapest for my 40th birthday.
• Illnesses galore – Roseola, tonsillitis multiple times, laryngitis, tummy bugs, conjunctivitis, one ambulance visit, two weeks of 40 degree temperatures and endless colds.
• Iceland – Staying in the Antarctica suite of Hotel Ranga (where we got married), eating skyr birthday cake, Icelandic horses, Reykjavik Pride, waterfalls, museums and the Beluga Whale sanctuary.
• Family – Spending so much wonderful time with friends and family.
• Random visits – Friends fest and cereal café,
• Baking – making cakes every week for the local community café.
• Afternoon tea – Fortnum and Mason, Woburn Hotel and Ampersand Hotel
• Spa – Few spa visits
• Sports – watched Spartans rugby match
• Went back to work and started a new job as a Diversity Manager.
• Escape rooms – something I thought I’d hate, but actual really enjoy

End of the ‘teens’, start of the 20’s

• 2010 – Getting engaged in a hot tub at Hotel Ranga, on the foot of a volcano in Iceland.  Seeing my first university friend get married (John and Vicky), Visit to Borneo with Mum and Brigitte, Manchester Pride, Bristol Pride, Engagement party at Aunties, loads of Devon beach visits, watched Wicked at the theatre,
• 2011 – Moving to Bedford, then moving to St Neots. Sailor joined our family. Caroline and Peter get married, visited Ali’s dream destination of Galapagos islands, Pre wedding trip to Iceland in deep snow, housewarming party, visited Istanbul with Phil, visited Barcelona for Aunties 40th, we said goodbye to Devon, an inspiration of my childhood passed away in an accident – Allan,
• 2012 – Wedding in Iceland, honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand, flew business class for the one and only times in our lives, amazing time watching the London 2012 Olympics and paralympics, Ali completed the Great North Run, World Pride in London, attended the Queen’s Garden Party, Brigton Equality Walk, we both completed the swimathon, visited Paris,
• 2013 – Penny joined our family, afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason, Duck tour with Liv and Caitlin, cottage holidays in lincolnshire and Norfolk, went punting in Cambridge and haven’t laughed like that…ever, watched a cricket match for the first time, completed a walking half marathon, visited Hastings with Phil, visited Buckingham Palace, my school best friend got married.
• 2014 – Walking a marathon, attending Trooping the colour, watching a football match for the first time, going on a speed boat on the Thames, many amazing afternoon teas, watching the London marathon, watching London Pride, camping with doggies!, canoeing with Windband, watching Laurence and Jerome get married in Paris, visiting the set of Bad Girls with mum, Jen and Jemma who were all big fans, Windsor Castle, Scotland tour, visited the Tower of London poppies, started a Brownie Pack, attended the Cenotaph Remembrance Day Service, an Ice based anniversary to the Ice Bar.
• 2015 – First visit to Bletchley Park, visiting my dream destination – Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia, Walking the Shackleton trail, Cottage in North and South Wales, watching Wimbledon on centre court, watching an ordination, visiting Blenheim palace on a soggy family camping trip, Sophia was born, Ali got a new job, shook hands with Prince Harry on Christmas Day at Sandringham and was interviewed by Sky News, Cabinet War rooms with Mum and Dad, Alison and Paul’s wedding and watched the Oxford Cambridge boat races.
• 2016 – Cottage holidays to Isle of Wight and Northumberland, multiple afternoon teas, visiting Iceland, Kensington Palace, watching the Order of the Garter, Patrons lunch, polo and state opening of parliament, completed an Olympic triathlon for my diamond duke of Edinburgh award, watching the anniversary games, hosting a street party for 100 rainbows, Brownies and Guides for the Queen’s 90th birthday, Mum’s birthday visit on the orient express, Ellie and I being award the Civil Service Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
• 2017 – Got stuck at the top of a ski jump in Oslo, cottage holidays to Norfolk, Hull and Cornwall, cruise, archery, women’s march, Windsor Horse Show, more afternoon teas, Matilda and Royal Albert Hall for classical spectacular, Lots of being in the audience of TV shows, spoke at my biggest audience yet – 800 people.
• 2018 – Reyka completed our family, Visited Titanic museum and Bristol Aerospace, cottage holidays, led the Civil Service celebrations of the suffrage centenary. Best job of my life!!!! Loads of afternoon teas, Sienna was born, was sat at Windsor castle at 4am to watch Harry and Meghan get married, marching with Girl Guiding in pride, Baby shower and the unbelievable – being awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.  Attended the investiture with Mum, Dad and Ali. A day I cried for most of the day!
• 2019 – As above, but I will focus on the time I spent with Reyka on Shared Parental Leave. 

Hopes for the next decade
Watching Reyka grow and showing her the world. Russia, Nepal and Costa Rica are top of my list. Hopefully good health for all of my family. Here starts a new chapter in our lives.

Budapest - Palatinus Baths and Gelarto Rosa

The day started with a new discovery for Reyka. She is rather fond of Chimney cake. Of course, it's bread covered in sugar! We visited Margaret Island to the Palatinus Baths. Ordinarily I'd spend most of my day in Hungary in a spa, but it's too hot for Reyka so instead we found a cooler bath on Margaret Island. It was nice, the children's pool was shallow enough for Reyka to explore around. Lunch stop opposite the baths for my last langos of the trip, then a walk back to the taxi. On route, Reyka fell fast asleep in the baby carrier. All of this city exploring wore her out. She was asleep for the walk, the taxi and then the ice cream at Gelarto Rosa. The ice cream is a picture. I chose white chocolate and lavender on the outer petals, and chocolate and chilli on the inner. Yum.

Back to the airport for our flight home. An early evening flight so we thought we would put Reyka in her PJ's for the flight and she would sleep. But Reyka had other plans. Back home after a great 40th birthday city break.

Budapest - My 40th birthday

It's arrived, my 40th birthday. The day started with my little family singing Happy Birthday and opening cards. I found an artisan macaron café which was a short walk from our apartment so we had breakfast there of great coffee and macaron's. At Chez Dodo, you watch them being made in the window and eat in lovely surroundings, with Rebel Girls pictures on the wall. If I was going to have a café, Chez Dodo is exactly what I'd like to have as a business.

We visited St Stephen's basilica and Reyka was mesmerised by the orante ceiling. It's more stunning than I remember. Reyka loved wandering around and smiling at the tourists. I lit a candle for mum to say my thanks to her. After all, I didn't do anything on my birthday, they should really be about our Mum's.

Our lunch stop was at the New York Palace for an afternoon tea in an incredibly luxurious surroundings with a Hungarian folk music group. Reyka was asleep for the whole thing. What we did find confusing was that there weren't scones! One layer of rolls, two layers of cakes. But they did give us wonderful fresh orange juice.

We took a taxi to our next stop for the birthday day of non surprises (I organised the day, so it was a day of surprises for Ali really). It as a fair way out of town to the start of the Children's Railway. It's a railway completely run by children. They do the ticket office, the conducting, the signals. There are justa  few adults to supervise operations. It's really surreal to see children conductors, children saluting the train, children as the station managers.

Off we went through the countryside in Budapest. It was so refreshing to be out of the city centre. Reyka enjoyed chugging along the tracks. A surreal but wonderful thing to do. I have always been intrigued about the Children's railway so very happy to have done it on my birthday.

Back at the apartment we were shattered so had dinner of some other favourites of mine. Cottage cheese chocolate and chimney cake.

Budapest - Visiting a Cat Cafe

Sometimes Apple Maps fib to you, and this was one of those days. The apartment kindly provided tea, coffee, fruit and wine...but we needed breakfast. So, off I went on a mission to find us breakfast. Over 45 minutes later, I returned with Hungarian croissants, Pick sausage and Karavan cheese. All things I used to adore when I visited Hungary. So breakfast was a trip down memory lane.

We started the day with the bus tour. Reyka was asleep for most of it. We stopped off at Central Market which I don't remember ever visiting which is surprising, it's stunning. We had Langos for lunch (fried bread with cheese) and continued our bus tour. We stopped off for a boat trip on the Danube to see Parliament and Margrit Island. Reyka seemed more fascinated with lying on the rug and running around swooning all of the tourists.

For dinner, I made a reservation at the Cat Café at the end of our road. I've never been to a Cat café before, it's amazing. They wander around, they sit on your table, you are allowed to stroke them. The best bit was watching all of the reactions of our fellow diners. I think you could probably tell that we are dog people. Our fellow diners were swooning over the cats and completely enthralled by them. Dinner of flat bread and chocolate cake, then back to our apartment.

We are staying in an Air BnB which is just a few minutes walk from St Stephen's basilica. It's designed by an interior designer and you can tell, it's absolutely stunning and amazing for a family. They thought of everything! A proper baby change mat, a proper cot instead of a travel cot, a high chair...Reyka loved exploring such a wonderful apartment.

Budapest - Back somewhere familiar

When deciding where to go for my 40th birthday, I had a brainwave, back to Hungary. A country I've visited many times, back to the city where I spent my 22nd birthday while inter-railing in 2001, and back to somewhere where I have a very very very limited vocab.

The trip didn't start well. I had not been able to get out of bed for the last 5 days due to awful tonsillitis. So, I was actually packing for our trip in the morning of the trip! I had never done that before. For Iceland, I had started packing two weeks before we left so I didn't forget anything. So I felt awful, we were late leaving, awful traffic and then we were diverted which increased our journey time even more!

 Strangely, we parked in exactly the same space as we did for the Iceland trip a few weeks ago. We got through security without a hitch and headed for the Aspire Lounge. It was ok, quiet but the food wasn't that great this time. I wouldn't book it again, this was just a treat for my birthday.

By this time, my head was pounding and I felt awful. Ali left me at the gate and ran back to the terminal to get paracetamol. Then they called for families to board first! I had everything, Ali was running back to the terminal and I had her passport! She ran back, just as the last group were boarding so we completely missed priority boarding  which added even more stress to the day.

By the time we arrive in Budapest, I had had enough for my first day out of bed so we treated ourselves to a taxi from the airport. I have never ever had a taxi from the airport but for £21, it was definitely worth it.

We were late landing but had a reservation for dinner at Hungarikum bistro so pretty much dumped our bags and headed out the door again. Goulash, duck leg, chicken crepe in paprika sauce, gnocchi, apricot cottage cheese cake and apple strudel. Yum.

Back to the apartment for a well earned rest after a huge day. 

Iceland - Time to go home...for now

Time to venture home and for the first time, we set an alarm to wake up. Eve though our plane doesn’t leave until 1pm and the airport is only 40 minutes away, travelling with a toddler has taught us to double the amount of time it would normally take us to do anything. We drove to the airport and i was apprehensive. The automated system had seated Ali in an emergency exit seat with extra leg room (normally very nice because it’s a seat you have to pay extra for), and me in the back of the plane. The idea of sitting apart was awful. Thankfully, there was a family desk at IcelandAir check in and the lovely person found us seats together. Relax!

Reyka walked most of the way to the plane, pushing her own pram. How times have changed already. I love that families board at the same time as business class. Alas sleep wasn’t on the cards for Reyka on the way home, she only had a 30 minute nap and spent the rest of the time wanting to be entertained. Thank goodness for the TV screens, Finding Dory and Dora the Explorer.

Back in the UK, we had to make the painful journey home. It’s always so much easier to go on holiday than to get home. However, we had the most beautiful rainbow while getting the car, so all was fine. Back home to our own bed, our doggies and not packing and unpacking everyday. A wonderful birthday trip to Iceland. It won’t be long before we are back again.

Overnight - Home

Iceland - an open air museum and a swim

Bit of a late stat today. Reyka’s routine is completely out the window and the morning nap is getting later and later. We first went to Árbær open air museum which is out of town. It’s a quaint museum with all of the staff dressed in character dress. We wandered around the old houses such as the church with beams about 3 inches shorter that me. I couldn’t imagine walking down the aisle in that church, I’d be ducking every other step. Reyka loved the room full of old toys that she could play with. She was very keen on an old fashioned dolls pram. Ali and I couldn’t resist the park. We played on the swings and sea saw which I’ve not been on for years. We had coffee and strawberry cake in the cafe and were surrounded by chickens looking for us for drop crumbs.

We then visited Laugardalslaug, a large outdoor swimming pool which was opened in the 60’s. It wasn’t my favourite. It has a huge racing pool with big viewing stand, a kids pool, slides, hot pots. What really put us off was the mould on the toys in the pool and you couldn’t see the side of the pool because of the mould on the poolside. Even the children’s pool was a little chilly so we spent most of the time in the shallow hotpot. We couldn’t have been there more than 30 minutes. It took us longer to get ready. The changing rooms even had guards in the showers to make sure people showered naked!

Overnight - Stay Bolholt apartments

Iceland - a rainbowy day

Gosh Reyka is loving the two steps in the apartment. Ali has now taken to sitting on the step constantly to get it up and down safely. Reyka decided that a nap was over rated, so we decided to walk 25 minutes into town instead of taking the car. By the time we got to Halgrimskirkja, Reyka was fast sleep so missed it.

Reykjavík Pride started yesterday so I planned a mini rainbow tour today. We started by the rainbow street which was painted by the public yesterday. Even the road signs have changed their font into rainbow colours.

Our lunch stop was at the famous hot dog stall called Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur where I ordered two hot dogs with the works - a warm, steamed bun topped with raw white onions and crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, and remoulade, a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs. Reyka loved it! We were still hungry so I ordered so more to fill us up.

We had a quick stop in the Harpa centre for Reyka to stretch her legs and continued on our rainbow tour to a cafe recommended by the Reykjavik pride programme. Full of rainbows and the most amazing coffee and chocolate cake. We stopped at the Pride Store in City Hall and bought Reyka a rainbow backpack, then took the long walk back to the apartment. 13000 steps in just the walk in, walk around and walk back. Feeling very rainbowy now.

Overnight - Stay Bolholt apartments

Iceland - Starting the day with a Spa

Surprisingly, our day started at 8am. This never ever happens since Reyka was born. So all naps were completely out the window. Instead, Reyka and I joined Ali at Laugarvatn Fontana. It’s amazing for little ones. One pool is 32 degrees and the other 34 - perfect. The depth is great for Reyka, she can walk along the floor in her rubber ring. We then had the buffet lunch which was fab. Soup, salad, meat, fish, veg, cake, coffee and fruit.

A short drive to Reykjavik and we arrived at our apartment for the next 3 nights. It’s a little out of town but has everything we need. We walked to the local supermarket (one of Reyka’s favourite things to do). We bought things expecting our studio apartment to have an oven. However, on return we found out that we only had a microwave so I had to improvise. Microwave pizza and garlic bread it was.

Overnight - Stay Bolholt apartments

Iceland - Rainbows and a spa evening

We started our day with a surprise, we are staying in the town which features on the front of the Lonely Planet guide. So we had a quick stop to take a picture of the book and the local church. We then said goodbye to the mountains and retraced our steps, passing Hotel Rangá.

We stopped in Hella to meet Hugrun and Kristinn. Hugrun was our wedding planner from 2012 and we’ve kept in touch. Kristinn was burned 21 days after Reyka. It was amazing to see the to of them running around, causing mischief and playing with the blinds. Reyka was giggling so much as she chased him.

Onwards to Gulfoss and Geysir. Ali and I have visited both places many times but Reyka hasn’t. Something we are noticing on this trip is the number of camper vans and the number of hitch hikers. They are everywhere!

To our surprise, we had to wake Reyka from her nap. It was worth it. Blue skies meant that Gulfoss had a rainbow on it. It was spectacular. We visited Geysir for two spirts of Stokkur which Reyka looked at with confusion more than an anything.

A short drive to Laugarvatn for our overnight stay in Bjork Guesthouse. When I contacted Laugarvatn Fontana they said it wasn’t for babies. So, I booklet for the evening and Ali for the morning. However, when I got there I discovered they have two pools which are perfect for little ones. So, I had a great couple of hours in he hot pots, in the sauna and steam room. The view is spectacular over the lake. What a way to end a great sunny day.

Overnight - Björk Guesthouse, Laugarvatn

Iceland - Reyka destruction at the dinner buffet

If our fellow guests slept through the Reyka alarm clock, I’d be very very shocked. She was getting her own back for the noise they made the night before. The guesthouse was our one and only shared bathroom on this visit (shared facilities is very common in Iceland). As there were only two rooms, it wasn’t too bad, especially because we never leave an accommodation until 11am.

We started the day with another swim, this time at Hofn swimming pool. It was great as it was just Reyka’s height, so she could push herself around the pool in her ring. She loves to make friends and was a magnet to all humans of any age.

As we left the swimming pool, I reprogrammed the map on my phone. To my surprise it said I needed to re-route to make the 1.5 hour journey back to the glacial lagoon. Instead, we need to drive 16 hours around the whole island! Thankfully we ignored it and drove towards the closed road (due to a car accident). Luckily the road was opened again minutes before we arrived.

The scenery has changed again, the glaciers are back. We had a walk on Diamond beach and yet again Reyka loved eating the black sand.

Our final stop was in Vik, a very long drive day. We haven’t eaten very well this holiday so opted for the dinner buffet. It’s a great way to test Reyka on lots of different foods. However, you should have seen the destruction she made on the floor.

While Ali put Reyka to bed, I soaked in the hot pot for over an hour and got lost in my thoughts.

Overnight - Hotel Katla, Vik

Iceland - A very very long drive

Wow, what a wonderful drive through the valley of waterfalls to Seydisfjordur. We were sad to leave the apartment but onwards. We have visited the fjord before and stayed overnight, but since then, they have painted a rainbow road towards the church so I wanted Reyka to see it. We drove over the infamous mountain pass which i remember was amazing last time, but alas, all we could see was mist today.

We had a walk around the town, walked along the rainbow road, had coffee and date cake and then had to start our long drive to our overnight stop, back in the land of the glaciers.

Overnight - Dilksnes Guesthouse, Hofn

Iceland - A very short vist to the Icelandic Wartime Museum

Gosh I could imagine living in this apartment. It’s so stylish and modern. The roomba robot scares me a bit though. We have to be out by 11am because that’s when the robot starts up. Our beautiful view from the living room has disappeared and is covered in mist. We spent the morning chasing Reyka around the apartment as she amused herself by pulling off all the paper from the toilet roll.

After her morning nap we ventured a few fjords over to Neskaupstaour to the local swimming pool. It’s an outdoor pool with a stunning mountain view. Alas we had to imagine the view because it was covered in the mist. We first ventured into the large pool which was 27 degrees but left when Reyka’s lips started to go blue. The baby pool was perfect at 38 degrees.

Back to the apartment for a lunch stop and then onto our next stop which was on foot - to the Icelandic wartime museum. It was just at the end of the street. We hoped Reyka would sleep but nope, instead she cried and cried and cried. I listened to a bit of the audio guide but then we had to lead. The British occupied Iceland during the Second World War and had a base here. A few of the Nissen huts remain.

Overnight - Air B&B Homelike apartment with sea view, Reyðarfjörður

Iceland - Super remote (perfect)

What a place to stay. Each morning I’ve done the washing up with the most amazing view across the fjord. I don’t mind washing up with a view like that. We are moving on today up the coast. We started the day with another swim in the local pool.

A lunch stop in the local cafe. Something I didn’t know when I booked the apartment was that Djupivogur seems t be a cruise stop. Every day we have seen another cruise ship in the fjord and buses going off, while some wander around the port. It’s quite bizarre to be somewhere so remote but have tourists wandering around. It does mean however that the food options are more catered for tourists, so our options were burgers or pitta sandwiches for lunch.

On we drove to the next stop. 45 minutes north (on the road we travelled yesterday), I suddenly thought that I don’t remember seeing Reyka’s swim nappy and towel in the swim bag. I phoned the swimming pool. We had left it there! So we had to drive 45 minutes back, then 45 minutes back along the road we have driven twice. What Ali doesn’t know is that we are driving back on that road next week!

We stopped at Fáskrúðsfjörður for coffee and waffles and chocolate cake at Cafe Sumarlina. It was divine. We stopped at the village because it was once a base for french fishermen. So the street signs at in French and Icelandic, and the houses display flags of Iceland and France.

A short drive to Reyðarfjörður and our next overnight stop. There is just one word for the accommodation - WOW! It’s stunning. Super modern, has everything we could possibly need and has the most amazing view from the living room. We thought the fjord yesterday was spectacular but this is a notch above. Reyka really enjoyed the projector TV on the wall. Peppa pig is huge!

Overnight - Air B&B Homelike apartment with sea view, Reyðarfjörður

Iceland - Djupivogur, Our favourite swimming pool

Reyka is loving the apartment. There is so much to explore, especially the mineral collection in the living room. Her favourite place has to be the kitchen cupboards. She is loving slamming them and trapping her fingers in the doors. Her favourite activity at the moment is to climb inside the cupboard and then back out again. This has been done so many times that I now pull up a chair to sit by the cupboard.

Our day started to see the Egg art installation on the harbour. It’s really quite drinking. Many eggs displayed along the harbour wall. We then visited the local swimming pool. What I love about Icelandic swimming pools is that the changing rooms are so super clean. You remove your shoes at the entrance and everyone walks around in their socks. The changing rooms are dry instead of covered in water and wet dust and hair clogging up the drains. You also shower before putting on your swimsuit. Genius. The pool was perfect for babies. A shallow children’s pool, with toys, baby rings, arm bands and floats. Reyka was able to just bob along and have an amazing time in the water.

Back to the apartment for lunch and then on to Breiðdalsvík to see the quaint fishing village, the rainbow entrance, the general store for coffee and cake, and a walk along the harbour. When we arrived we also spotted one of those giant outdoor pillows of air. It was mummy Ali’s turn to go on the inflatable. Reyka was belly laughing.

Back to the apartment, dinner, bottle, book and bath.

Overnight - Appartment Bimnes, Djupivogur