As a geographer, when I start to reflect towards the end of the year, my first tendency is to consider where I have been this past year. It didn’t feel like I had been that many places, so I made a spreadsheet with the days away and where I had been. Why yes, I agree, that is VERY geeky! It wasn’t an entirely original idea: recently I had to create a massive spreadsheet with all the dates and places I had been out of the country over the last five years. (I’ll explain why at a later date.) However, even though it was a pain to create—imagine going through your paper planner, online calendar, all your reservations, transport times and dates, and your passport, all at the same time—it was actually a fascinating exercise.
The number of days I have spent out of the UK for the last few years has hovered between 60 and 70. This year I was out of the UK 68 days. In 2019: 101 days. I was actually relieved when Covid stopped travel as it was getting to be too much.
Before Covid lockdowns began in the UK in mid-March 2020, since January 2020 I had already been to Southern Portugal, San Francisco and Seattle in the US, and had also spent a couple of weekends outside London. The week before Christmas we were in France and Switzerland, and between Christmas and New Years we drove from London and the Isle of Wight to visit friends outside London, down to Newquay in Cornwall and finally back to Plymouth in Devon where we lived. Whew.
Our travel has decreased markedly since 2020; still, over two months out of the country each year is a significant amount of time. This year, our non-UK time was mainly in the US, in the Western states of California, Washington, and also Nevada and Utah, almost all of it visiting family and friends. We also were blessed with five lovely days visiting friends in France who have a house in the Périgord, a new region for us to explore. Additionally, I was ‘off-island’ within the UK about 12 days. Most of those trips were either to London or to the New Forest, which is a short ferry ride away.
For someone who thrives on travel, these 60-80 days away are often when I feel quite alive. Travel creates that easy opportunity to become hyper-aware to each moment, as the things we see, smell, feel and hear are all new again, and can’t help but grab our attention. Days seem longer because you are soaking in everything. It is like when we were kids, and the days seemed to stretch on FOREVER. It’s wonderfully like that.
Most of my essays are triggered by days away when I NOTICE things. I have a harder time paying attention when we are doing the same or similar routine day after day. Sometimes that is relaxing and calming, so I am certainly not going to begrudge routine. But I know for me, I need to shake myself awake sometimes, and travel will always help me do that. Sometimes when I am not travelling, I’ll take a new walking route or go to a less familiar place at a different time of day to help trigger that sense of wonder again.
And that is my end of year thought for you. Maybe you like to create resolutions. Maybe you like to think back on what the year has taught you. Maybe you’ll have none of any of it, and just enjoy the quiet as the year winds down. Whatever you do, and however you end your calendar year, I hope you find just a little moment of wonder, somewhere in this quiet, reflective time.
As always, thanks for meeting me here and reading through! I’d love to hear if you have any special routines or traditions that mark the end of the year.
See you next week, and Happy New Year!
xx Sabrina
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What a wonderful post, Sabrina! Such a great idea to count up the days you've been away. We have a map on which we put a new pin every time we sleep in the van, but those pins only represent locations, not numbers or dates of stays.
During Covid I kept an ongoing record of when I stepped out of the house - and when I didn't, which was even more alarming - I looked back on that a while ago and it absolutely horrified me!
THIS line was everything: Most of my essays are triggered by days away when I NOTICE things. I have a harder time paying attention when we are doing the same or similar routine day after day.
YES YES YES! It's amazing how a change of scene, or even just moving around, can spur ideas into action. I needed reminding of this, especially in this 'lull' in the year. Thank you so much! xxx
I so enjoyed this Sabrina! Your substantial travels (as well as that of other long time friends) have always been sources of fascination to me, as I haven’t historically traveled extensively. In retirement though I have started to do a bit more which I’m really enjoying, along with “noticing” more while at home. Coincidentally I just read an article in the Washington Post a friend forwarded about the joys and benefits of nostalgia, which concluded with this:
“Being present in the present thus sets us up for future nostalgia and well-being.”
Being present in the present feels like a worthwhile (and enjoyable!) intention for 2024! Happy happy New Year!