So yeah, I've been M.I.A. ....AGAIN this year. Honestly would love to keep y'all up to date with my travels but life always gets in the way.
Here's a quick look back at 2019 — just so you know that I'm still alive and travelling as often as I can to keep sane.
FEBRUARY: TANGIER - CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER INTERNATIONAL
So yeah, this happened in 2019. Condé Nast Traveler China contacted me to buy some photos from a previous trip to Tangier. They also ended up putting a small feature on me in the contributor section.
Pretty cool way that started out the year!
MARCH: NAPLES & CO.
What do you do with approximately 72 hours in Italy? If you're willing to go with the flow, there's a whole lot you can see in that time.
On this particular trip, we flew into Rome on a Thursday night (arrived Friday morning), hopped immediately on a train to Naples where we snagged a great last-minute price on a hotel there via Hotwire for 2 nights. Now, for most, already taking the train from Rome to Naples is enough, but not for us.
I'll tell the whole story of how we ended up doing what we did in another post, but to summarize, we ended up going to Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri as well, and due to a flight delay on the Sunday return, we even managed to spend half a day in Rome.
The view from our room - Naples
Enjoying the sunset in front of Castel dell'Ovo - Bay of Naples
Exploring Pompeii
Enjoying a few hours in Sorrento
Just in time for the sunset in Capri
Flight delay means more time in Roma
MAY: VENICE
Venice....again! Y'all know I had this habit of doing these yearly 24 hours in Venice trips. I missed it in 2018, but managed to hit up Venezia on Mother's Day weekend this year.
Saw all the same things, and did a few new things. Like heading to the top of the Campanile di San Marco to see all of Venice in its glory. Finding out that some nondescript alleyways lead right out onto the Grand Canal. And, probably the best part — discovering that a lots of places now have drinks-to-go — yes, y'all know I do love a good Pinot Grigio or Aperol Spritz.
When the Grand Canal can be viewed from your room
Drinking an Aperol Spritz-to-go by the Grand Canal
Piazza San Marco from the top Campanile di San Marco
Roaming around Libreria Acqua Alta
Even managed a couple hours in Burano
JULY: NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans is pretty awesome on a regular day. But to be in NOLA during the Essence Festival — that's a whole other level debauchery.
Honestly never even heard of Essence before. But when a friend mentioned going, I'm like, "I'm in. I'm always down for New Orleans."
Then I watched the movie Girls Trip. Then I became slightly scared of what this trip might turn into. More on that in another post.
Lafayette Square
Café du Monde
Essence Festival - 1st concert at the Superdome
SEPTEMBER: VICTORIA & VANCOUVER
Spent a weekend on the West Coast —really a day on Vancouver Island (Victoria and Langford area), and a half-day in Vancouver — so not at all long enough to truly explore, but enough to get a taste and know that I definitely want to come back.
Vancouver Island is gorgeous. The scenery, the people, the completely chill vibe of the entire island is intoxicating. Vancouver was pretty cool to see, but I'm all down to spend some real time exploring everywhere on the island.
Hiking on the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, part of The Great Trail of Canada
Gold River Suspension Bridge
Cute houseboats in Victoria's marina
On the ferry from Victoria to Vancouver
Beautiful Vancouver
OCTOBER: FLORIDA
With Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opening at Walt Disney World Resort this year, October seemed like pretty perfect timing for a Florida vacay.
We spent the first week in Orlando hitting all the theme parks (Disney and Universal), then spent the second week unwinding on Anna Maria Island.
Star Wars!
The Market in Galaxy's Edge
Drinks at Oga's Cantina - Galaxy's Edge
Having a Duff Beer with Duff Man - Universal Studios
Beach time - Anna Maria Island
The most beautiful sunsets
Photos taken | written by JENNIFER MAHON
LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT WANNA CHECK THESE OUT: