2022 has been an incredible year for travel. After two difficult years during the pandemic, travel is back with a vengeance – and I took some of the best trips of my life this year! I always like to write up one of these yearly recap posts about the best places I visited during the… Read More The Best Places I Visited in 2022
This is always everyone’s favorite post of the year – all my worst travel experiences! I’ve already written about my top travel experiences of 2022, but it’s important to remember that travel isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Blogging and social media tends to be only the highlight reel. But I always like to keep it… Read More My Worst Travel Moments of 2022
2022 has been an amazing year of travel and adventures for me. It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these yearly recap posts – I skipped 2020 and 2021, for obvious reasons. But travel is certainly back post-pandemic, and I loved getting to look back at my favorite travel experiences of the year.… Read More My Top Travel Experiences of 2022
Well, well, well. I finally let the cat out of the bag this week. I’ve just quit my job and I’ll be moving abroad – again! I’ve got a one-year visa and I’m moving to Australia!! I am equal parts excited and scared shitless. I’ve never been to Australia, and at the moment I have… Read More Surprise – I’m Moving to Australia!
Today is a big day – it marks 6 years since I moved to England! I got off a plane back in 2016 and arrived in the UK. And wow, what a journey it’s been since then. I moved to be with my (now ex) husband, dealt with so many complex issues about living abroad and… Read More 6 Years in England: Then and Now
6 years ago today, I sat down and bought this space on the internet. I wanted to share my travels with more people, to offer tips and advice, and to let other people around the world go away with Maja. I’ve written these reflection posts every year since I started blogging. You can catch up… Read More My 6-Year Blog-A-Versary!
A year ago I thought my life was over. My marriage ended and I thought I was done. The reality was that my life was only just beginning. Somehow I’ve made it through a year of hell – somehow, I’ve survived. This last year has taught me so much. The fact that I’m still alive… Read More What I’ve Learned About Life After Surviving A Year Of Hell
I truly cannot believe that I get to write this post – that I have been so lucky and so fortunate as to be able to have lived in my beautiful city of York for five years, and to get to live here indefinitely. Five years ago today, on 13 October 2016, I landed in… Read More 5 Years in England: Why I Love Living in York
Five years ago today, I brought this space on the internet to life. Happy Five-Year Blog-A-Versary to me! I had no idea when I bought this domain in 2016 where it would take me, or what it would mean to me. This blog is my baby. During the times when I felt like I had… Read More My Fifth Blog-A-Versary: 5 Years Of Away With Maja!
This is probably one of the most painful blog posts I have ever had to write. The past few months have been the absolute worst of my entire life. I have experienced insurmountable pain and it has been so real and so raw. Unfortunately, I lost my job on 16 September, the day before my… Read More I Lost My Job, My Husband Cheated On Me, And Lockdown: Surviving The End Of 2020
Well, today marks a big occasion for me. 4 years ago today, 13 October 2016, I moved to England. It has been a rollercoaster and I wasn’t really sure what to write about for this year. Life has been pretty tough lately, what with the pandemic and losing my job (you can read more about… Read More Celebrating 4 Years In England: On The Silver Lining Of UK Travel
Where to even start? I’ve put off writing this recap post. And like last month, I would 110% skipped doing it this time apart for the reason that I’ve been writing these monthly recaps for 3 years, and I don’t want to miss out on one. This month, and particularly the last few weeks, have… Read More September 2020 Recap
August turned out to be a very difficult but surprising month. I’ve had so many adventures in August around Yorkshire and Wales and Scotland! But it’s been a really tough time. Things are really up in the air with my job now, and I’m unsure what the future will bring. It’s been a stressful few… Read More August 2020 Recap
Well, what a month it’s been! While all of my international trips have been canceled, I’ve done everything I can to enjoy my time on furlough and explore as much of my local area as possible! I’ve done countless daytrips around Yorkshire, been on so many great walks, and had three overnight trips total to… Read More July 2020 Recap
There are a lot of things I wish I had known before I moved abroad. Life isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, and if you live abroad you will undoubtedly struggle at some point in time. I have definitely struggled. For me, one of my biggest challenges since I moved to the UK in… Read More Getting My UK Driver’s License: My Battle With The Wrong Side Of The Road
If I could sum up June, it would be all about trying to find a silver lining. This has been my first full month on furlough, so I’m no longer working (but thankfully am still getting the majority of my pay through the government scheme). I have made a huge effort to get out exploring… Read More June 2020 Recap
The coronavirus pandemic has changed so many aspects of our society. But some of the most immediately effects have been on the travel industry. As the world went into lockdown, countries closed their borders, trips were canceled, travelers were stranded… travel has been chaotic. As disappointing as it has been to cancel so many trips,… Read More 11 Travel Lessons The Pandemic Has Taught Me
How do I even start out this monthly recap? I’m nearly a week late but I feel like I should still share one. Everything else from this month shrinks in comparison to the police brutality the world has witnessed in the United States. There is too much to say here, and I feel like it… Read More May 2020 Recap
Well, what a month. What an insane, chaotic, crazy, horrible month. I’ve spent the entire month here in the UK on lockdown. We are only able to leave our house for essential shopping items (aka food, prescriptions, etc), to give essential care to someone else, to go to work if you are classed as a… Read More April 2020 Recap
What a century the month of March 2020 has been. At the start of the month, life was pretty normal here in the UK. Adam and I went on a weekend trip to Northumberland, traveling and exploring like normal. Two weeks later, and the UK would be under lockdown. Thanks, coronavirus. So much around the… Read More It’s Okay To Not Be Okay