This time last year, less than a month into furlough, and firmly invested in the national optimism/naivety that All This would be over by summer, I wrote a list of 30 things I wanted to do in the year before I turned 30.
A year later, I'm staring down a 6-day barrel at 30, so it's time to look back and see how I got on. Before I begin, I should point out that the Covid restrictions lasted a lot longer than anyone anticipated, and are ongoing as I write this, which massively affected my ability to do... well, anything, really.
1) Visit the flower fields in Amsterdam - No
As I write this, we're in peak tulip season... and it's against the law to leave the UK for a holiday. So no, I haven't made it to the flower fields this year. I'm hoping for spring 2022, if Eurostar has reinstated Amsterdam Centraal services by then, but if not, I've just discovered this alternative, much closer to home, which I hope to visit next year, whatever the international travel situation.
2) Go up the i360 Brighton - No
Technically, I could have ticked this one off last summer and autumn, when things reopened here in the UK. My thinking at the time was to wait a while to get the first rush out of the way, and before I knew it, we were back in lockdown again. A classic case of carpe diem and all that jazz.
3) Visit Hampton Court Palace - No
See 2.
4) Bake a rainbow cake - No
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| A slice of rainbow cake from the Hummingbird Bakery |
The intrinsic beauty of rainbow cakes, aside from their colour, is the size of them. By virtue of being constructed from several different sponge layers, they tend to be towering, sugary monoliths. Making such a huge cake at a time when there were only two people to eat it has seemed silly. Once we're able to see more people again, I'll make a rainbow cake to share. In the mean time, I've made do with a few rainbow cupcakes, to test out my new food colourings.
5) See &Juliet in the West End - No
Alas, theatres haven't yet reopened, and this show doesn't return until September 2021. It's still on my list though.
6) Tour the Harry Potter Studios in Hertfordshire - No
See 2 and 3.
7) Explore Leeds Castle - No
See 2, 3 and 6.
8) Spend a weekend in Liverpool - No
Again, a weekend away in this country is something that I could have done last autumn, when things briefly reopened, but many restaurants, shops, museums and the like were still closed or operating shorter hours. I didn't see much point in travelling if it meant missing out on experiencing everything the place has to offer, so I've put this one on hold until later this year or next year.
9) Make an item of clothing - Sort of
This is an interesting one, in that this time last year I was really keen to learn how to make my own clothes, having been inspired by a couple of my friends whipping up their own tops and dresses on the sewing machine. Over the past 12 months, I've come to realise that making the clothes is neither my interest nor really my skill area - instead, I enjoy decorating and embellishing items, and leaving the structural integrity of the garment to others. Case in point, my hot air balloon denim jacket - I bought a cheap denim jacket online, then created and attached the decorations myself from scratch, and I absolutely love it.
10) Visit New York (or at least, plan a trip) - No
The dream is to visit New York in the run up to Christmas, which wasn't an option last year. I'm playing it safe and not booking anything for this year either, but I've got my sights set on Christmas 2022.
11) Swim in Pells Pools - No
At time of writing, it's almost 14 months since I even entered a swimming pool, which is very unsettling for someone who used to swim multiple times a week. While pools have reopened, there are still some restrictions, including no lockers and no showers, so I'm waiting until things are a bit more normal before resuming swimming.
12) Visit Disneyland Paris - No
As with New York, international travel hasn't really been an option in the last 12 months, but I still hope to do this in the next couple of years.
13) Visit the House of Dreams - Sort of
This south London quirk hasn't yet reopened since the first lockdown, but writing this has reminded me to check the website, and tickets for forthcoming open days are now available. I've booked for October, so although I've not actually been yet, it's in the works.
14) Witness a new light festival - YES
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| Christmas at Hever 2020 |
I was devastated to miss my beloved Christmas at Kew in 2020, but managed to slightly plug the light festival-shaped hole in my heart with a trip to Hever Castle's own take. Peter Pan was the theme, with miniature London landmarks illuminated, plus a couple of light tunnels and an illuminated fountain.
15) See a play at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - No
The summer 2021 line-up has been announced, but to be honest, there's nothing on there that really appeals to me. In recent years, 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan have both been on the programme, so I'm going to hold out and hope for something along those lines next year.
16) Spend a night in a hostel - No
No. Also less inclined to try this one in future. Next.
17) Try a new hobby - YES
Phrases like 'ice skating' and 'rock climbing' were bandied around this time last year, but those sorts of activities have been largely off-limits ever since. I can't wait to go ice skating again, but in the mean time, I've taken up roller skating in an entirely-unserious manner. I don't have much in the way of skills just yet, but I'm learning, and have treated myself to the above jazzy skates.
Being stuck at home for a year has also meant I've picked up a needle and thread again, and rediscovered my love of embroidery. I've been chronicling some of my projects over on my new Instagram account.
18) Eat in The Parlour at Fortnum & Mason - No
A combination of restaurants being closed, and me not being in the vicinity of London has prevented me from ticking this one off, but it's still very firmly on my to-do list.
19) Go stargazing at the Royal Observatory - No
I've only been to London once in the last 14 months, and that was a whistle-stop tour around the area near my (ex-)office, for a brief meeting and to clear my desk before my company moved out. No touristing was done, so this one's still on my list.
20) Clear my bookshelf - No
I was so, so close to clearing one of the two shelves on my bookshelf... and then I saw my best friend for the first time in months. We're always swapping books and passing our old books on to each other, so she supplied me with enough reads to refill the shelf I'd almost emptied. Basically, I'm stuck in a never-ending cycle of book ownership, and I'm not too sad about it.
21) Wear more colour - YES
OK, 'wear' is pushing it, considering I've been living in leggings, tracksuit bottoms and hoodies for a year now. But I've definitely been more colour-forward in the few new garments that I've purchased this year. Case in point; two rainbow jumpers, a rainbow cardigan, a pink coat and yellow trainers. Now I just need an occasion to wear them outside my house...
22) See Cirque du Soleil - No
As far as I'm aware, this show hasn't resumed in London since the first lockdown. It looks like it's schedule to be at the Royal Albert Hall in January 2022, so all being well, I'll catch it then.
23) Visit the Kent coast - No
Again with the waiting until things had calmed down a bit, and then missing my opportunity.
24) Restart this blog - YES
Since summer 2020, I've been posting my monthly updates again, and I've also written a few other posts. When things get back to normal, I hope to resume normal service - think afternoon tea reviews, travel updates and generally more life.
25) Book a Trek America trip - No
Sadly, Trek America was one of the first travel companies to fall victim to the pandemic, and it seized trading in summer 2020, so this is one that I won't ever be ticking off. However, some sort of American road trip remains at the top of my travel bucket list. Watch this space.
26) Splurge on a special treat - Sort of
Originally, a Mulberry handbag or Kate Spade clutch was what I had in mind for this item on my list. But a combination of barely setting foot in a shop, and having nowhere to wear a special item over the past 12 months has meant I'm not yet the owner of a pricey new investment handbag. I did, however, splurge on the above roller skates. They cost a fraction of the price of a handbag, but I still spent a few weeks debating whether to buy them before taking the plunge.
27) Plan a 30th birthday party - No
Well, unless you count a picnic with a very select group of friends, in my local park on a windy and rainy bank holiday Monday. On my 30th birthday, restrictions will mean that I'm only allowed to meet up to five other people, and it has to be outside. I didn't fancy a pub garden on a bank holiday weekend, so I've gone for the picnic option. What could possibly go wrong?
28-30) Come up with three more things for this list
Given that I ticked off very few of the existing items on this list, adding more didn't seem like a great idea.
The results
4 yes, 2 sort of and a whole lot of no. In my defence, that's largely due to the Covid restrictions going on for longer than anyone anticipated, but I also missed my chance to do a few things when restrictions were briefly relaxed last summer.
