Happy New Year all, I warned you I may be back with more.
I didn't get to South America, Australia or climb a mountain like I thought last year (Events, dear boy, events!) but here is my overview for 2012
How many new WHS visited: 26 new 40 altogether.
Best WHS: Yellowstone, it was just magnificent being in it with sparse crowds and having to warm up by visiting thermal hot pots.
Honourable mention: Tallinn, this was perhaps my favourite short trip of the year, walking around on a freezing cold weekend was a great way to see this well preserved site.
Most disappointing: There were no real stinkers this year. Avila and Lednice/Valtice are the ones I gave the lowest scores to, but both of those could be much better if I visited at a different time of the year
Biggest WHS Surprise: Idrija and the general area of western Slovenia were really wonderful, I had low expectations for Idrija itself but it turned out to be very charming. In fact the whole of that trip around the Gulf of Trieste was really nice.
Best WHS revisit: After a 6 year break Olomouc was as charming as I remembered it being, but the main accolade has to go to either Vienna or Prague, which resumed their tussle for my favourite city, it is impossible to separate them in my eyes.
Best non WHS travel experience: Mormon hospitality and home cooking in and around Utah will take some beating, and just the general experience of rolling from diner to motel clocking up ludicrous mileage in our little car made my trip to the US very enjoyable.
Those little sports events in the east-end of London were rather good too, but there wasn't much travelling involved on my part.
Biggest non WHS disappointment: I can't say I was particularly taken by Copenhagen, and to my surprise I actively disliked the
self declared WHS of Christiania. But I think Taos, NM was the place I most disliked, the WHS was interesting though.
Biggest non WHS surprise: That
suburb of Seoul I stayed in last year because it had loads of cheap love hotels and some Joseon Tombs has become an international sensation that even my Nan knows about now.
The year ahead: A quiet one on the travelling front as I have some other big events in the offing. But Riga and Benin are featuring in my thoughts at the moment.
Anyway, there is my indulgence, wishing you all a Happy New Year and safe travels.
