So now that New Year’s Eve has been celebrated and the entire world wakes up on the 1st January with a champagne-induced headache, there’s one more tradition that needs adhering too before the hedonistic winter party season comes to a close. The one particular tradition that I’m particularly keen on is setting New Year’s Resolutions. It’s an excuse to think about the year ahead, to make great plans and to start daydreaming about the possibilities and opportunities it may have in store for you. It’s the perfect way to spring clean one’s life as it were: getting rid of old habits and adopting some new ones.

          I won’t share with you my innermost goals for 2013, but I will write down my New Year’s Travel Resolutions, as this way I can be held accountable for them!

1. Mix business with pleasure:

I already have four work trips abroad in the diary for 2013 (Prague, Dublin, Barcelona & Munich) and I fully intend to make the most of my time in these fabulous cities by staying an extra weekend to explore them in my own time.

2. Go skiing:

Although not yet booked, a skiing trip this season is pretty high on my priority list as I haven’t been able to go since 2010! I’m having withdrawal symptoms and I need my next hit of powder snow.

3. Get outside of Europe:

I’ve been worrying for a while that my travels over the past few years are far too Europe-centric. I’d like to widen the net in 2013 and visit some of the destinations on my wish-list such as Morocco and Russia. I may have the opportunity to briefly head back to the Far East this spring to join some university friends who are planning to backpack around there for a few months. Fingers crossed.

4. Take weekend trips away:

Now that I work Monday-Friday, and especially now that I’m restricted by my 30 days of Annual Leave, I need to learn and practise the art of the weekend away. First up: a Eurostar weekend to Paris.

5. Maintain my languages:

Every year I have at least one resolution that goes along the lines of ‘Learn a new language’. In 2011 and 2012 it was French. While not exactly a “new” language for me, I embraced it with an evening class, but final year of university studies got slightly in the way. Therefore my resolution for 2013 is not to learn a new language, but to get my Portuguese up to the same level as my Spanish and Italian.

6. Follow blogs about cities I want to live in:

I currently have my eye on Madrid for my 6-month placement abroad from March-September 2014, so during 2013 I want to find out as much as I can about life in Madrid. If you know of any good blogs on Madrid then please let me know!

7. Continue to travel vicariously through this blog:

Keeping this blog prevents me from living inside the bubble that is London and keeps me plotting my escapades and what I love most: travelling. I’m hoping that the blog will continue to grow in 2013 along with the support from you my readers, from my guest bloggers and from the whole wide world out there that continues to inspire and awe me every day!

So what are your New Year’s Resolutions?