My Top 10 Posts of 2016

I always find it fascinating looking at my stats and seeing which posts have been the most popular in the last year – it is rarely the ones you think it will be and this year is no exception.
I enjoy researching travel almost as much as travelling itself and it looks as though I am not alone.
1. My top post this year was a bucket list post for visiting Thailand and I have to say that looking back, I can see why as the images draw you in and whisk you off to a warmer climate.

2. My second most popular post which was just a couple of views behind is our visit to the D-Day beaches in Normandy.

Hubby is fascinated by WW2 and has been eager to visit some of the famous battlegrounds for years, so for his birthday I surprised him with a trip to France to visit all the places he wanted to go.
3. My next post was also from our trip to France – How to survive a Ferry Journey with Kids.

I am still not quite sure what possessed me to book a holiday to France by ferry in February. Lets just say that the weather was terrible and the whole cabin were ill on our journey from Poole to St Malo, however, it did lead me to research sea sickness tips and our return journey was much more pleasant.
4.  Possibly the most surprising entry into the top 5 was my review of the Grisnoir Guest House in Guernsey.

We stopped off in Guernsey on the way back from France to find the whole island literally closed for winter. Our stay at the guest house was possibly the best part of our visit.
5. Camp Bestival posts always seem very popular and this year we stayed onsite with Pitch Village, which made the whole experience stress-free.

They provided the tents, sleeping bags and mats as well as having our own onsite toilets, baby changing area, showers, tea and coffee and even a room to do your hair and make-up!
6. Our cruise was the highlight of our year and I was surprised that my Top Ten Things not to miss aboard the Carnival Vista wasn’t higher up the list, however I only did the post in September.

I wasn’t sure cruising would be for us but we are complete cruise converts and are busy saving to go again.
7. Next on the list is a post I have waited 2 years to write. For my 40th birthday my husband bought me a Hot Air Balloon Flight, but we booked and had it cancelled several times before the weather was favourable.

Despite my frustrations, it was the most amazing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat!
8. We are known as a bit of a thrillseeking family and love to push ourselves outside our comfort zone so theme parks are popular days out. Our review of the Shark Hotel at Thorpe Park was our next most popular post.

9. One of the aims of this blog is to encourage backyard travel. By that I mean to visit places local to you and my next most popular post was our visit to the New Forest Fairy Festival in the summer.

We had a brilliant day, wandering around and taking in the atmosphere. We even got sprinkled with some fairy dust by some cheeky sprites that were zig zagging through the crowds, giggling as they went.
10. The final post in my top 10 was my birthday meal at Neo Restaurant in Bournemouth.

Set in a huge glass building opposite Bournemouth Pier, NEO Restaurant had been open just two months when we visited and we were instantly won over by its spectacular 180° of floor to ceiling windows which offer views over Bournemouth Garden, the Pier and the beach.
So there you have it, my top posts of 2016 – what were your highlights of the year?

• 2016
• camp bestival
• Carnival Cruise
• D-Day Beaches
• days out
• experiences
• family holiday
• ferry
• holiday
• NEO restaurant
• normandy
• Pitch Village
• Thailand
• top 10 posts
• Vista