What does 2018 have in store?

I haven’t been around much lately. Once again, just as everything is going well, life gets in the way! Last year I made a conscious effort to move my blog on and be a bit more professional. Being an Ordnance Survey champion for 2017 gave me some great impetus and motivation to really focus and produce some useful content.

Then at the beginning of November last year I moved to a different post at work and suddenly found myself in a much more challenging role and with a lot less free time. Working in retail, I barely had time to catch my breath before we were in the throes of December and the Christmas madness. Needless to say, working 11 hours a day, six days a week didn’t leave much time for my blog (or anything really). To add to this, I found out that I was pregnant at the start of December (those Christmas hours while feeling rotten were a challenge!) and then we decided to put our house on the market at the end of the month, so things have been hectic.

I planned to spend January getting my blog back on track and spending time with my neglected family, however with house move stuff, doctors and mortgage appointments, and general life, I find myself at the end of January with little to show for it.

I planned to do a proper review of last year, and a look forward to 2018, but I think I’ve missed the boat now!

But anyway, here is my top 10 posts published last year, just in case you fancied a browse:

1. Review: Salomon X Ultra 2 GTX Men’s Walking Shoes
2. Review: Merrell Siren Sport Q2 
3. Summer Adventure Bundle Giveaway
4. Review: The Freeloader Child Carrier 
5. S’no Queen Thermals Review and Giveaway
6. The Best UK Campsites as Chosen by Outdoor Bloggers 
7. Review: Hi-Tec Altitude Alpyna Women’s Boots 
8. Review: Firepot Meals Outdoorfood.com 
9. Mother’s Day Gift Guide for Outdoor Enthusiasts
10. Review: VARTA Powerbank 

Clearly, reviews and giveaways are the way forward! I just have to mention my favourite post, which was an account of our amazing trip to Poland. It’s a great place to go, Zakopane is particularly good for outdoor enthusiasts.

So, what next?

Well, apart from having another child and moving house, I’m hoping to fit lots more outdoor time into 2018. For obvious reasons, our adventures may be a little more laid back this year. I still want to camp, but since my belly suddenly popped out overnight this week, who knows how comfortable this will be! We’re planning a trip to France to visit my parents, and they’ve promised that they will babysit for a couple of days so me and Luke can head off. We’d like to go to the Normandy coast and do a little exploring by the sea. We might also be heading back to Wales for a short stay, which will be great as we loved it last time. I am due at the beginning of August, so I’m looking at more comfortable options for our adventures. As much as I love camping, glamping is starting to look a little more attractive. (Never thought I’d say that!) I’ve also come across a great new company,  Wanderlust Camper Co. who hire out camper vans for breaks. This really appeals to us and would be a brilliant way to explore new areas.

Whatever happens I’m not going to put any pressure on myself and I’m not going to take on too much. So, this year expect lots of family friendly, local microadventures, plus a healthy smattering of reviews and giveaways!

What are your plans for this year? Let me know in the comments below.