21 Dec Driving home for Christmas and heading to South America
Big news – we’ve just booked flights to Colombia in January! As I write this we’re on the ferry back to the UK to celebrate the festive season with family before we begin our 2018 adventures. Driving home for Christmas has taken us to the supreme Cologne xmas markets and to Bruges, which may well be the most beautiful European city we’ve visited to date. Here’s the lowdown on our festive journey and South American plans.
Christmas overload in Cologne
After bidding a fond farewell to frosty Prague, we drove over 400 miles to Cologne, Germany, for some festive fun, and the Christmas markets certainly didn’t disappoint. Picture historic squares filled with traditional wooden stalls, twinkly lights, hot spicy punch, lanterns in the trees, ice skating rinks and people (bizarrely) curling.
Of the three markets, our favourite was the one in Roncalliplatz, which stands in the shadow of mighty Cologne Cathedral, whose gothic spires reach 157 metres into the sky, making it the fourth tallest in the world. The centrepiece was a stage and Christmas tree, where we watched choirs and jazz bands while sipping punch, a web of lights spread above us.
We even found some vegan almond pancakes and baked cinnamon apples, which we ate whilst wandering around the stalls in the bitter cold. Over the last few years we’ve spent most of our Christmases in tropical climes, but we definitely made up for that this year with a full-on dose of festivity at both the Prague and Cologne markets.
Beautiful Bruges
We spent the final night of our European road trip in Bruges, where we wandered the cobbled streets lined with chocolate shops. There was a smaller market in the main square beneath the city’s striking brick belfry and Christmas lights twinkled off the nearby canals. We may have spent just a few hours in the city, but Bruges totally bewitched us, it’s definitely the most beautiful European city we’ve visited to date, just check out these pictures.
Driving home for Christmas to the UK
We’re uncharacteristically excited to be heading back to the UK to finish the year. There will be plenty of family visits, vegan baking, Christmas TV and enjoying some downtime after our three-month road trip. It won’t be all rest and relaxation though, as I’m working hard on some freelance projects and trying to catch up with the huge backlog of blog posts.
2018 in South America
When we first left the UK in 2013, South America was in our ‘year two’ travel plans, but after falling under Asia’s spell, we still haven’t been nearly five years later. So, we’re so excited to be finally heading to Colombia in mid-January. We’ll land in Cartagena and for once have no onward plans, we’ll just see where the road takes us.
As always, we do have a wish-list that includes trekking in Peru, visiting the Bolivian salt flats and exploring Ecuador. A lot depends on work, as we’re going to continue our digital nomad journey next year (report about our 2017 experiences coming soon!). At the moment, we’re considering spending a month in Medellin, which we’ve heard is a hub for remote workers.
PinMe For Later!
If you have any ideas about places to visit, especially in Colombia, please let us know in the comments below and have a very merry Christmas! Where are you spending the holidays?
Stefan Arestis
Posted at 09:12h, 22 DecemberExciting news guys! Medellin is an excellent base for digital nomads. We joined the Fb expat groups and found an apartment from there. You’re gonna love it 🙂
Andrew Wyatt
Posted at 10:53h, 22 DecemberThat’s great to hear Stefan, we’re really looking forward to South America 🙂 we’ll check out that fb group too.
Nikki T
Posted at 19:48h, 22 DecemberI can’t wait to read your posts about South America! I have mixed feelings about traveling in this part of the world and have avoided it so far. With so many other wonderful parts of the world to see, it is easy to put South America on the back burner. It will be interesting to hear your stories.
Andrew Wyatt
Posted at 09:55h, 23 DecemberHi Nikki, we had mixed feelings too, especially since the flights were so expensive from the UK! We are so excited now to get there and explore though, we look forward to sharing our stories with you. Thanks for reading and have a great Christmas!
Rhonda
Posted at 23:24h, 22 Decemberoh exciting!!! Loved following you around Europe and now on to S america. Merry Christmas to you both!! XX
Andrew Wyatt
Posted at 09:55h, 23 DecemberThanks for reading and following Rhonda – hope you guys have an awesome Christmas 🙂
Gilda Baxter
Posted at 09:51h, 23 DecemberChristmas has certainly been very different for you this year? Your road trip has been amazing, I loved following your journey. I would love to visit some of these European Christmas markets, they are so beautiful…minus the cold though. I have not been to Colombia, so can’t give any sugestions but I am sure you will love SA. Brian and I are planning to trek in Peru in June/18 so I will be looking forward to hear how you enjoyed it? Merry Christmas to you both and many faboulous adventures for 2018?
Andrew Wyatt
Posted at 09:57h, 23 DecemberYep, we’ve definitely had a ‘proper’ Christmas this year so far 🙂 Sounds like we both have an exciting year ahead of us, looking forward to hearing all about your adventures too. Have a great Christmas!
Louisa Klimentos
Posted at 00:02h, 26 DecemberHave a merry Christmas and a most exciting ,beautiful new year I will find out from a Columbian friend some amazing national parks There is a documentary called wild Columbia and the national parks are awesome Love always louisa
Amy
Posted at 12:06h, 26 DecemberThanks Louisa, have a great Christmas too, we’re really excited about Colombia and will definitely check out that documentary 🙂
Louisa Klimentos
Posted at 00:18h, 26 DecemberPlease google on you tube Goats on the road travelling Columbia These American travel vloggers show you some really amazing places and well informed
Amy
Posted at 12:06h, 26 DecemberThanks Louisa, Merry Christmas!
Patti
Posted at 03:52h, 29 DecemberIt must feel good to have that big decision made… to fly south. I’m looking forward to following this chapter of your journey.
Amy
Posted at 10:26h, 30 DecemberYes, that decision took us a long time to make, as you know 🙂 I’m excited to follow the next chapter in your journey too, Happy New Year!
Kristen
Posted at 13:00h, 23 JanuaryOh my goodness, I am so excited to see where 2018 takes you! South America is so high on my list! I’m desperate to spend a long stretch of time in Peru, Chile, and Argentina — and would really love to spend a few months in Mexico as well. Can’t wait to read about the future adventures! Happy 2018!
Andrew Wyatt
Posted at 17:39h, 23 JanuaryThanks Kristen, we’re excited too, it’s been good so far – we’ve been in Colombia nearly a week and we’re enjoying it 🙂