The Travel Year 2022 Highlights

2022, and the beginning of another year with uncertainty! COVID is still part of our daily life, yet now it seems so far away. However, in 2022, I decided to travel even with COVID. It was time to adopt that living with COVID is what we will need to do for some time. However, now it all seems so far away. I’m glad we turned the page and are venturing out to new adventures more than ever.

January & Jamaica

Yah Man! Reggae, Bob Marley, Rastafari, Seven Mile Beach, Cricket, Usain Bolt, Jerk Chicken, Big Up, and Bless Up! This free time was my week in Jamaica before starting a new job. What a blissful week, and how nurturing it was to be out and travel again! Finally, I was in the middle of the big world! It was great to travel with a local, my friend Justin, who showed me the Jamaican spirit and some stunning places in his motherland. Best of all, Blue Mountain Coffee! Why don’t we have this divine coffee in Norway? Anyway, Jamacia was one of the highlights of 2022!

Read the full blog post: 7 Great Things to Do in Jamaica.

February & Up Norway – Travel Curator

On February 1st, I started my new job as a Travel Curator at Up Norway; what a ride! Entering a new job in a pandemic that limits traveling was a risk; however, it has been my desire for a long time to work with travelers in Norway, and Up Norway seems like the perfect match. Little did I know that Russia would go to war against Ukraine. The beginning of this new job was exciting but also complicated due to the above reasons.

Soon after one year on the job, I learned many new things. I genuinely believe sustainable travel is the best way forward; we can all impact our travels by making good choices, staying longer in one place, doing activities arranged by the local community, and, most of all, respecting nature. Sustainable travel is more, but that was a glimpse of being more responsible and sustainable travel for now and the future.

April & Winter in Lofoten

As a part of my training and constant learning about places in Norway, I went on a field trip arranged by Up Norway & Visit Lofoten. I have to say, I’m astonished by Lofoten in the winter suite. The peaks of the mountains are even more dramatic. Best of all, the experience of Lofoten almost entirely alone was a complete shift to the summer season, when everything was more crowded.

Sustainable Luxury in Lofoten is all about nature’s power and how that impacts you! Sustainable luxury is about the right amount at the right time, respecting the elements in the lodging, destination, and local community.

Read More about Sustainable Luxury in Lofoten, Norway, or maybe more about Flashpacking in Lofoten Islands, Norway. Or the latest favorite on the blog: 5 Places To Eat in Lofoten, Norway.

June & Mystery Trip to Munich

There is nothing better to meet up with than old classmates, but most of all, one of my favorite friends, Bea, for a weekend in Munich. What a lovely 72-hour getaway! Bea truly knows how to host and make you feel at ease, even in a country where you don’t speak the language—having a local tour guide does help. I have learned more about the qualities of having one when you travel, at least for some hours, but with Bea, I was lucky and had the pleasure of sharing her company for 72 hours. Munich is such an incredible lush green city; what a vibrating community. Most of all, refreshing beers at all corners.

Read more about 48 hours in Munich with a local. Or maybe you want to read about when Bea visits me in Oslo & Ålesund.

June & Madrid with Family

As my 30th birthday present, I was gifted a weekend to Madrid with my family. What a great way to show them Madrid, where I studied in 2018 for my Master’s degree in Project Management. I was giving them a local experience of this vibrating capital of Spain, which means tapas on every corner.

July & Summer in Oslo, Norway

I’m one of those people that love Summer in Norway. I don’t have any significant need to travel far away when summer is in Oslo. I enjoy the city so much when everyone goes on vacation, and I am left alone at Kaffbrenneriet without a queue. Oslo is so stunning in June and July and so peaceful.

July & Rhodos

So, I did have one week away from Oslo, which was in Rhodos. My sister wanted to escape rainy Ålesund, and I always relaxed in Rhodos. We went for a 7-day journey with greek salad, Greek coffee, and sun.

August & Hiking the Valley of Aurland

Late august hikes are the best in Norway; almost no snow in the mountains, and mostly dry! However, depending on where you are hiking in Norway. My sister, mum, Eva, Tico, and I had a fabulous hike down the Valley of Aurland. It has been on my list for some time, and now I can honestly say it is a piece of art, walking down the Valley, between roaring waterfalls, mountains, and lush green flora, and a road so narrow that you need to hold on to the lines to stay on the trail. What a great way to end the summer of 2022!

Read more about How to Hike the Valley of Aurland.

September & Varanger

My absolute favorite destination this year was Varanger Peninsula! What a stunning place far North in Norway! If you genuinely want to disappear into Norway’s wilderness and the arctic landscape, Varanger is the place to go! INTO THE WILD, in Norway. Take your time and read The Road Less Traveled in Norway, Varanger.

November with Guatemala & Colombia

My sister finally made it to Latin America! We traveled for three weeks, including Fort Lauderdale, Guatemala, and 12 hours in Costa Rica and Colombia. So first-time traveling to Latin America can be overwhelming due to the constant sound of music, Spanish and colletivos honking the horn away.

I think we are still processing the trip! It was great to be back.

Guatemala

Most of all, seeing Guatemala has been on my list for some time. My favorite was Antigua. Maybe that is a cliche; however, that is my feeling about the three places we visited. Lake Atitlán was charming, and Tikal was stunning. I’m so glad to have seen Tikal with my sister, and I think it was a highlight for both of us.

Colombia

I went back to the land that finally made me learn some Spanish. I attended Spanish class for maybe 6 or 8 weeks in Cartagena de Indias, which improved my Spanish significantly. Then I was back to my all favorite Neighborhood in Cartagena de Indias, which we all know is Getsemani! The best barrio to explore when being in Cartagena for some days. The Ultimate Guide to Getsemani, the Authentic Neighborhood in Cartagena de Indias, is still the most popular blog post on Pauline Travels.

We also discovered Tierra Bomba, which is right outside of Cartagena; it was supposed to be a beach getaway; however, the weather was unstable, so it was raining, which meant we mainly used our time to catch up on Netflix. However, we enjoyed the company of the street dogs and all the friendly staff at this beach resort. For my birthday, we were back in Cartagena de Indias; we celebrated with fireworks and dinner at one of the best restaurants in Cartagena de Indias: Restaurante Celele by Proyecto Caribe Lab, nr. 19 of the 50 World’s Best Restaurants. Most of all, I used the time to stroll the streets of Getsemani and reconnect with old faces. Getsemani is still a barrio I love; however, it has changed too significantly; more tourists are coming from the ancient city of Cartagena.

December & Cabin for Christmas

Winter wonderland is always the goal for Christmas in Norway, and by this, there is no better place to go than to the family cabin in the mountains. We celebrated a calm and peaceful Christmas with good food, watched the fireplace, and enjoyed time together as a family.