Although I started the year 2017 bedridden with flu, my heart was full.

2016 was a difficult year for me. I made mistakes, I took up challenges, I failed, I succeeded, I learnt, I grew, I loved, I let go, my heart broke, my soul expanded- and through it all, I found myself. It was my year of giving myself permission- allowing myself to be- letting go of resistance- being willing to be pulled- to take up a space much larger than my limitations, be much bigger than who I thought I could ever be.

And so it continues… another year that will teach me so many lessons, stretch me in all directions, overwhelm me with so much beauty and over pour me with infinite love and joy that will burst out from every seam of my being- like a river flowing, like the sun shining, like waves crashing, like the birds singing- because that’s what they do. And they do it, just because. No expectation, no need for validation, no need for permission. This is my journey this year and all the years to come- to embody love and joy, and just be.

Be myself.

And as I listened to the sound of fireworks, I wrote down my hopes for the year- for my personal growth, my business, my relationships and my health. And with any hopes and dreams, I’m a firm believer that they will remain just that until you turn them into goals, and consciously move with intention towards it, one step at a time. So I made a commitment to travel this year. I picked a number. Seven. Why not? There are 7 books in the Harry Potter series and Voldemort split his soul 7 times- of course I will travel to 7 countries this year. A perfectly logical and well thought out plan!

First stop- Luxembourg!

Luxembourg city is the epitome of charming, where old meets new so harmoniously and add to each other’s beauty effortlessly. I fell in love with the winding streets up and down, with houses so colourful, with the river that flows through the Grund, with the serenity and peace of Parc de la Petrusse, with the deep valleys, the steep climbs with sweeping views of the city, and the castles on rocks. With lots that the city offers already, another great thing about Luxembourg city is its approximity to France, Belgium and Germany. And so we drove 2 hours down to the French city of Strasbourg for a day.

Strasbourg, France

We were in awe of the beautiful architecture in the likeness of Tudor and German renaissance, and a magnificent imposing gothic Strasbourg Cathedral. We loved walking by canals and curious little streets, and even enjoyed a local cuisine, Flamenkuch.

Luxembourg | Valley of the Seven Castles

As the above suggests, we drove around the Eisch valley just outside of Luxembourg city to visit seven different castles. Although they were fairly close to each other, we only managed to do 5! Each one different than the other and with their own history- some more significant today than others, all beautiful in their own way, in whatever form they still remain today. Heavily pictured below, it is quite clear that the New Castle of Ansembourg was my favourite because of its stunning gardens and features. If it is this pretty in the icy and barren winter, I cannot imagine how it will look in the height of spring and summer when the garden comes alive. It will truly be a sight to behold!

If you made it this far down and enjoyed the pictures, why not leave a comment below and tell me where is the one place you want to go in 2017! Next up on the blog will be my trip to the Vendee region of France and next on the itinerary is Amsterdam.

Want to see more of my travels?

Read about my time in Zimbabwe and marvel at Rhododendron hills of Nepal.