As one year ends and another begins, I like to look back at my travels and highlight the places I’ve visited and the experiences I’ve enjoyed. For the New Year, I’m planning to see more of Scandinavia, visit my sister in Zakynthos, explore northern Egypt with a friend in Alexandria (avoiding the pyramids), discover more hidden corners of England, and take advantage of any other interesting opportunities that come my way. Here’s a recap of what I enjoyed in 2010:

January and February can be dreary in England, but London offers plenty of indoor attractions. Many museums and galleries are free, making it a great place to visit. I often return to London to see my parents, and one weekend, my daughter and I stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hyde Park. We felt like royalty, enjoyed Princess Diana’s favorite crab cakes, and shopped at Topshop on Oxford Street. Later, I met a friend in London, and we spent a day at Kensington Palace, admired Princess Diana’s dresses, encountered the Countess of Marlborough, and had afternoon tea at the Orangery.

In February, during the half-term holidays, we escaped city life and stayed in a cozy Welsh cottage in the Brecon Beacons. Despite expecting spring sunshine, we were greeted by snow, which almost stranded us on the mountain. The children loved making snow angels and sliding down the hillside.

Manchester surprised me with its artistic side during a weekend break hosted by Creative Tourist. We stayed at the modern MacDonald Hotel and explored the city’s industrial past. We visited Salford Quay to see LS Lowry’s paintings and the Don McCullin Images of War exhibition at the Imperial War Museum. We also saw the Mona Lisa without her varnish at MOSI and strolled around the Northern Quarter, known for its vintage shops and street art.

A weekend in the Cotswolds took us to the charming Kings Head Inn at Bledington. We enjoyed the picturesque village green, complete with a brook and ducks, and had supper by the open fire in the bar. Later, I showed my daughter’s French exchange friend around Bath, including the must-see Roman Baths.

In May, I visited my sister in Zakynthos, Greece. We explored new places like the Monastery of St Denis and Smuggler’s Cove at Navagio. A boat trip around Laganas Bay was a highlight, even though we didn’t spot any turtles this time.

Back in London, my son and I visited the Churchill War Rooms, a fascinating glimpse into Churchill’s wartime operations. This lesser-known attraction is a must for history enthusiasts and can be combined with visits to nearby landmarks like Buckingham Palace and St James Park.

July was special as we traveled to Bavaria, Germany, to see the Passion Play at Oberammergau. This play, performed every 10 years, tells the story of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. We also visited the pilgrimage town of Altötting, known for the Black Madonna shrine, and enjoyed biking to a local swimming lake.

Later in July, I visited a friend in Benalmádena, Spain, on the Costa Del Sol. We enjoyed seafood at beach restaurants and visited the picturesque village of Ojén in the hills behind Marbella.

For our family holiday, we went to Hungary, spending time in Budapest and at Lake Balaton. In Budapest, we visited Memento Park, Fisherman’s Bastion, and swam on Margaret Island. At Lake Balaton, we stayed at Hullam Hostel in Révfülöp, visited the castle at Zugliget, the palace at Keszthely, and swam in the thermal lake at Heviz.

In September, I took a break with my friend Julia to hike the Tour de Mont Blanc Trail above Chamonix. We stayed in mountain huts, enjoyed stunning views of Mont Blanc, and visited the glacial Lac Blanc and the ice cave at Mer de Glace.

During October half-term, we took a family break in Northern France with Eurocamp, staying at La Croix du Vieux Pont parc. We explored Paris, Disneyland Paris, and the First World War battlefields, including the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge.

In November, I attended the Travel Blog Exchange conference in Copenhagen, staying at the Avenue Hotel. The conference was held at Wallmans Circus, and I spoke about using images effectively for blogs. I hope to return to Copenhagen to explore the city more thoroughly.

In December, I took a break from traveling to enjoy the Christmas season, buying presents, decorating, and preparing for a traditional British Christmas with turkey and all the trimmings. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and look forward to more exciting travels in 2011.