Travel.Happiness.Life. : Travel Highlights 2013: A Year in Pictures

I thought 2013 would have to work hard to compare with 2012
(http://stephendcook.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-top-ten-photos-of-2012.html). However, we really have been blessed once again with a great year of travel and adventures. This year Laura and I celebrated five years of marriage, we sold our house and possessions and moved to Sierra Leone. I also celebrated turning 40. In between we had a big health scare with Laura but the prognosis is now good and we look forward to 2014 with excitement.

Here are a selection of photos from my travel year plus being involved in the Champions League Final.

1. Serre Chavalier - France

I was really delighted to get an invite for a week’s skiing in Serre Chavalier in France. It was brilliant and an enormous laugh, even though I had never met two thirds of the group before. I decided to take my Olympic opening ceremony shirt and pull the ‘Bolt’ at the top of Les Alpes.

2. Marrakech - Morocco.

As a 5^th wedding anniversary gift for both of us we had a trip to Marrakech. We explored the city, souks and surrounding area including a ski resort in the Atlas mountains.

Main Square at Night

All smiles until they try and fleece me for £20. They weren't smiling then.

Above and below - Okaimeden

3. Champions League Final, Wembley - UK
http://www.stephendcook.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-captains-tale-champions-league-final.html

Every weekend in May was taken up with rehearsals for the opening ceremony for the Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. It meant seeing and spending time with old friends from the Olympic opening/closing ceremony and fulfilling a boyhood dream of playing on the pitch at Wembley with a full house. I hoped it would be playing football but I happily accepted playing a percussion instrument.

Pissing about in the hours of waiting. Here I am showing my secret power.

Armed with Shields we do battle. I am front row, second from right.

I make it into Sky Sports in a picture with Robben and Schweinsteiger

4. Various Locations - UK

Between April and June I visited a few places in the UK.

a) Derbyshire

b) Northern Ireland

c) Dolgellau, Snowdonia - Wales

5. Quirimbas National Park, Mozambique

To celebrate my 40th birthday and the sale of our house, we went to the spectacular Quirimbas National Park. As well as staying on Ibo Island, we also took a Dhow safari to three desert islands where we camped. A really special holiday.

6. Tombo, Sierra Leone

In September laura and I moved to Sierra Leone to start working (volunteering) for The Craig Bellamy Foundation, an education and development charity that uses football for change.