Looking Back on 2023

I was meant to have this written and posted by New Year's Eve, but I've been so drained and sleepy since Christmas, so I'm having to play catch-up. I know, I know; I'm useless. I'd say 'better late than never, right?', but I'm not sure anyone else would agree once they've suffered through my incessant whining. So... yeah... sorry about this...

Goodbye 2023, hello 2024!

Well, that's another year done and dusted, and I feel like I have very little to show for it. 

I didn't do anything noteworthy, I didn't meet anyone new, I didn't really go anywhere, and I didn't feel good about it. Honestly, I'm not sure 2023 is worth remembering at all.

It was another rough year for me, with my health leaving me mostly housebound, and lots of bad chronic pain flares making it difficult to get out and about and live my life. 

By November, I'd only left the house for non-medical reasons six times, which was one of my worst records yet. I only managed two days out the entire year- once to see Ronan Keating and The City Lights Symphony Orchestra live in London in March (they were amazing, but I got pick-pocketed on the way), and the other was a fun day trip to Longleat Safari Park on my birthday in July. (I saw koalas, a wombat, and giant river otters for the first time, and hand-fed deer and a rainbow lorikeet, so at least that ticked some things off my bucket list). That's it. That's all I did. I'm not even kidding. How pathetic is that?! 

I'm not going to lie, I felt pathetic, and really struggled with my life last year. Or the lack of life in my life; the lack of new experiences, adventures, excitement, and social life. I often felt  isolated and alone, and it wasn't good for my mental health. I should be used to it all after twelve years of housebound life, but I do still miss my old life sometimes, and last year seemed to hit me particularly hard- thankfully, not every day, but more often than it had in a while. 

And as for blogging... well, I didn't manage to do much of that, either, so, let's not go there! Haha!

But despite all that, I'm choosing to look back on 2023 as a year of surviving. 

I got myself through another year without giving up, despite wanting to at times, and  that's an achievement of it's own. 

I also tried my hardest to make the best of every day because I prefer that to moping, and found enjoyment in the little things in life since I couldn't do the big ones. We don't give the little things enough love.

I found happiness in reading and collecting beautiful books, and became particularly obsessed with the Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, Fourth Wing and Blood and Ash series. Escaping into fantasy worlds was definitely my favourite coping mechanism. I enjoyed watercolour painting, did a little cross stitching and embroidery (but not nearly enough), watched a bunch of movies, played a lot of Animal Crossing, began a reading journal, blogged a little, tried to improve my photography and flatlays, wrote some book reviews, shared memes with friends, and spent time with my family and my dog. 

It was definitely not an exciting year on paper, but it was the one I got, and that's okay. They don't all have to be spectacular years full of achievements, adventures, and flashy holidays. It's okay if all you did last year was survive, go to work, and / or hermit yourself away with a book day after day. There's no right way to live, and there is (hopefully) plenty of time left to do all the things we want to.

I'm hoping 2024 will be a better year, and that I'm able to get out and about a little more often, and do more than just existing, but I guess we shall see what the year brings. That's the thing about life; you never know what might happen or where it might take you. If you can't follow your dreams, you just have to take it day by day, and see where it leads you.

What was the best (or worst) thing that happened to you in 2023?

Looking Back on 2022

I can't believe we're already saying 'goodbye' to 2022. I'm sure I say this every year, but it only feels like a minute since we were ringing in the last new year, and I was writing my last annual reminder of all the things I didn't do. Is it just me, or have the last twelve months flown by?

For me, they shouldn't have, as 2022 was one of the most boring and uneventful years of my life. Looking back on the year, I've realised just how little living I did. I spent most of 2022 at home, just riding out my chronic pain, tachycardia, and fatigue a day at a time. If we don't include my holiday in September, I can probably count how many times I left the house all year on two hands- including for medical appointments! I'm pretty disappointed in myself for just how little living I managed, and how little I pushed myself to try.

All I really have to show for 2022 is an overnight trip to Bournemouth to see Ronan Keating, a visit to Whipsnade Zoo, a few trips in to town with my sister, and a week's holiday to Cornwall. Cornwall was definitely a highlight of the year, with time by the sea, lots of good food, day trips to beautiful Padstow and St. Ives, and fun visits to Newquay Zoo and The Screech Owl Sanctuary. It was a blissful week away from it all, and exactly the kind of escapism I needed. 

The rest of 2022 was just spent surviving, and enjoying the little things in life. I read a lot and finished 46 books; played Animal Crossing and FarmVille 3 (for far more hours than I probably should admit); cross stitched and painted; attempted to blog; became addicted to the Shadow and Bone books, The Folk of the Air series, and The Ballad of Never After and made them my whole personality; watched some good movies and TV shows; wasted time online; and spent time with my family and my dog. That's about it.

Wow, my year sounds pathetic.

Catching Covid-19 in June, the first time I went without a mask in a crowd, was also an experience, and one I'm not likely to forget in a hurry. I was sick for a month, and while it wasn't as bad as it could've been, it was horrendous. Though, the guilt I felt for making my whole family sick was worse. (Read about it here).

As for Polka Spots and Freckle Dots... well, the less said about that, the better. I celebrated my blog's 10th birthday in March, but I also blogged less in 2022 than in any year since I began blogging. It wasn't for lack of trying- I attempted to write almost every day, but either the words wouldn't come, or I didn't have the spoons to take the photos I needed to post. I managed to post every month, and caught up a little in December, but my tally of posts for the year is pretty darn sad. Here's hoping I can do better in 2023. It's definitely something I hope to improve on over the next twelve months.

So, basically, embarrassingly, I didn't experience much in 2022. I didn't reach any of life's milestones, I didn't meet anyone new, I didn't see the world, I just didn't live. But- I made it through another difficult year of chronic pain and illness, and that's an achievement of it's own. I can be proud of making it through another 365 days of  constant pain, fatigue, tachycardia, and all my other symptoms, even if I have little else to be proud of.

And that's okay.

It's okay if the only thing you did this year was survive. We don't always have to live our lives to the full, achieve our dreams, or do impressive things. Being alive, and making the best of the lives we've been given is okay, too. We can always try again next year.

And I hope that I will.

What's the best thing that happened to you in 2022?

Holidaying in Cornwall During The Pandemic 2021

In September, I finally made it back to Cornwall for another holiday- and only a year later than planned (thanks, Covid). 

It was my first holiday in four years, and only my second in over a decade, so it was a long over-due, and much needed break. The trip already seems like so long ago, but with the cold weather creeping in again, I can't help but long for those lazy, late summer days by the sea. Luckily, I don't have too long to wait for another taste of it, as we're heading back to Cornwall again this summer, but while I impatiently count down the days, I thought I'd reminisce about last year's holiday with some blog posts about my week away. Well, I have been meaning to write about my holiday since last autumn! 

My older sister and I spent a week down in Perranporth in north Cornwall, a place we've been visiting since we were babies. Our parents actually had their honeymoon in the area in the seventies, and our family have holidayed there ever since. We've been so many times, it's more like a second home to us than a holiday spot, but we love the place, and never get bored of visiting it. So many people turn up their noses at the thought of holidaying in England and saw staycations as a consolation prize when they couldn't travel abroad during the height of the pandemic, but we purposefully choose to take holidays to Cornwall now and then, and have always enjoyed these trips as much as any holiday abroad. Those who don't see the appeal in English holidays have clearly never visited the coast in Cornwall when the sun is shining. With its golden sandy beaches and pretty harbour villages, rugged coastlines, and green countryside, it's such a beautiful part of England, and I can honestly say it's one of my favourite places in the world. 

We had a lovely week chasing the last of the summer sun; sitting on the sea front watching the waves and eating copious amounts of ice cream, revisiting some favourite places, eating delicious local foods, and relaxing to the sound of the seagulls. We visited beautiful Padstow; took a tour bus along the coast from Perranporth to St. Ives; sat on Porth and Perranporth Beach sea fronts, visited Newquay Zoo, paddled in the sea, gambled pennies in the arcades on rainy afternoons, cruised along coastal roads, and explored some of the countryside where the roads were as narrow as paths. It was blissful.

We couldn't take as many day trips or spend as much time on the beach as I would've liked, but that's okay. We had to do things a little differently with both of us challenged with chronic pain, and nobody to pick up the slack of driving and heavy-lifting when we were low on spoons, as my brother-in-law was away on a deployment in The Falklands. We were sensible and fit in more rest and relaxation time, and stayed locally instead of exploring further afield most of the time, so that we could make it home again in one piece at the end of the week. It was the right balance for us, and sometimes restful holidays are exactly what you need.

The best fried breakfast I've ever eaten from Gridl in Newquay. The little Cornish spinach omelettes were incredible. (I asked for an extra sausage instead of bacon as I hate it, so they gave me both, and Marie got to enjoy extra bacon). They have so many Full English options, and do veggie ones, too. 

I actually enjoyed lounging in our accommodation, this privately-owned, three-bedroomed caravan nestled in a quiet spot in the dunes of Perran Sands, with the doors open to let in the warm sea breeze, and the battle cry of the seagulls overhead. It was lovely to have a change of scenery to resting in my bedroom back home- even if the seats and sofas were so uncomfortable my backside felt bruised by the end of the week. We spent our down time watching movies, eating delicious treats that we picked up on our day trips, and played Animal Crossing, Monopoly, and Rummikub. I wanted to get through a couple of books during our time away, but neither of us could get comfortable enough to read on those God awful chairs. What psychopath decided to make caravan chairs so uncomfortable??

Despite going away in September, we were really fortunate with the weather, and even got several days of blistering sunshine in the low thirties! It was so hot for the first half of the week, it didn't even feel like England, and I came home with a million more freckles from being out in the sun. I'm a freckle magnet. The weather had people flocking to the area, and the beaches and seaside villages were busier than I've seen them since the nineties, when less people holidayed abroad. It was a little stressful to be around such big crowds of (mostly) unmasked people during the pandemic- though I masked up, and we took Covid tests twice to be careful- but also lovely to see so many Brits enjoying the places we've loved all our lives. (Although, I'm sure the locals didn't agree). 

All in all, we had a fantastic holiday in Cornwall, and I loved being back in my second home. I pushed myself to my limits to enjoy as much as possible, and did more that week that I had in years. I can't wait to return again this September, revisit my favourite places, and hopefully get to visit some new ones this time, too. Hurry up September!

I'm going to blog separately about some of the places we visited, including Padstow, Perranporth Beach, Newquay Zoo, and the tour bus trip we took along the coast, so look out for them, coming soon.

Have you ever visited Cornwall? Do you prefer to holiday at home or abroad?

You Might Also Like

My First Holiday With Chronic Pain (to Cornwall)

Cornish Adventures 2017: St. Ives and Seal Island

Cornish Adventures 2017: Newquay Zoo

Cornish Adventures 2017: Padstow and Berryfield's Farm

Cornish Adventures 2017: Perranporth Beach

Cornish Adventures 2017: St. Michael's Mount

Looking Back on 2021

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022, and Happy belated New Year to you all!

I can't believe we're already four weeks in to the new year. This month has gone so quickly, which is weird since I've been unwell for most of it, and I've only left the house twice since Christmas for boring medical appointments. It's going to be Christmas again before we know it.

I don't know about you, but my year hasn't got off to the best start. I haven't been so well over the last few weeks- I've had some pretty nasty chronic pain and tachycardia flares, and have just been diagnosed with an ear infection, so, yeah... Happy New Year to me. I've just been hibernating and looking after myself, so I'm so behind with my blog posts. It's taken me a month to get this post written, but I'm back, and I'm going to try to catch up over the next week or two, starting with a look back on the delightful year that was 2021.

I'm grateful that I can say that despite the lockdowns and restrictions, 2021 was not the worst year of my life. It wasn't a particularly interesting or exciting year for me; I didn't achieve much, go to many new places, meet any new people, or even leave the house often, but if that's the worst I can say about a year when a contagious virus took thousands of lives, I consider myself lucky. 

I got through the year without myself or anyone close to me catching Covid, we didn't lose jobs or businesses or miss weddings or funerals like many did, and lockdown life was a piece of cake as it wasn't any different to my normal life of living housebound with chronic illness. I know others weren't so lucky, and most people found lockdown challenging, so I'm choosing to be grateful. My year could've been so much worse.

Between Covid and chronic illness, it was not a year of adventures, but I got to take my first holiday in four years, to Cornwall in September, which was a welcome break from normality, and the highlight of my year, We had a great time exploring more of the Cornish coast by car and tour bus, revisited Padstow, ate ice creams on the sea front, paddled in the sea at Perranporth, had a fun day out at Newquay Zoo, and sampled lots of delicious local food. (I'll be blogging about some of those Cornish adventures soon). We spent most of our time resting and couldn't take as many day trips as we would've liked, but it was just the break we needed after a year and a half of Covid life. 

Most of my other escapes from captivity were just visits to the supermarket, with the occasional trip in to town with my sister, but I did take a few fun day trips to The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Whipsnade Zoo in the summer, which were good for the soul. We also squeezed in a visit to The Appleton Christmas Barn in December, but that is about as exciting as 2021 got for me. I'd hoped to get out and about a lot more, and take more fun, socially-distanced visits to local places, but for various reasons- Covid restrictions, chronic illness, funds, life- it just wasn't possible.

The reality is, I spent most of the year at home in my PJs, playing Animal Crossing and FarmVille 3, trying and failing to blog, reading a lot of books (I smashed my Goodreads reading goal and got through 42!), watching TV, falling in to fatigue-induced naps, and just trying to get through each day with chronic pain, tachycardia, and all my other symptoms kicking my ass. It wasn't an easy year health-wise, but I got through it, a day at a time.

2021 was also the year I marked ten whole years of living with severe chronic pain and illness (2.0). Ten whole years of living in constant pain, battling fatigue and a plethora of other symptoms, dealing with my life being turned upside down, living housebound, diagnosis', medical appointments, scans, treatments, and all the usual hurdles that come with having chronic pain and illness. It was a weird milestone to reach, and hard to get my head around, but I also felt proud of myself for reaching it, and coping with all that I had. I was lucky enough to be on holiday when the anniversary arrived, so I was able to make the day much more pleasant than the one a decade ago by going out for breakfast, and spending time by the sea. I was far too relaxed and content to lose any sleep over it, which was a win for me.

As for blogging, 2021 was not my best year.  I was terrible at posting- mostly because of brain fog and just not feeling up to it- and I blogged less than any year since I began blogging here in 2012. It wasn't for lack of trying, as I tried to write almost every day, but the words wouldn't come, and the posts were still few and far between. I found my groove again for a while in December, and hoped I could continue the pace this year, but as you may have noticed, I've not exactly got off to the best start. Must do better.

Sadly, the year didn't end positively for my family, after we lost my Uncle very suddenly in early November. Since childhood, I only really saw him at family gatherings as we didn't live nearby, but he was a lovely guy, and nobody had a bad word to say about him. His death has hit my parents hard, and I feel awful for my Auntie who's now all alone. I know it's a cliché, but it makes you realise how short and precious life is, and how you should never take it for granted. You never know what's around the corner.

I think the last two years with Covid have taught us that, too.

Except for the loss of my Uncle, I know my year could have been a lot worse, and I'm grateful that, for the most part, all I had to worry about was illness and boredom. Despite Covid, I still had some great times, and made some happy memories with my family. There was some good in every day, and I did my best to appreciate the little things in life, like good books, sunny days, and cuddles with my dog.

I'm glad 2021 is over, though, and I'm hopeful that 2022 will be a better year for us all, free from lockdowns, harsh restrictions, and Covid-19. Here's hoping it brings a lot more adventures, good times, health, wealth, and happiness. It can't be any worse than the last two years, right? (Y'know what, don't answer that).

Goodbye 2021.

Hello 2022. I'm ready for you, but please be kind.

What's the best thing that happened to you in 2021?

Ten Years With Chronic Pain and Illness

Today is a weird milestone in my life; one I never thought I'd be marking, one I'm not sure how to feel about.

Today, I have officially been living with debilitating chronic pain and illness for ten whole years. (It isn't the beginning of my chronic pain journey- it actually began twenty-three years ago when I was just thirteen... but that's a story for another day).

I honestly can't believe that this milestone is a part of my life. I can't believe I'm sitting here reflecting on a decade of living with life-changing chronic pain and chronic illness. If you'd told me ten years ago that I would still be in severe pain ten years later or how much my health would change my life, I'm not sure I would've believed you. I wouldn't have been able to comprehend it, and if I had, I would probably have just given up the fight there and then. I couldn't imagine lasting another week in pain, let alone another decade, and didn't think I'd have to. Back then, I assumed I'd just injured myself somehow, and thought I'd be as right as rain in a few days if I ignored it, and just kept going. 

Boy, was I wrong!

The pain didn't just continue but grew worse as the days blurred in to weeks, months and years.

Now here I am, a decade later, still in pain and diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses- Ankylosing Spondylitis, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Bertolotti's Disease, Degenerative Disc Disease, and Tachycardia, plus a naturally fused spine, and a facet fused to my sacrum. Even though the warning signs were there, I never imagined for a moment how extensive my problems would turn out to be. It didn't even enter my head.

A decade ago, I was just a normal, able-bodied twenty-six-year-old, working as a visual merchandiser in retail, and spending my days off going shopping, to the cinema, and to concerts with friends. I got mild aching pains in my bones and joints (undiagnosed Arthritis), but they hadn't so much as slowed me down since my mid-teens. Then one September morning, I woke up with back pain, and in less than a fortnight, my whole life was turned upside down. Now I'm a disabled and chronically ill thirty-six-year-old with multiple conditions, living mostly housebound, and spending much of my time in bed alone riding out the pain and fatigue, or going to medical appointments. (Can you hear that chorus of tiny violins?!) What a difference a decade makes! It's crazy how quickly your entire life can change beyond recognition. If I had known what was coming, I would have tried to live a much fuller life. (Although, life's too short for the shoulda coulda wouldas).

Still, as it's the anniversary, I can't help thinking about everything I've been through these past ten years.

I'm not going to sugar-coat it; the last ten years have been some of the hardest years of my life- not just physically, mentally, and emotionally, but socially, and financially, too. 

I've spent every waking second in extreme pain, getting very little or no relief from any painkillers or treatments. Pain so bad it makes a broken bone feel like a broken nail, and would reduce burly grown men to tears. Pain in my joints and in my bones and in my muscles and in my skin. Shooting pain, stabbing pain, throbbing pain, radiating pain, aching pain, burning pain, I've experienced it all- and then some. Then there's been painful back spasms, stiff and swollen joints, twitching nerves, muscle aches, debilitating fatigue, persistent tachycardia (which has quite frankly been terrifying), challenging brain fog, and a whole host of delightful symptoms I've had to contend with on a daily or regular basis.

The pain has been so overwhelming that there have been times when I've wanted to not be here at all. Thankfully, those thoughts don't happen often now, but it hasn't always been that easy. The first year was definitely the hardest; I can't think how many times I silently cried myself to sleep during the first six months, just wanting the pain to stop, and to get my old life back. Fortunately, I never gave up, and the days got easier as I got diagnosed, and learnt to navigate life with chronic pain and illness, but it was hard-going for a while.

I had to fight to be believed, diagnosed, and be given the treatment I deserve. For years all I heard was that I was 'too young to be in pain', and I'd be 'fine in a week or two', as I was shooed away with another sick note and another prescription that never touched the pain. It wasn't until I ventured in to private health care three years later that I started to get answers and support. Those early years almost broke me.

I've been x-rayed, scanned, and jabbed with needles. I've tried treatment after treatment, and countless painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

I went through one horrific weekend of withdrawal after an incompetent doctor I went to for help yelled at me and took me off all of my meds cold turkey. I've never been so ill in my life. 

I've ended up in A&E twice with ridiculously fast tachycardia and palpitations, and have had several ECGs.

I had to give up my job in visual merchandising, and my dreams of getting back in to animal care. I was making plans to go back to college to study animal care again when I got ill, which sadly had to go out the window.

I've spent most of the last decade bed ridden or housebound, missing out on new experiences and meeting new people out in the real world because my pain has been so debilitating. Living housebound with chronic illness has been extremely isolating, and while I'm an introvert and enjoy time alone, it's been hard not having regular interactions with people outside my own family. I've lost friends since I've been sick, too, and that hurt a lot. 

I've also had to say goodbye to many of the things I knew and enjoyed in life. I had to mourn the life I knew, and the person that I was, as well as the future I'd hoped to make for myself. I'm not going to lie; this has been hard at times. I've missed out on so much during what could have been some of the best years of my life, and sometimes I can't help feeling left behind because I don't have or haven't experienced many of the things society says I should have by my age. Thankfully, I have learnt to make my peace with that, as well as knowing that my future could be very different to the one I'd imagined, but it's only natural to feel sad about that sometimes.

Fortunately, as a socially-awkward introvert, housebound life hasn't been that hard for me to cope with overall. I like my own company, and I've learnt plenty of ways to fill my time. This blog has been a particularly invaluable coping mechanism, giving me something to throw myself in to, and has always keep me busy. I've also found comfort in reading, crafting, watching movies, hanging out with my dog, and all kinds of little things. I've gotten used to a quieter way of living, and have learnt to appreciate the little things in life, and make the most of every day. When I do get to go out and do something fun, I appreciate it so much more.

The last ten years have also been hard financially. I've had to jump through hoops to prove I'm deserving of financial help, and went through a soul-crushing fifteen months without a penny to live on because the DWP decided being able to go the hospital for medical care meant I wasn't sick enough to need help. (Seriously). Luckily, I appealed, and won my case at court, but the whole experience was a nightmare.

I've been through a hell of a lot in such a short space of time, and sometimes I don't know how I made it through.

This is probably going to make me sound like a self-indulgent twat, so feel free to roll your eyes, but I'm proud of myself for getting through the last ten years. I'm proud of the way I've handled every hurdle, from my life being turned upside down to living in constant pain to dealing with each diagnosis. None of it has been easy, but I've got through every day and every challenge without having a break down or giving up. There have been times when the pain has been so overwhelming I've not wanted to be here, but I've somehow found the strength to keep going, to keep fighting through the pain and the fatigue, the stress and the isolation, and I'm proud of myself for that. 

I know I must be coming across as incredibly negative today, but I don't think about the last ten years in a negative light. I've always just accepted my life for what it is, and tried to make the best of every day. Sure, there have been plenty of awful days, but there have been plenty of positives, too. The journey has taught me so much. I've learnt so much about life, and about myself as I've navigated this unconventional life with chronic illness. I've learnt what I'm capable of, how strong I can be, and just how much I can endure when pushed beyond my limits. I've learnt to appreciate the little things in life, and make the best of every day, with what I have. I no longer take life for granted, like I used to. I know how quickly everything can change and be taken away from you. I'm grateful for everything this experience has taught me, as I wouldn't be the person I am now if I hadn't gone through it all.

I don't know where the future will take me- and I don't really like to think about it, as thinking about the future with chronic illness scares me- but wherever the next ten years lead me, I know I'll get through it. If the last ten years has taught me anything, it's that I'm stronger than I give myself credit for, and if I can get through all that I have, I can get through anything. 

Even though I'm being reflective and letting my feelings out here today, I don't want to focus on the negatives today, nor remember what I've lost or what I've been missing out on. (I wrote this post a few days early to process my feelings ahead of time). I'll of course be acknowledging what this day means and will be giving the last decade some head space, but I'm hoping to make today a positive one so this date isn't just 'The Day My Back Pain Began' or 'The Day My Life Changed Forever.' I'm currently in one of my favourite places enjoying a week's holiday, so I'm hoping to make some nice memories today to cancel out the bad ones. I want today to be a good one. I don't know where the day will take me, but I'm hoping I'll be well enough to take a short day trip or at least go for a walk on the beach. I'm going to eat some good food, breathe in the sea air, let the sea breeze carry away the stress, and relax to the sound of the seagulls. It's going to be a better day than this day was ten years ago, I'll make sure of it. I've not come this far and gone through what I have to let one bad day a decade ago spoil another day of my life.

Life is far too short for that.

You Might Also Like

Nine Years With Chronic Pain

An Accessible Birthday Trip To Whipsnade Zoo

On the second of July, I turned another year older, and decided to seize the day with an impromptu trip to Whipsnade Zoo. 

As a big animal lover, I love a good trip to the zoo, and used to visit Whipsnade almost every year before I developed chronic pain a decade ago. I even did work experience there for two weeks when I was seventeen and studying animal care at college. I hadn't been back since I got ill in 2011, as I couldn't see a way to manage the two hour journey (each way) with my chronic pain, let alone how to walk around an enormous zoo all day. I'd resigned myself to never being able to go again, and mentally added it  to the list of 'things I can't do anymore', which made me sad as I've always loved visiting the place, but it's just one of those things you learn to accept with chronic illness. 

However, one of the great things about Whipsnade Zoo is that you can pay to take your car in, which allows you to drive around the zoo, and park up at various sections. It saves a hell of a lot of walking, and makes it much more accessible. We'd talked about attempting a visit this way for a while, so when my sister suggested a trip to Whipsnade at 10pm the night before, I jumped at the chance. Sometimes you just have to push through the pain to do something fun, and deal with the consequences later.

We prebooked our tickets online the night before, which wasn't cheap at £30 each plus £25 to bring the car in, but I promise you, it was worth every penny. The zoo is huge (600 acres), filled with awesome animals, and you really get your money's worth.

We arrived at the zoo at around 1pm, and the first thing we did was drive a lap around it to get our bearings and remind ourselves what animals we particularly wanted to see. I'd forgotten just how big the place was, and wondered how the hell I used to walk around it all when I was able-bodied. We didn't have time or the spoons to see everything, so we prioritised our favourites, and tried to fit in as much as possible. We drove around, parked up near animals we wanted to see, and walked around small sections at a time, which made our visit so much easier. We even just watched some animals from the car, which felt like being on safari without the fear or being eaten alive or having your car stripped for parts by monkeys. 

Taking the car in gave us the ability to cover a huge area we would never have managed on foot, and made the place far more accessible to us. It made such a difference to my pain and fatigue levels, and my sister's leg injuries, and I coped so much better than I'd expected to. In fact, the car journey caused me more pain than the actual visit! I would recommend it to anyone with chronic pain or mobility issues, as well as for people visiting with young kids or elderly relatives who tire easily- especially if you can't use a wheelchair or rent a mobility scooter to help you cover more ground. Trust me; your body will thank you for it later.

My sister and I had such a lovely time wandering and driving around in the scorching sunshine, watching so many weird and wonderful animals, eating ice cream, and enjoying the views of the downs below the zoo. We got to see so many awesome animals, including elephants, hippos, white and one-horned rhinos, tigers, cheetahs, lynx, sloth bears, wild boar, penguins, chimps, oryx, flamingos, and so much more. We also saw plenty of wallabies and maras, which were free-roaming all around the zoo.

Whipsnade has an incredible collection of animals, with over 200 species and more than 9,600 animals to see, and no shortage of mega fauna and rare creatures to interest every animal lover. Whether you're in to big cats or primates, giant mammals or tiny insects, there's something for everyone.

I think my favourite part of the day was getting to see the rare greater one-horned rhinos, which I love because they look like adorable armoured-dinosaurs! Just look how cute they are! I could've watched them grazing all day.

We also really enjoyed the Passage Through Asia section, which is a huge drive-through exhibit of green space filled with different types of deer, camels, and yaks. There's a big lake in the middle, and there are no barriers separating you from the animals so it feels really natural, and like being on safari. The animals kept their distance, but it was amazing to watch huge herds of deer grazing, resting, running, and drinking from the lake, and getting to see lots of stags and fawns. We enjoyed this section so much, we went through twice. If you don't take your car in, don't worry; you can also view the Passage Through Asia on The Great Whipsnade Railway, which I believe has just reopened now that Covid restrictions have lifted.

Sadly, we didn't have time to see everything, and missed out a lot of animals in the middle of the zoo, where there's everything from giraffes and lions to wolves and monkeys, but we were more than satisfied with our visit, and it just gives us a good excuse to go back again, and cover what we missed. I particularly wanted to see the bird gardens, seals and sealions, and the children's farmyard again, as they were three of the sections I did work experience on all those years ago (the others were the chimps and elephants), but just being there brought back so many memories. (And we did drive past the farmyard, so I got a good glimpse of the animals around the outskirts). I'll definitely check them out properly next time. 

If you want to see all the animals Whipsnade zoo has to offer, I'd recommend getting there when the gates open at 10am to give yourself  a fighting chance. There's a lot of ground to cover.

Of course, we couldn't leave without checking out the gift shop. It only took me a minute to discover that they sold Kimchi and Coconut jewellery, and I came away with a galaxy-effect whale brooch that I instantly fell in love with. Well, it would've been rude not to treat myself on my birthday, right? Right!

As for visiting during the pandemic... we visited on a weekday during term time, so it wasn't too busy, and we rarely needed to wear a mask outdoors, which was a relief as the weather was so hot. I just popped mine on whenever I got close to a crowd, which wasn't often. Face coverings were required in indoor exhibits, and in the gift shop, as expected, and it's something they're still encouraging now that legal restrictions have officially lifted, so remember to pack a mask. You'll find more information about visiting during Covid times on their website.

We had a great day out at Whipsnade Zoo, and couldn't have asked for a nicer day. Cool animals, nature, sunshine, fresh air, ice cream, a new brooch... what a perfect way to spend a birthday. I'm already looking forward to our next visit, and now I've found a way to make the trip more manageable, I know it won't be long until we're back.

Well, you know me; I love a good trip to the zoo!

When was the last time you visited the zoo?

You Might Also Like

Another Socially Distanced Trip To The Cotswold Wildlife Park June 2021

A Socially Distanced Trip To The Cotswold Wildlife Park September 2020

The Cotswold Wildlife Park August 2018
The Cotswold Wildlife Park July 2018
The Cotswold Wildlife Park July 2016
The Cotswold Wildlife Park 2014
Newquay Zoo June 2017
Heythrop Park Zoo Open Day 2016
Heythrop Park Zoo Open Day 2015