We wish you a Happy New Year! We will celebrate the new year together with friends in Stockholm. Some years, however, we have celebrated in much more exotic places. Today we offer a small memory cavalcade.
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Nine countries where we celebrated New Year
Looking back in our memories (or rather in our blog!) we realise that we have celebrated New Year's Eve in nine different countries. In between, there have been a bunch of New Year's Eve celebrations in Sweden, but we choose to focus on the more exotic places.
1. New Zealand
New Zealand was a 'once in a lifetime' trip that we managed to complete in the winter of 2006/2007. So many marvellous and adventurous experiences we had in the New Zealand! When it was time to celebrate New Year, we found ourselves in the capital city of Wellington.
- Year: 2006/2007
- Location: Restaurant in Wellington
- Societies: Peter's sons Robin and Billie
- Menu: Classic meat dinner with red wine
- Festivities: Festival in the streets
2) Kenya
In a way, Kenya was also a dream trip, but we ended up here at the same time as there was a lot of unrest in the country due to the elections. We couldn't leave the guesthouse where we were staying because it was unsafe, but we got to know the other two couples at the guesthouse well.
- Year: 2007/2008
- Location: Le Petit Paris guest house in Mombasa
- Societies: A couple from the Netherlands and a couple from Italy and New Zealand respectively.
- Menu: Many delicious dishes, prepared by the French owner.
- Festivities: We went around the team and said what we wanted to do in life "If I survive" ... (You can read about the dramatic journey here.)
3. Hungary
One year we chose to celebrate New Year's Eve in Budapest. It was a nice winter trip with shopping, swimming and warming goulash soups.
- Year: 2010/2011
- Location: Nador Botterem wine cellar in Budapest
- Societies: We (and everyone else in the city)
- Menu: New Year menu with many dishes and accompanying wines
- Festivities: Live music and then a party on Margareta Island
4. Ukraine
We have celebrated New Year's Eve no less than twice in Ukraine, both times in Kiev. It is incredibly sad to think about what has happened to this country since then. We had very nice visits here, and we remember with warmth all the wonderful Ukrainians we met. We wish this people strength and better times.
- Year: 2011/2012
- Location: Arena Citi in Kiev
- Societies: Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra
- Menu: Champagne and luxury platters with cold cuts, cheeses and fruit
- Festivities: First an outdoor concert in the city and then a nightclub.
5th Malaysia
When we've had the chance to travel to Asia in the winter, we've been happy to do so, and one year we celebrated New Year's Eve at the... Langkawi. Here we celebrated the new year together with blog friends who arrived with their own sailboat!
- Year: 2012/2013
- Location: Restaurant Oasis in Langkawi
- Societies: Blog friends and round-the-world sailors Linda, Ludvig and their children, from Mary of Rövarhamn (interview with Linda here)
- Menu: Buffet
- Festivities: Fire, lanterns and fireworks
6. Philippines
Just before we were about to celebrate the new year at the Philippines In 2013/2014 I (Helena) had been really sick with a stomach bug, so I couldn't eat. very much of the fully cooked pig. But there was a New Year celebration anyway!
- Year: 2013/2014
- Location: Toko's restaurant in Sabang on the island of Mindoro
- Societies: We ourselves (and all other people in Sabang)
- Menu: Buffet with whole grilled pig
- Festivities: Fireworks
7. Portugal
It was in December 2014 that we set off on our 1 year long motorhome trip around Europe. Just in time for New Year's Eve we approached Lisbon, and were invited to the homes of blog friends. It can't get any better than that!
- Year: 2014/2015
- Location: At home with blog friends from the blog Bortugal in a village near Cascais.
- Societies: Åsa, Sverker and their daughters (interview with Åsa here)
- Menu: Homemade dinner at Åsa and Sverker's home
- Festivities: Talk, laughter and dramatic waves
8) Israel
The journey to Israel was fantastic! But it is expensive to eat in a restaurant in Israel and we wanted to spend our money on other things, so New Year's dinner was very simple. But what does that matter when you get to travel?
- Year: 2017/2018
- Location: Eilat
- Societies: We (and all other people in Eilat)
- Menu: Falafel and coca cola
- Festivities: People on the streets
9. Sri Lanka
Travelling around Sri Lanka was a real adventure trip with lots of experiences, in the form of nature, wild animals, temples and exotic food. Celebrating New Year's Eve on a beach was great!
- Year: 2019/2020
- Location: Weligama Beach
- Societies: Our friends Lennart and Beata
- Menu: Prawn cocktail (which happened to be served after the main course), grilled fish and fried potatoes
- Festivities: Fireworks and DJ on the beach
Have you ever celebrated New Year's Eve abroad?
Have you ever celebrated New Year's Eve abroad? In which country or countries? Where are you celebrating the New Year tonight?
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Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:
It was a long list of exotic New Year celebrations.
For me it has been mostly Wales, England, Spain, Holland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. Not so exotic and far away.
Happy New Year!
31 December 2022 - 7:38
Helena says:
Yes, it has become a lot of places, and quite exotic. In the past, when we had "regular" jobs, we tried to travel during our holidays, and that's what happened. Recently, we have actually travelled less often as far. By the way, your list was also quite large! Happy New Year!
31 December 2022 - 10:58
Lena - good for the soul says:
What wonderful places you celebrated New Year in! I myself have never had time to travel then because I have always worked so much around those weekends.
Happy New Year to you from us!
Hugs Lena & Andreas
31 December 2022 - 8:48
Only British says:
Apart from Sweden, I've mostly celebrated in England (always either in York where it's pretty quiet unless you're a nightclub owner or in St Ives where there's a family party in the streets and squares with costumes). Celebrated a lot of New Year's Eve with relatives in Germany as well and now in Vienna.
31 December 2022 - 10:38
Helena says:
Just British, interesting! The name "Silvester" we heard for the first time in Morocco (we were not there over New Year, but over Christmas and so we saw a lot of advertising for the New Year...) Wishing a very Happy New Year!!!
31 December 2022 - 11:01
Helena says:
Lena, I understand! For us, it was in the past (when we had "regular" jobs) just around Christmas and New Year we had the easiest to get away from. It depends on what job you have. Wishing you a really Happy New Year!!!
31 December 2022 - 10:59
Åsa Winald says:
No. 7 was nice! Happy New Year!
(We are celebrating our tenth New Year in Portugal; before that I celebrated in England, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, Bali and Spain). And Sweden!
31 December 2022 - 9:54
Helena says:
Of course it was!!! We have very nice memories from our visit to you in Portugal!!! (Oh how time passes ...!) Wishing you a Happy New Year!!!
31 December 2022 - 11:02
BP says:
Surely you have experienced exotic New Year celebrations, WOW! The Philippines and New Zealand, not to mention Kenya, really stand out. So this year it will be a pretty "normal" celebration with your friends;-)
Wishing you a happy ending and a happy new year:-)
31 December 2022 - 21:10