Well folks, it's that time of the year again. 2025 is coming to an end, A year packed with painful lab sufferings (just like last year), plot twists I didn't sign up for, and enough coffee to cover the Bristol Channel. I'd say 2025 is a test on my willpower (I'm still breathing, so that's good I suppose). But anyway, here’s some highlights of my 2025.
January: Teignmouth's Sunrise
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| Teignmouth Seafront |
I started 2025 by participating in the Teignmouth Promenade Parkrun. I arrived just in town to catch the sun rising from the horizon. It's absolutely mesmerising.
Of course, as a morbidly obese individual, running is proven to be impractical. So I jogged my way along the promenade, savoring the salty sea breeze and the occasional splashes from waves slapping onto the sea wall. It's definitely the most scenic parkrun I've ever done.
February: Along the Exe
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| Voyager crossing the River Exe heading towards St Davids |
Me and a friend went for a walk along the River Exe, a nice moment away from all the stress from all sorts of coursework (Well, mainly me. He doesn't even have that much coursework as he does mechanical engineering). Still, the fresh air and the sight of the water were exactly what I needed to clear my head before diving back into this lethal whirlpool known as electronics.
March: Cranbrook's Country Park
I headed over to Cranbrook Country Park for their parkrun, which was a great excuse to finally check out this East Devon 'new town.' It is certainly new, but also... remarkably empty. The town centre's got a Morrisons and a single coffee shop, and that’s literally it. There really isn’t much else to talk about, but at least the run through the sunny country park was great.
April: Bristol!
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| Wapping Wharf |
Since I was at the University of Bristol for an event, I made sure to leave some time for exploring. I took a long walk along the quays and through the streets, soaking in the atmosphere. Bristol is as exciting and vibrant as expected. Everyone likes Bristol lol.
May: North Devon's Lost Railways
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| F. Hibberd & Co. Planet Diesel Locomotive, Bideford Railway Heritage Centre |
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| Love the guard's heart-shaped paper punch |
In May, I visited Barnstaple and Bideford in North Devon to catch a glimpse of the region's former railways. I’m considering writing a full post on the history and remains of these North Devon lines in the future, so let me know if that’s something you’d be interested in reading!
June: Hello Birmingham
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| West Midlands Metro CAF Urbos 3 Tram |
Went up to Birmingham for the university's open day. explored the city and the surroundings towns (I also visited Shrewsbury during the trip; you can click here to have a look at what I got up to there.). Love the trams, they're amazing. I didn’t care for the engine revving and shouting at two in the morning though.
July: Anime Convention
Myself with one of the cosplayers
In July, I went to my first anime convention. The atmosphere was absolutely electric, and I saw some truly mind-blowing cosplayers. Click here to have a look at what I got up to.
August: The Nam
Sunworld Cable Car, the longest non-stop three rope cable car in the world
Plaque within the cabin
In August, I visited Phu Quoc, a sun-drenched Vietnamese island in the Gulf of Thailand. Lovely place with some surprisingly fancy electric buses running across the island. I’m considering a future post on the transport there, but as for the island itself, which relies heavily on tourism, most of it are purpose-built for tourists (they have "fake" western style buildings with nothing inside to recreate somewhere in Paris, and etc.). I likely won't write much about the theme parks, but the Sunworld cable car is a major exception. It is truly impressive, as it's the longest non-stop three-rope cable car in the world, it even features a Guinness World Record plaque right inside the cabin.
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| Sunworld Cable Car, the longest non-stop three rope cable car in the world |
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| Plaque within the cabin |
In August, I visited Phu Quoc, a sun-drenched Vietnamese island in the Gulf of Thailand. Lovely place with some surprisingly fancy electric buses running across the island. I’m considering a future post on the transport there, but as for the island itself, which relies heavily on tourism, most of it are purpose-built for tourists (they have "fake" western style buildings with nothing inside to recreate somewhere in Paris, and etc.). I likely won't write much about the theme parks, but the Sunworld cable car is a major exception. It is truly impressive, as it's the longest non-stop three-rope cable car in the world, it even features a Guinness World Record plaque right inside the cabin.
December: Last trip on the HST
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| HST at Plymouth |
This Christmas, I headed into the west country onboard my final HST ride and wave them goodbye on their very last day of operation. It was a sentimental journey marking the end of an iconic era for British rail. This story is now live as part of my "Christmas Specials". Click here to read all about the HST’s final farewell.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Looking back at my goals for last year, I’m incredibly proud to say I followed through on my promise to blog more. I managed to write and post much more posts compared to last year, capturing everything from the smooth glide onboard the Isle of Wight hovercraft all the way up to the posh streets of Shrewsbury. As I head into 2026, I want to keep this momentum going, and I can't wait to see what the next twelve months have in store.
Now, as we move into 2026, I want to wish you all a happy new year, filled with your own adventures and milestones. Whether you’re chasing sunrises, hitting personal bests, or simply finding a quiet moment of peace away from the 'coursework' of your own life, I hope the coming months bring you happiness and health.
Thanks for following along with me this year. I'll see you in 2026!
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