Silver Award from Wanderlust for Travel Blog of the Year

Way back in 2011 I entered a writing competition in Wanderlust magazine with the theme of train journeys. I was new to writing then and it must have been one of the first travel competitions I'd entered. The piece entitled 'Returning to Belfast' didn't win.

C'est la vie, I thought philosophically, and rewrote the piece to put up on this blog. Almost two years later, I submitted it to Wanderlust's 'Blog of the Week'. Wanderlust selected it, and I was thrilled when they added to my profile:

Mother, wife, teacher, music lover, dreamer, hill walker, travel addict and writer. And Helen still has time to create one of the most beautifully written travel blogs on the web.

http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/blogs/blog-of-the-week/blog-of-the-week-returning-to-belfast

I thought that would be the end of it, but once again I was delighted to find out that my 'Blog of the Week' had been shortlisted (to one of eight) best of the blogs of the week.
I imagined that would be as far as it would go. But no, not quite, and although I didn't win (again), Wanderlust has given me a special silver award,  calling my blog entry, an inspiring read.
So here's to you at Wanderlust and a very big thank you. Funny how things turn out, and life unexpectedly returns you to the place you started!