How it started
It’s nearly a wrap on 2022, a year when so many of us relished that feeling of freedom again. For nearly two years, we had walked and cycled close to home and then, thankfully, the tracks and trails were suddenly open again. How many times, during lockdown, did you ask yourself, friends and family members, ‘where will you go when you are able to travel again?’. A lot probably. Well, here’s what happened next.
How it’s going
When that moment finally came, it felt like birds taking flight for a giant migration and it was interesting to see which shores or mountains you landed on. In fact, the majority of our natural adventurers chose to explore Spain this year. From walkers seeking solace and sunshine in Catalonia to those pushing their cycling muscles again on the Andalucían Sierra de Grazalema, or simply mellowing in Mallorca or Menorca, escaping to España was the thing to do in ‘22.
How it’s hurting
We are also very mindful of the fact that, while so many of us have found freedom this year, our friends in Ukraine have suffered the exact opposite. Russia’s war in their country has been the most horrific happening in Europe this year, and we continue to stand in solidarity with Ukrainians during this time. We also continue to offer a way for you to support them by buying a virtual tour of their beloved Carpathians, or else by donating directly to our chosen charity there.
How you’re faring
We have all learned that, in order to survive these trying times, just putting one foot in front of the other is often the only way to go. We love the fact that, during 2022 you, our loyal customers, have covered 428,890km around the world doing just that. You have also pushed those pedals for 335,229km into places you were only dreaming of this time last year. From cycling in the French Pyrenees to hiking in Albania’s Accursed Mountains, your step counter and pedometers have covered some sublime places.
How we’re growing
The other joy of 2022 for us was seeing the dormant seeds of The Natural Adventure start to blossom again. As well as seeing our support teams and partner organisations come back to life again in the 50 countries where we operate, we have also tripled our team size, growing from seven adventurers to 21 for the new year, aiming for 23 in 23. For you, this means more support, more adventures and more social stuff.
One of the other silver linings of the pandemic is that people’s appreciation of responsible tourism has grown substantially and we are seeing lots of people who are new to low impact, slow travel. This change in travellers’ behaviour is one the best Christmas presents we could hope for.
Thanks for helping us get back on our feet this year, for your loyal support of what we are trying to do at The Natural Adventure – keep it natural, and keep it adventurous. Wishing you all a peaceful holiday and, for those who celebrate, a very merry Christmas.
