Ali Gordon

LOOKING BACK AT 2020’s EXPERIENCES


So this is a strange post to be doing. I looked at my notes for blog posts and saw that I had 2020 review written down. I thought about not doing anything as it had been such a crap year and possibly for many one they  were happy to see the end of (and sadly so far 2021 is proving to not much different). I’m also aware that what I have found difficult this year pales into insignificance compared to the real difficulties countless others have had up and down the UK and across the world.

However, I thought that 2020 did have some experiences and more importantly lots learned. So, I’ve split this into a two part post (second part to be posted soon). This first post will focus on my experiences across the year and then the second part will be about what I’ve learned and new hobbies/skills I’ve taken up.


Up first is Courchevel! What a trip!

Back at the very beginning of the year, before lockdowns and tiers, Lydia and I went to Courchevel thanks to Laura Mercier. This was an incredible trip and which boasted some truly wonderful views. I’m taken back to memories of boarding down beautiful slopes with the sun shining and the chilled vibes of the Aprés-Ski drinks. Whilst I’m not the strongest snowboarder, I’m getting better over time and it’s something I’d love to do more of. This really was an experience and shooting in the snow is always fun…so much natural light. 



Moving on to a couple days in Wales. Rain, Rain and more Rain. That is the best way to describe this experience. At this point in 2020, we were encouraged not to travel abroad of course and remain within the UK helping out the UK tourism industry. I did a post at the time where I highlighted how this was a reminder of the beautiful spots that are seemingly closer than we think.


Wales is a beautiful country with lots of dramatic landscapes and whilst the rain may have limited our exposure to such landscapes this was a top experience nonetheless. Great content…bad weather. If you can do a couple days in Wales and get lucky with the weather I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Make sure you head to the fastest Zip line in the world. That’s where we did the buggy racing.


As the year ran on, travel and movement became restricted again and single household travel was all that was allowed. Again remaining in the UK, Lyds and I did a weeked at The Grove. I think at this point the year had become stressful with work and uncertainty and a weekend away was the perfect tonic to celebrate our anniversary. Helps that I managed to get some Golf in too.


Now I’m a fan of my cars as you know and I take any opportunity to test a fast motor. Thanks to Signature GP, I got invited down to Silverstone for a track day experience. Driven round at break-neck speeds, it was a real adrenaline rush. These guys really know their cars but more importantly they know how to drive them.


I think I can say that one of my favourite experiences in 2020 was the outdoor cinema event that Ornate Events created at our home. A nice surprise for Lydia, Ornate got this all set-up one day and as you can see it was a dreamy evening under the stars. Any movie fans or those looking for a top date night idea, I really recommend this. It felt truly special and I don’t think there is a better way to watch a film.


Finally, we get to Blenheim Palace and their famous Christmas Lights show. Blenheim just looked simply spectacular at this time of the year. With a clear sky, the lights, the building and the grounds, Blenheim Palace is a beauty to behold and I would recommend to anyone that it is top day out and something to really get you in the Christmas spirit. Whilst we went for the famous light show, we were also privileged enough to get an exclusive opportunity to shoot content inside. You might have seen some of this content across mine and Lydia’s channels. I would like to thank Blenheim Palace for allowing us to access these areas and create some great content. It was a nice way to end the year.


Looking back at 2020 it’s strange to think of these experiences as the year has felt so caged in many ways. We’ve had different tiers and scales of lockdown that have allowed us at times to do some things and at other times allowed very little if anything. I think we still all crave that complete freedom that we may have previously taken for granted and I’m looking forward to a 2021 where we can hopefully get on top of this virus and get back to that freedom we crave.

Take care