Was life a beach for you this year? Photograph: AFP/Getty
From basking in the summer heatwave to battling through the crowds at Heathrow in the wake of the terror alerts, it's been an eventful year in travel. Today's Observer Escape features expert travellers from Michael O'Leary to Peter Tatchell listing their travel highs and lows of the year.

But what about your year? Did you discover new terrain, a hidden gem of a hotel or essential travel know-how - or have you had an experience you'd rather forget?