2013 Travel Summary

2013 flew by so fast, I barely saw the months pass.
In terms of travel, it was insane. I moved from Europe to Asia and wound up in a place that “forces” me to leave the country at least every two months just to renew my visa.
Not the worst deal, right?

Here’s a look back at the first half of a year that packed more countries into my calendar than I ever thought possible.

Here’s a look back at the first half of my 2013 travel summary:

JANUARY – Belgium

I kicked off 2013 in my favorite city of all time: Ghent — living, working, and soaking up all the good things about home. It was a full, busy month brimming with quality time with friends and family.

I finally conquered one of my biggest (and admittedly irrational) fears: driving. Taking lessons at night, in the snow, definitely sped up the character-building process. Learning to drive had topped my New Year’s resolution list for years. This time, I actually pulled through.

 

FEBRUARY – Poland

A short and snowy getaway to Warsaw with one of my best friends. Poland in winter is no joke — but snowflakes embellished the city and gave it a certain charm. We withered the cold with vodka, a fabulous jazz concert, and an unexpected experience: I had my first taste of journalism at a Polish radio station.

And then, magic happened.
Exactly three years earlier, I’d met a British girl who was hitchhiking from London to Berlin. She stopped in Ghent, we hit it off, became friends, and then lost touch as she moved to Australia.

Fast forward to February 2013 — and we bump into each other in the middle of Warsaw’s main square. We caught up over food and coffee, stunned at the randomness of it all. The world is wild.

 

MARCH – Oman, UAE, Bankok

After endless European winter, I was craving warmth — and the East delivered.

Oman
This country had been on my radar for years, and when I finally arrived, it stole my heart completely. Oman was everything I hoped it would be and more. I stayed with a wonderful woman who introduced me to Omani culture — we bonded over giant plates of traditional food, explored Muscat, laughed, gossiped, danced, and shared stories.
A short road trip revealed just how special this place really is: hospitable people, ancient traditions, stunning natural landscapes. Oman, you have a fan for life.

 

United Arab Emirates

Next stop: Dubai, to visit a friend who’d recently moved there. I expected to hate it — too flashy, too artificial. But Dubai surprised me. Yes, it’s fancy lunches, skyscrapers, and air-conditioned everything, but I kind of loved it. I appreciated the sense of safety, the polished streets, and the stylish crowd.

I still have strong feelings about energy waste and the “bigger is better” mentality — but I can’t deny that Dubai is a feat of human imagination. Now if only that ingenuity could be channelled in a more sustainable, fair way…

Bangkok

From glam to gritty, I flew on to Bangkok. Just a short stay — long enough to get a taste of the city’s buzz (literally and figuratively). I stayed at Refill Now!  a boutique hostel so stylish and spotless I still rave about it. Met some incredible women and spent the days exploring the chaos together.

I haven’t fully made up my mind about Bangkok. It’s one of those places that needs a second date.

 

APRIL – Myanmar

I spent three weeks in Myanmar, a country that had only recently opened its doors to the world. It’s an undeniably fascinating place — raw, beautiful, deeply rooted in tradition. But… I didn’t fall in love. I don’t think it has anything to do with me getting a Buddha overdose, but there was just something that didn’t agree with me.

Maybe it was the suffocating heat. Maybe it was the so-so food. Maybe I was just tired from being constantly on the move, craving a place to pause. Or maybe it was the lingering discomfort I felt about the political situation. I don’t know. We just didn’t click.

It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t for me. And sometimes, that’s just how it goes.

 

MAY – Malaysia/Singapore

Time to slow down. Kind of.

Kuala Lumpur & Penang
Douglas and I tried to settle in Kuala Lumpur. That lasted… a minute. We gave Georgetown (Penang) a shot too, but neither felt like “our” place. It was clear: mainland Malaysia wasn’t where we were meant to live.

 

Singapore
So we hopped over to Singapore. Just like five years earlier, I loved being in this city. Yes, it’s freakishly clean, strict and (too?) organised, but it’s awesome! It’s an especially welcome break after the chaos of Kuala Lumpur. The food (oh, the food), and the peaceful cohabitation of three major cultures, is probably what I live most about the country. If rent weren’t so ridiculously high, I’d probably be living there right now.

 

JUNE – Bali

Aaah, Bali…

Returning to the island after five years felt like slipping into a familiar dream. Yes, it’s changed — more tourists, more traffic, more yoga pants — but the essence remains.

The smells of frangipani and sandalwood. The rhythm of gamelan music. The electric green of the rice paddies… We found our place in Ubud and settled in, working remotely and building a new life on the islands of the gods.

Stay tuned for part II of the year!