4 Places on My Travel Bucket List 2019

I've been reading a few travel bucket lists from various bloggers and if you have been following my blog for some time, you would know that "travel bucket list" post is a tradition around this space :)

However, I don't know if I mentioned anything about this yet but last year, I made it a priority to travel every month as it was one of my New Year's resolutions. But towards the end of it, I didn't quite enjoy it anymore because it felt more like a chore than a vacation. So this year, travelling is not really a MUST for me. However, that doesn't mean that I'm not going to travel and go places.

Trust me, thinking of places to go and creating a bucket list gets me excited all the time. After all, no one should be in one spot for the rest of their lives. Places are meant to be visited, cities are meant to be seen, countries are meant to be traveled to.

1) Terengganu (Malaysia) 

Although I love travelling away from my own country, I do feel like there are still a lot of places I'd like to visit locally. It also makes it more do-able for me. So, road trips, here I come.



2) Vietnam 

Last year, I've only managed to visit this beautiful country once and I fell in love with the place and the food instantly (well, the food mostly, not going to lie). So, I will be returning to Vietnam for a few more visits in the coming months.



3) Hong Kong 

It's been a while (more like 20 years) since I was here. It's time to create new memories.



4) Maldives 

Because it's the Maldives!

What's on your travel bucket list 2019? 

Things I've Learned from Every Trip in 2018

Final day of November and then........ Christmas!!!! YAYYYYY!!! 

Anyway, I did mentioned in a few of my previous posts that I'll be spending Christmas at home this year instead of going away. Yes, my ass is staying put. However, I will not be doing vlogmas as I did it last year and found it really time-consuming. I couldn't really enjoy every moment properly. Also, I'm much busier this year. So, I've decided to just post a few Christmas videos instead of doing vlogmas :) 

So, because I've made travelling a priority this year, I wanted to see what I can take away from each trip. And like I mentioned, I learned a lot from every trip I've been on - be it about myself or about life. I write down everything I was feeling at a particular moment and everything I've learned after each trip. I find it very refreshing to read my travel notebook which I carry around with me since last year. But anyway, here are a few things I've learned from each trip.

Colombo, Sri Lanka - Dec 2017: Taught me how to be more grateful for what I have in life.

Krabi, Thailand - Jan 2018: You can make things beautiful and you can see beauty in everything if you just open your mind.

Hatyai, Thailand - Mar 2018: There is no such thing as old. You are never too old to do anything. 

Koh Lipe, Thailand - Apr 2018: Life can really be that simple. You just have to choose whether you like the simple life or the complicated life. 

Nha Trang, Vietnam - May 2018: There's so much to learn in life. People will never ever stop learning. 

Lombok, Indonesia - June 2018: Treat people how you want to be treated. Show kindness and respect wherever you leave your footprints. 

Ipoh, Malaysia - July 2018: Learn how to appreciate the simpler things in life. 

Sepang, Malaysia - July 2018: There are plenty of hidden gems in the world. Just like human beings, you just have to know where to look for those hidden gems. 

Langkawi, Malaysia - August 2018: Time alone, peace and serenity - these are some of the more important things in life. 

Siem Reap, Cambodia - Oct 2018: Do not take life too seriously. Happiness is a choice. You choose it. It's something that you can genuinely control. 

Penang, Malaysia - Nov 18: It's REALLY enough to have just 3 (a few) friends in your life who genuinely care for you and be there for you than having thousands of fake friends. 

2018 has honestly been a great travel year! x

Why do You Travel?

My close friends and family would know that ever since I was 12 years old, I started developing a fear of flying. Shocker, right? Considering I travel a lot.

Whenever people ask me "what's one of your biggest fears?", the first thing that pops into my head would be "fear of flying". Don't even ask me how I started developing this fear because you won't even believe it. 

At the beginning of this year, I did tell myself I wanted to travel more - every month, if I'm being precise. This wasn't something I woke up to one day and decided to do. No. I did a couple of trips last year and became quite obsessed with it. When I was back in the UK, I didn't have any chance at all of travelling. My life was always work, study, uni, work, study, uni.


I first had my wanderlust experience when I went to Phuket with my best friend. See, I didn't like travelling at all because of my fear of flying. But last year, after the trip, I realized how much I was missing out on. I then quickly fell in love with the idea of travelling. So I did do a lot of budgeting towards the end of last year in order to plan for my trips this year.

Now, I'm not one of those people who want to travel because so and so have been there. I don't travel because I feel left out. No. I travel for a few reasons. I made it a mission to travel more this year for a few reasons.



1. To conquer my fear of flying

If I'm being completely honest, it hasn't helped much. I still get the anxious feeling whenever I step into a plane. Whenever a plane shakes violently, many thoughts run through my head. I start remembering prayers from Sunday school. But I must say, the more I sit in a plane and travel, the more routined it becomes. And I sort of get immune to it. The plane shaking, the crying babies, different sorts of passengers you meet on every flight, etc... I am still afraid of flying but I'm immune to it and I won't let this fear stop me from travelling.

2. To explore 

Duh. Of course. However, I don't travel to expensive places, or else I would have been a broke ass bitch back in April. I know what I want before planning any trips. As much as it is dangerous being in a completely different country, it is also exciting - especially when you explore and experience how the locals live. You kind of get a taste of what it is being in someone else's shoes.

3. To get inspiration

I find myself in a constant state of mind blocks. One thing that has really helped me refocus and recharge is definitely travelling. Sometimes, I feel like I'm not doing enough. Sometimes, I feel like I want more in life. Then, I go away. I see locals in other countries smiling and laughing doing the simplest things, doing what they love and that immediately lights my soul up. You get inspired by just sitting in a local coffee shop, people-watching. Inspirations come from anywhere and everywhere when your mind is open.

4. Everything looks better when you're up in the sky

As much as I do not like flying, I have to admit this. Everytime I'm up in the air, I can't help but think: everything looks much better from this altitude. "You're on top of the world" kind of feeling. Something I can't quite explain. But you kind of realize how small the world is when you're in the air. The clouds, the sky, the weather, everything is the same except in a different country. Next time you're seated at a window seat, look out and you'll see what I mean. I don't know about you, but I could use the "I'm on top of the world" feeling once in a while.

These are the main reasons why I made it a priority to travel more this year. Travelling is a wonderful thing. You learn different languages, cultures. You also learn a little bit more about yourself each trip. There a plenty of reasons why people travel. What are yours? x 

TOP 3 MOST MEMORABLE TRIPS IN 2018

As I mentioned in my previous post, I will not be travelling in the month of December because I'd like to slow it down and enjoy Christmas with my friends and family. So, today's post is another wrap up of my travels in 2018.

Everytime I travel, I don't really expect much from the trip. What I mean by this is that I like the element of surprise - I don't plan what and when I want things to happen, I'd much rather explore places and be adventurous. This is to avoid any form of disappointment.

Of course, I do do a couple of research of places I want to visit and try to avoid places that are dangerous. But you get what I mean. Even if I have a place in mind, if I don't get to visit that particular place, I wouldn't mind visiting other recommended places. It's all about the exploration, the experience and the adventure for me. Then of course there's the relaxation part and what kind of vibes I get from visiting different places.


So, here are 3 of my most memorable trips this year.


3: Nha Trang, Vietnam (May 2018)

This trip was an interesting experience for me. I had never been to Vietnam ever. I don't know a single Vietnamese word - not even hello or thank you (because normally, you would know how to say most hellos and thank yous in different languages). I got off the plane not knowing anything about Vietnamese culture but that was the exciting part. My friend and I planned this trip 2 weeks beforehand. We had seen pictures of the beach in Nha Trang and thought we should make a visit before it becomes commercialized.

Everything is so different over there. People are friendly, the food is amazing, in fact, I think I fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine after this trip.

The beach was amazing. I remember my friend falling asleep after 15 minutes of tanning. I was reading a book and soaking in every second of being there. We were only there for 3 days but it was great. I'm definitely going back to Vietnam for another visit.

2: Lombok, Indonesia (June 2018)

I remember this being an impromptu trip. My uncle decided to fly in from Australia because he had extra time off and we both decided on Lombok immediately. First of all, we booked this wonderful AirBnB villa and the staffs were so friendly it made a good first impression.

One thing I loved about this trip is of course, the beaches. I think we got to visit 2-3 different beaches. I also remember talking to my uncle about my life and all. It was a nice, relaxing getaway filled with positive vibes. I remember coming back from the trip feeling recharged and ready to take on the world.

I also enjoyed the fact that everywhere was walking distance. I got to experience one of the most beautiful views I will ever see and also had the pleasure of making friends with the locals over there. I will definitely come back to Lombok for another visit. It's honestly one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.



1: Penang, Malaysia (Nov 2018) 

I have been to many places this year but I do feel like no matter where you go, it's the company that counts. This month, I decided to spend my birthday with 2 of my closest friends in Penang. If I'm being completely honest, being in Penang did not even feel like being in Malaysia. It felt like I was in another different country. I absolutely loved that feeling.

Of course, like I said, I think what made this trip so special is because of the people around me. I got to experience loads of things actually: first time going to an archery session, first time jet-skiing, first time driving in a place I don't know. It was an amazing experience. You can check the vlog out :)

Your Siem Reap Travel Guide (What To Do)

It was my first time visiting Siem Reap, Cambodia. A few of my friends have already been there and they did tell me it's a MUST visit if temples and ruins are of interests. Now. if you ask me, in my honest opinion, Siem Reap wasn't too big of a city. The airport is literally 15 minutes away from the city via Tuk-Tuk and everywhere else is walking distance - that is if you like walking under the hot sun. 

I was only there for 4 days but I did manage to cross off all the things and places I had in mind. There wasn't a lot of planning done for this trip because it's only 4 days and it was going to be a relaxing holiday with a bit of exploration. But anyway, here are a couple of things I can share with you based on my trip to Siem Reap.

Everything (or most things) are in U.S. dollars. So, just to be safe, exchange dollars instead of Khmer (dollars?). Some things in Cambodia are reasonably cheap. 

- THINGS THAT ARE MOST WORTH IT IN SIEM REAP (A MUST!) - 

$4 massage for 60 minutes. It's even cheaper than Thailand or Bali! Hence, I didn't mind going for a massage everyday while I was there. 

$1/$2 Avocado Shake

$0.50 Beer. I've never been to a country where the beers are cheaper than water. 

- FOOD - 

- PLACES TO VISIT - 

Ta Prohm (where Tomb Raider was filmed)

Bayon

Angkor Wat

P/S: I also got to try out scorpions. Here's a little vlog for you :)