2016 : Traveling
February 03, 2017
I don't travel frequently but I've been doing that at least once a year for 3 years now. What actually appalling to me, rather than the journey, is actually the planning part. I have always love to plan, but the best thing about planning a journey is the sense of relieve, knowing that I do know where to go and where to be and how to go and do. After that, the sense of accomplishment for figuring out half of the trip (like the buses and accommodation and some destinations) even if I might not be on schedule at all.
I didn't have any travel goals for the past three years. I just went somewhere and coming back home. I don't plan a trip with friends either since most people choose beaches or mountain as their getaway trip and while I appreciate the beauty of nature, I'm pretty clear about what I like to do when I travel. I like to take public transportation like locals, looking for city scale models, wandering around the city, and having the sense of being independent (since I don't have to depend on people when I wanted to reach a destination and just hop on the public transport (and that was my take of being independent :))).
But at the end of the year, my friend asked me to contribute on her newly found traveling website. It was what actually triggered me to do more traveling this year. Well, I need to have things to write about, right? Other than that, it gets quite addictive, this whole traveling experience.
So, my travel wishlist so far has been... a lot. I wanted to save up and go to Japan this autumn, because I have always wanted to go there. I wanted to go to Hongkong and Macau for no particular reason (mostly because both place doesn't ask for visa). I also wanted to go to Thailand for its Chao Praya River Cruise (I lovvve being in a river cruise. It's too bad I missed one in Seoul). And I've wanted to go to Vietnam for quite some time now because even though the country haven't got a very good public transportation system, they had a railway that goes along its coastal. They said it takes days from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, but I've been wanting to try that... just because.
And even though it's very far-stretched, I wanted to go to The Strand in New York (ever since it became the setting for my favorite book; Dash and Lily's Book of Dares). And Iceland. And South Korea again (and again and again. Can I just live there?)
Anyway, I wasn't that optimist that I can fulfill my travel wishlist in 2017 (considering I wasn't allowed to go alone anymore and I'm such a cheapskate by heart) but on my lifetime, who knows.
Meanwhile, I will stick to my current plan for 2017.
1. Semarang and Yogyakarta
I have a friend in Semarang and I have promised her that I would take the train to visit her. To tell the truth, at first, I have no interest in traveling inside my country because of the whole thing about being independent traveler and my interest in a city. But nowadays, I've been thinking that I need to take my chances.
And for Yogyakarta, I hope my friend would take me there (take your chances, right?) and maybe we can visit the Upside Down House.
2. Seoul
Okay, this is silly but when I thought I have finally finished with my korean addiction, I stumble upon this band that is holding two concert every months for 2017 (SCREAM INTERNALLY). That is the major reason, but mostly, I just want to be there again.
3. Singapore
My brother is going and of course I HAVE TO tag along. Besides, I wouldn't miss a chance to plan a trip and visiting the neighborhood I haven't been to on my last trip.
But above all, my travel goals in 2017 would be to loosen up and take as much memories (and silly and memorable pictures) as I can. After all we don't get to be young twice.
Cheers for more insights from traveling this year.
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