This day has come: Today, my one-year journey living a nomadic lifestyle has finally come to an end. The life in which I wandered from one city to another, meeting countless people whom I spent days, hours, and minutes with. People whose lives briefly intersected with my own on the highway of life, as we wandered further along life’s path we grew apart. Our paths may or may not intersect again but the effect on me will remain forever; as I am unpacking and flipping through my passports, the stamps inside remind me of some of the most unforgettable moments:
. Sneaking into an abandoned UFO in Bulgaria.
. Hitchhiking in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
. Discovering the Love Tunnel in Ukraine.
. Eating injera in Ethiopia.
. Diving at a shipwreck in Jordan.
. Trying to sink at the Dead Sea in Israel.
. Taking the Trans-Siberian train in Russia.
. Getting arrested (almost) in Tajikistan.
. Crashing at my Korean brother’s house in South Korea.
. Entering (almost) North Korea.
. Diving with reef sharks in Malaysia.
. Crashing a motorbike in Vietnam.
. Walking Pablo Escobar’s slum in Colombia.
. Mingling with the Koreans in Bolivia.
. Admiring the glacier in Argentina.
Somehow I survived venturing this supposedly very dangerous world and came home with some incredible memories and perspectives. As I am reminiscing about the past and looking forward to the future, here are the next 5 countries / routes that I want to visit when the opportunity comes:
- Cuba > Southern Mexico
- North Korea
- Western / Central Asia (Turkey > Armenia > Iran > Turkmenistan > Uzbekistan > Pakistan)
- Oceania (Australia > New Zealand > Fiji)
- Mainland China
The travel bug inside me is under control but my mind remains curious. Whether it is a short trip or an extended journey, I know one day I will be on the road again – Not sure when, but this day will come.
#RTW
