Earlier this evening, I had a lite conversation with a colleague starting with me expressing such relief that this year is ending.
"Not my best year so far," I said, "most probably the worst ever!"
And she started to remind me how I had my life journey of self-discovery, marking this year a valuable one for my life path.
"No, it's not. You traveled, a lot, using all your off days,"
Indeed I exceeded the 12-days of free air to breathe in, other than the usual Monday-Friday luxury of being a business-district inhabitant.
I blame it on the calendar, why would you showed me so many holidays right next to weekends this year? I'm not wasting any opportunities ever!
**
February, I had a weekend trip to Singapore. Very short trip and not a new destination for us Jakartans, but got a good deal of AirAsia Asean Pass, so I went.
March, my Asean Pass almost ran out of period use so I decided to visit somewhere new: Phuket, Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Phuket was bl**dy expensive for a land in Asean outside Singapore, but Ho Chi Minh was spot on! Marvelous foods, picturesque scenes and a new country I've not yet visited. So, check! (Not to mention how hard it was to simply cross the chaotic road and to read signs in other language).
Same month also, I visited Bangka, Sumatra, for the first time and enjoyed the foods so much.
April, stayed home and business as usual. I missed Songkran again, but next year I'll go!
May, marked first steps in the Philippines. I paid a visit to Metro Manila and Cebu, also good choice of destination. Whaleshark was worth the 6-hour back and forth bus trip.
June, went to see parents' families in East Java: Madiun, Surabaya, Malang all around. I've never known them before and got to be closer with core family.
August, almost traveled to Siem Reap but canceled due to force majeure but I went to Bangkok instead. I never miss this one every single year, as I've found love, friendship and comfort here. Can't I just move to this place......
September, solo birthday trip to Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain. This was surely a week to remember. I'll write in details on this one!!!
October, Bali for a week. Also never missed this destination every year, but this was special as I hopped on different places and stayed in different styles for a week. Had a stay in villa, 4 and 5-stars hotels and hostel; moved from Nusa Dua, Seminyak, then Ubud; also witnessed the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.
November, spent relaxing spring in Sydney, Australia. This was superb, also will write more later on.
December, back to Bali for a week. Started off as a business trip but one of the best I had probably.
**
My colleague, I'm sure, will roll her eyes at me to hear me whining for the second time about how bad this year turned out to be for someone with a Monkey sign. She's not entirely wrong. Don't let the unfortunate events outshine the good ones. Eventually, nothing will happen just because. Something happens for a reason.
And I'll treasure every single steps in life. 2016 has marked itself a journey to self discovery for myself.
