Yearly Review

Hello! And welcome to my annual travel review. It’s the (only) time of year again where this long-running blog is (ever) updated. If you’re reading the blog for the first time, past reviews can be found here. These reviews are a way for me to consolidate the year’s travels in one place, and a give a little bit of thanks.

2023 has been a relatively quiet year in terms of new countries. I am still averaging the same number of travel days as previous years, so that is something to be thankful for. Much of this time however, has been spent revisiting countries and discovering new regions and sights within these places.

• Feb – Nepal: From Chitwan National Park, to the birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini, celebrating Holi in Pokhara and a first paragliding experience, exploring Kathmandu.
• Jun – South Korea: Climbing up Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island, beachcombing in Busan, wearing Hanboks in Seoul, Lotte World park, and a visit to the Naminara Republic.
• Aug – Malaysia: A father-daughter trip to downtown Kuching, and the orang-utan sanctuary.
• Oct – Nigeria: Lagos and the World Heritage site of Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, visiting the northern emirates of Nigeria, including Gerewol, damba boxing, hyena men, Hawsa-Fulani weddings and durbars.
• Oct – Thailand: A brief but welcomed return to Bangkok, not visited since pre-COVID
• Nov – Azerbaijan: The little visited Karabagh and East Zangezur regions with the folks at Nomadmania, and an extension to the exclave of Nakhchivan.
• Nov – UAE: Stopover in Abu Dhabi, visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the famed Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Dec – France: Lovely Paris is early winter, Disneyland and the relatively warmer regions around the French Riviera, including Nice
• Dec – Monaco: A day trip to Monaco
• Dec – Italy: Train across the border from France into nearby Ventimiglia, for a day trip
• Dec – Switzerland: Zurich, and a trip to Jungfraujoch – the top of Europe

Highlights of 2023 include:

1) Into (West) Africa: The epic adventures of Red.
Making my first foray into west Africa: Nigeria. I tend to visit places by regions. For example, I made repeat visits to eastern Africa in order to complete that region, before even considering stepping foot into other parts of Africa. It’s not entirely on purpose, but that empty white space will have me thinking about that particular country I have not visited, whenever I make my next travel plans. And the thought will haunt me until I tick it off my list.

2) Namaste my friend!
Finally visiting Nepal (That white space is gone now, take that! Bhutan, you’re next in line!). Somehow Nepal became one of those places that got classified into the category of ‘countries that aren’t too difficult to plan, and can be put on the backburner of places to visit. So I was glad I made the split-second decision to visit Nepal. I had my first paragliding experience in Pokhara, despite my staid self telling me not to attempt it.

3) Real treasure was the friends we made along the way.
Meeting fellow travellers and luminaries of the travel community as we visited the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the recently reclaimed territory which was formerly the unrecognised Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. I was fortunate to be a part of the NomadMania expedition, catching up with old friends, meeting many other new ones and drawing inspiration from the stories of their extensive travels. The icing on the cake was a side-trip, an extension to visit the autonomous region of Nakhchivan.

What didn’t go too well:

1) The plan to visit a minimum number of new countries each year has been badly derailed since the COVID years. And this year has not been much better, compounded by some bad luck with flight cancellations which led to one less country visited. Still, I take solace with some quality re-visits and exploring new regions.

A map of UN countries I have visited.

A more modest map of NomadMania regions I have visited.

In summary here are the stats for 2023:
Total number of new countries and territories visited: 4 + 1 (Nepal, Nigeria, Monaco, Switzerland) and (Nakhchivan)
Total number of countries and political territories where I made repeat visits: 5 (South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Azerbaijan, U.A.E., France, Italy)
Total number of calendar days spent travelling: 58
No of days of solo travel: 32
No of days of family travel: 26

February: Nepal
From safaris in Chitwan National Park, to the birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini, and the sights and sounds of Kathmandu, my experience in Nepal was a bit of everything really. I also found myself celebrating the Holi festival on the streets of Pokhara, and did a bit of paragliding as well. No climbs up mountainous peaks for me though, that’s maybe for a return trip in the future.

 

June: South Korea
Previous visits to South Korea had been a while back, and this was the first time with family. The kiddos were champs as usual, hiking up Seongsan Ilchulbong peak on Jeju Island, and traipsing through urban Seoul. They did enjoy their time at Lotte World, the giant amusement park, and I must admit reluctantly, I did too. My big highlight though is visiting Naminara Republic, the self-declared micronation. Slightly more than an hour by train from Seoul, Nami Island is a tourist attraction, having “declared independence” some time back to attract tourists.

August: Kuching, Malaysia
Last year, I made a trip to Kuala Lumpur with my elder kid. This year, it was the younger one’s turn, and we decided to go to Kuching. This daddy-daughter duo visited orang-utan sanctuaries, an exotic animal exhibition, upside down houses, and made a pilgrimage to the the aptly named Hana bridge.

October: Nigeria
I did so much and visited so many places in Nigeria, but it felt like I barely scratched the surface. Lagos was a whistle stop tour, and we also visited the Yorubaland regions of Abeokuta and the UNESCO listed Osogbo grove. The meat of the tour is an in-depth exploration of northern Nigeria. Very different from the south, northern Nigeria is abound with powerful emirates which have existed throughout history. Spectacularly, we were hosted by a Prince of the Dutse Emirate, who ensured we could access palaces interiors, engage with royal protocol and meet emirs, enjoy durbars held in our honour, and experience the Gerewol festival of the Mboro Fulani people.

October: Bangkok, Thailand
My little adventure coming back from Nigeria to Singapore was via Bangkok, including a self-transfer from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang airport, to catch a low-cost airline. I had almost a day, which was usually more than enough for a wander and a meal in the city, before flying out late evening. It was not to be though, firstly my plane from Addis Ababa arrived late. Secondly, at customs my initial amusement turned to panic when the official said records showed that I did not leave Thailand the last time I was there. I spent the next hour trying to recall when I last visited, and finally managed to extract an old email which had my flight ticket. Luckily that sufficed, as it would be next to impossible to find my old passport page with the correct stamp, which they originally wanted. Needless to say, my appetite for an extended visit to the city was all but gone, and I was content to grab a bite and just wait at Don Mueang.

November: Azerbaijan
Long time readers of the blog may know about my fascination with semi-recognised and unrecognised countries. One of my prouder achievements is to have visited all 10 (well 9 now) unrecognised countries (based on the Declarative Theory of Statehood, wikipedia page). Karabakh is probably the first unrecognised country I have been in my travel lifetime to have been dissolved, after Azerbaijan’s victory over the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh in the second half of 2023. This visit allowed access to the previously inaccessible provinces of Karabakh and East Zangezaiur. The conflict, involving multiple wars since the 1990s has finally abated, and hopefully there would be peace in the region.
Additionally, I made two side trips: 1) Further exploring the areas outside the capital Baku, including a dip into mud volcanoes before making day trip of it to Lankaran and Xanbulan lake. 2) Making an extension tour to the exclave of Nakhchivan, having no prior expectations and ending up totally wow-ed by the autonomous region.

November: Abu Dhabi & Dubai, U.A.E.
I have always been exploring Dubai in small bites whenever I have stopovers, usually less than 24 hours. This time round, I made went around the massive Ibn Battuta Mall, en route from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, where I would catch my onward flight to Baku.
In Abu Dhabi, I had an entire day and spent it visiting the Abu Dhabi Louvre and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Unlike Dubai, I have only been to Abu Dhabi once so this was a good time to get reacquainted with the city.

December: Paris & Nice, France
A trip with family again, this time into Europe where winter had just begun. Aside from Paris – Eiffel Tower and Disneyland for the kids, we also traversed across France to Nice on the Mediterranean Cost. I was hoping to temper the winter cold with some mild Mediterranean weather, and the French Riviera seemed like the perfect place to go. No, actually I just wanted to go to Monaco and claim a new country *wink*. Anyway, Nice ended up being really pleasant and a good place to based oneself out of, as we explored the region around.

December: Monaco
We walked across Monaco, twice. Once to get up to the Prince’s Palace, and then back down across the port to get to Monte Carlo. The country is not that big. It is the second smallest UN country (smallest if you exclude the Vatican).

December: Ventimiglia, Italy
Since we were so near to the border, I decided on an excursion to the first big town across the border, Ventimiglia. The initial plan was to visit the Principality of Seborga, another self-declared micronation not too far away from the France-Italy border. But I gave up because we had taken the train, and dragging the family up to visit a random town was too much effort. Instead, Ventimiglia, including its medieval city centre located up on a hill, was an easy alternative.

December: Switzerland
Our time in Switzerland was cut short by a day, no thanks to the flight cancellation delay due to bad weather. Something had to give on the itinerary, and unfortunately it was the day trip to Vaduz in Liechtenstein. On the flipside though, the horrible weather that caused havoc on airports in Germany and Switzerland meant that we had snow throughout our stay. It was even snowing up on Jungfraujoch.

And that’s it. Goodbye and thank you 2023. Here’s hoping 2024 will bring more travels to both you and me!

Compared to the past few years, the annual travel review this year looks more respectable. The gradual opening of borders meant that travel to places previously unreachable due to COVID-19 closures was now possible. Where restrictions exist, I had to get creative but overall, it was a much more satisfying year in travel. I have to also mention that there is an element of ‘revenge travel’ in going all over the globe (5 continents) for 2022 after the paucity of available travel destinations the past couple years.

Milestones of 2022 include finally completing all the countries in the eastern and Horn regions of Africa, and many firsts, like the first visits to Central America and Australia. Other highlights include doing the most driving ever on various trips throughout 2022.

Here are the stats for 2022:

• Total number of new countries and political territories visited: 12 + 3 (Somalia, South Sudan, DR Congo, Ceuta (Spain), Melilla (Spain), Gibraltar (UK), Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Australia)
• Total number of countries and political territories where I made repeat visits: 5 (Turkey, Burundi, Malaysia, USA, Indonesia)
• Total number of calendar days spent travelling: 79
  • No of days of work travel: 0
  • No of days of solo travel: 65
  • No of days of travel with missus: 0
  • No of days of family travel: 14

In detail and by month, here are 2022’s travels.

 

February:

Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey

The Gallipoli Peninsula faces Europe on one side and Asia on the other. A newly built bridge, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, officially opened a month after I visited the region. It stands as the longest hanging bridge linking the European and Asian parts of Turkey. The entire peninsula is also well-known for its historical sites and memorials, after the events of the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I.

A first for me was a rental to get around the peninsula, as well as the car ferry crossing to the Asian side, where I drove to the archaeological site of the ancient city of Troy. The rental was the first time I drove a manual, a diesel car, while driving on the wrong side of the road (left-hand drive). Driving on winding, narrow roads and undulating hilly terrain on the peninsula was an exhilarating if slightly terrifying experience.

 

 

Mogadishu, Somalia

I visited the breakaway state of Somaliland in 2010, but yearned to travel to actual de facto Somalia. So in February I joined a short tour of Mogadishu with some elite travelling companions. In the brief tour of the capital, we had armed security escorting us as we drove to the various sites around the city. I never felt unsafe walking through the markets, beaches and historical areas, but of course precautions were necessary.

 

South Sudan

The youngest country, South Sudan only gained independence in 2011. The main reason travellers visit South Sudan right now is to spend time with the local tribes, such as the Mundari. I spent multiple nights visiting the camps of the Dinka and Mundari peoples, and partaking in their hospitality as they indulged us and shared about their local customs and cattle farming culture.

It was a unique experience to sleep beside the cattle camp, and interacting with the members of the tribes as they went about their unique way of life.

 

Burundi

This was my second visit to the nation of Burundi. There was a little apprehension after my bad experience being mugged on the streets of the capital Bujumbura the last time I was here. This time round however, I had an excellent guide throughout as well as fellow travel companions. I also visited more than just the capital, and had excursions to the Karera waterfalls and Rusizi National Parks. A highlight was the Gishora Drum Sanctuary near Gitega where the drum performance showcased a combination of athleticism, enthusiasm and drumming talent.

 

March:

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The extended trip continued in March as I crossed overland into the DR Congo. The main reasons for visiting the Kivu region of DR Congo are the mountain gorillas and the volcano hike up Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga National Park. When I visited however, Virunga NP was closed after a prior eruption on 22 May 2021.

Instead, I was taken to see the mountain gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. An arduous 6-hour return trek deep into the jungle was well worth it as we saw a silverback male in his national environment, as well as two playful young ones.

Andalusia region, Spain

The southern parts of Spain have always been on my bucket list. This leg of the trip was the result of the COVID restrictions in Singapore back then, requiring that travellers returning from countries classified as a risk, to be quarantined at a hotel for 10 days at the travellers’ own expense. To get round the restrictions, I ended the trip in Spain spending two weeks there to wait out the restriction. The highlights for me were the Mezquita of Cordoba, the grandiose fortress of Alhambra and enjoying the evening atmosphere in Sevilla’s Plaza de España. My route through Andalusian Spain also took me to the coastal cities of Malaga and Algeciras.

Ceuta and Melilla, Spain

Give me a choice, time and cost permitting, and I would definitely make a detour to visit interesting destinations like disputed territories, exclaves and enclaves, and other political anomalies. The allure of two Spanish territories located on the African continent: Ceuta and Melilla, warranted that I made the ferry trips across the Mediterranean. Both are enclaves surrounded by Morocco; and technically they are part of Spain, so the COVID requirements hold, even though the rest of Africa then were still classified as high Covid risk. The cities were small enough, and walking to the edge of Melilla to view where the fenced border separated Spain and Morocco was an fascinating experience. Unfortunately, borders were closed due to COVID, otherwise I would have popped over to Morocco.

Also, in March 2022, Melilla skies were utterly covered in a red sand, as the Saharan winds blew sand over the Mediterranean and landed as far as Northern Europe.

Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Sitting on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the British Overseas Territory is worth visiting just for the Rock of Gibraltar and its associated sights like the famed Barbary macaques. I stayed over the border in La Línea de la Concepción and made the crossing in the morning, spending a full day in Gibraltar. Highlight of the day? Sitting down for a meal of fish and chips after sweating it out on the hike atop the Rock.

April:

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

This is worth a little mention, because the Causeway border finally reopened after two years of COVID lockdown. To mark the occasion, I made a day trip to cross the border by public bus and shopped for long-missed foods.

May:

Batam, Indonesia

Similarly, a little day trip with MG who dropped by Singapore. Indonesia had also recently reopened borders to Singapore, and the Singapore-Batam ferry had just restarted. This was actually my first time actually sightseeing in Batam, most visits were just to shop and dine.

June:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I continued the trend of little trips to familiar places, this time a father-daughter trip with the elder one. Going back to KL after ages is like meeting an old friend. People were still masked up, but just getting to travel and going back to a bit of normalcy was welcomed. The itinerary was kid-centric, with aquariums and discovery science centres, but I loved just being able to freely travel again.

July:

San Franciso, USA

I set off on a longer trip again, this time arriving in San Francisco for a full day layover en route to Mexico. It was also the 4^th of July. I whiled the time at museums, and at the touristy Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square commercial areas.

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

My first visit to Mexico and a bit of a taster for the rest of the country, which I plan to return to. I based myself in Tulum, and made day trips to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and coupled that with visits to cenotes, the groundwater caves found throughout the region. The area was still light on tourists, and infrastructure was still not 100%. Straightforward bus routes like Chetumal to Belize City described online, were not fully running, and I had to ask on the ground.

Belize

From Chetumal in Mexico, I overlanded into Belize City. Belize was interesting in that it felt both and Central American. I could also get by with English, and did not need much Spanish. My time in Belize was spent mostly in Caye Caulker, where I did some snorkelling among the sharks and rays.

Guatemala

More Mayan ruins in Tikal, and I preferred these ruins as there were less tourists, being a little more inaccessible than Chichen Itza. It was a whirlwind full day, and I will need to read up a lot more about the archaeological sites of the Mayan civilisation. The Tikal ruins I liked because they were spread out throughout the jungle, and I felt like an explorer wandering and climbing up the ruins.

In addition to ruins, I also visited Antigua, the quaint city with Spanish architecture popular with tourists. I especially loved wondering around from landmark to landmark, and getting my hands on all the street foods that I come across.

Honduras

My time in Honduras was pretty much touch and go. I only visited the Mayan ruins of Copan, which were even more remote than the other archaeological sites I visited in Mexico and Guatemala. The site was located close to the Guatemala border, hence I did not venture beyond Copan deeper into Honduras. The Copan ruins complex for me were interesting because of the intricate stelae, and the abundant colourful wildlife like macaws.

El Salvador

Met up with a friend in San Salvador who generously took me around. We drove up to Sucitoto and spent time in downtown San Salvador, including a visit the El Rosario Church with its to the beautiful rainbow tinted windows. Also needed a little downtime, being the first big city since I arrived, so I spent time at the mall and watching newly released Thor: Love & Thunder, continuing my trend of watching Marvel movies in the most random of places.

 

Nicaragua

I arrived in Leon smack in the middle of a local event. There was a carnival like atmosphere lasting into the evening, with dance performances, a children’s marching band, stalls selling food & trinkets, and even a boxing ring where matches between Leones boxers and the team from Managua. Leon has the perfect charm, and I regret not having stayed there more than a night.

Managua is the capital of Nicaragua. The city is sprawling with the sights scattered all over; the so-called city centre was not very central and so far from the waterfront, where all the interesting stuff was. Once I figured out the collectivos (shared taxis) however, I found that I liked Managua much more than I thought I would. I visited the waterfront plaza as well as the Puerto Salvadore Allende, with its restaurants and family friendly rides.

Costa Rica

Coming from Managua, the long-distance bus arrived late, so I missed the connection that would take me straight to Monteverde. Instead I ended up in Puntarenas, where I was serendipitously introduced to the Costa Rican Casado, or the “married man” meal, consisting of rice, black beans, plantains and chicken. Delicious.

The nature and adventure activities are the highlights of Costa Rica, and tourists thronged there for them. I ziplined over the Monteverde Cloud Forests, went on an early morning hike in the rain. Over in the Arenal Volcano National Park, I did more hikes up to some amazing viewpoints.

Panama City

Panama City is ultramodern, with skyscrapers and nice-looking malls. Walking along the long seafront to get to the old part of town was also a delight. The main highlight though has to be the Panama Canal. Seeing the engineering marvel and experiencing an actual barge doing the crossing through the canal was an experience.

 

September:

Melbourne, Australia

Rented wheels and took the family around the city, with day trips out to the Great Ocean Road, going penguin spotting in Phillip Island, and chug-a-chugging on the Puffing Billy steam engine. Very kid-centric, and too fun. It was the most I have ever driven though, and actually an accomplishment for me.

 

November:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

To accommodate the younger girl, who did not join the father-elder sister trip back in June, we decided to make another visit to KL. This time though, we would drive up from Singapore. This probably made 2023 the year with the most driving I’ve ever done while travelling (Turkey, Australia, Malaysia).

December:

Bali, Indonesia

Ended the year with a stay in sunny Bali. Based myself in southern Bali and hopped around from place to place, booking Grab bikes. The newest tourist attraction is the massive Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu seated on his mount Garuda. The 121 metre statue atop pedestal is higher than the Statue of Liberty by nearly 30 metres. The park leading to the statue itself is worth a wander, though I did find it a little too commercialised.

That wraps up a packed 2022 travel review, visiting many places, meeting up with old and new friends and trying out new foods. As always, these travel reviews are a way for me to document past travels and a way of saying thanks for the opportunity to see the world.

2023 will be another exciting year, and trips are already being lined up. Until the next post (you know it, probably the end of 2023), happy travels!

 

 

2020 is like a bad joke that refuses to end. So much misfortune, COVID primarily being the chief culprit. But also other catastrophes and the passing of several of my favourite personalities. The annual post is out early this year (Edit: Well not so early after all) because, let’s face it, the likelihood of any travel happening in the remaining months of 2020 is very low.

Of course there are bigger concerns out there in the world right now, than random travellers trying to visit countries, so let’s not complain. Instead, I am thankful for having travelled at all in 2020. These annual posts are primarily to give thanks, keep records and share my travels.

So here goes, the statistics of 2020.

• Total number of new countries and political territories visited: 4 (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana)
• Total number of countries and political territories where I made repeat visits: 2 (Indonesia- new region East Java, UK – new region British Overseas Territory of St Helena)
• Total number of calendar days spent travelling: 18
  • No of days of work + travel: 0
  • No of days of solo travel:13
  • No of days of travel with the missus: 0
  • No of days of family travel: 5

 

January’20: Surabaya and areas in East Java

Indonesia:  This was travel with family over the new year way back in Jan – and the travel year was looking so rosy then. It was my first time in Surabaya, East Java province’s largest city. I also went deep into the province, on a hunt for my late granddad’s childhood home, a 5 hour drive from Surabaya. I found the village and house where he used to stay (largely through research and asking random people when we arrived at the locale!) and ended up meeting some new relatives. Pretty surreal but it was a personal quest that needed doing. Now, if anyone wants to help with my other personal quest to find out more on the maternal side of my family (mum’s originally of Hakka heritage) please let me know. That’s a tough one!

Besides that, I ended up the regencies of Madiun, Ponorogo as well as the resort area around Lake Sarangan – a 1300 meter high mountain lake resort frequented by holidaying locals from the city. Horse-riding around the lake, speed-boating, even an amusement park in Tawangmangu. A treat for the two little ones!

 

 

February’20: St Helena, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana

St Helena: The UK territory of St Helena is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, an isolated island that until 2017 is reachable only by ship. I first heard about this fascinating place way back from looking at maps and dreamt of visiting. The island is perhaps most famous for being the place where Napoleon was exiled and spent his last days. The capital Jamestown is quaint, nothing more than a sliver of land in a valley, sandwiched between steep cliffs. There is one main street and Georgian styled houses on either side. Driving is a must to get around the mountainous and hilly island. Outside the capital, other attractions are Napoleonic sights (e.g. the Tomb, his residence at Longwood House) and some great walking trails, “Postbox Walks” that span the island and pass by breathtaking viewpoints. For me though, just the experience of being there is wonderful enough. Its relative isolation means that things on St Helena are simple and traditions are preserved.

Getting to St Helena merits a separate paragraph. The airport is a difficult one for pilots, and flights have turned back because the conditions do not permit landing. In fact, my departure on the final day was postponed a day because the flight was cancelled. Fun fact – The flight from Johannesburg to St Helena makes a refueling pit-stop in Walvis Bay, Namibia. This is not because the flight does not have enough fuel for the journey, rather it is just in case the flight needs to turn back en route to St Helena because the plane is unable to land due to poor conditions!

 

South Africa: My visits to Johannesburg and Cape Town were mostly overnight layovers (and I lost one day in Cape Town because of the aforementioned flight cancellation). I made the best of it though, and did some sightseeing and shopping in Johannesburg, while packing in as much as possible in Cape Town by joining a day tour.

 

Zimbabwe: The main purpose for visiting Zimbabwe is Victoria Falls. And with that in mind, I decided to splurge a little on a helicopter ride over the Falls. It was worth it. The spectacular views and a front row seat meant I could see the grand falls in its full glory.

 

 

Zambia: Since I was already right at the border, I decided to cross over to Livingstone in Zambia and spent a day there exploring the museums. I did not find it necessary to visit the Zambian side of the Falls though, one side was enough. The Livingstone museum which held memorabilia from the explorer and missionary David Livingstone, was interesting, and so was the open air Railway Museum which held decommissioned trains of all types, from the old Rhodesian Railways line.

 

Botswana: The full day tour of Chobe National Park took me into Botswana, a land / river safari trip along the Chobe Rover with elephants, crocodiles, hippos and more. A great relaxed end to a good trip. I wish I had more time to stay longer in the country though, possibly a repeat visit in the future to the other national parks.

 

Special mention to the planned trips that did not happen – and these were partially or fully booked, so they involved some extensive e-mailing and calling to refund hotels, tours and flights (I managed to recover at least 80%): Mauritania, South Sudan, Scandinavian Europe and a trip to Japan. Maybe I will plan these for 2021 instead.

Speaking of 2021, the upcoming year is one where I have not set any concrete travel plans (that’s a first!), but I am optimistic some sort of controlled travel would be possible, with combination of vaccines, protocols and processes to ensure safe travel. Here’s hoping some travel ideas come to fruition!

 

From your TFP,

 

 

Every year around this time, I open up this dormant blog, to add a single precious entry about the previous twelve months of travel. There is actually so much to share, but I never did get back to serious blogging after the great malware “snap” which wiped out a couple hundred blog entries somewhere back in 2015. I make a resolution for 2020 to add more blog entries, which is not exactly the same thing as getting the entries themselves done. But we’ll see. In the meantime, follow my travels on Instagram or Facebook, where updates are regular.

Fortunately, on the travel front, updates have not  been so sparse. I am fortunate to be travelling quite a bit, to some places even further and more exotic compared to previous years. Travels to unusual destinations this year, like visiting South Ossetia, the last country in my personal quest to visit all 10 partially-recognized countries, are accomplishments that I am proud and thankful for. I have also had got more involved within the travel community, met some great travel friends, and exchanged lots of travel information. These posts are a way to keep records, share my travels, show thanks and just generally be grateful that I have had the opportunity to experience all these places.

So here goes, a roll-call of all the new and returning places that I have travelled to. Also, for those interested, here are the past years’ travel reviews.

Here are the stats for 2019:

• Total number of new countries and political territories visited: 11
• Total number of countries and political territories where I made repeat visits: 6
• Total number of calendar days spent travelling: 63
  • No of days of work + travel: 9
  • No of days of solo travel: 22
  • No of days of travel with the missus: 26
  • No of days of family travel: 6

Let’s look through how The Furious Panda did in 2019!

2019: Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Barbados, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Sint Maarten, St-Martin, Anguilla, USA, Russia, South Ossetia, Thailand, China, Iraq, Turkey.

 

February’19: Dipping my toes into the Pacific Islands

Fiji: The region had always felt out of reach, and making the decision to visit a smattering of the Pacific Islands was very much influenced by the great value of Fiji Airway’s SIN-NAN flight offers. They really are perfect for a first visit to this region. Now most people’s idea of Fiji is that it is the perfect resort destination, with picturesque islands and blue waters. And they are not wrong. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have that same image of Fiji. But my perfect Fiji is also one which acts as a fantastic transportation hub to the other island nations around the region. So the city of Nadi ended up being more of a transit destination for me, and I had overnight stays in and around the busy Nadi city centre for both the forward and return trips. But still, this being Fiji, even staying away from the beaches gave me these views at the hotel I stayed:

 

 

Vanuatu: This island nation has very much going for it, I’d have to say. The people are friendly, the tourism infrastructure is growing, and there is a lot to see. My main purpose for travelling to Vanuatu would be to experience Mt Yasur, a live lava-tossing volcano, and one of the easiest live volcanoes in the world to visit right up to the crater’s edge. The journey there involved taking a flight from the country’s capital Port Vila on the island of Efate, all the way to the island of Tanna, 225 km to the south. This flight was a 9 seater twin engine aircraft, comfortable if a little cramped, and with engines that are way too noisy if you do not have earplugs on. For views of the volcano from the plane though, it was perfect.

 

 

Solomon Islands: My plans to do a spot of diving were scuppered by persistent rains over the few days I was in Honiara, making the waters somewhat treacherous for divers. Instead I visited the markets, museums, and spent evenings watching raindrops falling into the sea from my vantage point at the top level of the King Solomon Hotel. This particular hotel is built into the slopes of a hill overlooking the coastline and curiously enough, has a working funicular that led up to 5 levels of rooms! I took a day trip out of Honiara on public transport to visit the Vilu War Museum, an outdoor collection of planes, guns and other bits of recovered WWII wreckage. Guadalcanal, the island which the capital Honiara is located on, and the waters off it, aptly named Iron Bottom Sound, was the site of many a World War II battle, and therefore a prime location to find sunken wrecks of both Japanese and Allied ships and downed planes.

 

 

Nauru: The last of 4 countries I visited on this trip, Nauru is smallest island nation in the world, and the third smallest overall. However small it may be, Nauru is nevertheless worth a visit. My stay in Nauru was a lot more enjoyable than I had expected it to be, thanks to some rather good company – both local Nauruans and a couple of well-travelled friends, both of whom should be completing their 193 country count in 2020. We hiked to some old WW2 guns, visited the old Japanese prison, checked out the rock pinnacles on the coast and much more.

 

 

March’19: Happy in the House of Mickey

Hong Kong: Family travel is a thing now, so I am pretty thankful to be going with the family for a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland. Travelling solo with one small daypack is straightforward, but travelling with two excitable toddlers in tow as they head towards the House of the Mouse is a different ball game altogether. But I trust they enjoyed themselves posing with Disney princesses, and tired themselves out so much at the end of the day such that I could even sneak out for a brief walk around the Tsim Sha Tsui.

 

 

Johor, Malaysia:  The blue lake at Kangkar Pulai in Johor was just across the border from Singapore. It was a day trip with friends, but worth mentioning since it is so very pretty. The lake was actually a disused quarry and there were many locals daytripping to the site as well.

 

April’19: Caribbean Cruisin’

I had never actually been on a cruise my entire life, not even those launching out of Singapore. So I was pretty excited preparing for this one, even more so as I had never stepped upon the big land mass that is the Americas. The idea was to use the cruise ship to visit as many of the Lesser Antilles as I could, and have daily accommodation as well as transport onward to the next island. From a price perspective it is a no brainer – probably the cheapest way to get around the islands. To maximize shore time, I planned to disembark as soon as the ship docks each day.

 

Germany (Frankfurt & Mainz): Gettting to the Caribbean requires flying halfway around the world, so I inserted a one night stopover in Frankfurt. I arrived early morning and had a full day, so we took an inter-city train down to nearby Mainz, before returning to spend the rest of the afternoon in a very relaxed Frankfurt. Most of my previous visits to Germany have similarly been stopovers or transits, trying to see new things during each visit.

 

 

Puerto Rico: From Frankfurt to Puerto Rico. Stepping onto the US territory for me requires a visa, considering my travel history. A little leceh, but one’s just got to get it over and one with. I rather enjoyed my time in San Juan, especially walking Old San Juan and visiting the forts. It was the tail end of the cruise season, but there were still plenty of tourists in town. Side Note: I spent one morning at the local cinema watching Avengers: Endgame during premiere week, so that’s good!

 

 

US Virgin Islands: The first port of call was at Charlotte Amalie, on the US Virgin Islands. During the seven hours shore time, we managed to visit churches, take the skyline cable to the lookout at Paradise Point, go hunting for Blackbeard’s castle, as well as do a spot of shopping at the local hypermarket. I came back onto the ship quite exhausted from all the walking, and this was to be the routine for the next 6 days – since I wanted to see as much as possible during the time I had!

 

 

Barbados: The entire central district of the island nation of Barbados is one UNESCO World Heritage Site. So i visited all the main sites, including the old government buildings, the garrison and the screw docks. We also made time to drop by George Washington house, named after the former first president who lived here for a spell in his youth.

 

 

St Lucia: To be honest, when booking the cruise, I was not exactly sure what each island would bring. St Lucia, though had the twin Pitons, so I knew what I needed to see. I joined a day tour, which seemed to be the most straightforward way to get there from the main town Castries. The peaks did not disappoint, despite one of get getting perpetually hidden behind clouds.

 

 

St Kitts & Nevis: The islands of St Kitts and Nevis make up the sovereign island country of St Kitts & Nevis. So I thought, what the heck, let’s visit them both. This involves getting a ferry to cross over to Nevis, and then making sure we get back in time, so as not to miss the cruise ship when it leaves! Of the two, I liked Nevis a little more, having spent more time there.

 

 

Saint Martin: There are two halves to the island of Saint Martin. The Dutch side is known as Sint Maarten and the French side is Saint-Martin. We disembarked on the Dutch side, which is very cruise-shipper friendly. Beaches and a beachwalk promenade means most do not stray too far from the ship. I had other ideas and took the bus to the French side, and from there we took a ferry journey to next door Anguilla.

 

 

Anguilla: Getting to Anguilla and back to Saint Martin in time for the cruise ship’s departure was a bit of a stretch, but we managed it. Granted, we did not see as much as we would have liked to. But I’ll take what I can get. In Anguilla, we rented a car to Sandy Beach and just relaxed a little. The weather was a little too warm to wander around too much.

 

 

United States of America: Well just New York City actually. I am far, far away from being able to say that I know the USA, but technically the two days there count as a visit. For good measure, I did go to overseas territories like Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands on this trip, as well as Guam and the Northern Marianas a couple years back. I spent the two days checking off all the famous sights in New York City. We even went down to Woodbury Common with its 250 premium outlet stores. Full tourist mode then, haha.

 

 

July’19: Hello again China, I’ve missed you!

China (Guangxi): A work trip takes me to the southern Chinese province of Guangxi. I have been to the province before, but further north at the touristed areas of Yangshuo and Guilin, with their karst peaks scattered around the area. This time, I went to the southern portion of Guangxi, closer to Vietnam, both geographically and culturally. I went on an excursion to see the Zuojiang Leaning Tower, situated on a tiny island in the middle of the river. Unfortunately I did not have enough time to get to Ban Gioc Waterfalls, which borders China and Vietnam and was not too far away from where I was. Return visit someday then.

 

 

August’19: To the Russian Caucasus we will go!

2019 has been a year of many travel firsts. First time going to Oceania via the Pacific Islands (No Australia or New Zealand yet though). First time going to North America and the Caribbean (Someday South America we will meet). And now first time going to Russia. My conclusion at the end of the trip: Russia is huge and warrants multiple visits to see everything it has to offer.

 

Russia: Ironically, until this trip I had been to almost all the countries within the old Soviet Union sphere of influence (13 of them except Turkmenistan, and add another 3 if you count the unrecognized sovereign republics of Abkhazia, Transnistria and Artskah)  Many older folk in these countries can converse in Russian, a legacy of their common history. But I have yet to visit Russia itself. On this trip I visited the cities of Moscow and Novosibirisk. Plus 3 other Russian Republics, which I will talk about separately below, given they are quite different culturally. Moscow is easy to get around, and I busied myself with visiting the three UNESCO heritage sites within the city.

 

 

North Ossetia-Alania, Russia: The Russian republic of North Ossetia has so much to offer, and as a traveler destination is very much under the radar. Outside of the Russian speaking world, especially, not many would rank this place highly in their list of ‘Places I Want to Visit Most’. My knowledge of Russian is somewhere between Nyet and non-existent, so following a group tour is definitely the better idea. Culturally similar to the breakaway Republic of South Ossetia, the North Ossetians have mountain forts, watchtowers, a grave necropolis and more. And the locals there are way friendlier than in big city Moscow.

 

 

Ingushetia, Russia: The Republic of Ingushetia is all about looking forward after a turbulent history. I visited the Memorial Park which documents the deportation of the Ingush after WWII from their homeland, after being accused of treason, and their subsequent return. They still hold on to their traditions though, evident in the ethnographic museum located inside a giant watchtower monument in the centre of the city.

 

 

Chechnya, Russia: The Chechen Republic capital Grozny is a beguiling mix of skyscrapers, greenery, mosques etc, all displaying Dubai-like levels of  wealth, and ongoing construction perhaps harbouring an ambition to be the next big destination for both tourists and business travellers.

 

 

South Ossetia: Without a doubt my highlight destination of the year. This was the last  country on my “disputed countries” list and the most difficult to visit. Just getting there requires an invitation from someone in South Ossetia, a double entry Russian visa, plus permits to get near the Russian Caucasus border. I think South Ossetia is an underrated travel destination with a lot of potential. Rolling countryside, an interesting history, churches and forts and watchtowers all make it worth a visit, despite the difficulty in getting there.

 

 

Thailand: I also managed a brief pit-stop in Bangkok on the way home. I went up and down the 5 new stations on Bangkok MRT blue line, all of which have been designed thematically according to their geographical location. Other than that it was a relaxing time with meals at Ratchada, my perfect idea of Bangkok visit after almost two weeks of travelling.

 

 

September: A side trip to Guangdong

China (Guangdong) : I went up to China for a second time this year. Highlights as the norm is always a bowl of handmade noodles in broth. I also finally made my way to Guangzhou’s Yuexiu Park, after so many past visits to the city. It was a peaceful park, with the legendary statue of the 5 rams, a symbol of Guangzhou city.

 

October: To Kurdistan we will go

Turkey: The cities I got to visit were Diyarbakir and later on Istanbul on the way back. Diyarbakir was a first visit, and a very pleasant one. It was my first time in southeastern Anatolia, and after 3 days there and also learning more about the region, I tell myself a repeat visit someday is needed. Istanbul is as fabulous as I remembered it to be, though I’m not a fan of the new airport.

 

Iraq Kurdistan: 

The areas in northern Iraq is very safe and easy to visit, relative to the rest of the country. And contrary to what I initially thought, the cities I visited like Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are developed places with a varied history and a rich cultural heritage. And out on the countryside of Iraqi Kurdistan is some of the most breathtaking scenery that I have ever seen. For those interested in the history, I would also highly recommend a visit.

 

 

• And that’s a wrap. 2020 is going to be very exciting. I am already planning trips to places near and far. There are plans for South Africa, Victoria Falls, Japan, Iceland and Saudi Arabia. Here’s hoping it all works out, and here’s also wishing your own travel plans for 2020 comes to fruition. Do follow my 2020 travels on Instagram or Facebook, as I am woefully inactive here on the blog. Cheers!

 

So it’s that time of the year again, when I look back at past travels and the highlights of the previous year. It has been an ongoing tradition since 2011, and despite being pretty inactive here on the blog, the annual travel review has always been a constant. You can look back on previous reviews here.

I am thankful for the good health, opportunities and serendipitous moments that have allowed me to travel to so many places in 2018, and hopefully many more to come. I realised that there are now pretty much three types of travel for me – personal/work travel, travel with the wife, and family travel with the wife and two toddlers. The destination is very much dependent on which type of travel I am doing. 2018 has been an eventful year of traveling, with a total of 8 new countries and political territories visited, and a decent number of previously visited places as well.

Here are the stats:

• Total number of new countries and political territories visited: 8
• Total number of countries and political territories where I made repeat visits: 6
• Total number of calendar days spent travelling: 64
• No of days of work + travel: 22
• No of days of solo travel: 22
• No of days of travel with the missus: 16
• No of days of family travel: 4

And back at the start of the year, I posted the below. It seems that I managed all the destinations minus the Philippines, and added on a few more!

Let’s look through how The Furious Panda did in 2018.

January – South Korea

A work trip set me off for my second ever visit to South Korea, this time in the middle of winter. I travelled to Ulsan, which is right at the south-eastern end of the Korean peninsula, just above more well-known Busan. Thankfully Ulsan is a little warmer than Seoul. On the train back to Incheon for the flight out, I could see Seoul covered in snow. Ulsan is famous for its whales and dolphins, but I did not get to see much as I mainly kept to the urban areas.

1 Central Ulsan is not as crowded as I had expected it to be.

February – Eritrea, Bahrain, UAE

Eritrea

The prize trip this year was a tour to Eritrea. Way back in 2010, I travelled around Eastern Africa and the Horn, visiting all the countries in that region except one. Eritrea. This was despite multiple attempts at trying to get a visa in Khartoum, Sudan. I had invested myself in the history of the region, and told myself that one day I will be back to visit Eritrea. Voila! That time is February 2018. I took no chances and went with my favourite tour provider. Eritrea is one of the African continent’s most isolated and least visited countries. They are not big on friendly relations with their neighbours. They have mandatory national service that lasts way too long, and they rank second to bottom on the Press Freedom Index (just above North Korea). In fact, they are known as the North Korea of Africa. There has been recent developments in the latter half of 2018, with the thawing of relations with neighbouring Ethiopia, so travel to Eritrea might soon be easier.

The country itself is a hidden gem. The capital Asmara (Red: how can you not fall in love with a capital city with a name like Asmara?) is an Italian modernist architectural heaven. In the 1930s, the best young Italian architects descended upon the capital of their former colony, and proceeded to create an Italy in Africa. Unchecked and unbridled, radical designs and modernist buildings popped up all over Asmara. When Italy went to war in World War II however, everything was left behind, and forgotten. Decades later, as Eritrea struggled for independence from their colonial powers, and neighbours, Asmara was lucky not to get bombed or damaged during multiple wars.

The rest of the country is no slouch either. There are camel markets in Keren, the laid-back coastal city of Massawa is crumbling but not without its charms. I also went island hopping in the Dahlak Archipelago, and went searching for ancient petroglyphs in Qohaito.

2The Tamoil modernist garage and service station in Asmara, Eritrea.

3The Cinema Impero is one of many cinemas to be found in the city of Asmara.

Outside of Asmara, I also visited other Eritrean cities: the coastal city of Massawa, the highland town of Keren, ruins of Qohaito and took a boat out to the Dahlak Archipelago.

4 Old Massawa is a glorious decaying city with bombed out buildings that never did recover from previous battles fought by rebels and the government at the time.

5 The crowded market in Keren where locals from neighbouring villages come out to trade.

6 A trek to the ancient petroglyphs at Qohaito, with a scenic drop below. Gulp!

Bahrain

I made a brief excursion on the way home from Eritrea, thanks to a fifth freedom flight from Dubai to Bahrain on Cathay Pacific. I made full use of the two days and explored the UNESCO listed Bahrain Fort, the Museum of Ancient Quran Manuscripts and Bahrain’s excellent National Museum. Most of the time though I spent on Muharraq, just to the east of the capital Manama. Muharraq is ISESCO’s 2018 Islamic Capital of Culture (Arab) and there were some events ongoing near the Arad Fort.

7 Qalat e-Bahrain. The magnificent ruins of the Bahrain Fort

UAE

Each time I am in Dubai for a stopover en route or return from somewhere else, I would try to visit a different part of Dubai. This time round I ended up in the gigantic maze-like Ibn Battuta Mall. There is even a mini museum in the mall, and a cheesy display of the travel routes taken by the famed 14^th century explorer (who incidentally is one of my travel heroes). I walked around the various themed sections of the mall, and decided to leave before I got completely lost.

8 Shopping galore at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai

March – Tianjin, Guam, Saipan

Tianjin, China

A work trip brings me to my second visit to Tianjin. The first time I was here was in 2013, at the end of a year travelling solo with my backpack, waiting to take the flight home from Tianjin’s airport. This time round, I had more time to wander around the city area, visiting the historic Wudadao district.

9 The pretty European District in Tianjin.

Saipan, CNMI

This came about when I bought a cheap flight ticket from Hong Kong to Saipan. It was a trip of many firsts: My first visit to a Pacific island, first visit to austronesia, my first visit to US (not USA proper though). I rented a car (right-hand drive!) and went up and down the island searching for WWII sites. For the WWII history aficionado, Saipan is a delight. It was also Palm Sunday, so I watched the local Chamorro People going to church.

10 The Last Command Post in Saipan was where the Japanese made their last stand during WWII.

11 Local families making their way for service during Palm Sunday.

Guam

I took the short but expensive hop from Saipan to Guam. In contrast to Saipan, I spent most of my time here shopping at the outlet shops. I took the Red Guahan Shuttle and stopped by the malls and shopping stretches – picking out clothes and snacks for the people back home.

12 The Guam shuttle that goes from point to point along the busy shopping and tourist stretch.

June – Batam, Changchun

Batam was my family trip with the two girls this year. Just over the weekend, but a good trip nevertheless.

Changchun, China

I went to Changchun for a work trip in nearby Siping. Usually my work trips are pretty packed and I won’t have time to really sightsee, but somehow this time round I managed to visit the Ye He Ancient Manchu city. I would have been thoroughly educated on how the ancient Manchu people used to live, had I been able to understand a word of what the speed-talking Chinese-speaking guide was saying.

13 At the entrance to the Yehe Manchu Ancient City, more known to locals than foreigners.

August – Bali, East Timor, Hong Kong, Huizhou

Bali, Indonesia

En route to East Timor, I had a night in Denpasar, Bali. Instead of taking the horrendously expensive direct flight from Singapore to Dili, I had a stopover in Bali. Second time in Bali, the first was an interesting experience over Nyepi “the Day of Silence” way back in 2009. This time round, I just walked along Kuta Beach’s main drag and ate…and ate. And ate.

14 Death-defying workers cleaning the structures at Bali’s international airport.

Dili, East Timor

I had intended to travel further out of Dili, but with only 5 days, the logistics of it was not possible, especially without my own transport. Instead I ended up going for a couple of dives in the waters off Dili. I met some fellas at the place I was staying at, and ended up going around town with them. It was nice to meet other travellers and exchange stories and travel together. Nowadays, my trips are too rushed and I try to cram in as much as possible, leaving little time for interaction with other travellers. We went to see the main sights like Dili’s own Cristo Rei and the Pope John Paul statue at the other end of Dili. I went all over the city on the public mikrolets, and by the fifth day, I knew all the routes of each numbered mikrolet!

15 The figure of Kristo Rei overlooks local children playing by the beach on the outskirts of Dili.

16 The Santa Cruz memorial is in remembrance of the massacre where the shooting of at least 250 East Timorese pro-independence took place in 1991.

17 A Dili mikrolet. Almost similar to the Indonesian versions, but with different images.

Huizhou, China

I was in China again for work, and returned back to Hong Kong, via the Luohu (Lo Wu) crossing at Shenzhen. It was my first time taking this crossing on public transport, and an interesting experience. There were no delays and very straightforward. Of course, for those unfamiliar the crowds and numerous signs in multiple languages can be overwhelming. Just follow where everyone goes, my advice.

18 Making my way to Hong Kong at the Lo Wu crossing.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, I did all the touristy things, with the half-day I had there. Despite this being at least my third visit here, it was the first time I was taking the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak. Checked off my list! Additionally, I visited the interesting and newly-opened Tai Kwun Museum, set on the grounds of the former police headquarters.

19 The Peak Tram was empty in the early morning, but quickly got packed as more and more people arrived.

20 One of the buildings making up the Tai Kwun Complex, the old police headquarters in Hong Kong’s Central district.

Sep – Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh

Shanghai, China

I was in Shanghai for work, and made the most of it with my first time taking the Magelev train. I also had my second visit to the Shanghai Museum, and set about educating myself on China’s history and culture as I looked at the artefacts. People (and cat) watching at the Starbucks outside People’s Park was also my highlight of that morning.

21 Cat watching at a Shanghai Starbucks in the city centre.

22 Looking down at visitors to the Shanghai Museum.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

It seems not much has changed since I last travelled here in 2011. The Ben Thanh market is still as crowded as ever, the Chu Chi tunnels tour is exactly the same. There were some new developments though. Construction work going on around Ben Thanh, Grab riders and Gojeks newly launched Go Viet ride service, and tourists from a host of other neighbouring South East Asian countries.

23 The easy way to get around when you are in Ho Chi Minh City. Whip out the app and call for a bike ride.

24 One of the most impressive buildings in HCM is the post office.

25 The obligatory pose in the hole at Cu Chi Tunnels.

Oct – Dusseldorf, Las Palmas

At the end of October, I made a trip to Morocco, by way of the Canary Islands, and a stop at Dusseldorf.

Dusseldorf, Germany

A whirlwind stopover in Dusseldorf where I walked along the Old Town, checked out the morning market and had brunch. We were way underdressed for the 0 degrees Celsius temperature, and had to grab a taxi because the intercity train going back to the airport was delayed.

26 Came across this interesting store in Dusseldorf. Yes, you have reached your destination. This is that store I was telling you about!

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

It was a fortuitous trip planning and flight schedules that brought me to the Canary Islands. More a beach holiday destination for European tourists, there are nevertheless plenty to see in Gran Canaria. There is also a very laid back vibe to the city, with restaurants and international cuisines aplenty.

27 The vegetation in Las Palmas is definitely different from what I find in mainland Europe.

28 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. A beachgoer’s heaven, but with the November weather and the wind, it gets a little too chilly to go swimming.

Nov – Western Sahara, Morocco

Laayoune, Western Sahara

Depending on who you ask, Western Sahara is either a country or an autonomous province of Morocco. This is my ninth in a list of ten “unrecognized countries” that I am trying to visit. I only visited Laayoune, which is under Moroccan control, so there are hardly any signs or presence of the Sahrawi Republic. Instead, the Moroccan flag flies everywhere. The noticeable difference in this area and other parts of Morocco is probably in the way the people dress; the colourful full-length melhfa worn here is very distinctive.

29 Watching the world go by in downtown Laayoune (from a very modern standalone McDonald’s outlet)

30 Walking the markets around Laayoune. Very different from the souks and markets of Marrakech or Fes.

Morocco

I visited several of the main tourist cities: Marrakesh, Fes, Meknes, Essaouira, Rabat and Casablanca. Additionally, I made visits to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Very much touch-and-go visiting all the cities, but with the limited number of travel days I have, cramming as much as possible in one long day is the norm.

31 The quintessential Moroccan experience is walking around Marrakech’s Djemaa el Fna.

32 Essaouira with its charming sea port is my favourite Moroccan city during my travels there.

33 The sprawling Roman ruins of Volubilis was much much larger than I had expected.

And that’s it. On the whole a very productive 2018 considering work and family commitments. Now 2019 is going to be a great year, with so much travel planning already done. There are plans for visits to island nations (lots of them), completing my last unrecognized country and a few other bucket lists – hopefully everything works out!

34 Last photo. Don’t be fooled by the blue walls, this is not Chefchaouen (a visit for another time). Instead this is in the underrated capital Rabat.

As is tradition on this blog,  I go through the favourite places I have traveled to each year, as a form of giving thanks, and a little summary for myself to look back on.

The year 2016 was a relatively muted one from a travel perspective. No fantastical round-the-world trips, no overly exotic destinations and no crazy travel incidents that make people go “Red, you must be absolute nutters to go there!” Let’s just say  having a new baby curtails your travel plans quite a bit. 🙂

I still managed my fair share of travelling though. Two new countries, and re-visits to places I have previously been to. Below is a summary of the highlights of the past year.

Bogor, Indonesia (Feb’16)
Travelled with the wife to Jakarta to check out the common tourist sights. Took a day trip to the nearby city of Bogor, where I had a wander in the Bogor Botanical Gardens. Within the garden is the Istana Bogor, the residence of the Sir Stamford Raffles when he was Lieutenant-Governor of Bogor.

Chap Go Meh, Singkawang, Indonesia (Feb’16)
The city of Singkawang is on the east coast of Kalimantan. I flew into Pontianak airport and took public transport up to Singkawang. This was the site of big Chap Go Meh celebrations. The festival, which takes place on the 15th day of Chinese New Year, is extra special here. It is celebrated by both the local Chinese and Dayak community. A procession of devotees, many with their faces and bodies pierced with sharp objects, parade across town in a trance, seemingly oblivious to the watching crowd. The guy here is holding on to a chicken, whose unfortunate head had been ripped off.

Porto & Lisbon, Portugal (Mar’16)
One of two new countries visited this year, we just managed to visit Porto and Lisbon. The highlight for most would have to be Belem, where the Tower of Belem and the Jeronimos Monastery are located. For me though, the highlight is the food, specifically Polvo a Lagareiro, or octopus cooked portuguese style. Delicioso!

Santiago de Compostela, Spain (Mar’16)
From Portugal, we took a detour north to the Galicia part of Spain. Visited the famed pilgrim’s destination town of Santiago de Compostela. The town marks the end point of the El Camino Santiago, the walk that leads to the shrine of the apostle St James. We also visited A Coruna, and climbed the Tower of Hercules, a UNESCO listed Heritage Site.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Sep’16)
A revisit, this time with the wife, to the Kratons of Yogyakarta, a stay in the Manohara Hotel to catch the sunrise at Borobudur, and a day excursion to Prambanan. Indonesia is still my destination of choice, despite so many previous visits.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Thailand (Oct’16)
The beaches of Phuket are a draw for most, but I was here for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The festival happens in Phuket Town. Devotees would walk in their processions, often pierced and in a trance-like state, as onlookers stand by. Sounds like the Chap Goh Meh in Singkawang earlier? Yes, it is very similar. Relative to that festival, the Vegetarian festival is a more staid affair, though first time visitors will still be overwhelmed by sheer noise and colours surrounding them. Oh, and firecrackers exploding all around you is the norm.

Ayutthaya, Thailand (Nov’16)
The first of many trips with the little one, 5 month old at the time. While Bangkok is all shopping and food, I took a little side-trip by myself to see the ruins of Ayutthaya. The rich, ancient Kingdom of Ayutthaya was the second major Thai kingdom in history, after Sukothai. Easily reachable from Bangkok, the ruins consists of temples, statues and walled forts and one highlight, a tree with the Budhha’s visage.

Kuching, Malaysia (Dec’16)
Again another revisit, but I was glad to go back to Kuching. The laid back city is a food haven. Highlights are the Sarawak Cultural Village, and a visit to see orang-utans in Semenggoh Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, no orang-utan appeared to feed in the time we were there, but it was a good opportunity to do a little nature hike, with the little one and the missus.

And that’s not all the trips in 2016. There was plenty of work-related travel around the region, to Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia as well. 2017 is going to be another great year, one with more fantastic destinations.