Well, this year has offered me a fruitful journey to reminse upon for many years to come. 2015 has officially boost my travelling experiences and adventures. Regardless of the amount of time and money spent into doing the trips I am about to mention, I have felt a sense of achievement as a solo traveller and a walker of this earth. In total, I have managed to cover 5 cities/towns and yet it just never feels enough…Here’s a quick summary of all my trips this year, enjoy!
Bangkok, Thailand (May)
Bangkok served me well. It was the first time I stayed at a 5 star hotel with excellent service (http://www.banyantree.com/en/ap-thailand-bangkok). However such an experience comes at a hefty sum, which means that I’ll be staying in a hostel the next time I visit Bangkok. After all, the true traveller experience is backpacking:) If you have missed anything about the Bangkok trip, feel free to look up ‘Bangkok Trip 2015’ on the blog.
Best 5 Attractions of my Trip
- Wat Po
3. Ayutthaya
4. Chatuchak Weekend Market
5. Sky Bar(Vertigo and Moon Bar at Banyan Tree)
London, England (July)
Having family residing overseas becomes handy when it comes to saving money. Thankfully, my cousin lives in one of the most inspirational cities in the world. I call London my second home, only because I know it as well as Singapore. I have not wrote a segment pertaining to London in the blog yet, but here is the gist of the spots I normally frequent when I visit family in London.
Personal Best
- Local Pub, East Ham
2. Covent Garden
3. The Sketch, Bar and Restaurant (Located in Oxford Circus)
4. Trafalgar Square
5. Parliament House
6. Tower Bridge
7. Buckingham Palace
8. Borough Market
9. King Cross Station (#Harry Potter Fanatics)
Edinburgh, Scotland (July)
Edinburgh was one of the places which I honestly felt like losing my passport in:) The amalgamation of medieval culture with the 21st century prominently illuminates the city’s skyline. One of my favourite parts of the journey to Edinburgh from London is the breathtaking views from the train. Edinburgh was a spontaneous decision while I was in London. Indeed, it was a trip to remember. Ticket Prices for Virgin Trains can be quite a sum, especially if you are booking just 1 day before. Take it from me – you can save a lot more getting your tickets at early bird prices. On my way to Edinburgh I met an amazing friend who showed me around and warmly welcomed me into his home, therefore I did end up saving on accommodation and unnecessary tours. One traveller helping another! These were a few of the famous spots I managed to cover during my short stay in Edinburgh. Please do see the segment on Edinburgh, Scotland Part I and II on the blog if you prefer reading a more detailed write up on my trip.
Best 7 of My Trip
- The Last Drop (Local Pub)
2. Royal Mile
3. Elephant House ( Harry Potter’s Birth Place- JK Rowling Wrote Harry Potter while sipping on her coffee at this particular cafe)
4. St. Giles Catedral
5. Dunk-field Cathedral and Gardens.
6. Queens View, Highlands
7. Alnwick Castle (# Harry Potter Fanatics)
Langkawi, Malaysia (August)
Langkawi, once again was a spontaneous trip. Only because my dear cousin had never been to Malaysia and wanted to visit an island close by to Singapore. It was cheap and beautiful, so why not?! I took the opportunity to research on places of interest in Langkawi, and honestly I never knew such beauty lied untouched just an hour away from Singapore by flight. We resided at ‘The Danna”. Having only 3 days in Langkawi, we were spoilt for choice. Our hotel provided us with ‘top notch’ service and everything simply went perfect. Here are some of the activities that we did on our short vacation.
4 Things to Accomplish in Langkawi
- A long walk on the beach
2. Lazing at the Pool-Side
3. Thrilling Cable Car Ride-Pantai Kok
4. Langkawi Sky Bridge ( For Thrill Seekers)
Phuket, Thailand (November)
Finally my year came to an end by visiting Thailand again. Except that this time round, I thought, why not check out some beaches. Phuket simply catered to my needs. Thank god it was a family trip, because I think doing beaches alone may just get quite boring after sometime. Well… That’s my opinion. As usual, the temptation to stay at a nice hotel kicked in. Fortunately this trip was funded by my dear parents, so I reaped every possible ounce of excitement and booked various activities for yet another short stay. I will do a segment in detail for Phuket soon, but for now here is what you can look forward to the coming post. Let’s just say, there’s going to be a lot of ‘Mother Nature’ posing in my pictures.
7 Fulfilling Experiences In Phuket
- Jumping into your own private pool
2. An outdoor bath is just surreal.
3. Island Hopping- Whole day Tour
4. Spa and Massage at ‘Avista Hideaway Resort and Spa’
5. Admiring the Big Buddha
6. ATV (For Thrill-Seekers)
7. Chilling on the porch of Avista Hideaway Resort and Spa
Finally, I’m done bragging about the insane year I had, Haha! Well I honestly live by the principle ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’. Life has so much to offer and personally I will never stop myself from exploring this planet. This year has only been the beginning of a new chapter to fulfilment. Always remember that we must give and take. Not every place we visit will be of excitement, but it will teach us. Travelling is constant learning. My hopes are to one day be able to travel and work in various countries. Till then, I hope you have enjoyed this piece on ‘My Travel Flashback 2015’ I Wish everyone a beautiful 2016!