What a year it has been. From the humble beginnings of closing down my company in Bangkok to spending the rest of the year traveling non stop around South East Asia… I’ve had such an educational yet awesome year it’s unreal!
My traveling schedule for this year looks something like this:
Thailand > Vietnam > Thailand > UK > Thailand > Laos > Vietnam > Malaysia > Indonesia > Singapore > Indonesia > Thailand > UK > Vietnam > China > Thailand > UK > Thailand
If we broke them down into cities, my traveling schedule would look like this:
Bangkok > Rayong > Koh Samet > Bangkok > Mukdahan > Bangkok > Hanoi > Hue > Hoi An > Hanoi > Bangkok > London > Bangkok > Mukahan > Savankhet > Pakse > 4,000 Islands > Kiet Nong > Don Deng > Champasak > Pakse > Savanakhet > Hue > HCMC > Kuala Lumpur > Bali > Singapore > Bali > Bangkok > Mukdahan > Bangkok > London > Bangkok > Mukdahan > Ubon Ratchathani > Mukdahan > Bangkok > Hanoi > Nanning > Guilin > Longshen > Yangshou > Guilin > Guangzhou > Macau > Bangkok > Mukdahan > Ubon > Mukahan > Ubon > Mukdahan > Bangkok > London > Bangkok > Mukahan > Ubon > Mukdahan > That Phanom > Nakhon Phanom > Udon Thani > Nong Beau lamphu > Loei > Kohn Kaen > Mukdahan > Bangkok > London > Bangkok > Mukdahan
Now let’s look at some of the highlights!
Experiences
I must have had over a million great experiences over the last year. From visiting somewhere special to seeing something on the street that made me think to meeting people from all walks of life. It’s impossible for me to cover them all, so I’ll highlight the ones I have images for.
Playing poker. Whether it’s at a casino in Macau, my mums house or my dads house as in the image above… my love for the game grows every year!
Spending a week at the Pilgrimage Resort in Hue, Vietnam
Trying to pick up the local dance moves in Laos
2 week motorbike trip around Southern Laos.
Getting stuck for 2 hours beside this waterfall due to heavy rain.
Watching the local ladies selling BBQ’s chicken to cars and trucks that pulled up in Southern Laos.
Having fun in and around 4,000 islands in Southern Laos.
Staying at the Kingfisher Eco Lodge and trekking with elephants.
Getting Dengue Fever in Vietnam – Not a highlight, but an experience I will never forget.
Visiting the The Petronas Twin Towers in KL, Malaysia
Watching a funeral in Bali
Going on the worlds largest observation wheel – The Singapore Flyer
Visiting Hanoi for the first time and witnessing the crazy traffic.
Realizing how important push bikes in South East Asia really are.
Taking my first night train, from Hanoi to Nanning in China
Visiting the Longsheng Terraced Fields in Guilin, China.
Exploring Yangshou in China.
Teaching English for the first time at a friend’s school in Rayong, Thailand.
Spending Thai New Year in a rural Thai village
Meeting new friends on Don Deng Island
Getting shown around a mosque in HCMC.
Meeting extremely friendly locals in Laos
Learning how different countries cook their food.
Checking out Awesome waterfalls in Southern Laos
Admiring the beautiful scenery in and around 4,000 islands in Laos.
Taking pictures of beautiful rice paddies in Bali.
Sunsets! I’ve got to see some awesome sun sets over the year. This one was in Bali.
Visiting some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Going down the Li River in China.
Getting lost in China!
Checking out the architecture in Macau.
Visiting Koh Samet in Thailand
And finally, meeting some awesome people from all walks of life!
Although I will still travel in 2010, it won’t be anywhere near the amount I did this year. I’m looking forward to sorting out a base where I can cook my own eggs, set up a little home office and organise weekly BBQ feasts with friends.
Whatever 2010 has in store for you, I hope you have a blast! Life is to short to not have fun. Here’s to a great new year for all of you!
you have the best life ever! happy new year!
Thanks! And a happy new year to you too :)
Wow. That must have been extremely fun!
Hope that you’ll have better experience in this new year :)
Thanks! It was a lot of fun :)
It’s been a great year to be a reader and see how much your blog has developed. The posting is much different now than when you would complain about trying to get the internet working for your Bangkok office. I hope you find that perfect place to call home and cook some eggs in 2010!
I agree. This blog has defo come along way since I started it 3 years ago… It took me at least 2.5 years to come up with a rhythm that both my readers and myself like :)
What a travel schedule, what amazing photos and what a blast you must have had in 2009!
Thanks Steve!
I think I’m going to work on melding science and travelling. I love what you’re doing.
I just stumbled upon your blog while looking for websites that confirm Tuesday is the best day to launch a product. I saw that you travel the world while starting a media company. I envy you so much! What I want to do more than anything is be able to travel the world and see new things forever. I just can’t afford it. How can you afford to be able to do this?
Awesome post indeed. I just made my list of travels for 2010. Next step, sell all of my stuff. Well, 90% of it. lol. Do you have any suggestions of where to sell things online?
Thanx & Happy 2010
Amanda
P.S. (found your post through: Untempler as part of the 40 best blogs list!)
The beauty of working on the internet is that you can work almost anywhere!
If you are unsure what to sell, I’d head over to China and visit some trade shows there. I’ll be going to the Shanghai Exp in June so if you go, give us a shout and I’ll treat you to lunch!
Sounds like you had an epic year Chris. I look forward to reading more about your travels as I try to get to the point in my life where I can do it myself ;p.