Flashback 2017

This post is a week late; we are almost a week into 2018. However, I could not find time to put things together as we were doing what we love to do most … traveling. To put an end to the 2017 travel calendar, here is the what the year that went by looked like…

Bhutan:

I went to Bhutan in 2006 and finally got the chance to revisit this lovely country. Ankur and I had a lovely time running through fields, trying our hand at archery and trekking to the Tiger’s Nest monastery.

Singapore:

Ankur and I have both been to Singapore in the past. However, this trip was different. We planned our trip to Singapore to visit the Universal Studios and act like little kids. The highlight of our trip was the Transformers ride, which we did multiple times (like little kids) and the Minions. 

Taiwan:

While I had been to Taiwan last year, it was the first time that Ankur visited the tiny island nation. This little country has so much to offer – culture, food, nightlife and shopping. I am a happy soul as Ankur did come back with a fair bit of goodies!

Hong Kong: 

This was a work-related trip and was mostly in the concrete jungle. Wish we had time to explore some of the scenic trekking routes that Hong Kong has…fingers crossed for next time.

Vietnam:

While Ankur was working hard in Hong Kong, I decided to spend a few days in South Vietnam. I enjoyed my stay here – the crazy traffic, the delicious coffee and the country’s history – I will come back for each of these once again!

Russia:

The onion domes had me mesmerized as a little girl. I finally got to tick this item off the bucketlist by spending a week in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The country was much cheaper than expected and I wish I had planned a longer stay here. Anyways, there is always a next time!

China:

Another item ticked off the bucketlist… walking on the Great Wall of China. I went to Beijing for a few days and loved the city and its people. Traditions are a part of everyday life and the city has a soul.

Spain:

I moved to Spain in September 2017 to get back to school while Ankur continued to be in Ahmedabad. I guess being without Ankur is more difficult than any academic subject I have at school. On the travel front, I have explored a fair bit of Madrid (home, as of now) and a few cities in Southern Spain including Cordoba and Seville.

Italy:

I had heard so much about the Amalfi coast that I took the first affordable flight that I could to Southern Italy to explore the little town of Sorrento and Pompeii. I loved the coast and will be back in summers…with Ankur. It is just too romantic a place to visit alone!

Mauritius:

While I was gallivanting in Italy, Ankur decided to take a break from work and spent a few days lounging on the beaches of Mauritius. How I envy him…I really want to be on a beach with warm waters at my feet!

France: 

We spent New Year’s eve in Paris a few days ago. While the evening was fun, we were definitely not impressed with the city and its people. I am hoping there is more to France that I can see and thus, change my opinion. 

11 countries in 12 months….2017 sure has been a rocking year on our travel calendar!