Well, New Year’s Eve is here and
2012 is almost history. But, oh, what a year it’s been! Back in January 2011, I
set a goal for myself: to set foot in eleven different countries over the course of
the year. It didn’t seem like a very far-fetched dream, but somehow, by year’s
end, I had only hit a dismal eight of my intended targets. So I revised my objective
upwards to twelve countries for 2012, and I’m happy to report that this time, I was
successful.
At the end of last year, I posted
one photo from each of the preceding twelve months as a quick visual summation of my 2011. Now, I’ve collected twelve more pictures, this time including one from
each of the countries I was lucky enough to spend time in over the course of 2012. Old Blue Eyes once sang, “It was a very good year,” and as the pictures
below will attest, this one indeed was.
Singapore
My 2012 actually started in Singapore, since I came down here to celebrate last New Year’s Eve in late December. Little did I know then that eleven months later I’d be moving down for good. Here’s a photo I snapped during the New Year’s fireworks display over Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay, literally during the very first seconds of 2012.
Vietnam
Chinese New Year is perhaps an expat’s greatest chance to escape the city and discover someplace new. Our Costa cruise this past Janaury gave me and my friends the opportunity to visit three ports of call in two countries: Vietnam and China. Here’s our crew—Silja, Sonia, Amy, Chiara, Andrea and me—on our private cruise around Halong Bay, our first stop in Vietnam. The next day we would pull into Danang and the day after that we arrived in Sanya, China. Less than one year later, we have all moved on from Hong Kong. Silja has gone back to Germany, Sonia is (luckily for me) here in Singapore, Amy is home in London, and Chiara and Andrea have relocated to Shanghai. It sure was swell while it lasted!
China
You know, it’s funny… The Chinese border sits a mere seventeen miles north of downtown Hong Kong, where I spent the vast majority of the year. In the end, though, I only wound up in China on two occasions—and only for a couple of hours each time! In fact, of the twelve countries I hit this year, China is the one where I spent the least amount of time. The first visit was our port call in Sanya, the so-called Chinese Hawaii (or Cha-waii) on Hainan Island, where Silja, Chiara, Andrea and I made the most of our short time on land. Then in April—one evening after work—I crossed the border into Shenzen to do some shopping and grab a bite to eat. Perhaps my biggest “regret” of my time in Hong Kong is not exploring more of our vast neighbor to the North while it was right at my doorstep. Here’s a snap of Andrea, Chiara, Silja and me atop the highest point in Sanya.
Thailand
A vacation in Thailand is always a very special experience. The country is geographically diverse, offering everything from white sandy beaches and lush rainforests to major cities and rugged mountains. Mix in a one-of-a-kind cuisine, friendly people and a fascinating traditional culture and you have perhaps Southeast Asia’s single most exciting travel destination. I was lucky to spend another week in Thailand this Easter with my friends Ally and Courtney. Our second evening in Bangkok, we took a nighttime bike tour of the capital, stopping at the illuminated War Arun (Temple of Dawn) where we encountered a gang of laughter-prone baby monks.
Macau
I went to our sister SAR too many times to count this past year. OK… that is slightly an exaggeration, because I actually went through my passport stamps and counted. I have fourteen from Macau from 2012 alone, meaning I arrived and departed seven times. In fact, the bulk of my passport is taken up by Macau stamps accumulated over the past three years. But I truly love the place. And each trip was full of what makes the former Portuguese colony so special, from its glittering casinos to its quaint Sino-European heritage, from great food to unforgettable parties. This shot is from an April visit, when my friend Silja, my roommate Rich and I went to see LMFAO perform at Club Cubic at the City of Dreams. It was April 14th, and a night to remember for sure.
The Philippines
It was a short trip to the Philippines but a sweet one for certain. About two years ago, our friend Kareem (Sonia’s brother) quit his job in Hong Kong, bought a boat and moved to Boracay. A killer host, he graciously offered us a couple of nights on his catamaran this past May. So on a Friday evening, Silja, Chiara, Andrea and I flew down to Cebu, met up with Sonia, Amy and Matt, and joined Kareem to sail around Bohol, an island in the Visayas. By Sunday evening we were en route back to Hong Kong, but the brief mini-vacation was further proof that there’s no end to the wonders waiting to be explored in this nation made up of over seven thousand islands. Here’s a picture of me and Sonia on her brother’s boat, as the sun set over the crystal clear waters and day turned to night in our tropical paradise.
Hong Kong
The hardest part of 2012 was definitely saying goodbye (at least temporarily) to the Pearl of the Orient. Hong Kong has been a home to me for the past three years, and the people I’ve met there have added so much to my life. Of the literally thousands of photographs I have from the SAR this year, this one is probably my favorite, if only for the sheer number of amazing friends who are in it. It’s from our housewarming party when Rich and I first moved into our new flat in Happy Valley. Not a day goes by when I don’t think of the people in this photo and the times we had.
England
France
Paris… my Paris… Few places in the world hold fonder memories for me. My semester abroad there in 2007 paved the way for my Asian adventure that has taken my life on a whole new course. I’ll always take advantage of an opportunity to return to the City of Light, and London is so close that there was no way I wasn’t fitting a trip across the Channel into my summer plans. Not wanting “post-Olympics depression” to set in, I hopped on the Eurostar the day after the Closing Ceremony. That first night I joined up with my friends Abby and Melissa. We had all studied abroad together, and we made sure our time in Paris this summer overlapped so we could have one incredible reunion. There was a lot of reminiscing, and it was a perfect first night back—just like old times.
The United States
Home, sweet home! Instead of my usual once-a-year-visit to the good ole US of A, I got two trips this year. I made my first homeward journey in July, relishing the New Jersey summertime and fitting in my first trip to Las Vegas for my buddy Joe’s bachelor party. And then in October, I came back to the States for his actual wedding in Minnesota, which was a blast. This snapshot is from the October trip, the night before Joe’s wedding, when we all went out in Saint Paul after the rehearsal dinner. Groom Joe is second from the left, and my friends Ryan, Shea and Jen round out the gang.
Malaysia
Located across a short causeway from Singapore, Johor Bahru makes for a fascinating escape from the glitz and glitter of the Lion City. Derided by Singaporeans as a dangerous fen of crime and grime, the city I visited was surprisingly pleasant. It bore little resemblance to the sordid slum I had been told to expect. Picturesque old streets and alleys exuded character, and the local food—and bargain prices—will draw me back for future trips. My favorite attraction was the Sultan Ibrahim Building, which once housed the government offices of the state of Johor. Majestically floodlit by night, the ancient-looking building was—surprisingly—constructed between 1936 and 1939 and opened in 1940. Apparently, there is talk of turning the historic complex into a museum, which would give me yet another reason to return to this unpolished Malaysian gem.
Indonesia
With the calendar running out, and only one weekend to go before the end of the year, I completed my goal by taking a ferry from Singapore to Indonesia. Believe it or not, of the twelve countries I hit this year, Indonesia was only the second that I had never been to before. (The other was Vietnam.) I was blown away by Bintan, the island I visited. I met some Malaysian college students and spent the afternoon with them on Penyengat, a historic island just across the harbor from the provincial capital of Tanjung Pinang. I didn’t have nearly enough time to see all the place had to offer! I should have given myself at least a night or two to fully appreciate all there is to explore there, but mark my words: Indonesia will become a frequent destination for me in 2013!
Amazing!!!!!!
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