Besides being a nature lover’s paradise, Bukit Lawang is the most magical little town buried deep into the Sumatran jungle. Getting to Bukit Lawang is not easy, especially if you are prone to motion sickness (LIKE ME), but it is incredibly worth it you want to see orangutans in their natural habitat. You can only see orangutans in SEAsia in 2 different places: Borneo & Sumatra. After much research, we decided on Sumatra, the less popular choice, and for that we were rewarded with a more authentic experience.
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3 months, 23 cities, and 29 hotels. What a whirlwind. A crazy, beautiful whirlwind. As I sit here taking it all in and enjoying the Florida sunshine with my pup back on my lap, I can’t help but get lost in my memories. Sean and I have gotten many questions specifically around our travel route and where we stayed in Southeast Asia. The biggest question we’ve gotten is: “Is it really that cheap?” and the answer is a lot of YES and a bit of NO. It depends on what you want to do, how safe you want to feel while doing it, and where you want to stay. I will dive into each country individually in future posts, but I figured I would start my virtual diary (in essence) explaining our travel route in hopes that it will inspire you to get out there, and step outside of your comfort zone! Although I had a preconceived notion of our timeline and cities we wanted to visit, we generally flew by the seat of our pants. The only accommodations we pre-booked were the flights into Singapore and our hotel upon arrival. This was the BEST decision we could have made, as our “plan” uncontrollably and drastically changed 5 days into our trip.
Hello January 5, 2017! I never would have thought you’d arrive so quickly. It feels like just yesterday I was welcoming 2016, and looking forward to so much. Without a doubt, 2016 was the best year of my entire life.
As you will see in my prior posts, reflection has always played a huge part of my life. I feel the most gratitude when I slow down and take a second (multiple seconds) to realize how much I have to be thankful for, and how much I have accomplished. I did a lot this year: I married my best friend, I took a leap of faith, I traveled throughout Southeast Asia and Central America, I met wonderful people who taught me so much, and I fell in love with my husband over and over again. I also became more emotionally in touch with myself, and learned so much about WHO I am, and what I want to do with my life. I will no longer do anything I do not feel passionate about, and I will ONLY spend my time & energy fueling my creative passions, and making my dreams a reality. I’ve learned life is way too short to be doing anything that doesn’t make you smile from ear to ear, or nearly pee yourself from laughing. I’ve also learned to see a different side of love and happiness, and it does not include anything our Western bubble provides. It includes being mind- blowingly happy all the time, so happy no matter the situation, and so happy even when you have nothing. This is a life-altering experience to witness, and it puts so much into perspective. It is my mission to live my life the way I want to live it, and I have truly encompassed my favorite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Gandhi
As far as New Years resolutions, I have always seemed to come up with a list in year’s past. This year I have not done that, and this year, I do not intend to. Why do you ask? Well, because I feel different. I feel like a changed person. I have a clear vision of what I want to do and how I will do it. For the first time, I don’t need a list to remind me. It is engrained in my soul.
These last 365 days have been so wonderful to me. Each and every month has taught me something, and I am so incredibly thankful! It is no secret that the best day of 2016 was the day I vowed to stand by my husband’s side for eternity. April 2, 2016, is a day that changed my life forever, a day that I would do over and over again alongside my family and friends.
This wonderful husband of mine–he is handsome, understanding, adventurous, compassionate, and so incredibly loving. Above all, he is my best friend. I love doing life with him. I can’t wait to continue adventuring through this world with him hand in hand.
I have decided to do something different this year. Sean and I traveled A LOT. We learned so much, and there are so many life lessons that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Rather than go through each month, and state what I loved about it, I am going to post one of our favorite photos (Gosh, that will be hard) from each country we visited and what impacted us the most, or taught us to think outside of the box.
Well we made it to Malaysia! I am blogging to you from my bed looking out at the beautiful Kuala Lumpur skyline, and famous Petronas Twin Towers! Sean and I decided to take a coach bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. This journey at max should have taken 5-6.5 hours with traffic, two stops of immigration (leaving Singapore, and entering Malaysia), and one potty break. Prior to booking our tickets, we were told it should only take 5 1/2 to 6 hours, and boy were we in for a surprise! More to come on choosing the right bus for your long haul journey across Southeast Asia. Let me just tell you, you get what you pay for, and apparently we paid for 9.5 hours of traveling with multiple unnecessary stops. By the time we made it to KL, we were delirious to say the least, starving, and ready for a shower!
Back to Singapore, our favorite city thus far. I could live in Singapore. I would honestly contemplate it if it were a city in the U.S., and closer to my family. I highly recommend everyone taking a visit to Singapore at least once in their lifetime. I love the colors, culture, food, structure, and ease of navigating. I also love how the country is on the forefront of technology. Singapore is an incredibly Western city. If you were dropped off in the middle of the city, without anyone around, you would absolutely think you were in the U.S. One of my favorite things about the city is the night life. Singapore truly comes alive at night. Whether you stick around Marina Bay to watch the twice nightly laser show, or you take the MRT to Clarke Quay for a night full of live music and dancing, there is never a shortage of things to do.
My absolute favorite night activity was walking the OCBC skyway through the Super Tree Grove. The OCBC skyway is a suspended bridge connecting the fiber optic super trees giving you the best views of Marina Bay Sands and the city. It was truly breathtaking!
Traveling Love Bug 