Day after day. Time after time. In the blink of an eye, today is the last day of 2018 and tomorrow we're going to step into another brand new year of 2019. Sometimes I really wish I have the ability to freeze the time cause time flies when you're having fun. 2018 might not be the very best year but still, I'm grateful and cherish everything I've been through this year. Count more of my blessings, but not the problems I encountered - this is what I always remind myself.
Like I always did for the past years since 2011, now let's take a quick flashback on the past 12 months of where I went and visited in summary:
Like I always did for the past years since 2011, now let's take a quick flashback on the past 12 months of where I went and visited in summary:
- January - Da Nang, Hoi An & Hue, Vietnam. Kicked off my year 2018 by sponsoring my mom another trip to Vietnam. Besides just the two of us, my very best travel buddy also tagged along for this trip together with her friend. A new friend who I never met before but she made us laugh non-stop throughout the trip. I'm glad that my mom really enjoy this trip and she even proposed for another trip with my friend and our new friend found.
- February - Kuching for Chinese New Year. The month of festive season where all family members reunite and gather together for a big and important celebration. Since my dad bought houses in Kuching, so he suggested this year we celebrated Chinese New Year in Kuching instead of Kota Kinabalu. I even drove a nearly 6 hours car-ride back to my maternal grandparents' kampung.
- March - Tokyo, Japan. Revisit Tokyo for the 5th time and for this round, it's for my birthday celebration. Besides Tokyo, my boyfriend and I visited less touristy and off the beaten path such as Kinugawa, Nikko, Gala Yuzawa and more.
- March - Singapore. This is one adhoc trip with my mom. Why? To welcoming the newest member of our family - my newborn baby nephew, my parents' firstborn grandchild. That's mean now I'm officially become an aunty to my sister's son.
- April - Iran. A birthday gift from the boyfriend and it's an impromptu trip before AirAsia X decided to cease this route permanently. It's my first visit to the Middle East country and I was truly amazed with how beautiful and stunning the country is. Iran is indeed an eye-opening trip to me and not like what many people expected it to be.
- May - Istanbul, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia. Another of my solo trip to Europe, except for the Croatia part where I met and traveled with fellow Malaysian travel blogger, Jeff Chuah. I really love Balkans so much and now I'm planning for the next Balkans trip.
- July - Perlis for Girl Guides Conference and Annual General Meeting National Level
- September - Taipei (Taiwan) & Kyushu Island (Japan). Two trips at a time. I took a flight to Taipei first, and then joined my friends for a self-drive trip around Fukuoka, Beppu, Kumamoto and Nagasaki.
- October - London, Portugal, Spain & Milan. Another trip with my mom and tagged my cousin along. We got aweseome deal from Oman Air where the all-in inclusive return fare for RM1,800 only.
- November - Wuhan and Wudang Mountain, China. A trip to celebrate the boyfriend's birthday. This is when both couples who love to travel, I bet airtickets and trips are the best birthday gift ever.
- December - Kuching & Singapore. Weekend getaway to spend quality time with my two younger brothers in Kuching and also celebrate Christmas with my sister and baby nephew in Singapore.
Exploring 6 new countries (Iran, Turkey, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Portugal and Spain), wandering more than 20 new cities and experience 9 different airlines - that's pretty sum up my travel adventures throughout the year of 2018.
Apart from my life in relation to travel, how about my own personal life? Oh well, I have been moving out for exactly a year now. Yes, I'm currently living and staying alone, no longer with my parents anymore. Of course I gained more in terms of freedom and become more independent, but on the other hand thinking of the monthly commitments especially the utilities bill, groceries and also the housecores, the cooking and etc, living alone is not as easy as I thought sometimes! This consider to be one of the biggest decision I made in my life but then, I never regret with my own choices. Luckily my parent's home is only 5-8 minutes drive away from where I'm staying now, hence I'm frequently going back to have dinner with them on weekday and breakfast on weekend.
Every room inside is filled with things from far away (A Million Dreams lyric from The Greatest Showman)
I believe almost everyone's life is like one roller coaster ride - there will always be ups and downs. And so as mine too. Almost towards the end of the year, I lost one of the most important thing in my life - my beloved Guci, a pure Shih Tzu dog breed which had been with us for more than 10 years passed away. Oh boy, losing a dog is equally as painful and heartbreaking as losing a family member. For us, she's not just a dog but as part of our family member. I really do missing the welcome back greet where she wiggle her tail when I reach home, the patiently wait near the staircases when everytime she heard me opening of my bedroom door in the morning, the constantly request to rub her fat belly and etc. Until now I still miss her so much and sometimes I do cry at night when seeing her photos and videos. It's so hard to let go and move on especially when she always by my side, my best companion, cheering me up when I was down for more than a decade.
Goodbye Guci! You are always and forever in my heart. (May 2008 to 3 October 2018)
I guess, these are the few things I like to highlight for the year 2018. Nothing much, nothing less. Sometimes it's best to expect less, so that you won't end up with higher disappointment. Like they said, the best thing comes when you're least expected. And because of that, I don't have any resolution for the year of 2019 and let my life goes on with the flow. Just let it come what may. At least the best I can do right now is to love myself more as I once battling with depression and anxiety before which causing me to lost my passion and interest in travelling dating back two years ago. Unexpected right? Like I said before, life ain't always sunshine and rainbow, there would be storm and thunder in between. But thankfully, I gradually recovered, bounced back and as you can see, I travel extensively and even updated my blog more often than I used to be (although sometimes I was being too lazy to blog).
Before I end this post, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to those who constantly read my blog and some even become my loyal blog readers. And also not forgetting to those who left countless of comments in my blog, sent messages with positive vibes in my other social media networks which giving me the motivation and encouragement to continue to write and update my blog. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for supporting this humble travel blog of mine. Good news to those who never stop leaving comments on my blog - I have a surprise for you guys as a token of appreciation. Here are the Top 5 Commentators for this year:
Top Commentators For The Year 2015
1) Twilight Man from Twilight ZoneI believe almost everyone's life is like one roller coaster ride - there will always be ups and downs. And so as mine too. Almost towards the end of the year, I lost one of the most important thing in my life - my beloved Guci, a pure Shih Tzu dog breed which had been with us for more than 10 years passed away. Oh boy, losing a dog is equally as painful and heartbreaking as losing a family member. For us, she's not just a dog but as part of our family member. I really do missing the welcome back greet where she wiggle her tail when I reach home, the patiently wait near the staircases when everytime she heard me opening of my bedroom door in the morning, the constantly request to rub her fat belly and etc. Until now I still miss her so much and sometimes I do cry at night when seeing her photos and videos. It's so hard to let go and move on especially when she always by my side, my best companion, cheering me up when I was down for more than a decade.
Goodbye Guci! You are always and forever in my heart. (May 2008 to 3 October 2018)
I guess, these are the few things I like to highlight for the year 2018. Nothing much, nothing less. Sometimes it's best to expect less, so that you won't end up with higher disappointment. Like they said, the best thing comes when you're least expected. And because of that, I don't have any resolution for the year of 2019 and let my life goes on with the flow. Just let it come what may. At least the best I can do right now is to love myself more as I once battling with depression and anxiety before which causing me to lost my passion and interest in travelling dating back two years ago. Unexpected right? Like I said before, life ain't always sunshine and rainbow, there would be storm and thunder in between. But thankfully, I gradually recovered, bounced back and as you can see, I travel extensively and even updated my blog more often than I used to be (although sometimes I was being too lazy to blog).
Before I end this post, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to those who constantly read my blog and some even become my loyal blog readers. And also not forgetting to those who left countless of comments in my blog, sent messages with positive vibes in my other social media networks which giving me the motivation and encouragement to continue to write and update my blog. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for supporting this humble travel blog of mine. Good news to those who never stop leaving comments on my blog - I have a surprise for you guys as a token of appreciation. Here are the Top 5 Commentators for this year:
Top Commentators For The Year 2015
2) J-Mei from Interesting Corner of Me
3) Rose from Rose World
4) Mas Light from The Live of A Psychotic Weirdo
5) Small Kucing & Mamarazzi from Small Kucing
So for the five readers I mentioned as above, kindly please comment below as acknowledgement. Plus, remember to leave your name, mailing address and contact number to my email address: dianateodt@gmail.com within 14 days from the date of this blogpost posted.
With this, wishing each and everyone of you have a blissful, awesome, magnificent, cheerful and rocking year ahead. Happy New Year!
For your information, this is actually a scheduled post cause I'm currently away again to celebrate New Year Eve. Yes, it's my first time to celebrate New Year eve abroad. Guess where I'm heading to and you might get souvenirs from me (Contest end at 1pm)
Diana, Happy New Year to you and still enjoy reading your blog :D
ReplyDelete12 months in a year and you almost every month travel around no matter in Malaysia or outside Malaysia except June and August. What a great travelling year to you. Like usual, look forward for your blogpost in year 2019.
Lovely summary for the year. I didn't travel much this year. Just in the state only.
ReplyDeletePlan for overseas trip next year.
Happy New Year to you!!
Wow... Almost every month travelling... Hebat!!!
ReplyDeleteHepi new year 😁
Selamat Tahun Baru 2019 :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.. what a wonderful journey you had in 2018. may 2019 be greater ^^
ReplyDeleteWishing all the blog readers a very happy new year 2019, may this year brings happines, more joys and less stress in our life.
ReplyDeleteluton airport parking meet and greet
Nice information, thank you for sharing it.Useful And Good Website...online book Ticket through Redbus
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha!! I missed the deadline by 2 days to greet you and reply! Never mind, I will try again next year. I always loved your blog and would not read others for traveling tips as yours is sincere, honest and down to earth without telling me to stay at 5 Star hotels throughout. You amazed me for traveling solo while I have no guts even as a man! "Shy Mode"
ReplyDeleteYou were so lucky to travel every month except June and August. Hope this New Year 2019 will allow you to travel every month!
Life is truly unpredictable with ups & downs like the waves of the ocean. I am very sorry for the loss of your family pet. The loving pets always bring endless joy and leave us behind to grieve in rivers of tears!! For that we should console and thank our good fate for blessing us with a loving pet to love & cherish. Happy memories will live forever.
You're still welcome to email me your details. Hope to hear from you soon.
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