I’m writing these words from a sunny café in Christchurch, New Zealand. This week I went indoor climbing, rock climbing and to the ballet. Tomorrow I’m going canyoning. I tell to myself, life is pretty good.

I can’t believe how fast time flies. One year and a half ago I quit my job to travel. Bye vtm– newsroom, bye family and friends and bye good life. I’m ready for an even better life. Looking back on all those things I’ve done I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I challenged myself to go travelling alone, I met great people, did crazy stuff and saw beautiful things. Of course there are lonely and sad moments, but after a while you’re not afraid of those anymore and they only make you stronger.

One year and a half equals Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, France, Italy, India, Maldives and Singapore.

TOP 7 MOMENTS
I want to share the best moments of this last year and a half. Those moments where everything feels right. But when I start making a list I end up with 23 moments. These seven made the list:

1. Bumping into wild elephants

Sitting on the motorbike in India, driving through beautiful nature, holding my boyfriend tight and seeing a wild elephant crossing the road. On top of that we see a few minutes later some other elephants chilling along the road. I realized that moment that life was spoiling us.

2. Being part of an Indian wedding

My high school friend Heleen married her Indian fiancé in Calcutta. What an experience! The colors, the people, the atmosphere! A blogpost about that wedding is coming soon!

3. Diving with sharks in the Maldives. My first time ever I saw sharks while diving. Trust me, you feel very much alive at that moment!

4. Screaming on the highest swing in the world

For the wimps that don’t dare to bungee jump – like me – there is the’Nevis Swing’, the biggest in the world. You are hanging 160 meters above the canyon floor when they suddenly let you go. Be prepared for a free fall of 70 meters and to go 120km/p/h. Go and have a look at the site and see what you think of it.

5. A day scootering around Pai, Thailand

You know those perfect days? Everything goes smooth, you do nice things and you realize how much you are enjoying life. I had one of those days in Pai, Thailand. Some friends and I decided to rent scooters and go away for the day. We went to a huge Buddha-monument, jumped into hidden waterfalls, checked out a canyon and tried to boil eggs above a really hot hot spring. And in between we enjoyed the combination of warm sun and a breeze on the scooter.

6. Stumbling upon a lost place in Italy

During the Italy-motorbike trip with my boyfriend we stumbled upon a restaurant in the middle of nowhere between the mountains. We couldn’t believe our eyes. An old Italian guy cooking some meat skewers above a bbq. That with some good cheese and a beer made the perfect motorbike break!

7. Camping in the van next to Lake Pukaki

Sun, food, good company and Mount Cook proud in the background. And the stars at night aren’t bad either.

What now?

This trip was definitely a good decision for me. I had the urge for so long and I’m happy I did it. I guess I’ll never loose the the love for travel. But now it is time for my next challenge. And that will be in New Zealand (so that’s also still a bit of travelling, right?)