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?)

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My first days were amazing, seeing my family and friends again. A nice brunch at my brothers place with my brand new nephew, a big BBQ the day after with the rest of my family, drinks and food with my girls, a bachelor party for one of my girlfriends that’s getting married, and so on. Moments of happiness!

But, there’s always that but. I can’t put my finger on it, but it feels weird to be back. First of all it doesn’t feel like I’ve been gone for ten months. Which feels strange, because SO much has happened in my world and for everyone here their daily life just went on.

The first day I arrived in Belgium, I realized how crowded Belgium is, how many houses there are in such a small place and how there is a lack of impressive nature. I think I got a bit used to New Zealand I guess the rain and the traffic jams are not helping me to adjust either.

But I don’t want to complain! I’m a happy person. And other plans are being made – more about those later! I look back on my travels with such happy memories. I am so thankful for all the good times I had, the beautiful people I’ve met, the adventures and the nature that amazed me.

If people ask me if I changed, I say I hope I did. I met so many good and generous people, that would do so much for their friends and people they just met, like me. I find that remarkable and actually the only way to treat others. When I arrived the 1st time in Sydney for example, I could stay at a friend of a friends place for a whole week(which is a luxury in Sydney), while he was at his parents for Christmas. I had never met him, we just sent some emails. He left me an amazing room, with towels, soap and an instruction letter.

Believe me, if you’re living from your backpack, camping, always on the road, and suddenly someone takes care of you, that is a wonderful feeling. You appreciate it so much more. Other people also opened their doors last minute because I didn’t have a place to sleep. Everyone is so very chill and has zero stress of strangers in their house. I consider myself as a good person, but meeting all of them I felt like I still had a lot to learn. It maybe sounds stupid, but I will try to be a better person

I guess I also grew as a person. There are moments where you just have yourself and you feel a bit lonely. Those moments you get to know yourself better. I’m sure it only made me stronger and appreciate what I have in Belgium. And most important: those moments don’t outweigh the great times I had.

Conclusion: I am truly happy and proud that I made that last minute decision of traveling for almost a year. If you’re in doubt, just do it! You won’t regret it. Or if you want to have a talk about it or some more information, just contact me!

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Anyways. The last couple of weeks I worked my way down the east coast. It was pretty, but I’m not as big a fan as for example the west coast, the south or New Zealand. Yes – after traveling for a while I have the right to become picky. The east coast is really touristy and covered with young travelers that just want to party and get drunk. I guess I am getting old. I did see some nice stuff. I went snorkeling and diving -with my diving license from Thailand- in the Great Barrier Reef. Saw really cool coral, a lot of fish and a turtle.

I also went sailing and snorkeling in the Whitsundays. There I saw the biggest fish I’ve ever seen – and I touched it! I don’t have an underwater camera, but it was this fish. He is pretty famous in that bay. Meet George:

whitsundays

A bit more south I went to a couple of nice beaches. And in Brisbane I went to some bars, had some coffees AND went rock climbing at Kangaroo Point! Huge rocks IN the city, next to the river. So cool. I found some climbers on Couchsurfing and I could just tag along!

sunset in brisbane

Byron Bay

And now my last last last days of my travels I’m just hanging around in Sydney. Enjoying the food, the markets, the bars and the people! Life is good!

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While I was in Melbourne I stayed four days on Phill’s couch, right in the CBD. After sleeping two weeks in a campervan, this was luxury. Especially because I could fold the couch into a bed – the things that make a backpacker happy. But I am facing another problem. My backpack is too heavy. I don’t know what came over me when I packed my stuff in Belgium, but I took too much – it is as easy as that. So I took a first big step in Melbourne, I threw away a shirt and a pullover and gave it to charity. Isn’t there a saying that goes one step at a time, or Rome wasn’t built in a day? Anyways, I’m proud, but my backpack still weighs as much as before. So at the moment I’m trying to read my books as fast as possible.

I know you’ve only kept reading to see this list, so here you go:

1. Black Cat – 252 Brunswick St., Fitzroy

I went to this bar for a coffee, but at night it is definitely a place to drink lots of wine and beer. There is free wifi, which is convenient for a backpacker. The atmosphere is really nice, the decoration is sweet and there are just really good vibes. The bar is filled with big large couches, you almost disappear in them, but it is really cosy. And not unimportant: the food is good – and well priced! Black Cat is situated in Fitzroy, a very popular suburb of Melbourne, known for its creative atmosphere, nice little bars, vintage shops and art galleries.

2. 1000 Pound Bend – 361 Lt Lonsdale St.

You can easily walk past 1000 Pound Bend. It is located in an old warehouse. The decoration gave me some kind of American impression, with old school chairs and tables, embedded in an industrial atmosphere. They are a café by day and a bar at night, and there is also free wifi. If you walk through the bar you enter another room, an open warehouse space. They use it for art exhibitions and other events. I had a great lunch there and would definitely recommend going there!

pic cred: Time Out Melbourne

3. Sister Bella – 22 Drewery Pl.

This is one of my favorite bars in Melbourne. If you don’t know it’s there, you won’t find it. Sister Bella is hidden away behind some dumpsters in a lane way. Phill and I went there quite late to have a last drink. We were enjoying our beer but after a while people left and the staff started cleaning all the stuff. They came to us and in stead of throwing us out, they took a chair and sat and drank with us. They even gave us some free beers. So thumbs up for the bartenders! If you’re there on a date and there is an awkward silence, have a look at the interior and you’ll know what to talk about. You’ll find nice an weird artwork, barbies with a penis, skateboards at the ceiling and so on.

4. General Store & Co – 213 Franklin Street

I went to this bar ’cause Phill and I were crashing a christmas party of some of his friends. It was like 3pm, so there were not a lot of people, but either way the bar made a really good impression. The way the owner outed his creativity in the decoration is just amazing. Every square meter there is more than one thing that catches your eye. For example the tables that are actually old coffee machines, or the high tables that are old lockers (which you can still use), or the sofa that’s a swing, or the liberty statue made of beer containers. Lovely!

5. Red Hummingbird – 1st Floor/246 Russell St

The Red Hummingbird is a nice discreet bar, right in the CBD. There is an inside and outside area, at the roof. It is not the most famous rooftopbar, it’s calmer and also gives a nice view on the city. I did find the price for the beer a little bit expensive.

6. The Espy – 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

I only spent here two hours or so, but that was enough time to notice it is a great bar. The Espy is next to the beach in an old hotel: Hotel Esplanade. When you sit at the terrace, you feel the sun on your skin and have a nice view on the ocean. Great for having a drink after a long day at the beach! And at night there are always live gigs! With its six bars, restaurant and three stages it is know as the premiere live music venue in Melbourne.

7. Ferdydurke – 2/239 Lonsdale St.

And always save the best for last. Although I have to admit it is a shared place with Sister Bella. Ferdydurke is situated in a small street in the CBD. To enter the bar you walk up some stairs, while painted faces stare at you. Then you find yourself in an eclectic bar, with smooth soft lights and live music. There is some kind of terrace, actually it is a side part of the building with large windows that are open. What every guy will like, and I have to admit I also liked, you can play video games there. They project the screen outside on the wall across the street. So everyone in the bar and at the street can see how good or bad you’re playing. Ah yes, there is also wifi.

And if you’re sick of this bar – which would astonish me – you can always go to the neighbor outdoor bar Section 8, which is actually from the same owners as Ferdydurke.

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