Happy New Year! There, I did it before the year ends again.
I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating the coming of 2014. As for me, I was with my family in Taipei over the New Year holidays. Hereโs a time-lapse video of the countdown fireworks at Taipei 101. Not an Emmy award material, I know. But hey whateverโฆ
No, my family is not from Taiwan. My sisters and I started a new family tradition of traveling together (parents and all) when we can. This usually happens during Easter or New Year or both. ย The holiday was great because my sister Pincky, her husband, and Jin met us there. They live in Tokyo. It was a surprise to our parents, so that was really fun. We also stayed in a great location, very near Taipei 101, so that video was taken like 4 minutes walk from our hotel.
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It was overall a great trip, except I generally donโt enjoy the cold. I freeze over at 20 degrees, so I canโt imagine the Arctic thing happening n the US and Canada today. Although, of course I fantasize about setting foot in Antarctica and Patagonia one day.
2013
Iโm the worst blogger in the world. If this blog is an indication of my life, youโd think I was dead or something, luckily it isnโt. My hey day as a round the world traveler is over but I continue to lead an exciting daily life. I also did a few of trips in 2013 but was just really too lazy to write.
Butย if you follow me on facebook, twitter, or instagram, youโd get some pulse there from time to time.ย If you arenโt already following me, now is a good time to do so. :-)
I was in Xiamen for the first timeย over Easter; Went to Boracay with my friends in summer; In Hong Kong for the fashion week. Then I went back a couple of weeks later as guest of Hong Kong Disneyland. Finally, in Taiwan for the year end.
Around the middle of the year, I went diving again after over one year. Scuba diving is one of my 3 long standing passions, along with traveling and photography. One of my yearโs highlight was being part of the organizing team of the Anilao Underwater Photo Competition Festival. It was an 8 day event in Anilao where I met some of the best underwater photographers alive and learned from them. I meant to write about the experience! :(
The event was so inspiring, that I rekindled ย my interest in underwater photography. I was very into that before I left in 2011. And then as part of my renewed commitment to underwater photography, I got myself an early Christmas gift!
Christmas came early. Dec 2013.
2014 โ whatโs in store?
Iโm hopping on a broom in 12 days and heading to South Africa! I have 4 weeks!ย ย I still have no concrete itinerary and will most likely wing it, as usual. ย I will write more later and also posting how to get a visa to South Africa. As if itโs not already a trip of the year, Iโm headed for the Maldives for a week liveaboard dive trip! This is where my Christmas gift (above photo) will take its first trip. But really I donโt have time to think about that trip yet. But I am drowning in excitement I can tell you!
So letโs say, Wanderlass is back wandering!! is whatโs in store for 2014.
