2020 is here and I can look back at another year of epic travel experiences. At some point in each trip I always try to end up having beers and new food with the locals. It’s about wandering and getting lost in each place myself instead of just reading one sided news reports about them. Like I mentioned in my travel talk in Shanghai. I prefer taking mini retirements while working, during the weekends and some days off instead of waiting for a distant future to pursue my travel passion.
In 2019 I managed to visit about 27 cities but more import than the numbers are the lasting memories and the unique experiences. Here are some of the highlights of 2019 for me.
Annyeong-hasimnikka North Korea. Traveling to Pyongyang, Kaesong and Sinuiju
Entering one of the most mysterious countries on earth, North Korea, was definitely one my travel highlights in 2019. There is just nothing that compares to being seated in the biggest stadium in the world and witness a 90 minutes spectacle with 100.000! performers, better known as the mass games.
On this trip I was lucky enough to fly Koryo Air from Beijing to Pyongyang and ride the train from Pyonyang to Sinuiju and Dandong just over the border in China.
In my detailed report about North Korea you can discover more interesting stories. Whatever you think North Korea is like, it’s quite different. And that’s the beauty of travel for me, the unexpected twists turns.
Ni Hao China. Traveling to Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Nanjing, Xiamen, Huangzhou, Guangzhou, Harbin and Zhenjiang
I am still living and working in Shanghai in China as Tech Lead and that’s an incredible fascinating challenge on it’s own. Managing global digital projects and being the only foreigner in our Chinese office, I deal with a lot of cultural adventures on a daily basis. For lunch I might have chicken feet, duck blood soup or pig ears. In the evening I often have calls with colleagues and clients in Europe and the US. Some days I go for hot pot with Chinese colleagues or friends and we most likely end up in a karaoke bar. It all adds to a fascinating experience.
The beauty of Shanghai is that you can teleport from the past into a jaw dropping future within a few minutes. You can get a drink from the vending machine and simply smile to pay, the facial recognition and AI take care of that. Wechat helps me to rent power banks, umbrellas or sharing bikes and even to pay bills and reserve a fitness class or train ticket.
If you visit Shanghai let me know, I will be happy to show you around. I also wrote about 20+ amazing things to do in shanghai that covers all the must see spots.
While living in China I want to take advantage of exploring as much of the country as I can. And getting from A to B is super convenient. To position for my trip to North Korea for example I booked a business class ticket on one of the super fast bullet trains from Shanghai to Beijing. It’s faster than flying because there is no need to be hours in advance and you depart and arrive in the middle of the city.
The train stations are massive, the one in Hongqiao, Shanghai handles an average of 210,000 people per day,
It’s not just Shanghai and Beijing that are connected with epic bullet trains, most parts of the country are connected by high speed rail. And that’s how I manage to do weekend trips to cities like Zhenjiang. It’s just a 30 minute bullet train ride from Shanghai and I discovered a peaceful bamboo forest.
All my memories of Qingdao, the beer city of China, are related to mouthwatering and cheap seafood feasts. I wrote all about it in my Qingdao Travel Guide.
Another city close to Shanghai is Nanjing where I climbed the city wall during sunset which resulted in this picture:
One thing that keeps blowing my mind in China is the number of cities that most people in the West have never heard about but often have a larger population than Belgium (11 million). Let’s take Guangzhou for example, a city with over 14 million people.
The variety of places in China keeps surprising me. Sometimes it feels like walking from the far east into a cocktail of Mexico and Europe. Like this Starbucks at Shamian island in Guangzhou.
In the north of China, I went to Harbin where a new library / book shop caught my attention.
Hangzhou known for the lakes and green hills was also part of my weekend adventures this year.
In Xiamen I discovered how communities used to live in earthen castles.
Sawadee krub Thailand. Traveling to Bangkok, Changmai and Kanchanaburi
I started and ended 2019 in Bangkok. The city has so much the offer, from street food to high end rooftops, night markets and temples
When I am in Thailand my main activity is eating. This year I discovered pandan toast and preserved crab.
When the buzz if Bangkok is getting out of control there are many spots to relax nearby. I toured around in Chang Mai in the north of Thailand and Kanchanaburi just a few hours from Bangkok (if the traffic doesn’t mess with your plans)
Xin chào Vietnam. Traveling to Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An and Da Nang
During Chinese New Year I visited Ho Chi Minh city, Hoi An and the beach town of Da Nang. Whenever possible I try to opt for flights on an airline I have never flown. In Vietnam that was Vietjet, a low budget airline which puts quite some effort in their marketing to attract visitors.
The advantage of traveling in Asia is that it’s still easy to find some luxury for less than 70 USD per night.
In Hoi An I enjoyed the busy night markets and the sea of colorful paper lanterns on the river.
Assalamualaikum Brunei. Traveling to Bandar Seri Begawan
I didn’t realize until after visiting Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei that I completed traveling to all 10 ASEAN countries. This small country is mostly know from the super rich sultan who even owns his own Boeing plane. But there is much more than just gold and glitter in Brunei.
Everything you need to know can be found in my Brunei travel guide.
Konnichiwa Japan. Traveling to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, Fukuoka, Beppu, Oita, Kumamoto, Kytakisshu, Nagasaki, Dazaifu
It seems like I can’t get enough of Japan. It was my 5th trip this year and I will be back for more. From super Mario game centers to Sushi with a capital S and magical landscapes. Those are just a few of the many reasons to visit Japan.
In the next weeks I will also continue on my travel guide series for Kyushu.
Hello Singapore. Traveling to Singapore lah.
Eating at a hawker centre in Singapore with firends every year is always a good idea. And I also wanted to come back to see if the new Jewel airport area lived up to it’s expectations. So I booked a night at yotel air and it was well worth the hype!
Any questions about these destinations?
That’s 2019 travel wise in a nutshell. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below. I will be more than happy to help. You can also contact me on Instagram, Youtube and Facbook
My best wishes to all of you for 2020 and happy travels!
