Thank you, 2019

2020 is just around the corner, and I am grateful for all the things I've experienced this year. When it comes to my travels, 2019 is probably my most traveled year yet. It seems that every year, I'd try to exceed what I have achieved from the previous years. It's not that I'm in a hurry or in a contest, but I just grabbed the opportunity because they rarely come these days.

Anyway, I won't keep this long. Let's go back and relive the travel highlights of my 2019.

Journey to Halong Bay, Vietnam

It was one crisp morning when we left the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Aboard the bus, everyone has a hard time to hide their excitement. For the next four hours, we journeyed our way to the northeast part of Vietnam and explored the wonders of the emerald waters of Halong Bay.

Legend says that not too long ago, Vietnam was under war, and they had to ward off the invaders. To help the fighters, the gods sent the dragons. The dragons, possessing some magical powers, began spitting out jewels and jade. These precious stones then became islands and islets, linking with one another to form a wall of defense against the invaders. Several rocky mountains suddenly sprung underneath the emerald sea, causing the invader's ships to sink. The dragons decided to dwell on our world after winning the battle. The mother dragon was later named as Ha Long.

The Charming City of Hanoi, Vietnam

The moment I sat down on my assigned seat, I immediately fell asleep. Our flight took off minutes before five in the morning. I was seated at the window seat, and I thought of waiting for the sunrise at 36,000 feet above sea level. But no, sleep prevailed, and the next thing I knew, we were already on our final approach to Hanoi's Noi Ban International Airport. The queue to immigration and customs weren't that bad. However, it took me a while to realize that our hotel driver was already waiting for us outside the arrival hall! I should've gone there after claiming my local sim card. My bad, my bad.