WOW! 2015 has been quite an exciting year!
11 countries, 22 flights, 46 hotel beds, 1 break-up,
uncountable new friends, and 34 destinations later, here I am to tell you about the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year… but mostly about the good.
Here are the my best travel moments of 2015.
1| DISCOVERING THE VIETNAM OF MY DREAMS IN MAI CHAU
I would be lying if I said I loved Vietnam.
There are a few different things that made me disillusioned and angry about the country and the way tourists are treated: just keep reading…
I was really looking forward to escape from the chaos of Hanoi, and Mai Chau in the countryside, only 3 hours away, seemed the perfect place to relax.
I had no idea though that I would finally find the Vietnam of my dreams there.
Between the paddy fields and the bike trails in the countryside, I finally fell in love with Vietnam.
And I must admit that enjoying the view over the paddy fields, while chilling in my private pool at Mai Chau Ecolodge, might or might not have contributed to that!
Una foto pubblicata da Stefania Guglielmi (@everysteph) in data:
2| WHEN I WORKED HARD PLAYED HARDER IN HALONG BAY
There are mainly two kinds of Halong Bay cruises on offer: the luxury ones that generally attract an older crowd, and the party cruises… which one do you think I chose?
I had some great, great fun with an awesome bunch of new friends, partying but not only: so much fun that I even decided to prolonge my stay on Cat Ba Island with some of them.
If you are backpacking through Vietnam, and don’t mind some crazy fun, check out the cruise organized by Central Backpackers: it’s the same exact thing than the infamous Castaway Cruise, but costs half price!
3| WHEN I REALIZED THAT SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO LET IT GO
This year was not always all a bed of roses.
You might not have noticed it because I tend to keep this kind of things private, but I was quite devastated when things with my ex boyfriend didn’t work out.
It was very hard to move on, and the fact that I was running around, keeping busy not to think about things, wasn’t helping.
Then I found out about the isolated island of Kho Phra Thong thanks to my friend Claire, and I decided that I needed some quiet time.
There, I was really by myself. I enjoyed a week of silence, books on my hammock, walks on the beach and witnessed some of the most breathtaking sunsets I’ve ever witnessed.
There, I was finally able to cry it out, and let it go.
One morning on the island I woke up, and felt free again.
4| HITCHIKING ON A HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE IN KOSOVO
It was a hot, super hot afternoon in Gracanica, Kosovo, and Lorenzo and I had this brilliant idea of walking 2 kms to check out some Roman ruins (which, well, you can totally skip), so we decided to hitchike on the way back.
Nobody would stop. We were on the side of the road for some time, then we said “fuck it, we’ll just walk”. As soon as we said that, we saw a horse-drawn carriage approaching.
“You are not going to try and stop THAT, are you??!”
“Sure I am!” – said Lorenzo.
And sure enough, the gypsy family on the carriage stopped and told us to hop on.
We sat there on the straw in the back of the carriage, laughing with the kids, and it was perfect… cause sometimes it’s the smallest moments that make you the happiest!
5| WHEN A STRIKE HIT IN KERALA AND I BECAME A BOLLYWOOD STAR…KIND OF
What do you do in Kerala when a strike cancels your plans, and you get stucked in an awesome resort together with some of the most amazing friends and a professional videographer?
You shoot a music video of course! We just had a blast dancing, making sexy funny shots in the water, and listening to the same song about one thousand times.
Una foto pubblicata da Stefania Guglielmi (@everysteph) in data:
Unfortunately the video is not live yet ๐ but this is THE hit. Dance away!
6| FEELING AT PEACE IN THE KERALA BACKWATERS
One of the best things that happened to me this year was having the incredible opportunity to participate in the Kerala Blog Express trip, which brought me with other 29 other bloggers around the state of Kerala in South India.
The highlight of the trip was definitely the cruise on a Kerala Backwaters houseboat.
Watching the sunset, and then the sunrise colouring the water of all shades of pink orange, enjying some great food and chatting about life for hours with Barbara and Arnaldo….unforgettable.
Una foto pubblicata da Stefania Guglielmi (@everysteph) in data:
Una foto pubblicata da Stefania Guglielmi (@everysteph) in data:
7| THAT TIME I HAD A PASSIONATE SIX-HOUR ROMANCE WITH THE HOTTEST LATIN MAN
Mom, if you’re reading this post, skip this paragraph.
Has it ever happened to you that you meet someone from the opposite side of the world, and you instantly feel a special connection, that you can’t stop wondering “where have you been all of my life”?
I’ve met a few similar souls out there while traveling that I could totally relate to, and it’s always a great pleasure when it happens, but let’s be honest: when they look like they could be on the cover of some magazine, and they whisper spanish words in your ear with the sexiest accent, it’s even more special. Special in a lustful way.
When I met F., let’s call him like that, I knew he was leaving soon. Soon as “I have been traveling for over a year but I have my flight to to go back home in 6 hours”.
Yes, I know, awesome timing.
So we spent a full-moon night talking about life goals, and fears, and emotions, and then one thing leads to another… and we found ourselves entwined, having some raw, mind-blowing… well, you know what, until it was time for me to drop him off at the airport, leaving me longing for more.
Who know, maybe one day…life is absolutely weird, and I love it for this.
So, who wants to come to South America with me? ๐
I obviously don’t have a picture to show you, so here it’s a bunch of latinos for you.
Girls, no need to thank me.
8| THAT DAY I WAS BEATEN BY THE POLICE THEN CHASED BY THE MAFIA IN VIETNAM
So, this happened. But no worries, this is definitely the worst moment on this list… also cause it doesn’t get much worse than this, does it?
Fortunately I’m fine and everything is alright.
I kept a little secretive about this because I heard stories of people getting in trouble for writing things on the internet, but I think you should know about it because if you happened to find yourself in the same situation, well, at least you’d know what to do.
It’s quite a long story, so I won’t get into details here, but expect a post about it soon!
9| CONNECTING WITH ELEPHANTS AT ELEPHANTS NATURE PARK IN CHIANG MAI
Elephants are probably my favourite animals on Earth, so when I heard about Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai there was no way I could skip it.
There are plenty of elephant camps in Northern Thailand, but this is a special one because the rescued elephants are treated with the respect they deserve.
10| REUNITING WITH MY BEST FRIEND IN ISTANBUL
Because, what would a girl be without her girlfriends?
My friends are all scattered around the world, and it’s not always easy to meet up: when I’m home, they are far away, and when they come back sometimes it’s me being somewhere else.
So when I told Viola, who’s doing her PHD in Los Angeles, about my Balkans roadtrip plans and she replied that she was going to meet me in Istanbul, I couldn’t be happier.
We spent 3 days exploring the beauty of Istanbul, eating cheap streetfood and girls chatting… because, don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of guy friends, but the spicy conversations i have with my best friend are on another level!
Una foto pubblicata da Stefania Guglielmi (@everysteph) in data:
What was your best travel moment of 2015?
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM!
Micamyx|Senyorita
4 January
#8 was terrifying! I’m glad you were safe! Meeting the crew and bloggers of KBE2 is one of the highlights of 2015 for me. Enjoy your Asia backpacking trip and i hope to see you real soon here in the Philippines while I’m still here ๐
Steph
17 January
Definitely! Hope to meet you soon again Mica! <3
Tom and Sheila
5 January
Enjoyed your post – and great photos! We also went to Elephant Nature Park this year – we volunteered for a week – there was mostly good, but some not.
Steph
17 January
Wow, after reading your post I’m definitely happy I went for the one.day trip, as I found it perfect!
Synke
5 January
Sounds like you had quiet the adventure in 2015. Traveling is always the best way to get over a heartache. I am glad you are doing better.
Curious to hear about what happened with police and mafia in Vietnam? Sounds super scary!
Looking forward to see where you are traveling in 2016. Keep safe but have fun!
Synke
Michelle
6 January
Wow – what a year it has been for you ๐
Looking forward to reading all about Vietnam and seeing what you get up in 2016
Brooke of Passport Couture
7 January
I’m glad you got the time to enjoy yourself, despite the ups and downs. Travel always has unexpected good and bad surprises, but it always takes you where you need to be. Hope you have an awesome 2016 of travels!
David Johnstone
13 January
The Philippines is a great place to visit but so many people miss out on La Union.
Things to Do in Hoi An, Vietnam: a first-timer guide - Every Steph
22 January
[…] It’s no wonder that Hoi An, Vietnam, is one of many tourists’ favourite destination. The many things to do in Hoi An and the cute, little streets of its UNESCO listed ancient town conquered me to the point I was happy to have given Vietnam a second chance. […]
Jessica Brown
1 February
Hey Steph, Its really an amazing post. I enjoyed a lot. If i can rank your post then it will be 100 out of 100. Cheers
Steph
2 February
Thank you so much Jessica! I’m glad you liked it ๐
Roberta
27 February
Every experience is usefull, also bad moments. Really a great post
Steph
27 February
So true! Thank you Roberta
Stanley Meytin
7 March
You have shared your travel experience in very catchy way. I really learnt a lot from this post.
Travel Gone Wrong... and How to Make the Most of It Anyway - Little Things Travel Blog
20 July
[…] Steph ofย Every Steph […]
20 Photos of Thailand That'll Make You Want To Pack Your Bags and Go - Every Steph
6 March
[…] Elephants playing in Chiang Mai. Many tourists heading to Thailand can’t wait to meet these very smart animals. Please, PLEASE, make sure you practice responsible tourism though. Elephant trekking is a big no-no, as well as visiting those parks that exploit the elephants for profit. Do your research before visiting an elephant park. My tip? Head to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, where you can interact with rescued elephants in a fun and respectful way. […]
Raphael Alexander Zoren
3 July
Looks like you had an awesome 2015!!!! I have the feeling 2017 will be way better tho, not sure why ๐
Roslia Santamaria
21 May
Your blog is wonderful.I can at least see the world through your adventures.
Steph
31 May
Thank you so much!