I remember that beautiful night, lying on the roof of a mountain lodge, learning about the constellations under a sea of stars – in Chinese no less. Yes, by means of a laser pointer. I remember the new year’s crowd on Rainbow Bridge, and their relentless commitment to setting fireworks off way before time. I remember purchasing glutinous rice balls from a roadside stall in the Taipei winter in the heart of Ximending, and being greeted by a whole family, with smiles still warmer than my purchase. Not to mention a little chopstick fight with their impossibly cute boy.

I remember the view from on top of an Uluwatu cliff – the water glistening like jade could never shine. I remember that beautiful evening, where I sat on a solitary boat on the calm open sea, with not a single soul between me and the sun falling off the horizon. Just a perfect moment. I remember when I first saw the ridiculously clear waters of Crystal Bay, with corals visible without any need to dive or snorkel at all. I snorkeled anyway. I remember standing atop an active volcano with my brothers and a globetrotting Frenchman, drenched in sweat and freezing to oblivion. I remember the view was to die for. I remember Borobudur with the sunrise, and forgetting our passports at the beautiful little hostel we found on the Lonely Planet guidebook.

I remember the rush of a cool night in Chiang Mai, hanging on to the back of a Songthaew, happily waving at unsuspecting locals like only dense tourists would do. I remember soaking in the beauty of the alternative Nimmanhaemin Road, stumbling upon magic tea and a hidden library in the process. Of course, I remember Bangkok, the city that gets a lot less sleep than I do. Great coffee, great company, great food and great adventure. The hustle, the bustle, the wild and the free. Not to mention Roi-Et, where I suspect I have left a fragment of my heart.

I remember my first time seeing snow, after hearing a constant rustle at the window at 7am in the morning, and rushing out to the hotel carpark clad in nothing but pajamas and shorts. The first thing we did was to open our mouths to have a taste. Nothing beats ice cream in winter, and yes, even McDonald’s ice cream is formidable under such conditions. I remember the Great Hall of the People, filled with more than 5,000 youths from all over the world, and receiving a speech from Xi Jinping himself. I remember the ballet was an insane showcase of technique, but lacking heart. I remember the police escorts for our buses, I remember meeting North Koreans in person for the first time and hearing their story. I remember my friends from all over the world – Australia, UAE, Abu Dhabi, USA, Canada, South Africa, Mauritius……

I have been to many places more, and perhaps the same. All these memories are precious to me, and is a reminder of how my horizons have been expanded, simply by travel alone.

Come on this adventure with me. The world has so much more in store, and I don’t intend to stop writing.