A Year on The Road

In 4 days it will be a year since we left home. I remember the excitement of the long weeks before departure. All of the goodbyes. All of the nerves. But we made it. And it wasn’t scary at all. It was spectacular. Amazing. Mind blowing.
I know you have been looking forward to this, these awesome facts about our last year. Well, here they are!
- I missed being cold (just a little). Now that I’m cold all the time (Dutch summers are pretty terrible) I miss being hot.
- I accidentally deleted all pictures we took of the Terracotta Army. And later recovered them.
- Rice is the food we ate most. Or noodles. Or fresh mango. But I’m pretty sure it’s rice.
- In the middle of a busy street in Xi’an, China I broke down and starting crying because China is so overwhelming. Nick comforted me with some awesome street food.
- Coincidentally, we will definitely revisit Xi’an, just for the food of the Muslim Quarter.
- On two separate occasions we had Chinese schoolboys audibly pleasing themselves in our dorm room. After the second time we decided to skip on dorms for a while.
- In Cambodia we ended up in a “love hotel”. Everything was wrapped in plastic and there was a used condom behind the bed. Later, we figured out our tuktuk-driver tried to warn us, but we just didn’t get his “that is where the boy and the girl go when they are not married”.
- I really wanted to write down everything that happened. I was constantly a month behind, hence completely missing the point of keeping a diary.
- We wrote down all of our expenses every day, our daily budget was around $40/€30, we did not always stick to our budget. Or at all. But we did try.
- From St. Petersburg, Russia all the way to Singapore, we didn’t fly. We used trains as much as possible, but also took some buses in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia.
- I saw my first shooting star in Mongolia.
- We have almost no pictures of us together around the world. Meaning we have to do this all again with someone to take our picture constantly. Who’s coming?
- There are a million pictures of Nick around the world. Also a surprising amount of pictures that have Nick peeing in bushes.
- One of the things we missed most was wearing socks.
- I think my favorite country in the world is Mexico, I just haven’t been there yet. So for now it’s Indonesia.
- Nick is a pretty awesome travel buddy. And boyfriend. And love of my life.
- No, I’m not pregnant. I’M NOT PREGNANT. People asked us a million times since we got back. Nope.
- Also, no we did not eat any bugs on a stick. Or any bugs for that matter. I did get an ant in my food once. Did not eat it though.
- We did not go snorkeling until our second last day in Asia. I guess we’re really stubborn and don’t want to do what ‘everyone is doing’. Which makes no sense. We learned this now, another valuable lesson learned on the road.
- There wasn’t a lot of puking and pooping. Nick was sick once, after eating a funky looking dinner in a Chinese train. And that’s it. We ate everything we could get our hands on and we drank all of our drinks with water, ate salads and fruit peeled by someone else. According to most travel guides we should have been dead by now.
- We learned a lot. About ourselves, about us, about the world, about people.
- There were days where I would have gladly sold my shoes for some good bread and cheese.
- Traveling is tough. Some days suck. But at the end, it’s all more than worth it.
We don’t know what our next year will bring. We don’t even know what next week will bring. But we’re sure it will be as amazing as this one. We’ll make it as amazing as this one.
A few posts to recap what we did the last 12 months
There is inspiration in ruins – Russia
Inspired by nature – Mongolia
Landscapes of the Transmongolian Express
The Great Wall of China: Keeping out Mongolians since 220 BC
Ha Long Bay: we needed you – Vietnam
Every day has the potential to be an amazing day – Cambodia
Could we live here – Thailand
Tea, Millipedes and the kindest man we ever met – Malaysia
Adventures in Singapore
Snapshots of Indonesia
Snapshots of Austria
27 Comments
Julianne // // //
lovelovelove this post! I love hearing about all the adventures people have on the road, it’s so quite magical, even the bad stuff (because usually the good stuff still overshadows the bad overall).
haha yes, my first few trips with deepan, we had very few pictures together so when we go cambodia in nov, we’ll be bringing a tripod (don’t know how that’ll turn out yet). you could try that in future, but you know, if it doesn’t work then i guess i might be convinced to tag along hahaha. <3
Angela // // //
I wish I had a tripod with me, would have made for some pretty sweet pictures. We have a few pictures of us together with the camera propped up on a rock or a wall. Not always makes the best pictures 🙂
Anouk // // //
I’ll take the pictures.
Angela // // //
DEAL!
Franca // // //
What a lovely summery of a year!
We wanted to take the Transmongolian train too to end up in Beijin but we didn’t managed to because we didn’t sort our Russian visas in advance and when we tried to apply in Kiev, they didn’t let us 🙁
Happy travelanniversary and looking forward to see what the next 365 days will bring to all of us!
Angela // // //
To be honest, it’s a great experience but if you really want jaw dropping, heart stopping, amazing scenery try training through China. We had our most incredible train journeys there. SO beautiful!
Sally // // //
This sounds like such an amazing year, and I am super envious! Sounds like you really made the most of everything.
I’m going to check out your Cambodia posts, I used to teach English there but it sounds like it’s changed a lot since then – love hotels?! ha.
Angela // // //
It really was.
How long ago did you teach there? We found Phnom Penh to be really sleazy and full of sextourists, that also used the little love hotel.
Worst thing about the love hotel, we actually slept there for a night.
Aggy // // //
Meaning we have to do this all again with someone to take our picture constantly. Who’s coming? >> ME ME!
What an awesome sum up guys!
Angela // // //
When will you be arriving in Holland? We have a bed for you and would like you to start tomorrow.
Aggy // // //
Muahaha you are awesome
*getting on the next flight to Holland :))*
Cassie // // //
Great summary! I’ve heard others sy they are overwhelmed in China just like you felt. I’m sorry to hear about that and also the love hotel (which frankly, I’m really glad was covered in plastic!) best of luck for another wonderful year!
Angela // // //
China is so crazy, and I’m still not sure if I love or hate it 🙂 & Thanks!
Jessica // // //
This is a sweet recap. I totally know what you mean about Xi’an! ha. Also the air quality was terrible when I was there in December. ugh.
Angela // // //
It’s my favorite Chinese city though, just so overwhelming haha. We were there during Golden Week, craziest thing I’ve ever seen!
Lou Mohen // // //
Haha gross, that love hotel sounds like the worst. But an experience nonetheless.
Angela // // //
It was! We still stayed there for one night, I tried not to touch anything.
kami // // //
that’s an awesome post! I so know what you mean about China being overwhelimg, I think it’s part of the reason why I hated it! Still I’d love to go back there at some point (it took me almost a year to admit that;)), Xi’an was the place I wish I had spent more time in (and it’s not because of the Terracota Army, the city was kind of awesome!)
Angela // // //
I actually didn’t like the Terracotta Army but fell in love with the city. The food is so good there!
It also took me quite a while to admit that I actually really want to go back to China, just to see how I would feel about it now.
TammyOnTheMove // // //
I haven’t got any photos of Chris and I either, It is terrible. Doesn’t help that he is very camera shy, so I have a lot of photos of him looking incredibly grumpy. 🙂
Angela // // //
Hahah, Nick doesn’t always like his picture taken but he is a natural in front of the camera so I sort of force him hahah
Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) // // //
One year, you guys! Awesome! Loved your little recap of the year, and while I never started crying in China, I definitely know how you feel… especially about how the street food in the Muslim quarter of Xi’an makes all things better. That was the first city we actually liked in China, and I’m sure it’s because the food there was so good!
Based on your love of Indonesia, we were so sure we would be loving it here… but we’ve actually been struggling quite a bit. Maybe because it is high season? Everything is just so inexplicably expensive!
Angela // // //
What! Nooo! You were supposed to love Indonesia! We need to catch up, I’ll send you an email!
Kellie // // //
I love this recap of your year. Such a lovely summary of the things that stick in your head.
Angela // // //
Thanks 🙂 There are so many memories!
Dani // // //
What a beautiful recap of the last 12 months! Love the random facts and your honesty… and now I really want to go to Indonesia!!
Angela // // //
Haha thank you! Indonesia is a must-visit!