What I Enjoyed From the 5 Countries I Visited in the Past 12 Months
And a bit of what I didn’t like.
2023 was a year of travelling abroad every quarter. I visited 5 countries and ten cities.
I still pinch myself sometimes to think that I’ve travelled to over 25 countries being 27. As a kid, when people would say they’ve been to Europe, it felt like such a big and unachievable milestone. I picked up French lessons when I was nine and dreamt of visiting Paris someday. I would’ve never imagined back then that I’d visit it 3 times in 5 years already.
At 21, I solo travelled across Europe when I was studying in the U.K. That’s when the bug of travelling and exploring like a local bit me and it doesn’t seem to leave me anytime soon. Especially not since I married somebody who loves to travel as much as I do.
Okay, getting back to 2023…
Japan
This was my first trip, my honeymoon. An unconventional choice for a honeymoon, you’re probably thinking. We love Japanese food so we thought, why not? We travelled across Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto during our two weeks there.
I found Japan to be over-hyped.
Maybe the West finds it intriguing as Japan is drastically different from them. But as a South Asian, I wasn’t in awe of anything. It was extremely expensive, I’m not fond of seeing temples or shrines as I’m from a country full of religious places (India) and the way social media shows that there’s matcha everywhere… there wasn’t.
I know many people get offended by this, but we’re all entitled to our own experiences. I don’t know why social media pressurises that we must talk, like, and look the same. We’re not the same, and it’s okay to not enjoy a place that others love.
On the flip side, I used to think we Indians are kind to our guests. But the Japanese surprised me with their kindness! The best part about Japan was its people. They go out of their way to help you even if they cannot understand your language.
In Kyoto, there was a tiny bar opposite our hotel which had wooden interior decor and a cosy vibe. I was discussing our plan for tomorrow to visit a shrine and the bartender overheard us. She was a cute woman who was a Chemistry postgraduate student. She drew the directions on paper for us with graphics of bus and trains and their names! How adorable is that?
Australia
My best friend was getting married, and so we hopped onto our flight to Sydney. The wedding was in Coolangatta, a countryside two hours away from Sydney. It was here that I discerned I enjoy being in the middle of nowhere, away from chaos.
Picture this — we have an Indian wedding ceremony called haldi which translates to turmeric. It’s where we put a turmeric mixture on the bride and groom to cleanse them for their big day. It’s a colourful day, as everyone wears shades of yellow, mustard, and marigold and the decor is in bright colours. This one was a Haldi sundowner and towards the evening, the sun was setting and the sky was painted in shades of pink and purple. Beneath these shades was water, with an empty beach because the closest store was an hour away (yep, we were isolated). When the sky welcomed darkness, the stars gleamed so brightly and we were dancing beneath them.
It was beautiful, truly. We ended our trip by visiting Port Macquarie and then Gold Coast. I enjoyed Gold Coast when I visited Australia five years ago but I’m over that party vibe now. Or maybe I enjoyed the countryside so much more! Is this an age thing?
Canada
Another big Indian wedding had us booking our tickets for Toronto. I hadn’t been to North America since I was 12, which meant I hadn’t seen so much space in such a long time.
During our journey from the airport to our relative's house, I couldn’t stop noticing how spacious it was between the two buildings. How spacious the parking lot is, especially outside of Costco. When we reached home, it had been a while since I saw the grandeur of houses in that part of the world. I’ve been busy in pockets of Europe where everything is small (no pun intended) and close by. You can reach another country in a few hours and here from Brampton to Toronto, it was a $100 taxi ride or 2 hours on the bus!
I was mesmerised by the diversity of Canada. Though most were Indians and I didn’t quite feel like I was abroad, it's still amazing how accepting the land is to people from across the world.
I hope to visit Vancouver next time because I’ve heard it's beautiful!
France
Just Paris, on the way back from Canada. I enjoy visiting places I’ve been to before because I can take the other person to all the good places. I did that with my mom in 2022 and my husband in 2023.
I don’t think I’ll ever have anything bad to say about Paris. But that should be fine since most people throw negativity on that city anyway. So maybe I’m the chosen one?
I love how pretty it is, how good the fresh bread tastes with butter, ordering a bottle of wine in quaint street cafes of the city and the fashion all around me even though I’m not fashionable. The architecture is intricate and when it’s summer, people decorate all over it with flowers. The vibe is lively, romantic, and fun if you go to unpopular places where the locals are eating and having a drink.
Thailand
I’ve been to Bangkok before, but going to Phuket and Krabi was a last-minute plan. Thailand is visa-free for Indians for a few months, which is helpful considering ours is a pretty weak passport.
If you’re reading this, this is your sign to go to Phuket.
If you want to eat food that bursts your tongue with flavours and relax, this is your place. Even if you want to party and like the happy vibe of people dancing on the streets, book your tickets already. I was so much at ease here that I didn’t bother about how I was looking. Make a messy hair bun and move on for the day ahead. There are people from across the world and the vibe is so relaxed.
The pad thai noodles on the streets is delicious! My favourite place was a little stall run by two women in a narrow street who laid out three tables outside. The vermicelli chicken and pad thai was the best I’d ever had. I continued having pad thai in various stalls as they all have such distinct flavours. We also got a foot massage done every afternoon as a post-lunch relaxing activity.
Krabi was a lovely island which we booked to relax and do nothing… and we were successful with that. There are more islands nearby that you can hop onto for a tan or swim. We stayed at a resort away from the hub but one evening we walked to a cafe, and it was a hidden gem at the beach. There was live music, you’re by the water and under the stars. How magical is that?
I want to go to Phuket every year, oh how I wish!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my travels. What are your upcoming travel plans?