My Favourite 2015 Travel Moments (Year In Review)

2015 has come and gone. I swear the older I get, the faster time flies - I know, it's because everything is relative and all that jazz, but it still makes me feel sort of nervous to think that it's already February! Where did January go???

Here's a sort of year-end review of My Favourite 2015 Travel Moments, in no particular order:

1. Snorkeling at the Silfra Fissure, Iceland 

Ha! I bet you knew that Iceland would actually top the list of my favourite travel moments SSHHH IT'S MY LIST, I DO WHAT I WANT.

But really, how many people do you know can say that they've swam in between (and touched!) the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates? (Okay probably a lot, sshhh shut up and let me have my moment.) This activity is up there in the "Things I didn't know I wanted in a bucket list but is totally one now" list I now have in my head.

2. Celebrating a friend's hen night in Krabi

Yeah, a hen's night in Thailand sounds totally cliche, I know, but that doesn't mean it's not as fun! Krabi has so many beautiful beaches to offer, so pick any island hopping tour and you won't ever go wrong! 

Bonus: Dressing up the bride-to-be in a crown, a sash, and a fancy dress somehow makes the locals think that we're holding a drag queen party - no worries, C, our lips are sealed.

3. Witnessing the Northern Lights in Iceland

Seeing the Northern Lights with my own eyes has always been at the top of my Bucket List, and the fact that I got to see them on two different occasions when I was in Iceland last year made me feel so blessed. 

Bonus: Stargazing in Iceland is another activity going into my "Things I didn't know I wanted in a bucket list but is totally one now" list. Seriously, the skies are so clear and beautiful - never change, please, Iceland.

4. Glacier hike & ice caving at Vatnajökull

I'm sorry, I swear this will be the last Iceland-related item on the list!

But seriously, I can't leave out this activity when talking about my favourite travel moments. Regardless of the fact that this was also the moment my dad's GoPro decided to take a plunge of death into a 20m deep ice cave, I'm glad I caved in (ha, geddit) and booked this activity with Arctic Adventures. Not only did I experience trekking on an actual glacier, I also got to go into an ice cave! Here's to another addition to the "Things I didn't know I wanted in a bucket list but is totally one now" list. (I swear this list was only formed when I got to Iceland because I didn't know it could offer me so many unique things to experience!)

5. Meeting old friend and new friends at the Sakamoto Maaya's 20th Live

Photo credit: JKTrix on the Maayas.net forum

Never would I imagine that I would finally get to see Maaya and YK (the legend that she is) live in 2015 - it was definitely something that would forever be imprinted onto my brain because it such a momentous moment.

But to be honest, my favourite travel moment would be meeting my longtime e-pal Eeps as well as meeting new friends at this concert! These were all the people I've only recognized as usernames on the internet previously - it's kind of amazing to think how the internet has kind of ruled our interaction with each other and how this event has somehow brought us all together at one place at this specific point of time.

6. Meeting new friends in Iceland

Photo credit: Anis BLA ;)

Speaking of new friends, can't forget to give a shoutout to my favourite BLA travel buddies for putting up with me throughout the whole week - through sickness and health, literally :P Truly they're the best kind of people you will meet while travelling.

7. #UGretreat at Lombok & Gili Islands

As far as last minute decisions go, this was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. We were a couple of underground tunnelling & station engineers who thought it was time to finally take a vacation together - and the fact that we managed to pull off a vacation in Lombok & Gili islands was nothing short of amazing, considering everyone's busy schedules and different conditions at the time of travel. (I mean, two women were pregnant, one couple brought their child(ren) together, three people had to shorten their stay because of insufficient leave days, so :P)

Here's to a reunion trip, #genglombok!

8. The windy walk along the Marken coastline

For me, Marken honestly outshone Amsterdam for my favourite Netherlands destination (for now), mostly due to the beautiful sceneries, wonderful houses, the Marken Lighthouse, the chips (the chips!!!), and of course the coastal walking path.

So that's it for my 2015 travel moments! Here's to another awesome year - bring it on, 2016!

What's your personal favourite travel moments?