The year I fell in love, got my heart broken and travelled halfway around the world. The year I worked onboard a cruise ship. The year I escaped to the Mediterranean for the Summer but managed to find my way back home before the year ends.
2016 in Numbers
In 2016 I travelled to:
- 4 continents
- 14 countries
- 40+ cities/villages
I crossed 2 oceans and many more seas. I jumped out of a plane in Hawaï and I got to hold a koala in Australia. I’ve seen beautiful places off the beaten path, unspoiled and untouched, and many more awesome things.
Where Did I Travel To in 2016?
The start of 2016, I was still onboard of the cruise ship, celebrating New Years onboard with my friends/colleagues. That was definitely a first, celebrating NYE at open sea. The next three months, we sailed from Mexico to the United States and soon headed out for Oceania. Before reaching New Zealand and Australia, we sailed through French Polynesia. This overseas collectivity of the French Republic is absolutely gorgeous. As like the islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and American Samoa. Never had I seen this unspoiled beauty.
After finishing my contract I flew from the States to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Not for the right reasons, but I managed to turn the trip into a positive thing. I’ll be writing a post about this soon. Sorry for being cryptic now. Through a Skype interview, while being in Africa, I was hired to come work on the island Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. I had to cut my stay in Cape Town short and I flew back to the Netherlands. I couldn’t fly straight to Mallorca without seeing my friends and family. So a quick visit of three days it is.
Without even opening my suitcase, I was already boarding again for Mallorca. A new adventure. Spending the summer here and crossing the island in my rental cars was beyond amazing. I figured out that this island, all that time right under my nose, is equally as beautiful as all the other islands I saw earlier this year. I realised I had to begin to appreciate the things that were already there for me. Instead of searching elsewhere first.
While being on Mallorca, I received a call from one of my best friends. She was pregnant. That moment, I felt so far away from her and my other friends. I decided to pay her a surprise visit for her baby shower. With this visit, the number of days in total in the Netherlands went from 3 to 5. But I was so happy to have seen everyone, even if it was for 2 days.
Returning Home
Finally in November 2016, after being away for over 13 months, after seeing so many places, doing so many things. It was time to return back home. Just in time for all the holiday festivities.
All the crazy, stupid, adventurous, sometimes blinded by love and spontaneous things I’ve done this year. For which I am most certainly grateful. However, finding my way back to my crazy friends is what made 2016 a great year.
♥
Let’s keep in touch? I’d like to know more about your adventures!
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