When after a day of exploring you end up sitting on a table in a hostel or a bar with new friendly and interesting people around you just met maybe a couple of hours ago there are always a lot of stories which want to be shared. Sometimes you’re lucky and even have a fireplace where all the storytelling began ages and ages ago.
Quite often these stories begin with “When I was in [fill in country or city name]…”
Well, for people outside it might sound a bit like showing off your cool travel destinations – and of course sometimes it is – but at the same time it is such an important part of the following story.
Stories flourish beautifully in different directions depending on their setting.
“And then I ran out of food…” is always bad but if you’re in a shopping mall in Singapore and just can’t decide where to tap your credit card because you’re already so so hangry or if you’re on a multi-day tramp with few to none people around you the story carries a different focus. Both stories can be really good – because apparently you survived the situation since you’re sitting here and telling it – but the background, culture, timing are so tasty ingredients.
I have always been a close listener to stories if it is the once in a lifetime snake encounter in Borneo or just a beautiful moment in your everyday life. I love listening to stories.
Sometimes during these fireplace conversations the question pops up where you’ve been so far or to how many countries you have travelled in the last months.
I remember that it used to be just one or two per year for me but since I’ve finally started to act more and think less about the if’s and should’s I travelled to quite a few different places during the last 14 months. Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand right now. Quite a lot I recall.
And I can’t believe how my time in New Zealand flew by and my last 2 weeks are starting today. Right now. While I wait for the ferry to get me from the south to the north again – yes, I love being on boats and ships, that’s why I do it another time! – I answer texts to friends back home with the repeating question “Where are you and when and where are you heading to next?”
So, maybe it’s time for an update of my travel plan:
- Singapore – check
- Sydney – check
- New Zealand – September 20th to December 10th
- Fiji – December 10th to December 23rd
- Samoa – December 23rd to December 29th
- Hawaiian islands – December 28th to end of January
- Los Angeles and California – February to March
- tbdÂ
Do you have any suggestions to the destinations? Someone around there maybe?
Since so far I always met or re-met someone maybe I will bump into one of you guys.
Who knows, destiny has a sense of humor.