I used to loathe the term ‘Travel Blogger’. I love traveling, no doubt. Traveling fills my soul. It’s like the kid in me is being unleashed – vibrating fascination, excitement and joy at every experience and discovery. But blogging per se, nahhh it’s another story. It’s no joke, you put too much effort in creating your content, crafting each article with blood and sweat, from editing photos to writing accurate & relevant info. It’s taxing TBH. But whenever I feel like quitting, I would always remind myself the reason why I started in the first place – to inspire people, to make a positive impact to the world.
Considering all other factors like work, study, family, lovelife (char), personal goals and what not, let this article be a reminder to never let anyone deprive you of that joy, ‘coz it may be the only remaining hope or something to look forward to as a reward for your hard work. When it all seems too stressful, just breathe. Spend time away from work and release that obsessive sense that you’re holding the world together with your daily routine. It is becoming a necessity for some people, especially those who need to destress from work (or any unhealthy environment for that matter).
Needless to say, take a VL, go somewhere unfamiliar and totally unplug from the busy world. When you’re already out there, you’ll realize that the world goes on without us. You’ll feel the thrill, peace and sanity. As clichè as it sounds, that intangible fulfillment of traveling + blogging has always lead to a self-realization that I’d never felt more alive in my whole life. And so, sharing with you this last article of the decade, a year in review about the best milestone I achieved so far in travel ~ four seasons debut in four East Asian countries.
Truth be told, I really never thought that the last year of the decade would turn out be an international travel debut. Thank you 2019 for letting me experience four seasons in four different East Asian countries for the first time ever. For a quick recap of what transpired during the year, here are the seasons I experience and countries I visited this year and some learnings as well.
WINTER IN SOUTH KOREA
Winter often brings a chill. Some areas may experience snow or ice, while others see only cold rain. When we first set our wayfaring feet in Incheon, South Korea during arrival, we didn’t expect the temperature to be so freezing cold.
Experiencing winter for the first time was ecstatic. We visited Nami Island and enjoyed the views of bare-branch Metasequoia Redwood Lane as popularized by the hit K-drama Winter Sonata. The backdrop is very picturesque so don’t miss this iconic spot. Play snowball fight with companions or just take a selfie on top of the snow pile, you’ll surely love the experience either way. This is definitely one of the first moments I happened to make in South Korea.
When the night falls in the forest of cold winter nights, the sleeping Garden of the Morning Calm awakens into an illuminated spectacle. Take endless bokeh shots in this beautiful and colorful light-filled tourist spot. The Starlight Garden Festival is only seasonal (from first week of December to last week of March), so don’t miss this extraordinary winter light festival.
The cold snap may be challenging at times but I learned that you need to plan out your OOTDs, as any other travel requires. If you will be travelling to South Korea from October to March, be advised that you have to wear suitable clothing fit for cold environment such as heat tech/thermal, trench coat, knitted pullover, wool jacket, gloves, scarf, bonnet and boots. These items are mandatory, I tell you!
As the temperature drops up to as -3 degrees Celsius, three layers of suitable clothing can help you survive the daily grind in a frosty environment. Pack up some lip balm and moisturizers too.
READ MORE: Winter in South Korea
SPRING IN CHINA
During Springtime, seeds take root and vegetation begins to grow. The weather is much warmer, and often wetter. Melting snow from the previous season generally turns the weather cold for the first few months of Spring season, making it a perfect day to tour around.
Chasing cherry blossoms is one of the top activities that both local and tourist anticipate during Springtime. Well, who wouldn’t be amazed with the lovely spectacles brought about by its vibrant pale pink and white flowers? Planning for our Shanghai Trip two weeks prior, looking for spots to view cherry blossoms is really of one of the top priorities. Lucky for us, our Shanghai trip was scheduled on Spring season where Shanghai’s cold spring brought local flowers into full bloom, attracting large crowds to marvel at exquisite displays of nature.
We stepped into the world of blossoms by starting our Spring day with a walling session with some blooming flowers “planted” on the wall in Chenyi Square and continued with visiting Gucun Park, a popular destination with its 12,000 cherry blossom trees as the main attraction in celebration of the Annual Shanghai Cherry Blossom Festival.
One thing I love about traveling is the opportunity to experience new things. Growing up in a country where there’s only three seasons (hot, hotter, hottest), it is only fitting to celebrate when you finally tick Spring off your bucket list. “Spring. Shanghai. Sakura. Would you still call it Spring if flowers were not blooming at all?” Nevertheless, Shanghai is a natural haven for all things beautiful and bursting with pop of colors.
READ MORE: Spring in Shanghai, China
SUMMER IN TAIWAN
In the summer, temperatures may increase to their hottest of the year. It’s not new to me though as it is always summer in the Philippines. However, if you want to experience summer other than the Philippines, Taiwan is a perfect destination for all things tropical. Most of Taiwan has beautiful warm climate all year round. You can leave your winter coat behind but are advised to bring an umbrella instead.
One of the best photography spots for Taipei skyline is no other than Elephant Mountain. A little uphill climb will lead you to this special area where you can take countless shots and panoramic view of the city. Prepare to get sweat with satisfaction.
One of the premier destinations in northern Taiwan, Yehliu Geopark is home to a number of unique geological formations including the iconic “Queen’s Head”, and is located along a cape stretching out from the town of Wanli. Don’t leave Yehliu Geopark without having a cool shot in one of its unique rock formations, minus the crowd.
Shifen Old Street, as it is popularly called, is not actually an old-fashioned roadway just like Jiufen Old Street. Shifen is more like a train station area surrounded by a marketplace where people freely cross along the railway track running straight through the town center. The little town of Shifen is perhaps most fondly visited by both locals and tourists who participate in its tradition of releasing sky lanterns along Shifen Old Street as a form of good luck. It’s a must-try activity in Taiwan, all year-round!
READ MORE: Summer in Taiwan
AUTUMN IN JAPAN
With the success of my 7-day Japan Autumn trip for only Php 10,000 pocket money, it dawned on me that planning is really key to getting things done when you’re on a budget trip. And finally, all the seasonal cycles fall into place.
Autumn in Japan is one of the best times to visit the country. Mt. Fuji is one of the best destinations to visit during autumn season. The itinerary for Mt. Fuji Classic Tour from October to December includes jam-pack activities and insta-worthy destinations such as Mt. Fuji World Heritage Museum, Lake Kawaguchiko, Matcha Experience, Maple Corridor, Oshino Hakkai (Fuji 5 Lakes) and Gotemba Premium Outlets.
It was a bit overwhelming to see a lot of crowd in Kyoto because aside from the fact that it’s a weekend, it’s also the peak of Autumn season wherein fall foliage is perfect to view. Colorful autumn leaves, known as koyo in Japanese, draw just as many visitors in autumn so expect a huge crowd anywhere you go, especially in golden routes like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Started our Japan trip by visiting a temple in the Northeast just in time to celebrate the “Colored Leaves Festival” and ending it with another temple down Southwest. One of the top attractions in Fukuoka is Nanzoin Temple, where the world’s biggest bronze statue of a reclining buddha can be found. Nanzoin Temple is a large complex with many chapels and shrines scattered over the hillside. There is a cave full of letters encarved in a wood, natural waterfalls, and a lot of ginkgo trees and autumnal hues in the surroundings. You would really love Japan, most especially in autumn.
READ MORE: Autumn in Japan
WILD TRAVEL BUCKET LIST
Now that I already ticked “Experience Four Seasons in Four Different Countries” off my bucket list, it’s time for a new one. It may look ambitious but for the first half of the new decade, I wish to chase more seasons in various continents beyond Asia (once a year), to wit:
2020 – Winter in Australia, Australia
2021 – Spring in Netherlands, Europe
2022 – Summer in Morocco, Africa
2023 – Autumn in Peru, South America
2024 – Four Seasons in Canada, North America
Sharing it in this blog so that I can look back 5 years from now what goals will be realized by then.
This is my last article for the decade, I hope you enjoy reading my blog. Have a prosperous New Year and travel-filled decade.