Bella Dyosa

I know what you’re thinking.

FINALLY! A POST ABOUT TRAVEL!!

Yes, we’re here, folks. We’ve reached this point at long last.

And it only took me so long ’cause COVID happened. All the traveling I did then was in my brain.

BUT that’s not why I’m writing this.

In celebration of my upcoming (first ever) solo trip for my 30th birthday, I decided to look back on significant previous travels of mine.

Because travel is such an intrinsic part of my soul and my being. And I never fully realized that until I started travelling with my friends in 2017.

As a third culture kid, flying back and forth was normal. I enjoyed it (though I was scared shitless during my first trip) and it made me feel free and independent at such a young age.

But of course, flying back and forth to the same destinations isn’t equal to exploring an entirely different country.

Being experienced in flying definitely helped me when I later on went on those 2017/2018 trips. However, traveling, in its pure and beautiful essence is way more than just flying.

Picture it: August 2017 in Indochina – three countries (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand), five girls, and five destinations. Peak of our youth, ergo backpacker lifestyle all the way.

What could go wrong, right?

“A lot” is the correct answer.

But travel never gives the promise of being perfect, so we can’t expect it to be. Much like life and people.

Indochina (with my Indochicas) 2017 was truly a trip where I had zero expectations. I was just happy to be spending two weeks with my soul sisters.

There were ups and downs – an up being as surreal as experiencing the Mekong River and Angkor Wat, and a down being as horrific as riding an overnight bus that proved to be Satan’s dirty and smelly ass ride from hell.

We usually woke up as early as 6 AM for a jam-packed day ahead filled with activities to do and sights to see, and then end it with dancing and drinking the night away at a local bar with cute strangers.

As I said, peak of our youth. Our energy levels? Unrealistically high.

By the end of the trip though, I got sick and had to recover at our hostel in Bangkok while the rest went out with a bang during our last night.

After a 20-hour sleep back home (clearly, yo girl was tired), post-travel blues immediately kicked in. My friends and I couldn’t help reminiscing and wanting to do another trip with more people from our group.

Above all else, a spark had ignited in me. I dove into the trip not expecting much, staying open to the possibilities. It made me realize that I was here – I was here on earth, having just experienced a part of the world like never before. And that there’s so much more out there to discover and explore.

So, fast forward to a year later and we all did it again. Since we loved Vietnam the most, we wanted to see and experience more of what it had to offer in 2018.

We traveled from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh – north to south Vietnam for 10 days. As I mentioned earlier, we were at the peak of our youth, so of course, we ventured the backpacker way yet again.

This time though, I didn’t get sick. Silver lining. My body seemed to remember the chaos of last year’s trip and adapted accordingly.

What I will never forget is the horror train we rode from Hoi An to Nha Trang. That seemed to be a pattern with the backpacker way – you’re gonna fuck up one of your modes of transportations. It’s an unwritten rule.

You want the cheapest ride you can get that you’ve never experienced in a foreign land ever? Well, here’s a crusty and dusty ass train that’s a sanctuary for cockroaches. Have fun!

On the flip side though, Hoi An was a dream. Once we set foot in this place, we felt magic in the air. During the day, it oozes endless charm and during the night? Dripping with romance.

As always, when in Vietnam, the food never disappoints (except maybe that one stall that had a questionable sugar cane juice and noodle dish).

I could go on and on about the highs and lows of the trip, but I will say this: exploring Vietnam on a deeper level made me realize that there truly is more to a destination than meets the eye.

Much like human beings, places are multifaceted. Just when you think you’ve got a solid list of their traits and a clear-cut expectation of them, they suddenly surprise you! Whether good or bad, that will depend on you. Vietnam for me though? Definitely the former.

In fact, I loved the country so much that I was planning on going back there in 2020. Luckily, my friend and I never got around to booking the flight, because we all know what happened there.

And three years of a rollercoaster ride (filled with cray emotions, thoughts, inner contemplation, isolation etc.) later, I finally got the chance to get out there again.

The best part? It was for my best friend’s wedding – in Dumaguete. Although our time there was short (three days, two nights), I fell in love with the city.

All my friend and I did was go to the nearest local market (to hurriedly shop for pasalubong before getting ready for the wedding) and boom – love at first sight.

My existing photos don’t do Dumaguete justice, so I’ll do my best to take great ones when I actually return there. In the meantime, enjoy these wedding pics!

This has been a long ass post, so if you’re still reading this, congratulations! I honor you much like I honor Glen Coco (only the best people will get this reference).

On a more serious note, travel is such a life-changing and healing experience. Each time I get to, it always surprises me and hits me with new and different perspectives.

And if you haven’t done it yet, whether locally or internationally, I implore you to. There are so many people, places, and moments waiting for you.

Connection. Joy. Life.

So, here’s to more future travels for you and for me (and the entire human race, jk). May they be as crazy wonderful and special in the midst of the good and the bad.

Because that will always be something truly worth living for.