As 2022 attracts to an finish, it’s been a fairly rollercoaster kind of 12 months after being grounded via 2020 and 2021. It actually is a kind of years that concurrently feels very lengthy and quick . So what’s been occurring with The Occasional Traveller? It’s at all times enjoyable to have a look again on the previous 12 months simply to see what precisely occurred.
Total variety of days travelled in 2022: 29
Wow it’s been a very long time since I’ve been capable of kind that. 2022 was the 12 months I resumed journey once more and made full use of all these depart days, managing virtually a month’s price of journey abroad with !
- Spain: 13 days
- Tioman: 4 days
- Jeju: 12 days
Total locations visited: 3
While I didn’t go to any new nations, I did cowl some new cities in addition to revisit some outdated locations from earlier than.
Spain: Seville, Cadiz, Cordoba, Barcelona
In 2021 I nonetheless wasn’t fairly certain whether or not journey was on the playing cards, however as my birthday in March drew nearer, that urge to fly obtained even larger so when good flight costs for Europe began popping up, that’s after I knew I needed to scratch that journey itch and restart these birthday journeys. I wrote a fairly detailed put up on why I made a decision on Spain and what journey was like again then when each Singapore and Spain had been kinda within the transition in direction of post-COVID guidelines.
This journey was a mixture of outdated and new as I headed again to the Andalusia area which I final visited in 2008.
Revisiting Seville, a metropolis I final noticed approach again in 2007. Spent my birthday weekend on this metropolis consuming an entire lot of tapas, appreciating Moorish structure and simply getting used to not having to put on a masks outdoor.
Read my Seville information right here.
Next cease was seaside city Cadiz, a cute little outdated city that I explored fairly totally on foot. Spain’s coastal cities are at all times so fairly, and Cadiz outdated city was an actual good mixture of tradition, historical past and extra nice meals.
See my information to Cadiz right here.
Last cease in Andalusia was Cordoba – principally so I might lastly see the long-lasting crimson and white arches of the Mezquita-Cathedral. I beloved how completely different the vibes had been for all of the cities that I visited in Andalusia and I had some fairly good meals right here too.
See my Cordoba information for extra.
I didn’t get round to running a blog about it a lot, however within the few days I spent in Barcelona I mainly revisited La Sagrada Familia, checked out the remaining Gaudi locations I hadn’t visited but like Casa Vicens and Palau Guell in addition to indulged in my love for road artwork by discovering some odd spots to go to and even assembly an artist or two! It was fairly low key however superior. Also didn’t get robbed which is at all times a plus, woot.
Malaysia: Tioman
2022 was additionally the 12 months that tourism restarted once more and I obtained my first press invite as much as the Berjaya Tioman Resort! Now Tioman is a spot I solely dived at earlier than so getting to remain in a flowery resort and correctly discover the island was fairly cool – I invited my buddy Y with me and we hiked, dived and even cycled as we loved this lovely seashore resort. Getting there from Singapore is a nonetheless an actual ache within the ass, and watch out for sandflies! That was an itchy aftermath…
See my Berjaya Tioman Resort assessment. Cycling information from Tekek to ABC coming quickly!
South Korea: Jeju + Seoul
My remaining huge journey for the 12 months was once more influenced by flight costs – Scoot had simply launched a direct to Jeju flight and I managed to snag an incredible spherical journey promo deal! I made a decision to move there in late September/early October for autumn however nonetheless managed to catch the final bits of summer season simply as issues had been cooling down.
My introduction to Jeju was a tad gloomy, however I did see some beautiful climate and sunsets alongside the northwestern coast the place I stayed close to Aewol and Hallim. Lots of cute little cafes and mountaineering as I bused and taxi-ed my approach round Jeju solo!
See my information to Northwest Jeju overlaying Aewol and Hallim together with the island of Biyangdo.
From the northwest, I headed down south to Seogwipo City and explored the sights right here. I truly meant to do some scuba diving right here however due to climate plans and me being lazy, I made a decision to only wander round on my whims, however plenty of beautiful coastal sights down right here – that’s the subsequent put up arising.
Next cease was the east, and I actually would have spent a bit extra time right here if not for the shitty climate and Seongsan closures that threw my plans off a bit. I pushed ahead my plan to go to Seongsan Ilchulbong by a day in order to not go to throughout unhealthy climate, nevertheless it ended up being closed!? Still I ended up making a random new buddy whereas consuming haenyeo caught shellfish and visited Seopjikoji too.
Am engaged on a Seongsan-Seopjikoji put up, however within the meantime try my information to the island of Udo.
And lastly I popped into Seoul only for a bit to do some procuring, revisit some outdated favorite spots and go to a Korean buddy who confirmed me her neighbourhood and handled me to dinner at her home. I actually admire having the ability to reconnect with journey pals that I met on the highway!
Changing journey types
It had been over 2 years since I travelled so I positively wanted a while to get again into the groove of journey.
Packing was one thing I might do in half an hour or so as a result of most of my journey gear was arrange and able to go. Now I needed to recall the place I had stashed the journey sized gadgets advert determine what I actually wanted to pack. I positively overpacked on my journeys – I’m hoping to start out streamlining my baggage extra in future!
Another huge change is that whereas I’m nonetheless blissful to go solo, I’ve began to fork out extra for personal rooms and loos. In the previous I often saved on journey prices by staying in shared dormitories with shared loos. With COVID nonetheless going round, I opted to remain in personal rooms in 2022, and I’m positively appreciating the privateness. Yes it’s tougher to make pals casually in a closed off setting, however perhaps it’s a age factor, it’s kinda good to only sprawl out with no care on the finish of the day.
Travel in 2023
So what’s up for the brand new 12 months? Travel positively appears prefer it’s coming again correctly although flight costs nonetheless aren’t as aggressive as they was in my view. Some potential journeys deliberate for 2023 thus far embody heading as much as Taiwan for his or her lantern pageant, and perhaps a return to Hua Hin in Thailand if these plans pan out. Other than that, I haven’t made any agency plans as but. Should I do one thing epic this 12 months?
What are your journey plans for 2023? You can try my outdated spherical ups if you wish to see what my previous travels had been like.