Why My Passport Is Full

Another year has flown by, and I am officially 38 as of Sunday! As I creep closer and closer to my 40s, I am well aware that I have a lot to be grateful for…starting with my very full passport.

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For those that know me personally, they know my love for traveling. I admit, I travel a lot, though often in spurts due to the seasonal nature of my business. Over the last 3 weeks, I took 6 different planes and lived in 6 different places. It was exhausting, partly because I was ill the entire time, but my heart is also a hundred times fuller because of it and the reason is simple: I got to spend quality time with people that mean a lot to me.

And that is essentially the core of why I keep on traveling.

I have wanderlust, and a desire to see and experience every facet of this world. But that’s not why I traveled so much these past 10 years. When close friends or families ask if I’m up for traveling together, my answer is almost always a yes, and what I look forward to is the time spent with those people rather than the destination or activities. As I reflect back on the many trips that I took, I am overwhelmed with the wonderful memories that came with each stamp on my passport. Quality time with people that are significant in my life. To me, it’s the best “value” for my money and time spent, because I will cherish the memories forever.

Last year, I blogged about 25 revelations while turning 37. This year, I just want to bask on the precious memories with friends and families from all my travels in the last 10 years!

Girls' trip to Tokyo, before we all had kids. :)
January 2005: Girls’ trip to Tokyo, before we all had kids. 🙂
Mom-daughter trip to Los Cabos
September 2005: Mom-daughter trip to Los Cabos
Trip to the Big Apple with Alan
October 2005: Trip to the Big Apple with Alan
Family trip to Las Vegas
December 2005: Family trip to Las Vegas
2005: Toronto to visit family friends
2005: Toronto to visit family friends
2006: Family trip to L.A.
2006: Family trip to L.A.
2006: Mom-daughter trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico to visit family
February 2006: Mom-daughter trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico to visit family
2006: Work trip + Babymoon to Jamaica
October 2006: Work trip + Babymoon to Jamaica (hard to believe Bridgette was growing in my tummy then!)
2007: Family trip to Hawaii
December 2007: Family trip to Hawaii (Bridgette’s very first trip at 10 months old!)
2007: Family trip to Hong Kong
December 2007: Family trip to Hong Kong
2008: Trip to Tokyo with Alan
February 2008: Trip to Tokyo with Alan
2008: Trip to Macau to attend my cousin Joanne's wedding
February 2008: Trip to Macau to attend my cousin Joanne’s wedding
2008: Sisters' trip to NYC
May 2008: Sisters’ trip to NYC
2008: Girls' trip to Tokyo with my mom, my mother in law, my sis, Brianne, and Bridgette
November 2008: Girls’ trip to Tokyo with my mom, my mother in law, my sis, Brianne, and Bridgette
2008: Family trip to Hong Kong
November 2008: Family trip to Hong Kong
2009: Family trip to Idaho to visit our old hood there, including my elementary school.
February 2009: Family trip to Idaho to visit our old hood there, including my elementary school.
2009: Mediterranean cruise with Alan
May 2009: Mediterranean cruise with Alan
2009: San Diego trip with our good friends
2009: San Diego trip with our buddies
2009: Family trip to Phuket
November 2009: Family trip to Phuket
2009: Family trip to Hong Kong
December 2009: Family trip to Hong Kong
2009: Family trip to Hong Kong
December 2009: Family trip to Hong Kong
2010: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Alan to visit my cousins
July 2010: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Alan to visit my cousins
2010: Trip to Anguilla with Alan
July 2010: Trip to Anguilla with Alan
2010: Family trip to Hong Kong
November 2010: Family trip to Hong Kong
2010: Trip to Las Vegas with our friends from the Bay Area
December 2010: Trip to Las Vegas with our friends from the Bay Area
2011: Solo trip to Beijing to visit my dear friend Vivi
March 2011: Solo trip to Beijing to visit my dear friend Vivi
2011: Trip to New Orleans with my dad and Bridgette to visit family
April 2011: Trip to New Orleans with my dad and Bridgette to visit family
2011: Trip to London with Bridgette to visit family friends
May 2011: Trip to London with Bridgette to visit family friends
2011: Paris trip with Bridgette any my Godmother
May 2011: Paris trip with Bridgette and my childhood nanny
2011: Trip to Cabos with my in laws
July 2011: Trip to Cabos with my in laws
2011: Family/cousins' trip to Lake Tahoe
August 2011: Family/cousins’ trip to Lake Tahoe
2011: Family trip to Hangzhou, China
November 2011: Family trip to Hangzhou, China
2011: Trip with Alan to Hokkaido + Otaru, Japan
December 2011: Trip with Alan to Hokkaido + Otaru, Japan
2011: Family trip to Zhongshan, China
December 2011: Family trip to Zhongshan, China
2011: Family trip to Hong Kong
December 2011: Family trip to Hong Kong
2012: Trip to Oahu to celebrate our cousin's wedding
March 2012: Trip to Oahu to celebrate our cousin’s wedding
2012: Trip to Lanai with Alan and Bridgette
March 2012: Trip to Lanai with Alan and Bridgette
2012: Trip to Korea with my buddies from HK and Beijing
April 2012: Trip to Korea with my buddies from HK and Beijing
2012: Trip to SoCal with my sister's family
June 2012: Trip to SoCal with my sister’s family
2012: Disney Cruise with Mimi, Brianne, and both grandparents
November 2012: Disney Cruise with Mimi, Brianne, and both grandparents
2012: Cabos with the fam bam
November 2012: Cabos with the fam bam
2012: Trip to Vancouver with Alan and Bridgette
December 2012: Trip to Vancouver with Alan and Bridgette
2012: Trip to Whistler with Alan and Bridgette
December 2012: Trip to Whistler with Alan and Bridgette
2013: Trip to Hong Kong
February 2013: Trip to Hong Kong
2013: Trip to San Diego with Mimi's family + Henry
April 2013: Trip to San Diego with Mimi’s family + Henry
2013: Family trip to Big Sur
July 2013: Family trip to Big Sur
2013: Cousins' Singapore trip
November 2013: Cousins’ Singapore trip
2013: Best trip ever! Cousins' trip to the Maldives to celebrate MJ + Peter's wedding
November 2013: Best trip ever! Cousins’ trip to the Maldives to celebrate MJ + Peter’s wedding
2013: Family trip to Hong Kong
December 2013: Family trip to Hong Kong
2013: Trip to Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto with Alan
December 2013: Trip to Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto with Alan
2014: Disneyland trip with Bridgette, her friend Karina, and my mother in law
February 2014: Disneyland trip with Bridgette, her friend Karina, and my mother in law
2014: Trip to Orlando, Florida with Mimi's family
June 2014: Trip to Orlando, Florida with Mimi’s family
2014: Bahamas Disney Cruise with Mimi's family
June 2014: Bahamas Disney Cruise with Mimi’s family
2014: Solo Hong Kong trip
July 2014: Solo Hong Kong trip to be with my family after grandma passed away
2014: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Mimi, Brianne, and Bridgette
August 2014: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Mimi, Brianne, and Bridgette to visit our extended family
2014: Trip to Hong Kong with Bridgette
November 2014: Trip to Hong Kong with Bridgette
2014: Girls' trip to Okinawa, Japan with Mimi, our mom, Brianne, and Bridgette
November 2014: Girls’ trip to Okinawa, Japan with Mimi, our mom, Brianne, and Bridgette
2015: Trip to Singapore with Alan and Sheena to visit Vivian and Kenny
January 2015: Trip to Singapore with Alan and Sheena to visit Vivian and Kenny
2015: Cousins' trip to Tokyo to celebrate Mimi and Alice's 40th birthday
January 2015: Cousins’ trip to Tokyo to celebrate Mimi and Alice’s 40th birthday
2015: Cousins' trip to Hakone
January 2015: Cousins’ trip to Hakone

Whoa. After putting together all the photos for this post, even I’m a bit dazed at how much I’ve traveled over the last 10 years. But as I go through all the photos, I’m in awe at all the funny, crazy, and warm memories that were made on each trip. I wouldn’t trade them for anything….not even for the extra dollar signs that could be in my bank account had I not taken so many trips.

Some people collect shoes and handbags, some people collect stamps and antiques. And I….well, I guess you can say I collect “experiences”!  Or maybe I do collect stamps….on my passport! 🙂 I look forward to more adventures and experiences ahead with families and friends. So grateful to have all of you in my life!

Cheers to a great 38th year!

 

 

 

 

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