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.
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!
January 2005: Girls’ trip to Tokyo, before we all had kids. 🙂September 2005: Mom-daughter trip to Los CabosOctober 2005: Trip to the Big Apple with AlanDecember 2005: Family trip to Las Vegas2005: Toronto to visit family friends2006: Family trip to L.A.February 2006: Mom-daughter trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico to visit familyOctober 2006: Work trip + Babymoon to Jamaica (hard to believe Bridgette was growing in my tummy then!)December 2007: Family trip to Hawaii (Bridgette’s very first trip at 10 months old!)December 2007: Family trip to Hong KongFebruary 2008: Trip to Tokyo with AlanFebruary 2008: Trip to Macau to attend my cousin Joanne’s weddingMay 2008: Sisters’ trip to NYCNovember 2008: Girls’ trip to Tokyo with my mom, my mother in law, my sis, Brianne, and BridgetteNovember 2008: Family trip to Hong KongFebruary 2009: Family trip to Idaho to visit our old hood there, including my elementary school.May 2009: Mediterranean cruise with Alan2009: San Diego trip with our buddiesNovember 2009: Family trip to PhuketDecember 2009: Family trip to Hong KongDecember 2009: Family trip to Hong KongJuly 2010: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Alan to visit my cousinsJuly 2010: Trip to Anguilla with AlanNovember 2010: Family trip to Hong KongDecember 2010: Trip to Las Vegas with our friends from the Bay AreaMarch 2011: Solo trip to Beijing to visit my dear friend ViviApril 2011: Trip to New Orleans with my dad and Bridgette to visit familyMay 2011: Trip to London with Bridgette to visit family friendsMay 2011: Paris trip with Bridgette and my childhood nannyJuly 2011: Trip to Cabos with my in lawsAugust 2011: Family/cousins’ trip to Lake TahoeNovember 2011: Family trip to Hangzhou, ChinaDecember 2011: Trip with Alan to Hokkaido + Otaru, JapanDecember 2011: Family trip to Zhongshan, ChinaDecember 2011: Family trip to Hong KongMarch 2012: Trip to Oahu to celebrate our cousin’s weddingMarch 2012: Trip to Lanai with Alan and BridgetteApril 2012: Trip to Korea with my buddies from HK and BeijingJune 2012: Trip to SoCal with my sister’s familyNovember 2012: Disney Cruise with Mimi, Brianne, and both grandparentsNovember 2012: Cabos with the fam bamDecember 2012: Trip to Vancouver with Alan and BridgetteDecember 2012: Trip to Whistler with Alan and BridgetteFebruary 2013: Trip to Hong KongApril 2013: Trip to San Diego with Mimi’s family + HenryJuly 2013: Family trip to Big SurNovember 2013: Cousins’ Singapore tripNovember 2013: Best trip ever! Cousins’ trip to the Maldives to celebrate MJ + Peter’s weddingDecember 2013: Family trip to Hong KongDecember 2013: Trip to Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto with AlanFebruary 2014: Disneyland trip with Bridgette, her friend Karina, and my mother in lawJune 2014: Trip to Orlando, Florida with Mimi’s familyJune 2014: Bahamas Disney Cruise with Mimi’s familyJuly 2014: Solo Hong Kong trip to be with my family after grandma passed awayAugust 2014: Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Mimi, Brianne, and Bridgette to visit our extended familyNovember 2014: Trip to Hong Kong with BridgetteNovember 2014: Girls’ trip to Okinawa, Japan with Mimi, our mom, Brianne, and BridgetteJanuary 2015: Trip to Singapore with Alan and Sheena to visit Vivian and KennyJanuary 2015: Cousins’ trip to Tokyo to celebrate Mimi and Alice’s 40th birthdayJanuary 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!
