I can’t believe that I have been travelling for one whole month! At times it has been hard but for the majority of the time it has felt like one big holiday!
I was waving my old life goodbye one month ago, leaving everything for the unknown. Parts of my trip have felt like a dream, too much happiness in such a short period of time! With the highs comes the lows though, feeling slightly homesick and missing good old Western food!
I have experienced three very different cultures this past month. I’m finding the variation exciting and am loving getting my bearings and discovering each new place that I travel to.
So where have I travelled to in the past month?
My first stop was the breathtaking Dubai. I was greeted with masses of skyscrapers and a city full of contradictions.
I enjoyed a night out at an expat bar, I got lost in Dubai mall, I was in awe of the amazing architecture, I learned about Dubai’s culture and history in Dubai museum and I had an experience of a lifetime on a desert safari.
I fell in love with the exotic Arabian culture and decided that I would love to work in Dubai one day!
Jumeirah Mosque
Then I landed in an Island very different to the urban utopia that is Dubai: Sri Lanka! I was greeted with chaos in Colombo, cows on the road and crazy drivers aplenty. I had some amazing experiences on this Island paradise starting with being a beach bum in Hikkaduwa. After acclimatising and getting over slight culture shock it was time to explore the Island. I will be writing about my experiences very soon!
Sri Lanka definitely made me a stronger person.
Sri Lanka has such beautiful beaches! I’m scared that nothing I see on my travels will compare!
I am now in super clean, super organised Singapore and I love it! It’s a much needed taste of the West. I’m enjoying the variety of food after eating rice and curry nearly everyday in Sri Lanka and my heart rate is beginning to slow down now that I don’t have to dodge crazy tuk tuk drivers, bus drivers and cows when walking down the street!
I even met a Scouser today! That made me feel more at home!
Surprisingly I have spent a lot less than I expected, even though I have been having amazing experiences every couple of days! You can live cheaply in any city if you spend wisely!
Total countries visted= 3, UAE, Sri Lanka, Singapore
Languages attempted= 2, Arabic and Sinhala
Mosquito bites= 1052735 (approx)
Items lost = 1 pair of flip flops, ipod shuffle, tweezers, travel wash, umbrella pacsafe case, travel adaptor and probably many more…..
Injuries sustained= Just bruises on my head from falling asleep on a Sri Lankan bus and a bruised ankle from falling over on a Sri Lankan bus (Sri Lankan buses are dangerous!)
Pizzas consumed= 4 (They had pizza hut in Sri Lanka! Thank goodness!!)
Rice and curries consumed = 243 (approx) I have had enough rice and curry to last a lifetime….
To Do list
I need to lighten the load in my bag! My bag weighs 19kg now! It’s manageable but far too heavy to carry for long distances. I need to have a sort out and send some things home or throw them out. My toiletries weigh more than anything. I thought I was really clever bringing 6 bottles of sun tan lotion but they are just not needed! I’ve only used one so far! I have not even gone through one of my 4 cans of deodorant either…..
I also need to eat my way through Singapore….
So what do you think of my first month of travel?
Does anyone have any ideas about what I can post home/throw out of my bags to lighten the load?
im only sorry when i had the chance i didnt stop in dubai for a few days, instead of bein in the airport for a few hours, it looks amazing
I loved Dubai, am amazing city! I would love to go there again, maybe even live there!
Great post. Hopefully many more wonderful months to come/
Yep! Every day is so different and I have experienced so many amazing things, It’s amazing but a little bit overwhelming! I can’t wait for Thailand and the ‘backpacker scene’ though!
Haha, I did tell you that you not to worry so much about the sun screen 😛 You’ve fit in so much already, can’t wait to hear about the rest of your year!
Oh I know, no need for a years supply of sunscreen and deodorant….
I feel like I have had too many good experiences believe it or not! How can I top watching blue whales, swimming with turtles, universal studios, riding an elephant, riding a camel and the rest!?
I still have like 4 bottles left…. Surprisingly i’m not sunbathing all day everyday haha x
IMO, you can probably send some of your clothes home. you probably don’t need so many bikinis… doing laundry is cheap in Asia.
I know, I need to send some clothes home. I love my bikinis though! I miss not having a variety of clothes to choose from though.
I am regretting bringing so many bikinis now, they are so pretty though 🙁
It was an amazing trip specially Safari of Dubai, because I meet you there and we enjoyed together, hope to meet you again in another trip, love you Stephanie 🙂
Aww thank you so much May! I’m so glad I met you there too! We had so much fun that day, I would deffo do it again! I might visit you in Egypt sometime on my travels 🙂 xx
Hi Terri. Hotel prices in Dubai have drpoepd quite a fair bit. What is your budget? If you want to stay near the airport, there is the Premier Inn (~ 250dhs) which provides free shuttle service to the airport and Dubai Metro. If you know where you want to go, the Metro is a cheap way of moving around. You can also search around for hotels which are near the Metro stns. There might be some good deals for 4-star hotels. Dubai is not unlike KL in that the place is quite sprawled out. If you can shortlist some hotels, I can perhaps let you know whether the place is good or not. But I am no expert in Dubai as I hardly stay there. We just do day trips.As for food, whenever we go to Dubai, we usually go for Chinese food. So can’t recommend any good Arabian food! Indian food is also quite good here.The Burj Khalifa has just re-opened their observation deck. I think it costs about 120dhs to get there. You also might be interested in the Burj Al Arab as well. I personally have not gone there though.Souq Madinat Jumeirah is quite a lovely mall to visit as it is based on Arab architecture. And of course very touristy..Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah could be a worthwhile visit.. just to see this engineering marvel. Though you might a better aerial view from the Burj Khalifa observation deck.The Global Village mentioned by Lianne has closed for the season. They are only open in winter.You can email me for more details.
Hi Leila,I loved Dubai a lot more than KL, I thought that KL had no charm or grace.
Thanks for your tips!