Last year was an awesome year. Apart from travels, there are other things in 2013 that I am thankful for. Here’s a lottle, a little but a lot, bit more things I learned in during my travels, and adventures in 2013.

 

  1. Planning travels, and involving your family on your plans makes it easier for them to sleep through the night.
  2. Health is a priority that even budget can not curb.
  3. There should ALWAYS be “extras” even in budget traveling. You will never know when you need extra cash should you find yourself stranded.
  4. Intuition is like a voice of another person looking at your situation at a different angle. Listen to it.
  5. Being fearless is never always courageous, sometimes it’s also plain being st*pid to getting you in trouble.
  6. An umbrella can be used as weapon when you do not have anything on  you. Think Padawan.
  7. You do not have to be an excellent swimmer. You just need to learn how to float, and try not to swallow water while you’re at it.
  8. The best conversation starter is, actually, a smile. A genuine, and not a sly one. Then again, who knows.
  9. “No.”, is a complete sentence which is also best to follow with a “Thank you.”
  10. Locals no matter how accommodating, are also suspicious, but will amused if you try to speak in their own dialect, or language.
  11. Genuine friendships are accidents designed by the universe.
  12. Love is a decision.
  13. Happiness is a choice.
So I want another great year — a different kind of great than the ones I have had. The kind that would not outdo the previous years before because I believe those years were stands outs in their own. I want another standout, another kind of year that would help me grow to become what is intended of me. And this time, I understand that there is more to bravery than jumping of high cliffs.