Backpacking Europe 2022 | Two Weeks in The Netherlands | Reaching and Exploring Hellevoetsluis

31st December 2021, I resigned from my job.

I left my job after my father’s sudden demise. I left my job and handled the critical situation raised due to my mom’s ill health. But, with God’s grace, once I started spending the whole time with my mom and taking care of her, she recovered well and fast. After a while, she was fine, and life started to normalise. Only then I began to think about how to lead my life differently. I was with no job at that point and had ample opportunity to do something for myself.

A Road Trip in Sri Lanka – The Island Nation

“Sri Lanka is my neighbouring country and within proximity to reach. I can start my journey from Sri Lanka.”

That is what I thought when I started thinking about starting my year-long travel project at the beginning of the year 2022.

The Teardrop Island, The Pearl Island or The Island Nation – is Sri Lanka.

For many days Sri Lanka was in my mind as Sri Lanka offers one of the most scenic train journeys, and I wanted to take that journey to tick off one more train journey from my bucket list.

The Chronicles of Laos – Episode II – Crossing Lao-Thai Border

Finally, I crossed the Nong Khai Border and the Mekong River and landed in a new country called Laos. At that moment, I could not believe I finally did it, and I added one more country to my travel list. Laos was the 12th country that I was going to travel to for two weeks.

Once I got off the bus which brought us from the Thailand side to Laos, I entered a whole new chaotic world. Lots of people across. Some are probably Thai people; some are Lao people; some are western tourists, border police, uniformed security guards and there you go, one Indian woman! Visibly distinct from all the other people. Neither I look like a western female tourist nor a Thai or Lao person. My army-printed Russian Backpacks and I both were distinguishably visible.

The Chronicles of Laos – Episode I – Getting Ready

I landed in Laos with no prior experience of this side of the world and no suggestions regarding this country from any other traveller or explorer; I neither bought a travel guidebook to learn more about Laos. I just wanted to travel to Southeast Asian countries or the other side of the world. I checked cheap flight tickets to travel to Southeast Asian countries, allowing VISA on arrival or e-visa to Indian Passport holders. Lastly, the nations that lifted COVID-19-related travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers.