In addition, despite the fact that I try to find something positive about every place I visit, there are a lot of places I just didn’t connect with for whatever reason, or didn’t have enough time to visit. I think everywhere deserves more than once chance–so here are ten places I need to visit again!

Cambodia

Some real talk here: I kind of, um, hated most of my time in Cambodia (except for moments at Angkor Wat and in the Ratanakiri Province). Awful, right? After an amazing, action-packed month exploring Thailand, my cousin and I went to Cambodia and so many things went wrong. We were both really sick; we’d left our friends behind in Thailand and missed them (and their traveling skills); the endless heat and oppressive humidity was getting to me; we were there over Thanksgiving and the homesickness was out of control; and honestly, the locals seemed to harass us, hate us, lecture us, or be annoyed that we weren’t acting the way they wanted. I feel like all of these things combined together to make me hate it, and I couldn’t wait to leave. When we crossed to border into Vietnam–via a boat on the Mekong, on a visa that our couch surfing host had done incorrectly which would make us get detained later (but that’s a different story)–I let out a breath of relief. I know Cambodia is a beautiful, complicated, impoverished country, and I think I need to give it another chance.

Read more about Cambodia here. 

China

China is one of those places that, while I was there, I didn’t love it–but now that I look back, I think “WOW! What a great country!” China, partially because of the situation I was in while there (an internship working with earthquake survivors in Sichuan province) pushed my boundaries like no other, and therefore wasn’t exactly a comfortable experience. I witnessed tragedy, heartbreak, corruption, illness, confusing cultural norms–and was struck by the resilience and joy of the people, and the country itself. Oh yeah, I need to go back.

Read more about China here. 

Thailand

Unlike the Cambodia saga above, I just adored Thailand. The smiling people! The food. The diverse, gorgeous landscape. The sweaty, chaotic cities. The idyllic islands. Thailand pretty much has everything, and even though I spent a month there, I have so much left to see! Plus, E has never been, which is reason enough to return.

Read more about Thailand here. 

South America

Is it cheating to put an entire continent on here? I haven’t been to South America since I studied abroad in Peru and Ecuador in 2009. That study abroad trip was my first real time away from home, and my first solo travel, which means that a lot of my memories are overshadowed by my homesickness, my parasite (yep), my idiocy (even more yep), the reasons I left in the first place (struggles in school and relationships), and my sky-high expectations slowly crumbling beneath me. That being said, now that I’m more comfortable traveling–and (slightly) more comfortable in my skin–I would love to go back to South America. I mean, there is so much more of that giant continent to explore.

Read more about Peru here and more about Ecuador here. 

Panama

We spent only three days there on our honeymoon in 2015, on the island chain of Bocas del Toro. I…did not like it. I don’t know why. I found it overcrowded, dirty, and rather stressful. So maybe I do know why–but I have been to a lot of places that fit those criteria, and that didn’t necessarily bother me. I think the Bocas are exploding with tourism and are not equipped to handle it, and the environment is starting to suffer. It really is a beautiful corner of the world, though!

Read more about Panama here. 

Iceland

Two 17-hour layovers were not enough! Iceland has simply exploded onto the international travel scene, for good reason. I’d love to spend more time there!

Read more about Iceland here. 

Vietnam

Although I would go back to every country I visited during my tour of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea & Vietnam) the one that pulls me the most is probably Vietnam. I can’t quite put my finger on the why. It stands out in my mind as the most beautiful, but it’s also the place where, as we were traveling so quickly, my cousin and I missed a lot of gems, or just stayed for a day or two. It’s funny, because we had some visa issues and did not leave the country on good terms–but I’m still dying to go back. Or maybe that’s why, and I’m just contrary.

Read more about Vietnam here. 

Italy

Okay, I know Italy is on everyone’s bucket list or return-to list. There’s a reason Italy is one of the most visited spots in the world–and I’ve only seen a few little corners! I haven’t even been to Rome or Florence. I think I haven’t been in a rush because a) Italy is expensive; b) Italy is crowded; c) I will always want to go to Italy and d) Italy is a place I can travel to when I’m older, too. Now, this is usually the opposite of my travel philosophy–I always want to see it now, rather than later, because you just never know if you’ll get another chance, do you? Italy has been creeping higher up my list after our visit to Venice, and the fact that we have friends living all over the country. Not that Italy needs a reason to creep up anyone’s list–it is Italy, after all.

Read more about Italy here. 

Greece

I’ve told you (maybe too much) how even though it was a crazy trip, I completely loved Greece. And I’ve only been to Santorini and Athens–there is so much more to see! The combination of relaxed (sometimes too relaxed, admittedly) attitude, delicious food, ancient history, and beautiful scenery just hooks me in.

Read more about Greece here. 

France

I’ve been to Paris, and Lille, but I would love to get out of the cities and explore more of France. I’m particularly intrigued by Normandy. Truthfully, I didn’t “fall in love” with either Lille or Paris, and I think France deserves another chance! And I didn’t just choose it because it rhymed with chance! I also am part French, and like any true American, I’m eager to learn more about one of my self-assigned homelands.

Read more about France here. 

Do you have places you need to give another chance?

Linking up with Wanderful Wednesday and Faraway Files. 

The post Ten Places I Need to Visit Again appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

I am currently in the mountains of the Czech Republic, working at an English camp, so I grabbed one of my first posts from the archives for you. Four years ago now, my cousin and I went on a giant graduation trip to Southeast Asia. We visited South Korea, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in a whirlwind 2 months. This post is from a rural area of Cambodia we visited on a whim.

Enjoy, and I’ll see you next week!

When most people think of Cambodia, they think of Angkor Wat, which IS amazing and should certainly not be missed. However, during my sojourn to Southeast Asia with my cousin, we found ourselves burnt out after the temples of Angkor. Although I found Cambodia to be beautiful and exotic, as one of the poorest countries in the world, the poverty, land-mind victims and mournful children can be hard on the heart (as a fellow traveler on the road said).

So, after the bustle of Siem Reap (the city near Angkor Wat), we traveled to Ratanakiri Province, located in the rural Northeast of the country. While very impoverished, it was so beautiful–we saw waterfalls, elephants, mountains and crater lakes, all marred by the Red Dust of the Ratanakiri (which permanently stained most of my clothes and my backpack, so take heed). It was here that we were able to rent our very own motorcycle. Although I never drove (I can barely handle my mountain bike) it was an exciting way to see the countryside, and the perfect reminder to keep looking for the beauty even when traveling takes its toll.

Each week Bonnie, Jessi, Camila and I choose one post from the previous link-up to feature. Be sure to check out their blogs to see who they chose!

This week I am featuring Tina from Girl Meets Globe and her post about her anniversary trip to Portugal! I love finding new destinations through Travel Tuesday, and I’m so happy Tina posted about Portugal. Portugal doesn’t get a lot of press, but I think it is starting to, and from Tina’s post, this press is well-deserved! The views are breathtaking and the architecture is so unique. Thank you for sharing, Tina!

Ready to link up?

1. SHARE a post about travel! From road trips to trips abroad and from past travels to dream vacations. You can write about travel tips and tricks, favorite places to stay, or anything in between! Just make it about traveling somewhere!

2. GRAB the lovely button above. If you run into trouble, just make sure to mention Bonnie, Amy, Jessi and Camila in a link! 3. LINK-UP goes live every Tuesday at 0800 GMT. Make sure to comment here, on the co-hosts blogs, and visit around!

TIPS:

1. Please only one linked up post per blogger. Save other posts for future link-ups!

2. The last Tuesday of every month will be a themed prompt if you want to join in!

3. HOP around and meet new travel loving bloggers! Check back to visit some of the newer travel posts!

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There is a place in the little country of Cambodia I’m sure you’ve heard of…it brings images of jungle, wild vines, ancient crumbling ruins, and maybe even Lara Croft. (No judgement!)

The ruins of Angkor Wat near Siem Reap, Cambodia, are indeed all of those things (except maybe Lara Croft, although it was filmed there I suppose…but I certainly didn’t see her ) and more. We visited Angkor Wat in November, right on Thanksgiving, and it was certainly a jungle, with ruins buried in viney trees, and some so immersed in the land trees had started to grow OUT of the temple.

One thing I didn’t know about the ruins prior to our visit is that Angkor Wat is just one of the old relics of the Khmer Empire, although the beehive spires are arguably the most famous, and that there are many others to see in the greater Angkor ruins. Angkor Wat itself was built in the 12th century and has been used both as a Hindu and Buddhist temple. It remains the largest religious monument in the world!

It’s also stunningly beautiful and really unique, especially at sunrise. Although we spent several days seeing all of the Angkor ruins, including Angkor Thom, waking up in the dark and meeting our tuk-tuk driver for the sunrise over Angkor Wat was my favorite part of the trip. The days were hot, and sweaty, and there are so many begging children and tourists it was sometimes difficult for me to enjoy the ruins, although I was exposed to an entirely different part of modern Cambodia.

However, watching the sunrise, in the relative cool and relative quiet, transported me back to what the temple may have been like, so many years ago, when it was mostly used for worship rather than tourism. Wandering the temple after the sunrise allowed me to find the small offerings to the Buddha, reminding me that it is still considered a sacred spot, and the immerse myself in the ancient hallways made of stone. Those stones have a lot of stories to tell besides pictures and selfies and postcards to send home. The stories of Angkor Wat are beyond mine, and mine are now just one of many. If you get a chance to visit, make sure to listen carefully for these stories, or you might miss them.

{waiting for the sun to rise / sunrise 1 / sunrise 2 / sunrise 3 / now I’m getting artsy with sunrise 4 / me and my cousin watching the sun rise / the view from inside the temple / soaking up the quiet / the massive ruins, still largely intact / an offering point for Buddha / Angkor Wat in the middle of the morning}

I’m linking up with Travel Tuesday, one of my favorite blogger link-ups on the web. Check out the hosts, Bonnie, Tina, and Melanie, or click on the link below!

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During our (by “our” I mean me & my cousin Courtney) tour of Southeast Asia, we had two Thanksgivings: a lonely one with the Angkor ruins in Cambodia, and a Friendsgiving on the roof of our hostel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

These two celebrations encapsulate traveling for me: overcoming homesickness with the reminder of the beauty surrounding us, and celebrating something in common with new friends. In addition, these two celebrations were good reminders for me to be thankful: thankful for the ability to follow my dreams and travel, and thankful that I have loved ones back where I came from, too.

Our Friendsgiving in Chiang Mai started on the first day of the Loi Krathong festival (more on this later). We spread a blanket on the roof of our hostel, the Green Tulip–the best hostel in Thailand, I’m sure of this fact–and filled it with quite an array of dishes. Superb salad, chips and salsa, Subway sandwiches, falafel, burritos and Coca-Cola. All of the American things we’d yet to find in Thailand. Despite the fact that our attempts to make Thanksgiving ambience caused a small fire (our blanket was not the best tablecloth for tiny tea lights) it was the perfect Thanksgiving abroad, especially as the roof was the perfect starting off point to enjoy the lanterns in the sky for the festival.

The real date of Thanksgiving was full of Skyping family, eating ice cream, nursing our travel illnesses and feeling homesick. It was the first time it had been just the two of us without friends to guide us, and it was lonely. It was hard to Skype with our families and see my parents and especially our little dog, searching around at the sound of my voice, confused that I didn’t seem to be there in person. The next morning, though, we watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat, and I remembered why I was on this journey.

Traveling isn’t always the easiest path. You don’t always get to be with all of your loved ones on the holidays, and you’ll miss them.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t beautiful things to see and new loved ones to meet.

{Photos: the view from our roof / Thanksgiving spread before the fire / our co-celebrators / Angkor Wat ruins at sunrise}

p.s. excuse my hair. While I would blame the humidity, the heat, traveling, lack of a decent shower, and all of that is true, my hair kind of always looks unruly.

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