2024With pandemic restrictions a distant memory, global travel has not only rebounded but seems to be growing at an unsustainable rate (read here about my thoughts on the future of travel). I've also reached my 9th annual travel review which is surreal to think about. My end of year review for 2023 is here My end of year review for 2022 is here My end of year review for 2021 is here My end of year review for 2020 is here My end of year review for 2019 is here My end of year review for 2018 is here My end of year review for 2017 is here My end of year review for 2016 is here My year started with a trip to China covering Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. I returned to Vietnam after almost a decade, going twice this year to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, as well as my third trip to Singapore. Over in the Americas I visited Guatemala City, Antigua de Guatemala, Panama City, and Belize City, as well as a couple of cities in the US (Denver and Nashville). I finished the year visiting both Panjab and India but given it was so late in the year that I'll cover those two places next time out. China and Hong KongI've visited Hong Kong several times, but last year was my first trip to mainland China when I visited Shenzhen. This time out I spent nearly a month in China, mostly in Beijing, but also with a decent amount of time in Shanghai - and a very short amount of time in Hangzhou. Of the four cities that I have visited in China, Hangzhou was perhaps the most beautiful, but Shanghai was the one I enjoyed the most. It has a little something for everyone and actually feels like a truly global city. From the impressive skyline of Pudong, to the open spaces and wide boulevards of the French Concession, and everything in between, Shanghai is truly impressive. Beijing, not so much. It's not a bad city but certainly feels more functional than anything else. I thought the grounds of the Summer Palace were gorgeous, and I enjoyed evenings in Houhai, but other than an excursion to the Great Wall, the city itself felt a little underwhelming. If there is one thing that I found super cool throughout China, it was just how quickly they are phasing out fossil fuels and moving to clean energy. Even though the streets of cities like Beijing were packed with cars, there was little noise and none of the associated fumes. That's not to say there was no pollution - there was plenty of it, particularly in Beijing, but to see a highway full of cars making little noise and emitting no exhaust fumes is something that'll stick with me for a while. You can read about my trip to Beijing here You can read about my trips to Shanghai and Hangzhou here Vietnam (twice) and SingaporeI first visited both Singapore and Vietnam almost a decade earlier and although I'd been to Singapore a couple of time in between, I hadn't been back to Vietnam until this year - and I ended up going twice - once at the start of the year and once at the end. Vietnam is straight up beautiful. I love it. I've been to Hanoi three times now spending over a month there cumulatively. My two visits this year were very different to my first visit almost 10 years ago - the city is much busier and there are entire blocks now that are full of only tourists. There has also been a lot of development around the city, but the streets still feel as energetic and chaotic as ever. Train Street (where a train passes through a very narrow street filled with bars and restaurants) remains one of my favourite places in the world. Ho Chi Minh City, on the other hand, feels more open, breathable, and livable. The atmosphere is more laid back, the night life and culture a lot more creative. This time out I visited the Cu Chi Tunnels used by the Vietnamese liberation fighters which I've wanted to do for the longest time and even managed to do a few rounds of shooting. Singapore is Singapore. Hot, humid, overpriced, sterile - but it is also clean with a lot to see and do. My biggest highlight this time around was a chance to visit Raffles and see the famous Sikh doormen standing outside, an incredible sight that is little changed over the past 150 years. I also managed to see six Gurdwaras in the city centre, my favourite of which was the excellent Bhai Maharaj Singh Memorial dedicated to one of the most impressive Sikhs in history. You can read about my trip to Ho Chi Minh City here You can read about my trip to Hanoi here You can read about my trip to Singapore here Central AmericaA significant amount of my year was spent in Central America, stretching across three countries: Guatemala, Panama, and Belize. Of the three I found Guatemala most interesting, Panama most fun, and Belize most relaxing. In Guatemala I visited two cities, the capital Guatemala City, and old capital, Antigua. I spent over a week in Guatemala City visiting famous museums, places of worship and checking out the cultural side of things, but my favourite city by far was Antigua. I visited during Holy Week and saw some incredible processions, some beautifully decorated churches, and some great museums and attractions. A highlight for me was seeing the city from Cerro de la Cruz, a large hill beside the main city. Panama might be best known for its canal, but the thing that I enjoyed most about the city was the old town - Casco Viejo. The whole neighbourhood is wonderfully kept and filled with narrow alleys lined with shops, bars, and restaurants. The whole area really comes to life during the night and other than the one in Naples, this stands out as one of my favourite "old towns". Belize is completely different. Firstly, I visited during storm season so even though I was there almost two weeks, a lot of it was a washout. The city, while perfectly safe and functional, doesn't have too much to see and do, but the islands are definitely worth visiting. I travelled to both Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker and loved the mode of transports (no cars, just carts) and although I'm not a beach person, I still enjoyed my time there. You can read about my trip to Guatemala City here You can read about my trip to Antigua de Guatemala here You can read about my trip to Panama City here You can read about my trip to Belize City here The United StatesOver the past few years, I've slowly been making my way to different parts of the United States and this year I visited both Denver and Nashville. Denver is super interesting, from its possible Illuminati-inspired airport to its scenic hills, mountains, and the world-famous Red Rocks. It's a very outdoorsy city with an open, laid-back feel. There is a lot of space, and it is a popular place for people from around the Midwest to come live and work. There is even a decent sized Gurdwara on the outskirts of the city that I was lucky enough to visit, but as a Sikh it's definitely a city where I stood out more than usual. Nashville on the other hand is the opposite of laid back. It is a full on, in-your-face party town that it famous for country music and it seems to be particularly popular with hen dos. I had a great time visiting the famous Broadway, checking out some famous museums and attractions, and experiencing the famous nightlife. It's a city where you probably have to be a certain age and headspace to come to, but I had a great time. You can read about my trip to Denver here You can read about my trip to Nashville here Looking ForwardThere were other places I visited this year too - but it was all places I had written about before, and rather than rewriting new articles I decided to relax and enjoy my time in Dublin. Mauritius, and Brittany. It was a busy year!
Looking forward, my big hope is to visit a few more cities in the United States and to write a few more articles on the different Gurdwareh that I have visited around the world. For me, the ability to shed light on lesser known Sikh communities around the world - like those in Panama - is one of my favourite things. Comments are closed.
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AuthorBritish Sikh, born in the Midlands, based in London, travelling the world seeing new cultures. Categories
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