Hong Kong ● China

Hong Kong was nowhere to be found on my itinerary until about one week ago. But when my friend Steven so kindly offered to host me, booking a ticket was the obvious thing to do.

I've been a sucker for skylines as long as I can remember, so my second day in Hong Kong I took the tram to Victoria Peak for the highest point in the city. The architects of this city were genius urban planners. The skyscrapers were literally built into the hillside of a small island, producing the amazing skyline that won over my heart. The following night, when I met up with my friend Matt (who also happened to be in the city... Small world, right?) and we took a harbor cruise during the nightly Symphony of Lights (the buildings light up from 8:00-8:20 p.m. to synchronized music), the view was even more incredible. Photos definitely didn't do it justice.

Although it was a quick 4-day/3-night trip, I jam-packed my days to hit all the main spots, like the IFC Mall and Man Mo Temple in Central Hong Kong, and the Jade Market and the Ladies' Market across the water in Kowloon. And I made sure to get my fill of Hong Kong's famous dumplings and noodles, which absolutely lived up to the hype.

By the way, if you ever need a hotel I highly recommend the Harbour Grand Kowloon. I stayed there my last night, and with a waterfront view and a killer rooftop pool, it's hard to beat.

Thanks for the great memories, Hong Kong.

Halong Bay ● Vietnam

When our overnight train rolled into Hanoi at 6 a.m., we had zero plans for our last day. Three hours later, however, we were in a car on our way to Halong Bay for a whirlwind trip.

Once we arrived and realized we literally "missed the boat" for all of the small cruise lines for group tours, we were at a loss. In a last-ditch effort, we agreed to pay $35 per person for what we assumed was a tour on a tiny boat. Turned out, what we actually paid for was a 4-hour sailing excursion with a captain and two crew members aboard a two-story party boat reserved solely for us. Call it serendipity, call it luck, call it language barrier -- whatever. We just called it unbelievable.

Previously, I blogged about moments in life that are so impactful you can never actually forget the exact scene. I can probably count on one hand all of these moments in my life. No surprise, most have occurred while traveling. Sailing on Halong Bay, surrounded by nothing but natural limestone masterpieces, I felt peace I hadn't felt in a really long time. 

(Insert sentimental disclaimer...) My year of post-grad life taught me one of the most valuable, yet hardest, lessons. If you begin to accept a lifestyle you don't want (your job isn't what you dreamed, the place you live doesn't mesh with your personality, etc.) it's easy to fall into a rut in which happiness doesn't come naturally. I was afraid this was happening to me, which led me to book my ticket and head halfway around the world.

As silly as it sounds, Halong Bay restored my faith in uninhibited bliss -- in having a moment in which nothing else matters, and you're just truly, actually happy. There is obviously a reason Halong Bay is one of the seven modern wonders of the world. You just have to discover why for yourself.

Sapa ● Vietnam

After a quick flight from Laos and a not-so-quick overnight sleeper train, we arrived in northern Vietnam. I expected Sapa to be a sleepy little town set up in the clouds, but it was bustling. We spent the first day exploring and getting a cheap stone massage (to avoid the rain). The second day, it was time to trek through rice terraces -- the actual attraction in Sapa.

Our awesome Vietnamese guide led us through three villages and kept us entertained with jokes. Oh, and right before we stopped for lunch, we watched a water buffalo giving birth. You know, just a casual Monday in the countryside. The first half of the day was relaxing as we fell in love with the landscape while walking a flat, paved path. Then all of sudden, we were slipping and sliding down muddy hills and jumping from rock to rock to make it across little creeks. Luckily, we had the Sapa Sisters (women of the local tribes) to literally hold our hands at times. One wrong move and you could be sliding into the bamboo forest.

The trek was intense, but the views from the highest points were incredible. When I was planning this trip back in May, I looked at tons of pics of Sapa, creating mental postcards. But seeing it in person was beyond surreal. The land is groomed to support a certain agricultural lifestyle, but it still appears pristine and unbothered. Sapa represents a careful balance between humans and nature, and the ability for the two to create something undeniably beautiful.

Luang Prabang ● Laos: Tak Bat

On our final day in  Laos, we started our morning with a 5 AM wake-up call. At sunrise, Buddhist monks leave the monastery in Luang Prabang for a ceremony called Tak Bat that occurs each day. Locals line the streets to give alms to the monks, which usually means offering cooked rice, crackers, bananas or money.

When we arrived at the center of town, a nice local helped us find a place on the side of the street and provided food we could give. In recent years, tourists who are rather disrespectful (for example, taking pictures in the monks' faces) have turned the ceremony into a bit of a spectacle. However, I found that it was actually very peaceful and while tourists did take pictures, they were on their best behavior. It truly was a unique experience as these young monks proceeded and silence filled the busy street.

Once the ceremony ended about 30 minutes later, we climbed more than 300 steps to the top of Mount Phousi for an amazing view of the entire surrounding area. In my final hours in Laos, I was reminded how incredible this country had been for me the past few days. Swimming in waterfalls, participating in a sacred religious and cultural experience, interacting with some of the friendliest people I've ever met -- all things I'll never forget thanks to Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang ● Laos: Kuang Si Falls

My first full day in Luang Prabang was surreal, and quite the physical challenge. Before we arrived in Laos, we knew we wanted to see Kuang Si Falls. The waterfalls are about an hour from the center of the town, so in the morning we rented a tuk tuk driver.

Luckily we got there before crowds of fellow tourists and backpackers. After starting at the base of the falls, we worked our way up a very slippery and steep trail. I had read about a natural infinity pool at Kuang Si and I was determined to find it. That meant avoiding tons of massive spiders and bugs, taking off my shoes to get a better grip and make it up a nearly vertical slope, and balancing across makeshift log bridges. 

Near the drop-off, we met a nice Laotian who took us on a quick raft ride to a more secluded part of the jungle area. We were trying to find larger waterfall that we thought existed (obviously we had no success). We literally hiked dirt trails for two hours before we gave up and returned to the lower falls for swimming. By then, the really cold water felt amazing. Kuang Si was definitely worth the trip.