My Top Nine Best Travels in 2014

5th year of my travel addictiveness, adventures that made me want to go back there

2014 "the viewing deck" year-ender report

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” - Terry Pratchett

Recalling the moment when I've been asked what are my dream destinations, I told them only the places I think I can possibly achieve that time based on the resources and capabilities I had. Four years after that simple question, I still could not believe I already been visited the places which I only just watch in movies and "Amazing Race" routes. I consider 2014 as the adventure year of my travel addictiveness because of the following reasons;

1. I visited a total of 14 countries (12 new, 4 revisited), in which the majority has a very developed economy. Thus, high budget is required for any tourist visitors.
2. 21.7km biking to Stonehenge in Salisbury to Amesbury, England of United Kingdom.

3. camel back-ride to Sahara desert night camping in Morocco

4. parachute gliding above the cotton castle and balloon flight ride in Turkey

5. Masai Mara safari ride and camping in Kenya

6. 6-days Machame route for 5,895masl trekking of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

7. family road trip in Northeastern Mindanao (CARAGA Region) of Philippines.

8. adventurous river white-water rafting and tubing in Bali, Indonesia.

9. revisiting Japan for the 3,776masl self-guided solo night trekking to Mt.Fuji via Yoshida trail.

My Top Nine Best Travels of 2014

Kuda Bandos, Maldives

Gudauri, Republic of Georgia

Surigao del Sur, Philippines

I ranked these posts based on the adventure I have encountered, budget and how happy and satisfied I am through the planning, journey and the outcome.

9th: Maldives (smallest Asian country)

February 27 to March 01, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world. The highest point in the entire country is 2.4 m in elevation. Aside from that, most of my fellow Filipino travelers say that El Nido is better than the Maldive isles.

8th: Republic of Georgia (winter get-away in former USSR part)
January 28 to February 01, 2014
- this trip is astonishing because this was my 2nd winter birthday road trip as an Overseas Filipino Worker. Not just that, this country is one of the less English-speaking destination I visited which spice-up the adventure.

7th: CARAGA Region (Northeastern Mindanao in Philippines)

July 24-29, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because this is the longest schedule of out-of-town trip I especially made for my family. As I experience before last 2012 that the peace and order in this part of the Philippines is well-established, I gave them the road-trip escapade.

Sahara Desert, Morocco

Cappadocia, Turkey

6th: Morocco (Sahara desert camel adventure)

July 03-06, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because Morocco, for me, is like the Thailand of the African country. With its French and Arab language as the major two language that caters both Europe and the Middle East, it also offers the cheapest tourist activities along the Sahara desert. In addition, Moroccans are known to be some of the friendliest people around the world.
 
5th: Turkey (2014's best tourist destination)

July 07-10, 2014
- this trip is astonishing because Turkey is one the best tourist destination of the century due to its historical value, nature's finest and death-defying adventure.

4th: Japan (revisiting for Mt. Fuji self-guided solo night hike)

August 07-13, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because I somehow conquered the highest peak of Japan on a self-guided solo budget trip. I reached the point 3,300m (476m short of Mt. Fuji's summit of 3,776masl) before I decided to back-out due to strong winds and heavy storm.

Daibutsu, Japan

Stonehenge, United Kingdom

Masai Mara Safari Reserve, Kenya

3rd: United Kingdom (Europe's best visited for 3 times)

June 27 to July 03, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because United Kingdom is the first highly industrialized country in the world.Aside from that, I biked to the famous landmark of Stonehenge and trekked the short visit in English Fells.

2nd: Kenya (Bucket list favorite safari adventure)

July 11-13, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because African safari is everybody's dream, especially this is one of the top priorities in the bucket lists of achievements. In addition, Masai Mara reserve is the most famous safari park in the world for its big cats and migration hunt.

1st: Tanzania (5,480m summit solo climb)

July 14-21, 2014

- this trip is astonishing because I somehow conquered the roof of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro, tagged as one of the Seven Summits of the World on a budget trip. Altitude is defined as High (2,438-3,658 meters), Very High (3,658-5,487), and Extremely High (5,500+ meters). I reached the point 5,480m (an almost extremely high altitude) before I decided to back-out due to enormous unwell feeling. I'm 415m short of the summit.

Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

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