The hum of the Mexicana aircraft quieted as we descended into Tulum’s newly minted airport, a gateway that promised adventure in the depths of the Yucatán Peninsula. The landscape below was an expanse of emerald-green jungle, cut through by roads that led to ruins, cenotes, and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Stepping out onto the tarmac, the warm, humid air carried the scent of salt and earth—this was Mexico, untamed and full of stories waiting to be uncovered.
Now and then, the thrilling thought of visiting Mexico danced in my mind, especially with my shiny, multiple-entry visas for both Japan and the Schengen Area making travel feel like a breeze. So, when the chance popped up to connect with some colleagues from the international federation, I jumped at it without a second thought. This was a golden opportunity I simply couldn't let pass by!
2024 has been my most well-traveled year yet, filled with a beautiful mosaic of adventures woven together by spontaneity and delightful surprises. Even though some of my trips had a work aspect, they all provided wonderful opportunities to explore off-the-beaten paths, turning side trips into the beautiful highlights of my journeys. In this blog, I’m excited to share the vivid moments that made these travels so special—the unexpected encounters, the stunning views, and the delightful meals that linger on the palate long after the journey concludes. I’ll skip over the not-so-glamorous parts, though: the long airport layovers, the immigration lines, the traffic jams, and those frantic dashes to catch nearly missed flights. While these moments were part of the adventure, they didn’t overshadow the joy of creating beautiful memories. So, let’s dive in together!
There are places in this world that refuse to change, where time seems to rest its weary head. Camiguin is one of them. Fourteen years ago, I set foot on this small island in the Bohol Sea during a college field trip for an Art and Society class. It was a pilgrimage back then, a young student’s journey to find beauty in simplicity and art in nature. This year, I returned—not as a student, but with office friends, drawn by the promise of nostalgia and the bountiful Lanzones harvest, an irresistible lure for anyone familiar with Camiguin’s golden reputation.
Chiang Mai is not a city you merely pass through; it’s a place you absorb, slowly and deliberately, letting each street and scent settle into memory. Arriving here for the first time, I had 48 hours to peel back its layers, an ambitious timeline, perhaps, for a city so deeply rooted in tradition and mystery. Yet, Chiang Mai’s unhurried pace and reverence for detail allowed me to settle in and explore with a rare intimacy in travel.
When my friends learned I was doing a side trip to Geneva after Madrid, they
all said it would be costly. To my defense, I’d always reply, “Why not?”. The
truth is Geneva has been on my bucket list since high school. Geneva was a
great start to my Switzerland adventure from CERN to the famous Jet d’Eau and
the home of Swiss Knife and Patek Philippe. For four days, I explored Geneva
and the nearby towns around the lake and got enamored by its beauty, grandeur,
and quiet luxury.
Are you considering a long or working stay in Canada? Then check out our list of vital things you’ll need to do before you go.
Get yourself a visa or work permit.
First, you will need a visa or work permit to enter Canada at the border. There are different visas and permits for different purposes, so be sure to get the one for work if you will be working.
These documents can sometimes take months to arrange and require lots of evidence, so it is best to sort these well ahead of time. Remember, if you do not have the correct documents that allow you to stay/work, you risk being denied entry into the country, deportation, and imprisonment.
