A long way to Hongkong

I began thinking about doing this trip in October 2024, when I realized that I wanted to start my Master’s degree right after finishing my Bachelor’s. I told my parents I wanted to go backpacking in Southeast Asia—preferably alone. Guess what? My mom wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea.
It was kind of a coincidence that, as I was pitching the plan to them, Jasper happened to be at our place. So I just spontaneously asked if he wanted to come with me—and he didn’t say no :)
So here I am now, on my way to the first stop: Hong Kong, where I’ll spend a few days at Jasper’s parents’ place before heading to Hanoi, Vietnam.
I’m currently sitting in front of Gate 8 at Doha Airport in Qatar, waiting for boarding to start. I landed here about 1.5 hours ago, but it feels like only five minutes have passed. I’ve been to Amsterdam and Miami, but this is by far the biggest and most overwhelming airport I’ve ever seen—it took me about 20 minutes just to reach my transfer gate.
The change in climate hit me the moment I stepped off the plane. The humidity must have been at least 99%. Even though I’m tired, I feel incredibly happy. I can already feel the stress and tension of the past weeks melting away, as if my worries are just fading into the warm, heavy air.
I’m hoping to get a few good hours of sleep on the plane and I’m so excited for the next few weeks ahead!Read more