The fact that you’re reading this means you also have the desire to TRAVEL! Haha! If that’s correct, then GOOD!

I had the same desire right after I graduated from college and started working in the real world — with entry-level salary and meager savings. Even though I’ve been traveling since I was five (you know, the usual family trips), it was only after a decade (in 2006), when I was already in college, when the travel bug “bit” me for real. It started with visiting my sister in Sydney, Australia as she finished her fellowship/sub-specialty training to become a Pediatrician slash Human Geneticist. When I came back, I yearned to visit more places outside the Philippines and Asia. But I had to start small first, so my travel journey began by crossing off Southeast Asian countries off my travel bucket list — mostly because there’s no visa required (thanks to the ASEAN agreement!), and of course, since local budget airlines frequent these routes (yay for promo fares!). Little did I know, now that I’m nearing the end of my twenties and about to go on being “thirty, flirty, and thriving” (of course flirty only to my S.O. and bonus points for you if you get the movie reference!), I’ve already traveled to a total of 23 countries (the Philippines — my home country, and Europe — my dream continent, included), and to be honest, I’m not quite sure how I did it! 😛

But if there’s one thing I’m sure of, everything was, is, and will always be God’s grace. Call me religious or spiritual, but I believe that the main reason why I was able to do it — to travel even when I’m not rich — is because of His unlimited provisions in my life. He planted the dream to travel in my heart (especially the dream to travel to Europe) all the way back in 2006, and He has been faithful in that promise. He always is.

So yes, I owe it all to God’s grace. That, and my unceasing faith in Him, my never-ending hope that my travel dreams can come true, and my unconditional love for this life that God has blessed me with! Sure, God works on His own timeline, and it’s our job — it was my job — to be patient and trust Him fully. Take my dream destination for example. I wanted to travel the world in 2006, but my dream to travel to Europe specifically was planted in my heart in 2010. In 2016, I finally got to travel to my ultimate dream destination: the UK! 🙂

And I thought that was it. But you know what they say, when God blesses, it’ll be “siksik, liglig, at umaapaw.” We can never outrun God’s generosity. Lo and behold, I didn’t expect that I’ll be able to travel again to different parts of my dream continent in the next two years after my first travel dream fulfillment. He even allowed me to travel to other local and Asian destinations in between — and lose 30 lbs. to boot! (But that’s for another blog entry altogether! Haha!)

The Philippines. Hong Kong (China). Singapore. Australia. Malaysia. Vietnam. Cambodia. Thailand. Brunei. Guam (USA). The UK. Ireland. Taiwan. Japan. Germany. The Czech Republic. Slovakia. Hungary. Austria. Greece. Turkey. Italy. The Vatican.

I’ve been to those aforementioned countries (separate posts for each can be found here)… but I’m not counting anymore. For some, that may be a lot. But still for some, that’s not even half way through all the countries they’ve been to. For me, that’s more than enough. All my travels are personal, none of which is work-related (though I wish some are!), that’s why I’m not complaining. 😀

Sooo. Why is this post entitled like that?

Well, after reaching my travel dreams in my twenties, I believe God is calling me to a different season as I enter the next chapter of my life in my thirties. In short, my priorities are changing, I don’t see myself splurging on travel again the same way I did before, and this is my “swan song” to my “Wander Mika” self — at least the traveling part.

I say the “traveling part” because I don’t just limit the word “wander” to “traveling.” The dictionary defines “wander” as “to walk slowly across or around an area, usually without a clear direction or purpose.” When I came up with my “Wander Mika” concept for my social media accounts (including this blog), I defined “wandering” as living a “pointless” life without God in it (referring to the last line of the dictionary’s definition: without a clear direction or purpose). And that is where FAITH comes in. Because thankfully, I have the best “travel” buddy: JESUS. And through this blog and my other travel-related posts, I pray that you find Him in your own journey, too, and live a life full of LOVE (as defined in my life verse — 1 Corinthians 13:2) ❤

So no, you won’t see me traveling as much in the coming year (and probably in the years after that). Yes, I’ll still travel from time to time, but my next “splurge” trip will probably be in the next five years or more (I still want to see the Northern Lights! *hint, hint*). But rest assured, I’ll always be Wander Mika regardless of the season I’m in, and I’ll always have the “best travel buddy” in this journey called life: GOD!!!

If God has been faithful to me even in just my simple travel dreams,
I trust that He will be even more faithful when it comes to my bigger life dreams! 😉

I pray the same abundance and provisions for YOU.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY ALWAYS AND FOREVER!

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Got travel questions?
Don’t hesitate to send me a message or two!