I must explain that this ‘my 5 favorite places’ is actually a teaser for me, as I'm known as the gypsy who loves where she is at any given moment in time. Maybe the heading should be 'My 5 Favorite Places' today while at home.
I could name so many destinations that I have meandered around, from the golden sand deserts in Morocco to visiting Buddhist monasteries in Laos, snorkeling with my daughter in Sulawesi, and talking to a giant tortoise in the Seychelles. I have gobbled eclairs while wobbling around France, slurped up pasta in Sicily, gawked in awe at the Acropolis in Greece, and cavorted through a bucket list of various places in between; the world is my oyster to slowly devour. I have never been one to jump around places in quick succession as I like to linger in local corner cafes, listening to neighborhood gossip while watching the passing parade of people. For years, being a digital nomad allowed me to spend weeks away in any place, as long as my visa was valid.
The places below are my 5 favorites today, but if you ask me tomorrow, the list will change!
Portugal, San Sebastian – food, glorious food
Snuggled into the Bay of Biscay in the mountainous Basque region of Portugal, San Sebastian is simply a foodie's idea of heaven. From late morning to night, the narrow cobblestoned streets of the old town, Parte Vieja, reverberate with the bustling sounds of people hanging around bar tops sitting in doorways as they sip local wine. The air is infused with the aromas of tapas mouthfuls being scoffed. It's the land of plenty, as for every wine ordered, the bite-size traditional fare is a freebie incentive to indulge a little bit more at these pintxo bars lorded over by innovative chefs.
Indonesia, Raja Ampat – marine life and the endless blue
A remote sea of blue with marine life that will amaze you, Raja Ampat is known as a diving and snorkeling haven unlike anywhere else on the planet. Waking up in the mornings to be greeted by a pod of dolphins lazily swimming across a bay only meters from where you have your feet in warm, wet sand is a feeling of being at one with the natural world. While diving, its depths will have you face to face with manta rays, sharks, and even pygmy sea horses amidst its rich underworld biodiversity. The islands are picture postcard perfect for escapists wishing to play in crystal clear water like mythical mermaids.
Patagonia – wildlife and remote wild open spaces
Wild and untamed, with never-ending horizons of open spaces where guanacos roam, Patagonia encompasses both Chile and Argentina, the southernmost enclave of South America. This is where you will find the incredible and dramatic Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares National Parks, amongst 17 national parks in total. From endless breathtaking vistas of steppes, grasslands, and deserts to brilliant blue icebergs and soaring mountainous peaks sprinkled with snow, it's a land for the outdoorsy type where condors majestically fly and pumas stealthily hunt.
Africa – animals and culture
If given the chance, I would go back to anywhere in Africa. It's a massive continent that intrigues me, not just for its animals but also for its diverse and rich cultural heritage. Having been to Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Botswana, Africa gets under your skin. With 54 countries in total, I still have plenty left to experience.
From camping under the stars in inky skies to hearing a lion roar or the constant rustle of an elephant scratching itself on a tree beside your bed in the middle of the night, Africa holds a vast number of experiences that you will never forget.
Myanmar – the people and the massive Irrawaddy River
In 2012, I spent three months meandering Myanmar, which is not something you can do today. The country’s people captured my heart, and the incredible landscape was perfect fodder for my camera. This country is not recommended to go to now, but I couldn't leave it off my list. A tortured land with over 100 ethnic groups and once known as Burma, Myanmar will forever be a favorite place of mine. Cleaning ladies at Yangon's airport painted my face with thanaka. Inlet Lake was a theatrical performance by its fishermen, one of whom took me back to his village to meet his family. Sunset amidst Bagan's temples and pagodas was a golden vision that left me speechless, and walking with the monks over the 1.2 km teak U Bein bridge stretching over Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura was to put my feet where others have since 1850. I sat with the locals on an old wooden ferry plying its way along the Irrawaddy River from the north outpost town of Bamaw to Mandalay, which sits north of Yangon, and shed tears not just at the beauty of the riverbanks laden with golden temples but with sadness at the illegal logging of about 1.5 million hectares of forest. The felled monster logs of teak and ironwood stacked on the riverbank dwarfed everything within sight in a display of total devastation.
Today, most governments have classed Myanmar as a no-go zone due to the country’s military violence, economic collapse, and recent earthquake destruction. It will always be a land of mystery and fascination where I was given so many smiles on any given day that it humbled me to experience their lives and poverty-stricken circumstances.
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
