2025 Recap: The Trips, The Blog & The Struggle

2025 has ended. I’m looking at my passport and it’s seen more action this year than ever before. Yunnan, New Zealand, Italy, Japan... on paper, it looks like the perfect, enviable life.

But looking at the backend of my blog, the reality feels fractured.

I started writing 6 months ago because I felt lost. I thought it would be idealistic. I imagined hitting "publish" and instantly finding a community. Instead, I watched my views plateau. I watched Google traffic drop. I questioned if a human voice even matters in an age where AI can generate a Yunnan itinerary in 3 seconds.

It felt like I was shouting into a void. And honestly? It hurt.

It forced me to confront a hard truth: Why am I doing this if no one is watching?

Just like that moment in Jakarta taught me about travel privilege, 2025 taught me about the privilege of creation and movement.

As Singaporeans, we are obsessed with efficiency...

📉 The ROI of "Wasting Time"

We are conditioned to look for results. KPIs. Likes. Views. If the blog isn't "performing," is it a waste of time?

I realized this year that the process is the reward. Writing about the food in Italy forced me to actually taste it, not just photograph it. Describing the cherry blossoms in Japan made the memory stickier. The "ROI" wasn't in the views; it was in the richness of my own life.

🏃🏻‍♂️ The "Clear Leave" Anxiety

We all know the SG corporate hustle. We hoard leave. We stress over flight prices fluctuating by $50. We wait for the "perfect" time.

Next year, I am going to break that habit. I will travel even when it may be inconvenient. I will blook tickets that weren't the "lowest fare."

And here is the reality: I almost never regret being too tired.

I’d rather be exhausted in Japan, seeing the Alpine Route and World Expo in one crazy trip, than be well-rested in SG with a blank itinerary. Money comes back. The energy to do this might not.

👵 The fragility of "Next Time"

Traveling with my grandma to Yunnan was a wake-up call. We often say "next time" for family trips. But seeing the world through her pace, slower, more observant, reminded me that "next time" isn't guaranteed.

So, how has this year changed me?

It’s not about becoming a famous blogger or a full-time nomad. It’s about a mindset shift.

Here is how I’m moving into 2026:

✅ Create for the "One".

I stopped obsessing over viral numbers. If just one person avoided a tourist trap or had a better meal because of my guide, I didn’t waste my time. If that one person is just future me reading this back, that’s enough.

✅ Embrace the "Bad" Timing.

I’m done waiting for the perfect alignment of stars, leave approval, and flight promos. If the window opens, I’m taking it. (London in Jan, I’m coming for you).

✅ Document to Remember, Not to Impress.

The pressure to be "faceless" yet have a "personality" is real. But I’m realizing my voice comes through in the details, the specific taste of a dish, the specific emotion of a sunset. But who knows I may venture out a litte bit more with time.

2025 was the year of volume, in miles and words. 2026 will be about intention.

To everyone who read, liked, or commented, thank you. You are the quiet validation that keeps me hitting publish.

Have you ever felt like you were working hard for nothing? Or did you have a travel realization this year? Share with me in the comments. 👇

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