The trip that ended less pleasantly was secretly also the best. A bit of background: I always wanted to go further and explore new things. I studied journalism in Utrecht, even though Tilburg had a better reputation and was closer. The same applied to my choice of minor. They had fantastic courses in Spain, but going to San Francisco without anyone I knew appealed to me more. The courses? Sewing costumes for the school musical, American politics, and analyzing Netflix movies. Fine by me, because I went to San Francisco! I'd never felt so alone that first week (how was I supposed to make friends again?). I was broke (suddenly I was standing in line at the American food bank at school because a cucumber in the supermarket cost five dollars?!), but I had the time of my life. I drove around the city with an American friend in her car, I took a spontaneous road trip with girls from Chile, and for school chilled We spent a few more hours on the beach in Santa Cruz: by American standards, a two-hour drive was just a detour.

Spring break broke, and through a Facebook group I met a girl who was doing her internship in the city. Was it party hardy Mexico or bounty hopping in Hawaii? We chose the latter, though we never made it there. Trump closed the borders for the coronavirus: no one in or out, and the timeframe was unknown. Ultimately, I decided at the last minute to go home, four months before I was supposed to leave. I finished the program online in the evenings (thanks, time difference). And a shame, yes. But I did learn how good it is to trust your gut, and how wonderful it is to sometimes know no one in a country and be able to rediscover everything.

What makes a truly unforgettable vacation? Is it the enduring favorite? Sri Lanka, where culture, safari, and sun perfectly converge? Or perhaps that first vacation with my boyfriend, where it didn't have to be perfect at all, and that's precisely why it became so?

Sri Lanka was truly an Eldorado: curries, beaches, elephant spotting – all in one trip. That trip has stuck with me. But other trips are also contenders for the title of favorite. In recent years, I've been quite spoiled with beautiful destinations – from the Philippines to Morocco, and from France to South Africa.

But when it comes to what truly makes a trip unforgettable, our first holiday together wins. Italy. A roadtrip Interspersed with cheesy Italian music, delicious food, and hours of sunshine galore. In Barolo, we stocked up on boxes of wine as if we were opening a wine bar, drove on to the coast, and finished in Florence—where we had nothing planned and therefore missed both the Uffizi and the Duomo. But we didn't mind. Everything was perfect. One big summer dream.

My internship at Turtle Inn in Belize, was also the coolest trip I've ever made. Where is BelizeBetween Guatemala and Mexico, a true paradise and relatively undiscovered, which I love even more. From horseback riding deep in the jungle to diving among the most bizarre fish species, it's truly incredible, and then I also get to intern at what I consider one of the most beautiful resorts in the world. Turtle Inn is part of the Family Coppola Hideaways, also known from Francis Ford Coppola: The Godfather and his delicious wines.

Furthermore, a few years ago I spent 2 months in the summer period at Curaçao, where I was able to help on a rescue center for stray dogs (which is a big problem on the island): Rescue Paws CuracaoBesides all the beach days, mountain climbing, and intense enjoyment, volunteering and doing something good for the island is what I remember most, and it's certainly important to make a small contribution!

Okay, fair. I don't really have a favorite long-distance trip (and I don't need to, I love Europe!), but rather several nearby destinations. As Bloeme already mentioned: what makes a vacation truly unforgettable? My answer is spot on: my best friends. Every city, every country, no matter how close or far – everything is fun. Curacao is one place that has always stayed with me, Ibiza a place you must have been at some point, but which I fell in love with this year Nice en Budapest.

Perhaps with a slight preference for Nice, because after three years, it was the ultimate holiday trip with my best friends of over ten years. Nice is, in my opinion, the best holiday destination, because it has beaches (both pebble and, a bit further away, sandy), a really fun and lively city, and it's affordable (always nice). But Budapest was my very first holiday with my boyfriend, my best friend, and her boyfriend—and oh man, Budapest is such a great city: incredibly green and almost reminiscent of the Netherlands, but just a bit nicer. Oh, and weekend getaways are also a firm favorite. Cities like Antwerp en ParisI want to go there every weekend.