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Looking out the window as the plan lifted out of Bangkok, I felt a rush of relief. I had officially made it safely thorough the trip. I didn't get mugged, didn't get sold in some sex slave that everyone filled my head with. I got out of this trip exactly what I had hoped to. An experience unlike anything I had experienced.
One would predict differently, from the rough start of losing my bag, the taxi breaking down on the road and not having a bed the first night- I had no idea my trip would transpire into a life changing two weeks. The greatest part about international travel is you never know what is going to happen when you wake up. Each day I was surprised with something different I had yet to experience.
The friends I made within the first hour, my birthday packed with massages, temple tours and Skybar. Trying different street food, bargaining in markets and making wishes in temples. Riding in Tuk Tuk's and River boats. Biking through the local streets of Bangkok. Riding an elephant through the jungle, hiking into the rainforest and arriving to a sight of the rainforest that brought me to tears. Discovering the most stunning Zen Getaway hidden in Northern Chiang Mai and learning how to speak and interact in Thai all led me to file this trip as one of my most favorite memories.
The people you meet on a trip change you forever. Meeting David in San Diego to share his room so I would have somewhere to sleep, going down to breakfast and creating a long list of birthday plans with Michael and Gene. Riding the sky train and river boat with Laura, having cocktails on the top of all of Bangkok with Kerry, Sarah, Emma and Annie, Befriending Suzanne to tour temples and The Grand Palace, Talking about marriage with Susan at the elephant camp, Touring the jungle with Matt, Renee, Myriam and Jeroen, Singing around the campfire with Ramona and Kris, and meeting a person like Silvia who exudes positivity forever changed me.
All of these people made my trip and confirmed that no matter where you are from or where you are traveling- we are all the same at the core. We get wrapped up in our daily life, robotically moving through the day. They each provided me with insight on how they operate while unintentionally leaving an ever lasting impression on me.
If I hadn't gone on this trip I wouldn't have cleared my head to this degree. I learned to step back and put things in perspective. While operating at a different pace and in a different culture you realize that the way you are living isn't wrong but can always be tweaked- just a little. I learned to slow down thoughts and the always on-the- go routine. I learned to embrace what you have and know that you can never be too appreciative. People in Thailand give merit and donations every day with no hesitation because they know only great things will happen in return.
The biggest take away on this trip is that when you have a gut feeling to do something, don't let others perception of your dream deter you from following it. Lots of people worried this trip was not safe when really it was their own fear of international travel. If you know in your gut you can handle something and you are fearless, then you should follow your instincts. No matter what it is that you want to cross off your list, now is the time to do it.
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