Bangkok:
I've been in Bangkok now for 5 days and it's certainly been an interesting few days. My struggle here hasn't been so much culture shock, at least not like what I experienced in Ghana. Here, it's been more adjusting to this new backpacker lifestyle that I signed myself up for.
I purposely left SE Asia up in the air. I had a loose plan and my lonely planet, that's all I needed I kept telling myself. Well... Everyone from websites, books, and people said the number one rule of long term travel is to not over plan. So, I went against my nature and didn't.
Fast forward to the present: what in the hell am I going to do with myself for the next 4 months??? What I forgot about in all this planning and not planning pre-trip frenzy was, well, me. The kind of person I am, the kind of traveler I am. I am organized and structured, I love making lists. I heart post-it's! I rarely would sit around on a day off and wonder what to do with myself. This backpacker lifestyle that you all are so envious of? It's not how I like to travel, at all. To much time on my hands and I get antsy. I like to be busy. I've realized that I kinda like being on tours for there structure. Someone else can figure where's the best place to stay and how to get to the ruins and to the next city. I can relax and ask from the back of the bus, hey, are we there yet?
At first, I felt ashamed. Isn't the solo life what I had wanted? Would I miss out on some vital organic solo travel experience by spending the majority of my time on tours? But you know what? It's my life, my time, and my experience. If that's what makes me happy for the next few months, I'm gonna do it. Websites, books, and people be damned. My sanity is more important.
The point is, that everyone travels differently and there is no right or wrong way to do this journey. I'm just trying to figure out how to do mine.
Wish me luck, tomorrow I am finally leaving Bangkok to begin my trek up north!
I've been in Bangkok now for 5 days and it's certainly been an interesting few days. My struggle here hasn't been so much culture shock, at least not like what I experienced in Ghana. Here, it's been more adjusting to this new backpacker lifestyle that I signed myself up for.
I purposely left SE Asia up in the air. I had a loose plan and my lonely planet, that's all I needed I kept telling myself. Well... Everyone from websites, books, and people said the number one rule of long term travel is to not over plan. So, I went against my nature and didn't.
Fast forward to the present: what in the hell am I going to do with myself for the next 4 months??? What I forgot about in all this planning and not planning pre-trip frenzy was, well, me. The kind of person I am, the kind of traveler I am. I am organized and structured, I love making lists. I heart post-it's! I rarely would sit around on a day off and wonder what to do with myself. This backpacker lifestyle that you all are so envious of? It's not how I like to travel, at all. To much time on my hands and I get antsy. I like to be busy. I've realized that I kinda like being on tours for there structure. Someone else can figure where's the best place to stay and how to get to the ruins and to the next city. I can relax and ask from the back of the bus, hey, are we there yet?
At first, I felt ashamed. Isn't the solo life what I had wanted? Would I miss out on some vital organic solo travel experience by spending the majority of my time on tours? But you know what? It's my life, my time, and my experience. If that's what makes me happy for the next few months, I'm gonna do it. Websites, books, and people be damned. My sanity is more important.
The point is, that everyone travels differently and there is no right or wrong way to do this journey. I'm just trying to figure out how to do mine.
Wish me luck, tomorrow I am finally leaving Bangkok to begin my trek up north!
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