The feeling was surreal. I was emotional yet incredibly excited for the next part of my trip! Halfway through my journey, all I could think about was how grateful and blessed I felt for my time in Indonesia. As I mentioned earlier, my plan after Indonesia was to go to Vietnam, but unfortunately, a very scary typhoon hit the country. It was a contemplative moment: should I take the risk and go anyway to see what happens? Or, with only a month left, should I just explore Thailand at my own pace, without any rush or pressure?

It didn’t take long to decide. I booked my flight to Chiang Mai, reminding myself that Vietnam would always be there for another time, and I just needed to trust the process.

Chiang Mai

Thursday, 3rd October 2024—I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I knew this was going to be a budget-friendly month since I was essentially starting from scratch again—meeting new people, staying in hostels, and doing more activities. It was going to be a blast!

In Hindu culture, we celebrate a nine-day festival called ‘Navratri,’ honoring the goddess Durga and the victory of good over evil. During these nine days, I eat only vegetarian food and abstain from alcohol. As the festival started on the day I arrived, I decided to visit a temple. Luckily, there was a Hindu temple just a ten-minute walk from my accommodation. What I forgot, however, was to dress appropriately. As soon as I arrived at the beautiful temple, I felt the weight of judgment from a few women speaking in Hindi—little did they know, I understood every word. Their comments were along the lines of, “Look at how these girls dress, not even covering their bodies.” I completely respect their perspective, and I take full accountability—it was a naive mistake. But when I responded to them in Hindi, let’s just say they were the ones left feeling a little embarrassed. Thankfully, the priest reassured me that I hadn’t done anything wrong and simply handed me a cover-up so I could continue with my prayers. Despite the awkward moment, I felt incredibly proud of myself for doing this independently.

Chiang Mai is home to some breathtaking and historic temples, both Hindu and Buddhist. With over 300 temples scattered across the city, many of them centuries old and beautifully maintained, the cultural richness here was undeniable.

It rained quite a lot, but there were also some stunningly sunny days. Typical of my luck, a few days in, there was heavy flooding in North Thailand—but fortunately, the area I was staying in wasn’t too affected.

Highlights from Chiang Mai:

• Visiting Maerim Elephant Sanctuary – an absolutely magical experience! We fed the elephants, explored, and bathed them. Truly one of the Jungle Book-like highlights of my life. I also met a lovely couple, Nina and Greg from Brussels, and we arranged to meet up for dinner and stroll around the night markets. 
• Trying the famous Khao Soi – a Thai egg noodle soup in a rich curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles… absolutely delicious!
• Trekking trip – this included visiting the highest point in Thailand, Pha Dok Seaw Waterfall, the King and Queen pagodas, and local markets. The group I was with was so friendly, and I bonded with another solo traveler, the lovely Lynn from Holland.
• Sunday Night Market – bustling, vibrant, and colorful.
• A full-body oil massage – two hours of pure bliss for just £25!
• Galangal Cooking Class – an evening spent cooking up Pad Thai, Hot and Sour Prawns, Khao Soi, and deep-fried spring rolls.

You might enjoy this funny mishap part:
One day, while wandering through the city with my headphones in, romanticizing my life, smiling at locals—BOOM! I fell into a deep pothole. My entire leg just disappeared into the ground. It was my first injury in Thailand, and to make things worse, an attractive man witnessed the whole thing. He rushed to help me, but ultimately, we both just ended up laughing. A few hours later, I noticed I had developed a “second knee”—aka, a massive swollen bruise. Now, I have a permanent scar from where my leg scraped against the edges of the pothole. A battle wound, if you will- LOL.

Ao Nang, Krabi

After about a week in Chiang Mai, I was craving the sea again. I booked a flight from Chiang Mai to Krabi for around £50 and made my way to a small island called Ao Nang. I stayed in a mixed dorm at ‘The Hangout Hostel.’ As much as I wanted my own space, I knew this was the best way to meet people.

There, I met a sweet soul, Raqueel, from Spain. She was playing cards with a German guy named Fabian, and they invited me to join. Before we knew it, we were sharing our life stories and didn’t get to bed until 4 AM—sober, might I add, since I was still observing the festival.

Railay Beach, Ao Nang

With no set plans, I tagged along with Raqueel and Fabian to Railay Beach, just a 15-minute ferry ride away. A couple of highlights:

• I was craving comfort food and lucked out with a delicious stone-baked pizza and fries. However, the Thai Panang prawn curry still lives in my head rent free.
• I stumbled into a bar and ended up chatting with a British couple in their fifties. We had deep conversations about life, and they even treated me to a few G&Ts.

But let’s be real –  there are lowlights. Not everything was smooth sailing:

• While trying to exit the ferry, I knocked my head so hard against a pillar that I fell RIGHT BACK into the boat—painful and embarrassing.
• I lost a few belongings (Fitbit, bum bag, charger), but thankfully, nothing major.
• I had a little “travel romance FOMO”—delulu, I know, but I was hoping for a holiday romance. I’ve heard so many people say they found the love of their life while traveling, so of course, as a hopeless romantic, I thought—maybe that could happen to me! Did it? Nope. But hey, at least I was open to the possibility.
• Hormones all over the place! I felt a bit off balance, which affected my mood.
• Overthinking about the future—classic me.

Phi Phi Islands

I lasted just one day. While the surrounding islands were stunning, the nightlife was overwhelming, and I wasn’t feeling it. I partied so much in Indonesia that by the time I got to this part of my trip, I didn’t feel like I was missing out. With all the cardio I did during the day, by evening, all I wanted was a nice meal, a coke zero, and some ‘me time’ to process everything and people watch. Sometimes, we all just need a moment of quiet solitude.
That said, I still made the most of my time!

• Took a long walk to one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.
• Climbed 343 steep stairs (again, in incorrect footwear) to reach the Phi Phi Viewpoint—totally worth it.

Koh Lanta

A 45-minute ferry ride took me to Koh Lanta. I ran out of cash for my transfer, but a kind solo traveler paid for me and refused to let me reimburse her. A reminder that small acts of kindness can make such a difference.

Needing some downtime, I booked a budget-friendly beach resort. I spent my time journaling, eating local food, getting a foot massage, and simply appreciating the moment.

A little journal extract: “I don’t know the last time I felt this content. I’m so appreciative, privileged, and grateful. A friend reminded me that I don’t need to chase anything—just embrace the sun, the relaxation, and the journey of finding myself.”

The things I am grateful for? 

• My friends and family 
• Delicious food on my plate
• My body allowing me to go and explore all these beautiful places
• The sun and the sea 
• Feeling so loved and loving ❤

Next stop: Khao Sok!

Khao Sok

The weather wasn’t great—it kept raining on and off. When I checked the forecast, Google told me it would be raining in Khao Sok National Park for the next few days. But I wasn’t about to let the weather control everything! I was so excited to visit Khao Sok after hearing such amazing things about it. Honestly, it was a dream. The national park is surrounded by mountains and home to the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world—I felt like I was in Avatar! This place could never disappoint anyone.

I made friends with a big group from Tamil Nadu, and they were so sweet. We swam in the most ethereal lake, went kayaking, explored caves, and ate at a floating restaurant. I was truly living in one of the best chapters of my life—I think I could have cried. Actually, I’m pretty sure I did at one point (happy tears, of course).

The downside? My accommodation. In the grand scheme of things, it was minuscule, but it was definitely one of the worst places I’ve stayed in. It was a cheap hostel, and I was the only one there, which didn’t bother me too much. What did bother me was when the lady handed me a smelly blanket—apparently, that was my towel. Oh, and then she warned me never to open the balcony door unless I wanted to be attacked by violent monkeys who gathered there nearly every night. She wasn’t wrong. At 3 AM, I was woken up by a gang of them scrapping on the balcony—it was slightly terrifying.

To make matters worse, there was no running water in the tiny, rundown bathroom. I couldn’t wash my face, take a shower, or even flush the toilet. Definitely a bit of a nightmare, but hey, all part of the experience!

Khao Lak

Now, on the flip side, Khao Lak had the best accommodation I booked for myself. The bathroom situation? Incredible. A powerful hot shower, squeaky clean—honestly, a dream. Funny, isn’t it, how we’re such creatures of habit?

After two days in Khao Sok, I was ready to move on. Khao Lak is a small village in Phang Nga province, south of the main mountain. The vibe was peaceful and relaxed—not much to do apart from chilling and catching magical sunsets.

During my commute from Khao Sok to Khao Lak, I made friends with a couple in their late fifties, and we met up for dinner later on—ended up going for a delicious Indian meal. I loved how much I was interacting with different people—some my age, some older, some younger. It was wonderful.

I also met up with Pamela, a lady I used to work with at my old job. She was on a family holiday, and I was so happy to see a familiar face! We had dinner and a lovely catch-up.

It wasn’t long before my journey back home. My last stop would be Bangkok, since I was flying from there—but now came the decision… where to go next?

Phuket

I wasn’t overly excited about going to Phuket, especially after hearing so many mixed reviews—too crowded, a bit dirty, not really my vibe. But a friend suggested I check out Old Town, so that’s exactly what I did! I hopped on a bus, and after almost two hours, I finally arrived.

By this point, I was starting to feel a bit run down and regretted booking a hostel. But I reminded myself that I could have an early night and not put too much pressure on myself.

To my surprise, I really liked Old Town—it was a bit of me. The beautiful architecture, the brightly painted, century-old Portuguese townhouses—it had so much charm. It was lively but not overwhelming, and I was so relieved I wasn’t in the main party area.

This was also the first time I truly started to miss home. Maybe it was because I was feeling unwell, but all I wanted was the comfort of my own bed. There’s nothing quite like home when you’re not feeling your best.

Bangkok

Final stop—Bangkok, Thailand’s vibrant capital!

Since I still wasn’t feeling my best, I decided to book a little hotel right in the heart of the action: Khao San Road. At this point, I was so over hostels. Bangkok is an absolute dream for foodies like me, and the nightlife on Khao San Road? Easily one of the most over stimulating yet coolest things I’ve ever witnessed. Such a vibe! Though, I have to admit, this is where I really felt my age—I just wasn’t that fussed about partying. I was quite happy taking it all in as the sun set, watching every bar blast music with the deepest bass imaginable, while food stalls popped up everywhere. One stall even had a hanging crocodile—gutted I didn’t take a picture of it! But yeah… I stuck to the noodles, thanks.

Speaking of food, I drew the line at trying Thailand’s infamous insect delicacies. Nope. I’m adventurous with food, but that was a hard pass!

I spent two days in Bangkok, and even though I was still recovering, I managed to pack in some unforgettable experiences:

• Market tour: Visited two of Thailand’s most famous markets—
  • Maeklong Railway Market: A market built on an active railway track.
  • Damnoen Saduak Floating Market: One of the largest and most iconic floating markets in Bangkok.
• Halloween on Khao San Road: They go big for this, and the energy was unreal!
• Overindulged in all the Asian food I could get my hands on—zero regrets.
• Reunited with Raqueel for a shopping day at Siam Center, a massive shopping and art complex.
• Marked the end of my journey with a tattoo—because why not?

On my way back from the market tour, I shared a minibus with a few other travelers—and who knew I was about to meet someone who would play a special role in my blogging journey?

Meet Reetu. She and her husband were on a mini holiday from India, and we started chatting on the drive back. Reetu is a super talented illustration artist who creates custom portraits, paintings, and so much more. Funny enough, after we followed each other on socials, she DM’d me on Instagram, complimenting my page and asking if I had a blog. When I told her I hadn’t written in years, she was one of the very first people to encourage me to restart. That conversation led to something exciting—we decided to collaborate! And now, the rest is history. Please share some love and support her amazing work—check out her page! https://www.instagram.com/bongs_comics/

A little summary …

Oh my god—writing all of this has brought back so many emotions, memories, and the biggest smile to my face! My adventure around Southeast Asia has been unforgettable. I can’t thank my home and travel friends enough for their support throughout this journey—because let’s be real, solo traveling is a big deal. 

On my flight home, I journaled for the last time and wrote, “I feel at peace.” And honestly, that’s exactly how I felt. I took so much from this trip, but more than anything, I returned home happier, stronger, and more confident. Of course, leaving behind such an unbelievable experience was bittersweet, but I also felt ready—ready for whatever comes next, for the new chapter of my life that’s now pending (and one I can’t wait to write about!).

I’ve learned so much about myself, and I hope to carry those lessons forward. Now that I’m home, I know I’ll have to navigate the uncomfortable phase — job applications, getting back on my feet, ready to find love, adjusting to the slow and quiet moments — but all I can do is my best.

A huge thank you to Reetu for creating such adorable illustrations. I hope you all love them as much as I do!

I hope you’ve enjoyed venturing through my travels with me. It’s been so heartwarming to receive such lovely messages and support from you all, thank you so much. I appreciate every single one of you!

Until the next ramble … ✨