I’ve recently spent 3 weeks travelling all over Thailand with two friends and it was a real eye-opening experience. Apart from being world’s apart from the life I’m so used to living in the UK, where everything from sights, sounds and smells to lifestyle and customs was a learning curve, I also learned a few bonus things about myself and other people (I’m not just talking about other people’s bathroom schedules!)
Before I delve into this I will say that I LOVED seeing such a wonderfully different country and apart from eating scorpions I was quite prepared to immerse myself in the culture of Thailand as well as the ups and downs of backpacking. I plan to do this again so I can discover more of Thailand as well as other countries!
Things I Learned:
My Health Has A Much Bigger Impact On My Life Than I Realised
Seems like an obvious one, right? Not to me! I live with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition that affects almost every facet of my life so I should really know how much of a ‘thing’ it is. The issue is that I live with it every day, I’m so used to the extra stuff I have to do for myself that they have become habits I don’t notice are different to other peoples routines. Most of the changes I make for myself are not obvious, nor do I announce them every time I adjust my life to suit my needs. I don’t feel that I need to because it’s usually easy enough for me to adapt. Travelling around Thailand really demonstrated how much being away from my usual surroundings proved to be a barrier to my health management. Te frustration of not being able to keep up or do everything I wanted to was real!
I Need A Lot Of Rest
Generally people see me during the day where I seem high energy. Sometimes I am feeling great and sometimes I’m not, I do a good job of hiding it, but this energy isn’t limitless. I ‘spend’ energy the same way a child spends £10 at the fair, picking and choosing carefully which rides to go on, whether the candyfloss is worth missing an extra ride for, or whether I’ll regret the decision to buy a goldfish. Same principle applies to me with my activities, if I hike up a waterfall there’s no way I’ll survive past 7pm as a fun person to be around. If I’m enjoying the night markets of Thailand then you best believe I won’t be up at 7am for breakfast. My energy is simultaneously being spent on the pain I feel, on the concentration used to break through brain fog, and on being with people. I can only recharge with rest, sleep and time alone. (more on introvert/extrovert soon!)
Fun fact: 10hrs sleep is how much I need to function as close to able-bodied as possible for 1 day.
I Know My Body Better Than Other People Know Theirs
This may be a fibro thing because I had to figure out what did and didn’t help me function when I was first diagnosed as I wasn’t given much medical support. I’m very in tune with what my body needs because it’s a balancing act, but this is true for everyone. It’s a skill to listen to your body which everyone can develop with a little time. I know when I need rest or sleep before I’ve passed out on the sofa, I’m aware of when I need to refuel before I’m hungry, I can tell when I need to exercise and when I need to stop, and I’m disciplined at avoiding the things that trigger symptoms (except for donuts, my weakness, I can’t resist those fluffy clouds of deliciousness!)
I can also see when someone else is lacking in something their body needs but have you tried telling an angry person they might need a bite to eat?! It’s a minefield…
Travel Requires Flexibility
I can now get my leg behind my head! Just kidding. I love routine but when you’re travelling anything can happen and you need to be able to adapt. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of routine, I love to plan ahead, I like to feel prepared. Travelling very much requires a constant state of ‘go with the flow’. Easier said than done because not only was there a possibility of changes to the trip but every single day was different depending on what we planned to do! The unpredictability was challenging but I found the easiest way to cope was practice gratitude and laugh. There’s a silver lining to every situation and the trick is to find it. For example there was an exhilarating trip from Koh Pha Ngan to Krabi with multiple vehicles and hurried changes that took all day… could have been a big stress. However I got to see a lot more of Thailand by coach instead of plane AND I ate the world’s most delicious banana. Sorry, Sainsburys, but your bananas just don’t cut it anymore in comparison!
Travelling Is A Passion
I’ve always had a touch of the ol’ wanderlust but exploring part of the world that felt so far away and so different has really highlighted how much I crave the adventure of other countries. As with anything that can be challenging, without passion it becomes a chore. I’m looking forward to ticking off the remaining Eurpoean countries as I plan my next big trip!
Doing Things That Scare You Is Rewarding
“Life begins outside your comfort zone,” or insert whatever other mantra I’ve used to encourage myself to do things I’m scared of in the past. Turns out the mantra should have been “I might not get the opportunity to do this ever again.” It’s how I trekked up a precarious trail to the top of waterfalls and viewpoints, how I went snorkeling for the first time, how I tried food I’ve never eaten before, how I got to the top of Tiger Cave Temple. Ultimately the fear of never getting another opportunity to say no was greater than the fear of what might happen if I say yes. Safe to say I’ve returned to the UK more willing to do new things.
Leg Room Is Taken For Granted
If you know, you know. Travelling in Asia does not favour those of us over 5ft5…
The World Is A Big Place
I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe, only venturing further a handful of times. It’s geographically close, but European traditions are generally similar, any differences in culture aren’t far from what I’m used to having grown up in the UK. Thailand felt very far away from home. The length of time it took to travel there as well as the domestic travel while there, plus the time difference (video calling mum while feeding elephants as she got ready for work was a fun one!); add to that the vast differences in just about everything from culture to food and my concept of the world’s size grew 10 fold.
Always Eat The Local Cuisine
One member of our group learned this one the hard way after deciding Mexican food was a good idea. We all ate chicken, but only one of us was struck down with the worst case of food poisoning I’ve ever witnessed. Narrowed it down to the refried beans being the likely culprit. Luckily, I don’t like them, so I dodged a bullet. Moral of the story: stick to the local cuisine at all times!
Wisbey Osteopathy 