Why I’ve discovered that traveling solo ain’t so bad
As you may have read in my previous posts, I travelled by myself for the first time to somewhere foreign. I’ve been to New York City solo before, once for a business trip and once to take advantage of a really great Expedia deal. But this was the first time I’ve gone an extended period of time and to somewhere far away, and quite different, from home. It was something I had my anxieties about but at the same time, knew it was something I wanted to try. Maybe blame it on Eat Pray Love.
Saying you’re going to travel by yourself, I find, carries a lot of stigmatism. The general reaction from people finding out you’re going somewhere by yourself is generally pity and some form of the following questions: good lord, do you not have any friends? Is there something socially wrong with you to not be able to find travel partners? Are you that pathetic of a person to not be able to find ANYONE to go with you? Aren’t you scared something is going to happen to you going by yourself? Etc. In fact, my own mother had this reaction.
And that’s kind of a shame because from meeting other solo travelers on the tour, this is hardly the case for why we choose to go on our own.
“Eat Shop Tan”: My spontaneous Asian adventure – Part III
Continued from Part I and Part II
Day Six: Free Day
Another free day to do whatever we wanted to do. What I wanted to do: be a beach bum and shop. And probably find wifi because since going to Koh Phi Phi, I hadn’t been able to get on wifi and I was having withdrawal symptoms.
“Eat Shop Tan”: My spontaneous Asian adventure – Part II
December 17th was our last day in Phuket. Last day of seeing ladyboys everywhere (though apparently I am oblivious to them and had to have them pointed out to me), seeing scantily-clad women dancing on poles outside, being bombarded by people trying to get me to a PING PONG SHOW or asking if I wanted a tuk tuk. We were going to a more low-key place, Koh Phi Phi island!
Day Four: Off to Koh Phi Phi Island!
We boarded a ferry to Koh Phi Phi island, an hour and half from Phuket. An hour and a half of sea sickness fun! By the time we got there, the sky was dark and cloudy and it looked like it was going to pour. And it did, as we were walking across the island to our hotel.
“Eat Shop Tan”: My spontaneous Asian adventure – Part I
Wow, it sure has been a long time since I made a post in this blog! In 2012, I plan to (or hope to) be more diligent with posting in here. I’ve just been so accustomed to microblogging and tweeting and, well, lazy.
So I begin 2012 with a post about my trip to Thailand in December 2011 – Thailand mainly, but with a few days bookending the trip in Hong Kong (mainly to shop, hence the Eat Shop Tan). This trip would last almost a month, leaving December 8th and getting back the evening of December 26th. A whole month away from work, a much needed break!
To say this was a trip I had planned meticulously for and thought a lot about would be a lie. It kind of came as a surprise. I was just frustrated with things in my life and wanted a change.
My Trip to Tokyo, Japan (Part III)
A three part “photoblog” on my October 2006 visit to Tokyo. Continuation from Part II. More pictures ahead! (more…)