I had been living in Mexico for a little over a year, and it was time to continue the adventure in another venue. I knew when I started this “slow travel” retirement dream that I would get attached to places and not want to leave. San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico is truly an amazing place and I could see putting down more permanent roots there. That, however, was not the plan or the promise I had made. I know there is a propensity for people, myself included, to fall in love with a place and before you know it you find yourself more or less permanently ensconced. After 25 years of being relatively stationary, I wanted to. Indeed I had to, keep exploring the world, meeting new people, learning new things and continue this new and magnificent phase of being.
I had ideas of many places in my mind where I wanted to go but no firm plans of where I wanted to commit. There is an underground among long-term travelers that I have discovered. People that have been out there for a while having adventures, collecting experiences and building an internal database of what they love about the world and the best places to find it. I don’t know if it was merely a coincidence, karma or my current mindset but, among all the good people that I met that had been there, everyone said I had to go to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand; I would love it, and Asia was what I was seeking.
I had never been to Asia before, but the thought of it did excite me. Everything I had read or heard about it made it seem mysterious and exotic; almost impenetrable somehow. The cultures, the food, the art even the landscapes all seemed so different and a challenge to my western mindset. Illogically, I even expected that even gravity might somehow behave differently. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I had completed a little tentative planning that would make the move simpler but only three days before I left, I bought a ticket.
See also:
- We Flew Nine Rescue Dogs Overseas from Thailand to Canada
- Why I Decided to Sell Everything and Travel the World
- Where is Home?
It is a strange and exciting experience to pack everything you own onto a commercial airline flight and leave for your new home, not knowing exactly where it will be. I was at the airport in Atlanta waiting for a flight to Seoul, Korea that would eventually connect me to Chaing Mai when I finally booked a hotel for a place to base while I looked for something a little more permanent. I knew no one there and little about my destination but it was exciting. I was on my way and beginning year two of LifePart2; my retirement travel adventure.
You are gonna LOVE it here, man. Can’t wait to here more about your experience. Keep us posted!
Thanks JR. It is amazing so far!
Yes, I can see from more of your recent posts. What’s your favorite part so far? For me it’s the food!
Yes, the food but it is more than that. There is a great vibe here. Life, while not always easy, seems to be more in perspective. I like that and as a Westerner I think we could use more of that.
That is so true. I’m pulled more towards Southeast Asia because of that vibe. Hard to get away from it once you’ve experienced it for what it is. Glad you’re enjoying it man!
Welcome to SEA and I’m sure you will enjoy every bit of it. Looking forward to more of your writing. Hope you’ll have a fabulous time here.
Sounds really exciting! I hope you really enjoy Asia, do you know your itinerary for when you’re there yet?
After I stopped and made a home in Buenos Aires, I was nervous about picking and traveling again. Once I started moving again, the excitement was back.
That is so awesome! Enjoy the adventure. Love that you are just picking up and going. It can be scary, but so worth it! I am in the mood to do the same again…Happy exploring.
Welcome to Asia and being an Asian, I would say, you would love many unique experiences here. It is really mysterious and exotic.