My first wanderlust

A trip to Thailand was the first time I packed a backpack and before this I’d only ever visited Europe and America. I was giddy with excitement when I arrived in Bangkok and armed with my list of top things to do I set off to Khao San Road. If there is one defining moment that installed my desire to travel and see the world it was probably here. I was in love with the way Thai culture blended with that backpacker chill out scene, pure chaos yet so calm! I look back and think of how naive I was that this place was such an outrageous experience for me, especially after another 8 years of travelling the globe and hearing how Thailand has westernized since. I was met with so many different experiences all at once, the smell of rubbish and dirt on the streets, alongside street food sizzling on the woks close by, a bob marley playlist pumping from a bar coupled with the urgent demands of street sellers.It was reassuring how easy it is to adopt the backpacker lifestyle, whether you have come from a backpacking escapade across the globe, or like me a three week break from the city grind. In that moment you all have the same experience, the same agenda and that’s probably why the first sensible thing to do was to grab a Chang beer and a Pad Thai and simply get stuck in. I look back at lots of things I’ve experienced over my years, travel, fitness, challenges I’ve faced and I realise that everybody has their own unique experience that should be acknowledged, appreciated and admired by all. Every marathon runner has to start somewhere! I look back at this time in Thailand and remember how proud I was to achieve such an amazing experience and even though it might be considered almost tame to the travelling world these days, that doesn’t mean I’ll forget how incredibly rewarding it was at that time and what a special place it will keep in my heart.And with that I pass onto you a message from my yoga class yesterday.