I spent most of last week thinking hard about the remainder of my trip, and I've made several decisions regarding what I intend to do, and what's going to happen.
I've decided that I'm not going on to Australia or New Zealand for the time being. I've lost some of my earlier enthusiasm for going (don't know why exactly), and don't want to dive in unless I'm fully committed to going. I'm not sure I've got the energy left to do it, and I'm also wondering if there aren't other locations I'd rather go to first even if I have. Finally, it would be very expensive for me, especially in comparison to other places I could visit.
I've also mentioned to some friends, at some stages, that I've been thinking of dumping my flight home from Bangkok in March and making my way back to the UK on land via China and Russia. As with Australia and New Zealand, I don't feel fully committed to this right now, and am not sure I have the energy. So I'm not going to do this either.
I've decided I'm going to finish my South East Asia tour as I originally planned, and then come home for a break and a rest.
It began to hit home in Chiang Mai, as I began to plan my possible way into Myanmar and then south, that I felt strung out at the prospect of making a whole new set of arrangements, of researching itineraries, and visas etc, and then actually doing it all. Of course, it's tremendous fun travelling like this, and extremely rewarding, I've had the time of my life, but it's also utterly exhausting and often very stressful, especially when you're on your own as I am, and I think I may be moving slowly towards my own personal threshold regarding how long I keep travelling and travelling.
Having been through so much of the region already, I don't think I'll need quite until the end of March to finish things off, so I've brought my flight home forward a little bit to to the end of January. I don't see any point in staying out here for the sake of it, not least because it would be a waste of money, and I'm confident I'll have seen everything I want to by this date.
So, from now until 23 November, I'll be exploring as much of the Philippines as I can get through. Then, from 24 November until 2 January, I'll be exploring Singapore and Malaysia (hopefully including a day trip into Brunei). Then, around 3 January, I'll head back up towards Thailand, to relax and reflect on my journey as whole, on their world class beaches, and then fly home from Bangkok on 17 January.
When I get home I'll see how I feel. If I feel I've done enough travelling for the time being I'll start looking for a new a job. If not, and I feel I want to do a bit more then the funds are there, and I may plan a second, much shorter, trip (possibly to India?), and go back to work fulltime after that. But, basically, I'll see how I feel when I get home and work from there.
4 comments:
Cool - how can I get myself a jeepney? I could do a bus service to work with one of those! :-) And live in it if necessary!
Glad you got away with the card shark thing, and the free breakfast. I wonder if he really does have another sister?
Have you had any ideas on what sort of job when/if you ever come back?
I think you just build it yourself (which might appeal to you). I don't think they are properly manufactured as such, they've just been developed by their proud drivers.
Similiarish job when I get back I think - either in London or Norwich. More likely London I would say.
When you are recharged definitely make your way to India. That place is surreal, I think after all these adventures you will LOVE it there.
Yes. I think that may be a very good idea.
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