26/12/2025
Earlier this year I made the brave decision to follow my heart and travel solo in SE Asia. My travel companion for 3 months headed home & I started my first solo adventure.
I travelled abroad a lot before having kids but never solo so I was a little anxious & very apprehensive. Determined to give it a go I reassured myself that I could be home in 48hrs if I found it too difficult.
My first week alone in northern Thailand was testing, I already knew loneliness would be one of my biggest challenges and my emotions got the better of me at times, but the desire I had to travel & see the world was so strong that I knew I had to go it alone or live with regrets. I could find plenty of reasons to return home, not least my kids, but their encouragement, daily messages, & FaceTime helped me through that first week or two.
As my confidence grew I began to enjoy being solo, those scary first few times eating out alone were now restful moments were I could sit & watch the world go by, & the worry about getting on the wrong bus became an amusing adventure. Yes there were occasions where I felt a little lovely at times but I’d remind myself that I was free to do whatever I pleased whenever I wanted, and a call home for a chat was usually an instant uplift.
As my confidence grew I realised all language barriers are easily overcome with a beautiful smile, a nod of the head, & an open mind.
I found peace & solace in amongst the mountains & rivers of rural northern Laos where the scenery & the kindness of people stole my heart. A simple life embracing nature can bring so much happiness, especially under blue skies & sunshine.
