Goodbye, Southeast Asia...for now
'Roads are a record of those who have gone before.'
Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust: A History of Walking
We are leaving Thailand tomorrow. It has been twelve weeks of some of the best experiences and moments of my life. From the beaches of Da Nang to the mountains of Chiang Mai, Southeast Asia has turned out to be every bit of magic that we thought it could be - and then some. One decision that I am so excited and happy that we did go with was the choice to hire a scooter for our time both here and in Vietnam. I have said it before and I will say it again, if you have the means and the opportunity (and the confidence and the peace of mind) to hire a scooter, then do it. There truly is nothing like seeing Southeast Asia (and most of, if not the rest, of the world) by scooter. You really immerse yourself in it all.
Every moment has genuinely been the greatest. There are some standouts, of course. In Vietnam, watching Josh learn to surf, getting drunk in the city and then getting cocktails and cake and sitting on the beach listening to the waves crash at around midnight before walking home after, seeing the dragon bridge breathe fire, riding Hai Van Pass (obviously), exploring Hoi An and My Son, and going on little adventures around Son Tra Mountain, come to mind. Here in Thailand, the elephant sanctuary (again, obviously), the walking markets, the old city, delicious (and by far favourite meal) Khao Soi, drinks by the pool, and the scooter adventures have been so memorable and so special. Actually, food is always a highlight in Southeast Asia, we have decided. Part of me does not want to leave and yet I cannot wait to go home and hug our loved ones and party with them all.
I left Australia for those three months with a fresh degree, no job, and no address. I am going back to go to my official graduation, with a job in my dream career field, and am excited for whatever it is that comes next for Josh and I. I already know that we will come back to both Vietnam and Thailand, maybe even multiple times. I have loved every moment, even the ones where we were running on low sleep, scrambling to find wifi to find and place to live in, and working late into the nights sometimes. All of it has been so worth it and it makes me so phenomenally excited to see where we go next. I kind of knew before coming here that I was going to love remote work. Now, I have fallen in love with the lifestyle and I cannot imagine going back to the traditional workforce.
I am so thankful for Josh, for the careers we have and continue to build and for the happiness and health of ourselves and our families and friends. If this first trip has been this incredible, then I cannot wait to see where we go next! I feel like this is just the start. The best is definitely yet to come. If you have been wanting to travel more or to pursue a remotely-based career, just do it. It sounds like the dream (and it is for so many individuals, obviously including us), however it comes with a lot of hard work and some challenges. Without a doubt, they are 100% worth it. I would not change a second of these three months. Life is truly too short to stay rooted down if that is not what makes your heart happy. If it is, then do that! Just be happy. Between that, your health and the relationships with those you love, nothing else matters.
Three months ago, I got on the first plane to Southeast Asia with Josh. I had just successfully completed my degree, I had just quit my job, and we had just sold or packed up all of our belongings. It is wild to think that when we first got to Da Nang, I had no job. I had no idea how to make the remote career lifestyle work, and yet here we are. I know I couldn't have made it happen without Josh's advice and support. I am proud of myself. We have both grown a lot here. Both in ourselves and as a team. I knew before this trip that I loved Josh but I never imagined just how much closer these three months would make us.
From the fantastic scooter rides (both long and short) through the winding streets of Vietnam and Thailand, to ticking off bucket list experiences like Hai Van Pass and a genuine elephant sanctuary, and every little experience and moment in between, this has been the most incredible trip. I cannot believe that our time in Southeast Asia is coming to an end. It is crazy to think about the fact that three months has already passed. We have had some of the best experiences here, some of the most special memories, and I am sad to go (I know that Josh is, too). We are sad to go home but so excited to see our families and friends again. So, goodbye, Southeast Asia...for now. We will be back.
