Chiang Mai > Luang Prabang

Another quick update.

Trekking in Chiang Mai was amazing - we saw the Hmong hill tribe people, slept in bungalows, and made some really great friends (more on this later.)

I then had a few days of adventure traveling. 4 hour bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, quick trip to see the White Temple, back on a bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong, then of course getting lost and walking 2 miles to find my hostel. Then up in the morning to cross the boarder to Laos and 2 days in a long tail boat to Luang Prabang.

I had heard great things about Luang Prabang and Laos, but so far it’s just okay. The food and people are much better in Thailand.

I’m finally 100% in the groove of solo travel and I’ve never felt better. Sometimes I even question if I ever want to travel with someone again. I like it so much that when I have a few beers, I’m tempted to sell my XTerra, my things, and permanently live out of this backpack. The world is so large and I’ve seen such a tiny tiny piece of it.

I guess this naturally progresses to what my plans are for the future. I will (probably) come back to the states in April, work for a while, sell my things, then likely head out to see the rest of the world in the winter or spring. I can’t wait.

I thought I knew myself well before the trip, but I’m learning that I know nothing. I am learning how easy it is to fall in love - with a person, with a city, with a time. Mostly the people. I’ve never felt that I fully identified with most people back home, I thought I was just weird. It turns out my people are out here on the road - seeing the world just like I want to.

Traveling is great to see what the world has to offer, but it’s even better for meeting the people I’m compatible with.