A Year Since My Trip to Thailand


A year ago last week I was on a plane to Thailand, embarking on my first ever press trip and my first long haul flight. I was lucky enough to be invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to spend a week in some of the more remote areas of Thailand learning about the countries culture first hand by visiting small weaving villages and speaking to the locals. It was an amazing experience - one which I will never forget and I really think that particular trip helped shape me into the person I am today. From flying internationally with a group of people I met only hours before to visiting Buddha temples and finding my own inner peace, Thailand showed me what I was doing wrong in my life at that time, what I should be proud of myself for and where I want to be in 10 years time.

Travel is rewarding

Before I went on my trip to my Thailand, all I cared about was the next shoes I was going to buy or the next handbag I wanted to invest in -travelling wasn't on my agenda. However when I got back to the UK, I realised how much I learnt on my trip and my thoughts turned to how I can save up to visit another faraway destination. These days I would much rather put money away for a trip aboard or a staycation in the UK where I can learn about history than something that would bore me after five minutes. Memories are priceless.

I learnt that I can be independent

Thailand was not only my first international flight, it was the first time I had flown alone as an adult without my close friends or family. I was terrified at the thought of meeting strangers at the airport and flying across the world without anyone I knew, but by the end of the trip I had made so many friends from all over the world and I finally realised how independent I could be.  I was thrown out of my comfort zone and I survived and had fun. In fact, I would happily travel on my own again.

I discovered myself as a writer

When I studied journalism at University, I was taught to write about so many different topics and none of them really stood out to me. I have always loved writing, but I could never find my niche. Fashion interested me for awhile, but there was only so much I could write about dresses and after running a beauty blog for almost a year, I realised I knew little about beauty for it to be a viable career. I was invited to Thailand because of my fashion blogging and to write about the fashion industry out there, but when I returned, I returned as an enlightened travel blogger. I realised after doing my write ups of Thailand that I was very passionate about travel writing and I noticed that my travel blog posts were so much better quality than everything else I had written. A few months later, I rebranded my blog as a travel and lifestyle blog and focus on quality rather than the quantity of posts and for the first time in years, I'm finally happy with my blogs direction.


What has travelling taught you?

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15 comments

  1. I would love to have the money to travel the world. Thailand would definitely be on the list :)

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  2. It's amazing that the trip impacted you so much! Travel is a truly amazing thing to do.
    the-creationofbeauty.blogspot.com

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  3. I sadly haven't managed to travel much - something I would have loved to have done, would situations have allowed it. Perhaps one day! x

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  4. I would love to visit one day, I would love to travel to quite a few places x

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  5. I adore travelling. I think it makes you a much more tolerant person too. My blog is lifestyle but I have been doing more and more travel so much so I started a travel blog with my husband in January. I've been so many places already this year and have just come back from Traverse, a travel conference in Cardiff!

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  6. I have never been to Thailand but I would love to visit sometime.

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  7. I felt your anxiety just reading about having to go alone and meet strangers in the airport!! Well done for doing it, many wouldn't. Most probably myself included!

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  8. Great post. There is so much to write about but better to focus on those niches that interests us.

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  9. its great how you enjoyed your first international flight. hope theres more to come!

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  10. Oh how utterly wonderful! I would love to do something like this. Last year I traveled solo to Paris and found it very empowering.

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  11. Wow that sounds amazing! I have been lucky enough to go to Sri Lanka and turkey on press through my old job and think you get to see so much more X

    Miss Kitty Kaos - Adventures Of A Riot Grrrl

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  12. I worked abroad and I felt the same way as you, nervous at the idea of flying overseas with a bunch of people I didn't know and no comforts of home but that was 6 years ago and I'm still in contact with people from the trip and it really cemented my independence

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  13. Travel can really shape you as a person. I haven't done so much for the last few years but I hope to get time again soon!

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  14. I definitely agree with some points in this post as travel really is rewarding and I can't wait to book my next trip away as it's great to learn new things and grow as a person xx

    Jenny | Krystel Couture + House of Fraser Giveaway

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