August 2024
August. Wow. My feet were in four Southeast Asian countries, I traveled with a friend for a bit, I got four bug bites I probably should have seen a doctor for, and I saw things I didn’t know existed until this year but immediately couldn’t imagine a world without having witnessed them. We’re two-thirds done with 2024, and I couldn’t be more thankful for how it’s turned out.
Table of Contents
1.Recap | 2.Lessons | 3.Challenge | 4.Summary
1. Recap
Beginning with a flight leaving the Philippines, I landed back in Ho Chi Minh City with most of the day left to explore. I didn’t realize how much I loved Vietnam until I was on my flight back. This country is just incredible. That evening, I made new friends as we walked the streets in the rain on our way to and from dinner after drinks at the hostel. Some of them joined on a morning coffee run as well. Later that day, a friend and I hopped on a bus towards Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Successful first land crossing in Asia, but a little sketchy. Giving the bus driver my passport and $40 was slightly unnerving, but I made it through, visa and all. A few days in Phnom Penh with lots of history and temple exploring. The iconic Killing Fields were heart-wrenching, but it was a necessary visit while here. Then Arthur and I moved to Koh Rong Sanloem, the non-party sister island of Koh Rong. Three days of bliss in a private beach bungalow… need I say more? The 70-minute walk from the pier to the bungalow wasn’t the nicest, but walking through the jungle on an island kinda makes up for it. An evening in the city-sized China Town, aka Sihanoukville, made us glad our time there was short. Onto Kampot, we went kayaking through the “Green Cathedral,” driving through the Preah Monivong Bokor National Park with lots of Gibson sightings and quite a bit of rain on the way out, perusing night markets, and watching sunsets. We also said our goodbyes as I boarded a bus heading to Siem Reap. Watching the sunrise on the top of a 12th-century sandstone temple in the grand capital city of the historic Khmer Empire was something I didn’t know I needed. Three days of exploring this insane UNESCO World Heritage Site was absolutely incredible. And in addition to that, I got a four-hands massage (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like), got a shade darker while tanning, made some bracelets, and went to the PHARE Circus, where I watched very talented local artists for a full hour of entertainment. A full week later, and I was onto Laos. My route was Don Det - Pakse - Thakhek - Vientiane - Van Vieng. I got four bug bites in Don Det that I still have marks from, and are likely the reason I didn’t feel that great until I reached Van Vieng almost a week and a half later. That being said, I rented a bicycle and road around the islands, went to four breathtaking waterfalls in Pakse (I even swam in one and ziplined over another), went to a “Hidden War” Museum in Vientiane, and sat on a motorbike on the top of a mountain in Vang Vieng. So, it’s not like I didn’t do anything… This month was lots of walking and hiking, riding motorbikes (even semi-automatics; full manual is the goal of September), temple roaming, and waterfall adventuring. Couldn’t have asked for a better eighth month of the year.
2. Lessons
The biggest lesson I learned this month was that not everything that we think we want is meant for us. Like the female in her 20’s that I am, I learned this because of a boy. Woohoo haha. But, it can be true of all parts of life. Sometimes, we think we know exactly what we want and maybe even need, but it’s just not true. We don’t need it, and it’s not meant for us. It’s not meant to be. The good news is that another lesson I learned from a boy is that if something we want doesn’t work out, something better is in store for us. So, here’s to (im)patiently waiting for whatever is better.
3. Challenge
Yet again, I did not set aside time each day for my professional goals. While frustrating if I think about it too much, I also smile knowing that my time wasn’t wasted, seeing as I lived a big life this month. Maybe the third time’s a charm, so my goal for September is to work towards those goals a little bit every week. Maybe giving myself grace with the exact number of days will help.
4. Summary
I’m so excited for the last four months of the year. Every month so far has shown me more about myself, the world, and my true desires. Learning by solo traveling is the greatest gift I have ever given myself. It’s something I’ve always dreamt of but put aside once I had other goals (scuba). Now that I am prioritizing it, I know that going on this adventure at this exact point of my life is precisely the right time. Everything has a purpose, a reason. I challenge September to be the greatest birthday month I’ve ever had as I ring in another year around the sun with the people I love, in a tropical place, drinking Thai tea, and reading a book in the sun. Thanks, August 2024. It was good.
