I just got back from my recent trip to Thailand but before I left, I found paradise and didn’t want to leave. Yeah it could be the fact that everyone was smoking weed, taking mushies and playing reggae on every corner that made it feel like a real hippie’s paradise but, upon reflecting I realised that it wasn’t the “good life” that I was so attracted to. It was the “island lifestyle”. The slow pace, small town feel of the place. It’s not something that I felt in all of Thailand, but this specific spot gave me the real sense of a carefree haven but with so much fun and activities on offer.
The only way to get to this beach is by a long tail boat which in itself, is a bit of daydream. Something about being on the water, sun kissing your skin just feels like a magical experience in itself. Then to add to that, the fact that you’re passing by beautiful, gigantic mountains with birds flying around the top tree branches that look straight out of a Jurassic Park film.
The people on this island, work on the island, live on the island and just enjoy the island. That’s pretty much it. That’s their life. There was something beautiful in that. They still had to be up at a certain time and have responsibilities but doing it in a place that people go to specifically to escape normal life and feel like you’re on a vacation doesn’t seem as gruelling as doing it in the capitol city where people are walking over each other and selling caged pigeons on the side walk.
Small town life is always said to be boring and backwards, but when the small town is on the beach and in paradise, filled with activities and good vibes, its not so easy to look passed. This place had everything from great food and fresh coconuts at every shop, enjoying the beach itself, options to go hiking, climbing, snorkelling, even horseback riding; plus the site of monkeys and other cute animals wondering about. Gosh even the stray cats and dogs looked healthy and vibrant compared to the city’s! There was something so attractive about this place and the prospect of living and working in “paradise”. Everyone is friendly, there’s music constantly playing and cheap massages and food on offer.
Alas, it was time to go home. Why though? I too questioned myself. Why am I leaving? I could stay. Could find a job here, maybe something like teaching yoga or climbing, maybe taking people on tours or kayaking. The reality is, as much as I love the simplicity and anonymity of the island life, there is an even greater force inside me that just wants to go back to striving toward my goals and become successful at something. The voice that gets me to training and makes sure I take my vitamins every single day without fail was too loud and it was time to listen.
The beautiful thing about the island life, is I know its always going to be there. It won’t go anywhere. Its good to take a break every so often and hit the refresh button, but its also good to know when its time to be disciplined and get back to hard work. Besides, I guess having a place to vacate to is more worthwhile when you have something to vacate from. I really love and enjoy my life, and the adventures I went on in the past few weeks just made me fall in love with life just a little more.
I hope you love life too. If you don’t, then maybe its time for you to hit the reset.