Yangon, Myanmar
I am currently in the sleepy little Thai town of Pai, planning to spend the next week eating delicious food, sleeping for hours in my bamboo hut, drinking cold beer by the riverside firepit, hiring a motorbike to visit nearby waterfalls and hot springs, trekking to meet some of the hill tribes, and hanging out with the many wonderful people I’ve met in Thailand in the past two weeks.
Someone asked me recently, “What is the best travel memory you have so far on this trip?” Well, it could be Chiang Mai’s Songkran. Or it could be seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time. Or it could be paragliding over the Himalayas in Nepal, or partying with my best friend on the beaches of southern Thailand, or sitting in the Thar desert of India listening to traditional music after an incredible curry dinner. Or it could be, simply, that day in Yangon where I was so happy that I literally jumped for joy for hours and hours with three people I held (and still hold) so dear in my heart.
It’s time to send some more postcards. Tell me about a time you were so happy you wanted to jump for joy, and I’ll send you a postcard from Pai.
13 comments
On my very first trip ouside of north america, I went to Europe alone. after a few days in Munich, I had taken the train to Prague, and felt so overwhelmed by being there. Myself and one of my found travel-companions took a train to Kutna Hora for an afternoon. I remember sitting on a bench at an empty train station, outside, with fields surrounding us waiting for our train back to Prague. We had just made a trip to a small super market, and bought caviar, which I had never tried. I had been out of Canada for less than a week, but here I was, in this place that seemed so far away from home, with someone who was practically a stranger, trying caviar for the first time, and it all seemed right, like the distance wasn’t there.
I think that moment sticks out so strongly because it was one of the first where some place so far away felt so comfortable.
I was in Morocco for 3 months and within the first 2 weeks I had gotten very sick and had to stay in my apartment for 2 days straight. No TV, no comfort food, nothing familiar. It was awful.
But when I finally was able to go back out and walk the market and talk to the people I realized how much I had missed it and was filled with so much appreciation I barely knew how to contain myself.
oh gosh. um…. definitely when we flew back to canada after a year away. we flew into winnipeg and i cried when we landed because i was so happy. also when we were in barcelona, we hike montserrat, which is a beautiful mountain with a monastery on top. it was just so incredible and made me SO happy, i have a picture of me jumping on the top of the mountain!
i know ive said it before (at least i think i have!), but i LOVE your blog. it makes me so happy and so excited to travel again!! do you mind if i ask how much you saved up before leaving?
Traveling to the Magdalen Islands on bicycles with my best friends. We had a few miserable days of cold rain and high wind. We were exhausted, wet and miserable. The next day however was completely different. As the sun was setting,we sat on a wharf, just the three of us, laughing at ourselves and reminiscing of old memories. It was simply pure happiness. Sometimes it really doesn’t matter where you are but rather with who you find yourself with.
Being reunited with my bestfriend after 5 years of not seeing each other. I wanted to jump of joy and hug her for hours!
Being reunited with my bestfriend after 5 years of not seeing each other. I wanted to jump of joy and hug her for hours!
We recently returned from a short trip to Cambodia and we were deeply touched by the people we met there, in particular a tuktuk driver. Last week I emailed him a short note and picture of him with my husband and last night we received an email back from him. I was thrilled! This man who is extremely poor had nothing but positive messages in his response!
It made me jump for joy!
A few weeks ago, some friends of mine organised this awesome community get-together of really awe-inspiring people, creative types doing really cool stuff in the city. It was at a microbrewery nearby, and on one of the first real days of spring, and as we were all standing outside talking and hanging out with my closest friends and people whose friend I want to become, drinking beers and watching the sun set and cast an amazing golden glow on everything, swapping ideas about rooftop gardens and homemade beer and street art zines, I thought about the life that I’ve built here and the people that I’ve surrounding myself, and everything else that has come of this experience. At that moment, on that afternoon, all I felt was pure, unadultered happiness.
I would have jumped for joy if it weren’t for the pint of IPA in my hand 😉
Last week, when I realized that all the effort I put towards my desire to travel abroad will come true. Soon, I will be leaving for Africa. Just that very thought leaves me glowing!
I love your blog and your travels, so so jealous. now following!
hugs! Alexandra
http://moneuphorie.blogspot.com/
One summer when I was feeling particularly down, my brother took me and a friend out in our Jeep Rubicon, and we off-roaded for hours and hours. There’s a stretch of land near where I live that’s basically a common area – most people go out for runs there, or bring their dogs, or sometimes in the summer swing off the rope into the 40-degree river.
That day, though, there was no one around. We drove through thickets of tall grass and bramble, stirring up red dust in our wake. The adrenaline and the high of taking 30-degree turns and roaring across the stretches of meadow left me weak-kneed.
Wow, thank you so much, everyone! I loved reading your comments. Please send your addresses to thisbatteredsuitcase at gmail.com in the next three days to get your postcard! xo
Last night I jumped for joy when my waitressing shift ended. LEAPT in fact.
Thanks for your blog. I am pleased to have stumbled across it. x