After hearing news that our close friends were planning a 4-month trip exploring and experiencing South-East Asia, we decided to take the spontaneous decision to join them. Working overtime in our local pub, we began to save as much money as we could to take out with us and spend in what would be the trip of a lifetime.
Our route was simple, land in Bangkok...and from there? Well, good question, we had no idea... Let's just say our route was unconventional.
We were new to this, stepping out of our comfort zones completely, this isn't just your standard European weekend trip. Thousands of miles away from home, in the blistering heat and a language barrier not even Duolingo could fix.
We headed north, to Pai and Chiang-Mai, we got a real vision of Thai culture and food, exploring the vast rural areas of northern Thailand. From there, flew straight to Hanoi, Vietnam. We heard noise of Ha-Giang loop, a 3-day expedition exploring the rural villages and mountainous karst peaks of northern Vietnam, hugging alongside the Chinese border.
From here we took a month heading from North to South across Vietnam, stopping in Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, Da Nang, Da Lat & Ho Chi Minh City. After far too many sleeper buses, banh mi's and unorganised travel connections, it was time to leave the incredible country of Vietnam as our close friend from England was flying out to meet us in the Phillipines.
We felt like we needed a holiday at this point, and we are aware of how ridiculous that sounds. Phillipines was a time for us to indulge in island culture, sandy beaches and soak up some Vitamin D. We stayed only on the island of Palawan, leaving much more to be explored.
After two weeks it was time to say our first goodbye to a friend as we headed back to Bangkok, Thailand. We claim it was to meet up with our friends brother, but between me and you, we just missed 7/11 toasties. From Bangkok, we headed south. The island lifestyle was unmatched and wanted to see what Thailand had to offer. We spent a month traveling across Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Krabi, Phi Phi & Phuket. Due to it being April we even got to experience the Songkran Festival, famous for its nationwide water fights.
Unfortunately, this brought an end to us travelling as a group, although it did not end there. Various members headed off on their own exploration, now fully experienced in travelling, meeting new people and taking on new adventures. These places included Singapore, Sydney, Cambodia and Vietnam.
To conclude, this trip opened our eyes to what the entire world has to offer. We were hooked. We ignited Chung with brand new ideas for what we wanted to create, who for and why - a travel community that shares, celebrates and equips those who choose to explore.
