Aren't we all just runaways?

[kaia]

I reached that point of "travel burnout." Planning the trip, I never thought it would happen to me. Travel blogs talk about it, but somehow I thought I was immune .

Yeah, no.

Who knows, maybe it was the annoyance of getting to Krabi Town after an overnight train or the different feel of Bangkok, but I was not happy to be back in Thailand. Everywhere it felt like people were trying to rip me off, or scam me in someway. At least in Vietnam they were open about it, and you didn't sit 4 hours in a town being herded into different restaurants.

I was so ready just to hop back on the train and roll into Malaysia, but the Thai islands were so close. I had to go to one, so here I am on Koh Lanta.

This is where I realized I'm not much of a beach person. I like them, and think they're pretty but I can't sit all day at the beach.

What Koh Lanta has been for me is a place to collect my thoughts. I did the beach thing, but I'm enjoying laying here in my air conditioned room much more, even if the walls are black.

Sometimes, I need a few days just to sit around, chat with my best friends, play mobile games, and watch YouTube. And that's okay. It's okay to not constantly be in motion, as I have been for a long time now.

I feel more ready for Malaysia now, so this 4 day pause has been worth it.

Comments

[passionrlsusall.livejournal.com]

Considering I've felt burnt out on and off the whole trip, I totally understand. I think one's mood in a place can really effect the experience and what feelings you take away from it. Interestingly, I really liked Koh Phangan (did you go to a Full Moon party? I really liked it for the first couple hrs, but then it got old). Northern Thailand, not so much though. I think its a lot about expectation or nonexpectation.. And Cambodia I liked, but we only wound up with 4 days there. Laos may have been my favorite overall (only a week there though). Ending the trip in Vietnam (with a brief trip to Singapore) in this next week and a half.

[duskyn.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree, mood does effect the experience. Every place I've gone after a night bus (minus places in Vietnam) I completely hated that first day, and only because of how irritable sleeper buses make me.

Koh Lanta is the only island I've been to. I kind of realized how much I don't really like islands, especially big ones, so I'm good with just Lanta. I've kind of kept away from heavy drinking on this trip, and I know I'd be tempted to at the Full Moon party so I'm just avoiding it.

Oddly enough, I loved northern Thailand and hated almost all of Cambodia. That is one of the really intesting things about travel; hearing about people's opinions on places. No two people seem to feel quite the same about anywhere.

Vietnam has been my favorite country by far, hope you enjoy your time there!

[passionrlsusall.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I don't know what it's
Like in peninsular Malaysia, but in Sabah, it wasn't so much the trying to sell stuff to you as it was people openly staring and shouting things on the street to us. But still it was good, and I hear good things about the rest of it too.

[duskyn.livejournal.com]

Shouting things will be interesting. Starring I've gotten used to. I really don't know what to expect in Borneo though. I'm excited, but a little apprehensive too.

[siirius.livejournal.com]

I'm not much of a beach person either, I start to go a little stir crazy! But they are good for relaxing.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I totally understand travel burnout - I've been there a few times - I just need days to decompress and to sit around before I go into motion once again.

[night-owl-9.livejournal.com]

I've felt burnt out on trips as well, especially during my time in Europe. I just wanted to settle down for a day or two without feeling like I had to pack every single solitary touristy thing in. The feeling passes, but when it's there, it can feel hard to get rid of.

I'm not much of a beach person, either. I'm definitely a swimming person, but that's about it XD