Backpacking Solo

The bike chugged away as we ascended the steep hill into the hazy forest. Oliver – my French companion – was riding, and I was holding on, trying to remain positive as he accustomed himself with a motorbike for the very first time. The hair pin bends took us up and out of the forest, into the small Chinese village of Ban Rak Thai. Chinese tea shops lined the road offering a selection of local tea leaves and sweets which we sat tasting whilst overlooking the lake. Bamboo huts rose from one side, and kids sat fishing on the other, waiting patiently for their floats to slide away. It was a quiet village that saw few tourists, offering me a place to sit, relax, and catch up on some writing.

After taking turns to ride the motorbike I soon re-built my confidence, and so the next day I rented one alone to continue exploring the numerous villages and attractions dotted around the forest. With my tent gathering dust, I decided to take the bike to Pang Ung for a spot of camping. It turned out I was the only person there so I got to pitch in a nice place aside the lake, protected by a canopy of forest from the glaring sun. As the light faded I went for a swim in my underpants, much to the amusement of some local hill tribe kids who´d arrived as part of a school trip. I distinctively remember three things from my trip; getting bitten by tics on my ankles, leaving me with the itchiest bites ever; nearly dying of cold even though I had a sleeping bag and a blanket; and then waking up to the most serene moment as the misty lake glistened in the rising sun; it kind of made the pain of the previous two worthwhile, but that didn´t mean I was camping again, I just couldn´t bare another night in the cold.

Just a few kilometres from the lake stood a small Red Karen village. On passing through I saw a homestay, and couldn´t resist staying the night, content with the rustic lifestyle on offer. It turned out to be an interesting few days after that. For the rest of my stay, I went to stay outside the village at their farm where each morning we would work on the land, digging holes for new banana trees, or developing a new irrigation system. In the evenings, I went from being a farmer, to being an English teacher, teaching in the local private school ran by Ben, the owner of the house. The experience at the farm was brilliant; Ben cooked some delicious meals over the fire, and every evening, after school, we enjoyed a few games of chess, surrounded by sounds of the forest. Staying there re-fuelled my dream of having my own land with an eco house and a small vegetable plot, a dream I hope to forfill in the near future. The experience at the school gave me a better insight into teaching children, which I felt was not really for me, but I did give it a good go, as you can see from this very educational video.

Upon returning the motorbike, I jumped on a minivan to Pai, well known for its hippy vibes and tranquil atmosphere. Little did I know my first night would take a turn for the worst, but you´ll hear about all that in my next post. Until then, stay safe.

Peace and love,
Jonathan x

I hear questions all the time about backpacking alone. Is it safe? Don’t you get bored on your own? Don’t you get lonely? How do you meet people? The types of people who ask these questions are usually people who struggle to be outgoing without the comfort of their friends. I used to be the same, until I got sick and tired of being let down, or put in situations I didn’t want to be in. I wanted to go the cinema; I wanted to go on a night out around town; I wanted to go to a music festival; I wanted to do a lot of things, but my friends were not always available. This used to mean I just didn’t go, until one day, I thought, “you know what, I’m not waiting around for anyone anymore, if I want to do something, I’ll do it with or without my friends.”

That for me was a turning point in my life, the point where confidence in myself started to grow. I remember the first time I went on a night out on my own, I was so nervous, hoping nobody would realise I was alone. After I overcame the initial nerves, I actually enjoyed more, going out on my own, than with my friends. Why? Because I was free to do whatever I liked, and it improved my confidence, as I was put into a social environment which forced me to socialise. It was either that, or be the “weird” guy who stands in the corner all night. From that point on, I stopped caring what others thought of me, and most of my interests I pursued alone. Whether it be going the cinema to watch a film, going fishing for the day, or going to a musical festival, being alone just didn’t matter anymore.

So when I took an interest in backpacking, going alone was not a problem, but from knowing the person I used to be, I can totally understand why people would ask me such questions regarding my solo travels. Is it safe to go backpacking alone? My response to that would be, “Do you have any common sense?” as that’s all you need to help avoid dangerous situations. Of course, sometimes you might end up in a dangerous situation, but if you have done your research, and you’re prepared for the situation, then you’re more likely to come out of it safe and well.

People have asked, “Don’t you get bored on your own?” Of course I get bored, but being alone doesn’t make it any more boring. Actually, I probably get less bored on my own, as I am always doing the things I want to do. If I find myself getting bored, I remind myself of all the things I enjoy doing, and choose one to pursue for a few while. If I find myself becoming bored too often, it’s usually time to move on to a new place. Some places just feel right, and I will stay for longer than usual, feeling very content. Others will not, and I will leave after a few days.

Another question people ask is, “How do you meet people?” For me, I’ll talk to anyone, as I now find conversating easy, but I can understand the question if you were shy and not used to talking to people you didn’t know. The best way to meet people is to stay in hostels, preferably dormitories where you’ll be surrounded by likeminded travellers. All you have to do then is open your mouth, and more often than not, you’ll start hanging out with your new travel buddies around town.

Backpacking alone was never meant to be easy, you’ll take on all the problems you face alone, but I can assure you it will make you a stronger person with more life experience, and a better understanding of yourself, your values, and hopefully, your overall direction in life. Now I’m not saying backpacking with others is a bad thing, it’s great to share experiences, but you will find a lot more opportunities will be open to you if you’re travelling solo, all you have to do is take them.

Good luck and safe travels.

Peace and love,

Jonathan x

“What’s this?” I asked inquisitively. “Ki pa low maaan, holy shit, you’re so lucky to be here maaan.” Ladda was Thai-Canadian with a funky accent that always made me laugh. I’d met her and her friend Jan just a moment before she invited me for lunch, and now we were sitting around a platter of local food straight from the morning market. Ki pa low was my new favourite dish; sweet pork with whole eggs sitting in a bowl of liquid that made my taste buds jump into heaven. I was spoilt for choice; most of the dishes I’d never seen before as you can only find them in the local markets. “I know where I’ll be going from now on,” I thought, as I tucked into a hot, meaty paste with my sticky rice. They both inspired me greatly that day to explore the markets with an open mind – basically just picking something different and giving it a try – it’s a great way to discover local specialities.

Pizza, rum, pool, and a ladyboy getting hit over the head with a pool cue would sum up quite well the night out we had for Wendeth’s birthday party. Luckily Wendeth weren’t around when the fight broke out around the pool table but I’m sure she would have kicked everyone’s ass anyway.

For the first time on my travels I decided to team up with my new friends Ladda and Jan on my continuing journey north to Mae Sariang where I’ll be entering the north of Thailand for the very first time. The songthaew ride between Mae Sot and Mae Sariang was brilliant; not only for the breathtaking landscape, but because I got the chance to hang off the back of the songthaew, holding on to the roof ladder for support – I’ve always wanted to do that since seeing people hanging off the poles on the old London buses, and of course the bin men who hang off the back of rubbish trucks around my house.

Mae Sariang sits alongside a beautiful river which in the rainy season is popular for rafting. At this time of year though the river runs low, so low in fact you can lie down on the bottom with only your ears submerged giving you a wonderful sense of calm, a perfect place for meditation. The river not only attracted myself, but a herd of water buffalo, who – like me – didn’t take long in getting in to bathe in the warm flow of its current. Our guesthouse overlooked the river, from which you could see the sunset over each evening, leaving a sparkle to the water, further enhancing its magical aspect. I spent many hours sitting on the balcony, content, scribbling thoughts in my notepad. On a few occasions, I took a rented bicycle, venturing outside the town through small villages, alongside fields of rice, and up and down the winding hillside. One such venture took me seven kilometres to Salawin National Park. It wasn’t an easy ride considering it was hilly and baking hot outside. When I arrived the rangers were so surprised they let me in for free. It weren’t the highlight of my experiences in Thailand’s National Parks; the nature trail was completely covered in leaves, and they had even burnt sections of the trail – that was nice to walk through… I’ll let them off seeming it was low season, and I was the only visitor in the whole park.

I got a bit peckish on the way back so I decided to buy some bananas off some old woman in the village who was carrying two basket loads over her shoulders. When she held up five fingers to indicate the price, I mistook it as fifty baht instead of five, and gave her sixty. She looked at me confused, and started giving me huge bunches of bananas. We settled on twenty baht, and I went away with a basket load. As I loaded them into my basket I laughed to myself, “looks like I’m on bananas for the rest of the week,” I thought, as I cycled back towards town.

Ladda and Jan left early to go to Jan’s new house in Chiang Mai which I was kindly invited to. I politely declined knowing my journey lay elsewhere. I was moving further north to Mae Hong Son, well known for its trekking opportunities, and the small Chinese villages which can be reached via a high road out of town towards the Myanmar border. It was looking like my first adventure by motorbike was definitely on the cards. On the morning of my departure, I tried to get a songthaew, or a local bus, so I could enjoy the rush of the cool morning air, yet the only ticket I could buy was one for an air conditioned coach – sigh.  Not long into the journey the first bag opened and the guy next to me emptied his breakfast into it. I lost my appetite, suddenly becoming the most generous person on the bus, handing out bananas to numerous strangers – I knew the opportunity to get rid of them would come sooner or later.

Catch you soon guys,
Jonathan x

P.S – Don’t forget to check out all my new photos and videos which I update regularly. If you want to see where I am now, or see where I’ve travelled in the world, you can check my map out, courtesy of Google

Backpackers Tips and Advice

There are quite a few guesthouses alongside the river in Mae Salong. I stayed at the Riverside Guest House which was 200 baht for a fan room with a bathroom. There are bicycles to rent just down the road and a delicious Pad Thai vendor a bit further down who sets up each evening outside one of the big hotels.