All you need is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.
As I lay in the top bunk, rattling around, ear buds in listening to James Bay, I couldn't help repeating to myself, "I am on an overnight train to Chiang Mai, Thailand. I am on an overnight train to Chiang Mai, Thailand." Me and every backpacker this side of Asia were all in this together, right down to the squat toliet we each had to hover over in the bathroom. Sometime in the middle of the night as the train jolted left and then right I lost my balance and down I went, I quickly shot back up, my vagina didn't touch it, so I assume I was okay right? RIGHT?! Here's to hoping.
I didn't pick the train to save money, at $44 each way it's roughly the same price as taking a plane from Bangkok. I picked it for the adventure, for the experience. There is a famous quote that states "don't be a tourist be a traveler". I think it's important to immerse myself in another culture. I love nice hotels and being pampered, but I didn't sit on planes for 22 hours to get the same experience I could get stateside.
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Growing up I always had a lively imagination. I spent a lot of time alone - day dreaming, just me and my imaginary friend. I've read numerous times that imaginary friends are created as a coping mechanism for childhood trauma. I think there is truth to this and validity in my case, but I would also argue I would have created one anyway. An overactive imagination combined with a steady diet of Peter Pan meant I was always lost in Neverland. I think this is a good time to point out that when Robin Williams died I said how good he was in the movie Hook and numerous people commented "THAT'S your favorite Robin Williams movie?!?" As I said, always lost in Neverland, my imaginary friend - my very own Tinkerbell.
I was lucky enough to have parents who encouraged my dreams, dream BIG - BIGGER. When I announced I was going to school in New York City most of my classmates brushed me off - "oh it's not NYU or Columbia - probably not even a real school" (an actual quote by an actual person). That only pushed me harder, dream BIGGER. I graduated in 3 1/2 years with all those dreams still intact and new ones forming each day.
As an adult I've had trouble finding a place for that wild imagination. Corporate America isn't interested in dreaming, but tolerates it within the confines of their rules and on their carefully orchestrated timeline. It's a balance - one I've never been too great at finding. Perhaps it's because I've never tried that hard, I'm always wondering why no one else wants in to Neverland - it's amazing there. My outlet has always been in creative things: decorating my home, photography, and most importantly - travel. Sometimes when I'm in a funk or feeling uninspired I look up tickets - to anywhere, to everywhere. I see where I could run off too at that moment, what new place could I go explore, what old place could I go make new memories. I'm drawn to people who have the same sense of wanderlust as I do - the dreamers who become doers.
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As my train car rattled on during the 12 hour journey I couldn't help but look back, think of my imaginary friend and hope she's providing another little girl with the same sense of imaginary realism that she provided me all those years ago. The train ride was a bit stiff, with a squat toliet, and not great (or good) food - and while I wouldn't rush to do it again, I would if I needed too. The adventure, the mesmerizing realism of the experience was worth doing.
Upon arriving at Chiang Mai we checked in to our beautiful boutique hotel and then made our way to the yoga studio that had been recommended to me, for our 90 minute flow class. I instantly connected with the teacher - an expat from the DC area. I'm not sure if it was the environment or the familiarity 6,000 miles away from home - either way I got lost in the movement as she talked through each posture in the open air studio.
We ate at an amazing vegetarian restaurant before making our way to the evening river cruise. It was poetic and blissful. A family from Italy was on the boat, reminding me how cool it is that travel can bring together the unlikeliest of people.
------------------
Another remarkable day in Thailand, another day firing off that overactive imagination that has defined me since childhood. Last year I went to a music festival and wore costumes with a friend of mine - I insisted one of the outfits be Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. The doer and the dreamer. I recently made friends with someone - someone who has had a profound impact on my journey. During one of our initial conversations he made reference to wishing everyone could just live in Neverland. I smiled and said nothing. I listened to him go on and on about dreaming, creating, hoping - longing. I wondered if my Tinkerbell flew to his shoulder when she left mine.
It is said that imaginary friends leave when their job is done, when the child no longer needs them. I learned how to harness my dreams into a realistic version - New York, Dallas, vacations….a train….in the middle of Thailand, in the middle of the night. I learned how to listen to my own voice, not have fear in the whisperings of others and know that there is a place in this world for me and vivid mind.
---------------------
"All you need is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust."
Namaste.
I didn't pick the train to save money, at $44 each way it's roughly the same price as taking a plane from Bangkok. I picked it for the adventure, for the experience. There is a famous quote that states "don't be a tourist be a traveler". I think it's important to immerse myself in another culture. I love nice hotels and being pampered, but I didn't sit on planes for 22 hours to get the same experience I could get stateside.
-----------------
Growing up I always had a lively imagination. I spent a lot of time alone - day dreaming, just me and my imaginary friend. I've read numerous times that imaginary friends are created as a coping mechanism for childhood trauma. I think there is truth to this and validity in my case, but I would also argue I would have created one anyway. An overactive imagination combined with a steady diet of Peter Pan meant I was always lost in Neverland. I think this is a good time to point out that when Robin Williams died I said how good he was in the movie Hook and numerous people commented "THAT'S your favorite Robin Williams movie?!?" As I said, always lost in Neverland, my imaginary friend - my very own Tinkerbell.
I was lucky enough to have parents who encouraged my dreams, dream BIG - BIGGER. When I announced I was going to school in New York City most of my classmates brushed me off - "oh it's not NYU or Columbia - probably not even a real school" (an actual quote by an actual person). That only pushed me harder, dream BIGGER. I graduated in 3 1/2 years with all those dreams still intact and new ones forming each day.
As an adult I've had trouble finding a place for that wild imagination. Corporate America isn't interested in dreaming, but tolerates it within the confines of their rules and on their carefully orchestrated timeline. It's a balance - one I've never been too great at finding. Perhaps it's because I've never tried that hard, I'm always wondering why no one else wants in to Neverland - it's amazing there. My outlet has always been in creative things: decorating my home, photography, and most importantly - travel. Sometimes when I'm in a funk or feeling uninspired I look up tickets - to anywhere, to everywhere. I see where I could run off too at that moment, what new place could I go explore, what old place could I go make new memories. I'm drawn to people who have the same sense of wanderlust as I do - the dreamers who become doers.
------------------
As my train car rattled on during the 12 hour journey I couldn't help but look back, think of my imaginary friend and hope she's providing another little girl with the same sense of imaginary realism that she provided me all those years ago. The train ride was a bit stiff, with a squat toliet, and not great (or good) food - and while I wouldn't rush to do it again, I would if I needed too. The adventure, the mesmerizing realism of the experience was worth doing.
Upon arriving at Chiang Mai we checked in to our beautiful boutique hotel and then made our way to the yoga studio that had been recommended to me, for our 90 minute flow class. I instantly connected with the teacher - an expat from the DC area. I'm not sure if it was the environment or the familiarity 6,000 miles away from home - either way I got lost in the movement as she talked through each posture in the open air studio.
We ate at an amazing vegetarian restaurant before making our way to the evening river cruise. It was poetic and blissful. A family from Italy was on the boat, reminding me how cool it is that travel can bring together the unlikeliest of people.
------------------
Another remarkable day in Thailand, another day firing off that overactive imagination that has defined me since childhood. Last year I went to a music festival and wore costumes with a friend of mine - I insisted one of the outfits be Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. The doer and the dreamer. I recently made friends with someone - someone who has had a profound impact on my journey. During one of our initial conversations he made reference to wishing everyone could just live in Neverland. I smiled and said nothing. I listened to him go on and on about dreaming, creating, hoping - longing. I wondered if my Tinkerbell flew to his shoulder when she left mine.
It is said that imaginary friends leave when their job is done, when the child no longer needs them. I learned how to harness my dreams into a realistic version - New York, Dallas, vacations….a train….in the middle of Thailand, in the middle of the night. I learned how to listen to my own voice, not have fear in the whisperings of others and know that there is a place in this world for me and vivid mind.
---------------------
"All you need is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust."
Namaste.