By now, any of you who are following me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook will know that I have been living it up in Australia since the end of May. I've had so many posts to share with you that I never had a chance to say goodbye to South East Asia - a place that I hold very dear in my heart after such a life changing experience. It's such a wonderful part of the world and I've learnt so much during my five months, I'm already planning to return as soon as the opportunity presents itself. But why was it so amazing? There are so many reasons why I fell in love with Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia - and there are even more reasons why I am now desperate to visit countries like the Philippines, Burma, Taiwain, Singapore and Malaysia. It is a part of the world I think everyone should visit at least once, if only to get a taste of what the rest of us are all talking about - it is one of the few places in the world where you can really witness poverty, live in luxury and still learn from and absorb the culture without being sheltered from it. There's so much we Westerners can learn from Eastern culture, and once you have a taste of that way of life you'll find it hard to go back to reality. So why should you go?
- To find the paradise beaches your dreams are made of...
- To eat amazing foods packed with those eastern flavours of chilli, lemongrass...
- To live that hammock life...
- To dive and snorkel with tropical fish, sharks and lots more...
- It's cheap - live like a king, or queen, on very little money...
- The massages, oh the massages...
- The people are some of the friendliest you will find anywhere in the world...
- To challenge yourself to learn another language...
- To do yoga with real masters...
- To party all night and watch the sun rise...
- To get lost and find yourself again...
- To complete the Bangkok Bucket List
- To ride tuk tuks across the cities..
- To eat delicious street food for pennies...
- To drink cheap booze at sunset with newfound friends...
- To watch the sunrise at a temple overlooking the city
- To get chased by monkeys
- To look after elephants instead of riding them
- To meet some of the most interesting and exciting people you will ever stumble across
- To live in bikinis, hippy trousers and tie-dye...
- To hike through 160 million year old rain forests
- To witness poverty and to become truly grateful for all you have
- To get ripped off and realise that not everyone is your friend in the world
- To be shown time and time again how kind and generous strangers can be
- Did I mention the massages?
- To eat curry for breakfast and not be judged
- To skinny dip in the moonlight with friends you just met
- To fall in love with people, places and moments, and to hold them in your heart always
- To see monks with badass tattoos and beanies visiting temples and taking selfies with Buddha statues
- Just because there's nowhere else in the world like it, and there's nowhere easier to travel in the world
- To learn about a culture and religion completely different to your own
- To learn about a history that will horrify you and leave you with a new respect for the country
- To witness countries like Cambodia and the Philippines in recovery from mass devastation and attempting to rebuild for the future
- To teach students to have such a thirst and excitement for learning, who really want to be there
- To visit stunning waterfalls in Laos and pretend to be a mermaid
- To flit between lush green rainforest and white sandy beaches
- To spot wild monkeys, elephants and snakes
- To experience sleeper buses and real Asian transport
- The shopping!
- Because you can't get a fruit shake like these anywhere else in the world
- To try your hand at Muay Thai with a Thai professional fighter
- To cover yourself in UV paint and dance at the Full Moon Party
- To go on a night time fishing trip and BBQ at a moment's notice
- To be in the middle of nowhere and know that at that moment, not a single person knows where you are and what you are doing - complete freedom
- To get adopted by a Thai woman who decides you need mothering
- To make a difference by volunteering, giving up your time, teaching or in some other way - to make your trip count
- To make memories that will stay in your heart and mind for a lifetime
- Because you can get away with so much more than when you travel to other areas - trust me, Australia has a lot of rules!
50. Because - can you really think of 50 reasons why you shouldn't?
Can you think of any other reasons to visit South East Asia? Which country in SE Adia is your favourite and why? Are you planning a trip there soon?
