imageBy 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?

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  1. To find the paradise beaches your dreams are made of...
  2. To eat amazing foods packed with those eastern flavours of chilli, lemongrass...
  3. To live that hammock life...
  4. To dive and snorkel with tropical fish, sharks and lots more...
  5. It's cheap - live like a king, or queen, on very little money...
  6. The massages, oh the massages...
  7. The people are some of the friendliest you will find anywhere in the world...
  8. To challenge yourself to learn another language...
  9. To do yoga with real masters...
  10. To party all night and watch the sun rise...
  11. To get lost and find yourself again...
  12. To complete the Bangkok Bucket List
  13. To ride tuk tuks across the cities..
  14. To eat delicious street food for pennies...
  15. To drink cheap booze at sunset with newfound friends...
  16. To watch the sunrise at a temple overlooking the city
  17. To get chased by monkeys
  18. To look after elephants instead of riding them
  19. To meet some of the most interesting and exciting people you will ever stumble across
  20. To live in bikinis, hippy trousers and tie-dye...
  21. To hike through 160 million year old rain forests
  22. To witness poverty and to become truly grateful for all you have
  23. To get ripped off and realise that not everyone is your friend in the world
  24. To be shown time and time again how kind and generous strangers can be
  25. Did I mention the massages?
  26. To eat curry for breakfast and not be judged
  27. To skinny dip in the moonlight with friends you just met
  28. To fall in love with people, places and moments, and to hold them in your heart always
  29. To see monks with badass tattoos and beanies visiting temples and taking selfies with Buddha statues
  30. Just because there's nowhere else in the world like it, and there's nowhere easier to travel in the world
  31. To learn about a culture and religion completely different to your own
  32. To learn about a history that will horrify you and leave you with a new respect for the country
  33. To witness countries like Cambodia and the Philippines in recovery from mass devastation and attempting to rebuild for the future
  34. To teach students to have such a thirst and excitement for learning, who really want to be there
  35. To visit stunning waterfalls in Laos and pretend to be a mermaid
  36. To flit between lush green rainforest and white sandy beaches
  37. To spot wild monkeys, elephants and snakes
  38. To experience sleeper buses and real Asian transport
  39. The shopping!
  40. Because you can't get a fruit shake like these anywhere else in the world
  41. To try your hand at Muay Thai with a Thai professional fighter
  42. To cover yourself in UV paint and dance at the Full Moon Party
  43. To go on a night time fishing trip and BBQ at a moment's notice
  44. 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
  45. To get adopted by a Thai woman who decides you need mothering
  46. To make a difference by volunteering, giving up your time, teaching or in some other way - to make your trip count
  47. To make memories that will stay in your heart and mind for a lifetime
  48. 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?

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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? 

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