farewell thailand, hello laos

Farewell for now, Thailand. I’m leaving my first stop with amazing memories, new friends and a constellation of mosquito bites all over my legs.

My friend Isabel snapped this photo of me at the Bua Tong Sticky Waterfalls. It earned its name from the mineral deposit on the rocks that creates a surprisingly sturdy grip. I became Spider-Man scaling a waterfall skyscraper, city lights replaced bya sprawling jungle.

This was one of my favorite days in Chiang Mai. We had breakfast at a delicious vegan spot, climbed the falls in the afternoon, and spent the evening wandering the many colorful stalls of the night market. A day that felt so natural - like I’d built a home in a place that was foreign to me just a few days ago.

There’s a part of me whispering to stay because it finally feels so comfortable. Moving on to another country means starting at the bottom of the learning curve as I fumble with the local customs, currency, language, transportation, etc. But it’s impossible to grow without embracing the challenge of feeling uncomfortable.

So I’ve moved on to Laos and am excited to discover a new place - and inevitably make mistakes along the way. This evening I accidentally paid 150,000 kip to a food vendor instead of 15,000. I sprinted back five minutes later begging for change.