{"id":37186,"date":"2015-11-09T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2015-11-09T14:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=37186"},"modified":"2024-09-12T06:52:45","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T10:52:45","slug":"begin-travel-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/begin-travel-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Chiang Mai: The City that Inspired Me to Travel the World"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t been this excited to be somewhere in a long time. Sure, I was excited for Iceland<\/a>. And Morocco<\/a>. And that trip to the Caribbean last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Okay, I\u2019m excited a lot<\/em>, but I haven\u2019t been this excited in a long time. <\/p>\n

When I touched down in Bangkok<\/a> a few days ago, I saw in the airplane window a reflection of a wide-eyed and bushy-tailed guy seeing a place for the first time all over again. That guy was me. <\/p>\n

I was home<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For years, I\u2019ve dreamed of getting back to my roots, slinging my backpack over my shoulder, and traveling without a plan again. However, life always seemed to get in the way and trips got delayed. “Something” always came up.<\/p>\n

It was easy to build a routine and enter a comfort zone. Days ticked by and, before I knew it, years have passed and the list of things to see got longer and more daunting<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After months of talking about it, here I am, back in Southeast Asia<\/a>, actually doing it. It\u2019s finally real! <\/p>\n

I am back in Thailand, the country where it all began<\/a>, to spend extended time traveling around the region.\u00a0I’ve felt more relaxed and rested in the last couple of days than I have in months.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m in the country where, on my first visit, I got ripped off twice in one day (back to back mind you), I ate McDonald\u2019s because street food seemed scary, and my idea of roughing it was a three-star hotel.<\/p>\n

And I loved every moment of it! It threw me out of my comfort zone and hooked me on traveling even more.<\/p>\n

This is the start of a five-month journey, and I\u2019m going to enjoy every moment and take every opportunity. <\/p>\n

I’m starting my new backpacking trip in the city of Chiang Mai<\/a>, the place where I met the five backpackers who changed my life<\/a>. The ones who showed me that long-term travel on a budget was possible and made me tell my traveling companion, \u201cScott, I\u2019m going to go home and quit my job to travel the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

I often wonder what happened to them. How long did they travel? Where did they go? What are they doing now? <\/p>\n

I doubt they would recognize me today, and if it wasn\u2019t for an old picture I have of us, I wouldn\u2019t either.<\/p>\n

They changed my life \u2014\u00a0and put me on the path that led me to where I am today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What drew me to travel was the feeling of infinite possibility it brings. You can do anything you want and you never know where the day will truly take you<\/a>. <\/p>\n

As I look out at the next few months, I have that feeling again. While I have a general route in mind, there are so many options, and I could end up anywhere. All I know is that I\u2019ll be in new places, seeing new things, and meeting new people.<\/p>\n

After two months here, it\u2019s back across the big blue Pacific and down to South America where I\u2019ll explore Patagonia<\/a>, turn right at Machu Picchu<\/a>, explore the Amazon, and binge on wine in Argentina<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m lucky enough to have a career that allows me to plop myself down half-way across the world and spend as much time as I want there. But even if you don\u2019t have the same luxury, don’t let your inner naysayer hold your back. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s never too late to start again and accomplish the things you\u2019ve dreamed of doing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Because even if it\u2019s finally getting motivated to go to the gym, take up dance classes, or learn archery (something I never “had the time\u201d to do), it\u2019s never too late to begin. It\u2019s never too late to say \u201cHoney, let\u2019s finally take the kids to Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Dave Matthews said, \u201cthe future is no place to place your better days.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, right now, I’m having some of the best days I’ve had in a while.
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