How A Trip to Bangkok Changed My Life

After my backpacking trip around Southeast Asia in 2024, I had been living in the UK again for just over a year, working in my 9 - 5 marketing job. I felt bored, numb, and unfulfilled. I was slowly crawling back into my comfort zone, and my spark had disappeared. Until more recently, when I took a flight to Bangkok as part of a press trip… 

It had been months since I’d travelled anywhere, and I was craving a sense of adventure. The second I stepped off the plane, my energy shifted. The heat, the chaos, the culture. I was back where I belonged — Thailand. I felt alive, like the version I was while travelling Southeast Asia last year. I didn’t want to lose that version of me anymore. 

At the Grand Palace in Bangkok, my first destination travelling Southeast Asia 2024.

I was enjoying exploring Bangkok and getting to know the other journalists. At this point, I knew I was no longer in my comfort zone. There’s something about Asia that makes the rest of the world fade away. I’m not the same version of myself as I am back “home” — here, I feel happier, more confident, calmer, and free to be spontaneous. It just feels right. 

I took a peaceful early morning stroll to Lumphini Park at 6am. The city felt calm and safe, almost like it was still asleep. I passed monks offering greetings, locals flowing through yoga poses, runners pacing through the park, and stalls selling fresh fruit. For a moment, the usual buzz of Bangkok traffic faded into the background — it was like the chaos didn’t exist at all. It was from this moment, I decided Bangkok would be my future home. 

Lumphini Park, Bangkok

During the trip, I overheard an older man comment, “Make the most of your life while you’re young and able.” Another conversation I had was with an older woman regretting that she hadn’t experienced living in a different country. These comments stuck with me and lingered in my mind. I knew I had to make an important decision to change my life and live in Asia.

My trip to Thailand was the therapy I needed. I had been waiting over a year to move out of the UK, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I knew this was the right path for me, and I was determined to start my life in Bangkok as soon as possible. I was imagining what life could look like over there, and it was on my mind 24/7.

Dressing up as Thai princesses', at Wat Arun, on the press trip to Bangkok.

After researching visas and jobs, it was either the digital nomad route or teaching in Thailand. As a Travel and Copywriter, my ultimate aim in life has always been to slow travel around the world while earning an income. During my time living in the UK, I had been working on my freelancing and also had a teaching certificate as backup, so it was like the stars were aligned. I promptly handed in my notice, wrapped up my full-time job and began preparing for my adventure of a lifetime. Not a single part of me felt afraid, and that’s how I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

On my way to Bangkok, sitting in Business Class — what dreams are made of.

Fast forward to today, I’m living in Bangkok, working remotely with freelance clients, and building a life that finally feels aligned with my goals and ambitions. I’m still figuring things out, but I’m no longer stuck and unhappy, and that alone makes it all worth it.