Two months of travel without my partner - how does it feel like?

It's been 2 months since I set off on a journey around South East Asia. The trip brought so much joy into my life. It made me realise how lucky I am to be able to fulfill my dream, and to have such an understanding partner, who helped me to make it come true. 










The time I've spent far away from home gave me one more thing - confidence. It's hard to believe that I, a small woman of 150 cm., who has always been afraid of the new, went on a crazy motorbike ride in the Vietnamese mountains, explored Myanmar by road, went through Bangkok on a bike, and every time when arrived in a totally unfamiliar place was excited as a child on a Christmas Day.

Teak bridge, Myanmar

Yes, dear Readers, I am one of those women. who let their men make decisions and lead them through life, without asking too many questions. I need someone to protect me and make sure I am ok.
This time I am alone and I am enjoying discovering what else I am not afraid of doing. I want to savor this time I have without my husband and be able to say that I am strong enough to look after myself.
There is also something joyful about spending time with other women. My 3 companions (including my sister) are single, strong and independent. Despite the fact that they are younger than me, there is a lot I can learn from them. They are people who, not only have the passion for travel, but also look for opportunities to make their lives more interesting and fulfilling. Besides, there is nothing better than chatting to your female friends, over a nice cocktail, about boys, make up and that wonderful dress you saw at the market in Luang Prabang.

Temples of Bagan, Myanmar 

However, there are times like that one during the wonderful sunset over temples in Bagan, or dinner we had at the Hmong village, or even the nightmare bus ride to Hanoi, when I think that He would love it there. I imagine his surprised face if he saw the Kao San Road, or how he would love the food market in Laos. I take a picture and, in my head, rehearse what I would tell him about this place, or that situation, how I could describe my feelings and excitment over the food I had and people I met. I try to put everything in an email, but the written words can't describe everthing. I really do hope that when I get back I'll be able to tell my story in the most interesting way.

Kuang Si Waterfall, Laos

At the moment I am here, in a cool hotel room in Chiang Mai, and he is there - in cold London, working hard - two completely different worlds and entirly separate problems. It is sometimes hard to relate to one another, and get worried about one another's daily life. How can I get angry over an unwatered plant, when I'm just having a Thai fruit shake, or visitng the Schwedagon Pagoda? I will leave it for the time being and tell him my piece of mind when I get back.

I thought it would be easy to travel without him, and most of the time it is. Sightseeing keeps me busy and takes my mind off things, but not being able to share my experineces with him and the thought that he misses on so many things, is hard and at times it makes me sad.
So, I am planning to come back to him in a few weeks more happy and fulfilled. Maybe my enthusiasm will make him want to travel one day....