13/10/2025
It’s interesting returning to a place that you know well, and you’ve loved in the past. It’s like revisiting past versions of yourself, and getting a new perspective on your current self – on how much you’ve changed, on how far you’ve come.
I never expected my recent trip to Thailand to give me such a clear reflection of exactly that.
Since growing up in Singapore, I spent a lot of time in Thailand, and as an adult and avid traveller, Thailand has been one of my preferred countries to visit. I don’t even know how many months I would’ve spent here over the years. It’s now been 8 years since my last visit, and I had to pick up a document for my business, so I thought I would enjoy a couple of days in Bangkok (one of my favourite cities previously) and check out an island I’ve never been to.
2 days in Bangkok was honestly overwhelming, intense and just a total sensory overload (for us both).
Between the traffic, the people, the overwhelm of choices and just the amount of noise and visual stimulation everywhere you go – it was too much.
It was an interesting realisation of where I am at today, and how much I’ve changed. My life has shifted dramatically over the last few years – I now have a 3-year-old, and our life in Bali is slower, more relaxed. My life in general prioritises nourishment, slowing down, and just a lot less rushing than I used to.
Not just as someone who is now a mama and nearing 40, but truly on a deeper level – my priorities, the way I live my life, and the peace and energy I seek has completely shifted from when I was in my 20s. Normal, expected, and I’m more than happy with that change.
Sometimes it takes coming back to old places to notice the old versions of you that no longer fit – and therefore how far you’ve come, how much you’ve changed, and to be able to appreciate it. I got reconfirmation (not that I was looking for it) that I’m on the right path, and I’m happy with where I’m at at this point in my life (because you can’t go back to being 20, not that I ever would want to)
If you’ve had a similar experience, share it with me. I’d love to hear about it.