This Departure Lounge... Booked & Blessed: Part 1!

It makes sense why my current passport only has five double pages left, I have been continuously 'Booked & Blessed!' For my 2025 Summer Camp, I found myself returning home to guide three families for the week at the beginning of August 2025! From Thailand to Chongqing, Asia has been my happy place with many places clocked! Indonesia was incredible! Let's travel! 

My first trip to Thailand was like a military operation, I didn't have a minute to breathe but that's how I like it! Bangkok almost didn't happen, my flight was delayed and with Spring Airlines, you fly at your own peril! Silom was my playground and definitely it left an impression on me! I saw the banks of the Chao Phraya, the resting Buddha looked sleepy but I was ready for the night ahead! I saw Khaosan Road with my friend Andy but you know, the infamous ping pong show was clocked! My final evening Bangkok was sedate, I found a gorgeous bowl of Tom Yum soup, I found that Thai food is delicious. Taking the overnight train to Chiang Mai was an adventure, I passed through Ayuthaya and knew that a return to Bangkok needed to happen! Chiang Mai was chilled for the most part, I loved the temples and the stupas, the pace was leisurely even though I had a lot packed into my schedule. Bangkok had been about seeing the Grand Palace but I wanted to see some elephants and Muay Thai fighting whilst in Chiang Mai. 

Mary Jane Holland visited me way too much during my time in Chiang Mai, there came a point where I needed to go cold turkey! Thailand's attitude towards all things pleasure really had me spoiled for choice but during that first trip we are just talking about the medicinal fire. Chiang Mai was gorgeous but the beach called my name, I jetted down to Krabi with the quickness! One of my 'COVID-19 Travel Dreams' was about to come to life, I just needed to take a rocky boat ride around the bay! Krabi saw me chowing down on some delicious Indian food, who knew that Thailand was such a hit with Indian tourists? Their demand served me great food! Boozy by the beach? Yes, I enjoyed Happy Hour! Phuket for the day? Yes! James Bond Island? Yes! Krabi keep me seeing something different! Raliay Beach fulfilled those Pandemic travel dreams, I made another happen in real life! Back to Bangkok it was, I had serious depression on that plane but knew that another chance to visit Thailand would come sooner than I thought! I went back! 

A cyber punk city? We weren't influencers getting paid by a certain government, myself and my friend Chanel kept it real! Flying in from Beijing and Ningbo into Chongqing's Jiangbei International Airport felt like a blessing, we were about to enjoy three days in one of China's highly illuminated cities! Hitting the ground running, we enjoyed our bumper day tour around the city, I couldn't believe the change that had taken place since my first visit to the city in October 2015! I remember the 'Liberation Tower', it was still dwarfed as it stood in the round. We stood both on the 1st and 21st floors at the same time! 'Chaotianmen Dock' had been transformed beyond recognition with the 'Raffles City' adding to the already stacked Chongqing riverside! We did the most, we saw the most and we laughed the most! Staying sober because we had a scenic tour the following day to the Wulong Karst National Geology Park. Both of us would need to brave our fear of heights, it was also my first shared tour ever! I was in my sharing era! 

The lift to the gorge was not fun but we kept it moving, the steps were scary but as we kept one foot in front of the other we did it! Conquering our fears, we were able to witness unstoppable beauty within that National Park. The crowds were doing too much but those extras didn't take away from our starring roles, we were shining! The day was a winner, we had snatched scenic and city views in two days in both senses, we deserved a chilled third and final day in Chongqing. Barbecue was bound to be our evening meal on the second night, Chanel had found a spot with an incredible view looking over the needle pin bridge, it was 2015 flashback in 2025! Shunning Liziba Station, we caught our own impression of the famous metro that passes through a seemingly normal building. People needed to control their children, we weren't there to discipline others! Taking our seats at the top of the Raffles City for our demure buffet meal, we drank and ate the best drinks and food with the city where we wanted it to be! Love you, Chanel! 

Now, Indonesia wasn't my first choice for my Summer 2025 trip but those islands called me up! Originally, I had wanted to travel to Mexico but a certain entity played with my time! Boarding that Garuda Indonesia flight gave me flash-forward views of a certain August 2025 British Airways flight that I would be taking to London Heathrow, I just wanted to enjoy my summer holiday! Jakarta was berserk, I did my best to not get knocked over by a car because those roads were maddening! I loved the Dutch energy Jakarta served in places, I embraced the Halal nature by staying stone cold sober! Jakarta was brief, I headed down to Bandung for a look around and my Volcanic Crater tour. Never trust a go-kart because things went really wrong for me! Forging ahead I headed over to Bogor before resting up in Jakarta before another departure! Yogyakarta created memories galore, regardless the hotel I stayed in didn't impress! Borobudur Temple was spellbinding, it was amazing! Gorgeous Indonesia had been, so my injury didn't slow me down! 

Going into the unknown before I touched down on the island of Bali, I wanted to see Makassar on South Sulawesi island. Staying extremely sober was becoming a theme, I was cosplaying the life of a true Islamic tourist. I'm not even a Muslim! Makassar had a rough edge but a glowing orange mosque, I needed a prayer answered because that London trip had been following me! Work communications during a holiday are never a mood, I am glad those handlings are now in the past! I needed a drink and some lush sea views! Bali? Yes! Three days of absolute fun and summer loving it was, Bali was an absolute treat but those hangovers hurt after not drinking anything alcoholic for 2 weeks! I went on an island tour and stayed away from Ubud before departing back to China! Gili Air put a face to a name, I loved that island with all my heart because the beach was gorgeous, the sun shone and the drinks were strong! The passage from Padangbai to Gili Air felt treacherous! I saw those Legong Balinese dancers! Bali, I did the most!

London was defintiely work but I deserve to look back on this memory because it was very much a travel experience! I had been the backbone of this Summer Camp 2025 trip and nobody was going to take any credit for this experience because they did absolutely nothing! I had never had the same fear on a plane since I first came to China, I was going through it as I sipped on my secret spirit infused in-flight drink. I was thrown into tour guide, manager and teacher mode from the very first moment, it was going to be the most epic week for a very different reason. Taking the tube down to the British Museum, I had never looked at London with such love because I was reclaiming my city of birth. The theatre took the children on a colourful experience, they loved waiting 101 Dalmatians! Chinatown was different for me because I was with people who had the access to the 'secret seats!' Paddington Bear was fun! London's River Thames took me by the hand whilst I was a mess, the tour was fast paced! London had my back! 

The days spent outside of London were a lot but coming back to Southgate at the end of those two days had me feeling at home. To be honest, the experience around that North London area reminded me of memories of my childhood, hazy recollections but valid and fond connections they were. The London Underground took me by the hand and showed me several diversions, that mass transit system really tested me but there's no other train I'd take! Having those home comforts for a week felt strange but getting into the London feeling gave me a sense of belonging, I wanted to return to my normality in China if I was honest because London was a lot! I got on with what I needed to, I ended the week with a swift family reunion and with one mom from my former class, a friend was made for life! London looked the same but the reason for visiting was very different, it wasn't a holiday but a royal experience that I won't ever forget! London would sure see me again after that work trip, we will always be 'Forever Friends!' Done! 

Booked & What?... Blessed! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure