MY INTRODUCTION TO SOLO TRAVEL

PHOTOS & STORY BY FATOUMATA CEESAY

Honestly, I didn’t think I could do it.

I really didn’t think I could travel solo — for a month and a half to four countries in Asia — and come home unscathed. Maybe I was being overly nervous, but I never saw myself as a solo traveller and suddenly, I was going away for a while with mostly just myself to rely on. It was scary and somewhat unlike me to do something like that, but I was tired of waiting for others to be available for travel. I was tired of seeing other people jet off whenever and wherever. I wanted to try new foods, see amazing sights and encourage myself to be adventurous. Really, I just wanted to experience it all for myself.

And so I booked a one-way flight to Japan for January 1st.

Now, I wanted to be strategic in planning for this trip. I started planning and saving a year before leaving. I had originally planned to travel across Europe as well, but realized how lofty that goal was and decided to focus on Asia, primarily because my sister lived in Japan as an assistant teacher in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). My plan was to start in Japan, go to South Korea, then head to Malaysia and Thailand.

Everything was set and I was ready to go. Except, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something would go wrong. It was my

nerves talking, and I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting on that flight. I’m glad I didn’t, because for the most part, everything went smoothly. In fact, my trip went far better than expected.

I did lose a couple hundred dollars (a story for another time), but I met some amazing people, saw my sister and reconnected with a friend from high school. Most importantly, I ate some of the best food of my life. Seriously, I miss the food the most.

In Japan, I saw the bamboo forest, bowed to cute deer in Nara, ate the fluffiest cheesecakes, and wore the kimono, a traditional Japanese garment. I also participated in a traditional tea ceremony where I learned just how much I dislike matcha, though I appreciated learning how important it is to Japan. I’m really grateful my sister took time from her busy schedule to show me around and introduce me to some of her friends.

Then it was on to Seoul, a dream that I can’t wait to experience again. Although I was only there for four days, I had the best time exploring famous palaces, wearing the traditional hanbok and going to Korean BBQ for the first time. I also made new friends in Seoul and can’t wait for the opportunity to see them again.

When I first planned going to Malaysia, I thought I’d be there for four days at most, just so I could catch up with a friend from UW who moved back after graduation. But I have to say, Malaysia was a welcome surprise. Kuala Lumpur is far more beautiful than I expected, and I felt myself go speechless everywhere I went. It was definitely the most beautiful country I explored on my trip, and I ended up extending my trip to eight days because I loved it so much. In addition, it was so nice to meet up with my old friend Akmal, who took me to a Malay restaurant that featured different traditional Malay dances. Overall, it was a lot of fun.

When I landed in Thailand, it hit me that I was nearing the end of my journey. Already I had been gone for a month, and I no longer had any of my original nerves. I felt like a pro. Things were going as smoothly as they could, and I was having a blast. I took that newfound confidence in myself and traveled through Thailand having the time of my life. It was simply amazing, and I was glad I left it for last. I started out in Phuket, going to the Phi Phi islands (of course) and eating my way through many of the night markets. Then I headed to Bangkok for a few days before going to Chiang Mai, where I touched real-life elephants at a sanctuary.

While I was in Chiang Mai, everyone I met asked if I would go to Pai, a small town three hours north of Chiang Mai. At first I was against it because I wanted to spend time recuperating from everything I’d done. In the end, though, I decided to go and check out what everyone was talking about. I spent two days in Pai, expecting that would be more than enough. Boy, was I wrong. Pai became my favorite part of Thailand. I was told that I’d get stuck in the “Pai-hole” and I honestly would’ve if I didn’t have my final flight. Everything from the activities, nightlife and most importantly, food, was amazing. I didn’t want to leave, but it was time to go home.

I couldn’t believe it was finally time to head back to the U.S. It seemed only like yesterday I was getting on my initial flight to Japan — but I was also excited to tell everyone about my trip and encourage others to travel more if they could. I thought I would never be ready to travel solo, and it felt so good to prove that I was. I am so proud of myself. I had a great time, and I’m already planning the next time I can go back to these countries.