I’m 31 and I’m not tied down. When it comes to travel, nothing’s holding me back

I hadn’t traveled much before my first ever solo trip to Thailand last month. I often thought about it, and asked friends to go with me. But they either didn’t have money, or they were coupled up and doing their own thing. Others just weren’t interested in having an adventure. 

It got to the point where I thought, “I’m going to stop waiting for other people.” I was ready for something exciting: I wanted to push myself by meeting people and trying new experiences. A friend of mine recommended Flash Pack, and I ended up booking the 10-day escape to Phuket. It fitted the bill in terms of going somewhere where I could just switch off completely and relax. 

I was ready for something exciting. I wanted to push myself

I work in Customer Success for a tech company, and just before the trip, we went through a restructuring process. The timing of the holiday was great because everything had been quite turbulent. Flash Pack’s itinerary didn’t look too strenuous; and nor was it mad party vibes. My hope was to be able to disconnect away from it all, while broadening my horizons. 

When the time came, a couple of my friends dropped me off at the airport. As soon as I saw their car driving away, things got real: I was on my own. I was quite nervous at the idea of traveling with strangers – even getting on a plane by myself felt strange. But that was the whole point of the adventure; to really try and break my own comfort barrier. Treating myself to premium economy seating helped!

Once I arrived in Phuket, the nerves melted away quite quickly – everyone was really nice. From the moment of our meet-and-greet and first meal together, it felt like a good environment. I tried to put myself out there in striking up conversations, and it helped that we were all in the same position of starting from a blank slate. I was one of the only men in the group, but that was fine by me since many of my closest friends back home are women anyway. 

Everyone came out of their shells at a different pace, but we had a great icebreaker early on. My birthday happened to land on day two of the trip. I hadn’t made a point of it yet, somehow, people knew. At the end of our Thai cooking masterclass together, our Pack Leader, Can, brought out a cake and everyone sang, “Happy Birthday”. It was a really sweet touch, and so unexpected. It made the day special. 

The nerves melted away quite quickly – everyone was really nice

The thing that struck me about being in Thailand was just how tropical it was. I live in the UK suburbs of Surrey, so it was amazing to be immersed in this jungle climate, with the constant sound of cicadas chirping and exotic birds in the trees. Staying in a series of beach resorts, it wasn’t unusual to see parrots flying overhead between dense thickets of palm trees, or a monitor lizard lounging by the pool with tiny geckos scurrying across the walls.

I love nature and animals, so visiting the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary was a real highlight for me. Queueing up to feed the elephants, I felt a sense of nervous adrenaline. I’d never been that close to an elephant in the wild before. It was heartwarming to hear about the work being done to rescue and rehabilitate these huge, and gentle, creatures. 

I really enjoyed all the island-hopping, too. I had a true moment of clarity one day when we were jetting between the idyllic Phi Phi Islands via private speedboat. It was quite windy so everyone else stayed below while I sat by myself on the bow. 

All around me, there was turquoise clear waters dotted with towering jungle islands and secluded mangroves. There was a gentle ocean breeze in the air as we zipped between a series of gorgeous bays and coves. It’s the kind of beauty you might read about in a magazine – but can’t fully imagine it until it’s right there in front of you. 

Living on island time, I felt content. I knew I’d made the right decision

It felt like we were in a movie, yet it was real. We were so disconnected from everyone and everything. You just don’t get that in ordinary life. You have friends and family, and you’re always on the move or working. There’s too much happening. 

On that speedboat in Thailand, we were living on island time. And it was priceless; I felt entirely content. I knew I’d made the right decision to join the trip. And I also knew that I wanted more of this – I didn’t want to go home. 

I had the absolute best time in Thailand. Can, our Pack Leader, was really friendly and insightful. The wildlife was fantastic, and the food was right up my alley; I loved all the curries and the seafood. Our group was a great mix, too – I’ve already met up with a Flashpacker who works near me back in London. 

Returning home, I wasn’t sad so much as resolved. Even on my flight back, I was busy thinking, “How can I do this again, and more often?” and, “How can I live my life in different ways?” The trip brought it home to me that I’ve spent enough time worrying and waiting around for people to come with me on my travels. 

I’ve spent enough time waiting for people to come with me

I’m 31 years old and I don’t have kids. I want to go and enjoy myself and experience everything the world has to offer. Yes, stretching my limits might feel scary but it’s also so rewarding. And there’s nothing really stopping me other than the barriers I put up myself.

Charlie Gibson works for a media monitoring company and lives in Surrey, UK. He traveled with Flash Pack to Thailand.