Jaybird flew away yesterday to Krabi-land. Today he landed in Singapore. It’s the first time I’ve been truly alone since Bali in July. The past three weeks have been a bubble with me and Jay getting to know each other in an intense and accelerated way. Travel bubble style. It reminds me of the experience of making friends at camp.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been slowly getting off the social train. There was the intense experience in Jeju, Korea with a community of 35 other digital nomads. A subset of us ended up in Seoul for a few weeks. And then to Ko Phangan – just Jay and myself settling in to thaw, relax, and detox during rainy season.
At some point, I realized I needed to take the next step and just be alone. And so began the truly spiritual component of my stay here in magical Ko Phangan.
My original plan had been to go to a retreat called Sanctuary on an island off of the island of Ko Phangan. On the way there, I stopped in a hippie town called Srithanu briefly. I got sidetracked and ended up eating a smoothie bowl in a cafe…and then suddenly, I wasn’t leaving after all. I asked a couple in the cafe if they could recommend some accommodation, and then I found myself carrying my guitar, wheeling my giant 25kg suitcase, and crumpling underneath the weight of my shoulder bag for 2 miles to a place called Benjamin’s Hut. I was able to secure a “bungalow,” freestanding air-conditioned lodgings right on the beach for 1,000 baht ($28/night).
There is something about Srithanu that is utterly charming even though it isn’t the most scenic of beach communities. It is an expat hippie-type enclave in the northwest of Ko Phangan, a little bubble of vegan restaurants, yoga studios, and lots of people with dreadlocks. No major carousing to be seen. Just a lot of kombucha-drinking. What really captivated me was the abundance of green juice and smoothie options…and just the vibe. I have somehow become mostly pescatarian, verging towards vegan, with little conscious effort.
This place at this moment coincided with what I needed mentally and emotionally. The healthy food, yoga, beach, and the hippie love vibe. I need to soak this all in before I return to New York City!
A few things I’ve been up to:
- Yoga class at the amazing retreat Samma Karuna. It’s not expensive and seems like a transformational and healing place. I will be back!
- Reiki at Arati Healing Center with Klaus. Also an extremely positive experience for self-renewal.
- Eating yummy vegan food at Eat.co, Taboon, Karma Cafe, and the juice bar next to Karma Cafe.
- Walking to and fro on the beach.
- Reading The Untethered Soul, working on personal and consulting projects, vegging out.
- Planning my next steps and making some decisions. I found a few apartment options in LA.
- Watched the sunset.
- Facials and massages.