I’d like to be able to say that my life was a bed of roses as the Qatar Airways flight settled gently onto the long runway at Changi airport in Singapore. But it wasn’t, the sixteen or so hours since I had left the UK had been spent for the most part thinking about the last time I had headed to the Far East, my then travelling companion and what had happened in the five years that had passed since my first visit to Thailand. Of course in 2000 I had been happy, accompanied by Ruth the woman I had fell in love with back in 1999, but now I was travelling alone, heading off for a month exploring Malaysia and Thailand.
It was July 2005, Ruth and I had split some fifteen months before after a long and extremely satisfying relationship. To be honest I had not wanted the split and had dealt with it really badly, but now, according to my friends anyway, I was getting on with my life and the holiday I was embarking on was evidence of this. I had mixed emotions, which I didn’t share with them but I was excited about returning to Thailand and at least keeping my vow to do that.
My plan was simple, I would travel independently(by train) after spending a few days in Singapore to Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur and Penang. I had slight trepidations about this since I had never travelled alone before. So in case I got sick of my own company I had arranged to join a group of like minded people in Bangkok for a guided adventure holiday covering central and northern Thailand.
The holiday was a great success particularly the group tour of Thailand. The enthusiasm of our Thai guide, the immersion in the culture, I really enjoyed it. The seed of an idea planted on my first visit started to germinate, I wanted to come back again, Thailand seemed to have a lot to offer. Perhaps I might live there one day?
However fate, if you believe in that sort of thing, seemed to have other ideas. If only I hadn’t organised the sarong party for my friends on my return home. Then I wouldn’t have met Anita and perhaps I would have returned to Thailand sooner. But I did(organise the party) and subsequently met the woman who, at least temporarily, removed the vacancy sign that had been hanging over the personal relations section of my life since Ruth and I had split.
If I were a better person I would have married Anita since she was the most caring and unselfish person I have ever met. But she wasn’t Ruth and deep down I knew the relationship was doomed. Two years after we met I headed back to Thailand. I had a vague sort of plan which involved retiring from the rat race in the UK and teaching English in Thailand. To do this I needed to complete a TEFL course and Thailand was one venue where I could do this. Another month in the land of smiles, a month that found me in Phuket where I met Duen, the one and only Thai woman I have ever had any sort of relationship with.
A holiday fling or the start of a new albeit long distance relationship? Given here age, she was only five years older than my eldest daughter, I fancied the former. I certainly wasn’t thinking about returning to be with Duen as I headed back to the UK. However I had enjoyed her company, the course had got my grey matter working and I had gained a qualification that meant I could, if I chose, teach English in Thailand.
The return flight via the Gulf provided ample time for reflection. I certainly needed it, it felt like I was approaching one of life’s crossroads. I wasn’t wrong as it turned out, but little did I realise just how much and how quickly my life was about to change.
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