Theres something about the security that you have when being in a group when exploring an unknown place. There is something about sharing a meal with people and laughing at their face when it doesn't taste quite right. There is something in the new connections that you make as you experience crazy things with people that you have never met on your own.
As mentioned in previous posts, the trip was comprised primarily of group outings to temples, elephant camps, gem markets, etc. These trips were fun, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I made friends who I am still in contact with, I laughed harder than I should've about stupid stuff, and I did crazy things I never would've imagined doing.
With all of that said, one of the best days that I had, I spent wth just my mom. We took a day for ourselves, as the rest of the group went to 'The Temple of the Emerald Buddha' my mom and I ventured out on our own with a map and a driver that spoke broken English. As my mom and I go out into a city of 6.35 million people with no Thai vocabulary we are relying on strictly our vague directions given by the tour guide. Somehow, we made it safely to the launching point on the river that we would spend the next two hours snaking through the inner canals of. While our adventure wasn't crazy, in fact it was merely tooling around the city. I have never smiled more, I have never laughed more, and I have never been more glad to get onto dry land. Even though it was just me and my mom doing a fairly chill activity, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.
Going somewhere on your own, figuring something out for yourself, and learning how to live outside of the box makes an experience quite different. While it may not be as fun as a large group doing crazy things, some experiences are heightened and you end up having more fun!
