A Brief Yet Glowing Encounter

by Daniel Jones (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

I didn't expect to find Thailand

That glow burned itself into my soul. It melted me, made me vulnerable, gave me back my fire, and lit up my face. This glow was what confirmed that I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. As I’d landed in Bangkok, I was over the moon to finally get to be taking the trip I’d grown up dreaming about while saving every penny I had, working multiple jobs, saving scholarships, and fantasising about how perfect this would one day be. But that’s the problem about fantasising… When you finally get to live that fantasy, you run the risk of being disappointed. This thought crossed my mind as I jumped in a cab from the airport to the hostel that I was really hoping wouldn’t crush my backpacking adventure dreams I’d had for as far back as my memory goes, replacing them with the nightmarish stories I avoided. It was 2am. I was exhausted, shuffling through a silent hostel trying not to wake anyone up, and worrying about how I was going to do this trip all by myself. After all, I knew I could, but I didn’t know if I could do it in a way that lived up to my expectations. Then I met my glow. She embodied a backpacker perfectly. She was loud, and warm, and excited about life. She washed her hair with bicarbonate of soda, used essential oils, and consciously tried to only carry products that were entirely natural. When she told me this, I was worried she was that typical, annoyingly loud girl from California who preaches about how if you’re not a vegan, you’re destroying the planet. Or maybe she was like the white guy with dreadlocks that sparks the internal dialogue on cultural appropriation. But this girl fit neither category. She was open, engaged, and ready to share her knowledge and experiences, encouraging the same of everyone around her. I don’t mean to make it sound as if she was the perfect person that you are in awe of but could never quite relate to. This was not what made her glow. She was relatable in every sense. We ran through Bangkok in a tequila haze, subjecting straight boys to the mercy of Bangkok’s most charming drag queens whose beauty and charisma left unforgettable memories. Then, a day later, with a bitter sweet goodbye we separated to go our separate ways. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed I couldn’t bask in this connection a little longer, but I jumped on my plane ready to continue my first major, solo adventure. I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled when I got a message the next day saying my new favourite person was going to be meeting me on an island to continue our balmy whirlwind of an adventure. In the course of perhaps less than a week of physical proximity to one another, we had shared, bonded, and found comfort in each other’s experiences. From trauma, to anecdotes of haggling and monkeys that were adorable, while simultaneously inducing the fear of God and rabies, we discussed everything in our lives and thoughts. Her glow had melted any protective barriers I had, encouraging me to talk about experiences long since buried in the catacombs of my memories, and I will forever be grateful. As we collapsed on an empty beach after days of island hopping and her watching with a mixture of surprise and relaxed hilarity as I ran along the bowsprit of moving boats all in the name of a memorable and “effortlessly” chic picture, we fell into that relaxed, calm one usually achieves after years of friendship. I had remembered who I was again, and was back with a vengeance and reignited vigour for life, adventure, and exploration. Koh Lanta’s sky boomed into a million shades of pink, purple, and orange that evening, and I thought that it perfectly encompassed the glow that had reignited in me since meeting her. Maybe it was sentiment, or the rush of endorphins, but that week was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced. Thank you for giving me back my glow.