I’ve been putting off writing this story for quite some time as this was a very traumatic experience for me. Some details will be left out as part of the story is not mine to tell. Certain parts are also theories and not fact-checked and I’m not one to willingly spread false information. With that being said, I promise to be honest and finally tell my side of the story. I won’t say this is a sign of respect but for privacy issues, I will change my (former) friend’s name to Neil the Neanderthal.
When I first went to Thailand in 2020, I had flown out there by myself and joined a group trip with Contiki. It was a life-changing experience that would redirect the course of my life. While still on a vacation high during my travels back to the U.S., I got an offer to move to California. I felt bold having just experienced such an incredible trip and decided to move across the country. Little did I know this was the start of what would become a global pandemic. Before I arrived back in the States, I knew that Thailand would be a return destination when I had more time to explore. When researching places to stay the second time, I had no qualms that I would enjoy staying in almost any city, whether it was a touristy destination or an island getaway. What I wasn’t aware of was that my second trip to one of the coolest countries on earth would change my life forever….again.
Earlier this year, I enjoyed a beautiful, rainy month in Bali and was on the way to Thailand. After a few days in Pattaya, my throat started to feel scratchy. I chalked it up to allergies and the new foods I consumed. It wasn’t until my glands began swelling that I became worried. My mom later told me that I had no neck when we spoke on FaceTime but she didn’t want to make me any more worried than I already was. I could tell I had some sort of infection brewing and decided to head to get some medical care. I was extremely grateful that Neil was there for support since I ended up having to travel to a busy hospital with limited English-speaking professionals. Thankfully, it was a semi-short visit and I was sent around the corner to the pharmacy for an Amoxicillin prescription. I went back to the studio we were staying in and attempted to sleep it off as much as possible.
The next morning I woke up to Neil having a heated discussion with someone back home. Without going into too much detail, I overheard him frantically agreeing to look up flights back home. He asked that I go down to the lounge area of the complex we were staying in so he could have some privacy. Despite still feeling like garbage, I went downstairs and researched a few backup plans. Before I allowed myself to panic, I decided to see if I could get a refund on the next big leg of the trip as I was confident that my anxiety would not allow me to travel Eastern Europe completely solo.
Neil and I had booked a month-long trip with Euroventure, a European-based travel company with train/bus trips. This was the next portion of our trip after we finished in Thailand. We chose a killer pre-planned itinerary that would take us from Berlin, Germany down to Dubrovnik, Croatia. This trip did not have a group or travel leader so while we had to be at certain train or bus stations on specific dates, we had an open itinerary once we arrived at each destination. While this was initially an amazing opportunity to see a huge chunk of Europe, it was not something I was comfortable doing by myself. I quickly realized that solo travel was not something I excelled at.
Because of this, I had to consider going back home and canceling the rest of my trip. Before making any rash decisions, I reviewed Euroventure’s website. It was less than 3 weeks before we were supposed to head to Berlin after attending the Full Moon party in Koh Pha-ngnan. After reviewing their site (see below), I could see that a refund was not an option. I sent an email and explained that my friend had to fly back home for an emergency, thinking they’d be able to make an exception. They emailed back almost immediately and confirmed that this was a non-negotiable policy due to being less than 90 days from the trip’s start.
Euroventure FAQs Link: https://www.euroventure.com/faqs/
After 3.5 hours of waiting and worrying, I finally got the go-ahead to return to our room. Neil had been crying and was still visibly upset. It took us a few episodes of watching “Sex Education” (an iconic show by the way) for him to admit that he had to fly back home. We made the best of the next 3 days even though I was still fighting for my life. Neil and I spent the next day eating at our favorite tavern down the street and swimming in the rooftop pool overlooking the city and ocean. I even loaned him $20 to have an unforgettable last night on the Walking Street of Pattaya. If you haven’t been there, it reminds me of Fremont Street in Vegas and The Red Light District of Amsterdam combined. I wasn’t too keen on hanging out in the bars full of Russian women so I let Neil end the night on his own. After a 3 am McDonald’s meal and a few hours of sleep, I hugged Neil goodbye and never saw him again.
I would be lying if I said I didn't initially enjoy my time alone in Thailand. I was in the most beautiful apartment complex with top-of-the-line amenities such as a state-of-the-art gym and multiple rooftop pools. I was somewhat comfortable with the surrounding area since we had a chance to walk around the neighborhood searching for a Doctor who would see me. If you’ve ever been to Pattaya, you can attest that the doctors in the area are almost exclusively for plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. Finding someone to take care of an illness was a lot harder than I anticipated. Despite the familiarity of the area, I knew I could get food delivered to the apartment if I was uncomfortable with walking around and knew where the local market was. While it was a small studio, it was my own space. I got a nice dose of living alone and thoroughly enjoyed cooking myself meals and getting back into a daily routine. With that being said, there was still a lingering cloud of worry about what the next steps were for my trip.