Princess Three called me a few months back asking if I thought it was a good idea for her to go to Thailand with a friend.
I am not sure how to answer that as a single mom. I have always worried about the safety of my girls. Having FIVE of them with most of them being single and living away from me is a worry, but the truth that I told her is, that she could live her life staying close to home and be "taken" at a store a block from her house.
I told her that I would rather live and see the world than live in fear and never experience anything! I told her that "I have raised her to be a brilliant, strong woman and that she was capable of making smart choices and that I trusted her to make her own choices."
I shared that she should always take caution and not go anywhere alone, stay with a group when possible, text pictures of the cabs numbers, or at least make the people think she did, to keep herself safe as well as not venturing where tourists don't go or letting anyone know they were there alone.
She is her mothers daughter and I have trained them to be cautious, but in many ways, I think because I am single and they don't have a father who is in their lives, or any of my brothers or father living close, that I have sometimes been overly cautious with them which makes them afraid to do "crazy" things.
The trip was a "groupon" trip that was priced low as I don't think the package filled up enough so as it got close to the committing to fly and book dates, they lowered it to a quite inviting price.
She and her friend have traveled before but always in the U.S. so for them to branch out to another country was daring for them. They had friends who had been and said it was wonderful and Princess Four had been there so she did have some connections which made it more inviting.
They left during a snow storm and she had just gone sledding prior to leaving so I think they were excited to go to a warm climate. She texted and called from the airports and let me know their progress but I was a bit concerned when she wrote me saying "I am a bit freaked out..." But later on in the message she explained that they were tired and hungry and the city smelled weird and the food looked gross and they ended up going to McDonalds...
The next day she shared how much fun it was and how nice the hotel was and then she actually face timed us from the hotel at breakfast and it is a very nice place and the food looked great.
She and her friend were in Bangkok and are going to a few more cities with the tour and they are making friends with some in the group. The group travels together and then they are on their own in the cities. She is loving the temples and shopping. She has purchased two pairs of pants, a silver and sapphire ring and gotten a henna tattoo so far.
I think it is good that she is choosing to enjoy her life. She is very frugal and probably has more in the bank than the rest of the family combined so I am glad she is enjoying her life. My greatest enjoyment is traveling to see different cultures and experience what other places have to offer in this beautiful world.
Funny story, the top picture came in today. She wrote that these two women came to sit by them at a Buddhist temple very casually and then had someone take a picture with them. See how close they are and touching. So funny. Princess then said, everyone was standing away from them but turning and taking selfies with the "Americans" and she said she felt famous.
I am looking forward to hearing all about it and seeing all the pictures! I know I will sleep better when she gets home and I can stop worrying as there would be nothing I could do to help from here but they seem to be doing well and they got some great advice about how to deal with the taxis, vendors etc. Perhaps, next time, I can go with her. Asia isn't somewhere I have had the privileged of going..... yet!
Princess Three is now the most traveled of her sisters. Peru / South America, Africa / Kenya, Mexico, Now Asia / Thailand and I know she wants to do Europe. She has also done much of the US as she has been coast to coast but probably doesn't remember much about the in-between parts.
I am excited to see where her next adventure will take her!
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