Four years ago, i was planning a holiday/vacation to Thailand. I'd been in a pretty bad way for much of the year, really low. I knew that the only way for me to get myself out of it was to get the hell out of my life and just go backpacking for however long it took. It was all planned in the summer, the only thing i hadn't got round to doing was booking my ticket. The plan was to go for Christmas, i'd always wanted to go somewhere hot for chrimbo and i quite liked the idea of being away from all the bollocks that exists in every day life that seems to manifest itself the same time each year.
Anyway, shit happens. That summer i had something of a string of bad luck which, aswell as costing me money, also led me into a kind of self-pity state, blowing the rest of my cash trying to make myself feel better. Needless to say, i didn't get my ticket. Later on in the year, once i'd got my head out of my arse, some friends suggested to me to go to Australia instead after the new year, which is what i did.
On Boxing day, a tsunami hit Phuket with a number of casualties. My original plans had been to spend christmas in Phuket, for the simple reason that i liked the idea of being somewhere called "Fuck It" which as far as i was aware was the correct pronunciation!
I can't help but wonder whether, had i not had the misfortunes in the summer, if i did end up going with my original plans what would have become of me. Would i have been one of those casualties? Would i have survived it and perhaps found some purpose over there helping people rebuild the town? Who knows??? At the time i felt like it was some kind of fate, of course i realise now that it was nothing more spectacular than a coincidence. Nevertheless, i know that if everything went as planned theres a strong possibility that i wouldn't be here today to write this.
This year (tomorrow in fact) i'm off to Thailand to spend christmas there. I won't be alone, i'm going with my girlfriend and we are meeting some friends over there. But, I can't help but have this strange feeling, like i've cheated death there and now i'm going back (like Final Destination or something!). I intend to visit Phuket, if only to see the place that may have been my downfall. Of course, i'm not really worried, at least no more than anyone should be travelling to another country. Its an interesting story for me to tell, but nothing more than a coincidence.
This time tomorrow i will be on a plane on my way to a hot country to spend christmas in the sun on a beach in Ko Phangan. Honestly, i can't wait.
I wish everyone reading this a merry christmas, i'll be back in the new year.
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