Can I buy you a beer? My 2 year plan is done. In Thailand now. Are you around?

[Aron]

Brothers and sisters, I would like to buy you a beer!

I will never forget the day. It was 2 years ago, I was staring out my apartment window back in Hungary. December, cold weather and constant rain. That was it I thought. The world has got to bigger than that.

Sketched a plan: Quit the job, move the the UK, get a temp job to rebuild my english, get a proper job for a year and build social circle, move to contracting and earn better money. Save up a bit and get off to Thailand, I always wanted to learn surfing, diving, paragliding.

Well, thanks to God, the plan was executed to the T. It was a hack of a long and exciting journey. Writing this from Thailand. One week in the 4 month trip and already in love with this place. But this is just the beginning of course, the truly exciting things are yet to come, not for Thailand but for the next years.

Back in the day, one day before I left to the UK I received a copy of Tim's book. Holy cow I thought, I am not alone. You, - my friend reading this - probably feel the same. And for this, I would like to buy you a drink.
I am currently in Chiang Mai, soon venturing to the middle region then down to the south. I you, fellow life style designer, are around let me know. :)

Cheers,
Aron

[sadu]

Great stuff. I'm not in Thailand, but I have just poured you a Jagermeister and drank it for you.

Life is good once you learn how to enjoy it.

[johnnywolf]

Aron, congratulations on a job well done!

I've been in Thailand for the last 12 months now and couldn't be happier. Chiang Mai is great, make sure you to a 3-day trek in the national park and go to the Elephant Sanctuary too.

If you come down to Koh Lanta, I'm here working as a Divemaster now. The diving here is excellent! Let's definitely grab a beer while you're here. =)

[Aron]

Maaate! I saw your post after I posted mine, I wanted to contact you. Massive congrats for achieving all the things!! Yeah this place is amazing. Cant wait to see the beaches. Did the trekking, elephant riding, rafting tour. Also did zip-flying over the jungle. Amazing. I am heading down to the south in a few days. Krabi first than than the Kos. I was planning to do my diving in Ko Tao but if you say Ko Lanta is better then I am so there. Diving, then a beer or three, sounds like a day. (might bait and switch the beer for an icetea though :) )

Could do a brainstorming session as well. It never hurts right? :) My background is the web. In the UK I used to work for an SEO and social marketing company. Might have a few not so widely known tricks to boost those affiliate links in your muses ;) Hope it would help.
I will PM you my email and thai phone num and will let you know when I am down around Krabi.

And yes, people, I can only reiterate what Johnny said; you have got to see this place. Not for a 2 week package holiday. Those wont get you what you want. 3 to 6 month at least. See the north, take a tour in the jungle, do an elephant washing program, then get down to the south. My new friends posted a few pics from the islands on facebook, if it is half as nice as it looks I would cycle there if I had no other means:)

[Aron]

Sadu! Thanks a lot! I will pour you a jeger too! And another one if you come to Thailand :cool:

[cudbfun]

Just finished reading the book today and was so re-inspired; travelled the world in my twenties. Highlights included volunteering for Mother Teresa in India, walking The Great Wall in China, scuba diving in Australia, safari-ing in Africa, helicoptering in the Grand Canyon, vine swinging in the rain forest, getting my pilot's license, a police chase in NZ, home birthing my children...I won't say that I wish I had read the book back then ~ I wish I had WROTE the book! :D Still doing some great Life Designing but doing more of the single-Mom-in-her-forties thing. If there happens to be anybody else travelling through or living in Kingston, Ontario, Canada ~ I'd be interested in sharing a pint...

[codymckibb]

Hey Aron! I've been living in Bangkok for a little over a year now, I run ThrillingHeroics.com and am actively building a digital nomad life. Would love to meet up with you at some point if possible.

I'm currently down in Krabi (Ao Nang/Railay) area for the next 2 weeks through Christmas (not far from Johnny in Lanta) hanging out with my friend Brooke who blogs at BusinessBackpacker.com

I know in January a bunch of "location independent" guys are coming out here—Adam Baker from ManVsDebt.com, Sean Ogle (SeanOgle.com), John Bardos from JetSetCitizen.com. I run a monthly Tweetup get-together in BKK and also putting together the TEDx event for Bangkok in February. Feel free to get in touch at cody at thrillingheroics dot com man and I'm sure we can catch up if you want. Congrats on reaching your goals brother!

[phil]

Hanging out on Koh Samui for a few months, maybe until April.

Got a cheap villa for 6 months.

Its great to see other like-minded people.

Anyone else on Samui?

[Aron]

Cody,
That is awesome mate, I am in Ao nang at the moment! It is 4HWW beer time!!! You will spot me in the crowd if you see me, I have my right hand in a neckband. Drunk man crashed into a car, his motorbike slides on the side and swept mine bike away in the opposite lane. Ehh, it was an outtake from mission impossible. Poop happens as they say :)
So yeah, looking forward to meet up, as Phil just wrote, so good to see all you like minded people around!

Phil, I was in Koh tao 2 days ago, almost went to samui for a week or so but came to Ao nang instead, but since we are all quite close together, maybe later we could organize a bigger gathering. Could all of you guys post from when and till when are you guys around? I am here till march first so anything is good for me. If anyone knows someone who would be up for such thing please let them know.

Johny, I started to venture down to the south from the eastern side 2 weeks ago, as written above in Krabi/Ao Nang at the mo. Probably it will be around another 1 or 2 weeks till I get down to Koh Lanta. Will you be around that time? It will be Christmas a new years time.

Guys, semi off-topic, where are you guys going for Christmas and or new years eve? Would be great to have a good party - ditched the idea of the full moon party in ko phan gnan, it will be way too overcrowded this year.

Cody, I am sending you my thai number in a PM, give me a bell so we sync the plans, will be going to phi phi soon, would be a shame to miss eachother by a few miles.

Cheers,
Aron

[scotland]

Hey I'll take you up on the beer, maybe next year. When is good to be in thailand or is it good all year round?

[Aron]

Hi Scotland,

Pretty much all year round maybe except april and around as it can get way too hot. If you only have a few month I would defo pick nov-march. That is when it rains almost nothing and the temp is the lowest (low :) - still hardcore summer temp for a European). You have to know that this is the 'high season' for tourism so prices are the highest (accommodation). Still cheap(ish) but in the low season it can get dirt dirt cheap. The advantage of the high season is that you can skip the European winter, hence my decision to come here this time of the year. Be careful tho you might lose some friends in jealousy when you post your summery pics on facebook :)

[dru-man]

yo man,
Looks like I missed you in Chiang Mai--been living here about a year now--a few months in samui, month in koh tao, month in bangkok, month laos before that...hmmm...will I ever fully make it out of Thailand. ;) Hit me up if you make it back this way--always up for a brew.

Cheers