Southeast Asia Travel Diary | Week 3: Staying with Monks in Northern Thailand

Sue is 67, recently retired, and spending three months travelling solo (with company when she wants it!) through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. These are her diary entries; an honest view from the first ever DECADES trip, and written for anyone wondering whether to make the leap themselves.

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Dear Travel Diary,

This week of my Southeast Asia journey took me somewhere I never imagined I’d find myself: a small monastery in the mountains of northern Thailand.

It was always going to be a striking contrast to the city life we’d been enjoying in Chiang Mai. Clever planning, DECADES.

Having spent part of my education in a Catholic convent boarding school, I arrived slightly sceptical and a little wary of religious institutions.

As it turns out, the experience felt far more meditative and spiritual than religious, which I really enjoyed. It gave you time and space to think, reflect and simply be, which I appreciated.

The setting for the retreat was beautiful. Quiet meditation spots were scattered around the grounds, so you could sit privately whenever you wanted, alongside the twice-daily public chanting and meditation sessions.

Getting up at 6am for the monks’ alms walk was absolutely worth it. Watching them move silently through the village at sunrise felt incredibly peaceful. The meditation talk on the second day was also excellent and gave a thoughtful introduction to the practice.

As expected, life at the monastery was fairly basic. Hard beds and cold showers were very much part of the experience.

There was, however, one unexpected luxury.

A gorgeous little café on the grounds serving excellent coffee and homemade cake. It was quirky and completely charming. Without it, I suspect I might not have enjoyed the retreat quite as much.

Three weeks ago I was worrying about what to pack for three months away; today I woke up in a monastery in northern Thailand. Retirement is panning out to be just as exciting and varied as I’d always hoped for.

Sue x

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