Our journey into travel started long before we launched Goats On The Road, so we don’t have detailed stories from our first-ever trip. We often mention “our first trip” on our site, but where did we actually go? What did we do? When did it happen? How did we pull it off? Why did we decide to travel? This is the story of our very first backpacking adventure!
Nick and I decided to leave our comfortable lives in Canada for a year-long trip. We had good jobs, a home, a nice car, many friends, and an active social life. Despite this, we felt something was missing. We needed a drastic change, and a long-term backpacking trip seemed like the perfect solution.
We meticulously planned our route, bought travel insurance, read countless guidebooks, got vaccinated, purchased all necessary gear, and handled all the logistics for our around-the-world trip—which felt overwhelming at the time.
To fund our journey, Nick worked overtime, we saved wherever possible, sold our home and car, and stored the rest of our belongings. Though it was stressful, the moment our plane took off, we knew we had made the right decision.
After a few farewell parties, we left on November 18, 2008, and returned on December 22, 2009, a bit over 13 months later. At that time, I was 24 and Nick turned 24 on the day our plane landed—a memorable birthday!
I had always been interested in Southeast Asia, so when Nick asked where I would want to spend a year traveling, my answer was obvious: SE Asia! It’s an excellent destination for new backpackers with well-trodden paths, easy travel logistics, and it’s budget-friendly, which was important for us.
We decided our first stop would be Thailand, the Land of Smiles. Thailand offers a lot to do for first-time travelers. Landing in the lively, chaotic, humid, and loud city of Bangkok was a culture shock, but in a good way. We were thrilled to start our adventure with a year ahead of us!
Here’s the route we took through Southern Asia:
Thailand -> Cambodia -> Vietnam -> Laos -> Thailand -> Southern India -> Thailand -> Malaysia -> Borneo -> Brunei -> Malaysia -> Indonesia -> Malaysia -> Singapore -> Sri Lanka -> Northern India -> Thailand -> Canada
We used every mode of transportation imaginable, and thanks to cheap flights in Asia, we managed to save time with occasional air travel.
I can’t list everything we saw, did, tasted, and learned, but here are some highlights from each country that still stand out to us:
Thailand: Nick got his scuba diving certification, we got tattoos in Koh Tao, saw elephants, stayed in our first beach hut, tried street food, watched a Muay Thai boxing match, rented motorbikes, visited the floating market, and partied on Koh San Road. Thailand was special to us as it was the first country on our trip.
Cambodia: We searched for someone to take us to Koh Rong Island, partied on Pub Street, had an interesting massage experience, visited the Russian Market, explored temples and palaces, and learned about the Pol Pot Regime by visiting the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Museum.
Vietnam: I survived a deadly virus, we rented a motorbike and explored independently, partied with locals in Ho Chi Minh City after a football match, explored the Mekong Delta, squeezed into the Cu Chi Tunnels, spent Christmas together, met locals, and found deserted beaches.
Laos: We cycled through fields, went caving, tubed down a river, rode motorbikes through the Bolaven Plateau, spotted the Irrawaddy River Dolphin, enjoyed Kuang Si Waterfalls, night markets, friendly locals, and survived a speed boat ride.
India: India itself was a highlight. We went on a camel safari, took overnight trains, interacted with locals, marveled at the Taj Mahal, witnessed cremations at the Ganges, explored ancient forts, and enjoyed the Keralan Backwaters.
Malaysia/Borneo/Brunei: We saw the Petronas Towers, visited Batu Caves, rode a gondola to a sky bridge, scuba-dived at Sipadan Island, rented a car for independent exploration, and enjoyed jungle safaris.
Indonesia: We explored Bali, tried surfing, saw Komodo Dragons, trekked for wild orangutans, and experienced diverse landscapes, islands, and wildlife.
Singapore: Though expensive, Singapore was fascinating with highlights like Little India, Chinatown, Sentosa Island, and attending a Formula 1 race.
Sri Lanka: Nick almost drowned in a riptide, we visited the Temple of the Tooth, took scenic train rides, visited cave monasteries, relaxed on beaches, and explored tea plantations.
After 13 months, we felt uncertain about returning home. Would we fit back into everyday life? After Third World travel, Canada felt very different. Simple things like crossing the street and waiting for lights to change felt strange. There were no chaotic markets, street food, or tuk-tuks—everything had changed except us.
I found it difficult and depressing to be back. We realized our lives belonged on the road. After some hard work in Canada, we saved for another trip and almost four years later, we’re still traveling and have turned it into our lifestyle!
So now you know about our first backpacking trip and where our love for travel began! Does this sound like a trip you’d want to take? Have you experienced “reverse culture shock” after a long trip? Share your thoughts!