It’s a Little Awkward Because I’m Not Exactly On Vacation

I’m in Thailand. It’s beautiful. The weather is warm and that warmth speaks to my soul.  The town i’m in is known for it’s tourists.  Tourism accounts for almost 100% of the income here.  I’m staying in a small guesthouse for backpackers and foreign tourists.  Everyday people are coming and going from some sort of crazy adventure. Boat rides down the river, scooter rides through the mountains, elephant treks, cruises down the Mekong River to see Laos and Cambodia, and guided tours through Buddhist temples.  I don’t fit the mold. I don’t fit in. I’m not exactly on vacation yet.  I sit downstairs by the pool every morning chipping my way through emails and creatively working on the next thing on my plate while scores of college-aged people sit at the tables nearby with their Lonely Planet book in hand planning the adventure for the day.

I’m not exactly on vacation yet, but i sure love the vibe of where i get to setup shop.  It’s nice to mix things up, to work in different environments and around different people.  It makes me think differently.

If you’re into specifics and want to know what i’m working on, here’s a little sampler:

- Creatively planning a conference for 650+ coworkers.
- Planning a banquet for those same coworkers to celebrate 30 years of work in China.
- Planning a 30th anniversary celebration in Hong Kong that immediately follows the conference.
- Several other odds and ends, but those 3 are the majors right now.