Tomorrow morning, I board a plane to London.
Even saying that feels a little surreal. Europe has always existed in my mind as something distant and dreamy. But somehow, after a series of spontaneous invites, slow planning, and a nudge from a couple of people I adore, I’m finally going. And not just for the adventure or the photo ops (though yes, my camera is absolutely coming with me)—I’m going for the people.
This trip is one of those rare, perfect intersections of timing, friendship, family, and the kind of “why not?” energy that doesn’t come around often enough.
A few months ago, I got a message on Line from my high school buddy, Somchart. He lives in London now, but at the time, he was back in Thailand, hanging out with Michael—another friend from our school days. The two of them had apparently been tossing around the idea of Michael visiting London, and somewhere in the mix, my name came up.
Next thing I knew, I was reading a message that basically said, “You in?”
The three of us went to high school together in Thailand. We were nerdy, creative, curious about everything. It’s wild to think how far we’ve all come since then—across continents, careers, and entire life chapters. And yet, here we are, somehow finding a way to orbit back toward each other for a few days in London.
After graduation, life pulled us in different directions—college, jobs, families, different countries. We stayed loosely connected through social media and the occasional birthday message. But then someone floated the idea: “What if we all met up in London?”
At first, I didn’t think it would actually happen. You know how these things go—everyone’s excited for five minutes, and then the group chat fades into the background noise of adult life. But somehow, despite the delays, the indecision, and the usual grown-up chaos, the idea kept coming back. And eventually… it stuck.
We made it happen.
I’m going.
For years, I’ve dreamed of wandering through old cities, soaking in a world I’d only seen in movies and travel books. But something always pushed the trip a little further down the road—timing, money, responsibilities. I kept telling myself, “One day.”
Now, that day is finally here.
This will be my first time in Europe, and I’m feeling all the things: excited, grateful, curious—and just a little nervous. I’ve pictured this moment so many times: me, strolling through historic streets with my camera slung over one shoulder, accidentally ordering the wrong thing at a café, trying to look like I totally belong (while quietly fumbling with the Tube map like a confused tourist).
And the fact that it’s all coming together because of friendships that go back decades? That just makes it even better.
Beneath it all is this deep, undeniable thrill. I’m about to step into a place I’ve never seen with my own eyes—and somehow, it feels like exactly the right time.
Now here’s where the plot thickens—in the best possible way.
Turns out, my little sister Karn is also in London right now, doing her MBA. Totally serendipitous. The kind that makes you pause and say, “Okay, universe, I see what you’re doing.”
She’s honestly one of the big reasons I decided to go for it. Sure, I was excited to see Somchart and Michael and relive a few of our high school glory days (and laugh at the cringey ones too). But the chance to spend time with my sister—in London, no less—was just too good to pass up. We haven’t had many adventures together as adults, and I’m really looking forward to changing that.
Of course, she’s got her own full plate with grad school, her own friends, and her own growing life. But I’m hoping we can carve out a few solid sister moments. Maybe a cozy meal. A stroll through a museum. Or just sitting on a park bench somewhere. And yes, she’s definitely going to laugh when I try to pronounce “Tottenham.”
I want us to make the kind of memories that show up in family group chats for years. The kind that become our shared stories. Our “remember when...”s.
Reuniting with Somchart and Michael in a new city feels like the start of a really good movie. One where the soundtrack is a mix of nostalgia and discovery, and every scene is tinted with a little jet lag and a lot of laughter.
There’s something irreplaceable about old friends—the ones who knew you before you knew who you were. Before life got heavy. Before you edited yourself to fit into jobs or roles or expectations. These are people who knew me before I really knew myself. Before responsibilities and taxes and back pain became part of the conversation. There’s a beautiful kind of ease in that. You don’t have to explain your backstory. They were there for it.
I know this won’t be a perfect trip. No trip ever is. I fully expect delays, detours, maybe even a moment or two of hangry silence. But I also expect to laugh, to learn, and to feel more alive than I have in a while.
More than anything, I’m hoping to reconnect—not just with the people I’m meeting there, but with parts of myself I may have forgotten. The curious part. The spontaneous part. The part that says yes, even when the details are fuzzy.
I’m hoping to feel that little spark again—that sense of wonder that sometimes gets buried in the routine of adult life.
And maybe, just maybe, I’ll come back with a few new stories, a full memory card, and a little more clarity on what really matters.
As I write this, my suitcase is mostly packed and probably already overweight (translation: I’ve definitely overpacked and will regret it at Heathrow). My camera gear is charging. My passport is safely tucked away in the one spot I think I’ll remember. And my brain is buzzing with excitement, nerves, and that very specific panic about whether I’ll need that 17th pair of underwear for a 9-day trip. You never know when you might poop yourself.
But under all of that is this quiet hum of gratitude. For friends who reached out. For family to look forward to. For the chance to say yes to something that once felt like a “maybe someday.”
Tomorrow, I’ll be in the sky. And not long after that, I’ll be walking through a city that’s brand new to me, and hanging out with people who make new places still feel like home.
London, I’m coming. Let’s make some memories.
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