Chapter 2. Travel Plans

During my leave, my health rapidly improved. I didn't want to waste the three months given to me. So, every day at the same time I used to head to work, I would leave my home and visit libraries or cafes to study or read books, things I had put off for a while.

To avoid wasting time, I diligently divided my time, trying to study and read books. At some point, I pondered, "What would change if I spent my time like this and then returned to work?"

With my mind still in disarray, time continued to pass, and I spent about a month and a half this way. Now, I had about one and a half months left.

My wife, who had been observing my repetitive routine, suggested that I go on a trip. In the past, when my work at the company was too hectic, I mentioned to her that I wanted to spend a month living in a warm country by the beach. She hadn't forgotten about that conversation.

I contemplated for about two days. In truth, the possibility of taking extended leave was because I had savings that could sustain me for about a year. I thought it might be nice to use a portion of those savings to live abroad for about a month.

I chose Chiang Mai in Thailand as my travel destination, a place highly favored by digital nomads. I started researching flight bookings online. However, at that time, Chiang Mai's air quality was the worst due to forest fires, causing many people to avoid it as a travel destination. Bangkok, my second choice, was similarly affected by poor air quality. Ironically, the only two months when air quality was bad in both places were the exact months when I was considering traveling.

As I pondered whether to give up on another country or a trip altogether, my wife suggested Phuket. Phuket was located in the southern part of Thailand, different from Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and it had good air quality during the same period.

Phuket was famous for its beautiful beaches, making it one of the top travel destinations in the world. I decided to opt for Phuket instead of Chiang Mai and booked my plane ticket.

Perhaps, this choice marked the misguided first step toward my future failures.