When things do not go “according to plan”
“Make the plan, consider the plan, throw away the plan.”
Sometimes travel looks like one big Instagram feed full of sunsets and coconuts. But the reality of traveling? It often goes completely differently than planned. And that is exactly where the real freedom hides.
It’s okay for things to suck sometimes
You know the saying: “bad things come in threes.” Well, they sure do. First, a hospital visit. Then, a dive mask that literally exploded in my face. And finally, a sinus infection that kept me out of the water for a week. Add several days of non-stop tropical rain, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an island mood crash.
And then come the comments: “How can you feel bad in a place this beautiful, living a life most people only dream about?”
The answer is simple: because you’re allowed to. Traveling without a rigid plan and letting go of expectations also means making room for setbacks. Sometimes the glass isn’t half full. Sometimes it’s shattered on the floor. And that’s okay. I’ve learned to let myself sit with the fact that things can suck for a while. Not everything needs to be “mindsetted” away.
Letting go of the travel plan gives you freedom
We started this trip with a big plan for the next twelve months. It lasted exactly three weeks before we tore it up and threw it out the window. And that felt surprisingly good.
Traveling without a strict plan forces you to stay flexible, to pivot when needed, to take a different turn or even create a whole new path. And you know what? That gives us way more freedom than sticking to a schedule ever could.
Now we’re heading to the Philippines for a border run in late September and then we’re coming right back to Koh Tao.
Koh Tao experiences that keep us here
Why come back? Easy: Koh Tao has a magnetic pull. Black Turtle Dive feels like the perfect place to keep growing. The training is top-notch, the instructors are incredible, and staying longer gives us the chance to progress even further.
And then there’s Tao, our little roommate. The kitten we’re fostering has made this island feel even more like home. These are the kinds of experiences you’ll never find in a guidebook.
You won't find this in a travel guide
The real lessons of travel don’t come from Lonely Planet. They come from the people you meet, the way a place makes you feel, and the unexpected twists that give everything meaning.
And as much as I love planning, there’s something liberating about knowing we get to choose our own rhythm. It’s not indecisiveness, it’s freedom.
For us, that means settling into Koh Tao a little longer, continuing to learn from the best, and trusting that life doesn’t always need a plan.
So yes, things rarely go 100% as planned. And that’s exactly how it should be.
