Finding a paradise place in a moment of global crisis

The last place I got to experience in Asia, without even knowing it would be my last, was Krabi. And in Krabi, I found paradise. It was stunning: limestone cliffs, turquoise water, peaceful beaches. It felt like a dream. I wandered the coastline, met kind people, swam at sunset, and for a while, I allowed myself to truly enjoy the moment.

But beneath the calm, the world was spinning in chaos. Borders were closing fast. Flights were being cancelled. I didn’t know whether to stay or go... whether to wait it out in Thailand or return to Romania while I still could. I booked a flight home, only to have it cancelled. I booked another one to Germany, planning to stay at a friend... which also got cancelled. Luckly somehow, I went to the airport in person to ask... and they told me there was a seat left that night for Germany and they could put me on the plane. I rushed back, packed my bags, and flew out. The decision wasn’t even mine, in the end.

And so my sabbatical ended. Not with a plan, but with a quiet goodbye I hadn’t seen coming. My heart felt heavy, like I had unfinished business with that part of the world. My dream had been cut short... for the second time. But I’ll never forget that last sunset in Krabi, floating in the warm sea, not knowing it would be the last.