Skip to main content

Little Wandering Hen

 Question:  Why did the Chicken Blogger cross the road?

 Answer:    Because she wanted to be a Travel Writer!

Hello, hello how are you doing? Greetings from Koh Samui,  my favourite Thailand Island. It was first discovered by me in 1980 and last month I returned in search of the tranquil Thailand of my youth. At least that what I thought I was doing when I packed and set off for another Thailand staycation.


Our Thailand staycations started in February 2020, just as the world was closing down and ended up as the dream for every Travel Writer. Whilst in Koh Samui, I was invited via my Editor at Expat Life in Thailand to stay at four luxury resorts and share the delights of Koh Samui with their readers!

'What! You want me?! 
Hang on a mo, let me just see if I'm brave enough to come out from behind my coconut tree!'


HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
During our Covid-19 months of closed borders and personal lockdowns, most of my Aussie and British friends gathered their nearest and dearest back home and bunkered down for the duration. This Mother Hen was unable to do this. 

My COVID was an empty nest operation across three continents. Our global pandemic means keeping abreast of the ever-changing situation in Australia, Europe and Asia.

So for our own sanity (well ok mine!), we planned Thailand staycations during and after lockdown. We have now been away every week since I returned to Thailand in February 2020. 





HOW DO YOU TRAVEL?
Together with an Air Asia Travel Pass which gives us unlimited flight travel between July - December we've been all over Thailand: Krabi, Phuket, Nong Khai, Chiang Mai, Pai, Khon Kaen, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi...


When we are not flying we're driving to Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin ...

WHY DO YOU STAYCATION?

Why? Because we can. We are eternally grateful to be able to safely get out and about in Thailand.

We got a sense very early on how tough this situation was going to be for those in the tourist industry here in Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand had been hoping for 40 million tourists this year before Thailand ceased international flight arrivals in March.  

It remains extremely difficult to enter Thailand and all those who are approved to return need a costly 14-day hotel quarantine. We know many, many families who are separated in this way.

Those early staycations in March and April connected us with the hoteliers of Bangkok and we saw how appreciative they were for our stays.  I wrote an article for Expat Life in Thailand: 


WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

I recognise I am only a little wren in all this, but I want to play my part and encourage those of us within Thailand to travel to help the beleaguered Thai tourism industry. Who knows when borders will fully open and International visitors will return.

An important element of our staycations was to help shine a spotlight on wonderful hotels and help them to attract attention. This industry is hurting bad, I have many, many examples of businesses that have closed, perhaps never to reopen. 

I want the best of Thailand that I love and enjoy to survive and to be there for future enjoyment. 

Avani+ Koh Samui

In May 2020 I'm attracted to a Zoom course I find on Instagram "Finding your Feminine Maturity" which connects me with Michelle Irving and some amazing women in Australia. Through this course, I establish my longing to be a Travel Writer amongst other things. You have to know what you want before you can seek it, right?

Who do you think you are? 

When I get the unexpected call-up, 'can you change your holiday plans and I hope you have got some smart clothes with you?!' I am unprepared for what has been offered. 

What me? The Wren blogger that has been with you since 2012, just chatting to my blogging friends around the globe? 

This was a dream come true thanks to Anantara Hotels and Minor Group and Kamalaya Wellness.

Just to put this into context, I know I have very little competition - all the pro bloggers and influencers can't get into Thailand! At least I'm good value, I am an unpaid writer, my blog is deliberately not monetised. This is a fun hobby, as I am unable to work here in Thailand.

Kamalaya Wellness and Holistic Spa Koh Samui

WREN: THE TRAVEL WRITER!

Most of the articles have yet to be published but you can get a taste of how lucky I was here:

The Big Chilli Bangkok published :

It has been an amazing few months for me, I am so grateful to my Little Wandering Wren blog (s) which have led to so much. I'm not as regular here as I would like to be, I'm pretty flat out with various deadlines but I will never forget where this started. Thank you all for always being so encouraging along the way and cheering me on. 

MEET LITTLE WANDERING HEN

When I was first published in Thailand, my name was changed in the editorial office. It seems no-one in Thailand has ever heard of a Wren. I was launched as drumroll, please ...

Little Wandering Hen!

So don't worry I'm going to ensure I never take any of this for granted and I promise never to become too cocky! Thank you for reading along with me.








Comments

Michele Morin said…
😁 Loved the joke, and I don't travel enough to be a travel writer, but do enjoy the journeys of others!
I am not much of a traveler but Thailand looks like a beautiful place.
Coastal Ripples said…
If you have to be on a staycation anywhere I guess Thailand is pretty good. Great that you are getting to go to lots of the resorts and write about then...sad they haven’t heard of wrens ;). Looking forward to more virtual Thailand adventures. B x
Looks so lovely :)

All the best Jan
Margaret D said…
Great to do that.
The photos are lovely as well and we get to see more of the country there too.
Take care.
eileeninmd said…
Hello,

You are lucky to be able to travel to so many different and beautiful places. What a lovely and exotic place. Beautiful photos.
Have a great day and a happy new week ahead.
Jeanie said…
I love the story about how this happened. (Though I think you were writing before Covid!) But supporting your current home country makes a lot of sense and since you were able to travel ssfely, a terrific opportunity. I confess, about all I know of Thailand is from you and it certainly is remarkable and beautiful. So they should be very pleased with you!
DeniseinVA said…
Always love your posts. What an amazing journey and all these beautiful places. I am thankful that you share them with us, so thank you!!!
mvmaithai said…
Hey Jenny,

Congratulations on your dream come true! You're a great writer; I've enjoyed reading your blog over the years. Too bad I didn't get to meet you back in Jan!

A friend of mine also spent her some of her youth years in Thailand. Perhaps your articles will entice her husband to visit!

I posted on food in Bangkok last month.
Have Food, Will Travel: Bangkok, Thailand

I look forward to reading your travel articles. Enjoy your staycations, and stay safe!
Janice said…
Fun life for you. Nothing like achieving your dream! As for becoming too cocky note my last name. You can only imagine all the jokes our family has endured. Ha. So long as Little Wandering Hen does not start telling us the sky is falling!
Tom said…
...thanks for the tropical sights, I won't be going to Maui this winter do to Covid-19!
NatureFootstep said…
times are changing and travels not as easy as it used to be. Who knows if it will be possible to travel like before again?
It is sad to think about :(
Nancy Chan said…
I have only been to Hatyai once many years ago. I am not much of a traveler but I love virtual tour.
magiceye said…
Thank you for the lovely virtual trip!
Just seeing your amazing photos and hearing the joy in your voice as you talk about Thailand makes me want to visit. I know I never will at this stage of my life, but I'm content to live vicariously through you! So many businesses here are being forced to close and it's so very sad to see. So many people now unemployed and many more living in fear. It appears we're on the cusp of the second wave of the virus and unless people learn to abide by the restrictions we will be forced back into pretty much full lockdown. Our world has certainly changed and one wonders what thing will be like on the other side of this virus. Stay safe!
Amy Johnson said…
Lucky you to be surrounded by such beauty. It's so sad to see what's happening to the tourism industry and all the lives it affects. We are still traveling. Mostly in our home state, but we did travel across states this past summer. But nothing overseas of course.
Teresa said…
Se ve todo precioso. Gracias por tu visita. Saludos.
Polly said…
50 staycations in such a beautiful country, I'm so envious.
Linda said…
Sounds like a good way to spend a pandemic!
MICHAEL JAY said…
I saw a comment here a few weeks ago about Dr Akhere and i decided to contact him as instructed, thanks to this man for bringing joy to me as wished for. i followed instructions which he gave in other to get my lover back who left me and the kids for 3years now, but thanks to Dr Akhere because they are back to me now for good and we are happy together. please do contact him for help too if in relationship problem via email at: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com or call/whatsapp:+2349057261346 . And testify for yourself.



























































I saw a comment here a few weeks ago about Dr Akhere and i decided to contact him as instructed, thanks to this man for bringing joy to me as wished for. i followed instructions which he gave in other to get my lover back who left me and the kids for 3years now, but thanks to Dr Akhere because they are back to me now for good and we are happy together. please do contact him for help too if in relationship problem via email at: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com or call/whatsapp:+2349057261346 . And testify for yourself.

Popular posts from this blog

Hello Summer 2023!

Hello Everyone I hope you are having a wonderful July whereever you are in the world. As it's been a wee while since I stopped by I thought I'd fill you in.  The last three months have been epic. Here is my flight schedule alone: Phuket --> Bangkok --> Singapore --> Melbourne --> Gold Coast (overland to --> Brisbane --> Sydney --> Phuket --> Bangkok --> London --> Paris (overland to Montpellier) --> London. As they say I haven't been everywhere yet but it's on my list! April ended up being an incredible month as I returned to Australia, thanks to a wonderful invite to attend a 7 night Detox at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Queensland. Here is a little excerpt:  Gwinganna Detox Program I’ve been invited to join a  seven-night detox program  at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. They are winners of the  World’s Best Eco Spa Awards  (2022 World Spa Awards) and it is beyond exciting. Well, until I read the small print… So it’s no gluten, dairy,

Autumn Spice and everything nice!

Hey, what ever happened to Summer? I hope yours was lovely, mine was pretty amazing! It feels like my whole year has whizzed past in a flash, how about yours?  I've had a year of saying "yes" to everything offered to me. It has been exciting to put it out to the Universe to see where I should be. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this in my husband's early years of retirement. I'm just back in Asia from the US. I never feel my year is quite right without seeing British daffodils in the Spring and a pumpkin and the leaves turning in Autumn. Yay, the world nailed it this year, thank you.  Read on to find out what happened when my ultimate yes occurred on a trip to Montana to meet Ruth, an IG friend. I know Bloggers will smile and not be at all concerned, we've been meeting up around the globe for years, haven't we...?!  But let's just say some of my family and friends were, you're doing what?! But first some Little Wren updates! France I had so

It's a funny old world!

Welcome to Racha Island Hello everyone and greetings from Phuket, Thailand THAILAND THOUGHTS Thailand where we have now reopened the country and are ready to welcome international fully vaccinated arrivals without quarantine to our beautiful island.  For all the details check out  Phuket Sandbox: Would you, should you, could you?   This month another southern island Koh Samui followed along. There are slightly different arrangements with guests to stay within their arrival hotel for three days before supplying a negative Covid test. This gives freedom to roam the island, after 7 days, visitors can also visit the islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. For all the details check out: Welcome back to Thailand via Koh Samui plus All this as Thailand records the highest Covid numbers and death rates ever recorded and stricter measures have been released across the worst affected Provinces.  There is a plan for more of the country to open and the idea was for Thailand to fully reopen to vaccinat