Video Diary: England To Malaysia, Tears & Teh Tarik

Teh Tarik
The Tarik: A sugary, milky tea sold all over Malaysia. I was mad for it upon arrival, but had to watch the pennies (£1000 with no plan!)

This post was published pretty much 24 hours after arriving in Malaysia, earmarking the inception of my first-ever successful Man vs Clock challenge, which was me starting all over again…

After 12 months; I had done it. I’d left home on a one-way ticket, with a dream to completely turn my life around and I was high on life in Kuala Lumpur.

Sadly, the video diary that I recorded of me leaving Durham and then arriving in KL has gone missing. I have emailed Youtube, to no avail, but I am still working on it.

As much as I cringe at my fashion sense and other insecurities about the way I speak, there is some solid nostalgic value in recording the most significant chapter of my life.

It’s been a decade since I published this. I still absolutely love Malaysia and I managed to successfully leave home forever, travelling all over the world before hanging my hat in northern Thailand.

I’m going to keep these shit pictures up as a museum of that beautiful day I decided to take a risk on myself.

Cooking tall food, Malaysia
I was captivated by the making of this food…
Tall food, Malaysia
…I still am, in all honesty.
Little brother
My cousin with my little brother trying on my cheap old backpack.
The family
The big goodbye: My brother, stepdad, Mam, me (in gloves, it was November in Durham) and my sister.

Hello Malaysia…

Hello Malaysia...
Sitting in wonder with nerves and excitement on another level.

So there you go, no beautiful photos of scenery, wildlife or beaches. Just a couple of shit photos that don’t mean that much to anyone, but they’re my shit photos and they mean the world to me.

Planning a Trip? Travel Resources Below:

The following handful of resources and articles are the starter pack for anyone about to leave for their upcoming trip. Consider this your cheat sheet after 14 years of travel on every continent.

Searching For The Best Flights

For the past decade, I have found Skyscanner to be the best site for quickly finding and comparing flights to your desired destination. Click here to search for the best prices and compare flights without any fuss.

Booking Accommodation

When I travel in Asia, I tend to use Agoda. Wherever else, I use Booking.com, as these two sites have the best filter system and rates on the web.

When I started, I was on a tight budget, and Hostelworld was my friend. I still use it when visiting more adventurous destinations.

Know Before You Go:

    • Stop wasting precious time by looking for SIM cards in every new country. Get an eSim with Airalo before you arrive at your destination!

    • Grab discounts on main attractions at selected locations with Klook.

    • Protect your data, stay safe online and access content from anywhere with NordVPN. It’s my go-to for secure browsing while travelling!

Never Leave Without Travel Insurance!

It’s just not worth the risk. I pay $15 a week via subscription that I can cancel anytime, and they cover me for some very adventurous destinations! Read my honest SafetyWing review here and get a quote on their website.

Want To Start a Profitable Lifestyle Blog?

To say that starting a blog “changed my life” would be the understatement of the century. It has given me freedom, enriching experiences, and the ability to generate a six-figure online business.

If that interests you, check out my guide on how to start a lifestyle blog and make money.
That’s all, folks! You can sign up for my newsletter on my home page for further updates.

Anthony Middleton

A former loser who took a risk. I now live in Chiang Mai, Thailand and after visiting over 100 countries, my goal is to see them all. Stay tuned for my next fitness challenge, which I'll be announcing in the coming weeks.
Ultra runner walking in desert

Hi, I'm Anthony!

In November of 2010, I took on a mammoth challenge against the clock in a quest to upgrade my miserable life. I went out of my comfort zone and turned it all around. Ten years later, I’m completely location independent…

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