Secret Royalty On Tour

My dear friend,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you and share what I will remember most about my adventure with you.

Thank you for letting me exist without question. No one asked my age, whether I was married, or why I travelled alone. No one tried to pin me into a neat little box. In your streets, I was simply me – and what a relief, what a freedom that was.

Thank you for sharing the small temples, not just the grand ones. I loved wandering among  them with the street dogs, all of us just chilling and appreciating. 

I loved being thanked for visiting your country, over and over, with grace and sincerity. It was a kindness I hadn’t expected, and it made every dusty road and shabby town feel of value – a part of it all.

Thank you for the lessons you offered without ceremony. When you flood in the rainy season, you rebuild because you must. You accept what comes, you carry on and you teach the same. A masterclass in acceptance, really.

I loved the rhythm of your streets. Scooters and trucks weaving through narrow lanes, yet the air is free of the usual honking apocalypse. It moves like a dance, not a drama. Even the mountains rise without hurry, as if they, too, have perfected the art of subtle showmanship. And the occasional chase of a rogue chicken? Pure theatre.

I will miss you Laos. Not just your rivers, your mountains, your temples or your streets – but the way you made me feel: free, beautiful, quietly admired and oddly celebrated just for turning up. 

We may not meet again—Secret Royalty has many more countries to understand – but I promise I will spread the word about you: your calm chaos, your understated grace and beauty, your small absurdities and your utterly undeniable charm.

With love and admiration,
Jill

To my readers who have come along with me – message me if you’d like more detail on my actual itinerary, not just all the feels X