Life’s best lessons

Life’s best lessons are never convenient, but somehow necessary. So just yesterday on the day after the Escape Global event, my new friends from Kuwait & Saudi Arabia Ammar & Nabih decided on a trip into the city of Bangkok.

With Nabih’s flight just hours away, and a very important TiYR Sport class showcase around the same time for me; this wasn’t the best decision. Too many variables, not to mention the Bangkok traffic. But I soon realized that Ammar, is a master negotiator, and already has 10 different ways to convince us about 10 different things we had to do! The controllers of the bike ride, the boat ride to the taxis & market vendors, all soon got to meet “the negotiator.”

So many things went wrong with our plans that turned out to be just right!

Situation #1. Rain, Thunder, & Lightening just as we began our long awaited boat ride. While most would have found this undesirable, this made for an unforgettable experience, and strong bonding as friends.

Situation #2. Nabih’s flight was fast approaching, but we were stuck in a boat which was now parked on the water. As always Ammar looked calm and relaxed, Nabih seemed anxious about making his flight. I came up with the bright idea that we somehow exit the boat back to dry land and through the back streets of Bangkok and catch a Taxi. So we did!

 Situation #3. Upon exiting the water, we immediately got lost! But then found the most beautifully created temple, absolutely gorgeous off the beaten path. Not a single tourist in sight. We all laughed and enjoyed the irony.

Situation #4. Having found the main Street, it appeared not a single taxi would agree to take us to our hotel; too far! We came up with a strategy. The next taxi that pulls up, we all Jump in, shut the doors setting the expectation to the driver that we anticipated no issues with asking him to drive an hour or so in traffic off his typical route; it worked! We made it back just in time!

In every single situation, the solution came from a positive perspective, our attitude needed no adjustment. We all focused on the solutions, not the situations, and the possibilities not the problems. What an amazing experience the Escape global event turned out to be!