Lij Tafari Smith’s Phuket getaway
Published:Friday | January 5, 2024 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Lij Tafari Smith knew his life would never be the same the moment he took the adventure of a lifetime and moved to Japan. Since being away from Jamaica for four to five holidays, he describes those occasions as bittersweet. Although he is unable to spend quality time with family and friends, Smith has made it his point of duty to travel to a different haven at the end of the year, visiting locations that mirrored the warmth and feel of his native island.
“My ideal Christmas would be to spend time with my friends and family and exchanging gifts, eating some good food and playing Christmas carols. And we would ring in the new year either at a party or check out the local fireworks. But I am happy to report that I spent the holidays in Thailand and it has been nothing short of a dream,” he told Lifestyle.
Phuket, he says, bears a striking resemblance to Jamaica, in the sense that it boasts a vibrant culture and presents a melting pot of flavour at your fingertips. “I’ve been able to do so much so far. I’ve fed and showered with elephants, I managed to pet tigers, swim on the shores of the world-renowned Phi Phi Islands, meet with locals to learn their stories, and of course capture content to post for the upcoming year. There’s a strong street food culture there with highly patriotic people; people who know how to hustle and they are people who know how to throw a party,” he said.
For the educator, it felt good to unwind and reflect on dreams that he had been holding back on. “Usually I’d go to countries and take pictures and wear nice clothes. But this Thailand trip was filled with intention. Creating a new niche for myself was definitely the number one priority.”
He even took it upon himself to create a hotel tour video for his hotel of his personal experience and the team loved his submission. “I think this trip made me realise I would love to become a travel influencer moving forward,” he admitted, with a smile.
He made a special trip to Hong Kong before returning to Japan. For New Year’s Eve into the new year, he explained the people in Japan take the opportunity to sit by the beach and wait for the first sunrise. “As a professional sleeper, I’ve never attempted this before. But I tried my best to catch it this time around; the operative word is ‘try’.”
Unfortunately, the residents of Japan also rang in the new year with a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks. He recently shared on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, “Knowing these people, I’m sure they went to the shrine earlier to pray for long life and health and success. What an awful way to go out on Jan 1.”
As a firm believer of the practical nature of holiday travels, Smith shares that it is important to exercise patience and vigilance on your seasonal adventures. ‘People are trying to get home to their families. Some are going for vacation and others have their own agenda. Emotions may run high as people tend to get groggy due to long lines and layovers,” he says.
The key to dealing with the hassle of holiday travelling is to find things that will occupy your time and keep you calm. “Download a movie or two for your long flights. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing on your journey. Create a long playlist of your favourite music and listen and watch carefully because one minute your ticket could say departure at Gate 8 and then in the split of a second, you’re being told to scramble to Gate 45,” he advises.