My best work week started with a broken suitcase in Bangkok

Last month I landed in Bangkok with a busted wheel on my carry-on, the one I'd managed to baby for three years. Instead of panicking, I grabbed a cheap duffel from a street stall for 300 baht and thought I'd just make do. That decision freed me up to actually explore the city instead of dragging a suitcase through every hotel lobby, and I stumbled onto a co-working space near Ekkamai that had a roof garden. I stayed there five days straight, met two freelancers who pointed me to a client that paid $800 more than my usual rate, and my whole week turned around. The funny thing is, I've been chasing the perfect bag and desk setup for years, but the light packing is what made the difference. Has anyone else had a travel fail that accidentally improved their work life? What broke for you and made things better?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jennifer1mo ago

Figure out what the real lesson is here. You didn't need a broken suitcase to work from a rooftop. You needed to stop hauling around your stuff and your old habits. The client was a nice bonus, sure, but that could have happened anywhere. I just don't buy that a $5 bag from a street stall is what fixed your work week. It sounds more like you finally had a free mind to talk to people. Give the suitcase a little credit for forcing the change, but not a lot.

joseph_hart1mo ago

Lmao yeah, I get where you're coming from. Last summer my laptop charger died on a work trip and I had to borrow one from a stranger at a coffee shop. Ended up chatting with her for like an hour and she tipped me off to a whole new client base. Still using that same charger brand she recommended too. So yeah, sometimes the stupid little breakdowns force you to actually talk to people instead of just plugging in and zoning out.