A Red Deer woman says flying to Thailand to star in a web series was a life-changing experience.
Abra Atkison, 32, is a co-host of the upcoming Outpost Magazine series Tan Your Mind, with episodes releasing bi-weekly beginning at the end of this month.
“The trip was so amazing. There were so many different things we did – we were always moving,” said Atkison.
The Red Deeer resident, alongside the show’s producer, cameraman and fellow co-host Jess Abran, went to Thailand for 19 days in November.
They snorkelled, hiked through a jungle, travelled to a winery and even meditated with Buddhist monks.
“We got to go places some tourists don’t get to go, and we had backstage passes for some festivals. It felt like we were celebrities,” said Atkison.
One day they drove eight hours through a jungle to a small village, where they met families, went in their huts, ate dinner, and spent the night.
“That’s not the kind of thing you always get to see as a tourist … and seeing the real Thailand was big,” she said.
Children at one of the villages Atkison visited had never seen westerners before, she said. She was the first blonde person they had laid eyes on.
Spending an entire vacation on camera and constantly moving was a bit of a challenge, Atkison added.
“You have to tell the audience how you’re feeling, and what you’re seeing in the moment and sometimes it’s hard to describe.
“There was one day it was hot out, we had been filming all day. We were so tired, so dehydrated, and we were shooting our last scene. Then the camera guys asks us to talk about where we were and we had no idea,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Atkison said she would do it again in a heartbeat.
“I can’t wait to share it with everybody because just describing it doesn’t do it justice.”
Atkison said she hopes to return to Thailand in the future with her husband Brad.
To read Atkison’s blog posts and view the web series see www.tanyourmind.com.