And I Go...

I'm sitting in Malaysia's self proclaimed "World's Best Airport." I'll admit that it's pretty glitzy, but nothing seems "Best" when you have a ten hour layover in the middle of the night. So here I sit... once again in an International Departure Zone.

There is something very Zen about this state of "somewhere in-between." When you have no idea what to expect when you land in the next destination, it's particularly easy to clear your mind. Tonight, Malaysia. Tomorrow, London. What awaits me there? No clue. Find out when I get there.

There are a few things that I'm leaving behind in Bali that I will miss, some more than others of course. Since I'm swimming in time right now, I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on these things. (In order of miss factor from least to most.)

1. Little Man

Every morning for my last two and a half weeks in Ubud, I would wake up here at sunrise...

... to the tenacious sounds of what I first assumed to be a ninja, heavily armed with pots and pans, in a competition with the local roosters for the "Loudest of them All" award.

(Think:

CCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAACAAAAADOOOOOOOOODLEDOOOOOOO x40

vs.

HI-YAH!!! YEEEEEEEEEEAH! HI! HI! HEY! HEEEEEEEEEEEIY! HAAA!!!!! CLANG CLANALANG ALANG CLANG CLANG ALANGALANG. HIIIIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAH!)

In actuality, it was this little man:

For seriously, he had to come out at first light and perform this ritual everyday (about every fifteen minutes or so... all day long) to handle (what I can only assume to be) the serious task of keeping bad spirits out of his rice crops.

Of course.

I grew pretty acclimated to the noise. I did not, however, ever really get used to the way he tried to hug me whenever I left the house. Grabby little bugger.

2. My Beds (can't thank you enough Anthony...)

As far as my living conditions were concerned in Bali this year, I couldn't have asked for much better. I didn't think that I would really beat the bed pictured above... until I woke up in the bed pictured below...

Gooooooooooood Morning Padang Bai.

This last sunrise made it really hard to want to leave Bali today. But what made it even harder...

3. The People

Not that I ever get too bent up about leaving a place, but this leg of my journey was set among a most fantastic cast of characters.

Leaving this particular cast wasn't that difficult, for, although I had to say farewell, I know it wont be long before I see everyone again... be it in California or back in Bali. Soon!

Love to you all until then.

xx