Freedom

I skyped with my mom today and she teared up when she saw me! It's been almost 5 months since I have seen her face-to-face and three weeks since she has even heard my voice. I am feeling extremely blessed to be surrounded by so much love even though I am half a world away from my loved ones. My friends and family have dosed me with ample amounts of love and support that I can carry it in my pocket every where I go.

When I left for Indonesia I wanted to get away and get comfortable with the company of myself again. I've never been one who enjoys alone time. I fill my days with work, outdoors, friends, and relationships that I rarely give myself any time. On the 24 hour trip over here I was sad. I looked at my journal from the first day and I seemed to be frightened, alone, and confused. I questioned my independence and actually thought I may not be in the right head space to travel alone. However, I embraced the decision to tackle this solo mission and it has exceeded all expectations! Here I am three weeks later, knee deep in a new culture and soaking up the differences in lifestyles. I am in awe of the beauty and I listen to the sounds of my surroundings instead of the monkey chatter in my head. I have scuba dived with sharks, turtles, and manta rays. I climbed the highest volcano. I was 10 feet away from the magnificent Komodo dragons. I boated across part of Indonesia sleeping on the boat deck with 13 other people. When I walk around I stop and talk to strangers (even though I was taught not to do that). I have seen a palm reader and a healer. I met an influential yoga teacher who introduced me to aerial silks. I have explored in rice fields, made many new friends from all over the world, and most importantly I have fallen in love with myself all over again.

My mom asked me what my favorite part of the journey has been... not the most beautiful place, or the most memorable beach... the overall journey. I told her it was the freedom. I have never felt more comfortable in my own skin in my entire life. I have to admit I really haven't been alone much. I have made lovely friends along the way, but I have had many quiet moments to myself at night and early in the morning to reflect and think about "things," for lack of better words. We live in a country where we are free. Each and every one of us take this for granted. We can make our own choices, express ourselves in the way we dress, vote, travel, and choose any religion to practice. It hasn't always been that way. We have so much dang freedom yet many of us feel trapped. I heard this the other day and it truly resonated with me... the ship is safe in the harbor, but that's not what ships are made for. I feel free. I am free.

Ubud

5/20
Ubud is magical. I knew I would love it here! I found a gem of a hotel in the middle of the green rice fields just on the outskirts of Ubud. It's called Green Lagoon on Bisma street. I met up with Tammi right away at Nick's Pension for some pizza and banana smoothies! Couldn't even be bothered to shower, even though it has been 5 days! I was enjoying my balcony over looking the pool and rice paddies, and free breakfast, free wifi, open air bathroom with stones of the ground, dragon flies circling the rice fields, the breeze, birds, frogs... everything. You know when you walk into a place and you feel blissed out, smiling at everyone, light on your feet...like all your problems float away and you can be fully present? That's Ubud.

Kimodo boat trip

5/16
I am on a 4 day boat trip across Indonesia with 13 other people and 4 boat crew. It took a while to get across Lombok, pick up the live chickens, have lunch, and get the boat going but we are here and our group is hilarious! I already had to take a sea sick pill... and combined with one beer I was pretty loopy. I remember talking to someone all about the reproductive system in bees... wonder how that started. Science! We are all sleeping on the deck of the boat but tonight the air is super still and hot and everyone is snoring except me. I'm sweating! I guess I'll jump in the ocean first thing in the morning since that's the only shower I'll have for the next 4 days! :)

5/17
We stopped at Moyo Island today to hike to the waterfalls and have a "bath" in anaconda territory. We also snorkeled and pretty much got to know everyone on the boat. The people on the boat could definitely make or break the trip and we all lucked out! The bathroom here is just a hole in the deck that drops down into the water. I have gotten quite comfortable being dirty and salty that I actually went into this restroom barefoot! Rocking boat + trying to pee in a hole = slippery floor. I have reached a whole new level of gross!

5/18
Why is that my brain turns on at 3am and starts thinking of new inventions or business plans? Why, brain... why? At least everyone else wakes up early around here too. But early is 6am... not 3! Today we snorkeled at a few more reefs. Two Indonesian girls on the boat are Muslim and wear the hijabs (headscarf) day and night obviously. They wore them to the waterfalls and even went snorkeling in them! They even snorkeled in long pants. This trip must have be a challenge to the dress code, especially since the only place to change is the 4' x 4' bathroom. After lunch today we embarked on the famous Komodo Island to see the dragons. We only saw 5 or 6 at this destination... but it was here that I found out that Komodo dragons can smell blood 3 miles away and they get aggressive when women are on their period. I almost cried... I was terrified! Needless to say... they wanted to eat me! I wish I would have known this before I jumped into the lions den! Komodo dragons on this island have taken the lives of 8 humans! Their saliva has lethal bacteria in it so their bite will kill you about a week or two later if you aren't treated. On a lighter note, the sunset was gorgeous and the flying foxes (looked like giant bats) came out just as the sun was setting and we were listening to Jose Gonzales... that was lovely moment.

5/19
Oh yay we get to see more Komodo dragons today! This time the park rangers gave me my very own personal ranger to protect me! I'm glad I got to see this rare beast but glad I'm off the island! We stopped at red sand beach for a snorkel and didn't want to leave. Trip is over... tonight the whole crew got together for our last dinner. I'm going to miss these guys and all the laughter!

Senggigi

5/15
Relaxation day was a total success here in Senggigi today! I had breakfast at my hotel, walked next door over to Beach House where they have a koi pond in the middle of the restaurant. My favorite seat in the house is a bungalow looking open air platform that overlooks the beach with loads of pillows to rest on. I pretty much camped out there all day. I got a massage an a mani/pedi right next to the ocean... I read, emailed, and drank banana lassies. Lovely!

Gunung Rinjani on Lombok

I just finished a 2 night/3 day "trek" up Mt. Rinjani. I would have called it a climb or something that sounds a little more strenuous than trek. This was no walk in the park, but the view into the volcano, lounging in the hot springs river, and the reward of making it to the summit for sunrise was a memorable experience!

5/12 Day one was about a 7 hour sweaty hike through the jungle finishing literally in clouds. Our crew consisted of 7 hikers, 1 54yr old guide who has climbed Rinjani over 1000 times, and 3 porters who each carried a 90 pound bamboo stick with two large baskets on either end full of food, water, and camping gear. They carried it on their shoulder and only wore flip flops or went barefoot! I was blown away at their strength! I did the math and figured out that they are only paid $2 per day! We each paid roughly $150 and they make $6 of that? Someone is padding their pocket here and that's not fair! However being a porter is one of the only jobs in the area so that's the only option. I told them they should form a union and refuse to work until they raise the wages... they didn't understand what I was saying, they just smile and nod :) At one point during the trek I had to pee so I got off the beaten path a bit and had stage fright... my shy bladder told me that someone was looking at me and sure enough a monkey jumps down off a tree and lands 5 feet from me! I think he smelled the banana in my backpack. I screamed and pulled up my pants mid-pee. Lesson learned... next time I'll stick to the path! We hiked about 8,000 vertical feet that day and camped just below the rim of the volcano. It was a loooooong night of tossing and turning, shivering, listening to wild dogs howl and yelp, and having to pee but not wanting to get out of my sleeping bag. The moment I saw a change of color in the sky, I popped up ready to start day two.

5/13 Day two we hiked up to the rim where we could look into the crater and see the lake and the new small volcano (inside the crater) that formed recently. We hiked all the way down to the lake, fished, and lounged in the hot springs and cold waterfalls for a few hours. Hiking out of the crater up to base camp below the summit was BRUTAL!!!! I think it was the toughest 2 hours of the trip!

5/14 Day three started at 2:30 am with a wake up call and warm cup of tea. We were the last group to leave base camp and the first ones to reach the top! We made it up there right at 6am as the sun started to create a vibrant rainbow at the horizon while the stars were still out in the black sky. We watched the sun rise in its entirety and I almost shed a tear. The next 6 hours was a downhill knee beating race to get to the bus where we all passed out until we made it to Senggigi... where my first shower waited for me!

Gili Trawangan

5/11
I met 5 great people two days ago on the boat ride from Lembongan to Gili Trawangan! Martin from England, Tina and Lewis from Belgium, Clem from France, and Ayla from Canada. I am actually sharing accommodation with the two girls so it's nice to have girl time and not be riding solo any more :) The first night we had dinner then went to a party at Blue Marlin. That was the most intense techno/house/trance music I have ever heard! I'm not European, so I didn't even know how to dance to that!

The next morning we rolled out after "room service" breakfast and went straight to the ocean to snorkel with the turtles. We also rented bikes and biked around the entire island with Martin. Despite the many sand traps we made it to this funky renegade bar on the south side of the island where the locals were listening to music and spinning poi. So we had a beer, and a poi, and a dip in the ocean... why not? All six of us ate local food at the square and finished the night with more Bintang and conversations about the world's problems. After solving a few of them we hit the hay.

This morning Ayla and I dove at Manta Point and got to see a shark and many more turtles! I wasn't scared until homeboy came directly for me!!! I may have let out a squeal and awkwardly swam backwards until my dive master grabbed me and told me to be still! Ah! After the dive we snacked on the beach, shopped, laid on the beach (I was the whitest one out there!), swam, got a pretty terrible massage, and I sorted out my travel plans for the next 9 days! The Scoot crew had dinner together again at a posh pizza place and then said our goodbyes. Its going to be weird to be back on my own again... except Martin is coming with me so I guess I'm not really on my own! So long Gili T!

Nusa Lembongan

5/7
I just got back from diving at Crystal Bay and Manta Point. Apparently this is the "cleaning station" for the mula mula where they come get nibbled on by the small fish for their daily bath and return down to the deep blue. They are 6-8 feet!!! We were not graced by their presence, but we saw giant green star fish, octopus, nemos, sea snakes, and trumpet fish. It was just myself and a guide, Gereng, accompanied by an Aussie couple and their guide. We convinced the captain to take us to Manta Point to dive with the Manta Rays which was nothing less than magical! THEY WERE HUGE!!!!!! When I say huge I'm talking 6 feet wide, maybe bigger! Anyway, I met a guy named Owen from London this afternoon. He is staying at Nusa Indah as well, and we adventured ourselves on some motorbikes to the other Island (Nusa Ceningan) across the hanging bridge which was missing a few planks. I just drove as fast as I could and didn't look down. We found the blue lagoon, a jumping rock, and secret beach. This is the Bali I was looking for! It's a small and quiet little treasure that most tourist haven't found! Tonight we decided to splurge and have dinner at a beautiful French restaurant with two other people we met. So far so good!!!!