Farewells, injuries and surprises.

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Travel is an unusual business. Its full of mystery, happiness and most painfully, farewells.

If there is a bad part to travel, it is that there are farewells far too often.

Between my last blog and now, we said goodbye to a teacher who had cut her contract short to return home to her family. It was a sadder farewell than I can remember in my travelling days, because I had grown to depend on her, like the others in our little teacher family more than most other travelers I've come across.

As one of the others put it, we depend on each other out here. We get along or we fall, we need each other to survive, to help us through the hard times and really get through. So to see her leave, left an obvious hole in our little group. Mostly notably for me, because my true travel companions have now been pretty much halved. So it is now left to just myself and Viv to explore these amazing islands, though I am not complaining about this, it is starting to wear thin having to explain to everyone that we are neither married nor a couple.

So, what have we been up to? Well I've seen a bit more of Java, having traveled to the city of rain - Bogor. A fantastic city, surround by mountains and some amazing waterfalls, myself and Viv actually camped about thirty yards from one and were actually attacked by a horde of vicious monkeys next to it. Actually this is the second time this has happened, I don't think they like me too much.

I enjoy traveling with Viv, she is a great friend to have a long. We can be as dependent or independent of each other as we like. We can even sit in each others company for hours without the need to talk. So for someone who prefers to travel solo, this is a pretty good deal. She also has the same appetite for adventure and while I am sure this will get us into trouble at some point, thankfully it has yet to. She also doesn't question my slightly old fashioned ideals and slightly overprotective nature, I'm not sure she is overly happy with it all the time, but she doesn't show it, so we can function quite normally.

Of course our trip to Bogor like most of my trips, was not without incident, I tripped on the side of the road of all places and seriously screwed up my ankle and Viv caught a stomach bug which laid all of out for about a week. but hell this is the fun of traveling, but honestly the train ride home was not fun.

And now for the surprise.... errr actually, the surprise is, I am really enjoying teaching, I actually for the first time, do not mind be stuck in one place. Its like I've found my calling. On top of this, I've also been brought back to the world with a thump with the most beautiful lady I've possibly ever met. Kind, intelligent and gorgeous, it's a rare mix. I don't doubt that a scruffy git like me stands next to no chance with her, but well it's nice to see that such people can exist, I imagine you'll be hearing a bit more about her in the following blogs, so I'll introduce her as Chrissy! It was her birthday recently, we went to an Indian restaurant (god have I missed Indian food) an amazing night and I got far too drunk.

There is so much more to come from this incredible country, I can't help but wake up excited every day at the prospect! For the first time in a long time, I actually feel like I belong exactly where I am. The burden of my past is all but gone, though I still remember the lessons I've learnt. You can learn what you think is all about yourself in you're life, but all it takes is one place or trip and you can discover something entirely new. There's only one word for this moment. HAPPY.

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