your letter makes me want to travel again.

It was not the only response I got about how I have ignited my friends’ spirit to travel through my end-of-year catch-up. I got many nice responses. I enjoy the variety of the comments. Well I am impressed by your New Year catch up letter. Oh WOW!!! your email have indeed made me think and look back of what I have done in the past and what I would love to do in the future :-) Your plans read like the schedule of a foreign correspondent! Most of all, I enjoy their spirit to visit me in Ubud this coming year. I don’t mind if the plan doesn’t work. It’s the thought that counts! Lucky that I live in Ubud, I have better chance to see far-away friends!

It’s interesting to observe. Women like to examine, a friend told me. Sure! It’s nice to be an observer. Anyway, it’s interesting to know that many of my male friends responded. If I sent to a couple, it’s the male-partner who replied. I thought men are not so attentive but it seems I need to update my view. Even short, they are just nice to have shared their thought.

I spent almost all day attending Christmas lunch in a friend’s new house in the middle of a virgin village in Tegallalang. It’s nice to see a mix of people – Balinese and foreigners. As always, I learned new things through conversations with different people from different background. Now I’m serious about having colon hydrotherapy after I talked with a girl who once worked in a spa in… Ubud! That I need. A place closer to home. My friend and I have talked about having it in Canggu while doing our six-monthly honeymoon rrr outing. Girls days out! Then I learned about a new business opportunity. Then about life in general. As often…

I feel sleepy now but I still have a date to meet a friend who’s leaving Ubud tomorrow morning. We plan to enjoy blues music in our favorite café near Neru. Another friend and his family are also in Ubud that I didn’t have the energy to make time to meet this early evening. And tomorrow I am booked for two meetings with friends. It’s nice but… I have started planning my holiday after a year-end holiday! I hope it works!

A tree in front of a house in Duijzel, Netherlands.