1st Leg, 1st Class

As has been our way, on my final day we woke up, had a long leisurely brekky followed by some Internet time. We lounge around the room or pool and take a power nap. Before I'd left Bali for Lombok all those weeks ago, I'd left a backpack with heaps of stuff in it with my friend Enrico. So Marny and I rented a bike and we headed out to retrieve my belongings in Padang. It felt good to get out of busy Kuta for the afternoon...out by the Puket it's simply beautiful...REAL Bali. It was great to sit by the sea one last time and catch up with Enrico-- he is a very special soul, with an innocent and positive outlook and energy that's contagious. Said goodbye to my friends, scooped up my belongings and then Marny and I were back to Kuta. We had some lunch, a final feast of Nasi Campur, and then we went to our favorite spa Shinkei for massages. The treatment we picked was Head Neck and Shoulder massage....and it was epic. They let us lay side by side in the serene spa as we got massaged, and it was one of the most blissful hours I'd spent in Shinkei. Greasy and glistening, with smiles on our faces, we strolled back to the room for a well deserved nap. As we walk through town, everyone calls us the "honeymooners" or "the cute couple"...and I gotta say, I Feel like I've been on a honeymoon. I'm in love and feel loved in return- and we spend our days going out to eat good food, getting massages, or just enjoying one anthers company- talking and talking and talking. Marny treats me like a princess and understands me like a best friend. Though we both came to Indo to indulge in our mutual passion for surfing, the past few days we couldn't bother to even make it to the beach! With only a few hours left we went for dinner...I had my one Bintang, and Marn had his coca cola, and we played a few final rounds of shithead (I won...just in case anyone was wondering). The tears started at dinner and didn't really stop after that. If I pulled it together, then I'd look over and Marny'd have started. Christ almighty. Took a taxi to the airport and Marny finagled his way past security with no ID and no ticket, and kept me company while I waited to check in. Few more rounds of shithead (ahem...again, I reign victorious...) and then it was time for the OFFICIAL goodbye. You coulda mopped both of us up off the floor, and it only got worse once we walked away from one another. As Marny said, I felt both incredibly Full and Empty at the same time. It wasn't long before I boarded the plane, and with sad swollen eyes I realized that I had a seat in first class! I texted Marny the good news and 'goodnight', and before the plane even took off I closed my heavy eyelids and was fast asleep in my oversized, comfy reclining chair. Woke up feeling fresh and rested, sleeping for most of the 5 and a half hour flight...a rare feat to wake up after a long haul with no leg, back or neck cramps! I was first off the plane and my first stop was for a proper coffee. Then had a mini-meltdown because my iPhone died. It has been on the fritz all morning and then BOOM. DEAD. F*%k!!!! Had another mini-internal-meltdown before remembering a trick that the Apple people had taught my mom for when your iPhone is acting up. Tried it, let it rest for a bit, and now I'm back in action!! Hallelujah. Posted up at my gate now here in Taiwan, shed a few tears after looking through some photos from the past few days, and getting ready to board the plane for my next stopover, Tokyo, Japan. Feeling really overwhelmed with emotions (yeah yeah- you know me...). I have been blessed yet again with an amazing year of travel-- filled with outstanding people, unforgettable experiences, and as always- heaps of delicious meals.