Cinta.

"Cinta", Bahasa indonesia for "Love". I'm in it...swimming in it, living in it and loving every second of it. World, meet Marny. We met here in Lakey Peak, Sumbawa, Indonesia. This photo of us is a few days post shave, but when we first met he was a hairy, hairy man. He's from Australia and lives a similar lifestyle to me. He is an OUSTANDING surfer and an equally epic snowboarder. He lives in his house in Australia, on the same property as his parents, for a little more than half the year. He spends 3 months then in Hakuba, Japan being a guide in the backcountry. He's trained to survive avalanches and he takes snowboarders deep into Japans mountains. After Japan he heads to Indo for 2 months...one month in Lakey and one month at G-Land. I'd been in the lineup with him a few times and seen him around town, but he scared me a bit. He was hairy and one of the top dogs in the aggressive, extremely talented Lakey Peak lineup. We had dinner with the same group for about a week, and after talking to him I lost any bit of intimidation that I'd had for him before. Then, we went to the ATM in Dompu- the day after I decided to extended my stay here and forfeit my ticket to Bali. There was supposed to be several people in the car to town, but everybody bailed except me and Marny. Well the day long adventure turned into lunch, coffee, dinner, dessert, then tea. It was instant love. We talked and talked and talked...barely taking a break to breathe or swallow our food. I, of course, spoke endlessly about my parents....and so did Marny. He shares a deep love with his parents as I do, and their lives are just as intertwined as well. He doesn't drink because he just doesn't really like it-- but he drinks HEAPS of Coca Cola, and he puts down a fair share of ice cream as well. He's a carpenter...able to build a house and then fix everything in it. His art medium is sculpture- making large scale pieces out of recycled metal. He's well traveled and funny and handsome....but best of all, he treats me like a goddess and is so very in love. Well, I gotta say, the feeling is mutual. We've both shed a few tears already at the thought of having to part, but we will only have to suffer the distance for a few short months. I made a commitment to work, and I want to see my parents - so I'm definitely headed home. BUT, Marny wants to come out and meet my parents in October and then I'm gonna hop a flight with him back to Australia. It's all happened pretty quickly, but when it's good it's good and when it's right it's right, and I deserve it!