Back home, there is few things that really annoy me. People pushing me in a crowded place and not apologizing. Being late and people who are late. Even if I must admit being late at all my meetings. It’s in my genes, I can’t fight it, it’s my Latin blood! I hate cold espresso, bicycling under the rain and also tomato sauce stain on a white blouse. Let’s not talk about guys in the street asking if I want to grab a drink with them. No. I don’t want to know you. I’m busy and you are scary. Leave. Me. Alone. Please.

  

Obviously, I had to change few things to adapt myself to the travel… At first all the new attitudes from people, the new food, the new habits can be overwarming and scary because so far from what you thought life was before discovering a new country. They can make you feel angry while you try to reject them and holding on to all the little details you thought were building the person you are. But then, eventually, you start to let go and accept that the world around you is not going to change. A bull will never displace a mountain by kicking it with his horns. Maybe the bull should just relax and enjoy what the mountain can offer to him. It’s still the same bull, but he seems more happy in the second picture no? (I invented that tale, believe it or not).

In south east Asia, people are pushing me all the time but I am now the one pushing too. Specially if I have to catch a bus. Don’t ask where is the line, there is none, there is just a gentle battle field in front of the train or the bus that you have to bravely go through to acceed to your final destination. So keep your smile and jump in the crowd, that’s it! When you get the move this challenge can actually be seen like a game, or a quest in an adventure which you are the hero or heroine.

Being late is not a problem anymore. Who is waiting for me? Am I waiting for anybody? Shit happens anyway, if I miss that plane, what a big deal, I’ll take the next one. I decide to be the smart bull, the mountain is too high for me to cross? Well, there is this path here on the left and I’m sure it will drive me in the same place. I want to keep my horns pretty oi! 

Cold espresso… Well that part stills annoy me to be honnest. And tomato stain on a white blouse…? Oh man, if I had to count all the stains on my backpacker clothes… I would be angry for the rest of my days. I am not criticizing the work of all the ladies or gentlemen who washed my muddy and disgusting tee shirts and socks along the way. They did an amazing job and except for some panties I’ve never lost anything in their laundry shops. Wait… What? Yep, you’ve heard well about my underwears disappearing  problem in South East Asia but I will talk about that later in this blog.

About bicycling under the rain, it has never been so fun than in south east Asia. When it’s the monsoon, you are expecting to be wet anyway. A bit of exercise under the rain is a step closer to taking a shower. A kind of “outside shower”. You do a two in one mission. There is no problems, just solutions, take your soap with you for your next bike ride.

Here people are talking to you all the time. By pure interest or to sell you things. Of course, like anywhere in the world, you should think twice before accepting to grab a drink with any stranger who wants to hang out with you in the street but being a “yes person” as my friend Jackie is calling good vibes travellers, has directed me in a tones of positive and amazing experiences.

So when these three rasta dudes, hanging on a small piloti with two goats, few beers, and a ukulele asked me while I was circling the island if I wanted to chill with them, I said no thanks, at first. But then I said yes. Because I wanted to say that “Once, I was walking around Gili T and I had a beer with three Rastafari and their two goats, on the beach.” (Do I sound adventurous enough?)

Lucky me, their english was excellent and they were funny! I mentioned quickly a fiancé coming the day after (because still, I didn’t know these guys) and we sat there, playing music and chatting for a bit. 

When a lady arrived with her baskets full of food hanging on her head, she sat down with us and the guys made me discover new specialities. They were calling me sister and asked me if I saw the turtle and the coral around. I haven’t yet. So they gave me a mask and a tuba, kept my bag secured in their handmade bar and we went snorkeling.

The Rastafari were actually little mermen. They called for the turtle, who join us for a bit. I was in the middle of this blue and clear water, hanging out with three new friends, a turtle and thousand of corals more colorful than a raging northern light in Iceland. I asked myself what the hell I was doing here. Obviously life was bringing all these new amazing things not only because I deserved it but also because I was simply lucky. Being a “yes person” or being more grateful doesn’t automatically leads you in these kind of happy places but I guess that’s a good start!