2 Questions Every Girl is Asking Herself

Chapter 17

I'm going to Bali, I can't fall asleep, excited like a kid on the night before Disneyland.

It's almost like a dream come true, visiting this foreign yet familiar place. Foreign because I've never been. (In fact I didn't have the faintest idea where it's located on the map. "It's somewhere in Southeast Asia, probably next to Thailand" I thought. It wasn't until on my way back as I flipped through the airline's world map in the seat pocket that I'd realized it's nowhere near Thailand. No wonder the flight cost me nearly twice as much. If you must know, it's really close to Australia.) Bali's also familiar because I've read so much about it in Eat Pray Love and seen so much of it in the movie that I feel I already know it like a friend from cyberspace, and we're finally going to meet each other for the first time. Sandy beaches, turquoise waters, palm trees, warm ocean breeze, infinity pools, straw huts, rice fields, lush gardens, and an added bonus, hot surfers...yum!

I'm excited also because Bali is going to be some alone time, some much needed alone time. China has been a fast paced rollercoaster ride, and Bali will be time for thoughts and feelings to precipitate, for reflection, for peace.

My excitement must've rubbed off grandma, because she couldn't sleep either. This 90 year old lady gets up at 4 in the morning to make sure I don't oversleep. As much as grandma complains that I don't stay home enough, I think she enjoys seeing so much activity, so much travel energy in the house.

As I get up at dawn and finish up with my last minute packing, she walks around the house making sure I've got everything I need. "Don't forget to pack that green dress I just took off the hanger, and here's an umbrella in case it rains down there."

"Good call grandma!"

Uncle packs me a breakfast box, a packet of yogurt and a box of chrysanthemum tea, like he always does before I head out on every trip. Aunt bosses grandma to go back to bed and then peeks out the 6th floor kitchen window herself to see me off in the morning sun.

I have a good feeling about Bali. This quiet anticipation as if I will find the answers I've been looking for on this tiny patch of land.