Traveling with Mum

Oh how I love her so. And so does everyone else. They say, "Your mom is so awesome. She is the best." True, but nonetheless, she is still a mom. This is probably the most time we have spent together since I was in Jr. High School, which was a looonnngg time ago. At least she can hang in there with the best of us. Mom is not bothered by the dilapidated accommodation, uncomfortable transportation, crazy schedules, and travel uncertainty.

Indonesia has been amazing: lush rice terraces of Ubud; stunning volcanoes in Bali and Flores; pristine beaches of the Gilis; beautiful open waters; and mysterious villages hidden behind every curve. Like always, these treasures come at a cost. This time....psycho transportation. I have just arrived in Bajawa, Flores, after an exhausting 10 hour bus ride. And I haven't even reached my ultimate destination yet. We are headed another 6 hours to Mt. Kelimutu, a majestic volcano with three crater lakes where the locals claim all spirits go after death. The young go to the calm turquoise lake, adults to the brownish-red lake, and the wicked to the black lake. At least this time we don't have to climb. Mom swears I am trying to kill her. At it's best, the volcano in Bali required a 2 hour climb to the summit at 4am to see the sunrise. All for it in the beginning, mom quickly changed her mind as the path grew steeper. Towards the end, the guide was pulling her by the hand, and I was pushing her from behind. With the bright orange and red sunrise and eggs and banana cooked by volcanic steam, it was well worth it. However, she made me promise to climb a volcano at age 62. "Only then will you realize the sacrifices I make for you," she said.

Up for another adventure, we booked a 4 day/4 night boat tour to Komodo Island, home of the infamous Komodo Dragon. Not sure what we were in for, after the first day we were elated to be having the time of our lives. With our 17 fellow boaters, we could have hosted our own Olympics: USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Sweden, England, Switzerland, Bosnia, and Germany. Amazingly, we all got along great, and our crew took great care of us. The highlight of the trip was visiting the Komodo Dragons. Luckily, we stumbled upon a mating ritual, better than any wildlife documentary I've every seen! There was also swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing to be enjoyed. It was surreal to be out in the open sea and a relief to know where I was going to sleep, eat, and travel for at least a few days. The best part, I feel like I have gained 17 new family members, each remarkable in their own way. I can't wait to plan all my trips to go visit them!

But, for now, it is back to the torturous necessity of making travel plans. I have just sat on the computer for an hour waiting for a flight to process only to no avail. One perk of mom...extra money:) Instead of a horrendous 48 hour bus/ferry trip back to Bali, mom is treating to a 2 hour flight. If only I could get the damn thing to process! With the flight, we have a few extra days in Flores to explore the local villages and some more time in the party town of Kuta, Bali before we fly out. I plan to go out in style, so bring on the fun!