Oh man! I sure had fun today :)
Traveling can have its lonely moments, but living abroad and away from friends definitely has 'em. I've missed people my age, relating to fellow travelers & sharing the life I'm living with others. And all that resolved itself today with a lovely visit by Fabian :)
We met in Saigon on the roof of our hostel, on that ridiculous night of "never have I ever." Can I just say it's amazing how much more willing you are to open up to a fellow wanderluster than any other sort of stranger. There's a mutual understanding and connection that we all come from the same place, looking for a temporary shelter as we explore the world. We want to help each other realize whatever goals we've set for ourselves on the road. Ah, lovely!!
Anyway, of all the connections and common interests between people, I think this hunger for living through traveling is the strongest bond. That being said, the day was awesome. Swimming, cooking, downing vitamins with beer, checking all the fish to see if they're fresh... so fun! I've missed singing & jiving while cooking with someone, and having good conversations with full stomachs. And all the while listening to good tunes... O, to have someone enjoy the new jonsi album and "gaaaaaww" over the deliciously beautiful melodies...!
We talked about the goodness of having someone there with you to experience moments, especially when you travel. It's a way of confirming that what happened actually happened, and you're not alone in feeling what you're feeling. In a way, he being there confirmed the goodness of this life I'm living. Kristen, I can't wait for you get here! And Lino! I'll be seeing you in a little more than a week! Then Ishan & Harriet... and Akmal, I better see you soon, too! And after all that sharing & being with friends... I'll be two weeks from the day I fly home. Wow, time flies.
Fabian workin' the rice cooker. Yeah that's right. I posted it. That's what you get for making fun of my doggy paddle :)
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As Lino put it, I had a pretty sweet problem: I needed additional pages in my passport. But o dear me... what a voyage! 3rd time's a charm I guess because I failed twice before. First time, I went on some US holiday like President's Day. Second time (this past Monday), I learned that the US passport services window is only open between the hours of 730am-830am. what. the. f. So, this morning, I woke up at 630am, took the usual jeepney & LRT to get there and 3 hours later, I left. And 5 hours later, I went back to pick it up. Gahhhhh.... I don't understand how taping a book of pages can be an 8 hour process... oh brother what a world!
