When worlds collide - (the cute poppy Zara Larsson version)

what a long, but very wonderful 72 hours ....

for the poppy Zara Larsson version click here (when worlds collide), for those astute music and sport fans ... you may recognise her voice from Guettas' This One's For You UEFA ...

arrived in Borneo to find the guys waiting for me at the airport, they came in from Singapore, me from UAE through Bangkok.  The guys had hired a car, and declared me designated driver mainly due to my previous proclomations of my international driving prowess. Drove to hotel number one for our stay, met a few of the others attending the wedding, enjoyed one too many cocktails, and then came back to my little suite, and played pictionary (as most of you know my favourite party game), now introduced to many over the world, and no excuse not to play since the discovery of the pictionary app one night at Cimmaron, now makes this available whenever and wherever...

There were the usual arguments about who was going to partner who, and Max and I ended up joining forces, and dare I say, may come close to being declared my perfect pictionary partner, he does have close competition from two beautiful souls.

With a wedding a day ahead, we then started sharing stories about how we all know the bride and groom and how we all came to be in Borneo together to celebrate the guys.. 'when worlds collide'

I met (Z) many years ago sitting in Richmond Green London,  it was a beautiful day, I had just been to see a play at the Richmond Theatre, The 39 Steps, that had been adapted into a glorious musical, just at that Theatre.  (Z)  had just arrived and was working for a company in Richmond, doing a job she hated, until she could find one she loved.  I was staying in Sth Ken with Mon, it was my first two weeks in London, I fell in love with that play, and with Richmond, and decided to explore it further, I knew that day, that I would live in Richmond one day, (note here Richmond UK and Richmond Australia very very different). I bought some lunch and headed to the green, (a prawn roll, funny how I remember that so vividly now) and sat on the grass in the sun, as it happened right next to (Z), and we got chatting.  She was from Sth Africa, missing her boyfriend who was due to join her in 6 months, was not enjoying London, felt it was grey, hated her job.  I told her to quit, what she was doing she could do something more she enjoyed for the same money, we just connected, swapped details and that weekend, I hired a car and took her out of London, I had no idea where would go, I just decided to drive (a friend had once said to me, if you don't know where you are going just keep turning left) so I did, we drove to Bath, to Poole, through the New Forest one of the most magical places in the world (New Forest) ... we stopped just turning left at some point... as we had to go back to London.  I was also feeling a bit grey, at that time, and that weekend meant so much ... we have been friends since .... 

She moved back to Sth Africa a few years later, no longer with her boyfriend of the time, and I was lucky enough to work for a company in the UK that had a parent company in Sth Africa, the connections of which and my visits as a result, introduced me to many people, and after many steps ended up introducing (Z) to her now husband, and also ended up connecting me, so deeply to Singapore.... 

wow ...  that was long .... 

we all woke the next day, late and all very very hungover, with the wedding in a few hours, at the most amazing place ...  Borneo wedding venue

we arrived and went diving, now .. as you know, I love water at the best of times, even more on a hangover, this was not good ... and many of us had repercussions ....   on the boat and back on shore, despite that, we all decided to have cocktails before the ceremony ...  mmmmm ...  (Z) now a bit drunk leans over and shares that can't be arsed to 'look pretty just for everyone else' ... so I say, don't, it is your day, do what you want .... so 45 mins later, they were married, her hair wet, no makeup, no shoes, gorgeous dress, and she could not have looked more beautiful.

an amazing evening, in an amazing place with people from different worlds connecting ....  and even reconnecting .... to what individually matters ....  an electrical storm ended the night, with the biggest down pour ....  and guess what ...  my favourite thing ...  thunder, dancing lightning, and dancing in the rain ... Max did me proud x

after me screwing my flights, saint max took control, and rearranged me to Bali via Sinkers....  thank goodness, saved hours ... arrived late to hotel, airport transfer not there, found alternate ... oh my days ... not what I thought ... so, I checked out and spent an hour or so having a meal and finding a new place to stay ...

I also spent the time, tracking down my favourite person in Bali, that I have not seen 4 years, for those that know Bali, you will know how connected it is ... so after contact with some old italian friends, who got in contact with french friends, who got in contact with Irish friends ... Made was found .... 

I am now sitting in my Bali Villa, and move tomorrow to a new one, where I get to spend a few days with people I adore, (remember girlfriends, are sisters you choose), tomorrow I get to see one of my sisters.

Which brings me to today .... and brings this up to date ...

I have just spent the last 4 hours, thinking about the relationships I have, those I have been lucky enough to meet, those who touched my core, made a difference, those that matter, through worlds colliding ...  I am so bloody lucky .....

BTW - I did that, in my little private pool, completely naked except for the frangipanis in my hair ... (sorry for visuals, tres liberating) ..  beauty in simplicity - frangipani from my hair   ...    Only in Bali ....

Team V .... dying to see you ..... 

meeeeooowwwww xx  (that means I love you in kitten) ...

somewhere special from Camino, I have my eye on this (the future somewhere special)

it's a whole new world ... (the aladdin version) .. I was in the middle east you know

it feels like a whirlwind week, even though I have been grounded, with even a few nights in the same bed, a week has passed since camino, and people ask, has it changed me.

i feel different, and more emotionally aware, I feel like I am seeing things and experiencing things more deeply than I have before, like the song, a dazzling place I never knew.

is this camino, is it meeting new friends, is it being back after a break?  My head is confused, and yet also so clear.

a wonderful couple of days with the good Sheikh, join a harem?  tempted ...

time in Sydney catching up with friends, and where I found the greatest joy in the simplest things, a song I hear, a busker, a trip to the supermarket, doing my laundry, what is happening?

heading to Borneo now, then to Bali.

more to follow

take care and just enjoy the now.

a friend shared this, and said it reminds them of mystery and discovery, and what is a life lived without mystery and discovery? How so true, it touched a nerve ... mystic

kisses CBT - x

My heart dances - (the el dorado version)

what a funny, strange, delightful 24 hours ..  summed up by this pic ... 

Understanding Venice - Traffic Jam

Cheery Kurt and I boarded the plane to Venice, our seats were not next to eacother, despite checking in together, and I was seated next to the most delightful and interesting gent and his wife. Giovanni owns his own legal practice that specialises in patent designs, licensing and trademarks within Europe, with offices across the world, as a result he spends a few months a year in Italy, then Spain, Germany etc ..  he and Maria- Louisa were so generous sharing tales and their loves of each country, and making sure I was going to be okay in Venice, giving me tips to get me from the airport, the things I should see, and giving me his details incase I every got stuck, or wanted a job, which was gorgeous, and gave my mind a break from swirling thoughts, it made me get re-inspired about 'my pretty box'.

The journey took longer than expected, and it was late by the time we checked in, Kurt went to 'freshen up' in the anticipation of meeting a gorgeous Italian.

We headed out, and had the most amazing dinner, which enabled me to show the cheery one some some key destinations, and how the islands all link and work, the taxi system etc ..  I had forgotten how so beautiful and romantic Venice is, I had also forgotten how crowded it gets.

More than that, I had forgotton how so generous in spirit, warm, expressive, and giving of feelings, Italians are.  How everyone seems to want to bring joy, and please, how everything seems like a genuine pleasure, how everything seems to come from a place of such goodness and happiness, how everything feels musical.  It is such a feel good place, and has warmed my heart.

We met a great group of people at a bar later, 2 italians and a girl from mexico, and headed for the casino.

After a couple of rounds of texas hold em ... I decided to head back to the hotel, and leave the cheery one, to add to, and signoff on his bucket list.

I had the best night sleep, I have had for literally years.  My bed could not have been more comfortable (the most comfortable bed, I have possibly ever slept in), I had reconnected with someone now very important to me, sooo happy about being in Italy, the most wonderful meal for a month, and helping to create and share a memory for someones bucket list...  sated.

feel good pics from Venice  Entering Venice 'the Piazza' via Gondola

I awoke this morning, and Kurt the Cheery was not in his room, brilliant news... (he ticked his bucket list).

So I headed out to enjoy the day, with happiness in my heart, and it was bloody joyous ... I have been here twice before, but never ever appreciated it, or experienced it like I have in the last 24 hours.  Maybe it is el Camino, maybe it is because I am older, maybe it is because I finally am starting to feel, like I can give myself up and over to things, and when you do that something deeper happens.

Venice in song ...  aahh Italia   aahhh italia # 2  Music Piazza   

About to now join Kurt for dinner, he heads back to the States tomorrow, and I head to meet the Sheikh, in Abu Dhabi.

The next 24 hours, I know, will be bloomin' crazy.

Italy, Venice, Jose - thank you .... for so very very very many reasons ...

For making my heart dance ...

Water Taxi to airport (Venice) incls Marco Polos house 
Speed boat Venice
Water Taxi to airport (open water Venice)

x

* Maximilien ... thank you for acceptance, for silliness, for surprises, for trust ... you are the greatest being, with the greatest bones ...

Take me to church .. (thank you Hozier)

I heard that song just after I left the pilgrims mass yesterday in Santiago, whilst I have heard it many times, it was the first time I really heard, and actually listened to the lyrics ... mmmmm

I woke in the beautiful converted monastery after another night of very little sleep, and went to the pilgrims mass at the Cathedral, it was truly moving, the cathedral is spectacular, the service was deeply impactful, the sight of people from over the world, having completed the same journey, understanding challenges overcome, people embracing, just sharing a look, squeezing a hand, just knowing.

Pilgrims mass

I checked out of the monastery hotel, I actually felt a little funny staying there, odd, and into a new one on the main plaza, where to my delight the welcome pilgrim bagpipes could be heard, which was lovely, as I took the longest bath in ages, I had forgotten what smelling so clean was like, infact I had forgotten what I smelt like !%$!

Welcome bagpipes from hotel

I thought alot in that bath, about the moments that have meant the most, the service, the people along the way, I mainly thought about the impact that a six hour conversation had on me, on my list night of my camino, which was totally unexpected, and has consumed my thinking since.  Its funny how the magic of beautiful words, stories and song (even in its simplest form) can take over ones thoughts.

Magic in simplicity

I will miss this place.

x