A Kuching Kristmas

Had a terrific couple of weeks with JB in Ubud. A nice balance of work and play. Through Cat Wheeler we met Gede, who drove us anywhere we needed to go. He is the instigator of the Bali Project Fund, which supports families and children in Gede's home village in East Bali. JB and I each bought a piglet from the mother of our masseuse, Nyoman. In about a month, they'll be old enough to be separated from their mother. They'll go to women in the village who can raise litters for sale from them when they are old enough. Nyoman is a real sweetie. We went to her village and met her parents (rice farmers), brother Ketut (a wood carver), sister-in-law and toddler niece. She came to see us off on our last morning and gave us each a gift of a handwoven shawl.

The food and fruit/nut milk drinks on offer in Ubud are a reason on their own to spend time there.

We spent a day with Gede driving north to Kintamani to see Lake Batur, Mt Batur and Besakih, the Mother Temple, but were defeated by the rain. On returning to Ubud we chanced upon a huge double cremation ceremony just near Cat and Gede's street. I saw a cremation back in 1978. It was serendipitous that we saw the procession just as we arrived back in town.

Another day we went down to Kuta to see the Bali bombings memorial and to check out Jimbaran and Seminyak. We found ourselves back there on another day after aborting a visit to Nusa Dua at the invitation of the Peninsula Resort. If you're visiting Bali and are asked to fill in a survey, and are then offered a free holiday as a thank you for doing so, yes, it's a scam!

JB had a few early salsa dance lessons at Cafe Havana with the delightful and cheeky Karma ("Shurre") and dance sensation Made. We got to ride a couple of times in the '63 red Chevvy that ferries patrons to and from the club.

The Jazz Cafe was welcoming, with a waiter called "Good Looking".

On the second-last day we met an English guy, Justin, who has spent a few weeks recently in Sulawesi. I've been getting pointers from the universe about Sulawesi, so I bought a map and spent an hour with Justin at Bali Buddha taking notes. He is an architect, and his father is a painter based in Thailand.

Had dinner at Siam Sally, Laughing Buddha and Cafe des Artistes with Cat, whose book is being reissued under a new name and with new cover art.

I've booked a week back at Tegal Sari for next June, on my way back to Oz.

On Wednesday I flew up to Kuching. Called in to see Emily on Thursday morning, and had dinner with her, Rita, Rita's daughters Kah-Yee and Kah-Ling (Bebe), Emily's brother Darroll (back from Florida for Christmas) and a couple of others at a steamboat place. Emily earlier gave me a drawing she had done for me, showing my aura as a runner. I was really impressed by her drawings when I saw them back in June. She tried for some months to do the one for me but couldn't get it right, she said ... until she got back from Sri Baba's ashram in India. She then drew it in one day.

On Thursday I also called into Artrageously Ong to see Ramsay and Narong. Narong is always painting; Ramsay is always talking, as he has so many visitors. I met Lesley and Aiden there, a retired couple from England who now live in Kuching. Last night I was invited to dinner at Michael Lim's house, where I visited in June. Moses picked me up and dropped me off. He's a real sweetie, and is Michael and Ramsay's #1 man. Talked with David, a teacher, who I met in June, and with Stephanie, who has known Michael and Ramsay since they were children. A good long talk with Ram. Others there were Vivian and Jessie, and Michael's sister.

I'm staying at Batik Boutique Hotel, where I had my farewell dinner in June. It's in a great location and I love the decor. Jackie (into hiking and climbing) is the director. Hafiz, who picked me up from the airport, is studying marketing and uses the textbook I'm currently working on! Fiza (Hafiza) is into cake decorating. Other staff are Kenny, Jake, Raj, Lily and Mas (Mastura).

Today is Christmas Day. I'll be spending it working on the marketing textbook. My Christmas present is the fact that I can travel the world and meet wonderful people while doing my work. Thank you :-))))

Uber-groovy Ubud

I had a bit of a last-minute panic in Hong Kong a week ago when my laptop died without warning. I was lucky to find an Apple Store nearby and within three hours all my files had been transferred over to a new 17" MacBook Pro. The hiccup meant I didn't get to catch up with my friend Nicola. A day or so earlier I'd had a drink with Cathy H-F, who had finished the daunting MacLehose Trailwalker event the previous weekend.

Really enjoying Ubud with my pal from Oz, JB. I'm in full-time work mode, but we go out for our meals and are treating ourselves to spa treatments. I've had a manicure, pedicure, foot reflexology, facial, and three massages, two with flower baths and a papaya body wrap. All very indulgent.

We caught up with writer Cat Wheeler for dinner on Wednesday at Siam Sally. (I met Cat in May.) Went to her house yesterday for JB to have a Reiki session with Cat, who is also a Reiki Master. Her dog Hamish followed us to Juice Ja (shown here) where we had lunch, then he tootled off home afterwards. Last night Cat spoke and read from her book about Ubud at the Bar Luna Lit Club night. JB and I had dinner afterwards at Cafe Havana.

Our stay has coincided with Galungan Day. Activities extend for about 10 days. Lots of processions and noise, and the temples are all freshly decorated.

The villa where I'm staying at Tegal Sari is gorgeous. JB comes to use the pool and to have massages in the pavilion in my garden from Nyoman from Sang Spa. I also had one with her this morning.

Heading out to a reggae place tonight.

Hunkered down in Hongkers

Since I arrived back in Hong Kong last Wednesday night I've had my head down and my tail up. I'm seriously in work mode. I spent five days out at Pokfulam, staying at the home of my buddy of nearly 40 years(!), Cathy, who is away in the States. I've never stayed out of town before… It's VERY different. I enjoyed having the company of Juni the cat and Blackie the very big dachshund. I'm now staying back in the thick of things, in a hotel in Causeway Bay. This return visit marks my first full circuit of the world on my open-ended journey.

Silicon Valley Sojourn

On my way back to the future (crossing the International Date Line), I stopped off in Santa Clara, California to spend a few days with runner friends Kathy and Karl and their daughter Kayleigh. Santa Clara is in Silicon Valley, the home of Google, Intel, and many other high-tech firms. Did a good hike on Sunday morning with Kathy and her friend Miriam (whom I met in NYC in April for the More Women's Half Marathon), and Kathy and I ran around their neighbourhood on Monday morning. We visited the Santa Clara Library, where Kathy is a trustee, ate out at a couple of fun places, and had coffee with a friend of Karl's after our hike. I got a good amount of work done, which is now a priority and will remain one over the next few months.

In Hong Kong I'm staying until Monday at my long-time pal Cathy's apartment while she is in New York State. I'm enjoying having the company of Juni the jovial cat and Blackie the dog. (I'm not sure what breed he is.)

I'm finding some amazing coincidences between my travels and places that are being mentioned in my work.

Post-marathon madness

A very quick update: I had a brilliant New York Marathon! A wonderful experience on a beautiful day. I had a personal best time of 4:27:22 (or was it 19 seconds?) and my last few kilometres were faster than my very evenly paced first 40K. I don't know how I got so lucky as to have fun (my goal) AND get a PB! There were 45,350 runners, about 580 of whom were women in my age group. I beat around 420 of them. I felt strong the whole way. The legendary New York crowds were fantastic. I just focused on them the whole way. Had a quick celebration that evening at a pub on Columbus Avenue with my Hudson Dusters teammates.

I've had a very busy work week since then. Tomorrow I'm flying to San Francisco to visit with friends for a few days before heading back to Asia.

Au revoir, New York. You've been brilliant.

Pre-marathon madness

The New York City marathon is next Sunday, and I leave New York the following Saturday. I've been back for eight weeks already!

I've had a few quality training runs, but I'm nowhere near fit enough to do anything more than take it easy and have fun on the day. Two days after I ran an early-morning circuit of Central Park with my 2009 Vermont relay friend Tavia, she was in a car accident in Pennsylvania. Miraculously, she escaped without a scratch, though her car had been airborne and rolled, and she'd had to crawl out of a window. Amazing!

On Saturday I ran the last 9.8 miles of the actual marathon course with Dusters Rich, Lauren, Steve and Leslie, and Hasher Eric. I enjoyed it a lot. A lot of other people had the same idea. Went back to Rich's on W 70th Street for coffee and bagels.

I've seen two fabulous films, "Punching the Clown" and "A Small Act", as well as the mainstream shoot-em-up "Red".

Last Sunday I walked from Wall Street up to and all over the Lower East Side. I've also spent quite a bit of time down around 14th Street and Greenwich Village lately, though not last night when two million people turned out for the Halloween Parade. The real nightmare would have been getting home again on the subway.

Tonight I'm running in Central Park with Dusters friend Katie (who works with primates in a neuroscience lab) and her friend Sari.

The Maine Thing

This time last week I was just starting a 20-mile (32K) run with Dusters Heather and Jessica. We ran over the Triboro and Queensboro bridges, and around Randall's Island and Roosevelt Island, and then in Central Park. The fantastic views from the Triboro Bridge were a surprise.

Sunday I flew up to Portland, Maine, where Dead Runner Josh met my plane. I spent a couple of days in a cottage he and Mary Ann had rented for a fortnight at Indian Point, on Georgetown Island. It's not far above the high tide line, and the views were stunning. We ate local seafood and talked, and I did a little work and took a couple of short walks. Had a bit of a look at Portland on Tuesday before Josh dropped me back at the airport.

Busy with work all week, though I took some time off on Thursday, my birthday. Holly and I went to see the play "Time Stands Still". Laura Linney and Christina Ricci were both excellent.

I managed to meet Tavia for a 10K run around the park yesterday, but my cold had taken firm hold. I had hoped to do a Shorewalkers walk today, but I'll be lying low instead.