Last week marked 6 months in Asia. Toasted the anniversary but have yet found the words to describe what it means. 'Blessed' is the best word I can think of.

I can't say I'm a different person. Nothing life changing. I am still me - the good, the bad & the ugly. But... a more peaceful version.

Nor have I gained any special insight on the world. No revelations, no "ah ha" moments. But... a more interested me. I bounce out of bed. I'm always a moment away from a new sight or chance to learn a new viewpoint.

Quite simply, I feel very blessed.

Wandering Cambodia's capital I found a dental office that looked nicer than my dentist's office in LA. The dentist spoke perfect English, went to school in Missouri, imported his equipment from the US & only charged me $25 for a cleaning. Saved at least 50%.

People now go places specifically for cheap dental or medical treatment followed by a nice vacation. 'Medical Tourism' - it makes sense to me.

But not all doctors overseas are what we expect. A Tibetan doctor once prescribed - on a prescription pad - regular massages to maintain good health. Yeah, they reduce stress & do other good things, but he was a little too adamant this.

Now last night... this was the best... saw a doctor about a chest cold I've had for awhile. He spoke perfect English, checked my blood pressure, examined my chest, the usual stuff... but then he put his hands on my shoulders, tells me to "feel my heart smile" & after some heavy breathing, starts belching! Not once or twice... a lot! It was almost demonic!

After 5 or 10 minutes of this, he puts his hand around my throat - I would've been scared but the guy was too bizarrely happy & something was definitely going on... I could feel his hands getting hotter & hotter.

And this morning, I feel much better!

images of the dead buried in the mountain

But it all wasn't lovely. The town's completely controlled by tour guide gangsters. I show up in town & 3 were waiting for me. Another tried to come to room. The next day they follow me to a different hotel. They'd even follow me into restaurants, saying they're helping because the owner doesn't speak English.

I'm used to having a following but when guides told a local driver he couldn't go where I wanted to go, that was too much! I got ready to split the next day. But then I met this American who convinced me to stay & join his group the next day.

So glad I did! We saw the most beautiful rice terraces & funky boat shaped houses with 2 dozen buffalo horns hung in the front. Plus the ghouly stuff I came for... trees with holes for dead babies, hills with a hundred caves for coffins & balconies filled with wooden images of dead people. But even better, the following day we went to a funeral ceremony & got to see a buffalo sacrifice.

After the orangutans, couldn't stomach another 20hrs travel time so flew to the only place the airport went to, Semarang, back on the island of Java. Spent 2 nights there. Kind of a nothing big city... but was excited to accidently stumble upon a Hindu festival!!

Hindu Festival

And it's a remote area, so I'll be incommunicado for awhile again.

mom & baby

First took a hot, tiny bus for 4hrs down a bad road squeezed next to my self-appointed translator, a sweet but large guy who occupied most of my seat too & he had an annoying constant cough. When the road finally improved we changed buses. This one was large but freezing cold. While waiting for that next bus the only tourist I'd seen in days showed up... & funny, he gets off the bus & says "you're an American, headed to the orangutans & stayed at Hotel Mira, right?" Yeah, that's right...he'd heard about me from someone in the last town! We immediately agreed to see the orangutans together.

a baby

There were 3 orangutan camps... started at the most famous, Camp Leaky, where they take injured, orphaned & otherwise abandoned orangutans & reintroduce them into the wild. There we saw about 20, mostly babies & their mothers... they were beautiful... amazing... cute... spectacular! Something words just can't describe.

The next day we went to a different camp where the orangutans are semi-wild... & you could tell... they were definitely weary of us. But they were still horny & we got to watch National Geographic's version of a porno! But even better, when we were leaving the camp the recently dethroned orangutan king, named Kusasi (there's a documentary about him) was blocking our exit, sitting on the raised boardwalk. He was magnificent but you could really see his sadness over his fight two months ago with the new king. Our guide tried calling the name of the new king to scare him away... while it got his attention, & scared him some; he was still too sullen to move. Luckily our guide carried bananas & threw the bananas into the jungle so we could get out.

Kusasi, former king of the jungle

Also loved camping on the boat, despite it being a small boat, sharing  it with 5 strange guys & the closest thing to privacy, a bathroom with walls 2ft too short! But falling asleep on top of the boat, under a zillion stars, listening to the sounds of monkeys & crocodiles catching fish & waking up to the sounds of gibbons & orangutans... fantastic!!

notice the outhouse on the right

Along with a local brother & sister, hired a boat, sat on top & waved to the kids as they jumped & played in the river, while the men smoked & supervised the women washing clothes in the river & all while people went in & out of the community toilets (out houses) that emptied into that same river... yes, gross!

And the people... definitely the nicest I've met yet. A woman on my flight drove me into town from the airport. That a stranger bought me cigarettes (yes, started smoking, clove not tobacco, but don't comment, seriously, don't). Next day in a Taoist temple... first time I'd ever seen yet once considered myself a Taoist... the guy running the temple bought me lunch.

the brother & sister

Actually, all the people were super sweet there. Had a family in a car & several people on motorcycles ask if they could drive me wherever I was going... said no, was just wandering. And many people who did not speak English stopped just to shake my hand. Truly, the nicest people!! Plus, not another tourist in sight!