Happiness

Was awakened at 6:30 this morning by the sound of gongs ringing about 20 times. Threw open the balcony doors to sunlight streaming in through the humidity. Breathed in the thick air smelling of dawn, trees, smoke (not cigarette smoke but the smoke from cooking fires) and that unique smell of tropical locales. And am eating a breakfast of deep orange colored papayas, sweet yellow watermelon and Indonesian pastries. And...happiness. I love Southeast Asia. Ahhh, the incredible ecstatic but peaceful high I get from traveling. There is no comparison.

If I had to, I could give up shopping. I could give up luxuries such as Starbucks and nice restaurants. I could give up a lot of other things I love, but I could not ever give up three things: traveling, reading and writing. Seriously, isn't there someone out there who will pay me to travel and write? If only...