Today started at 4:30 a.m. in a family compound in peaceful Ubud, Bali and ended at 12:30 a.m. the following day in Kuala Lumpur, a big city in Malaysia.

The owners of the Home Stay where I resided for the last 1.5 months insisted on taking me to the airport. They said I had to be there two hours before and sometimes there is traffic in the morning so we should give ourselves 1.5 hours to get there just to be sure. Wayan and his wife were at my door 10 minutes before our agreed upon time of 5 a.m.! I was at the airport so early that I wasn’t sure I could even get in! I was tired enough to sleep across the seats while I waited 2.5 hours for my flight to depart.

It reminded me of being at home and my dad making sure I get to the airport with plenty of time to spare. It was like I had a set of segregate parents here. The universe supplies what you need no matter where you are!

I received directions from some friends so once I landed I knew what to do. A woman named Maria befriended me in the Immigration line and we both took the one-hour bus into Kuala Lumpur Central. There I had to ask for directions to the train station.

Another angel came and walked with me from one transit station to another. It is hot here and many people carry umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. My new friend shielded me from the sun, caught the same train as me and gave me her number in case I needed any help over the next few days! I walked from the train station to my hotel and checked in, relieved that the travel part of the day was over. I felt exhausted, sleep deprived and had a headache.

Ten hours after starting my journey I collapsed in a soft and comfortable bed in my very small hotel room. It was only 2:30 p.m.

I am a bit sad to know that I’ve left my Bali family behind.

My friends from Thailand were here for my first night and it was great to see them. It helped with the transition but I am afraid I will soon feel lonely. To go from a small town where I knew many people and developed a community over the last 1.5 months into a big city where I know no one is quite a transition. I don’t know how things work here, how to get around or the real price of things. However, I knew no one and nothing when I first came to Bali and it flowered into a beautiful experience. So there is really no reason to believe that this will not continue to happen.

As always, I just need to have some faith!