In the early part of last century when your ship caught sight of land, you knew at that very moment you had arrived at your destination; setting foot on land was now simply a formality. The lengthy voyage, for some a month or more,  now seemed a small price to pay.

Even though that experience is vastly different from the way we arrive today it does have one fundamental similarity…anticipation. Anticipation is what we create in our mind to heighten expectations and make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

Arriving in the tropics, brings about a flurry of activity. For your part you want to get off the plane, NOW.

You want to stretch out and let the warmth of your new locale encase you and above all, you want to relax. Maybe dive into the ocean, swim in the pool, have a cocktail canopied by a tiny umbrella, get pampered by a capable masseuse, and soak up your good fortune; all pleasurable anticipations.

All the tropics want to do is help you along in those endeavors.

The warmth you have so looked forward to and imagined is going to be right there, slapping you up and down and wrapping you up in the equivalent of a wool blanket on a hot summer day. 

Think of it as a welcome hug that has the immediate effect of stripping you of all excess in-flight clothing. Tired, hot, and happy with everything to look forward to. You have arrived and the little things in life like a hot shower and a horizontal position take on a new meaning.

But then again, here in the tropics, here in Indonesia, many things will take on new meanings.

Whether you are looking to seek a new path for the future or to reflect back on the past and those that went before you; a vacation to a place of personal significance can help show you the way.

My family spent twenty five years in Indonesia so it is a special place for me.

It is early morning in Ubud and the jet-lag means I am up well ahead of my usual schedule. Sitting on a huge balcony I look out over rice fields, coconut trees, a river, and a forest. In the distance looms the peak of one of Bali’s great volcanoes.

Doves are flying all around and a spectacularly vibrant blue colored bird is sitting in the papaya tree only feet from me.  Shimmering silver as the rays of a new sun catch it’s intricate pattern is a web cast between two branches.  Lodged at it’s center is the beautiful and menacing color combination of yellow on black. From it’s core stretch eight legs.  A spider with no fear braces itself; preparing to defend a territory I have no intention of entering.

My photo is taken quickly.

It’s a far cry from how I woke up yesterday. Head wedged under the arm rest of the seat next to me as I had attempted to assume a more comfortable position.

This is not my first time at the rodeo but the feelings that swell inside me from being back in Bali are the same as if it was. I feel very much at home here.