My new existence is suiting me well..The days moving at a leisurely pace…there’s nowhere i have to be…so it’s hard to be late.The town of Ubud has got its grips on me,and i haven’t fought much to get away.I’ve moved out of the small bungalow that i was staying in,and for the past two weeks have been living on the family compound of Dr. Gede.Chickens and children running through the courtyard and gardens.,my second floor balcony the perfect perch from which to watch Balinese life go by.A person could easily get stuck here forever. Life is good.

One of the online dictionaries defines serendipitous as: “the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.”,..and it is one of my favorite things about traveling. Maybe my friend Made was correct when he nicknamed me Wayan Semarajaya as i left that wedding nearly a month ago…because i am truly fortunate…and wise enough to know it.I can’t make up the story that follows.,although i must apologize in advance for the profanity it contains.There is just no other way to tell this one….The “F” bombs drop more than once…but they land peacefully……cheers Danny..

Flashback to mid-august/sept. of 2006   Ha Noi, VietNam

..After completing the Kyphon project in Santa Clara,i chose to make a return visit to Viet Nam,my third in as many years., the love affair already in full swing. My friend, Rachael Guthridge from Melbourne Australia, whom i met in Nha Trang on my maiden trip in 2003,..had just ended a relationship and needed a change of scenery,so we decided it would be a great time to catch up..and return to place that we had discovered together.
…….Three weeks passed quickly,the majority of our time spent in the mountains of Sapa.,trekking thru rice terraces and crashing motorcycles.After hugging my tribe of Hmong families good bye..we made our way back into Ha Noi,to relax for a few days before returning to America and Australia respectively.The Moca Cafe is my regular breakfast/coffee haunt when in town,,and this trip was no different.With only 3 days remaining on my visa,i made a point of enjoying as much of their high octane coffee as possible. One morning as Rache and i were dissecting the problems of the world,..a guy walked in and sat at a nearby table by himself. He seemed perfectly content,reading the paper,but as is often the case while traveling,,conversation flowed from table to table. Shortly thereafter we were three,Ray having moved over to join us in the daily Moca dialogues.A London native on an extended, openended travel,he told us that he was in fact traveling with his girlfriend Nikki….”So..Ray….where is she.?……..”uhh..at another cafe i think,we sometimes choose to eat separately,,it allows a bit of space…and freedom for each of us, being as we are together all the time”….Morning banter led to midday and we decided that we would all get together for dinner later in the evening,..Ray, promising to bring his missing girlfriend with him.
……Around 7:00 we all met at an indian restaurant and picked up the easy dialogue that had flowed in the morning.Nikki,another Londoner,.centered,grounded,.. slipping in effortlessly.After a couple of hours of bad wine..great conversation,and delicious aloo gobi,the bill was dropped on the table.As everyone moved towards wallets and purses,i interjected with an offer that had been extended to me…

Prior to lifting off from San Francisco nearly a month before,Danny Cimino,my pseudo-boss,friend,and undoubtedly one of the most generous humans i have ever met,insisted i take my company credit card along on my travel…Exact words i don’t recall,but it went something to the effect of  “..Hey..i don’t know if they even take fucking credit cards in fucking viet nam,but,..take your card…and have a good fucking time,eat in some nice restaurants and steer clear of that fucking street food..!!”……”.No, danny come on.. i have plenty of money,,and its cheap..but thanks for the offer…”……never satisfied unless he has he last word…”Did you hear what i fucking said ?…”
………..Sitting in the indian restaurant,noticing the visa emblem on the bill,the card as of yet unused..i heard his echo..and relayed it to my dinner mates. ..”Hey guys,,can i buy dinner?”,……. “No,no way.”.. the around-the-table response…….”please,really,..i’m not trying to be a hotshot,….but i have this crazy boss and he insisted that i take advantage of his expense acct,.we did really well on my last project…”…Still staring at three reluctant faces,,i decided to offer a better picture of what life with danny is like and performed my best  cimino imitation..:
……hands waving off things he doesn’t want to hear… or objects to…the short,detroit,italian staccato bursts of..”nah,nah,..nah….i don’t fucking think so..” ..his head shaking back and forth, keeping time with his voice.I must have done ok,because after the display we ordered another round of drinks..and Nikki lifted her glass in a toast…..”ok you win….here’s to Danny “fuck you” Cimino,…thanks danny”…glass clinking complete,i put the card in the check binder and paid the $40 tab.A week later,back to work,nose to the grindstone again..i relayed my tale to the one and only..and he,.smiling his signature smile simply replies..”that’s fucking great..”

Fast forward,14 months later….november 2007. NorthernThailand

.. Burned out from two demanding back to back projects,strike and nextest…i hopped a flight to Thailand to recuperate and try to forget everything i know about electrical work.The last message i receive on my cell phone before departing is danny ……”hey..i’m not sure if they even take fucking credit cards in fucking thailand..but,.bring that card..and for gods sake,.. use it this time..!!”…..

A week of sleep under my belt…jetlag defeated..i began moving, traveled north to Ayutthaya,and met Melanie Paillard,,the rest,.as they say.. is history and another story. A coming festival steered us further north to Chiang Mai,,the french in her,led us to a small wine bar in the old city. While staring out into the street from a shaded corner table watching people go by..me sipping cold singha beers..she enjoying the only wine that thailand has to offer..i saw two girls heading towards the entrance of the open air cafe.

‘Hey…i think i know that girl”…….Melanie, in her thick french accent::..”no vay…,zhoo do not know zat girl..”…..”yes i do..i met her last year in Ha Noi,…she was with her boyfriend Ray..i had dinner with them.”…..”no vay..thiz iz impozzible”…..The two girls,laughing and joking with one another as they enter,. walked past us without looking over,and took a table in the back……”I know her,,her name is Nikki..i’ve got an idea…” ….I ask Mel for a pen and paper,jot a short note..and give her enough thai baht to buy a round of drinks…”Do me a favor.,.go to the bar and ask the waitress to bring them two drinks,..and have her pass on this note….”Zhoo are crazzy…..”…Two minutes later she returns to the table,, my back to the girls….she relays the play by play…….”Ok..zhe vaitress ..zhe is coming….zhe puts the drinks down…zhe girl..zhe iz opening zhe note….”  At this point,..i can’t take it..so i turn and look over my left shoulder to watch for myself…Nikkis’ head almost comes disconnected she is spinning around so quickly…i raise my sweating beer in a toast….”hey Nikki..”..she flies over..hugs,disbelief,and introductions…..and then reciting my note says…..”danny “fuck you” cimino wants to buy you a drink..that was perfect.”…They move to our table and i learn that she and ray have parted ways but remain close friends.She is now a full time resident of Chiang Mai..working with children,.practicing yoga.,loving her life..Nikki then performs a danny imitation for the uninitiated .The afternoon passed sweetly as the world grew smaller,and the legend of Danny Cimino grew larger….his credit card covers the cocktails…two days later he replies to the email that i had sent recapping the bizarreness..
“  D…thats fucking great”……ooh,,Danny Danny Danny…

13 oct 2008…. Ubud Bali

Big rains all thru the night yielded a bright sunny beautiful morning. Still camped out in the Ubud vortex..i have fallen into a peaceful pattern of rising slowly..showering and alternating breakfast at the numerous
cafes that are spotted all over the small city center. Last week sitting in the Tut Mak cafe i met Divert…a lovely norwegian,here in bali on business/holiday…importer/exporter and equally efficient cafe junkie.We had made plans to meet for breakfast before she headed off to “work”..a silver jewelry order needed to be placed..
.. The aptly named “Kafe” the meeting point…wi-fi enabled,..organic goods and free range everything make up the menu..the bulletin boards covered with fliers for yoga seminars,alternative medicines,shamans and green living opportunities..It feels like Santa Cruz without the patchouli oil…Breakfast finished,feeling like i should make a plan for the day as well,i began to shut down my laptop as a group of women entered the restaurant from the far door. I grab at Divert who was already standing to leave…”Divert..sit down..you won’t believe this..i know that girl,i need you to do me a favor….”

Out comes the paper and pen…and a request for delivery services…”Can you please hand this to the girl in the black and white dress at the table over there..?”…..Hiding behind my still opened notebook,,i watched her unfold my message,,and shake her head in total shock….”Hey Nikki..”…..three years,,three countries..three cafes….we are hugging each other,laughing about the absurdity of it all…after the appropriate introductions…she reads the message aloud to Divert and the yoga clan she was with,,,,”..danny “fuck you” cimino would like to buy you a bran muffin “……She and Ray are back together,he arrived from australia two days later.Nikki and I pulling a surprise attack on him later in the week. Before saying good bye..(Ray and Nikki on their way to Nepal) we shared a 5 hour long breakfast..some laughter.,the bill..and decided that when we are all miraculuosly in San Francisco….we’re taking Danny to dinner.

me,nikki,and rache in HaNoi sept.06

kathy,nikki and i in chiang mai nov. 07

surprise attack on Ray in Ubud Bali..no idea who's covering his eyes

Ubud Bali..at "Kafe"..