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Well, I've been hanging out here in beautiful Bled, just vegging, and I guess I should have been using my time more productively and journaling the summation of all my experiences. But believe me, just because I haven't written my thoughts and feelings down certainly doesn't mean I haven't had them. To paraphrase Dylan Thomas (I do hope he'll forgive me): "My day begins with the water-birds and the birds of the winged trees flying my name above the farms and the white horses and I rise and walk abroad in a shower of all my days." He says it so beautifully. Yes, I do. I walk around the lake and over the hills and along the mountain paths and through the villages "in a shower of all my days." I continue to feel so blessed by this wonderful gift I've been given: the opportunity to travel as I've always wished to, good health and a spirit willing to step into the unknown.

I was walking down the street today and thinking that I've dropped down into so many different towns and cities in the past three months that now none of them are disorienting any more. No matter what, I step out of the bus or the train or the tram or the taxi, big city or small town, and I don't feel confused or lost or fearful (I'm not fearless - I have all those feelings during my travels). I study the map in advance and always think it will look familiar when I step out, but no. What I find is never what I expect. The map is flat - the town is wrapped around a series of hills (photo to the left was taken near Berat); or, there are so many little dead-end streets with no name that they can't possibly put them on the map; or, I'm dropped off someplace completely unexpected and I have no idea where I am; or, lo and behold, they don't use the same alphabet; or, none of the streets are labeled; or, the map says "library" but Slovenians say "knjižnica". But not to worry. I just simply no longer feel confused or overwhelmed. I just look around and start walking. Or sometimes (like in Ljubljiana) I just stand in the rain in the middle of a crowd pushing to get on the tram and ask loudly, "Does this tram go to the train station? Anyone? Does anyone speak English?" And some kind person will tap me on the shoulder and point to where I need to go or say, "Follow me."

But I guess I've veered from the topic. Or have I? What is the topic anyway? While writing this I got busy sending emails to everyone. I'm just getting ready to board the night-train for Switzerland. No more internet for awhile. I don't know what the situation will be like in Switzerland. With any luck I'll be able to get a connection at Ruth's house.