After a very short night in Jakarta, Indonesia and my last hot shower, I arrived in Bengkulu. I am pretty easy to spot because I am usually the tallest person and the only White person.

Deboarding the plane is always an adventure.

I told Abdul Rahman (middle in top picture), my research colleague, I wore bright clothes so he could find me in the sea of people getting off the plane. He said “No need. You are easy to find.” I was happy to see my old friends–Yoga (right) and Deni (left).

Yoga and Deni took me around Bengkulu Province during my first visit to Indonesia in 2018. No surprise we all look older now. This picture is when we climbed Mount Kaba in 2018. Deni on the far left and Yoga on the right. We will have a new adventure this year! Engi is the man on my left. Yoga, Deni, and Engi were students at Bengkulu University in 2018. Now 2025: Deni is a father and teaches at the University. Yoga is a father and is in graduate school at the university. Engi is a father and now in Malaysia working in the coal mines. I have much I could say about this, but will keep those comments to myself. He always cut my hair, but not this time. He is the best hairstylist I ever met!! I miss seeing him.