And for those of you 'Eat, Pray, Love' fans...

Remember Ketut Liyer, the medicine man she spent so much time with? I ride my bike past his porch everyday...I live next door to him. Apparently, he is so busy now after all the publicity around the book that he is pretty tired. He had just awoken from a nap when I stopped by to say 'hi,' so I kept my stay short and haven't been back since. (But noticed a brand new Mini parked in his garage.)


But Wayan and I are friends now. I stop by her herbal medicine clinic regularly just to give her a warm 'hello.' I told her I was writing a book, just like Elizabeth was, and so she's been reading up on my sign of scorpio to see what tips are out there in the stars for me to ensure a successful book. She also is tired a lot these days with how busy she has become, but seems to be pretty happy with the new constant inflow of money...She just bought her first ever car, but has never learned to drive. So she has hired a driver in the meantime until she goes to driving school and gets her license. She is so excited and nervous about having her first ever (brand new, to boot) car though, that when she (well, the driver, with her in the passenger seat) gave me a ride to see her family's temple, I was sitting on the plastic that she has yet to remove from the seats.


And what about the money Elizabeth raised for her to build a brand new clinic? That seems to be a bit of a mystery. She still lives in her family village (as all Balinese do) and still works in her same little clinic...But last week she (well, her driver) took me out to a brand new house she just finished building to see if I wanted to rent it out. To live in the house that was (likely) built from the money of the famous author of Eat, Pray, Love as I myself am writing my book seemed like too cool of an opportunity to pass up. Unfortunately, it just wasnt what I was looking for....Oh, well. Just to be in it was cool enough, I thought.


As for her daughter Tutti, she is now a thirteen year old in full bloom. As all three of us took part in a sacred temple festival (Wayan invited me along so that I could witness the Balinese culture first hand), and as the priest was bestowing blessings upon us, Tutti was busy text messaging her friends on a cell phone ten times more fancy than my own....Apparentley the success of Eat, Pray, Love is spreading to her entire family...