The Travellist Issue 4 | Page 18

Feature | Nemanja Glumac and benign activity, but the local authorities must have held a different perspective. That’s probably why there is something which I can only describe as the “moral police”, comprised of religious older men sneaking around and trying to catch any sign of indecent behaviour. Outside of the cave, countless stairs were leading from the top to the bottom of a magnificent waterfall. This is possibly the biggest tourist attraction in the national park. Standing at the top looking down, I could clearly see a playful crowd of locals at the bottom of this waterfall. What I didn’t see nor expect was that they were fully clothed. Of course they were. They had to, according to the rules. Try to imagine hundreds of joyful people standing underneath powerful streams of refreshingly cold water in their everyday clothes and having the best time of their lives. You could see it all – people washing clothes; women in hijabs; women washing their hair or even brushing their teeth; whole families with sand toys for children like they were at a beach resort; children sliding down the stream on huge inflatable tubes; playful groups of young males trying to impress the girls, a gentle push here or a slight touch there, holding hands, conversing as if they were standing in a city square; one guy standing alone in denim, a shirt and holding a fake 16 The Travelist | Issue 4, 2016 Louis Vuitton bag (a very popular accessory in SE Asia and unfortunately a status symbol along with iPhones and owning a car); yet another brave group of males climbing rocks and acting tough. You name it. Everything was there. For me, this was a microcosm rich in love, romance, laughter and big, sincere smiles. People of all ages left their worries at some other place or came to this magical spot to wash it all away. Two weeks were packed with adventure, yet they felt like two hours to me. I was on a plane again this time flying back to Bali and then eventually to Bangkok. I couldn’t stop thinking about the family that accepted a complete stranger into their home and showed remarkable hospitality and kindness. I also couldn’t stop thinking about how very little is needed for some to be happy. They’re usually the ones who don’t have too much but wholeheartedly share what they do have, nevertheless. And of course, I couldn’t stop thinking about those teenage mavericks, the lovers who didn’t let rigid rules stand in the way of their love. Just as water will always find a way to the surface, so will love itself. I’ll carry that memory with me as a reminder from this journey. May it serve you as well and may it light your path in this huge dark cave called life.