Living life on the edge of the world is inherently complicated. The simplicity of a normal life continues to be replaced by a challenging reality, which often turns menial tasks into adventures. Ironically, it’s one of the things that I enjoy the most about our life on the mountain.

Before October break, we were informed that Ally and Kylee needed new passports by mid-January. In true Tembagapura-fashion, the task of getting those passports was anything but simple. The application process requires applicants and both parents to appear in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate so, we scheduled a trip to the embassy in Jakarta. Our initial plan was to go immediately after Ally returned from China in late-October, but we ended up having to reschedule it because of the wildfires, airport closures, an erupting volcano, more airport closures, Chris’s work schedule, and the rescheduling of the China trip (which was postponed until the last week of November due to the wildfires and airport closures). It’s never one thing that complicates things; it’s always a series of things.

Kylee and I flew to Bali last Thursday to meet Ally when she was in transit from China. Chris joined us on Saturday. It was a perfect set of circumstances that offered us three days to enjoy good food, shopping, and the sun before continuing on to Jakarta. Less than twenty-four hours of arriving in Jakarta (and, after a twenty-minute appointment at the embassy), we were back in the air on GA652, the wretched red-eye flight to Timika.

Until our next adventure…

The U.S. Embassy of Jakarta (photo courtesy of CNN.com/ ADEK BERRYADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images)