The Tunnel – Taman Sari

French Journal Day 132 (Travel Diary Day 212)

This morning we saw Jess for the final time. As usual, she didn’t recognise us. We felt a strange mix of emotions as we said goodbye. On the one hand, we were relieved not to have to go back to the home she stayed in. The staff were friendly enough and the place was well-kept and modern, but its inhabitants were little more than beings without an identity. It’s horrible to say, but the majority of them should have left this world a long time ago.

We never really got to know Jess, nor did she become familiar with us, despite us meeting more than a dozen times. We got brief glimpses of who she may have been in her former life but now she struggles to communicate. The greatest conflict of emotions was the guilt that Rachel and I felt at being so relieved when we left the home. That’s poor Jess’ reality and we couldn’t wait to be away from it.

This has been our most challenging house sit so far.

We have four days to prepare for Paris, our final house sit before we begin our adventure around Europe.

Today’s Photo – Another tunnel at Taman Sari

Part of the water palace of Taman Sari in Yogyakarta, this is a series of underground tunnels that lead to a hidden mosque underground.