Back (almost)

Hey everyone,

I’ve officially been on a short break for the past couple of days, but I’m now almost back home after a few days of vacation. Almost as probaly nothing will happen until next week...but I may change my mind .

I have to say – it was a great trip, and above all, an inspiring one.

As planned long ago, I spent some time with friends and family over in Bali. Despite what many people think, it’s a surprisingly affordable destination – and the Balinese are truly some of the kindest people I’ve ever met.

So there you go: one week in a comfortable resort, with just the right touch of spice… and yes, some very inspiring encounters that will soon find their way into new creations, illustrations, and stories.
Before anything else, I want to tell you about Maxime and Ludmilla.

I met Maxime one night in one of the hotel bars – the only one still open around 11 p.m. The hotel was quiet, except for that little bar. I was hanging out with a few friends when I noticed a guy sitting alone on the sofas, crying.

He was clearly drunk, but still, I thought – who cries on vacation? So I went over to check on him. We started talking. Maxime works in Moscow, and that night, he was an emotional mess (and seriously hammered), venting about the leaders of his country.

We talked a bit. Personally, I don’t confuse a country’s government with its people, so I just listened. He must’ve been in his early thirties, with that classic Russian look – blond hair, blue eyes, about 175 cm tall, and a bit chubby.

I was tipsy myself, so we chatted some more, until suddenly his phone rang. He picked it up, put it to his ear, and then jumped up:
“It’s my wife,” he said.
And just like that – he vanished.

I’ll tell you what happened next soon… Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.