We made it safely to the comfortable and generous abode of our friends Matt & Jen. We left Denmark yesterday morning and arrived via bus and train to Swanbourne (Perth Suburb) at around 6:30 pm. It was a long day and we were glad to have made it without incident.
The broken van is scheduled to arrive in East Perth to be towed to a shop near Matt & Jen's home tomorrow morning. We've arranged to meet it and sort it out. We've also arranged to collect a rental van in the morning so that by sometime tomorrow afternoon we'll be on our way to Margaret River to continue our journey despite this small hiccup.
Not much else to report from these parts. It was nice to be able to check in on the Internet frequently this morning as the Red Sox clinched their second World Series Title of my lifetime!
It was great to talk with Mom & Dad this morning, too. Miss you guys!
Hope all is well.
kerry
Monday, October 29, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Game Over :(
Yesterday afternoon, as we were happily cruising toward our next stop along the way...Walpole or something like that...our little van that could swiftly became the little van that just couldn't. We made it about 12 km west of Denmark and we noticed that the engine was getting hot. So, we dutifully pulled over and topped off the coolant. We continued about 2 km more and kaput! The car was dead. UGH!
A nice woman on her way to her Tai Chi class (she said she was happy to help b/c it might make her miss the first few domas (poses?) of the class and she hates them anyway!) gave us a ride back to town where we enlisted the help of a RAC (think AAA) mechanic to help us. With a quick go over, he determined that the head gasket had blown. I figured that was not a good sign, not because I know anything about cars, but, because of his facial expressions (lots of raised eyebrows, sighing, and widened eyes). So, we are fine for short trips, but virtually screwed for long ones. We're on a long one. Alas, we tried to hire a car to use to continue on our merry way. None. So, we're in the process of finding a way to have the van hauled back to Matt & Jen's in Perth. We've booked seats on the bus back to Perth for the morning run. We are going to try to rent a car from there and continue our journey as planned.
What is it they say about the best laid plans?
Oh well, it's all part of the adventure.
My favorite part of the day yesterday was when Peter looked over and said, "Kerry, even though we're homeless, carless and pretty much only have the clothes on our back, I'm really glad to be here with you."
What a sweet guy!
More another time...
Hope all is well with all of you! Thanks for posting comments on the blog! We love hearing from all of you!
xo
K & P
Did I mention that it rained/hailed/winded all night long? I have been wearing 5 layers and that's not counting my hat and mittens! :)
A nice woman on her way to her Tai Chi class (she said she was happy to help b/c it might make her miss the first few domas (poses?) of the class and she hates them anyway!) gave us a ride back to town where we enlisted the help of a RAC (think AAA) mechanic to help us. With a quick go over, he determined that the head gasket had blown. I figured that was not a good sign, not because I know anything about cars, but, because of his facial expressions (lots of raised eyebrows, sighing, and widened eyes). So, we are fine for short trips, but virtually screwed for long ones. We're on a long one. Alas, we tried to hire a car to use to continue on our merry way. None. So, we're in the process of finding a way to have the van hauled back to Matt & Jen's in Perth. We've booked seats on the bus back to Perth for the morning run. We are going to try to rent a car from there and continue our journey as planned.
What is it they say about the best laid plans?
Oh well, it's all part of the adventure.
My favorite part of the day yesterday was when Peter looked over and said, "Kerry, even though we're homeless, carless and pretty much only have the clothes on our back, I'm really glad to be here with you."
What a sweet guy!
More another time...
Hope all is well with all of you! Thanks for posting comments on the blog! We love hearing from all of you!
xo
K & P
Did I mention that it rained/hailed/winded all night long? I have been wearing 5 layers and that's not counting my hat and mittens! :)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Loving Life in Denmark!
Hi Everyone,
I found a cheaper kiosk and Peter's fixing the car, so, I figured I'd do a quick posting! It must begin with GO RED SOX! I was psyched to learn that they were in the World Series and I just checked online to see that they trounced the Rockies 13 - 1!!! Yeehaw!
We're in Denmark and the sun has been shining on us. We arrived yesterday and Peter had a surf! He's a much happier bloke now, I must admit -- and he admits it too! We went to a spot called Ocean Beach - another gorgeous place. We arrived around lunch time to this town of a couple thousand and Peter was in the water by 1:00. The beach was pretty deserted and I sat on the shore and read. Very relaxing. Denmark is quite a quaint little town. The surrounding areas are very much like those I'm used to in Vermont. Lots of pastures, rolling hills and tall green trees. There's a splash of Ireland - TONS of sheep - and a touch of Oregon - gorgeous rocky shores and beaches. I'd say it's probably our favorite spot to date.
We spent more time on the beach and then headed to town to scout out a Caravan Park. We've been mostly camping at these places because they have toilets close by. We stayed at Rivermouth Caravan Park which was a few kms from town and it was on a quite idyllic piece of property. We were surrounded by birds - some looked like green parrots - sheep, chickens, horses, etc...As we were negotiating a soft spot on the pasture to camp on, "our" van sunk up to cover the left front hubcap! After some choice words and laughter on our parts (the owner had just been telling us about how he'd had an earthmover in to flatten out the pasture!) we enlisted the help of a guy staying at one of the campsites (with full winching capbabitites on his pimped out rig) to pull us out. All ended safely we are fine and the van "one eyed Jack" b/c he was missing one blinker due to heavy wind was back on the trail in no time. Needless to say, we chose another route to find a camp spot!
We went for a surf at the same beach as yesterday early this morning. It was fun to get back into the water again. Not many others surfing, we were two of four vying for waves. Lots of fun and easy surfing. We just had a quick lunch in the park and Peter is done making One Eyed Jack back to his usual self. Not too sure what the afternoon will bring, but, I KNOW we need to do laundry! :)
Hope all is well. We're sending sunshine your way!
Love,
K & P
I found a cheaper kiosk and Peter's fixing the car, so, I figured I'd do a quick posting! It must begin with GO RED SOX! I was psyched to learn that they were in the World Series and I just checked online to see that they trounced the Rockies 13 - 1!!! Yeehaw!
We're in Denmark and the sun has been shining on us. We arrived yesterday and Peter had a surf! He's a much happier bloke now, I must admit -- and he admits it too! We went to a spot called Ocean Beach - another gorgeous place. We arrived around lunch time to this town of a couple thousand and Peter was in the water by 1:00. The beach was pretty deserted and I sat on the shore and read. Very relaxing. Denmark is quite a quaint little town. The surrounding areas are very much like those I'm used to in Vermont. Lots of pastures, rolling hills and tall green trees. There's a splash of Ireland - TONS of sheep - and a touch of Oregon - gorgeous rocky shores and beaches. I'd say it's probably our favorite spot to date.
We spent more time on the beach and then headed to town to scout out a Caravan Park. We've been mostly camping at these places because they have toilets close by. We stayed at Rivermouth Caravan Park which was a few kms from town and it was on a quite idyllic piece of property. We were surrounded by birds - some looked like green parrots - sheep, chickens, horses, etc...As we were negotiating a soft spot on the pasture to camp on, "our" van sunk up to cover the left front hubcap! After some choice words and laughter on our parts (the owner had just been telling us about how he'd had an earthmover in to flatten out the pasture!) we enlisted the help of a guy staying at one of the campsites (with full winching capbabitites on his pimped out rig) to pull us out. All ended safely we are fine and the van "one eyed Jack" b/c he was missing one blinker due to heavy wind was back on the trail in no time. Needless to say, we chose another route to find a camp spot!
We went for a surf at the same beach as yesterday early this morning. It was fun to get back into the water again. Not many others surfing, we were two of four vying for waves. Lots of fun and easy surfing. We just had a quick lunch in the park and Peter is done making One Eyed Jack back to his usual self. Not too sure what the afternoon will bring, but, I KNOW we need to do laundry! :)
Hope all is well. We're sending sunshine your way!
Love,
K & P
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Bit o' News!
Hi Everyone!
We've arrived on the chillier than we anticipated yet gorgeous southern coast on Wednesday after driving through the "outback" and we're in a city called Albany. We spent time in Kalgoolie, Esperence, Bremer Bay and now here.
We've got a lot of stories to report, but, the email kiosks that are available are rather expensive for the time I need to punch out the details (it costs $4.oo/15 min!). So, I'll fill you in when we return to Perth where I've got access to a laptop and the generous Morrow/Cook Homestead for free.
Thinking of you all. Hope all is well! Happy Halloween!
Love,
k & P
We've arrived on the chillier than we anticipated yet gorgeous southern coast on Wednesday after driving through the "outback" and we're in a city called Albany. We spent time in Kalgoolie, Esperence, Bremer Bay and now here.
We've got a lot of stories to report, but, the email kiosks that are available are rather expensive for the time I need to punch out the details (it costs $4.oo/15 min!). So, I'll fill you in when we return to Perth where I've got access to a laptop and the generous Morrow/Cook Homestead for free.
Thinking of you all. Hope all is well! Happy Halloween!
Love,
k & P
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Cruising Around Perth!
We've been blissfully enjoying Matt & Jen's hospitality for the past four days! It has been great just doing the things we love to do with them in Hood River here in their beautiful home and adopted city of Perth. Today, we completed a 3 hour bike ride around the Swan River and the Perth area. We stopped for lunch and a pint at a place called Little Creatures Brewery. The pints were delicious and nice especially after riding in the sun for so long. Things are quite expensive here. One pint cost $8.00 Australian and it wasn't served in a take home glass!?!
Perth is probably the most livable city I've ever seen. It has a lot of green space in the way of parks, trees, cricket pitches, etc... We walked a bit in King's Park the other day, and it is wonderful. Gorgeous views of the city with paths flanked by wildflowers and calm onlookers. The weather here has been perfect save our first day here when it reminded us why we are happy to be away from the Oregon rain. Apparently, they get about 300 days of sun each year. Most of the money that fuels Perth comes from mining towns up north. When we went for lunch in Swanbourne, it seemed that very few folks were working for a Wednesday. Real estate is off the scale over here, too. There's a lot of people with a lot of money to spend on homes, cars, shopping, etc... They even have home auctions just because they can! Wowie!
We went surfing yesterday morning - with a ton other folks. The water wasn't too cold and the surf wasn't that great, but, it was fantastic to be out in the water again. We played an American Football game on the beach in the afternoon and had dinner at the shop owned by someone Matt works with. The place has specialty burgers and dinner was nice. We came home for movies on the couch. It's good to see that I'm in good company when it comes to falling asleep during movies. Jen and I made it look easy when we both fell asleep about halfway through the film!
On our ride today, we circled most of the city on impecably well-maintained, paved paths. Many folks were out walking, riding, paddling and the like. We also caught a bit of a cricket match and a lawn bowling game (think Bocce on grass with shoes, white long pants and wide brimmed hats). The weather was perfect for a bike ride and we were excited to see the city this way. We had more of a purpose for our trek today as we were supporting my friend Pam's fundraiser. Friends of the Paradee Family pledged to do outdoor hikes, walks, bikes, swims to offer good, positive, helpful energy to them as Pam is heading toward a bone marrow transplant. We're thinking of you, Pam!
We're going to Spring in the Valley tomorrow. It is a showcase of the Swan Valley's Winerys, Brew Pubs, Cheese, Chocolate and other Factories. I can say that it probably won't disappoint! On Monday, we're heading out to Esperance. It is about 9 hours driving to the southeast on the coast. While it will be a bit colder that way, the sun is supposed to shine for at least the next week, so that should make it perfect. We'll keep you posted on our travels.
Many thanks to Matt & Jen for their extreme hospitality during our stay in Perth. It was fantastic to have such wonderfully attentive tour guides! And many thanks for the Morrow/Cook Van Rental Service for making the next leg of our trip Down Under possible!
Monday, October 8, 2007
Farewell Bali, G'Day West Oz!
Hello there!
In a few minutes, we've got to head over to catch our ride to the airport as we're off for Australia. I woke up at 4:00 this morning with the overwhelming thought that we'd be on a plane heading toward Australia! It is only a place we've read about and even though we've been gone for a bit, and the plane tickets have been in hand, it still feels surreal. I hope that I maintain this constant sense of wonder and excitement throughout this adventure. It is truly an amazing, enlightening, and thought-provoking experience. How lucky we are!
Well, Peter's not so lucky. He's been down with the bad Bali belly for the past few days. I guess that Monkey pee wasn't such good luck after all. Poor guy. It is just so uncomfortable and that discomfort is exacerbated by the fact that we're in transit today. It is helpful that the trip to Oz is only about 3 hours in flight. I think that we'll check into a course of antibiotics when we arrive in Perth to kill what ails us!
So, yesterday, we went back to Dreamland and Peter had a surf. I read and wrote on the beach. There were approximately a gazillion folks in the water, but, it didn't seem too chaotic. Until I noticed one of the surf guides exiting the surf with board in one hand and the nose of that same board in the other hand. He hit someone on the water. UGH! What bad luck.
We had to check out of our hotel last night because there was a mix-up with our departure date. We checked into another spot down the road and it was fine. The decor hearkened back to the days of the 1960's when I'm sure this hotel was booming. Unfortunately, this hotel seemed a bit deserted and I didn't appreciate the stark pink drapes that made the room feel like we were floating in a Pepto Bismol bottle!
Thanks for reading about our time in Bali. We highly recommend visiting if you get a chance. It is a beautiful and interesting place. While the surfing wasn't all that we imagined, it was still an amazing way to start our honeymoon tour!
P.S. If you sign up for a four hour spa visit, it is good practice at relaxing. I need a lot more practice because after about 30 minutes, I was getting antsy. Imagine that, Kerry has trouble relaxing?! I'm learning a lot from Peter, however. Relaxing is one of his many talents!
P.P.S. GO RED SOX!!
Love,
K & P
In a few minutes, we've got to head over to catch our ride to the airport as we're off for Australia. I woke up at 4:00 this morning with the overwhelming thought that we'd be on a plane heading toward Australia! It is only a place we've read about and even though we've been gone for a bit, and the plane tickets have been in hand, it still feels surreal. I hope that I maintain this constant sense of wonder and excitement throughout this adventure. It is truly an amazing, enlightening, and thought-provoking experience. How lucky we are!
Well, Peter's not so lucky. He's been down with the bad Bali belly for the past few days. I guess that Monkey pee wasn't such good luck after all. Poor guy. It is just so uncomfortable and that discomfort is exacerbated by the fact that we're in transit today. It is helpful that the trip to Oz is only about 3 hours in flight. I think that we'll check into a course of antibiotics when we arrive in Perth to kill what ails us!
So, yesterday, we went back to Dreamland and Peter had a surf. I read and wrote on the beach. There were approximately a gazillion folks in the water, but, it didn't seem too chaotic. Until I noticed one of the surf guides exiting the surf with board in one hand and the nose of that same board in the other hand. He hit someone on the water. UGH! What bad luck.
We had to check out of our hotel last night because there was a mix-up with our departure date. We checked into another spot down the road and it was fine. The decor hearkened back to the days of the 1960's when I'm sure this hotel was booming. Unfortunately, this hotel seemed a bit deserted and I didn't appreciate the stark pink drapes that made the room feel like we were floating in a Pepto Bismol bottle!
Thanks for reading about our time in Bali. We highly recommend visiting if you get a chance. It is a beautiful and interesting place. While the surfing wasn't all that we imagined, it was still an amazing way to start our honeymoon tour!
P.S. If you sign up for a four hour spa visit, it is good practice at relaxing. I need a lot more practice because after about 30 minutes, I was getting antsy. Imagine that, Kerry has trouble relaxing?! I'm learning a lot from Peter, however. Relaxing is one of his many talents!
P.P.S. GO RED SOX!!
Love,
K & P
The Bali Adventures Contine...
Hi Everyone,
So, we've been in Bali about 10 days give or take. If you've read the blog, you'll get more details about our travels. But, overall, Bali is a beautiful island that is full of kind, gentle, inquisitive folks. The people seem endlessly interested in US culture and customs - especially those that involve "pop" culture stuff. There are approximately 3 bazillion motorbikes on the island and there are no traffic rules. The only rule is that there is no rules. So, driving is for only the strong hearted. And you must be on high alert as you walk narrow streets on the even narrower sidewalks. The cars drive on the opposite side than we're used to in the States, so, that took a while to get accustomed to. The beaches are beautiful and the scenery is all that you have seen in photographs - green rice fields, majestic temples, gorgeous, colorful sunsets. If it weren't so far and there wasn't so much hustle and bustle in Kuta (and it's spreading!!), I think we may return one day. There are many ex-pats that live here (about 300 +) and enjoy the easy island life.
A few days ago, we traveled inland to a spot called Ubud. The town is surrounded by rice fields as far as you can see. The center of town boasts a large, quite bustling market. All of the stalls are selling the same thing - clothes, handbags, flipflops, t-shirts, etc...The town of Ubud is where the royal family's temple and home is located. Additionally, it supports a vibrant arts community. The arts seem to center on Indonesian life and scenery. Most of the art galleries are a bit intimidating for us, but, it was cool to look from the windows. We ate lunch on tatami mats at a low table at a place called the Lotus Cafe. The cafe wrapped around a lotus pond with a simple temple at the head. It was quite a scene. I am continually struck by how most of the buildings - from temples all the way down to a simple home - have quite delicate architectural points. The roof or the siding usually has some interesting details. Not something that we are used to in the Pacific Northwest or in most places for that matter. When we were walking down a narrow lane in Ubud (that was lacking in motorbike traffic, thankfully!) there was a cadre of men sitting on scaffolding around a tower in front of a temple. They were sketching in pencil on solid stone the curly q's and swirls that they would eventually chisel out with their hands. Quite an amazing sight and a serious undertaking for the artists, don't you agree?!
So, we've been in Bali about 10 days give or take. If you've read the blog, you'll get more details about our travels. But, overall, Bali is a beautiful island that is full of kind, gentle, inquisitive folks. The people seem endlessly interested in US culture and customs - especially those that involve "pop" culture stuff. There are approximately 3 bazillion motorbikes on the island and there are no traffic rules. The only rule is that there is no rules. So, driving is for only the strong hearted. And you must be on high alert as you walk narrow streets on the even narrower sidewalks. The cars drive on the opposite side than we're used to in the States, so, that took a while to get accustomed to. The beaches are beautiful and the scenery is all that you have seen in photographs - green rice fields, majestic temples, gorgeous, colorful sunsets. If it weren't so far and there wasn't so much hustle and bustle in Kuta (and it's spreading!!), I think we may return one day. There are many ex-pats that live here (about 300 +) and enjoy the easy island life.
A few days ago, we traveled inland to a spot called Ubud. The town is surrounded by rice fields as far as you can see. The center of town boasts a large, quite bustling market. All of the stalls are selling the same thing - clothes, handbags, flipflops, t-shirts, etc...The town of Ubud is where the royal family's temple and home is located. Additionally, it supports a vibrant arts community. The arts seem to center on Indonesian life and scenery. Most of the art galleries are a bit intimidating for us, but, it was cool to look from the windows. We ate lunch on tatami mats at a low table at a place called the Lotus Cafe. The cafe wrapped around a lotus pond with a simple temple at the head. It was quite a scene. I am continually struck by how most of the buildings - from temples all the way down to a simple home - have quite delicate architectural points. The roof or the siding usually has some interesting details. Not something that we are used to in the Pacific Northwest or in most places for that matter. When we were walking down a narrow lane in Ubud (that was lacking in motorbike traffic, thankfully!) there was a cadre of men sitting on scaffolding around a tower in front of a temple. They were sketching in pencil on solid stone the curly q's and swirls that they would eventually chisel out with their hands. Quite an amazing sight and a serious undertaking for the artists, don't you agree?!
Also, we saw many children at school or on their way home from school in the streets. They wear uniforms and drive each other around on the motorbikes - usually they put 2-3 kids on each bike - helmets are optional! Yikes! We even have seen families of 4 on one bike. We learned that public education here is expensive and most children don't go. There are a few universities here and I saw a billboard for a Travel & Tourism School, maybe that will change things in the field of education in Bali. We met a guy here at the surf camp that is from Colorado, but, he teaches technology to primary students in Myanmar(Burma). Because of all of the protests, he's had to leave for 2 weeks. He is here in Bali until that time is up and he gets word if it is safe to return or if he needs to look elsewhere. It has been interesting hearing about his experiences as a teacher on the international circuit.
After Ubud, we went home because it seems that my Bali belly syndrome hadn't really given up it's chokehold. But, after today, I'm feeling much better and I ate my first serious meal since Thursday (it's Saturday here and I'm a bit sick of toast and Sprite!) Today, Peter jolted me up at 6 am because the surf van was leaving for the beach. The alarm didn't go off or we didn't hear it. Either way, I wasn't too psyched about jumping in the deep blue sea on such short notice. However, when we arrived at the beach and the surf looked just my speed, my attitude changed! Most of the folks in our group thought the waves were small, but, I appreciated their snail-like qualities and had a good session. I actually paddled into one of the largest waves I've ever had but by the time I realized I'd caught it, I'd fogot to stand up! So, I ended up with a good sinus cleaning and a long paddle back to the line up! Oh well, it was a good time over all.
Peter, Jen, and Matt went for a second session this afternoon and I opted for a run on the beach. It was good to be active after feeling like such garbage for so long. Strangely, I feel more comfortable here now than I ever have and we're off to Perth in a few days. Before we go, we're going to get a spa treatment at a spot down the road. It is a four hour treatment and it costs 450,000rp or $45.00! You can't beat it!
After Ubud, we went home because it seems that my Bali belly syndrome hadn't really given up it's chokehold. But, after today, I'm feeling much better and I ate my first serious meal since Thursday (it's Saturday here and I'm a bit sick of toast and Sprite!) Today, Peter jolted me up at 6 am because the surf van was leaving for the beach. The alarm didn't go off or we didn't hear it. Either way, I wasn't too psyched about jumping in the deep blue sea on such short notice. However, when we arrived at the beach and the surf looked just my speed, my attitude changed! Most of the folks in our group thought the waves were small, but, I appreciated their snail-like qualities and had a good session. I actually paddled into one of the largest waves I've ever had but by the time I realized I'd caught it, I'd fogot to stand up! So, I ended up with a good sinus cleaning and a long paddle back to the line up! Oh well, it was a good time over all.
Peter, Jen, and Matt went for a second session this afternoon and I opted for a run on the beach. It was good to be active after feeling like such garbage for so long. Strangely, I feel more comfortable here now than I ever have and we're off to Perth in a few days. Before we go, we're going to get a spa treatment at a spot down the road. It is a four hour treatment and it costs 450,000rp or $45.00! You can't beat it!
Above all of this, we went to the Monkey Sanctuary Park in Ubud yesterday! Talk about my dreams coming true! The park was chock full of monkeys! The cute kind like the one in "Friends" - Marcel. Anyway, we weren't three steps into the park and two monkeys came raining down on me! One was sitting on my head! They probably sensed that I had a special fondness for them. Of course, they wanted food which the tour guide provided to distract them off my head! Then, the guide told us to sit down on the steps near this statue and the monkeys came over and sat on our laps. Then, one was getting friendly with Peter and it peed on him! As you can imagine, Mr. Lake wasn't too impressed as this was gross and it was only the beginning of the tour! He took it in stride and was pleased when the guide told him it was good luck (I think that's a stock guide line for such an incident!). Overall, the tour cured me of my desire to have a monkey as a pet because it seems that they can be quite agressive when they don't get a lot of food. I'll just stick to Daisy and Hazel!
Enough rambling from me. I hope this finds you well. I think of you all quite often and I hope that you are having fun! Looks like some snow on Mt. Hood! Ski it up for us this year and we'll surf for you!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Bali Belly :(
Hi everyone,
We've officially been in Bali for one week - which for me is good since I've had a solid stomach that whole time! That changed this morning - quite early. I won't bore you with the details, but, let's just say that it took me until 4:00pm to try some sprite/toast and get out of bed. Thank heavens for my exceedingly attentive husband and Immodium AD. Delicious! I think I'm in the clear but I think that most of my nutrients will come from sprite and crackers for the next few days.
Our friends, Jen & Matt arrived from Australia and we've been having a great time catching up and hanging out. Two days ago, we all went for a surf at a break called "Old Man" -- it was perfect for a woman who likes to surf slow waves like me. I caught about 3 waves in the "green part" and Peter, Matt & I were actually surfing the same wave once at the same time. It was a lot of fun. If the wave was breaking any faster, however, I probably wouldn't have been to psyched. That was the second time we've surfed at that spot and that makes me glad. You get to know how to paddle out, how the wave is working, and what to expect. That makes me more comfortable in the water and lets me enjoy myself more. That spot is good because you can paddle over to another break called Batu Balang that is a bit more challenging. Peter, Jen, and Matt had a few rides on that wave while I read my book on the beach after my session.
After the morning session, we went for a walk to check out Kuta Beach. We walked along the beach from our hotel to this gigantic white shopping mall. All along the beach, people were trying to sell us things - sunglasses, watches, massages, "bloody sexy" manicures, sarongs, etc... - let's just say that it isn't the most relaxing place to walk. Anyway, we entered this mall at the end of our walk -- commercialism is alive and well in Bali. The mall was choc full of stores catering to western tastes. You can buy the latest movies for 99 cents. I also noticed a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, KFC, Hard Rock Cafe, McDonald's, and on and on... It's too bad since the Indonesian food is pretty delicious. Matt & Jen succumbed to the "Oakley" vendor and got 2 pairs for $5.00 -- "good price!" After a small Bintang (local beer) on the beach, we headed back to our hotel. The "taxsi" was $3.00. We ate at a small macrobiotic resto called "Zula" and called it a day.
Yesterday, we went to a surf spot called "Dreamland." It is quite beautiful. At one point during the morning, the skies clouded up and the water looked this amazing color turquoise. It was breathtaking. At this spot, I watched the others hone their surfing skills. It seemed a bit too large for me. I think I probably could have handled it, but, if I missed the consequences could have been more than I am willing to face in my surfing life at this point. But, the others had a great session. Dreamland is a surf break inside this grand resort that was begun by a former president of Bali. However, it was uncovered that he bought the land with corrupted sources and so he was thrown in jail before the resort was built. While he was in jail, his son was permitted to continue building and the resort is well on it's way to fruition. It is one of the driest spots in Bali, but, there is an 18 + hole golf course in full swing.
After Dreamland, we went to Sanur Beach with Jen & Matt b/c some folks they know from Australia were on vacation there. It was nice to meet them - extremely nice people. We swam in the pool at their hotel and even had a drink at the swim up bar. We went to dinner at a spot on the beach and the rest is history. I spent the rest of the evening with a very unhappy belly. I am thinking that I picked something up there b/c one of our party ordered a hamburger and the waiter came back to ask him to order something else b/c the ground beef had a funny smell. I wonder if they smelled the chicken?
The gang went for a surf this morning while I staved off the demons of the belly. Matt & Jen are having spa treatments right now at a local salon - $10.00 for one hour massage! The surf camp offers yoga tonight, so, we're signed up for 7:30. We'll see if I can make it through. Tomorrow is the day we will go to Ubud. There are rural rice fields and a thriving art scene apparently. I'll fill you in when we return. AND, most excitingly, they have a Monkey Sanctuary! Maybe I will finally get my pet monkey!
Hope all is well. We're having fun and thinking of you all.
K & P
We've officially been in Bali for one week - which for me is good since I've had a solid stomach that whole time! That changed this morning - quite early. I won't bore you with the details, but, let's just say that it took me until 4:00pm to try some sprite/toast and get out of bed. Thank heavens for my exceedingly attentive husband and Immodium AD. Delicious! I think I'm in the clear but I think that most of my nutrients will come from sprite and crackers for the next few days.
Our friends, Jen & Matt arrived from Australia and we've been having a great time catching up and hanging out. Two days ago, we all went for a surf at a break called "Old Man" -- it was perfect for a woman who likes to surf slow waves like me. I caught about 3 waves in the "green part" and Peter, Matt & I were actually surfing the same wave once at the same time. It was a lot of fun. If the wave was breaking any faster, however, I probably wouldn't have been to psyched. That was the second time we've surfed at that spot and that makes me glad. You get to know how to paddle out, how the wave is working, and what to expect. That makes me more comfortable in the water and lets me enjoy myself more. That spot is good because you can paddle over to another break called Batu Balang that is a bit more challenging. Peter, Jen, and Matt had a few rides on that wave while I read my book on the beach after my session.
After the morning session, we went for a walk to check out Kuta Beach. We walked along the beach from our hotel to this gigantic white shopping mall. All along the beach, people were trying to sell us things - sunglasses, watches, massages, "bloody sexy" manicures, sarongs, etc... - let's just say that it isn't the most relaxing place to walk. Anyway, we entered this mall at the end of our walk -- commercialism is alive and well in Bali. The mall was choc full of stores catering to western tastes. You can buy the latest movies for 99 cents. I also noticed a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, KFC, Hard Rock Cafe, McDonald's, and on and on... It's too bad since the Indonesian food is pretty delicious. Matt & Jen succumbed to the "Oakley" vendor and got 2 pairs for $5.00 -- "good price!" After a small Bintang (local beer) on the beach, we headed back to our hotel. The "taxsi" was $3.00. We ate at a small macrobiotic resto called "Zula" and called it a day.
Yesterday, we went to a surf spot called "Dreamland." It is quite beautiful. At one point during the morning, the skies clouded up and the water looked this amazing color turquoise. It was breathtaking. At this spot, I watched the others hone their surfing skills. It seemed a bit too large for me. I think I probably could have handled it, but, if I missed the consequences could have been more than I am willing to face in my surfing life at this point. But, the others had a great session. Dreamland is a surf break inside this grand resort that was begun by a former president of Bali. However, it was uncovered that he bought the land with corrupted sources and so he was thrown in jail before the resort was built. While he was in jail, his son was permitted to continue building and the resort is well on it's way to fruition. It is one of the driest spots in Bali, but, there is an 18 + hole golf course in full swing.
After Dreamland, we went to Sanur Beach with Jen & Matt b/c some folks they know from Australia were on vacation there. It was nice to meet them - extremely nice people. We swam in the pool at their hotel and even had a drink at the swim up bar. We went to dinner at a spot on the beach and the rest is history. I spent the rest of the evening with a very unhappy belly. I am thinking that I picked something up there b/c one of our party ordered a hamburger and the waiter came back to ask him to order something else b/c the ground beef had a funny smell. I wonder if they smelled the chicken?
The gang went for a surf this morning while I staved off the demons of the belly. Matt & Jen are having spa treatments right now at a local salon - $10.00 for one hour massage! The surf camp offers yoga tonight, so, we're signed up for 7:30. We'll see if I can make it through. Tomorrow is the day we will go to Ubud. There are rural rice fields and a thriving art scene apparently. I'll fill you in when we return. AND, most excitingly, they have a Monkey Sanctuary! Maybe I will finally get my pet monkey!
Hope all is well. We're having fun and thinking of you all.
K & P
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