What a way to end our trip!
After another rough sleep (thanks to my inability to digest Indonesian food) we got up early for a few sunrise photos and some breakfast before our hike with Ketut. The trip almost didn't happen as I had to work through some serious stomach issues but I managed to pull it together in time for our 7:30 start. What can we say? The morning was incredible. Ketut took us through rice paddy terraces, jungle plantations of coffee and cocoa, villages, farms and markets and took us scrambling through the bush to the top of two spectacular lookouts. All the while he told us of his past, as a mountain guide and a cigarette seller at the old cockfights (that is how he knows everyone we encountered - plus the fact that he is 68!) and told us lots about the important parts of Balinese culture including hinduism, medicinal plant gathering, making offerings, the meanings of temples. On top of all this information he also took us to see a blacksmith, making knives with fire and stone, as well as sculptors who were carving the ornate temple figures from the volcanic black rock found here. We were gone for four hours and u feel like I have seen more of Bali in that time than in the entire previous two weeks!
We reluctantly left the mountains in the early afternoon with Budi (last night's band leader) as our driver. Three hours later we were back in Ubud where we had to return to pick up Eric's surfboard. We found a lovely room for our last night in Bali and enjoyed the evening wandering about Campuhan. We will definitely be sorry to leave this beautiful country.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Day 13 - Beautiful Bali
Today has been all about goingr with the flow and how good life can be if you can just sit back and enjoy the ride!
We caught our fast boat to Amed right on time and pulled out of the dock, first we headed to Gili Air where we picked up several passengers, the secede group of which were late and showed up just as we had pulled out so back we went. Then we found ourselves at Sengiggi harbor on Lombok where we waited a while to find out that we had to go back to Gili T to get more passengers who missed the boat earlier! So, an hour and a half after boarding we finally left for our 'fast' trip to Amed on the central east coast of Bali. The ride over was lovely and uneventful and Eric put his French to good use by befriending a worldly French couple. We arrived in the stunning fishing town only to discover that we had been sold a ticket by a shady character and that the money for our passage had not been paid. Thankfully (though not good for the boat owner) this kind of scam happens frequently and the baddies are well known. The owner did not hold us accountable and was happy to get us a ride into Tirta Gangga, our destination for the night.
When we hopped out of our taxi in the hillside village if Tirta Gangga, we were immediately greeted by a wiley gentleman who wanted to show us his rooms-lucky for us he owned the very homestay that we has picked out of our lonely planet and within minutes we were settled in one of the nicest rooms we've had...and at the best price too!
After taking a little time for reading and napping we went to explore the fabulous water palace. The gardens were simply lovely with water cascading everywhere and filled with an abundance of lilies, lotus' and other beautiful aquatic plant life. There were ponds and pools, one of which is open to the public for a small fee and was filled with young boys playing and bathing. As the sun set on our day the garden lights were turned on and the scene turned a whole new shade if pretty. After grabbing some dinner at a cute little cafe set deep in a rice paddy we headed back to our homestay where we discovered an impromptu porch party had begun.
We caught our fast boat to Amed right on time and pulled out of the dock, first we headed to Gili Air where we picked up several passengers, the secede group of which were late and showed up just as we had pulled out so back we went. Then we found ourselves at Sengiggi harbor on Lombok where we waited a while to find out that we had to go back to Gili T to get more passengers who missed the boat earlier! So, an hour and a half after boarding we finally left for our 'fast' trip to Amed on the central east coast of Bali. The ride over was lovely and uneventful and Eric put his French to good use by befriending a worldly French couple. We arrived in the stunning fishing town only to discover that we had been sold a ticket by a shady character and that the money for our passage had not been paid. Thankfully (though not good for the boat owner) this kind of scam happens frequently and the baddies are well known. The owner did not hold us accountable and was happy to get us a ride into Tirta Gangga, our destination for the night.
When we hopped out of our taxi in the hillside village if Tirta Gangga, we were immediately greeted by a wiley gentleman who wanted to show us his rooms-lucky for us he owned the very homestay that we has picked out of our lonely planet and within minutes we were settled in one of the nicest rooms we've had...and at the best price too!
After taking a little time for reading and napping we went to explore the fabulous water palace. The gardens were simply lovely with water cascading everywhere and filled with an abundance of lilies, lotus' and other beautiful aquatic plant life. There were ponds and pools, one of which is open to the public for a small fee and was filled with young boys playing and bathing. As the sun set on our day the garden lights were turned on and the scene turned a whole new shade if pretty. After grabbing some dinner at a cute little cafe set deep in a rice paddy we headed back to our homestay where we discovered an impromptu porch party had begun.
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Day 12 - Surf day#34 "Secret Break"
The notion of having a "secret" surf break on a tiny sand island that is as popular as this one is a little ridiculous.
I guess it is fair to say that the secret is out...
For 40000 idr (just under 5$) I rented myself a more than decent board and started paddling off the south end of the island at a mid-low tide into this well known spot. The lineup was a good mix of visitor and local Lombok, and we were nicely spread out along the reef break.
I was mesmerized by the many multi-coloured coral and fish in the shallows directly below me as I waited for waves in the glassy clean water. I felt very privileged to be in this environment.
And the waves came! Once again I got the opportunity of tasting picture perfect ultra predictable squeaky-clean barrels breaking on a coral reef at tropical temperatures. Got some good waves right off the bat. Reef breaks are ultimate! Later some big ones showed up and a few sets came in at 8 ft or over. After a mis-attempt and good deal of scary flogging, I made my way over to the side, where the consequences were a little less severe. The sound of these breaking beasts are still reverberating in my brain. I watched some really good surfing going on, and continued to have some good rides of my own.
A big part of today's enjoyment factor was the good vibe amongst the surfers, especially the talented and stoked locals. Rode in to rendezvouz with Tracy with a big grin on my face, as this was another memorable session. Perhaps someday I shall get another opportunity ;)
I guess it is fair to say that the secret is out...
For 40000 idr (just under 5$) I rented myself a more than decent board and started paddling off the south end of the island at a mid-low tide into this well known spot. The lineup was a good mix of visitor and local Lombok, and we were nicely spread out along the reef break.
I was mesmerized by the many multi-coloured coral and fish in the shallows directly below me as I waited for waves in the glassy clean water. I felt very privileged to be in this environment.
And the waves came! Once again I got the opportunity of tasting picture perfect ultra predictable squeaky-clean barrels breaking on a coral reef at tropical temperatures. Got some good waves right off the bat. Reef breaks are ultimate! Later some big ones showed up and a few sets came in at 8 ft or over. After a mis-attempt and good deal of scary flogging, I made my way over to the side, where the consequences were a little less severe. The sound of these breaking beasts are still reverberating in my brain. I watched some really good surfing going on, and continued to have some good rides of my own.
A big part of today's enjoyment factor was the good vibe amongst the surfers, especially the talented and stoked locals. Rode in to rendezvouz with Tracy with a big grin on my face, as this was another memorable session. Perhaps someday I shall get another opportunity ;)
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Day 11 - Under The Sea
After a very hot and mosquito filled night, we said goodbye to our friendly hosts, checked out of our bungalow and relocated to the near deserted wild SW corner of the island. Although a step down in quality, Sunset Bungalows provided us with free bikes, an ultra relaxed forest-garden atmosphere and the breezy pounding surf right out front. With not a soul in sight, it feels almost like wilderness camping, SE Asian styles. After rediscovering the freedom of the bicycle, we rented some fins and jumped into the water for more snorkeling. Today we covered a big chunk of the East side of the island, liberated by fantastic fins and crystal clear 29•c ocean water. The highlights today were swimming amidst many different schools of fish, up close and personal with nine (or more) turtles and getting to see our very first beautiful yet deadly lionfish, which Tracy spotted amidst it all. After a delicious beef kebab and mahi-mahi burger, we celebrated the sunset by a bike lap around the island. Tracy is now enjoying her first true encounter with an unadorned traditional Indo squat toilet (which is exactly what it sounds like)... In the dark, I might add...!
Sent from my iPod
Day 10 - Gili Fish
Ok, so the Gilis are pretty much everything everyone says they are. Beautiful warm turquoise water, white sandy beaches, incredibly friendly locals and no one yelling at you to buy 'transport' or 'sarong'.
Today we explored the biggest of the three Gilis, Gili
Trewengan, where we are staying. At first we looked to rent bikes but the selection was not quite up to a whistler mountain bikers standards and we soon found ourselves at the end of the business strip and already 1/3 of the way around the islands perimeter! We continued on by foot and discovered that once away from the eastern side of the island there are few amenities apart from an occasional hut (which may or may not over be open) and some swanky private residences but of course, that is what makes this area so appealing.
We came to the Gilis primarily for the snorkelling and were not disappointed. Our first foray off the west coast and past the breaker revealed many colorful fish but pretty bleached out coral. We moved further north and hut the jackpot. Past the shallows the reef dropped about 5m into our own huge aquarium with deep blue near perfect visibility. We saw a turtle, schools of fish in every colour combination imaginable and huge coral formations teeming with life. The most impressive sight was a massive fish at the bottom, about 10m down, which must have been at least three feet long, two high and one foot wide. We have no idea what it was, besides awesome!
Back on land we ended our day with some less than average pizza but better than average conversation with two locals. These guys love the chance to practice their English and we are really enjoying the opportunity to engage with them and hear about their lives in Indo. Our hosts were telling us about their trials and tribulations on the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa, with the latter, we were told earnestly, being a particularly fine surfing destination. We are definitely getting a slightly better understanding of what makes up this great archipelago of diverse cultures, yet we have many miles to cover before truly penetrating the world's fourth most populous nation. Certainly not on this short trip!
Today we explored the biggest of the three Gilis, Gili
Trewengan, where we are staying. At first we looked to rent bikes but the selection was not quite up to a whistler mountain bikers standards and we soon found ourselves at the end of the business strip and already 1/3 of the way around the islands perimeter! We continued on by foot and discovered that once away from the eastern side of the island there are few amenities apart from an occasional hut (which may or may not over be open) and some swanky private residences but of course, that is what makes this area so appealing.
We came to the Gilis primarily for the snorkelling and were not disappointed. Our first foray off the west coast and past the breaker revealed many colorful fish but pretty bleached out coral. We moved further north and hut the jackpot. Past the shallows the reef dropped about 5m into our own huge aquarium with deep blue near perfect visibility. We saw a turtle, schools of fish in every colour combination imaginable and huge coral formations teeming with life. The most impressive sight was a massive fish at the bottom, about 10m down, which must have been at least three feet long, two high and one foot wide. We have no idea what it was, besides awesome!
Back on land we ended our day with some less than average pizza but better than average conversation with two locals. These guys love the chance to practice their English and we are really enjoying the opportunity to engage with them and hear about their lives in Indo. Our hosts were telling us about their trials and tribulations on the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa, with the latter, we were told earnestly, being a particularly fine surfing destination. We are definitely getting a slightly better understanding of what makes up this great archipelago of diverse cultures, yet we have many miles to cover before truly penetrating the world's fourth most populous nation. Certainly not on this short trip!
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day 8 - Padangbai
After waking up in the "tower of the rooster", we wandered down to Petra's living space where we encountered several of the numerous characters who seem to use Petra's as an unofficial community centre. The westerners who end up making Bali home all seem to be very unique people. The ones we have met are generally free thinking, have diverse backgrounds and are trying to do some good in this world, well, I say all but we did meet Koos, a Dutchman who was grumpy and sullen and always right-have stopped trying to figure him out! There is one unifying characteristic of the bunch though and that is in general, they don't seem nearly as welcoming as the Balinese. Perhaps it is a feeling of protection that they have for their 'new' nation or perhaps they just don't want to share?
After a morning of chat we decided to pack up and make our way east. We soon found ourselves in the sticky and warm back of a Perama bus barreling down windy roads and past countless rice paddies. Our trip ended at Padangbai, a lovely seaside port town and the ferry terminal for boats bound for Lombok and Nusa Lembogogen. We found ourselves a thatched two story simple 'hut' to stay in and spent some time soaking up the scenery on the beach. Our only hiccup here has been a small cash-flow problem - there is only one ATM here and it doesn't recognize Visa! Unfortunately both of our accounts are affiliated with Visa so we'll have to make a trip to the closest town to get some money tomorrow. The locals know this is a prime opportunity and were waiting outside the ATM booth to offer their transportation services... What enterprising young entrepreneurs they have here!
Despite our lack of cash we were able to find a cafe that would happily accept our bank card and were soon full again. We followed dinner with a moonlight stroll (an extra big moon I'll note!) and found ourselves at the entrance to a little temple built into the rocky ocean cliffside. There were people inside playing bells and chanting so we sat out of site enjoying the moment. Around the cove we found another special scene at Blue Lagoon. The tiny crescent shaped beach was deserted but a live band was playing for some subdued revellers at a full moon party. We elected to enjoy the tunes from the sand and soon found ourselves taking a dip in bath warm water. There was a small moment of nervousness when we thought we were sharing the water with some creature but Eric convinced me to stay in the water a little longer and enjoy our moonlight swim. All in all another good day topped by a pretty magical evening.
After a morning of chat we decided to pack up and make our way east. We soon found ourselves in the sticky and warm back of a Perama bus barreling down windy roads and past countless rice paddies. Our trip ended at Padangbai, a lovely seaside port town and the ferry terminal for boats bound for Lombok and Nusa Lembogogen. We found ourselves a thatched two story simple 'hut' to stay in and spent some time soaking up the scenery on the beach. Our only hiccup here has been a small cash-flow problem - there is only one ATM here and it doesn't recognize Visa! Unfortunately both of our accounts are affiliated with Visa so we'll have to make a trip to the closest town to get some money tomorrow. The locals know this is a prime opportunity and were waiting outside the ATM booth to offer their transportation services... What enterprising young entrepreneurs they have here!
Despite our lack of cash we were able to find a cafe that would happily accept our bank card and were soon full again. We followed dinner with a moonlight stroll (an extra big moon I'll note!) and found ourselves at the entrance to a little temple built into the rocky ocean cliffside. There were people inside playing bells and chanting so we sat out of site enjoying the moment. Around the cove we found another special scene at Blue Lagoon. The tiny crescent shaped beach was deserted but a live band was playing for some subdued revellers at a full moon party. We elected to enjoy the tunes from the sand and soon found ourselves taking a dip in bath warm water. There was a small moment of nervousness when we thought we were sharing the water with some creature but Eric convinced me to stay in the water a little longer and enjoy our moonlight swim. All in all another good day topped by a pretty magical evening.
Sent from my iPod
Friday, March 18, 2011
Day 7 - Bumi Bali Princess
As I write this entry from atop my spiral tower, with a fine mosquito net hanging over my bed and tiny fireflies dancing over the rice paddy below, I can't help but feel like I am living in a dream.
Today has been full of experiences that we will never forget. We awoke early, packed up our things and said goodbye to the family at our little losmen. Eric headed off a little earlier than I to make it to his yoga/ meditation lesson while I waited patiently with a cup of coffee for my balinese cooking class to begin. I can't speak for Eric about his experience with his yoga teachings (though he confirmed that it was good) but I can tell you that I had an amazing lesson. There were 7 of us in the class and we started with a trip to the market which was like nothing I have ever seen. There were goods packed into every little nook and when our teacher, Ketut. led us down to the food stalls we found the floor to be covered with baskets full of every fruit, vegetable, spice and grain that you could imagine. The smell was alternatingly delicious and revolting. Ketut showed us the key ingredients for Bali style cooking and introduced us to the weird and wonderful local fruit. Once back in the classroom we began preparing Basa Gede, the spicy base mixture for all six of the dishes we were to prepare. The next few hours were spent frying, mixing, simmering and best of all tasting our delicious meals. Needless to say, by the end of the lesson, I was stuffed!
Eric joined me shortly after I finished and hopped off the back of a scooter at our meeting spot. Turns out he had an adventure of his own getting lost in the rice paddies far out of town and had to hitch a ride home! He, of course, was famished after his yoga session and adventure so we headed for lunch and I watched him eat (yet another delicious meal) while telling him about my morning.
Once fed, we headed to our next destination - the home of a Canadian expat who is a good friend of eric's stepdad. Once we arrived we were shown to our room for the night - a self contained little unit at the top of a three story tower with beautiful rice paddy views and complete privacy. We begrudgingly left our little hideaway to explore our surroundings and enjoyed a frosty beverage out amidst the rice. After a quick stop in at the Bintang Supermarket (the first proper grocery store we have seen) we returned to the house to find our hostess, Petra, in the middle of a work crisis so we retreated to the tower where I have pleasantly spent the last couple of hours listening to the chirping frogs, crickets and occasional dog while Eric has gone on a hunt for more food.
It's been a great week and tomorrow we make plans for week two!
Today has been full of experiences that we will never forget. We awoke early, packed up our things and said goodbye to the family at our little losmen. Eric headed off a little earlier than I to make it to his yoga/ meditation lesson while I waited patiently with a cup of coffee for my balinese cooking class to begin. I can't speak for Eric about his experience with his yoga teachings (though he confirmed that it was good) but I can tell you that I had an amazing lesson. There were 7 of us in the class and we started with a trip to the market which was like nothing I have ever seen. There were goods packed into every little nook and when our teacher, Ketut. led us down to the food stalls we found the floor to be covered with baskets full of every fruit, vegetable, spice and grain that you could imagine. The smell was alternatingly delicious and revolting. Ketut showed us the key ingredients for Bali style cooking and introduced us to the weird and wonderful local fruit. Once back in the classroom we began preparing Basa Gede, the spicy base mixture for all six of the dishes we were to prepare. The next few hours were spent frying, mixing, simmering and best of all tasting our delicious meals. Needless to say, by the end of the lesson, I was stuffed!
Eric joined me shortly after I finished and hopped off the back of a scooter at our meeting spot. Turns out he had an adventure of his own getting lost in the rice paddies far out of town and had to hitch a ride home! He, of course, was famished after his yoga session and adventure so we headed for lunch and I watched him eat (yet another delicious meal) while telling him about my morning.
Once fed, we headed to our next destination - the home of a Canadian expat who is a good friend of eric's stepdad. Once we arrived we were shown to our room for the night - a self contained little unit at the top of a three story tower with beautiful rice paddy views and complete privacy. We begrudgingly left our little hideaway to explore our surroundings and enjoyed a frosty beverage out amidst the rice. After a quick stop in at the Bintang Supermarket (the first proper grocery store we have seen) we returned to the house to find our hostess, Petra, in the middle of a work crisis so we retreated to the tower where I have pleasantly spent the last couple of hours listening to the chirping frogs, crickets and occasional dog while Eric has gone on a hunt for more food.
It's been a great week and tomorrow we make plans for week two!
Sent from my iPod
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