WAVES OF MISFORTUNE

Friday, September 25th @ 13:21

Kevin

I suppose we should have taken it as a sign of things to come when on our first morning in the Bukit Peninsula we were rocked by a 5.8 earthquake. It was our first ever and we really did not know what to make of it. And, by the time we figured it out, it was already over. The Balinese take them very seriously and seem to feel even the most minute disturbances. Jack was the only one with common sense enough to stand inside the doorway. At first I thought it was just a strong wind shaking the door, but the following freight train effect squashed that idea.

We arrived in the Bukit Peninsula at around noon after a short ride from where we were staying in Legian Beach. After breakfast, we loaded up the motorbike with the surfboard, one backpack containing our combined essentials, and ourselves. Learning a lesson from our trip to Madewi, we decided to leave one bag behind at the losmen in Legian that we would be returning to for our last couple of days in Bali. We decided to head straight to the famed point of Uluwatu at the southwest corner of the peninsula.

We had met a really great young couple from England, Jack and Charlotte, while in Madewi. After hanging out for a couple of days we realized our plans were similar and we decided to try and meet up again if we could. Jack had given us some loose directions to a place they stayed that they really enjoyed. By pure chance alone, we found it and checked in not knowing if it was even the right place or that Jack and Charlotte would be moving in right next door about an hour later as Idalis and I were out exploring the area. A knock on the door later that afternoon would confirm their arrival, our locating the right place and our subsequent reunion.



Having jack and Charlotte around would mean that I would have a surfing buddy and Idalis someone to hang out with while I was out. On our first morning in Uluwatu, the morning of the earthquake, Jack and I decided we would paddle out. Uluwatu is not only a very famous break, but also a very tricky one. It requires you to climb down a chasm, through a cave and, if at low tide, over a shelf reef to get to the lineup. There are three take off points; “the point”, “corners”, and “racetracks” and I had never seen a picture of the place less than head high.



All factors combine to make Uluwatu a very heavy spot. Most challenging is the return trip where you must fight current, waves and crowds to navigate back into the relatively small opening of the cave. After two and a half hours of incredible and memorable surf, jack and I would agree to work our way back in. After one failed attempt, I narrowly made it back into the opening, missing the last chance boulder by what seemed like inches. Jack would not be so lucky. After waiting inside the cave for a long while, watching people exiting and entering being battered by the tumultuous shore pound, I began to worry about Jack. I would walk out as far as I could go but without paddling out the vantage point is limited to the cave opening. I would then climb out of the cave to see if I could get a better view. After not seeing him, I headed back down to finally find him putting his board in its protective sock. The damage would not be visible at first.

It wasn't until meeting back up on the top side of the cave that I saw the blood and the blank expression. Jack wold be less fortunate navigating back into the cave opening and would be swept by the incredibly strong current back out and around onto the cliff side rocks where his body and board would take a severe beating until a local would assist him with finding a channel to paddle back in. The lane to the cave is lined with surf shops, photography shops and ding repair shops who are all too eager and willing to solicit your business. Part convenient, part opportunistic. The famous “Cookie” would get the repair job for Jack's board and after a bit of haggling, two new fin plugs and a peppering of holes, scrapes and punctures would cost an even 100 US dollars to repair. The effect to poor Jack's psyche and optimism would be far more costly. But, he would clean up, go have some breakfast and move on.

The weather in the Bukit would change the normally dry and arid plateau into cool, cloudy and rainy and the swell would drop, so much in fact that scouring the coast would turn up nothing ridable, with the exception of Uluwatu which would be small, and because it was the only place working, super crowded. We would opt to take a day off to rest and recuperate. Jack and I would, however, take time in the afternoon, at low tide, to check out the break at Dreamland.



It is here that the unthinkable would happen...again! In just the few minutes it took us to walk down to the cliff edge, scour the horizon and decide that it was not worth paddling out, someone would break into the locked compartment under the seat of my motorbike and steal our camera, case and 266,000 rupiah (about $26). Not noticing at first, it wasn't until I went to retrieve it later that evening for the scheduled Kacek dance performance that I would be introduced to that sinking feeling that I know all too well. Violated...again! In the hands of some stranger would be countless memories and magic moments digitally captured to one day remind us of our great journey. If there was a bright side, it was that most of the images were backed up and instead of losing five countries worth of photos, we would lose our time in Bali and our trip to Gunung Bromo. Unfortunately, a sour taste that will linger for some time and tip the overall balance of our Bali experience.

But wait folks, that's not all! Knowing that there was little to no chance of getting back our camera and having recently renewed our travel insurance, we decided to at least file a police report to submit in the interest of recouping at least the physical loss of the camera. We hope to now replace it with a waterproof one, perhaps another positive result of the loss. We managed to find the local polisi (police) station in Uluwatu, only to be told by the officer we awoke from his slumber in front of the blaring television that he did not prepare reports and we would have to travel to the opposite side of the peninsula and file at the main tourist police station. So, after an hour or so of driving, we arrived in the town of Nusa Dua and finally found the police station. We would address the officer at the counter and explain our predicament. He would send me out to fetch a copy of my passport before taking us in a back room for questioning. He would complete the report, print it out and give it the official stamp before asking us for a 50,000 rupiah “administrative” fee, which I was willing to pay. Idalis, however, having become a most seasoned dare I say hardened, traveler insisted that we would need a receipt to prove to our insurance company that we were charged an “administration” fee. After some humming and hawing and an apparent consultation with his comrades it was determined that the fee was still due and no receipt was available. I then requested to use a pen and paper and attempted to write out as official a phrase as I could to have him type onto the report and sign. After a bit more jossling, he must have finally given in and told us, “report free for you...you go now!” He could not be rid of us fast enough and we could not believe our misfortune would be frosted with an attempted extortion.

That evening, Jack and I would return to Dreamland, the site of the theft, and surf a great session as well as again the next morning before heading out, as a convoy, to Ubud. For us, a much needed retreat back to a place full of fond memories, fine food, fun adventures and valuable time with our friend Noah and his parents. For Jack and Charlotte, a first encounter with a locale that was a highlight of our time in Bali. After a couple of days here, in Ubud where we currently sit, we will all once again carry on back to Legian Beach where Jack and I hope to surf and Idalis and Charlotte hope to laze on the beach and all of us hope to work hard to turn the tides of our terrible misfortunes and attempt to leave Bali on a wave of fond memories.



Post Scripts...


1.Sorry for the long post, lots to say.
2.Our attempts to change our fate are being challenged. Since writing this post, we successfully traveled from Ubud back to Legian. However, on the way, we were unfortunate enough to have another run in with “the law”. We, the obvious foreigners, were picked out from a large crowd of motorists for making an illegal right hand turn. An attempt to extort us was exercised, however, having already one encounter under my belt, I firmly stood my ground and refused to pay, citing that we were one of many that made the turn and that no one else was stopped. I pointed out that we were wearing our helmets, I used my indicator and that I had a valid International Driving Permit. All charges were dropped and we were let go without paying a cent of the 100,000 rupiah asking price.
3.Thanks to all of you who sent messages of concern regarding the earthquake. As you now know, we are alive and well and are able to brag about both experiencing our first earthquake and adding another disaster survival story to our repertoire.
4.Sorry to all of you whom I promised surf photos. The ones attached are compliments of Jack and Charlotte. Thanks guys for hooking us up with the great pics!
5.With this post also concludes five and one half months in SE Asia. It has been an amazing ride with incredible adventures, experiences and emotions. It is an area of the world that offers so much to travelers and one we hope to visit again in the not so distant future. We will soon head on to Australia where we will rendezvous with our friend Nic and tour the eastern half of this very large island. To all the people that we met who helped us along the way, showed us the true spirit of hospitality and shared of themselves, we thank you. It was an experience that we will not soon forget!
6.Last but not least and on a more somber note, we would like to notify everyone of the passing of our beloved Aphrodite. After thirteen years of incredible compassion, friendship and loyalty, she was laid to rest after battling with severe and debilitating arthritis and neurological damage from previous seizures. She was the most amazing companion and filled everyone's life that she touched with sunshine. She was graciously and lovingly cared for in her final days by her grandparents (Gary and Carmela), her Aunt (ReAnne) and her cousin (Jeremy) who constantly shrouded her in their most amazing and abundant love and affection. She will be missed!

SALTWATER IN MY NOSE

September 17th @ 11:03

Kevin

Alright already, let's talk surf. After exploring every square inch of flat coast in Bali, we finally made it to the world (in)famous Kuta Beach, site of official surf shops, unofficial surf shops, mega luxury villas, warungs. losmans, bars, clubs, restaurants, boutiques and unfortunately two recent bombings, which have been memorialized by a large sculpture in the middle of town displaying the names of the victims of the most recent terrorist attack. Every July and August, Kuta and the attached Legian and Seminyak beaches are inhabited by thousands of tourists, mostly Australian, seeking sun, surf and shopping. The beaches are long, white and packed with make shift bars and board rental stalls, the waters are crisp, clear and home to some of the worlds best swells, and the streets are full of meandering foreigners looking for a new surf board, the perfect Bintang shirt, a makeshift western meal or a daily buzz. The streets are narrow, the sidewalks narrower and they are filled to capacity every night and day. The evening sounds of barking dogs and crowing roosters, prevalent in the country, give way to the sounds of drunken debauchery and buzzing motor bikes. Under normal circumstances, this might be the kind of town we would drive an hour out of the way just to avoid. However, our domestic duties required a short stop over, which was about all we could stand.







Having been on a remote island and completely out of touch for a week, we were in dire need of an internet cafe. There was an account to balance, emails to read, and most importantly, a new blog post to upload. There was also the small detail of finding a surf board, a leash, a travel bag, some wax and a long term motorbike rental. Thankfully, all of this was possible within a stones throw from the cheap, and relatively disgusting, confines of our mid town accommodation. . After scouring more surf shops than can be considered tolerable, I finally decided on a 6'2” squash tail Hawaiian made thruster called Minami. I ultimately chose this board for reasons atypical of usual board buying logic. One, although it had a flashy after market paint job, there appeared to be no major damage and the stringer was in tact indicating the elusive previously unbroken used Bali board. Two, being made in Hawaii I was sure it had an extra thick coat of glass, which I would find very useful in the days to follow . Three, the name of the board contains the word “Miami”, a sure sign if ever there was one and last, at only 150 US dollars, seemed like a great deal. I realized that renting a board for a couple of weeks was almost as expensive as purchasing one and there is some talk of a scam that requires customers to pay for previously existing damage on used rental boards. The decision was made. Minami would hopefully accompany me for the next six months or so as I surf my way across Bali, Oz and NZ. For 25 US dollars I purchased a new custom made board bag, another 7 US dollars for a second hand leash and thanks to the kindness of the surf shop owner, a free bar of wax, fin key and set of fiberglass fins. Where's the beach?




On our second, and last, day in Kuta, there was just enough time after running all of our errands to hit the water in search of my first Bali wave. Kuta is a beach break, it is very accessible and usually a bit smaller than some of the neighboring breaks, which is a good thing seeing as the day I purchased my little 6'2” would coincidentally be the same day the the largest swell of the year would begin rolling into Bali. My first session was great. The new board works well, is very responsive, and is the perfect size, especially considering the amount of weight I have lost while traveling. A few clean, fast faces, a hand full of duck dives and a side order of some pulverizing outside close outs that became so immense by the time that I got out of the water, that many were saying that Kuta Beach would be unsurfable throughout this swell. So, we decided to move.

I had read about a place that supposedly had a 300 meter slow, peeling left further up the west coast. It was also rumored to be half the size of anywhere else. With an impending 18' to 22' swell rolling in, I presumed this would be my best bet for survival! The town was Madewi and with our rental scooter loaded up with one board, two backpacks, two small bags and two people, we were on the road, much to the amazement of the locals who were quite impressed with our ability to overload and burden our 150cc scooter.



The trip took two hours and ended on a small, dead end road that housed one small surf shop, a couple of home stays and one large and expensive resort on the point. We were immediately greeted by smiling, friendly faces. They belonged to Mark, Aaron and “Sauce”. Three pilots from Salt Lake that were in Bali for a surf vacation. They filled us in on all the local knowledge, like where to get the best food and cheapest beer, and ended up being our neighbors in the clean, but rat infested, Mai Malu guest house. Unfortunately, we would not get to surf together, as our schedules clashed, but we did get to enjoy some time hanging out and talking to some of the first Americans we had seen in quite some time. It provided for some great conversations in the mother tongue. Hope you guys are well and charging wherever you're at!

Our four days in Madewi would yield three days of surf and one day of way too large closeouts that kept everyone out of the water. Madewi is a rocky, and I mean rocky, left hand point break. On my first day, with some sketchy information and a rented pair of booties, I paddled out all by myself to some large and haunting swells. I managed to do pretty well overall, catching quite a few overhead rides with never ending faces, but I also got worked several times on the inside as the long period stuff rolled through as I was unfortunate to be paddling back out. There was also a half day's retreat to a small beach break we had found where Idalis used her rented long board to show the white water who was boss!






After a very pleasant stay in the quiet and reserved Madewi, it was time to move on. The enormous swell was beginning to fade and there were some more spots I was anxious to explore. We would head out in the morning after breakfast and begin our trip back south in overcast conditions. We would get rained on a bit and would make three diversions, one to check out Balian, which seemed to large and too wind blown to be enjoyable, then the beautiful and serene temple (pura) of Tanah Lot, which is located on the top of an isolated rocky outcrop and is inaccessible during high tides, which gives it the appearance as if it is floating on water.





Last was Canggu, which was an amazing wave, breaking on a near deserted beach, but without not one single budget accommodation available. This is perhaps one of the more beautiful beaches we have seen yet and were very keen on staying here. However, it seems like Canggu is home to vacationing pro surfers and rich Australian expats who have bought up premium land and filled it with severely high priced villas. After exhausting every option and spending a few hours roaming, we abandoned the search for a place to rest our heads and decided to move on. We did vow to visit Canggu one day if the opportunity presented itself. But for now, it was back to Kuta! Well, not really, we would this time attempt to stay at the slightly classier, slightly quieter and slightly more expensive Legian Beach, just to the north. It was night before we finally found a small little guest house that was closed for repairs, but kind enough to make up one of the rooms under renovation to give us a place to rest our heads.

We woke early and headed down to the beach where Idalis finally got to run and I paddled out for a morning session in some very fun chest to head high glassy beach break. We will stick around for one day to tend to our domestic responsibilities (read: internet/blog) and try to find a place to stay, where we might possibly leave behind some stuff, for when we return from our week in the south of Bali on the Bukhit Peninsula, where more waves await at such famous breaks as Dreamland, Padang, Impossibles and Ulu Watu. Until then, wish us luck on the road and in the surf.

A SNORKEL, SOME BARACUDA, AND A LOOOONG FERRY RIDE

September 10, 2009 7:40 AM

Idalis:

We started having doubts about going to Lombok as soon as we got on the slow boat ferry. We knew it would be a long five hours, and hawkers and vendors came in like tidal waves before it took off, selling everything from nasi campur (mixed rice) to casava chips and sweets. We couldn't buy from everyone, but settled on a friendly woman who was balancing a huge basket of snacks on her head. As we paid (one dollar!) for our nasi campur, her friend furrowed her brow and screamed at Kevin, “BAD MAN!” for not buying from her. We hoped that this unfriendliness was not a sign of bad things to come.

We were somewhat wrong.

Lombok is the island just east of Bali, and travelers have been making the short jump from the popular island to its neighboring quieter one for years. Unlike Bali, which is Hindu, Lombok is inhabited mostly by Muslims and some Christians. We would be visiting Lombok during the holy time of Ramadan. A few years ago, tensions and skirmishes between the Muslims and Christians caused tourism to fall in Lombok, something that the island is still trying to recover from.

Senggigi, Lombok






Our first destination was Senggigi, Lombok's original tourist town. We were inspired by our Lonely Planet guide, which had this to say about Senggigi, “You can spend a lifetime of travel in search of the perfect beach, and it would be hard to top those around Senggigi.” That sounded perfect to us!

What we found, though, was a rather sad ghost town trying to pick itself up from low tourism. Yes, it had beautiful deserted beaches, but the rainy weather and aggressive locals who were hungry for your business cast a somber mood on the whole place. We walked for what seemed like hours to find a decent room for a decent price. Lucky for us, our guest house was close to the mosque, and the muezzin's ear-splitting call to prayer seemed to be broadcast, in stereo, for our benefit 24 hours a day. Didn't he ever take a break? When we finally put our heavy bags down and looked around our paint-chipped, moldy surroundings, I collapsed on the lumpy mattress, let out a (very) audible sigh and declared to Kevin, “I want my mommy!”

As they say, though, things always look better in the morning. We actually chatted with some friendly locals who were not trying to sell us tours to Rinjani volcano, and when the weather cleared somewhat in the afternoon, Kevin and I ventured out for a walk on the beach. The sweeping bays and white-sand beaches really were beautiful, and we found a small Balinese-Hindu temple set on a rocky volcanic outcrop that spilled into the sea. We sat at the sand's edge and gave thanks for our turning optimism and for the fact that we didn't have to live in this strange, po' dunk town.

Gili Air Island

The next day, we took a small shuttle bus to Bangsal Harbor, where we would take a boat to the island of Gili Air, one of three small islands known for their turquoise waters and excellent snorkeling and diving. In my excitement, I almost trampled over the locals trying to get onto the heavily-loaded outrigger. You couldn't get me out of Senggigi fast enough! We climbed over bags, head-scarved women, prawn crackers, and dead chickens to find a spot for the 20 minute journey over. The stinky smell of durian couldn't even dampen my spirits. We were going to a little slice of paradise!



Although the bungalow we found was rickety (at best) and the shower water was brackish, we really enjoyed our time on Gili Air. There are no cars or scooters on any of the Gilis, and public transportation consists of cidomo rides, horse-drawn carts. Blissfully quiet! Since you can walk around the whole island in just 90 minutes, there wasn't much to do except go snorkeling, eat fresh fish (including yummy barracuda), and work on our tans. We were happy to oblige!





















The water was beautiful, warm, and SOOOO clear! One day, Kevin and I went on a glass-bottom boat for a snorkeling trip around the three islands of Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. We saw coral reefs, massive turtles, and colorful fish (which would eventually become our dinner). We had a nightly ritual: find a beach-side restaurant with a cool breeze, nurse a Bintang beer, and watch the full moon light the waters. The perfect antidote!

BALI-LICIOUS

Thursday, September 3rd at 11:27

Kevin

Take all of the images, ideas and concepts that you have about Bali and throw them away, because nothing could even come close to the true beauty, magic and mystique of this little island stuck in the middle of the vast Indonesian archipelago. Amongst the Muslim majority (97%) of Indonesia, Bali stands alone as an island inhabited by incredibly proud and incredibly hospitable Hindus. As an anomaly, Bali exists as the artistic, cultural, party and surf capital of Indonesia. Striking beauty looms around every corner in the shape of emerald colored rice terraces, lush tropical vegetation, brilliant beaches, turquoise waters, volcanic landscapes and heavy surf. The architectural style of the thousand or so temples is complimented by the unique, stylish and striking designs of many private residences and resorts, which have inspired designers the world over. Bali life is slow and easy with strong tones of spirituality and superstition, commitment to family, form food and function and a great reverence for the natural world.

LOVINA

Our arrival into Bali was on an overnight bus from Gunung Bromo, Java, which included a one hour ferry ride. Considering the adjustment of a one hour time difference between Java and Bali, we were deposited on Jalan Raya Lovina, the main road of Lovina Beach, at four in the morning. Tired, disoriented and discombobulated, we manage to pull ourselves together and wander into the Garden of Eden otherwise known as Manik Sari. After waking up poor Putu, one of the staff, we were led to a large bungalow, beautifully decorated with an outdoor shower, patio and garden where we agreed to pay the meager sum of twelve US dollars for one of the most well appointed, comfortable and tasteful accommodations we have yet to experience. After a mid night bath, with hot water and in a real tub, we retired for a few hours only to wake up and find that our Eden was even more impressive in the daylight. Our morning began with the free breakfast and then a walk to the beach, where we were a little less than impressed. Though a strikingly beautiful volcanic black sand beach with stunning views and a brick paved beach walk, the heavy volume of touts really diminished the experience. Still reeling from previous years of terrorism (2002 and 2005 bombings), at the hands of the Javanese according to the Balinese that we spoke to, tourism on the island is still struggling to bounce back to the status of its glory days. This has left a gaping hole in the economy and being amongst just a few last tourist to be wandering around at the end of the two month season, attention on us was high and the pressure to succumb to purchasing anything from overpriced ice cream to factory produced landscape paintings was extremely high. Yet another sad situation in a poor country suffering from radical religious idealism.

We succeeded at not letting this detract from our ability to find beauty and enjoy the local culture. As is now fully expected, we spent a good portion of our first day staking out the best eateries. Much to our delight, a small series of street stalls and a smattering of warungs (small restaurants located in people's homes) would prove to be our staple. Local home made dishes arranged in both appetizing displays and ingenious take away packaging would comprise our daily intake.




A walk down the beach would result in an invitation to sit with three local men and one local woman in a tobacco field and sip home made palm wine as we discuss the beauty of Bali. On the day of Idalis' birthday, we rented a scooter and visited two temples (Pura Baji and Meduwe Karang), one waterfall (GitGit), a failed attempt to locate a Buddhist Monestary, a long windy road to the top of a mountain with stunning views and a sunset at a small local beach, devoid of touts.
















Already a successful day, we decided to “guild the lily” by finding a small gourmet market and purchasing a cask of local made red wine, a jar of Spanish olives, a mushroom and sausage pizza, a strip of garlic bread, 100 grams of chorizo, a tomato, and some spreadable ginger and walnut cheese. We paid a small fortune for the imported specialties, but the reward of sitting in our private garden, outside our comfy little bungalow and dining on such delicacies was priceless. We would round out our five day stay at Lovina with an early morning trip, on a traditional outrigger boat, with Captain Mardi to an offshore reef where we would blissfully float around for two hours admiring the dance of colorful reef fish, the ornate coral arrangements and the crystal clear waters of the Bali Sea.

UBUD

A short two and one half hour express shuttle bus ride would deposit us (in the middle of the day!) smack dab in the middle of the mountain side town of Ubud. Once a sleepy little village surrounded by terraced rice fields, Ubud is now known as the beating heart of Bali's thriving cultural scene. Hoping to have the same luck with accommodations as we did in Lovina, we finally settled for a musty upstairs room at the Mekar Suci after about an hour of searching. We were able to negotiate the price down to the same that we paid in Lovina, which included a macking breakfast of omellet, toast, fresh fruit and a bottomless cup of hot tea, which was alright with us, because unlike Lovina, Ubud would find us spending much more time out of the room than in it. Ubud is essentially defined by two main roads, Hanuman and Monkey Forest, with several little cross streets intersecting the two. All are lined with impressively designed little boutiques and restaurants, with jaw droppingly beautiful temples scattered in at almost every corner.



Ubud would serve as another five days entertainment loaded with surprises. The first stop was the magical and mystical Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Temple where we were treated to three ancient temples dedicated to fire, water and earth all the while being the muses of inquisitive, charming and down right cheeky monkeys who would steal our water bottle and feel Idalis up before retiring for their afternoon grooming session and nap.





That same evening, we would be absolutely enchanted by a Balinese dance troupe that would perform the traditional Legong dance. A series of eight separate dances, each telling a story through subtle yet articulate moves accompanied by the dramatic sounds of gamalong music and reinforced by the inspiring costumes of the characters.





The next day, Idalis would attend an all day cooking class, graduating with a new Balinese cook book, apron and belly full of carefully prepared local dishes as I would visit a museum displaying the works of contemporary Balinese artists and take a long, slow walk along a high ridge admiring the lush tropical vegetation, rice fields and massive homes of the ex-pat community. Our best day and biggest surprise would come from an impromptu, and statistically impossible, visit with our great friend Noah who we met in Pai, Thailand. After a tasty lunch at a local warung, we would check our email only to find a reply from Noah with a phone number and a reference to being in Ubud, visiting his parents, for the weekend. Being as it was Sunday, we immediately made the phone call to find that Noah was wandering the streets mere meters from where we made the call. We met up, shared dinner and a few drinks and committed to a day together renting motor bikes and exploring the local scenery. Even better than the Buddhist hermitage at Goa Gaja (the elephant cave), the ancient bas reliefs of Yeh Pulu and our accidental run in with a volcano (Mount and Lake Batur), was getting to spend some unexpected time with Noah. Later that night, we would round out a perfect day sharing stories and experiences over a few beers, a cask of rose wine and an impromptu meal of local favorites with Noah and his amazing parents in their incredible little Ubud villa.







We have hesitatingly left paradise (Bali) for a short while to visit the neighboring islands of Lombok and the even smaller island of Gili Air (devoid of vehicles) where we hope to see another live volcano, swim with fish, get some much needed sun and, if time permits, enjoy some relaxation before returning to Bali for round two of our Indo exploration. This time, it will be off to the popular beaches of the south where I hope to survive a few rounds of pounding reef surf and Idalis hopes to survive hours of relaxation by the seaside with a good book!





(P.S. Thanks to Cristine for the title idea!)
(P.P.S. Not long before posting this blog entry we would learn of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked Java, not far from Yogyakarta, where we were just mere weeks ago. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who were affected, especially Mr. Gandhi and his wonderful wife, Mrs. Anastasia)