Hello Bangkok

Ooh, a new country and culture to explore. We take a back streets bike tour as our first outing, and are ably led by the intrepid Jackie Chan along tiny canal paths and across busy roads where he stops the traffic with a wave and a whistle. We see glimpses of colour amid the concrete jungle, visit temples and a huge golden Buddha, walk through a fragrant  flower market and take ferries across the river. All around are gentle smiling people, and our happy hormones kick in so we are grinning too. 

Bangkok is remarkably smogless, we're already accustomed to the heat, and the traffic jams don't really affect us - we travel today by bike and a/c local bus so happily people watch when delayed, and laugh along with the bus drivers when ours gets too close and smashes the other's mirror! 

These bunches of 10 stems orchids cost 35c!

Goodbye Bali

Jimbaran is a great place to spend our last 2 days. Its full of huge resorts, but our small one is not far from the beach and of course there's a market and many small food stalls nearby. We walk to the fish market and watch the boats come in with the morning's catch, laze by the pool and on the beautiful long white sand beach, and watch while kids practice their gamelan. 

The last laklak (rice pancakes with palm syrup and coconut) are devoured, the last nasi bunkus (takeaway rice with vegies and tongueburningly-hot sambal) is sweated over. 

We sit on the beach at night and watch the sun set and the planes land, then share a $35 lobster, prawn, calamari and fish platter. Aah....

Sanur, Bali again

The days just slip by and it feels good to be doing something for others, at a very low key and self-paced level. 

Kay helped the kids to make a sign for the kitchen, the cooks were thrilled with the recognition, even the big boys (drivers and security) had fun!

Ian has some of the boys fixing bikes, and went on a sunset kuta beach trip with vols and kids. One of the newest little boys is his constant shadow, saying goodbye might be a bit tricky! Mmm, coka!

And mmm mmm, choice of dinner at warung. 

There's time for R&R too, with a visit to a beautiful orchid farm 

And only in Bali - cars are shunted to one side by whistle and flag-bearing pecelang, while a cremation ceremony proceeds down the wrong side of the main road. 

Sanur

Its the end of week 1 of our 2 week volunteer stint at Jodie O'Shea kids home, and Ian is as captivated with them as I am. There are now 71 children here, from 2-16 years, all getting good food, support and education, but away from their extremely poor families. Like any kids there's some terrors, but also many who just like to sit close for a cuddle, and as all good grandparents are we're  full of them!   http://www.careforkidsbali.com/

Ian has been making paper planes, bamboo amplifiers and reading books. He's also been sidelined with an aching tooth that needed extracting. Good on google and travellers' recommendations for making that an easy thing to do nearby.   

 I have been dating and sorting some of the medical and other supplies, gone shopping and generally helped out. I also accompanied 10 kids to a yoga class - hysterical - with Slovenian teacher speaking basic bahasa Indonesia, some kids concentrating and some not, tho amazingly they all lay still and quiet for the meditasi. 

There are 4 'afternoon' vols here who organise activities and outings each day, so we go earlier to play with the 2 little ones and do a few chores till the hordes return from school. 

Can you imagine how much food is needed each day? The cooks do a great job and its all delicious. 

Yoga time at manic organic - free class, plus snack and goodie bag after. Lots of generous people in this world. 

  

We now stay at timeshare resort Sanur and just now shifted to 2 bed 2 bath unit for weekend, very cheap cancellation. Anyone want to use 2nd bedroom?

Happy 60th Birthday Ian, Ubud

This will be one to remember.... 

 Started on Friday with a haircut each, then gift of massage, body scrub and flower bath from little sis Heather - of course the 3 of us shared the love. 

Saturday Ian and I went on a spectacular Ayung river rafting trip, enough adrenaline to keep us old farts thrilled, and lots of fun. 

 

Then last night we went to a bar with assorted friends of Heathers and new acquaintances, a very international mix. The music was amazing, our nibbles tasted great, the beer and wine was cold and the Casa Luna Black Forest cake fed everyone, including the delighted security guard. 

Flores 7-11 July

Labuan Bajo is the name of this ramshackle town, and it's the capital of Flores. Its rundown buildings sprawl down the hillside and there's rubbish everywhere (just like on all the islands we've visited, so sad to see what gets tossed and washed in on the tide). But the people are happy and friendly and the fish is fresh. We do a mixture of walking, indulging in massages and reading, and manage a few local visits to markets and caves. The views from the surrounding hills are spectacular, and our extravagant hotel ($65!!) is super clean and comfy and right on the beach. Aahhh. 

Beautiful sunsets every night

Night markets are a great place to eat. Can see how the food is prepared and reject all the sauces containing wheat ... $9 the lot including fresh mango. 

Sunday heading to Flores

We're heading to port now, after last night  needing the dive instructor to don her scuba gear and go down to fix the broken steering system. The engineer manufactured new bits out of some pipe then free-dived with her. A truly resourceful, happy and helpful crew, from Sulawesi, so born and bred boatmen.  

My comfort levels were definitely tested the first couple of days, but all was good. Can't help comparing our past week with my sisters, but our turn at luxury  will come, and we're both loving SKIing!! (Spending Kids Inheritance, but also spending our share of little sis Penny's estate). It's also hard to top the view from our loo...

 http://denisepauleurope.blogspot.com/2013/07/day-21-friday-5th-july-lucerne-to-lugano.html?showComment=1373157949728&m=1

Saturday, still chugging along

A quickie from somewhere NW of Flores. We've snorkelled and walked on deserted islands, seen lazy Komodos sunning themselves by the ranger station and more active ones swimming nearby in the sea. We've slept down below and on the deck under the stars, seen amazing sunrises and sunsets, and showered in 1/2 cup of fresh water.  we've eaten fresh cooked meals 3 times a day, and rediscovered the joy of Nutella on fresh papaya and pineapple. We're living in semi-squalor, with mould, bedbugs and salt water spray, but we're no longer seasick and are happy :-) 

Wed 3rd, Satonda, somewhere remote

Who'd have thought that our trip would pass towers, 3 in sight atm. 

Our boat is named "the camping boat" with good reason! It sleeps 8: Swiss man, Californian couple, oz born but bali-living mum and 12yo daughter, and Austrian guide, plus 4 crew. 

We set off late Monday arvo, into rough conditions, choppy, windy and rain squalls, with constant spray. Hmmm. We both hit the drugs early, so maybe they helped? Ian stayed firmly on deck, I ventured below 3 times to retrieve essentials from our hot, stuffy, diesel-fumed cabin, and threw up 3 times after. Positive? I'd had a bout of (TMI) the day before and had eaten v little so only erupted from 1 end and bugger-all in my tummy to come out. It was a long, uncomfortable night. Positive? Ian and I lucked into the only dryish bit on deck, and others gradually went below, we had a few extra paper-thin bedrolls and beanbags to pad the hard wooden deck.

This island has been bought by a Balinese man, with an Eco-resort slowly under construction. Great snorkelling, huge volcanic salt water lake in centre for canoe,sailboat....

Gili T to Flores 1/7

We are about to board a sailing ship for a week's trip (alas by engine) to Flores, with 6 other passengers

 

Not sure about Internet so I'll write when I can. Mmm, fresh fish to look at and eat. 

 http://www.bluewatercruises.com/page1/page4/page4.html