Ubud, Bali (19.08.2013)
Snapped these cheeky monkeys at the Monkey Forest in Ubud.
Nina delighted in having a monkey crawl over her but I was too afraid of fleas and rabies to risk it. Man I’m getting old.
Ubud, Indonesia (18.08.2013)
It’s Nina’s birthday today but unfortunately she’s not strong enough to leave the room. Poor little monkey, tummy troubles is not really the birthday present on anyone’s wish list. We’ve mostly chilled at the homestay today, as she recovers her strength.
One thing I’ve noticed around the island are these little offerings that decorate the streets outside every shop and home. Those pictured were left today in the gate of our homestay. It’s a beautiful and mysterious practice to me but it makes the daily wanderings around town and country much more colourful and inspiring.
Ubud, Indonesia (17.08.2013)
Poor Nina has been violently ill all night. She’s spent today just resting and trying to recover. The worst is over but she’s definitely not in peak condition.
I left her snoozing and browsed my way around Ubud – filled with shops and restaurants and tourists and taxis and shows and noise! Luckily, we’re staying out of the centre in the middle of the rice paddies (pictured) so it’s a nice and calm place for Nina to recover.
Kuta Lombok to Ubud Bali, Indonesia (16.08.2013)
We had a long day of transit today, including this eternal slow ferry ride back to Bali from Lombok. You can probably see from our faces that we were tired, bored, and uncomfortable. And this was only half way through the day that didn’t end until after night fall.
Unfortunately a couple of hours later, just as we were arriving to Ubud, Nina got hit hard by tummy trauma. The poor wee pup passed a terrible night.
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (15.08.2013)
More of the same – beaches, books, bliss.
Sorry for inundating you with pictures of sunny beaches, especially for my friends and family who are suffering through a gloomy southern winter. Hope it’s providing inspiration to hold out for summer or to plan a late-winter getaway.
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (14.08.2013)
Today we discovered (and relished) Ashtari a beautiful restaurant on the hill looking out over Kuta Bay. Good food, food music, good views – good grief, would we ever leave?!
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (13.08.2013)
A day spent ‘maxing and relaxing’, as Nina would say.
Just chilling, reading, eating, and enjoying the sheer mellowness of being on vacation in a small town by the beach. It may not make for an interesting blog read but this type of unwinding is just what the doctor ordered for both of us.
This photo was taken in the nearby fishermans’ village of Gerupuk, where the surfers catch rides with fishermen out to the surf break.
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (12.08.2013)
As I set off this morning on a dive adventure my dive master warned “beyond the break it’ll be a bit rough, just stay seated.” Understatement.
I’ve never been in bigger waves in a smaller boat.
Wild ride ensued with rollercoaster highs, back-cracking crashes, and gut-losing falls. After 40 minutes we arrived to a partially sheltered dive spot (pictured) but 2 of the party were lost to seasickness and never touched the water, though it may have done them some good. They preferred instead to stay aboard and feed the fishes.
First dive was murky with strong swell and a chilly 25 degrees. I wished I had a thicker, full-body wetsuit. Shivering underwater is a strange sensation. Nonetheless the corals were vibrant with life and our party of 3 were the only humans in sight.
After a stomach curling 45 minute surface interval of having the boat gently rocked to and fro another diver was hurling his breakfast overboard. Having waited a respectful few minutes for his stomach contents to dissipate, we were back into the blue for a swim through coral gardens, so untouched and thriving.
Weary limbed from struggling against the swell, teeth chattering from chill, and hungry we emerged dripping from the sea and braved the return journey across the wild, tossing ocean gladly. Feeling like we had survived something to experience this piece of underwater majesty made it so much greater a reward. Totally worth it.
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (11.08.2013)
We hired motos today and adventured at a dawdling pace over the hills west of Kuta – through tinder landscapes, cropped rice paddies, and dusty villages until we came to this wild and beautiful bay.
Crowded for the long weekend, the beach was teaming with families, ice cream vendors, and children relishing near-death experiences every time the surf tossed them up and sucked them out, often quite violently.
This photo seems to have captured a moment of calm, both on the sand and in the water.
Kuta Lombok, Indonesia (10.08.2013)
Arrival to Kuta Bay on Lombok’s southern coast, a wonderful strip of white coral sand and bright blue waters with a stiff wind and pert wave that attracts surfers from around the world.
Fishing boats paint the western end of the bay. Locals shade themselves under scraggly trees in family parties and look on as naked children run merrily in and out of the surf. A few tourists tan themselves on bamboo recliners toward the eastern end while kite boarders dance above the shimmering waters.
At the end of a long beach walk we happened upon this wandering herd of water buffalo crossing the beach. A family of mischievous monkeys were tossing sand back and forth with a young boy, who took the time to warn us of danger before amusing himself by tossing another handful of sand their way.
Nina and I breathed a shared sigh of contentment to find a quiet and authentic beach scene so near yet so far from the tourist Meccas.
Gili Air, Indonesia (09.08.2013)
Snorkelling this morning with excellent visibility and a playful current was a thrill, especially when the Triggerfish came near and I had heart palpitations.
Honestly though, the highlight of the day has been the discovery of Scallywags restaurant (pictured) where we have thrilled at decent, tasty, affordable food and where we now expect to dine for every remaining meal on the island. Our little food-loving hearts are aflutter for the array of fresh juices, divine salads, and moreish desserts.
Thanks Scallywags. Sorry for judging you so harshly on first perusal because of your cheesy name and the hand-painted depiction of Johnny Depp as a pirate on your sign.
Gili Tranwagan, Indonesia (08.08.2013)
We ventured out on a day trip to Gili T, the bigger island. There we found crowds of tourists, decent restaurants, and a better beach. Owing to a public holiday transport freeze we looked set to be stranded but banded together with some fellow travellers and were swindled by some locals who nonetheless brought us back to our home island, for an unfair fee.
Wildly choppy waters on the return journey made us fear death at sea (really) but it was worth it for a sweet swim and some good food. Still glad we’re staying on Air though, it’s a much nicer pace and a has a more chill crowd.
Gili Air, Indonesia (07.08.2013)
More beach bumming. But even with the laziest of days I managed to have a minor meltdown because I am so tired and rundown at the moment – with 2 coldsores and a mouth ulcer to prove it. Luckily we’re in a relaxy paradise so healing will be expedient.
Beach is great but we’ve been cursed by bad dining experiences since arriving on the island. As food lovers, meal failure after meal failure is starting to take its toll. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!
Gili Air, Indonesia (06.08.2013)
Spent the day doing what people come to Gili Air to do – reclining in the sun, swimming in the sea, eating at sand-floored restaurants. Lazy days.
Sanur to Gili Air, Bali (05.08.2013)
A minivan ride across Bali and choppy fast ferry crossing to Lombok and then on to the Gili Islands. Almost everyone on the ferry was heading to Gili Tranwagan (the biggest island, known for parties) so we felt pretty smug about choosing more low-key Gili Air.
We arrived in the late morning to a turquoise bay with white, coral sand and a sandy path leading in both directions around the island. After a sweaty saunter through a coconut grove that shaded some baby goats in search of Nina’s namesake bungalows we soon found a lovely stilted bungalow set back from the beach near the local mosque (Tangga’s Bungalows). It’s quiet and has a hammock on the balcony. A lovely place to rest in between swims.
the wonders 