Final Days in SE Asia

So last I wrote we were leaving beautiful Bali enroute to Bangkok where we had a couple of days to master the mass transit system. Gotta love that skytrain with the connected elevated walkway which conveniently wisks you from shopping mall to shopping mall high above the bumper to bumper traffic. I've come to the conclusion that I actually like Bangkok, it kinda grows on you once you figure out how to get around. Skytrains, tuk tuks and the Chao Phraya river taxi.




We stayed in our base hotel - The Atlanta - which in the last 4 months we stayed a total of 4 days and stored a bag there for over 3 months for FREE! Talk about customer service. We ventured out for a typical touristy day of shopping, but of course to muster energy John had to stop for his favorite - yellow mango and sticky (sweet) rice.








We hit a few of the malls just for kicks - the 5 story IT mall would make any computer geek drool but for the unsavy like John and I its a bit overwhelming. We had contemplated buying a new "netbook" (our mini travel computer) with more memory but..well we didn't.

Then we went to a mega mall complete with Lamborghini, Porshe, Mercedes, and Lotus dealers right in the mall. I never did figure out how you would take a test drive - one how do you get the car out of the mall and two I've seen any open road here - its just bumper to bumper traffic.


We finished off our trip to SE Asia with one last ferry ride on the Chao Phraya river and another visit to Kho San road - yes, the place that freaked me out when we first arrived - enjoyed our last few Tiger beers and then made a mad dash via tuk tuk to get to the Skytrain by midnight for the last train back to the hotel.

Some things are predictable and it seems that mishaps at the airport on this trip are becoming predictable. We arrive with plenty of time to check in, eat, and relax before our long journey back to LA. Ha! Turns out we can go from Bangkok to Osaka as planned but our connection to LA no longer exists. So after 20 minutes or so they rebook us on a flight through Tokyo - which just happens to be currently boarding! We still have to exchange our Thai baht to dollars, get thru customs and security and make our way to the gate. The attendant says "go, go now they are holding the plane". And the race is on... We made the flight and then Thai Airways escorted us thru a very empty airport to the VIP club where we spent the day before our flight to LA. Massage chairs, free internet, bizarre fish breakfast sandwiches and all the cold beer you could want...the VIP club was an interesting place to spend the day. Although we would have preferred to venture out and check out the city, we were just too tired - not to mention unprepared. We had planned on a day in Osako which is further south and warmer than Tokyo John didn't even have a jacket with him. So, the VIP club it was ... chair massage, nap, tv, beer, repeat... oh yeah and I did spend a bunch of time trying to catch up on this blog.

Shopping Overload

We haven't been doing much shopping in the last 3 months. The main incentive has been not wanting to add weight to our packs. But with our return trip to Los Angeles looming we end up spending way too much time shopping than either or us would have hoped and its exhausting! Before leaving home we had decided we would try to buy a buddha statute for our yard, so we spent a few days hunting for the perfect buddha, figuring out logistics of delivery (thanks Pete) and of course the lengthy negotiation on price, shipping, etc. So with any luck he will arrive in a couple of months and will eventually find a nice meditative spot in our yard.

In addition to the Buddha purchase it seemed that we spent a whole lot of time shopping -- handicrafts, jewelry, and whatever else was in the shops that lined the streets, we looked at it all. But in the end we did a lot of looking and not so much buying.

Ubud - True Bali Culture or Tourist Destination

As we drive up the road leading to Ubud it is painfully apparent that tourism has lead to some massive development here. The streets are lined with wood carvers, art galleries, glass blowers, etc. Many of which all seem to be selling the identical wares of their neighbor. The main street through town is further littered with shops and restaurants with a variety of guesthouses located down narrow gang ways. Our home for the next few days is at the Ganesha Inn, at the end of a walkway facing rice fields filled with a herd of ducks (left out in the field to eat the roots of the already harvested rice - I think). Our room is striking, more like a suite with a reading room (which will be our surfboard room) and a huge veranda facing a ganesha statute in a huge garden with a multi-lingual parrot who greets us in 3 languages and has a tendency to laugh this deep sadistical laugh everytime it hears me laugh. The young men who run the place could not be nicer and they bring us breakfast on our veranda every morning.



At first glance Ubud seems like nothing more than one big tourist town, granted with a yogi flair as opposed to the young party crowd in Kuta. But quickly you notice that the typical Balinese traditions, daily offerings, ritual prayers, and celebrations are still adhered to and take a priority in their daily lives. Shopkeepers in the process of a mid-morning pray do not even notice when you enter their shop. If you are truly interested in their wares, you will wait - prayers will not.

A variety of traditional dance ceremonies are held every night at various locations through-out the city. We chose a traditional Kecak and Fire Show. Kecak is a form of Balinese music drama, originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men. It is performed by a circle of 50 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms to depict a battle from the Ramayana story where the Monkey Warrior, Vanara, helps Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravava.

The Kecak also has roots in a trance-inducing exorcism dance, performed by Balinese women. The cast includes colorfully costumed characters including the Monkey Warrior, the Prince and others, and the performance we see ends with a man in a horse type costume galloping over and kicking around hot burning coconut embers.
















One morning at the crack of dawn we drove further into the countryside to watch the sun rise over the Mount Barat, a volcano which has a huge crater rim where several villages have taken up residency, along side a huge lake which borders the base of the cone.

Balinese Charm - Incense and Ceremony

Bali definitely has the picture perfect beaches, lush tropical backdrops, and loads of beautiful beach goers, but behind the wall-to-wall bars and shops you can still see the unique Hindu culture permeating through. And permeate it does, the culture is deep with traditional ceremonies including the daily offerings that are placed in particular places around each home or business seeking to placate the gods and ward off bad luck or expel bad spirits. The offerings range from a simply piece of banana leave with some food, or more typical they include several items, rice, tobacco, coffee beans, and burning incense all arranged in a particular fashion in a straw or banana leave type of tray that you see so many people preparing each evening. The food is offered to the bad spirit so that they will be well feed and therefore content.





Back in Kuta we rented our car from "Gusti Rentals" I have a feeling this was his personal car as it was a bit of a junker, complete with surf stickers on the back and a tempermental battery that required some coaxing to start up each time. After we sign the contract, Gusti performed a small ceremony on the car and left this offering in hopes that we would have good luck and safe journeys.





As one shopkeeper told us, Bali's traditions are not so much based on the strict Hindu religion, but more about ceremonies seeking good luck...good luck for a bountiful rice crop, for a happy marriage, for a safe journey, for a good day. Here is a collection of offerings carefully placed on the sidewalk in Ubud. As you walk through town you had to watch everystep, first so as not to trip on the uneven sidewalks riddled with gaping holes, second so you did not step on someone's offering.








One of the most sacred religious ceremonies in Bali was about to begin. Galungan occurs every 210 days and is celebrated by all Balinese at the same time. Every house will be decorated with a Penjor, tall decorated bamboo stakes, which we have started to see coming into town on motorscooters. They are placed along the street where they can be bent into shape and decorated. We are told that on the first day of Galungan which is March 18 all the shops are closed and everyone stays home, including the tourists who apparently will be asked by their guesthouse hosts to stay within the grounds and not roam the cities. It would have been a great experience to witness but unfortunately by that time we will be enroute to Los Angeles.

Shipwrecks and Volcanos

Just 50 meters off the coast of a town called Tulamben, the US cargo ship Liberty Glo sank. The boat was originally torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during the World War II but with the help of 2 other cargo ships, the captain safely made it to shore off the coast of Bali where all the cargo was salvaged. That was in 1942 and she sat there until 1963 when tremors from the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung sent her slipping into the ocean. She now rests between 9 and 30 meters deep and has become a magnet for the most amazing display of colorful fish we have seen so far. The fish here swim in swarms, you will be slowly floating towards the shore and you're enveloped as they swim around you. The shipwreck is also becoming a breeding ground for new coral. But after a short time at the site scores of another breed, homo sapiens, started entering the water. This is a big dive spot for day tourists from Kuta. All the bubbles from the divers started distracting from my view - there really is not that much of the wreck visible from the surface - so we decided to swim back to our place. Along the way we found a coral reef bed. Not to thick with coral, but very interesting and then ... Sharks! John yells "shark" through his snorkel and we swim towards it. One, then two reef sharks. Then another, or maybe that was the same one just circling us. Funny how on one occasion yelling "shark" sends panic and in another you going running in that direction.

We had hoped to hike up Volcano Agung at 3,--- meters, but yesterday on the drive up we stopped in the town where we thought we could get a guide and it just turned out to be too difficult. One guide was just too expensive for what we knew would be a 6-8 hour hike and the one we had hoped to find was out of town. We did however, have lunch at his restaurant and met what I believe was part of his family.

This little boy was the smiling face of pure and simple happiness. Just playing with this dog and laughing up a storm. He sat with us while we ate and he and John took turns flipping this little tiny plastic toy, sort of like a top, which the dog proceeded to eat.

On our way out of Tulamben. We stopped in Amed another spot to base yourself for snorkeling or diving on the north coast. Check out the colorful fishing boats that line the beaches here.

One More Wave and On to Lovina

The funny thing about surfing is that no matter how long you have been in the water, no matter how exhausted you are, even if your arms are like gumby and you have decided its time to rest, if you catch a perfect wave and have a good ride you find yourself instinctly paddling right back out for more. Our last morning of surf was absolutely beautiful. Perfect size, perfect shape. John had some awesome rides, caught at the point and rode almost to shore. For me, well the small waves the day before meant everyone was itching for a ride so it was crowded at the point and I had a hard time dropping in and claiming my ride. Regardless, it was just awesome and I left wanting more and wondering how to fit in another day at Medewi. Our afternoon plan was to head to the beach town of Lovina on the north coast. Lovina is an area along a stretch of beach bordered by the main road and a fishing village. The big claim to fame are the dolphins that frequent the waters but since we routinely see dolphins in their natural habit at home we decided to just hang out in what may take the prize for the most spectacular room we have stayed in yet.

A beautiful rice-barn style cottage located down a small road off the main street and bordered by rice fields on 2 sides and facing the ocean. The room was decorated in hot pink (which if you know me you know I'm not particularly fond of) but it worked in a Moroccan kind of way. A 4 poster bed, an outdoor bathroom done in stone and pebbles and 2 daybeds on your private veranda looking through lush gardens to the ocean which has got to be the calmest ocean I have ever seen. We went into town for dinner, walked around a bit and decided to go back and enjoy the room. The place is called Kuba Lalang and if you ever get the chance you need to stay here - going rate $ 18.64 including gourmet breakfast! Next time we are in Bali and the surf gets to big we know where to go to just relax.

Beach Front Worship

Ok so for the last few days we have doing our own kind of worship as we paddle out through the rocks, praying that we timed the set right, that the current takes us out to the right spot, that we pick a clean wave that doesn't close-out, and for me, that one time I got stuck in the impact zone at a low tide, that I could somehow get out of that predicament without dinging the board or scraping up my legs on the rocks (which I did), but we also took a break and traveled a short distance further west to visit a temple, Pura Rambut Siwi, which was located right on the beach.




Actually the temple consisted of 6 different ceremonial locations, 5 of which lined the cliffside and the last one was right out on the sand.











When we arrived we were clothed in sarongs with special sashs and a groundskeeper/guide walked us around. We were the only visitors and he even mentioned that they really don't see too many tourists. One thing Bali is not short on is temples. There are temples in every town and practically on every corner. Not to mention that each home tends to have its own smaller temple or place of worship.

A Surfer's Life

The alarm goes off at 6 a.m., John rolls out of bed, throws on some shorts and walks down the driveway some 75 yards from our little surf pad (very, very basic but its all about location, location, location) to check the surf. We can practically see the break from our veranda but you really need to get closer to take it all in. He takes a seat on a bench or rock and watches for awhile. Surfing involves more than just catching a wave, it requires patience, thoughtful interpretation of the waves, how are they breaking, how many seconds between waves, how long between sets, is the tide coming in or going out, how shallow is it and where were those rocks we saw yesterday at low tide? All serious business. Other surfers come and go, some come back with their boards and paddle out.

Then John reports back - I'm still in bed, no need for 2 to go on recon - clean, long lefts, about head high. We both go back out to watch some more. John decides the time is right and heads out late morning. The surf is looking intimidating to me and as I continue to procrastinate the swell builds as the tide comes in. John's timing is not so good and he gets hammered in the impact zone, before finally making it out. Then a big set comes and wipes him out again. (All caught on video.) Alright I'm thinking of spending the day at the pool at least until the tide goes out a little. But I did come here to surf - what's a little battering? Its just water right? Later that day I muster up the courage to paddle out - albeit from the beach side - a much longer paddle and working against the current, but clear of rocks. The waves are a bit fast and steep for me and my 8 foot board but at least I made it out without getting crushed. Lefts should be easy for me as I ride goofy footed but I only ride rights at home so I'm having trouble adjusting but its sunny, warm, and a beautiful day what more could you ask for?

Day 2 is more of the same. Our day revolves around the surf and eating. We are staying in the economy wing of a nice hotel (we think they were originally built as staff rooms and now provide surfer style accomodations) which means the food is overpriced so we eat every mealup the street at this great little guesthouse and restaurant. The crowd there is very friendly, both locals, staff and other surfers, including those staying in the econ wing at our place who seem to follow the same m.o. as us, and we all seem to gather for meals to recount our daily surf sessions - great waves caught, big wipe outs, and other surf stories. This is another place like Krabi where we just feel at home. We could easily kick back here for several weeks. Unfortunately the plan is to spend about 5 days here before traveling north to see more of the island.

The following day the swell starts to die off and we actually go in search of bigger surf - but we don't find much. Later that day though it picks up a little and we decide to try this little right break a short walk from our place. Its just John and I and the surf is small, but it is just surreal - the sun sets behind us reflecting shades of orange across the horizon, the water is tropical warm (although John is convinced that the rivermouth we are near is flowing sewage - I chose to not look very closely and just look out to sea), and we have the waves all to ourselves - absolutely amazing!

Medewi: Home of the Long Peeling Left

Road trippin in Bali. Where do you put 2 longboards when you don't have a surf rack? We tried down the center of the car but that didn't work. Luckily they fit, barely, over my head as long as I didn't sit up to straight. Packed and ready to go we head out for the legendary Medewi Beach, about 2 1/2 hours from Kuta, so they said. Of course we got a little lost in Denpasar and it took us closer to 4 hours. But we eventually made it - John driving on the left from the right-side - all mixed up - and it was a stick-shift to complicate things just a little more. Getting out of Kuta was the first challenge. The roads are more like alleys, motorscooters in both directions and lined with shops and wandering tourists. Once out of the tourist district the next issue is first trying to find signs which are typically buried by overgrown tropical plants. If you find the sign the next hurdle is finding one of the names on the map we have, which I am convinced must be several years old. I guess this is similar to California where in places the 10 freeway says north or south, in other places it just lists towns - Santa Monica or Pomona - if you don't know the cities and their location ... Good luck! So after many twists and turns which gave us a lengthy tour of the city of Denpasar (we think we might have circled the city) we found the main road up the coast. Funny thing about this tropical paradise, you never go very far along the road before passing through another town. The island seems much more populated than we would have imagined.


Once out of Denpasar the scenery was spectacular; vibrant green rice paddies filled the hillsides and sometimes lead right down to the ocean.


















This is an offering to the gods in the middle of a rice paddy.











The Medewi area doesn't seem to be very big. In fact you could easily blow right by it but for the one big sign pointing to the surf break. We head down that street and at its end there is a small palapa type stand and several people watching the surf as well as several surfers in the water. The waves were overhead (a little too big for me) and perfectly peeling lefts - long rides, really long rides if you can ride them. Of course if you eat it you could get stuck in the impact zone, which depending on the tide is over some pretty shallow rocks. In fact we learn the way out to the point break is through the rocks to the left where you will be sucked into the current. If you time it right, you will catch the current and make it out before the next set comes in. If your timing is bad, well just keep holding your breathe and paddle strong. Its a little late today for a surf session so we just sit back and watch the show.



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Good-bye Krabi - Hello Bali

As we board the long-tail boat heading for Ao Nang we take one last glance back to Ton Sai beach, a muddy rocky bay not much to write home about for sheer beauty but a place we felt right at home at. Sometimes you find places where you just feel like you fit in. Krabi was that way for me. Comparatively speaking I am probably one of the less skillful climbers around here but there is something inclusionary about this climbing crowd, at least those we met. You walk up to a route and you instantly have something in common with those around you. At the busier spots (which happens to be where we end up since that is where the easier climbs are) there is a laid back friendly atmosphere. No one seems to anxious to rush you off a climb even though people are lining up to get on the route next. There are always several different languages being spoken, Thai, German, French, English - but somehow everyone seems to understand each other. Its funny to hear the guides yelling up instructions in several languages, followed by a laugh and a side conversation with the other guides in Thai (and the visual of your guide taking a hit off a joint while belaying you might raise concerns elsewhere but both John and I agreed that we were very confident in the guide's skills and attention level and felt very "safe" while climbing). In the evening the crowd seems less interested in finding a big raging party and more likely to congregate at a few low key restaurants, lounging at the beach bar practicing their slackline skills, or watching a movie at one of the restaurants.
So it is with mixed emotions that we move on to Bali. Although I am excited to get back on a surfboard the idea of a few days in Kuta, Bali - known for its raging discos and all night parties is a bit overwhelming.

We fly from Krabi to Kuala Lumpar, Maylasia where we have to go through customs and immigration before immediately re-entering the airport to head to Bali. We booked flights on AirAsia - the Asian version of Southwest Airlnes - and they only do point A to point B tickets. So we bought 2 back-to-back tickets with a short 2 hour break between flights. Of course this method of booking has sent up a red flag with our credit card which now has a hold on it - great! Of course, the website just says to call to resolve - as if everyone has a phone attached to their hip. Ok, most people do. But as we are phone-less this creates a problem. One we will have to solve later.

Luckily, even though Kuala Lumpar is a big airport everything goes smoothly and we clear customs, collect our bags, exit the airport, re-enter the airport and hop on our next flight to Denpasar (all the while thankful that we both dropped some weight from our packs when we were last in Bangkok). The arrival is like all the rest, your are immediately faced with a barrage of taxi drivers surrounding the exit to the airport. We have learned that the best course is to head out of the airport, bus station etc and the further you walk away the lower the price. Also if you mess about with your bags and such for awhile such that most of the tourists are gone, the price will likely become negotiable as you may be their only likely fare until the next plane arrives. We still have not mastered the art of hard negotiation. We have a tendency of thinking in dollars and it is just hard to squabble over what equates to a dollar. But we know it must be done, otherwise you are labeled a stupid tourist and dollars do add up. Anyway, they really don't expect the first price they throw out. The hard part is determining if it is double the "real" price or just a 20 percent increase. Someone could write a book on that topic alone for every country here; we would have bought it!

We grab a taxi and head to Kuta. It is a frustrating search for an available room within our price range and the fact that it is dark and getting late doesn't make it easier. We settle, out of necessity, on the Sari Bali which had beautiful grounds and a pool. But, morning light would show how desperately dirty the room was - with a good coating of dust and grim on the lamp shade as a testament of just how long it had been since the room had a spring cleaning. So off to hunt for a new room is first on the agenda in the morning. Kendin's II right next door - but leagues above. Clean, pleasant and a small pool to boot.

With a clean room awaiting us for the night we head to the beach to check out the surf. The waves are a bit intimidating, but the beach is inviting, as we stroll down the beach we are frequently approached by locals who over you a spot on their beachchairs - apparently for no charge. Of course they also rent surfboards and sell drinks and hope you will partake in both. We kindly tell them we are just walking the beach, no worries they are happy to just talk a bit, asking where you are from, how long will you stay and giving their opinion on the best surf spot along the beach. It is a beach break and the surf is almost as crowded as your typical Southern California break. Dispersed between all the beginners are the hot shot locals ripping it up and providing an impressive exhibition. Ahh, if only I had started surfing years ago when I first moved to Cali.

On the way to the beach we had stopped by a hole-in-the-wall surf shop a few doors down from our guesthouse. Turns out they were offering a smoking price based on what others along the way wanted so we picked up 2 boards and, with mild trepidation on my part, headed for the beach. By the time we got there the surf had mellowed and it was a good introduction to Bali surf-with out the butt kicking. Tomorrow we will rent a car and head up the west coast of the island.