Gone To Gili

On Thursday, we caught a ride to Pandang Bai where we negotiated a fare to Gili Trawangan, one of the three tiny Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.  As you’ve probably figured out, there are very few set prices in Indonesia and the speedboats operate with the traditional, free-spirited Bali attitude.  The docks are flooded with passengers, all with tickets to different boats set to arrive at 9 a.m.  The boats arrive every few minutes for the next hour or so and passengers and luggage are shoved onto them while vendors hawk Pringles and Bintangs, often from the dock onto the boats.  Once on the boat, you bump your way about an hour and a half wondering if the life vests jammed into compartments on the ceiling are enough for the passengers, especially since there aren’t seats for every passenger.  At least we aren’t in Titanic temperature water and Jay and I had our scuba masks and snorkels.  This was my thought process.  This boat is not recommended for people with motion sickness, but worth every moment of what waits on the other side.

We stepped off the boat into the water and our luggage was thrown over the side to us.  We walked up onto the dock into another new world.  The Gilis have no cars and no motorbikes.  You can walk.  You can bicycle (through sandy, unpaved paths). You can take a horse carriage.  Yes.  As in an 1800's cart attached to a horse that flies down the dirt roads and makes you cling for dear life to the cart and pray an axle doesn’t break.  I haven’t cared about an axle since I played Oregon Trail in middle school.  

But it all works beautifully. 

DOCK SALES

Speed Racer

colorful even on a cloudy day

Our beautiful Gili T Home: Pandawa Resort and Villas

POOLSIDE PEACE AT PANDAWA

KING OF THE POOL

Gili T (as Trawangan is nicknamed) is the most social of the three Gili Islands and the largest, though you can walk the perimeter two hours.  The magic, mayhem horse carriages could probably fly you around in 40 minutes.  It’s one of the quaintest, most charming places I’ve ever been. 

The colors of the water and the sky seem impossible; no matter how beautiful the photographs, the reality is ten times more vivid and awe-inspiring.  The beaches are lined with swings in the water, so you can enjoy the cool water on your feet as you watch the sun slip into the horizon.  There’s a childlike simplicity in the swings and the colorful umbrellas and beanbags, the bells that jingle from the horse carts, and the bicycle bells dinging.  Lanterns light up the night and restaurants have live music and amazing barbeque filling the air.  Laughter and music and joy are everywhere.  It’s hard to put into words.  The island is intoxicating. 

Batu Cave Beauty

We reserved our last full day in Kuala Lumpur for the Batu Caves hike, and we waited until the afternoon for the heat to die down.  Hundreds of steps lead hikers up into an ancient Hindu temple built into the limestone hillside about 15 minutes from the KL city center.  Activity in this hillside temple is said to date back 400 million years, though steps were first built in the 1920s.  A massive gold statue guards the entrance, and lively monkeys entertain the hikers on their way up into the temple.  Music and a prayer service were in session as we reached the top temple, and the sounds echoed through the caves.  Walking down the stairs gives a panoramic view of KL.  Overall, even though touristy, it was spectacular. 

KL Nightlife

After our Times Square experience (see previous blog) we needed a drink. Looking up a few spots, we landed on the most popular street, Jalan Ceylon, with restaurants, bars, and clubs all lined up next to each other. We sat down, had a few drinks, talked to a few of the employees, and people-watched. It was a really cool street, and the workers were telling us that at night, they block off the street as people are flooded everywhere until 3-4 a.m. As we relaxed from the mall madness, I did some research on where to view the Petronas Twin Towers at night. It seemed like a must do in KL. I found Sky Bar on top of the Traders Hotel that had the best view in town.

So there we went. We put on our best outfits and headed to the 33rd floor of Traders Hotel. We had to pay a little cover charge, but it included a free drink upon entry. Sky Bar had a long pool in the middle with lounges and bars surrounding, and did not disappoint with the view of the towers. All lit up, we took some amazing pictures, listened to great music, and enjoyed the view. After an hour or so, we decided to head back to Jalan Ceylon Street to see the madness at night.

We stopped at a restaurant called The Rabbit Hole where Chantal and I enjoyed our dinner until 2 girl employees ran up to Chantal, super giddy, thinking she was Celine Dion. They gave me their phone and said, "Can you take a picture of us and Celine?” “Sure, I guess.” It was absolutely hysterical seeing them pose with Chantal. Wearing heals, she could have been 2 feet taller than these girls. We had a good laugh with them and chatted for awhile.  Everyone we've met in Malaysia has been personable and excited to hear that we're from the U.S.  There are a lot of Brits, but we seemed to stand out.

After dinner, we walked down the street with music bumping from every bar. When we called it quits at 2 a.m., the street was in full swing.  

Time Square: Malaysian Mall Madness

Most of life in KL revolves around malls.  Some are high-end, some are outlets, some are wholesale: regardless of type, they are always bustling.  It comes as no surprise, since KL was modeled in many ways after NYC, that there’s a mall called Times Square, which even includes a Central Park inside.  We took off that morning in search of food and to see Times Square, not at all prepared for what we walked into.  (Note: Jay’s commentary is bolded.)

Chantal and I took a cheap Uber to Times Square (less than a $1 U.S., which was true of most rides on our trip) and as we entered, it opened up into a world of its own; roller coasters zoomed above our heads, infinite layered floors rose up as high as we could see with east and west wings, and people moved in every direction. It had a strong energy that we could feel. I looked at Chantal and said, “Where do we even start?” She replied, “We’re going to the top and working down.”

 Jay’s not kidding when he says we walked into a new world.  This indoor monster mall could be sealed from the outside and probably sustain life for all the people inside for over a year.  There’s a college on the top floor, floors that have pharmacies and other practical shops, and restaurants galore.  Looking down from the top floor made my head spin. 

View from above

View over "Central Park"

We quickly realized that this world, like any other society, had a hierarchy.  The popular, name brand shops were nestled closer to the entrance and ground level, and my plan to start at the top put us next to the places with more negotiable prices and questionable merchandise.   We were laughing at this when we passed a watch shop.  I was still mid conversation when I realized Jay had committed the cardinal sin and stopped to admire a watch.  The eager shop owner had a “Rolex” out before I could even get my wits about me.   “I’m just going to look,” said Jay.  He’s in sales.  He knew better.

It was one Indian man in this shop full of “name brand” watches. He seemed desperate for a sale since the top floor was nearly empty (locals probably knew better). I was looking innocently through the glass casing and watches were suddenly forced into my hand. With every watch he let me hold, he kept saying they are good for diving and swimming; I guess that was his selling point for a guy who looked like he surfed. I had no intention of buying a watch, but this guy was relentless: “For you, I have a great deal,” he said and pulled out a calculator. Fake Rolex in hand, he typed 320 Ringgit in the calculator first, and then said, “For you, 280,” changing the number on the calculator. (Ringgit is the Malaysian currency and US Dollar is about 4x more, so the “Rolex” was about $70).  We still aren’t sure why he kept typing amounts on the calculator instead of saying them. It must be a special sales technique. I said no.  He insisted. Chantal rolled her eyes. Then I stumbled on a cool watch with a brown leather band and metallic face that I was kind of interested in. He gave me the good price on the calculator of 280 Ringgit (and of course reminded me that it was good under water- just what I wanted.  A leather watch under water). I denied again as he passed me the calculator. He said, “You type a price in and I won’t look.” Now that really confused me, as he had already boxed the watch, bagged it and put it in my hand. I took the watch back out of the box and Chantal moved in for the valuation.

I noticed two things right away.  First, the watch hands weren’t moving.   There was a hand to count the seconds, and it was frozen in place.  When I mentioned this to him, he insisted, “That hand is just for decoration,” and motioned that the hand didn’t move on any of the watches in his shop.  I looked.  He was correct.  Not a single watch in the shop worked.  Not a great selling point for my valuation.  Second, I noticed that the matte silver casing around the face had a small blemish on it.  It looked like the layer was peeling off.  I mentioned this to him and he started to rub it away.  Sadly, a huge chunk chipped off at that point.  Like the sales champ he was, he played it off like this was normal and continued to chip away.  We seized the moment to say we’d be back, and this time he didn’t chase after us.  He accepted defeat.

As we scurried off, I scolded Jay for stopping and we laughed as we quickly evacuated the floor.  What do you know?  The next floor opened to men’s shoes.  Jay was already inside before I could remind him of the last half hour.

Everyone close to me knows that I am into stylish, stand-out shoes. I already had on my fresh black and white Adidas NMD’s and saw other similar pairs in this store. I picked one up and quickly realized they were fake…again. The salesman ran up to me pushing the sale mid-stride (Do you see a trend here?) I put the shoe down and motioned to what real shoes look like on my feet. That didn’t go over well because when I walked away they were yelling something at me that I couldn’t understand. “Hurry up Chantal, we need to retreat to the next floor down!”

I was several stores down.  I’d learned my lesson and refused to get involved. With yelling following us, we retreated to safer levels.  Always an adventure. 

The Scenic Route to Central Market KL

There was not enough fuel in the world for our next adventure.  It seemed simple enough.  A mile from our lunch is a famous Central Market with hundreds of vendors; the city is one of the most diverse I've seen, with a huge Indian and Chinese influence, Islamic architecture splashed against a New York-esque skyline, and Hindu colors lighting up the streets.  We excitedly followed the path that maps.me set out for us.

Maps.me has been our navigational savior, as it doesn't require Internet connection but runs off of downloaded maps and GPS.  That being said, it seems to work a bit better for driving routes than walking paths.  When walking, the arrow will sometimes get confused and start turning in every direction.  Jay and I call this maps.me being upset. We don't want to make her upset. We want to stay on the path.  

Our path initially wound us up by the magnificent KL Tower.  We learned our lesson and didn't do the touristy ride to the top, but we stopped to enjoy the air conditioning for a minute.  Our first .3 miles of maps.me took us up a winding hill in the 90+ degree heat.  And then maps.me got upset.  

We couldn't figure out which way she wanted us to go; up by the iconic tower there were only a few paths, and she seemed to keep sending us down the backside of the mountain, through a sort of forest/park/jungle path.  Signs warned us about dangerous bugs and reptiles.  I told Jay I didn't feel like this path would lead us back to the streets and markets, but maps.me was insistent so that's the path we took.

We wound through trees and downhill through a beautiful natural park.  I heard the large KL freeway getting louder, and told Jay we may have to climb some trees or hop some fences, but we'd eventually get back on track.  Miraculously, an opening appeared at the bottom of the hill and we wound our way back to a main street.  We were still .5 miles away.  (I'm not sure maps.me is accurate in her distances when she is upset.)

Drenched in sweat, blistered feet, we made it to the Central Market.  It was everything I hoped it would be: outdoors vendors slinging knock off designer purses and watches, inside vendors boasting treasures from around the world, jewelry, art, music, food, colors, eager shop keepers.  There was so much life.

Chinese wonders

Turkish trinkets

outside market views

We took a cab back to our hotel (and it felt quite like New York city as the meter ran in stand-still traffic). Still, with the conversion, our taxi was only $5.  (Note: Make sure you always get a taxi with a meter when in Malaysia or they will concoct much higher prices for your fare.  You will pay them, because you will have blisters, dehydration from the heat and sweating, and exhaustion from the wonders that you just took in.)  The Central Market is a must. 

We capped off our first day in KL with a long nap and stop at our hotel rooftop before heading to dinner.  The KL Tower lit up at night is magical.  The colors change and the whole city seems to sparkle.  Lights are strung across the streets and inside closed shops.  Jay's peanut butter milkshake at funky eatery Gravy Baby (Bukit Bintang neighborhood) did not disappoint. 

KL SKYLINE

THE COLORS OF KL TOWER

Naughty Nuri's

After settling into our hotel, we wanted to get out and explore KL as quickly as possible.  Of course, we needed to eat first.  Our Uber driver told us 4 days in KL is plenty because the food is so good that if you stay any longer you'll get fat.  So far, I have to agree.

If you've never used Zomato, it's an international app that finds your location and countless food options around you.  You can sort the list by proximity, rating, popularity, type of cuisine, etc. There are photos and reviews and it hasn't led us astray yet.  

Since we were starving, we found a place in short walking distance and we were off to Naughty Nuri's, a restaurant that boasts the best ribs in the world.  Our lunch quickly confirmed that claim.  I've never had ribs before, but I can testify that the sauce was one of the best combinations of sweet, spicy, and smokey that I've ever tasted.  Jay stopped talking to me because he was so enthralled in them.  Everyone working at Naughty Nuri's greets you with huge smiles and welcomes and we were personally thanked by the Assistant General Manager, Mr. Arjan, on our way out.  This was the perfect place to break into the foodie heaven of KL, and to fuel our next adventure. 

Good Morning, Malaysia

Our day started at 4:30 am and we were off to the airport in time to catch our early flight to Malaysia.  We're doing a long weekend in Kuala Lumpur- getting a change of pace from island life (and also avoiding outstaying our 30 day tourist visa by a day or so).  You can pay a small amount to extend the tourist visa an extra 30 days, but with $80 roundtrip flights, we opted for the adventure.

We breezed through customs, were taken on our word that we'd been in Indonesia 29 days (not the visa limit of 30), and headed to a restaurant so we could get breakfast and Jay could get his milkshake fix. (Note: This has become a standing order with almost all meals and the Jay's Favorite Milkshakes In Bali list is pending- he's doing the leg work to figure out the best.)

We boarded our AirAsia flight without incident (unless you count the terminal losing full power and plunging into darkness as an incident- in that case, we had consistent incidents leading up to boarding- but why would an airpot need power?) AirAsia is best likened to the Spirit Airlines of southeast Asia, though it makes Spirit look like the Ritz.  Jay's legs were not too pleased, and as the drink and snack carts passed we were swiftly informed that not even water or ice were free.  Thank goodness it was a short flight- my lips were peeling off.  

We had a glimmer of hope before takeoff, as two entire rows ahead of us were vacant.  Even better, they were the emergency rows with a precious extra centimeter of leg room.  We were swiftly informed that those seats cost extra, as they had red chair toppers.  Jay quickly realized those could be removed, but we felt we'd been scolded enough for one day.  Jay dozed off as I asked him if they'd charge me to save the plane in case of an emergency landing.  I channeled my defeat into finishing my book, and the three hours flew by.  All in all, an easy flight.  And when I say "all in all" I mean the free air. 

Robe Life

Joking aside, our flight was on time and smooth- you get what you pay for and we were quickly on the ground, through Malaysia customs, and in an Uber.  Uber is allowed to come to the airport in Malaysia and is the most affordable way to get around (along with another app called Grab).  We struck gold with our Uber driver, Azizudin.  He was part driver, part tour guide and his English was near perfect.  We learned that his father is a high school teacher in Malaysia, his brother attended university and currently lives in New York, and we got unlimited access to information on the hour drive from the airpot to Kuala Lumpur.  We were laughing and I couldn't help but marvel at the continued hospitality and joy of all the people we've met in our travels.  

My favorite part was when we passed Ikea and he proudly proclaimed that KL (what the locals call Kuala Lumpur) has an eek-E-a. He cracked up when I told him my frustration and PTSD from trying to build Ikea furniture, and said many people just go for the food.  We bonded over the Swedish meatballs.  I don't care where you go in the world- there are always commonalities and my favorite part of travel is finding them.  He was the perfect way to kick off our long weekend in KL.

As we approached at The Pacific Regency Hotel Suites the traffic picked up- Azizudin told us that KL was modeled after NYC in many ways, and the traffic definitely reflects that.  There are also big television screens and a Time Square shopping center.  There so much energy and were awed to see our hotel in the heart of the city, directly next to famous KL Tower.  We can see it from our room that sits on the 28th floor and looks out at the blinking city lights.  And my favorite part?  Of course the robes.  Give me a robe and give Jay a milkshake; we won't even mind if you withhold water or legroom. 

From Pirates to Paradise

Chantal and I woke up yesterday morning and felt the urge to do some exploring, and we have talked about visiting Nusa Dua for a while. It is located on the south eastern tip of Bali and would only take about 30 minutes to motorbike there (of course I get us there in 20). Not knowing too much about the area, we googled some fun things to do in the area and somehow landed on Pirate Bay restaurant as a starting point. 

We started our journey driving through town after town separated by country backroads with cows spread across the lands. (That's just what I heard from Chantal as I was too focused on passing the traffic to get us there.) Arriving in the area, there was a huge entrance with 2 lanes with a guard patrolling (one for cars and one for motorbikes). I slowed down, a little, then sped through with my head down. We got a "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" and all I heard faintly was Chantal's voice saying, "luuunnncchh," as we scootered in. We got a good laugh out of that because I promised that we wouldn't stop in situations like this anymore; the last time we were interrogated and had to pay 300,000 rupiah for a make-believe international driving permit. Also, I have noticed before that others just speed by because the "officers" are not going to chase after you.  We're becoming more local by the day.

Finally, we made it to Pirate Bay! We parked and scanned the area. We saw the fenced off, pirate ship and it looked like an absolute dump with trash everywhere, and kids screaming in the background. Chantal and I looked at each other and said let's just walk the other way and find a deli or restaurant. We walked around the corner and the path led us to victory. It opened up to beautiful resorts and beaches everywhere. We were in absolute tourist paradise, and quickly realized we were amongst some of the most exclusive, expensive resorts on the island.  Naturally, we decided we belonged.

The MelIa

Luxury lunch set up

We took a detour through The Laguna resort that was beyond luxurious. It had monster pools on top of monster pools that wrapped the resort like a castle. We fell upon a little deli and had the best brunch of our lives that included chicken waffle sandwiches and banana vanilla nutella milkshakes.  Nobody questioned us, and we continued to make ourselves at home. 

The Laguna Nusa Dua

Taking advantage of the amenities 

Lunch time views at the Laguna

Pretending to read the wine menu

After lunch, we went back to the path and walked up the coastline, with more resorts to our left and  sun beds on the beaches to our right with parasailing, kite surfing, and paddle boarding in the distance. There was security everywhere and cameras in every cocunut tree it seemed. We tried to walk into another resort and were immediately questioned by a security man who could have come from the bushes.... "Umm, no sir we don't stay here. We stay at the Laguna Luxury suites." We left and laughed all the way back enjoying all the views. What a great day to pretend we stayed at a $600/night luxury resort and spa.

Pay attention to the sign

Nusa Dua shore

Taking it all in

Making friends at the Laguna

The Day We Pretended We Could Afford a 25-Year Time Share to Win a Free 7 Night Trip

It all went down when Chantal picked the golden ticket in the Seminyak streets. Me, being in sales, thought it was a total scam and that we shouldn't even waste our time checking it out. She was really pumped about it so we made it a priority the next morning. Googling Karma, it seemed like an upscale place and we wanted to dress the part to pretend that we "fit right in". Chantal had a beautiful, bright, yellow dress, and well, all I had was a collared shirt. (Sorry I didn't know we were getting roped into a timeshare coming to Bali).

The drive to Karma Jimbaran was pretty short, so I couldn't complain about that, but when we arrived in the sales office filling out paperwork, I knew it was about to go down! The hotel paired us up with an American representative who took us to a huge room filled with tables of other suckers getting pitched. There were some pros to the morning though. We had free coffee, chicken sandwiches, and assorted fruits while talking to our representative, Matt. He was an upbeat guy from New Orleans who was asking questions to get to know us on a deeper level.

An hour passed by and all I could think about was, "We just want our 7 night free stay in this magical beach villa, and we want it now!" Matt was a very nice guy and very friendly, but he kept saying, "Don't worry, we are getting there." I have been in sales for over 5 years and I know how all this works. They butter you up, they get you to say "yes"to all their questions and then they drop it hard on you at the end: that is exactly what happened.

Our one hour obligation quickly turned to four hours and then they were asking for an upfront cost of over $1,000, maintenance costs, and monthly fees to be able to have a getaway vacation to over 100 countries whenever we wanted. Chantal and I both looked at each other and said confidently, "Nope, we don't have the money to do it." It could have been no more then 10 seconds later when they turned cold and dropped us like a lead balloon out the back exit.

They threw us in a small office where we actually collected our prize.... 4 hours later.  Chantal did win the 7-night trip, so sometime this year we'll be enjoying Karma Vietnam, Germany, India, or Thailand.  Thanks Karma.  Sorry Matt. 

Take the Long Way Home

Our stay at Canggu (pronounced CHAN-goo) came to an end and we set off on our way home, but not without some classic stops.  South of Canggu is Seminyak, where we had an epic brunch at Sisterfield, rated one of the best restaurants in Bali but completely unassuming on its corner.  Swanky and hip, the wifi password was “UlookGoodInBikini”- maybe not after eating there! 

My fried eggs had dill in them and between that and the smashed avocado I was in Heaven.  As if that wasn’t enough, we stumbled into MadPops ice cream shop and couldn’t resist their coconut ice cream on a cone.  More Heaven.  Later, we ducked into speakeasy-esque coffee shop, Revolver, hidden down an alley and it was like slipping into another time and continent. 

Seminyak has a hipster vibe to it, remixed with Bali classics like the fish pedicure.  Jay couldn’t resist that one.  We had some fun in the shops, pretty much said “yes” to everything, and had a perfect, casual Thursday afternoon.  Jay handled the crazy traffic like a local, performing a new trick that I call the “foot slap”- slipping between the curb and aggressive traffic, the bike becomes unstable during the weaving and the best way to combat this is to stretch out the leg closest to the curb and slap the flip-flopped foot repeatedly against it as you pray through the madness.  “Foot slap” makes a noise that I will not soon forget, but got us to Kuta for a great ramen dinner (we’ve been craving pho and found a great spot at Kuta Beach Walk) and home safely back to Uluwatu.

First small detour worth mentioning: On our way to Kuta we realized that the 3D Museum was close to us.  (If you’ve never used maps.me, it’s an AMAZING app that downloads maps and then navigates without wifi- we use it to get everywhere, and it’s perfect about 75% of the time.  Nothing a few “foot slaps” can’t handle, and it reveals interesting places like the 3D Museum.)  I know what you may be thinking…this sounds touristy.  Aren’t you the tourists who hate tourists?  Yes. To all claims.  They took our shoes, so barefoot and ticket paid we forged on. And the first few rooms were terribly lame.  The art is incredible, don’t get me wrong, but the poses are mostly ridiculous and the employees there to frame your photos seem about as excited as the Chuck-E-Cheese workers in America (without big furry mouse heads to hide their lack of enthusiasm inside).  However, we decided to go with it and ended up laughing hysterically and loving the goofy, terrible photos.  The optical illusions are pretty spectacular on some of them, and when you watch other tourists lay on the floors to get the shot you pretty much have to up your tourist game.  Done and done.

Another small detour worth mentioning: Before leaving Seminyak, a promoter stopped us.  He was wearing a Karma Beach shirt, which I recognized from beach parties advertised around town.  Jay had just gotten his feet exfoliated by fish, so we must have looked boujee. He handed us sealed promotional cards, which we opened to reveal “prizes”.  Jay won two t-shirts, but I got the golden ticket: a 7 night stay at one of the Karma Beach Villa Properties (Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, or India), a GoPro, or 2 million rupiah ($150 ish cash).  The only catch was that we had to scratch off the official prize AT the Karma Beach Jimbaran property, after a “short” presentation.

Jay said scam, but I think he was just bitter with his two t shirts.  So he humored me the following morning.  See next blog. 

A hint for how to find Revolver

That is not me getting braids in the background

sunset at kuta beach

The Night Jay Ate a Pond

Exhausted from ignoring the crowds at Tanah Lot, we got back to our villa in time to enjoy a multi-course traditional Balinese meal prepared by the amazing staff at Ngeluwungan Boutique Villa. The jackfruit soup was my favorite- spicy and filling.  I had two bowls- Jay was smarter and waited for the next course, his favorite, duck! I quickly shuffled the duck to his plate and enjoyed the rice and chicken.  We were stuffed when a plate of fish arrived.  When I say a plate of fish, I mean large fish heads still attached, scales, gills, and eye balls.  I know they had eye balls because Jay played with them after dinner.  I decided to buck up and gut that fish and it was excellent- so flavorful.  Jay ate a whole pond between that and the duck.  We rolled ourselves to bed afterwards.  

The Tourists Who Hate Tourists

tanah lot with jay on the rocks

It’s official.  Jay and I are the tourists who hate other tourists.  We want to see all the landmark spots, but we don’t want the crowds or hecklers.  We don’t want the selfie sticks and we don’t want the chatter.  I’m not sure who we think we are, but we continue to be shocked at the sacred places that cost money.  Tanah Lot was our most recent temple visit.  Jay can explain:

Tanah Lot, from the pictures, looked really beautiful. It's a temple on a huge, stand-a-lone rock with a a staircase leading up to it. The pictures made it seem like a private temple that you can peacefully walk around and take beautiful pictures with a sunset in the background, no-one in the way. Chantal and I, skeptical at first, said let's just go for it. The driver took us from our Canggu villa and as we pulled up to the front gate, I could immediately tell it was a huge mistake: tour busses, crowds, selfie sticks everywhere, and loud noise... Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Welp, no going back now. Chantal and I made the best of it. As we entered, there were gift shops, local restaurants, and grass fields leading up to Tanah Lot. Not going to lie, we were a little salty walking through the area getting knocked in the head by a selfie stick or two, so I broke down and bought an over-priced "sweet corn-on-the cob" and devoured it in seconds while Chantal ate ice cream to cool herself down.

We decided to walk towards the temple area since it was getting close to sunset only to discover mobs of people around the whole thing. It was an absolute zoo. Scanning the area, we decided to walk a half-mile down the beach to a cliff that would overlook the temple and sunset in the distance. We made the best of it as we relaxed, laughed at the crowds in the distance, and enjoyed the view on the cliff as the waves crashed below us. 

tanah lot at low tide

Canggu

Yesterday we set out on a 3 day excursion to Canggu, motorbiking up the western side of Bali.  Canggu came into our plans for different reasons.  Jay met a Bali enthusiast a few weeks before we left who insisted he see Canggu.  I am a kombucha enthusiast and found Happy Kombucha's Instagram back in February, filled with beautiful displays of their super-healthy drink flavors amid dreamy Bali scenes; the company is based in Canggu and I was eager to see the area.  A mini adventure brewed (kombucha pun intended). 

We've had days of rain, but the sky cleared for our adventure and we jammed a backpack full of the things we'd need for the week.  Jay's become a natural on the motorbike, following the locals up on sidewalks when the traffic is too busy on the streets.  It's not my favorite trick, but we are getting places much faster.  I'm squeezing his leg with my death grip less and less and can't complain because I get to see the beautiful world fly by (sometimes directly into our path, but that's a story for another time).

 "Controlled chaos" is the best way I've heard the streets of Bali described.  You have to just go for it, because if you stop and wait for it to be your turn you'll sit there all day.  In a way, our trip is kind of like that- diving into life and going for it.  Of course, obstacles pop up along the way. As we left Uluwatu the police flagged us down and asked to see Jay's driver's license.  They gave us a whole song and dance about needing an international driver's license, which can only be obtained in the home country, and being subject to a fine, but we were "very lucky" and they would give us a "good deal" and allow us to "buy" a permit for the rest of our time here...in case we were stopped again.  They hurried us, because they'd stopped the next bunch of confused tourists.  I scrambled to find the 300,000 rupiah ($20 ish) for the scam permit, but didn't have the full amount in my pockets.  As I started to dig through the backpack the man said, "Give me what you have.  Special deal for you today," and settled for the lesser amount so they could "help" the next set of tourists.  The European couple walking in looked terrified until I rolled my eyes.  On the road again, with our very official handwritten permit.

We made one more stop on our way up, and it's my fault.  I saw a Starbucks and had to see how it compared to my stateside addiction.  The drinks were the same, but the bakery had a complete Bali twist.  purple yam cake, pandan coconut brulee, and corned beef cowboy puff pastries shared space in the glass display.  But my favorite part was the Hindu offering at the counter (found in all Balinese businesses) that included a cake and shot of espresso.  Perfection. 

starbucks hindu offering

the best welcome

We continued our journey north, with the highway crossing waterways and crowded city eventually giving way to rice paddies and narrow streets.  We drove past our villa 4-5 times because the sign was tucked off to the side, but it was love at first sight when we saw Canggu and when we arrived at Ngeluwungan Boutique Villa.  My name was written on the welcome board as we pulled up to the property, and the young staff hasn't stopped smiling since we arrived.

This villa is pure magic.  It's a block from the beach, but nestled into rice paddies.  You can count the number of rooms on one hand, and each is spacious and filled with beautiful wooden furniture.  Plumeria flowers were scattered everywhere when we arrived and we enjoyed refreshing welcome drinks by the saltwater pool.  It's a true oasis, and the skies were blue for the first time this week.

Ngeluwungan Boutique Villa

For dinner, we headed to nearby Echo Beach, which is filled with restaurants and shops along a spectacular black sand beach.  Colorful bean bag chairs and umbrellas line the shore, and fresh fish is grilling from the open air restaurants.  The sunset filled the sky with colors that only seem to exist in Bali, and Canggu found a special place in our hearts.  We're excited to explore here the next few days.

refreshments at echo beach club

echo beach sunset

Kecak

The Rolling Fork, Uluwatu

Our rainy week has continued, but we're making the most of it by trying amazing new restaurants, running in the rain, and surfing as much as possible.  

One of our favorite restaurants is called The Rolling Fork.  It opened the week we arrived, and has amazing homemade pastas, lava cake, and gelato.  Yesterday, Jay took advantage of the extended breakfast menu and got afternoon pancakes.  The lemongrass ginger tea is my favorite (mostly because it comes with cookies).  It's a must stop place if you're visiting Uluwatu.    

Yesterday was the opening ceremony of the Rip Curl Cup, where they announced the full list of invitees (Tom Curren and Bruce Irons are some of the international riders).  The contest theme is "When it's on, it's on" and it means just that- the surfers stay in Uluwatu from July 10-August 10 and as soon as Padang Padang shows epic conditions the contest starts.  

They brought up a bunch of the local surfers who have won in the past, including Mega Semadhi, the champion from last year. Interestingly enough, he's in training to become an Indonesian priest.  All of the local riders are super humble and it was clear from the opening ceremony that Padang Padang is a special place, with many spiritual ties.  Monkeys swing from the trees above the stairs that cascade down the cliff, which creates an amphitheater leading into one of the best surf breaks in the world.  There's a special power and energy there.

To conclude the opening ceremony of the surf contest, dozens of dancers appeared to perform the traditional Kecak Fire Dance.  I'll never forget the sound they make, and we hope you can hear it from this short video.  

The white monkey was my favorite, though at one point he was carrying a Bintang around and I don't think the beer was part of the customary Hindu performance and story. 

Tomorrow we're heading north along the western coast of Bali to explore Seminyak, Kuta, and Canggu.  Have a beautiful week and pray for sunshine.  

Rainy Day Ritual

For a week, Jay has been saying how cool it would be to see a tropical downpour, and around 7 this morning we awoke to just that: rain splashing down outside our villa, making plinking sounds on our pool and swishing sounds on the trees.  It's our first cloudy, rainy day.

So what to do? The rain stopped an hour or two later, and we headed to breakfast.  A warm oatmeal, acai bowl, and espresso kicked off the morning and then we went to our new gym.  Bare bones, but it gets the job done.

Yoga Searcher Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal

Kayana Gym, Uluwatu

The Rip Curl Cup kicks off this weekend at our local beach; the street is buzzing with energy and we're excited to see some awesome surfing.  Keeping it mellow, and wishing you a relaxing weekend.   

Team No Stop

On the 4th of July, I hiked the Matternhorn with Indiana (Jay) Jones- it was really Mt. Batur, an active volcano in northern Bali, but it was an epic adventure that I'm not sure either of us was prepared for.  As I recount, Indiana Jay will be giving his two cents (found in italics).

Chantal and I got to bed early that night because we were getting picked up at 1:30am by our favorite driver, Gung (who we met when we were in Bali in February). The adventure to Mt. Batur was about 2 hours away, and we slept through most of the ride. It was really intense arriving to  crowds of people at the base of the volcano, who we later found out were all tour guides who hike Mt. Batur every day. Paying our entrance fee, we were handed baby flashlights as we embarked on our journey up the mountain in the pitch black.

Mind you, neither if us had considered bringing flashlights and had debated trying to skirt the tour guides and hike by ourselves.  We would probably still be out there somewhere.  Although there was a path, there were different trails winding off of it and our flashlights were likely made by Mattel, not REI.  This was not a winding climb; this was an intense hike up loose boulders, sliding gravel, and sand that slid you back a foot with each step.  The last half hour was nearly vertical.  Our guide in the lead, I followed Indiana Jay- though he was bounding up like a gazelle and I was seriously questioning my proclamation to the guide that we "hike all the time". Despite this, we managed to make it to the summit in an hour and a half (most people take two).  Our guide kept asking if we were okay- it was too dark for him to see us lie the entire way up and say we were fine, but we made it. 

As we were sweating to death up this mountain, a lot was going through my mind. I was convincing myself that we were going to make it even though our legs said no more. As Chantal mentioned, the tour guide kept asking if we needed a break every 10 minutes. I was like, "NO, WE ARE TEAM NO STOP!" Anyway, we could have been the first couple of people at the top since we passed all the "Team Must Stop" people. It was freezing and our guide parked us on a bench hanging off the cliff as he scurried away in a little hut. Chantal and I used our body heat to keep warm on this stiff, unfriendly bench until we said screw it! Let's sit in this hut to hide from the winds. Time went on until we had 20 people, guides and tourists, in this hut meant for 6.

There's a reason why we were cold.  We hiked miles UP a mountain, before sunrise (hence the name "Sunrise Hike").  I convinced Indiana Jay at the last minute that a tank top and shorts would not suffice, so he threw in a windbreaker and long sleeve shirt. I had a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt over my tank top, also in shorts- I'm not sure why I was so smug.  We were both Balinese Popsicles.  Going up the mountain we'd been burning hot in tank tops, and in Indiana Jay's quest to pass EVERYONE on the mountain we made epic time.  What we didn't factor in (in addition to the flashlight and warm clothes) was that getting up quicker means waiting longer for the sun to come up.  Thank goodness for the hut that housed the rest of the under-dressed tourists.  

Being at the top watching the sunrise with hundreds of other people was absolutely breathtaking. The clouds and fog rolling through beneath us, the huge lake, all the villages, and other mountains gave us perspective on our journey. We took it all in as we stayed up there for an hour or so before we fell all the way down. Just kidding, but I could count on 2 hands how many people wiped out attempting to get down this beast of a mountain. Chantal and I were mind blown on the way down as it shocked us what we actually hiked up in the dark that we couldn't see originally. Our tour guide was awesome and the experience was priceless.  

Sunrise at the top of Mt. Batur

Fog rolling through

Priceless, but not enough for Indiana Jay.  After 4 hours of strenuous hiking as "Team No Stop" (running on a can of Pringles that we split) Jay convinced our driver to find a series of hidden waterfalls.  That 2 hour expedition around dirt roads and villages led to another hour trek down wonky stairs and steep terrain, but the rice paddies surrounding us were almost as beautiful as our destination: the elusive Fiji Waterfall and Sekumpul Waterfall. We joked about living down there in a little hut, half because it was so spectacular and half because our legs were screaming "Team Stop Forever".    

Indiana Jay

These waterfalls were absolute magic. We got to swim in the base of each waterfall and it was the freshest water I have ever been in. The energy and power from these waterfalls were incredibly strong and it almost felt like we were fresh and reenergized after frolicking in them. I felt like the happiest kid in the world swimming in these pools and getting knocked around by the pressure of them. Pictures don't do it justice as Chantal and I both agreed that it was the most magical place we have ever been to. These waterfalls and the volcano are must dos if you come to Bali!

Pure bliss at Fiji Waterfall 

Happy 4th of July! 

Kites and Sea Shells

One of my favorite things to do as a little girl was to go to the bay in San Diego.  I always loved the colorful kites, so free in the breeze.  Sometimes we would attempt to fly one, but most often my mama and I would lay on a blanket and watch the kites dance above us.  

Kites are always flying in Bali, and yesterday at Jimbaran Beach took me back to my childhood wonder.  We braved the motorbike and made the 30 ish minute trek to Jimbaran (north of Uluwatu). We stayed all afternoon and into the amazing sunset.  

One thing I know for sure is that the sun does not set the same way in any two places- it's different sizes, and shapes, and paints different colors on different landscapes.  The sun is huge in Bali and sets directly in front of Jimbaran Bay, a ball of fire dropping into a cool blue ocean.

HINDU CEREMONY AND KITE ELATION 

LAST RAYS OF JIMBARAN

As it set, we watched the kites, children jumping and chasing them, men with carts barbecuing corn, and Hindu ceremonies passing by.  The Jimbaran airport landing strip to our right, we watched planes take off and we watched with fascination as the beach restaurants dragged dozens of tables to the edge of the water and transformed the shore into a collage of chatty patrons.

The energy on the beach was electric and it was beautiful to see so many people taking time to appreciate the colors spreading across the sky. 

It was no different tonight, as we adventured to a different beach after exploring Cafe La Pasion and slipping down to Balangan Beach.  This beach goes from white sand, to black sand, to corroded rock structures that create tiny pools of water; the sun glistened off of them in every direction and there were so many sea shells.  Just like the kites, the shells transported me back to one of my favorite childhood past times where my mama and I would collect dozens of shells and glue them on popsicle stick frames.

As the sun slipped down over Balangan, Jay helped me find the best shells and I realized how lucky I am to be with someone who marvels at sunsets and will take the time to look for tiny shells in this vast world: someone who understands that it's all the little things that take us from sunset to sunset.

CAFE LA PASION, ULUWATU

Making it Official

Over the past few days, we have felt more like island people. The first week or so we traveled by foot to get some local food or hit the closest beaches, but we finally hit home with renting a motor scooter for the summer. Funny story: we bargained a great deal for renting a brand new scooter, but we had to borrow an old, crappy, used one for the first day because they were putting a surf rack on the new one for us.

The first day, I (Jay), was zooming all around the island and through the windy streets. Not to mention, they gave Chantal a pink helmet to rock **chuckle**. I love the rush I get when I'm cruising through the Uluwatu streets.

We took it on an exploring adventure until we heard something scraping against the cement. Chantal freaking out, I could have sworn it was a flat tire... (great, just our luck). As I pulled off the street, we found out that it was just a piece of the plastic of the side panel hanging off. Phew, Mr. Fixit (me) kicked that sucker right back into place and continued the journey. You can say our "adventure" got cut short.  

Anyway, the next day we went back to the rental spot and picked up our brand new, shiny black, Honda Vario '17 with a surf rack. We set out on our first mission, looking for the perfect surf board. We must have hit 15 shops until I saw my baby.

A 6' red, wide body Mayhem board that is almost identical to the one I have at home. Bargaining took a while on this board, because the girl who owned this board usually only rents it; apparently, she has too many memories with it. The "I promise I will sell it back to you in 2 months when I leave" won her over and she let it go "temporarily." 

No less then 20 minutes later, I was out in the water at the Padang Padang beach break while Chantal went for a run. Talking about making it official in Bali, right?  

NEW TOYS

TAKING OFF FOR THE FIRST SET

FRONT PORCHIN' IT

Open Waters

If you ever come to Bali and want to get Scuba Certified, you have to find Avandy Djunaidi: the man, the myth, the legend.  He owns BIDP (Bali International Dive Professionals) and has been diving since 1981.  He’s like underwater Yoda, calm but meticulous in his instruction.  He understands the technique, but also the intricate ecosystems and marine life.  And everywhere we went, he was recognized and adored.  We struck gold in having our first scuba experience with him.

We got open water certified at Tulamben, a WW2 wreck of the Liberty.  The story goes that it was a cargo ship, but inside sources revealed that it was actually loaded with guns and quickly cleared when hit by a Japanese submarine.  Now, it’s covered in amazing varieties of coral and sealife.  The clarity is exceptional and it’s surreal to 1. breath under water 2. explore the wreckage and how much life has grown around it.  As with the shipwreck on the beach near Single Fin, it’s a testament that life goes on and heals around all our scars.

Tanks at Tulamben shoreline

One of the hardest things about scuba diving is achieving buoyancy, essentially finding a state of suspension at any depth, almost like an astronaut in the water.  The goal is to use your lungs and air intake to monitor your level, exhaling to go deeper and being able to relax, suspended, without finning in any direction.  As you can imagine, this takes a lot of patience and a lot of practice to learn your body and air intake needs.  I am not a very patient person, and my first dive was incredibly frustrating.  Jay naturally mastered it, no surprise to anyone who knows his natural athletic ability, but it finally clicked for me on the second dive.

There’s a lag time- when you inhale deeply, it takes a second or two for your body to rise.  A few deep exhales, and some patience, and your body will drop.  Underwater, time is magnified and, at first, I didn’t trust those few seconds or give my body time to adjust- I went straight for the quick fix solution, my BC inflatable vest, to get me where I wanted to be.

The metaphor was glaring: life takes time to settle and instant gratification changes may be the norm in our society, but they don’t push us to understand ourselves and grow our own resourcefulness and resiliency. So often, we make a choice in life and watch expectantly for life to quickly make the adjustment (hopefully in our favor) but we have no patience for the lag time.  We have no patience for the long-term plan.  

It’s another lesson in being present.  Breathing in and breathing out, but also taking in what’s around us.  Seeing that remarkable polka dot fish to our right, the brain coral to our left, and not worrying about much else beyond that moment.  We are learning to settle into life, and take it just as it is: with all of its beauty and all of its shipwrecks.

Open Water Certified!

Blessings in Bali

It’s ironic that our first church experience was on Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the important Muslim Ramadan. Indonesia is over 87% Muslim, with Buddhism and Hinduism also prevalent: Christian and Catholic churches are scarce.  Bali has only a sprinkling of Christian churches, which is why we were shocked to see a C3 location (the name of the church we often attend in San Diego).  Like the San Diego location, this church is filled with Australians, but run by a local, Pastor Wayan, and his wife, Pastor Gayle Dwije.  The service was well worth the over an hour drive (main roads are closed on Sunday mornings, because Denpasar declared a car-free zone) and the detour we took (our driver dropped us at a large, Catholic church before collecting us and taking us to the proper location).

Entrance to C3 Bali

We were immediately greeted warmly and welcomed up a flight of stairs into a room with a small platform, and Hillsong music playing from the speakers.  Locals and a sprinkling of foreigners gathered, but all smiled and shook our hands.  The service was in English and Bahasa, half of the worship familiar songs and half in the local language. It was surreal to feel God even without knowing the words they were singing.  The joy in the room was infectious and the young worship band had everyone moving and clapping.  Pastor Wayan made a point to introduce himself before the service and when he heard that we came from C3 San Diego he told us we weren’t just visitors, we were traveling angels.  The calling we’ve heard for months was presenting itself.

The announcements showed a video clip of children at camps and the school programs that the church runs.  The impact of this church on Denpasar and the children of this community is immeasurable. After the service, Jay and I chatted with Pastor Gayle about her story and the vision for the church.  She and Pastor Wayan have been married for 21 years, and she’s been in Indonesia for 24.  They started by creating a school and then the church grew out of their home with a congregation of 1.  They’re a simply amazing couple, changing lives and communities through love and evangelism.  

This is the church we were called to, and where we will serve throughout the next two months.  They’re struggling to collect money for the rent of the new space they are trying to move into, and are taking up a miracle offering on August 6.  This is where we come in, where are all of you come in.  God spoke so clearly to us during this service that we are to help collect beyond the funds they need. $140 million rupiahs covers the rent for the entire church and school facility for the next two years: $10,500 American dollars.  

So this is where we come in, and where we’re asking you to pray about giving.  We set up this GoFundMe page to raise as much as we can towards that amount of what this church is praying for:  

www.gofundme.com/CBandJC3 

So often we are praying for the things we need; it’s a rare opportunity to be able to be the blessing that this church has been praying for.  We can fulfill the faith and hope for a place that gives boundless love.

Any money raised by August 6 will go to C3 Bali, to serve Denpasar, as the church runs countless outreach programs and schools.  They go into the slums and educate those who society has forgotten about; they run after school programs for Compassion International children who attend a government school; they run a school for children who cannot attend that program.  We were placed in this country, in this church, on this day so that we could become the blessing that they’ve been praying for.  We have two months to be that blessing, and more.  

Anything we collect will be tithed to C3 Bali in the miracle offering on August 6.  We are praying big, for the full $11,000, but are committing to $2000.  We changed the number countless times, scared of the large amount and not wanting to scare anyone off.  But we realized we came here to be scared and be challenged, to be pushed out of our comfort zones, and to give more than what we even realize we have. Please join us in being part of their miracle.  Even $5 makes a huge impact in this community and will be given and received with deepest gratitude.