Thailandia

Knowing that I was leaving Indonesia, I took full advantage of my last school holiday with a trip to Thailand. Luckily my friend Donna was also on holiday and decided to join me.  We flew to Penang, Malaysia on Christmas.  It was a very, very early flight and we'd both been up all night. I spent Christmas eve in a bar on the scrungy backpacker street in Jakarta surrounded by friends. It was a great night despite recovering from a stomach bug. Donna and I spent the morning of the 26th enjoying Penang and then caught a quick flight up to Phuket.

Phuket is one of the two big ports in Thailand. It's a large island off the west coast ringed with beautiful beaches. We elected to stay in Phuket town as opposed to the tourist strip.  I really liked Phuket town.  It has the feel of an artist community.  It has a smaller, quieter feel. We made the bus ride to "downtown" for a "transvestite extravaganza".  The ladyboys and shows are a big draw in Phuket.  It was fantastic.  The ladies were all so beautiful and the performance mesmerizing. The night life in general was completely a different world from Jakarta or anywhere else. We went to a ping-pong show.  Modesty and potential embarrassment prohibit me from explaining exactly what that was but I'm sure google will help you.A day boat trip to James Bond island was a nice day activity.

From Phuket we went to Koh Phi-Phi (pronounced pee-pee).  Koh is Thai for island. It is a party center for gap year kids with time and liver cells to burn. We were only there for two night but one of them happened to be New Year's Eve. We did drink and carry on but not nearly as long as some of the kids. We also got out on a longtail boat for a snorkel trip and saw turtles!

Reilay, near Krabi, would be the last place Donna and I visited together.  It's a small town that's a rock climbing mecca. The beaches are short and rocky for the most part, although there is a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by limestone boulders/cliffs. Unfortunately a good part of our time there was eaten up checking on bus and train availability.  After Donna left, I went for a half day rock climbing trip.  The rocks were busy but the belaying lesson went well.  I was the first one to go up.  Our course wasn't set for beginners as it zig-zagged up.  I was about a quarter of the way up went I had some trouble finding a handhold.  I slipped three times before I found my way.  The first slip was a big one.  The guide hadn't taken enough line in and I dropped about two or three meters (I was told) and whacked my right foot. I made it to the top  but when I got down and the adrenaline wore off I realized how bad my ankle was. It swelled up a lot very quickly and I had to call off any further climbs.  It made the transportation day I had planned seem long.

My next stop was Koh Tao.  It's the northern most of a three island cluster off the east coast. It's not an easy trip from Reilay to Koh Tao and mine was less easy than I'd hoped.  A longtail boat to Krabi, a van, a bus.  Upon reaching Surat Thani on the east coast I found out that the overnight boat to Koh Tao wasn't running due to weather.  I met Francesca who was in the same boat.  We elected to stay the night and catch the morning boat.  The bus picked us up in the morning for an hour ride to the port.  The boat was actually two. One that made a stop in Koh Samui and went on to Koh Phangan, then a change for the last boat to Koh Tao.  A day and a half later, I limped in to Koh Tao.

More tomorrow!

Barefoot in Bali

I am struggling to catch up here.  It's been over a year since I started the blog and this is really the first time I'm lacking motivation as I endeavor to begin (again).  I don't know if it's that I'm still trying to write about events that happened over a month ago, if it's because I am feeling a bit apathetic about my return to the routine of life or something else entirely.  On that note, forgive me if I seem a bit lackadaisical.

Additionally, that catch up is going to take one blog post longer.  I went away again.  I feel a bit embarrassed in blogging about yet another place I've gone, though this one wasn't outside the confines of the archipelago. I don't mean to be boasting or rubbing it in anyone's face.  I accept the fact that we get a heap of holidays from school at a price; namely a reduced salary and no vacation days I can choose.  I get so many days via the Indonesian, Korean, religious and school term holidays that I can't put in for any others. My friends working at other international schools get housing stipends, medical insurance, a months bonus at the end of their contract, a flight home.  We just get holidays.  Would that I could split the difference, but alas, no such luck.  Instead I save up and head out at every opportunity.

Monday was Korean Thanksgiving, also known as Chuseok or Harvest Moon festival. Three day weekend! I booked my flight Wednesday for less than a hundred dollars.  This also guaranteed that I got sick on Thursday.  Friday I managed to make my flight and I arrived in Sanur at about 1030pm. Sanur is much quieter than Kuta, home to half the rowdy Aussies under the age of 30 and more than a few rowdy retirees. Kuta has a great nightlife and a better, but always crowded, beach.

The Big Pineapple, my hostel, was a good place to relax and meet people.  Saturday was a solo day taking in Sanur beach.  It's nice because it is so quiet.  There are boats, bikers, walkers, locals, etc.  Lots to sit and watch.  The water was cool but not cold. When the tide went out it went way way out.  I could've walked over a mile and the water still would only have been to my knees. It was that it was a longer walk to the beach.  I stick this in only because by the time I had spent all day there and walked a couple kilometers on the beach the walk back felt like an epic journey. A high note of my day at Sanur was the fresh king prawn dinner accompanied by a drink called an Arak Obama (arak is a local spirit).

Saturday night I met three American boys (Blake, Neil and Tyler) and a Dutchman(Shawn) at my hostel. Minus Tyler, we went out to Kuta for a riotous night. A few big bottles of Bintang kicked the night off.  Next was Sky Garden to catch the pre-midnight drink specials. We broke into two groups and lost each other among the eighty-six mini levels in SG. Ok there are really only maybe nine levels but when you're in there and it's packed I dare you not to think there's more. Shots, drinks then onward to Bounty.  Anyone who's been knows what a riot that is. Utter ridiculousness is all I can say. After that we blundered upon a bar playing Nirvana.  My hopes quickly dissipated when then rock music faded after two songs. A quest for hamburgers ended in a scuffle and we lost Blake.  The next hour was spent searching for him before we gave up and found him lounging back at the hostel.

Sunday brought a 12:30p wake up and quest for Kuta beach. I say quest most earnestly.  Blake and I spent over an hour on the motorbike to get there. It felt like we drove around the entire island.  An hour or so stroll on the beach and then we got lost on the way back to the hostel and that was over an hour too.  Tyler, Neil and Shawn were on two other bikes and we lost them almost immediately. They returned after we did having eaten. Blake and I nearly died in a fiery crash.  I don't know how he managed to go from 80 km/h to stopped without hitting the guy who cut us off..  We knackered from epic drive. By that point none of us could be asked to go out any farther than a Japanese resto ten minute walk from the hostel.

Monday I had an amazing lunch of Tong seng.  Its Chinese influenced Indonesian food.  Beef and cabbage in a dark cinnamon/chocolatey broth. Then a lounge about to watch a rugby game from the World Cup (I've seen 2.5 games already and it just started Friday). Off to Kuta beach for a wee shop (only bought four things) and a snooze on the beach.  I stayed until sunset and then headed off for dinner at TJ's Mexican.  I'd been there last time and it didn't disappoint. I was surprised how much had changed on the main strip in Kuta since I was there a mere eleven months ago.

It's typical of my luck.  I got an ojek to the airport.  We got a flat on the way.  He went the wrong way twice as a road was closed for construction (that's been going on for months) and then he couldn't take me in so I had to walk.  Finally the flight was delayed.  Siiigh.  Oh well.  I got my tan touched up and got to some fresher air for the weekend. Now I'm back, slogging away at work. Aduuuu

Hoi An

Hoi An is a small town that wasn't originally on my itinerary. I added it when I heard rave reviews from other travelers in Ha Noi. I'm glad I didn't miss it.

On the bike ride to the beach.  The green was so bright as to be electric.

It's a small town, there are really just two main streets that are filled with restaurants and tailor shops.  It's a common stop over between Nha Trang and Hue. We stayed at Green Fields which was a good place to be.  There were plenty of other travelers, it was new and sort of median between the town and the beach. After checking in we went back to the hostel and who did I see through the restaurant by the pool?  Neil!!  The sexy beast was back!  We had a catch up and some fun that night.

NEIL!!!

The beaches there are really lovely though the sand heats up to a point that I swear should make glass.  The sand is soft and pale.  The ocean is warm as bath water and a beautiful spectrum of blues and teals.  You can walk out for half a mile before it drops off and you're shoulder deep.  The soft rustling of palm trees put me to sleep both days. There wasn't too much trash and the vendors weren't too pesky. We rented bikes to ride out there.  A 25 minute bike ride would have been a long enough walk to make me cranky. 

Beach time

I could hardly drag myself from the water.

The reason most people go to Hoi An is for the tailoring.  In all I had two going out dresses, two causal cotton dresses, a school appropriate skirt and a pair of pants made.  The single most expensive item was a $32 dress.  I couldn't even get one off the rack for that in the States. After the initial measurements were taken, we went back for one or two fittings.  Most of mine fit at the first fitting but one dress had to be taken in and wasn't a problem. Danielle had a wool jacket made that I was very envious of but I couldn't rationalize it since I live in an equatorial country. Same goes for her nearly knee high boots.

Danielle getting measured for a dress.

They also make shoes there. three pairs of leather sandals and one pair of leather heels made.  The heels proved slightly problematic.  I'm hoping the leather will stretch a bit.  The sandals have definitely been integrated into rotation and can be resoled here if necessary since I seem to much harder on shoes here.

Definitely worth the stop and I could have happily lazed around for days on the beach but time was a-wastin'. at the end of our third day there we caught a night bus to Da Lat via Nah Trang.  Bus one to Nha Trang was eleven hours and I slept ten of them.  I was in a lower "bunk" towards the back and crashed out. These buses are set up in three columns of about eight to ten seats each in an upper and lower bunk. The seats are sort of like the pool side loungers that allow you to increase or decrease the angle of incline on the chair back.

Down the bus aisle.  Lower bunk towards the back, but not the very back, was a great place to sleep. Half a benedryl didn't hurt either.

My last look at Hoi An before waking up in Nha Trang.

An hour in Nha Trang allowed for breakfast.  It's a pity we didn't get to stay there.  It's known for it's beaches but another time.

Breakfast in Nha Trang.  They were made in a clay frame, with a thin dough of rice flour, coconut milk and then egg in the middle. I don't know what they were called but they were very yummy.

Onward for another six or seven hours to Da Lat, where we arrived in the rain.

BALI!! (need I say more?)

If I needn't then this would be my shortest blog ever!  I've gotten a bit lazy about writing since I have been  on holiday and subsequently crippled.  I hope to rememdy this over the next couple days.
 
I went to Bali. After ten months in Indonesia I finally made it.  Most people here are stunned that it took me so long. I've then got to explain that I was working in hell, but with worse management, where I had no hardly any time off and even less money with which to buy tickets. I get an "ooohhhh" and an eye roll but I know the truth. So does anyone else who has worked at EF.  'Nuff said.

I was fighting a virus but I went anyway because my soul would have needed hospitalization if I canceled now.  Yes, it was everything I hoped it would be.  There was sun, there was beach, there were lots of other white folk (bule in Indonesian).   The flight was slightly delayed when we (a friend and I went together) left. We arrived in Bali and had to walk across the tarmac to the airport.  Just as we reached the building the sky opened and poured a bucket of rain on Bali.  A bit of an ominous start. This was torrential Jakarta style rain, just the stuff I thought I'd be escaping. We made it to the hotel and grabbed a ridiculously cheap drink across the street.  For the first time in my life, the bar tended looked at me and said. " If it's not strong enough, let me know and I'll add more tequila", I had ordered a margarita.  Go figure, it was a little weak.  He added an entire extra shot and half a shot of triple sec.  He looked like he couldn't have been more than 16 but he was my new favorite person in Bali.

Our hotel offered the option of breakfast in the room or by the pool.  Being that I'm not independently wealthy I figured it might be the only time I could "take breakfast at the pool".   Banana pancakes and fresh fruit were my morning staple for the entire trip.

We spent plenty of time at the pool too, you can see why.

The weekend was filled with eating, shopping and lounging.  Why don't I live in Bali!?!  Probably because I couldn't be productive other than to surf and learn to scuba and the like.    Bali also provided me an opportunity for culture shock, something that happens often in Indonesia but not quite like this.  We went out on Saturday night to a couple of clubs that are well know for cheap drinks, loud music and partying.  I thought it'd be like the clubs in Jakarta.  Boy was I wrong.  Nearly all the people there were foreigners, a large number of them Australian exhibiting what my friend termed "feral Aussie behavior".  They were on football end of season trips and celebrating youth/freedom/alcohol/etc.  I think there was a thump when my chin hit the floor.  Shirtless, shoeless, falling down drunk, smashing about. . .Was this what bars in Australia were like?  My friend assured me they weren't.  It's Asia's answer to Ibiza or Benidorm.  It is so close and cheap that this is where Aussie's go to blow off some temporary insanity.  I wish I could fully transmit the situation to you, but even photos wouldn't help.  I can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it, though I'm not complaining.  It was nice to be surrounded by fellow foreigners.

Skip to my last day in Bali. I woke up at 06:30 even though this was my vacation to go surfing.  I met a local who had a "surf shop" on the beach.  It's really just a collection of a dozen boards.  He teaches surfing, just like all the guys with all the boards lined up on the beach.

The boards are all lined up vertically by the trees on the left.

After a 45 minute walk down the beach to warm  up, we had a 10 minute lesson on the sand and then hit the water.  It was a dreadful start.  I spent lots of time plunging headfirst back into the water.  After 3 hours, I managed several rides into shore. Maybe the best 150,000Rp I spent there.  I was tired but happy.  I checked out of my hotel.  After two fantastic tacos, I made my way to the airport to say "so long" to Bali.  By the time I got home, I was physically paying for the surfing.  I spent the next 4 days hobbling around like a 95 year old due for a hip or knee replacement.  My trunk, abs and back, were sorer than ever.  I'm finally, 5 days later, barely sore and committed to surfing again.