mountains in order to find this tea plantation. The tea was delicious
and the view was breathtaking!!! The tea leaves grow on bushes and
the harvesters chop off the top layer of leaves that get turned into
tea. So cool!
2.24.2010
Tea time
mountains in order to find this tea plantation. The tea was delicious
and the view was breathtaking!!! The tea leaves grow on bushes and
the harvesters chop off the top layer of leaves that get turned into
tea. So cool!
2.23.2010
Pics: the rest of Bali and the first week in Malaysia
Finally! Access to a computer!!! whew!
We have lots of beautiful pics of the last few weeks of our crazy wanderings!
Click here for Bali (We miss it!)
- two water palaces along the East coast of Bali on a crazy day of motorcycling along back roads
- the big giant beach is Kuta beach....famed for partiers (kind of Australian Cancun!)
Click here for Malaysia (which is really cool as well!!!!)
- Kuala Lumpur had beautiful old and new buildings
- Melaka had an incredible history of Portuguese/Dutch/Chinese/British and Malay heritage and food that shows all of it!
- The Cameron Highlands are cool literally with breath taking views at every corner
We have lots of beautiful pics of the last few weeks of our crazy wanderings!
Click here for Bali (We miss it!)
- two water palaces along the East coast of Bali on a crazy day of motorcycling along back roads
- the big giant beach is Kuta beach....famed for partiers (kind of Australian Cancun!)
Click here for Malaysia (which is really cool as well!!!!)
- Kuala Lumpur had beautiful old and new buildings
- Melaka had an incredible history of Portuguese/Dutch/Chinese/British and Malay heritage and food that shows all of it!
- The Cameron Highlands are cool literally with breath taking views at every corner
2.22.2010
2.21.2010
Culture Clash
After the strong beautiful women of Bali, Malay women have me slightly confused.
A large percentage of the Malayans are Muslim, which hold strict rules
for its followers.
I read an article in the paper of three young Malay women who all turned themselves in for having illegal sex before marriage. In each case, they became pregnant and their pregnancies were discovered by their families. Punishment? 3 canings to the back and 2-5 months in prison for them and their male lovers. The canings were clarified to not be painful but humiliating, so they could feel purified from the guilt they felt for their actions.
When I meet women on the street they look at me with a wonder and I look back the same way.
Who are you?
I wish I could talk more with them to discover more....but I don't know how yet. Maybe soon I'll know the right questions to ask. I guess I'll find out.
A large percentage of the Malayans are Muslim, which hold strict rules
for its followers.
I read an article in the paper of three young Malay women who all turned themselves in for having illegal sex before marriage. In each case, they became pregnant and their pregnancies were discovered by their families. Punishment? 3 canings to the back and 2-5 months in prison for them and their male lovers. The canings were clarified to not be painful but humiliating, so they could feel purified from the guilt they felt for their actions.
When I meet women on the street they look at me with a wonder and I look back the same way.
Who are you?
I wish I could talk more with them to discover more....but I don't know how yet. Maybe soon I'll know the right questions to ask. I guess I'll find out.
2.19.2010
Cameron highlands
After a full day (12 hours) of moving yesterday between 3 different buses and cities, we have arrived in the Cameron Highlands with its bright blue sky and gorgeous mountain views!!! We've decided to settle in for a week or so to enjoy the climate and get some hiking in.
Here is R man enjoying his quail curry at the bus stop yesterday. We didn't think it was possible, but Malay food is even better then Indonesian. The only problem we have is getting full.
2.17.2010
Reflexology
We took a bus to Melaka yesterday and ended up getting foot massages at the mega mall after a full day of Chinese new year celebration!!!! Dim sum, sweetened soy milk, homemade little pies and delicious coffee were all had for around $10 US. We love the food here!
So,to destress, we decided to reflexologize our feet for $6 each (US) and it was amazing!!!
When we told our reflexologists we were traveling for a year, they looked puzzled. When we told them we were homeless, they were strongly concerned for our well being!
"why you do this traveling?"
'for fun' didn't seem like the right response at the time with their looks of terror.
2.15.2010
Hair & hotdogs
Look closely at the menu and you'll see a lovely plate of mini wienies being sold for $1 US at a very posh coffee spot....bowl of wet eggs below that! Numm!!!!!
2.13.2010
Leaving Bali. Comments enabled!!! Finally!!!
We spent the day motorcyling thru the East Coast of Bali!! AWESOME!
We discovered the highway 1 of Bali!!!!!! Lots of kids yelling hello, cows, chickens and incredible views impossible to take pictures of or explain in words!!!!!!
Well, I can hope is that we'll get to come back again some day! Tomorrow it's off to our last Bali beach of Kuta and then an airplane ride leaving us in Kuala Lumpur for our next adventure! AHH!!!!!!
psst. Comments are now allowed by anyone on the blog without registering...sorry about that! We figured it out though!!!!!
YAY!
We discovered the highway 1 of Bali!!!!!! Lots of kids yelling hello, cows, chickens and incredible views impossible to take pictures of or explain in words!!!!!!
Well, I can hope is that we'll get to come back again some day! Tomorrow it's off to our last Bali beach of Kuta and then an airplane ride leaving us in Kuala Lumpur for our next adventure! AHH!!!!!!
psst. Comments are now allowed by anyone on the blog without registering...sorry about that! We figured it out though!!!!!
YAY!
2.11.2010
Padang Bai
We took a short shuttle bus ride to the south of the island a few days ago and we've been staying in the most beautiful beach side/touristy section of town ever!!!
Here are some firsts for the trip recently:
white sand beaches
major sun burns
snorkeling expedition with gigantic bright colored fish!
I guess that's pretty much it!
Oh yeah! I shaved my head! For those of you putting down a bet of how long that would last, I threw my hair brush away yesterday, after a buzz cut at the local salon for $2. Soooooo worth it! I'm freee!!!!!!
We're having a fabulous time and are planning a motorcycle trip to Ubud today.
Tomorrow it is on to Kuta, and the day after is our flight to Kuala Lumpur! Wow, is time flying!
Here are some firsts for the trip recently:
white sand beaches
major sun burns
snorkeling expedition with gigantic bright colored fish!
I guess that's pretty much it!
Oh yeah! I shaved my head! For those of you putting down a bet of how long that would last, I threw my hair brush away yesterday, after a buzz cut at the local salon for $2. Soooooo worth it! I'm freee!!!!!!
We're having a fabulous time and are planning a motorcycle trip to Ubud today.
Tomorrow it is on to Kuta, and the day after is our flight to Kuala Lumpur! Wow, is time flying!
2.07.2010
rainy days
So, the good part about being in Bali in the wet season is that it's cheap!
The bad part? It's wet!
Today is a rainy day, so we are spending it splurging on internet, pastries and food!
How I miss unlimited internet access!
Balinese things of the day:
The bad part? It's wet!
Today is a rainy day, so we are spending it splurging on internet, pastries and food!
How I miss unlimited internet access!
Balinese things of the day:
- odd looking cat tails and lots of stray dogs with full anatomy
- lots and lots of garbage along the coastin the ocean...which is kind of sad
- very few street signs if at all....we ended up on a mud path on top of a mountain yesterday by accident!
- Bakso = balls! Fish balls, usually, nummy!
- goreng = fried, also nummy! I've been trying to avoid fried food as much as possible, but it is extremely yummy.....vegetable oil is a bright golden color in crocery stores sold in bags
- chickens!!!! They're everywhere! As are roosters! and rooster crows! EVERYWHERE! Talk about free range! All eggs are a beautiful brown color and taste delicious!
- Cocoa trees! We've seen tons of them here! And we've been tempted to pluck a black looking cocoa pod to try and bake on our hotel side walk
- The left side of the road - it was tricky at first crossing streets to look the opposide direction, but now I'm getting the hang of it!
- offerings/shrines/mini temples - these are everywhere in Bali! You have to be careful where you walk, because of all the beautiful flowers wrapped in palm tree leaf on the side walks/roads/beach/hotel rooms/everywhere! It always smells a little like incense, and it gives a walk to the grocery store a special feel - I say this, because a small shrine is about 5 feet away from me here in the internet cafe
vroooooooooom!
Mom, dad, don't be mad, and yes, we both wore helmets!
We've spent the past 2 days motorcycling thru Bali Indonesia, and it is absolutely incredible!
To be on a 5 foot wide piece of quasi concrete on top of a mountain top in a cloud/rain storm, with pea sized water droplets falling on your fore head from the palm trees overhead, flying by chickens..and more chickens....
AWESOME!
For $2.50/day, you can rent a motor bike in Bali...gas? $1.50 for 8 hours worth.
It's the norm in this country for a reason. It's the easiest way to get places on small difficult roads, and you can rely on it to get you anywhere...unlike the almost non existent transit system.
We are currently considering to rent them for the next week until we leave and scoot around Bali in style!
We'll decide tomorrow after a nice leisurely visit to the "hot springs" (volcanic natural hot water spring) tomorrow morning.
We are currently averaging about a $40/day budget here in Bali which includes hotel, food, and fun activities like dolphin watching and motorcycle scooting.
Today's highlight was wandering into a Bali sport activity that I can't really define and being invited to women's house for Mangus...nope. not Mango, Mangus...so after a 20 minute cycle with our new Dutch and German friends we met at our hotel, we sat in her backyard and ate fruit with her family...incredible experience. Her son explained to us that she has cancer and is undergoiing chemo therapy, so our crazy little visit to her home meant even more to her then we realized...I have to say, the honor was ours...the fruit was incredible and I will never forget the experience of meeting her/a complete stranger letting me into her home. (she asked me quietly women to women about Rodolfo "you lovers with him, yes?" "Yes! He's my husband!" I think she liked Rodolfo a lot...or she wanted to be his lover? I'm not quite sure....???)
Oh! Other women sighting of the day! A 70 year old topless toothless women chopping down a small tree with a machete! INCREDIBLE!!!! Bali inspires me in so many ways...one thing I can definitely say, the women here are strong in every sense!
We've spent the past 2 days motorcycling thru Bali Indonesia, and it is absolutely incredible!
To be on a 5 foot wide piece of quasi concrete on top of a mountain top in a cloud/rain storm, with pea sized water droplets falling on your fore head from the palm trees overhead, flying by chickens..and more chickens....
AWESOME!
For $2.50/day, you can rent a motor bike in Bali...gas? $1.50 for 8 hours worth.
It's the norm in this country for a reason. It's the easiest way to get places on small difficult roads, and you can rely on it to get you anywhere...unlike the almost non existent transit system.
We are currently considering to rent them for the next week until we leave and scoot around Bali in style!
We'll decide tomorrow after a nice leisurely visit to the "hot springs" (volcanic natural hot water spring) tomorrow morning.
We are currently averaging about a $40/day budget here in Bali which includes hotel, food, and fun activities like dolphin watching and motorcycle scooting.
Today's highlight was wandering into a Bali sport activity that I can't really define and being invited to women's house for Mangus...nope. not Mango, Mangus...so after a 20 minute cycle with our new Dutch and German friends we met at our hotel, we sat in her backyard and ate fruit with her family...incredible experience. Her son explained to us that she has cancer and is undergoiing chemo therapy, so our crazy little visit to her home meant even more to her then we realized...I have to say, the honor was ours...the fruit was incredible and I will never forget the experience of meeting her/a complete stranger letting me into her home. (she asked me quietly women to women about Rodolfo "you lovers with him, yes?" "Yes! He's my husband!" I think she liked Rodolfo a lot...or she wanted to be his lover? I'm not quite sure....???)
Oh! Other women sighting of the day! A 70 year old topless toothless women chopping down a small tree with a machete! INCREDIBLE!!!! Bali inspires me in so many ways...one thing I can definitely say, the women here are strong in every sense!
2.04.2010
More Pictures! Mas Fotos!
Sultan's Palace, Prambanan Temple, Mount Bromo (Volcano!!) and the first day in Lovina (Bali).
Click here!
Click here!
2.03.2010
transported to Bali!
After an insane 9 hour mini bus, a more insane 3 hour van ride up a mountain side, 10 hours on a public leaking giant bus, 2 hours on a ferry and yet another 3 hours on yet another mini bus...2 days and one Mount Bromo trek later, we've made it to Lovina Bali!!!!!!! YAY!
Things are now a little more laid back for us! Less hussle, bussle, cars, people asking if we'd like transport, etc., yay! The ocean is beautiful, the food is delicious! and we just bought a melon for .70 cents off the street and are excited to eat it...perhaps a jump in the pool after that!
We walked up Mount Bromo in Java Indonesia yesterday morning at 3 am to see the sunrise and it was incredible! In true Indonesian fashion, we purshased a tour package that would take us all the way to the city we are in now...unfortunately we got slightly skammed and the very extremely long bus ride ended at the ferry port....not bad though for Indonesia.
We're learning a lot!
Terimah kasi is thankyou!
Never pay full price for anything without a price tag
Everyone tips their drivers using Marlboro cigarettes (we're thinking to purchase them for such cases)
Sate is absolutely fabulous, and ramen noodles are turned into a delicacy of homemade broth and fresh veggies at most family run restaurants (a bowl of noodles costs about .60-$1, sate with rice: .80 cents)
It's best to avoid mid day sunshine if you don't want to look like a raccoon for 3 days after (yup, I do)
Live volcanoes are AWESOME! (and slightly scary for cowardly Minnesotans)
Every day is an adventure, and you have no idea what may come next!!!! Like, melons!
Pics to come! We are now near internet again! YAY!
Sarah
Things are now a little more laid back for us! Less hussle, bussle, cars, people asking if we'd like transport, etc., yay! The ocean is beautiful, the food is delicious! and we just bought a melon for .70 cents off the street and are excited to eat it...perhaps a jump in the pool after that!
We walked up Mount Bromo in Java Indonesia yesterday morning at 3 am to see the sunrise and it was incredible! In true Indonesian fashion, we purshased a tour package that would take us all the way to the city we are in now...unfortunately we got slightly skammed and the very extremely long bus ride ended at the ferry port....not bad though for Indonesia.
We're learning a lot!
Terimah kasi is thankyou!
Never pay full price for anything without a price tag
Everyone tips their drivers using Marlboro cigarettes (we're thinking to purchase them for such cases)
Sate is absolutely fabulous, and ramen noodles are turned into a delicacy of homemade broth and fresh veggies at most family run restaurants (a bowl of noodles costs about .60-$1, sate with rice: .80 cents)
It's best to avoid mid day sunshine if you don't want to look like a raccoon for 3 days after (yup, I do)
Live volcanoes are AWESOME! (and slightly scary for cowardly Minnesotans)
Every day is an adventure, and you have no idea what may come next!!!! Like, melons!
Pics to come! We are now near internet again! YAY!
Sarah
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