Bali, Indonesia

Our first week in Indonesia was far from our back packing days! We arrived on Monday, July 7th, very fatigued from our long day of travel from Sydney. After an hour in a clustered visa line, we finally found my cousin, Thea, waiting for us at the airport. It was so wonderful to see her after many years! She drove us through the bustling streets of Bali in her SUV, overtaking the many scooters. We arrived at "Hut Sweet Hut", their endearing nickname for the appropriately titled house behind their internet cafe off a busy street, late in the evening and the rest of the family was fast asleep. We caught up poolside with Thea and hit the sheets.

We awoke early on Tuesday to meet Gregor and Gavin, 6 and 2 years old, and Thea's husband, Hengky. The nannies/house maids brought us our morning fruit and coffee poolside and we felt like true royalty as we planned the coming week's activities with Thea. Thea and Hengky took us to a true Indonesian lunch called "Steamboat", two pots cooked at the table with whatever vegetables and meat we wanted from the buffet. After stuffing ourselves, it was back to the hut for some veg time in the hammock. Jacques also had to pay up on his bet and shaved his mohawk that has been with us for months now. After the mohawk came off, we jumped in the pool with the kids for some swim time and exercise for Jacques by throwing the kids in the water. Dinner was once again served pool side and was a delicious meal of Indonesian food.








On Wednesday, we got into the dive course in preparation for the dive trip we had planned for the weekend at the north part of Bali. Thea is a dive instructor so one of our planned activities for the week was for me to complete the rigorous dive course and become certified. This was a big fear after my attempt in Australia! Jacques is already certified so he had lots of reading and hammock time in his future schedule while I prepped with videos, homework and pool practice with Thea. Of course, the morning was greeted with our coffee and fruit, again served pool side. We also had the wonderful blessing of having someone else do our laundry for us. We are truly living the high life at "Hut Sweet Hut Dotulong"! While I studied and Thea worked (she works from home teaching English online), Jacques and Hengky ran errands in the town, including getting our tanks ready for the practice dives in the afternoon. I watched three videos by the time we started our first skill session in the pool. Again, I struggled to gain confidence in the water and went into it with a racing heart and anxiety. We made it through the basics before calling quits for the day.

Thursday was a planned free day and we wanted to spend the afternoon in the tourist district of Kuta for some shopping and local flare. First, I had to get through pool skills between Thea's classes. Again, I went into it anxious but made it through! I was rewarded with my prepared breakfast of fruit and then again lunch before we hit the busy streets of Kuta. Everywhere you turned, there was a shop selling goods for so cheap and it was just a matter of bargaining to get them to a low price to compete with their neighbor. The people were constantly trying to get you into their shop and offer to "sell it to you cheap". We bought some goodies but mostly enjoyed walking the streets and taking in the hustle and bustle of the area. Thea picked us up in the late afternoon and we went to a family party at a villa outside of town. Hengky's cousin Evi was visiting from California with friends and stayed at a gorgeous and modern villa overlooking rice fields. The food spread was amazing!

On Friday, Thea and I did more of the (dreaded) pool skills for the dive course, but this time I conquered some fears and came out thinking I might actually enjoy diving! After the accomplished session we met the girls from the States at a Spa in Kuta for a three hour pamper session including a facial, massage, hair treatment, manicure and pedicure (all for $30)! Jacques opted out of the spa and went to the beach with Brent (from the States as well) for body surfing and sunning. We all met up after our afternoon of relaxation for a drink on the beach before racing off for dinner reservations with Thea and Hengky's dive group. Pork Knuckle night is a big get-together for the group and we were lucky to share in the fun!



Mimi, Hengky's mother, invited us to her mountain house in the rice fields of Jati Luwih on Saturday, so we were up and out of the house after breakfast for the hour drive (did I mention we had a DRIVER?!?!) We had Gregor and Gavin with us for the trip as well but dropped the kids at the hut before heading deeper into the mountains to visit an ancient Hindu temple. We had to rent sarongs in order to enter the sacred grounds (and luckily passed the other requirements of not being a mother whose children hadn't lost their first teeth yet or a mad person among others). After strolling the grounds, we headed back to Mimi's property with our lunch of vegetables and spices cooked in a banana leaf. We made the long trek down the rice field and over bamboo bridges to a small gazebo by a river and hot spring. We ate our lunch with our fingers and washed our hands in the passing river. Jacques decided he wanted some coconut for dessert and attempted to climb a coconut tree. The locals (our driver) decided to show him how it is done and climbed the towering palm tree barefoot and sent three coconuts to the ground. The coconuts burst upon hitting the bottom and we poured the milk into our mouths, letting it run down our faces and clothes. It was so refreshing after our spicy lunch! We were late for our afternoon activity and raced back to town to pick up Thea and Hengky and drive to the Southeastern side of Bali for horseback riding on the beach in Saba (a forever dream)! The stables were located on a black sand beach and the four of us saddled up for our two hour ride along the coast. We each had a guide matched to our skill set which was great as Jacques and I were anxious to gallop again. The ride was amazing not only for the galloping on the beach, but also to see all the locals sifting through sand looking for stones and carrying the heavy bags on their heads. The children would run and greet us as we strode by on our horses. After the dream ride on the beach, we accompanied Thea and Hengky to a house warming bbq party at a friend's house. There was food and drinks galore and the group of guests were so welcoming and friendly. A mix of Europeans and Indonesians (and of course us Americans/Africans) made for a great party! We couldn't stay too late as we were leaving early the next morning for the dive trip.

















We departed for Tulamben bright and early in order to complete two dives on Sunday. The drive up North took 2 1/2 hours, but of course the scenery and drive kept it interesting. Evi joined us in order to complete her certification course as well as Mario, newly certified from the week before. We arrived in Tulamben and after drooling over the 5 Star resort (the outdoor stone bathroom was our favorite feature), we set out for our first dive. As part of the certification course, the first dive doesn't require any demonstrative skills. They just let you dive with your instructor and fall in love with the world below. We were doing a shore dive and just walked right into the water. It was breathtakingly beautiful to see the coral and fish at great depths. The boys went in first and to deeper depths, but Jacques found us and we held hands on our first dive together. Back on land, Thea and I had some more pool skills to complete before lunch, which I passed with no fears. After a lunch ocean side, it was time for our second dive and the first ocean skills. The anxiety was back but I overcame my fears and we set out for our second true dive. We saw lots of beautiful fish like clown fish living in their coral houses (Nemo), blue & yellow ribbon eel, needle fish and even held a star fish! We were down for 40 minutes this time but never ran into the boys as they were diving much deeper depths. Back on land and feeling accomplished, Thea and I enjoyed an ocean side hour massage ($8 each) while Jacques went out snorkeling. He came in after spotting a white tipped shark! After a late dinner, it was time for bed as we had an early dive call in the morning - first dive out at 7am.



Up and at 'em and ready for Dive 3 on Monday morning. We geared up and walked along the rocky beach to a distant spot to dive USAT Liberty - a US cargo ship that was deserted on the beach then blown into the sea by a volcano and now is a great dive spot. Our tanks were carried down the beach for us by the local women who would stack two tanks on their head (using a towel for padding)!! While completing more skill tests, a school of huge parrot fish passed us by which calmed me and helped me to get through. Diving the ship wreck was like nothing either of us had ever seen before. We were still diving separately but both of us were amazed by the fish "city" that lived in this area as well as the coral that took over the ship in the sea. We dove to 23 meters for 40 minutes and I didn't want to come up but the air supply was running out. We had a three hour break before our next and my final certification dive. After a full breakfast and some time in the sun, we hired a boat to take us and drop us further in the sea. I overcame my fears once and for all and completed every task to certify! I was finally diving as a Certified Diver!!! We joined with the boys and Jacques and I celebrated under water! The boats picked us back up after we surfaced and took us back to the resort for a short break. Our final dive was as a complete group and so relaxing and fun! Jacques and I dove together both certified and official "Dive Buddies". It was so amazing! We saw a barracuda immediately upon submersion and further down, saw coral that looked like an artist's canvas. Hengky and Thea showed us their trick of opening their mouths and letting the cleaner shrimp enter to do their work before blowing them out and back to the coral. Truly amazing and funny! After a 40 minute dive, we surfaced and swam back to shore for a much deserved lunch and shower before the three hour drive back to the Hut. Our first week in Indonesia has been SO much fun and we were spoiled rotten by all the kindness of the Dotulongs. We set out today for more backpacking adventures as we head to the small islands off of Bali for some serious relaxation!