Aiy! I can't believe I left out one of the crazier parts of yesterday's fishing excursion!
So Made is on the boat drinking a Diet Coke, he then passes the can to the fisherman to finish off. The fisherman than proceeds to chuck the DC can into the Indian Ocean, yes folks into the frigging ocean. I flipped out "I was like Noooooooooooo" as the can floated away into the wild blue yonder. I started yelling "that's bad. You are going to kill the fish. No no. Bad!" I was like Made tell him what I said but he wouldn't so I proceeded to rant and rave for a few more minutes hoping he'd get the gist. The fisherman just laughed.
Yesterday I went snorkeling at first by myself, but I freaked out after about 5 minutes and came back in. I wasn't really digging on the fact that I was kicking around and could be eaten by shark and no one would ever know.
So I asked our little German family if I could go with them when they go. Rolf-the dad and Erik the son and I headed down to the beach and jumped in. The coral was amazing and there were tons of fish. It was so cool. Now our Dutch friends pointed out this morning that as soon as the 3 of us got in the water I swam the furthest away and I was the one who didn't want to be by myself. I explained that I didn't need someone arms length from me in the water, I just like knowing that someone was in the vicinity in the water.
This morning I noticed a pain in my back at first I thought it was the bed I've been sleeping in, but then I realized its the knot in my bikini that has been pressing into my back for the past three days as I lounge around the pool. Good thing I'm going to get a massage today!!
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Friday, 5 September 2008
I am a Balinese Fisherwoman!
My wake up call came early today 4:45am to be exact. You ask "You're on vacation, right? Why in the world would you get up that early while on holiday?" And I would reply "to go fishing of course". Yes that's right to go fishing of course.
So we head down to the beach, it's a long walk, about 20 feet to the black sand. And negotiate with the fisherman on how much they will charge us to take us out on the boat. A whopping 150,000 rupiah or about 13 dollars. There is three of us- myself, Silvia and Made (pronounced Mah day) so we have to take two boats. Sarah wasn't feeling well so she stayed behind. We hop into the boats and onto the dark water. Remember its 5am and its DARK! Like the stars are still out and the moon is nowhere to be found DARK! I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't a little scary. I mean its a boat, with no lights, no lifepreservers and driven by a man who speaks no English. The boat is like a sailboat/catamaran and small with a ginormous sail and we are moving. Hauling ass across the Indian Ocean. Along with thousands and I do mean thousands of other boats very similar to the one I'm in.
In the meantime while the sail is flapping and I'm trying to stay in the boat, the fisherman is dropping a long line of fishing wire with a hook about every foot or so into the water. Then the sun starts to peek over the horizon and the sails of the other boats appear and it is gorgeous!
The fisherman starts reeling in his line and there are 10 inch mackerel coming in off the line and he's dropping them into the bottom of the boat. 30 minutes go by, I look down and realize my flip flops are floating in fish blood and guts. Mmmmmm yummy.
After an hour and a half we head back with all the other boats, to our respective shores.
It was quite the experience, I did take many photos with my point and shoot. It's probably good my slr is broken, because it would have gotten soaking wet.
More tomorrow or later on today, I must get back to my book or maybe I'll take a nap first.
So we head down to the beach, it's a long walk, about 20 feet to the black sand. And negotiate with the fisherman on how much they will charge us to take us out on the boat. A whopping 150,000 rupiah or about 13 dollars. There is three of us- myself, Silvia and Made (pronounced Mah day) so we have to take two boats. Sarah wasn't feeling well so she stayed behind. We hop into the boats and onto the dark water. Remember its 5am and its DARK! Like the stars are still out and the moon is nowhere to be found DARK! I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't a little scary. I mean its a boat, with no lights, no lifepreservers and driven by a man who speaks no English. The boat is like a sailboat/catamaran and small with a ginormous sail and we are moving. Hauling ass across the Indian Ocean. Along with thousands and I do mean thousands of other boats very similar to the one I'm in.
In the meantime while the sail is flapping and I'm trying to stay in the boat, the fisherman is dropping a long line of fishing wire with a hook about every foot or so into the water. Then the sun starts to peek over the horizon and the sails of the other boats appear and it is gorgeous!
The fisherman starts reeling in his line and there are 10 inch mackerel coming in off the line and he's dropping them into the bottom of the boat. 30 minutes go by, I look down and realize my flip flops are floating in fish blood and guts. Mmmmmm yummy.
After an hour and a half we head back with all the other boats, to our respective shores.
It was quite the experience, I did take many photos with my point and shoot. It's probably good my slr is broken, because it would have gotten soaking wet.
More tomorrow or later on today, I must get back to my book or maybe I'll take a nap first.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
I'm not going and You can't make me!
If I was a small child and my mom was giving me that age old trick of saying "okay have fun stay here- I'm leaving" in order to freak me out so I too would want to leave. It would not work here. I would happily wave goodbye and tell her to come visit on her holiday. Apa Kabar villas in Amed is my Shangri-La.
On the 8th we three girls part ways, Sil to Lombok, Sarah to the airport and I will stay here for one extra night. The cottage we are currently staying in, is booked for the 8th so they are moving me into a smaller cottage with my own courtyard and Balinese outdoor shower. The shower has no hot water but when you are living life in a swimsuit, sarong and flipflops, who needs to shower with hot water?!?!
I'm trying to figure out how I could stay longer. I don't actually think I can, I mean I could but really I should go home get things in order and then comeback. That sounds like a plan to me.
Have I mentioned lately how life is good?
Today I will take a motorbike into the small village and get more batteries for my point and shoot. More photos to be taken.
Fishing or snorkeling tomorrow.
I will be "as brown as a berry" by the time I return to the states!
On the 8th we three girls part ways, Sil to Lombok, Sarah to the airport and I will stay here for one extra night. The cottage we are currently staying in, is booked for the 8th so they are moving me into a smaller cottage with my own courtyard and Balinese outdoor shower. The shower has no hot water but when you are living life in a swimsuit, sarong and flipflops, who needs to shower with hot water?!?!
I'm trying to figure out how I could stay longer. I don't actually think I can, I mean I could but really I should go home get things in order and then comeback. That sounds like a plan to me.
Have I mentioned lately how life is good?
Today I will take a motorbike into the small village and get more batteries for my point and shoot. More photos to be taken.
Fishing or snorkeling tomorrow.
I will be "as brown as a berry" by the time I return to the states!
ahhhhh Bali!
Hello! Greeting from Amed Bali- a remote fishing village on the Northwest side of the island. Life is good!
Upon arrival into Denpasar I didn't think I would have internet access and I actually went the first 4 days thinking I had no access. Well I was wrong I'm sitting on the front porch of my cottage, drinking a glass of sauvignon blanc, listening to the Indian Ocean crash against the beach.
Those of you who don't have facebook don't know but my digital slr broke while I was overnighting in Japan. I almost had a heart attack. I have now decided this situation is teaching me a lesson. Luckily my point and shoot is still good to go.
I have decided that my slr situation is a sign from God that I need to focus on other aspects of my life instead of always looking through a lens.
I've started creating a list of things that I need to do in order to make my next change. I feel it is imminent, but being a TD for life is not one of them.
I love traveling and I love being in foreign countries. It is my passion.
The food here has been fantastic. The people amazing. The artwork here is tremendous.
For the first 4 days I was in Bali we stayed in Ubud. We were pretty much the only 3 staying at this resort. They brought us breakfast to our balcony everyday and gave us a free lift into town. We were in the jungle. With the exception of today we've had spa treatments everyday and we will be going tomorrow while in Amed. There will be snorkeling and fishing in our future as well. Sarah leaves on the 8th, Sil goes to Lombok that day and I haven't decided what I'm doing until the 9th. I may stay here or I may go to Lombok with Sil.
Who knows?! I hate commitment!
Upon arrival into Denpasar I didn't think I would have internet access and I actually went the first 4 days thinking I had no access. Well I was wrong I'm sitting on the front porch of my cottage, drinking a glass of sauvignon blanc, listening to the Indian Ocean crash against the beach.
Those of you who don't have facebook don't know but my digital slr broke while I was overnighting in Japan. I almost had a heart attack. I have now decided this situation is teaching me a lesson. Luckily my point and shoot is still good to go.
I have decided that my slr situation is a sign from God that I need to focus on other aspects of my life instead of always looking through a lens.
I've started creating a list of things that I need to do in order to make my next change. I feel it is imminent, but being a TD for life is not one of them.
I love traveling and I love being in foreign countries. It is my passion.
The food here has been fantastic. The people amazing. The artwork here is tremendous.
For the first 4 days I was in Bali we stayed in Ubud. We were pretty much the only 3 staying at this resort. They brought us breakfast to our balcony everyday and gave us a free lift into town. We were in the jungle. With the exception of today we've had spa treatments everyday and we will be going tomorrow while in Amed. There will be snorkeling and fishing in our future as well. Sarah leaves on the 8th, Sil goes to Lombok that day and I haven't decided what I'm doing until the 9th. I may stay here or I may go to Lombok with Sil.
Who knows?! I hate commitment!
Friday, 29 August 2008
Is it Really over!?!?
I'm sitting at the JAL (Japan Airlines) Business Lounge in Shock.....I can't believe it's over....Wow this past month went fast! I have so much to tell you all and don't know when I'll get the chance to write about it.
I know I've mentioned it before but the past month was very very special. It's amazing how well our Clients, the hotel staff, and our team all got along so well. We will all be suffering from Post Olympics Blues. We had 3 parties this week. On Monday night we took our 22 local staff out for a HOT POT dinner and then Karoake. For those of you that don't know what Hot Pot is, it's like Chinese Fondue...a big boiling bowl one half is a spicy broth and the other side is a mild broth. The servers then bring in all sorts of rare meat to be boiled and then you pull it out with your chopsticks.....items we had for dinner included and I'm not kidding you: Mutton (which is Lamb...yummy), Ox Stomach, Pig air pipe, and Duck Guts...yes that's right Duck Guts...I was sitting next to my new buddy Jan (she's from San Diego) and we were laughing our asses off and drinking a lot of beer to choke down our new entrees. Nothing was BAD it just wasn't GOOD. But I tried it all! JD another Senior Staff (from Australia) had made an awesome "yearbook" (photos compliled from the month) and put together for all of us to sign and keep. What a treasure!! He did an amazing job on it!!
Tuesday night was the final party for all of the staff who worked for the company I was hired by, there were like 400 people there. Team H (my team) was the only team that had everyone we worked with along with our client on the dance floor until 2:00am.
I have so many photographs to share as well. I'm cutting this short because I need to go grab a bite before I board the plane.
I'm heading to Narita, Japan for the night and then to Bali tomorrow. Looking very forward to the beaches and the rice paddies of Bali.
Sorry this posting is short and choppy but I feel like I haven't written forever.
Zaijan! April
I know I've mentioned it before but the past month was very very special. It's amazing how well our Clients, the hotel staff, and our team all got along so well. We will all be suffering from Post Olympics Blues. We had 3 parties this week. On Monday night we took our 22 local staff out for a HOT POT dinner and then Karoake. For those of you that don't know what Hot Pot is, it's like Chinese Fondue...a big boiling bowl one half is a spicy broth and the other side is a mild broth. The servers then bring in all sorts of rare meat to be boiled and then you pull it out with your chopsticks.....items we had for dinner included and I'm not kidding you: Mutton (which is Lamb...yummy), Ox Stomach, Pig air pipe, and Duck Guts...yes that's right Duck Guts...I was sitting next to my new buddy Jan (she's from San Diego) and we were laughing our asses off and drinking a lot of beer to choke down our new entrees. Nothing was BAD it just wasn't GOOD. But I tried it all! JD another Senior Staff (from Australia) had made an awesome "yearbook" (photos compliled from the month) and put together for all of us to sign and keep. What a treasure!! He did an amazing job on it!!
Tuesday night was the final party for all of the staff who worked for the company I was hired by, there were like 400 people there. Team H (my team) was the only team that had everyone we worked with along with our client on the dance floor until 2:00am.
I have so many photographs to share as well. I'm cutting this short because I need to go grab a bite before I board the plane.
I'm heading to Narita, Japan for the night and then to Bali tomorrow. Looking very forward to the beaches and the rice paddies of Bali.
Sorry this posting is short and choppy but I feel like I haven't written forever.
Zaijan! April
Sunday, 17 August 2008
NiHao from the Bird's Nest
Hi! I'm blogging from the Bird's Nest! It is an absolutely gorgeous day in Beijing! The temperature is perfect and there is hardly a cloud in the sky.
I'm with our group in a suite watching Athletics. 400m, 200m, hammer throw, triple jump and hurdles.
So much has happened in the past week since I last wrote. I'll be sure to add an entry on the "glamorous" side of my job, later on tonight.
I will say though the program I am on has been great. I'm very fortunate, as I know othe people have been on some hellish programs.
Michael Phelps arrived at our hotel last night, the security that has been put in place is insane. I'm like he's just a 23 year old swimmer-bfd. Who happened to break a few world records and has 8 gold medals!
Its fun to be in the stadium when a Chinese athlete competes, the crowd goes wild! Screaming China China China.
Pictures and more stories to come.
I'm with our group in a suite watching Athletics. 400m, 200m, hammer throw, triple jump and hurdles.
So much has happened in the past week since I last wrote. I'll be sure to add an entry on the "glamorous" side of my job, later on tonight.
I will say though the program I am on has been great. I'm very fortunate, as I know othe people have been on some hellish programs.
Michael Phelps arrived at our hotel last night, the security that has been put in place is insane. I'm like he's just a 23 year old swimmer-bfd. Who happened to break a few world records and has 8 gold medals!
Its fun to be in the stadium when a Chinese athlete competes, the crowd goes wild! Screaming China China China.
Pictures and more stories to come.
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Opening Ceremonies, etc. etc.
By now you have all seen Opening Ceremonies! Wow! What a performance. I didn't get the chance to go to Opening Ceremonies and I know it's a once in a lifetime experience, but I will get to go to Closing Ceremonies.
I thought the drums at the beginning were amazing! I had a friend tivo it and I can't wait to watch it again.
I haven't been out of the hotel a ton because I've been working quite a bit. So I’ll give you a quick update on a few things:
Traffic in Beijing is insane, it truly is like playing a game of frogger….first there are the buses and big vehicles that have the right away and then it’s taxis and private cars and then it’s motorized bikes and then regular bikes and then people…..they tend to turn right from the 2nd to left hand lane yes that’s right turning right out of the left hand lane. People turn right in front of cabs, do u-turns in the middle of the street, bikes cut in front of buses and people stand in the middle of oncoming traffic like it’s no big thing. So the other day this guy and I decide to try it out like the locals. The next thing I know I’m standing in the middle of cross traffic….all of the sudden realizing that my butt and boobs are much bigger than the average Chinese and sticking out way further into on coming traffic than Ling Ling’s standing next to me. Clearly, I survived the trip across the street.
My colleague and I are starting a list of Chinese puns, the catch is we have to use it in a sentence: such as I’m on it like white on rice or What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? By the time I leave I’ll have a list and post it on my blog.
Yesterday I managed to get out of the hotel with our guests and accompany them on a trip to the Summer Palace. Basically some Emperor a couple of centuries ago built this amazing retreat outside of the city where he hung out with his concubines. That’s pretty much all I understood from our Chinese local tour guide. It was absolutely FABULOUS!
Gorgeous, such a wonderful place.
I believe I’ve mentioned how awesome our hotel staff is, but the head chef, main F&B guy and the Director of Ops are great! Today Jason (the head chef) with whom I’ve actually worked with before in Singapore was sitting in our office. Debbie- a colleague of mine was telling Jason to read something and he was holding it arms length and Debbie said “do you need glasses, it looks like you’re squinting”. I said “nah he’s just Chinese”. We all laughed our asses. It was soooo totally wrong and inappropriate, but that’s how comfortable we are with each other that it just came out.
More to come…..
I thought the drums at the beginning were amazing! I had a friend tivo it and I can't wait to watch it again.
I haven't been out of the hotel a ton because I've been working quite a bit. So I’ll give you a quick update on a few things:
Traffic in Beijing is insane, it truly is like playing a game of frogger….first there are the buses and big vehicles that have the right away and then it’s taxis and private cars and then it’s motorized bikes and then regular bikes and then people…..they tend to turn right from the 2nd to left hand lane yes that’s right turning right out of the left hand lane. People turn right in front of cabs, do u-turns in the middle of the street, bikes cut in front of buses and people stand in the middle of oncoming traffic like it’s no big thing. So the other day this guy and I decide to try it out like the locals. The next thing I know I’m standing in the middle of cross traffic….all of the sudden realizing that my butt and boobs are much bigger than the average Chinese and sticking out way further into on coming traffic than Ling Ling’s standing next to me. Clearly, I survived the trip across the street.
My colleague and I are starting a list of Chinese puns, the catch is we have to use it in a sentence: such as I’m on it like white on rice or What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? By the time I leave I’ll have a list and post it on my blog.
Yesterday I managed to get out of the hotel with our guests and accompany them on a trip to the Summer Palace. Basically some Emperor a couple of centuries ago built this amazing retreat outside of the city where he hung out with his concubines. That’s pretty much all I understood from our Chinese local tour guide. It was absolutely FABULOUS!
Gorgeous, such a wonderful place.
I believe I’ve mentioned how awesome our hotel staff is, but the head chef, main F&B guy and the Director of Ops are great! Today Jason (the head chef) with whom I’ve actually worked with before in Singapore was sitting in our office. Debbie- a colleague of mine was telling Jason to read something and he was holding it arms length and Debbie said “do you need glasses, it looks like you’re squinting”. I said “nah he’s just Chinese”. We all laughed our asses. It was soooo totally wrong and inappropriate, but that’s how comfortable we are with each other that it just came out.
More to come…..
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