The Top End - Australia with Jono & Jill

I've arrived in Darwin, Australia and have left Jill to her own devices in Cairns/the Great Barrier Reef.  We will reunite in a few weeks in Sydney but not to worry I am visiting very dear and now very longtime (10 years) friends Jono & Jill Pytko. I must have impeccable timing because I last saw Jono & Jill for Christmas two years ago in Lithgow, Australia and it still rivals one of my best memories to date only to compete with their Scottish wedding in 2008. 

Jono and I met on a Contiki tour to Greece in 2003 and I can honestly say that trip has blessed me with some incredible friendships.  I expect to see a few more friends from that trip in the coming weeks in Australia and of course there is my travel partner in crime Pam Manz, a former Chicagoan now Calgarian who puts up with my accidents and me every two years. 

Jono & Jill moved to Darwin nearly two years ago for jobs -- Jono works in aviation and Jill is a dentist.  Aussie's call Darwin the Top End because it's the top of the Northern Territory (a territory not a state-different governing rules) in Australia.  It's also the top of the continent of Australia but let's not get technical.  Darwin has that old city charm where mom and pop stores still exist but I couldn't figure out it was on its way to a slow death or ready to burst onto the stage.  There are a few lovely apartment complexes, restaurants and shops but for the most part it needs a revitalization plan.  It's an incredibly diverse city with a population of 200,000 people.  Many of Jono & Jill's friends hail from all over the world and are highly educated working in fields specific to Darwin.  The city is considered the gateway to many Asian countries and it's a four-hour flight to Singapore, India and just two hours to Bali.  Jono said that if tourists made Darwin their first and only stop in Australia that they would truly have no concept of the beauty, diversity and economic appeal of the country

Many folks work in aviation, real estate and in the mines (uranium, gold) but the entire Northern Territory is sparsely populated.  The Australian Air Force is located here and provides a vast number of jobs.  During World War II, Darwin was decimated by the same fleet that destroyed Pearl Harbor in the United States. The city served as the Pacific base for Australia and also the Americans.  What could completely transform Darwin and is the talk of the town is the construction of a new pipeline.  Most reason this will transform the area and finally put Darwin on the map.  Prices are already ridiculously high.  An average meal is $50 for one, a beer cost $9 and rent is $2800 for a two bedroom (and I contend somewhat in the middle of nowhere).  I assume prices will continue to rise but I hope it means a higher quality of goods and merchandise will follow. 

Darwin is a beautiful city situated on the Timor Sea and Arafura Sea (Indian Ocean meets the Pacific Ocean) but for most of the year you cannot swim in the water.  There are jellyfish in the wet season (now) and saltwater crocodiles year round.  It seems a shame that in this very hot and humid climate that people must restrict swimming to pools or sea walled areas for safety.  It's hot here year round but the humidity increases during the wet season.  The soil is a rich reddish orange color the vegetation is very green for the moment.  It apparently gets quite dusty and the colors change to brown in the dry season (May to September).

In the Northern Territory, there is a sizable indigenous population of Aboriginal Australian people.  They live in surrounding areas designated by the government as well as nearby islands.  It is believed the Aboriginal people migrated from Africa and Asia 70,000 years ago and made their way to Australia 50,000 years ago.  While there is great diversity among the Aboriginal tribes, their language and customs are being endangered.  There were more than 250-300 languages spoken and now all but a few exist.  The Aboriginal population continually fluctuates as there were an estimated 1 million at the time of colonization and as few as 100,000 in the early 1900s.  It's challenging to count these groups in general and the last census puts their recovering numbers closer to 500,000.  Similar to other countries with indigenous populations, Australia has struggled with the Aboriginal population since the Dutch and British first arrived.  Today, Aboriginal populations are still segregated and closely monitored by the government.  They can vote and many participate in politics but the vast majority I saw were wandering the streets - harmless but not a part of functioning society. 

After a day of city sightseeing, Jono and I went crocodile jumping (crocs don't actually jump it's really swimming but it's a better visual).  There are crocs everywhere in the Northern Territory and we visited a local river where there are thousands of saltwater crocs living and mating.   It was pretty amazing as we came about a foot from a crocs mouth (don't worry we were in a boat) but we were so close we could see the inside of the mouth and sharp, biting teeth (see below).  Apparently, crocs live until they are 100.  The female crocs deliver about 40 babies from about 60 eggs and there are many more female crocs than males.  The males are busy during this time of year impregnating several females.  The saltwater crocodile is the largest of all living reptiles and will attack and kill humans.  I learned very quickly that if I ever come face to face with a crocodile the smart thing to do is remain motionless.  Crocs sense noise and will attack the revelers.  I'm not sure if confronted with a croc that I could stand still or float quietly which is why seeing the inside of a crocs mouth provided me with the right incentive to stay away from any swimming in Australia.  Saltwater crocodiles can be found in freshwater swamps and rivers in the wet season and the tidal mouth of large rivers or even the sea in dry season.  Our guide told us that crocs fight for territory and that dominant males can occupy large stretches of rivers and streams.  The males we enticed with slabs of beef were nothing I would want to encounter on a daily swim. 

As this is the Northern Territory and it's a bit of a red neck place, Jono wanted to give me a true picture of the region.  We entertained ourselves with a stop to the Humpty Doo bar.  This place could be credited for the world's best dive bar.  It's part scary, part unbelievable and mostly an eye-opener as to how many live outside the city.  I've never seen so many tattoos, long untamed beards, curly or hook mustaches, big bellies, bad hair and lots of smoking and drinking.  It was a fascinating experience and made our return to Darwin all that much more welcoming.  It gave new meaning to the definition of "hick" or "rough around the edges."

Camping and outdoor activity is very popular in Darwin.  As Jono and Jill indicated, there isn't great shopping and not much to do so you either travel or stay active.  We loaded up the truck and headed about an hour and a half to Litchfield National Park where we finally cooled off in spring-fed falls and pools.  We jumped off slippery rocks and swam in the Buley Rockhole, worked up an appetite and ate a lovely picnic lunch before the sky gave way to pounding ran.  We swam in a quarry at Florence Falls where we exhausted ourselves swimming against the current to feel the beating water.  It was the perfect way to combat the heat and see a different side of Darwin.  The cascading rocks, rushing water and natural wildlife really provided great fun and a beautiful setting with new and old friends. 

I had a fabulous time catching up with Jono and Jill and meeting their friends Chae and Andy.  Somehow the five of us spending the day frolicking in the sun gives me hope that our international friendships could give way to bigger and better things. Jono hails from Australia, his wife Jill from Glasgow, Scotland, Chae from Japan, Andy from Edingburgh, Scotland and me from the USA.  It's what I appreciate most about travel.  Meeting new people hearing their stories and incorporating their visions and ideas into my daily life. 

The time always goes by fast but I know I will see everyone again if not tomorrow soon enough. 

Off to meet Patrick (yes my brother) in Sydney and celebrate another fantastic Aussie Christmas. 

Bali Wrap Up

We walked through rice paddies in 90F degree heat and 100 percent humidity to enjoy Sari Organic.  From the main road, pedestrians would surely miss it and after a 15-minute walk Jill and I started questioning our sanity and our sense of direction.  We finally arrived and after a serious hand washing and bathroom stop (I was so sweaty I could barely get my undies back up), I slurped (more like gulped) the sweetest mango lassi to date and then inhaled or maybe devoured the most delicious pizza I've had in years.  Jill went for the healthy version of a beet salad that made me a little envious but her mean green pure juice concoction left me wanting to question her sense of taste.  She loved it but after traveling together for a month I can cough it up to the Midwestern in me who appreciates normalcy and the New Yorker in her who savors weird.  There is something to be said for sweating.  It works up an appetite or maybe makes your realize you should refurbish nutrients rather quickly.  We gave up on sightseeing for the day and bolted to the spa for massages and pampering.  

Since it was my pre-birthday dinner and a Saturday, we gussied up for a night on the town only to find out that the already sleepy town goes dark at 9:30 pm.  A restaurant, Nuri's Nacho Mama, owned by an Indonesian and an American would surely be happening on a Saturday, right?  Nope, instead it was hopping with flies, a local favorite.  It also could use some tips on what constitutes Mexican food.  Jill's quesadilla consisted of a tortilla with a layer of melted cheese and my burrito well it wasn't much more edible.  They made guacamole with yogurt! When in Rome, do as the Romans do and eat local and that means Indonesian not Mexican. We won't be detouring like that again.  I was just excited my sexy shirt got some Australian men noticing me and not my body odor or sweat beads. 

Our Bike Ride

Finally, we recovered from the daily grind of sightseeing in India and felt ready to embark on a few more Balinese adventures.  Jill and I booked a downhill bike ride through the countryside of Ubud.  We started our journey overlooking Batur Mountain, an active volcano with volcanic ash remnants sprinkled with regrowth peaking up on its slopes.  Smoke billowed from the volcano peak with slivers of sunshine breaking through the clouds. Next to the volcano sat a crater lake with a hint of morning fog lingering over its crystal clear waters.  Alas, cooler temperatures accompanied these breathtaking views and my appreciation of all that Bali had to offer. 

Before we got started, we visited a plantation of sorts also known as a tourist trap.  Bali's most lucrative cash crops are cloves, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, tapioca and taro.  We sampled a handful of teas, coffees, mangostein and coconut water, as well as "Cat-Poo."  Our very clever guide tempted us with "cat-poo-ccino," a type of coffee bean that comes from an animal called the Asian Palm Civet.  Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world.  Kopi luwak refers to the beans of coffee berries once they have been eaten and excreted by the Asian Palm Civet.  The coffee tasted very bitter and while I enjoy some flavor to my coffee this isn't quite what I had in mind.

The time had come for us to disembark and as we geared up and checked our breaks. The sky gave way to thunderous rolls and cracks of lightening right when we mounted our bikes.  When we signed up for the trip, we were more concerned about the downhill part than the weather permitting part and thus the ride evolved from fanciful sightseeing to one of survival.  There have been several times on this trip where Jill and I have looked at each other and said Joyce and Bobbi (our moms) would not approve and this was one such time.  Jill took off downhill like the wind where I remained back from the pack repeatedly testing my breaks (remember deluge, lightening and downhill). 

We made several stops along the way but the most interesting was a family compound where we saw how a village family lives and works together.  This particular family had five generations living together producing baskets and rugs from bamboo.  There was one kitchen shared by all, a family temple and then each "family" lives in a unit (really small bedrooms).  Let's say the great grandfather passes on, his son would then move into his home and on and on.  Our guide, Ring, was quite the character but also a great source of information.  He explained that the oldest son must leave the family compound when he marries and that married women are required to move to their husband's family compound.  A Chinese/American couple were as fascinated as I was about the culture and the Chinese woman kept asking about premarital sex and women's rights.  Ring explained that there is premarital sex going on but he referred to those situations as MBAs(Marriage By Accident).  If the woman gets pregnant, the man must marry her or go to jail for three years if he choses not to marry.  If he runs, then he gets 10 years in jail.  Most men in this situation just end up taking a second wife.  As for women, they have no rights. 

It was really a shame the rains did not clear during our voyage because we missed seeing the villages and instead sped through puddles and mud.  At certain points, I could not even see in front of me with the rain pounding on the bike and pavement and my forearms burning in pain after clutching the breaks for an hour.  We zigzagged through neighborhoods, mud filled rice paddies and family temples until we all stopped cold at the entrance to an impassable "river."  Already beyond soaked, I didn't even attempt to ride through it and found myself giving into Mother Nature.  I walked my bike through two feet of dirty disgusting water and at the other end tried really hard not to beg to be taken home.  When we finally got to lunch, the sun beamed on us as if to say better luck next time. It gave me a great excuse to devour my food. 

During lunch, we had a great opportunity to hear from Ring about his daily life in Bali.  He is 23 and went to school until he was 18.  He had to pay for his schooling and therefore could not afford to further pursue his studies.  The government has started funding primary and secondary education, which will hopefully mean more children will go to school.  Ring is Muslim and explained to the group that some politicians are paying people to convert from Hinduism to Islam and some are getting as much as $10,000 USD.  In a country where the average job pays about $90 a month, that type of money is appealing.  Ring believes the current government in Indonesia is bad and he is concerned the changes being implemented will be detrimental to the everyday life of the Balinese people.

Few other fun facts

Balinese people eat only when they are hungry

They don't feel comfortable eating in front of others either so there are no family or group dinners.

Women cook at 5 am every morning and that is the food for the day. Since most homes don't have a refrigeration system, I am not sure I would want to taste chicken at the end of the day. 

Ring said he could move out of his home (he really wants to live independently) but he would need to move back when he is married. 

Indonesians do not look into the eyes of their elders.  They look down at their feet.  Ring said he had a very hard time when he started working with non-Indonesian tourists because they kept looking at him. 

The children are named in order.  Regardless of being male or female, each person receives one of four names based on birth order.  There is some variation in the four names as a result of caste or region but they tend to be the same.  For example, the 

firstborn is "Wokalayan" (Wayan or Yan, for short), second is "Made," third is "Nyoman" or "Komang" (Man or Mang for short), and fourth is "Ketut" (Tut).

Driving, falling coconuts and swimming are the leading causes of death in Bali. 

Wooden baskets, placemats and purses are a handmade Balinese tradition and a shopping and shipping nightmare for me (and the Japanese). 

Yoga in rice paddies is a very relaxing and beautiful experience but at dusk when the mosquitoes are ready for sweet blood it is nearly impossible for me to quiet my mind or body.  My yoga instructor did not seem to appreciate my concerns. 

Alcohol in Bali is expensive.  Stick with lassis or fruit juice.

Food in Indonesia is delightful.  Barramundi fish, marinated tofu and tempeh are my favorites.

Starbucks has AC and Wifi.   What more can you need?

There has never been a market I haven't liked.  Who are we kidding? There has never been a market I haven't missed and Jill is no innocent bystander. 

DHL has an office in UBUD.  The Japanese send more home than the Americans.

Twenty Kilos worth of luggage is really not that much weight.

OFF bug spray should hire me as their Caucasian spokesperson.

Bali is hot during dry season, wet season, morning, night and anytime in between. 

If I lived in Bali, I would teach people that when tourists see rats in the market it does not want to make them shop.  In fact, it makes them leave the store. 

There is a difference between a $30 meal (Nomand, Nuri's) and a $100 meal (Bridges - a must go).

And last but not least...The healer, the bullshit artist and the tarot card reader

On our last day and pretty much in our last hour of our trip to Bali, Jill and I visited a tarot card reader.  She went first and as I'm not one to spill the beans, I will leave her to share her version of events.

Either there is a convention of healers who see a ton of needy, single, work alcoholic type New York females or I am truly in need of change. 

Where to start?  How about the beginning?  I don't take care for myself.  I need to reconnect to the god within me.  I don't like being off balance and I have lost my center.  Yep there is clearly a pattern here but for once I did listen to something someone said.  She told me to write down my vision quest.  Beside the fact that I immediately had a flashback to my high school boyfriend Mike Feightner, a Visionquest movie fanatic, I appreciated her challenge to write down or verbally record what happiness would look like to me. 

She also informed me that I am confused with my higher self and that I need to create a life, that I don't like conflict and that Bali seemed like the perfect place for me to live --exactly -- with the other lost, confused, lonely expatriates.  Before we departed, she told me I would live with a much younger man and then I would leave him (fantastic) that I philosophically disliked my job and that I am "hanging out with indecision" and it is making me ill.  

I like the idea of reinventing myself with a younger man.  My mom will appreciate the fact that the tarot card reader also said this younger man would make me softer and more sweet.  She thinks I'm a cold-hearted New Yorker. 

In closing, Jill and I loved Ubud.  It evokes a certain emotion that one needs to experience to understand.  There is old world charm, history and culture with modern conveniences but what makes Ubud special is the beautiful landscape.  I completely understand why many people visit and never leave. The food awakens my taste buds and the weather cleanses my pores.  Here hustle is replaced with simplicity, nature and family.  It's definitely the place to go to unwind, relax or maybe invent something new.  

On the occasion of my 39th Birthday

Sorry for the delay - lots of travel and no internet.  Updating the last week in a few blogs will publish all tomorrow (Christmas Eve)

On the occasion of my 39th birthday, it seemed necessary to celebrate New York style with a splash of Balinese thrown in the mix.  No birthday is complete without a morning visit to Starbucks followed by brunch at the idyllic COMO Shambhala resort in Ubud known for combining holistic wellness with the art of ancient healing.  If you really are looking for something different and need a much need a rejuvenating life changing experience, then this is the place.  You can visit their website at http://www.comoshambhala.com/

Jill and I enjoyed a relaxing brunch on the veranda of Como Shambhala overlooking a valley of dense forest.  Our meal consisted of energizing pure juice drinks, organic leafy greens, fresh cheese, chicken, zesty orange and chocolate crepes and a very special birthday treat of mango cheesecake.  It's definitely a place to unwind, relax and focus on the mind and body.  We focused on our stomachs, the next best thing to health and happiness. 

Because I wanted to go and because we were in Bali and because it was my birthday, we decided to see Katut the healer made famous (or maybe infamous) for his staring role in Eat Pray Love.  To say we were disappointed is one thing; to say Katut was a fraud is quite another.  I was mildly entertained by the process and was happy to check it off the list but Jill was irate and wanted to notify the world that Katut, the healer, was Katut the scam artist. 

We arrived to Katut's family compound with hope and enthusiasm having such a great experience with Cok, the healer a few days prior.  Katut sat crossed legged on his porch dressed in a turban type hat, yellow (very dirty) shirt, glasses, and a multi-colored sarong type of "pant."  An elderly man with gray disheveled hair, Katut fixed his eyed on me as I awaited my awe-inspiring reading.  To my disappointment and to Jill's fury, Katut issued us the same fortune and he did so with us listening to the other.  It's not like he changed even one word or a fortune here and there. I thought he suffered from dementia and gave him a break.  Jill theorized and then later confirmed that Katut either never had the gift or worse and what many locals believe that he sold out his gift to make money and the gods took away his powers. 

Regardless of the issue, Jill and I each paid $25 to find out we have good ears, a good nose, good cheeks, deep lines and that we are very, very pretty and in Katut's words, "make me happy to see/meet you."  More importantly, Katut channeled the gods and communicated in English gibberish that, " Your lips wet like sugar, you can get married, will be married until end of your life.  You like Queen!  Don't worry or be sad.  You success."  What more can a birthday girl want?  A sweet old man telling me I am smart and pretty. I could do worse.  HA!

Jill had a slightly different reaction and told the waiting tourists (victims) to run for the hills that Katut was a joke.  It was made all the more funny that she did so in Katut's sightline on Katut's family compound.  I've wasted $25 on lesser things but I would not encourage anyone to see Katut for anything other than a photograph at large. 

Needing to make up for our bust of a visit, we did what we do best.  We conducted a little retail therapy and purchased a few silk very inexpensive dresses.  Having worked up a slight appetite, we finished the evening ogling over some Australian men not interested in chatting us up but we certainly did our best (that is after a bottle of sauvignon blanc). 

It was a terrific birthday in a beautiful country with a very dear friend.  Next year my 40th will be in Vegas.  All are invited. 

A visit with the Balinese Healer

After an eight-hour deluge and cracks of thunder and streams of lightening, Jill and I awoke to the captivating fragrant of septic.  Our inviting marble designed shower flooded and the toilet would not flush.  With visions of a prior Mexican adventure fresh in our minds, we were delighted maintenance followed by housekeeping made an appearance and restored our five-star accommodations to its original glory. 

The rains in Bali are tropical and mostly short lived but what accompanies the rains is humidity and for me it's deadly.  It's like the weather gods have sucked out every last bit of air for me to breathe.  When we step outside, it takes a few minutes for bodies and cameras to adjust.  Even my camera sheds layers of sweat (condensation from the cold to hot) before it's ready to focus. 

We said good-bye to the lovely smiling and bowing staff at the Oberoi and made our way to the village of Ubud now well known because of a little book and a little movie called Eat Pray Love.  While I of course love fairytales, Jill actually selected Ubud because it's a complete contrast to Seminyak. It's located at the foot of a mountain range amid a tropical rain forest and gardens and rice farms every direction we head.  

As many of you may know, I am a firm believer in acupuncture and Chinese medicine.  It seems when modern medicine fails it's worth trying something - anything new.  On the way to Ubud, we stopped to see a well-respected medicine man named Cok, the "Prince of Nigeri."  Cok is an 80-year-old spiritual healer who I trusted with curing ALL of my ailments.  What ails me you say?  Where to start?

Our new friend John the manger at the Oberoi arranged for us to visit his medicine man in Ubud.  Everyone in Bali has a favorite or "go to guy" as I like to say. Since John is American and we liked him, we figured it was safe.  I felt a bit of angst after I asked our driver if he had seen the "medicine doctor" and he misunderstood and informed me he just sold his motorbike--his only mode of transportation--to pay for his 14-year-old daughter's kidney stone surgery.  In a more disgusted than animated way, he detailed an unfortunate practice here in Bali where doctors require payment prior to surgery (this would be $500 USD) but often take the money and run.   There is no guarantee that the doctor won't abandon the patient and the government is corrupt so no one is held accountable.  Here I was willing to pay $50 to have a stranger heal my supposed wounds and this gentleman is selling off his belongings to help his daughter.   

We traveled by car until we turned into an area tucked away from the main road. Hidden from view and surrounded by bushes we saw our Cok, our medicine man, healing a local villager. Cok conducted his healing perched on an open air, cement 10x10 slab with a thatched roof.  A sisal rug covered the ground and three barking but harmless dogs roamed as protectors.  Cok sat in a rocking chair and there were two tables in L shaped scattered with messy papers and a framed human body with lines and words in another language.  As Jill and I patiently waited our turn, we observed a man from the Netherlands feverishly taking notes and Cok sitting in his chair smoking commenting to our driver that he has an expensive car (Corolla).  Cok had yet to ascertain whether we were big money or big believers and couldn't quite understand why this man was accompanying us. 

I went first.  Sitting with my legs outstretched and my back to Cok, he pressed at certain points on my face, in my ears, on the crown of my head, and into my glands and neck.  Some points were tender; others painful and the rest no bother.  He quickly diagnosed the following:  right sinus issue (true), lymphatic flow issues (maybe), intelligence (of course), worry, fear and doubt (possibly) a problem in my mind (likely) then he asked me to lay down on the sisal rug.  He poked at my abdomen, and "barely" (his words not mine) touched pressure points on my left foot.  The pain bordered on torture.  As I winced and held back tears, Cok explained I was "sick" in these areas.  Pressure points in our feet correspond to various parts of the body.  As if I needed more confirmation, Cok reported that I suffer from a mind trauma, a broken heart and that lethal combination is wreaking havoc on my liver. He also said I have no life balance (possibly) and that he would assist me in creating more harmony. 

The student from the Netherlands stood on my feet, waved his hands like some belly dancing moves and essentially flushed out the bad from my body.  When Cok tested the previously painful spots, I didn't feel a thing.  I was cured.  A glutton for punishment, I pushed my luck and asked Cok if he could fix my foot, the other reason for my visit.  He studied my foot for a moment and then went to work digging into points that were so excruciating I cried out in pain and this time tears of anguish followed.  Cok then took my foot and pounded it on the ground several times.  Let's face it.  I've already spent an exorbitant amount of money at the best doctors in the country what do I have to lose except my ability to walk?

Watching me suffer, Jill was brought to tears.  She said listening to my very real cries of pain were overwhelming.  Since my mom will be reading this, don't worry I can walk.  The sensations in my foot are different than I expected.  It doesn't feel any better or worse but I am hopeful.  If I had let a modern doctor to that to me, I would probably have needed a new foot.  I wanted to trust this man.  I needed to trust him and in a very mythological sense or a spiritual sense I needed to believe. 

After that whirlwind of emotion, Jill followed my session.  She is like the energizer bunny. Again, the perfect picture of health and happiness, Jill suffered no pain or prodding from our healer.  She needs to have her thyroid checked but she is so clearly in a good place that our healer had to repeat thyroid eight times just to fill the time.  I am starting to get annoyed that every person we visit lists a laundry list of my problems and tells Jill she is wonderful.  We laughed.  Jill sensed my "disappointment" that more wasn't wrong with her and said, "I think you want me to have more problems."  (I mean it would be nice to compare notes right?)

Did the medicine man/healer tell me anything I didn't know? I'm 38 years old (2 more hours until my birthday) and I can honestly say probably not much.  I don't like to admit it but I am very self aware but it's fun to travel to Bali and have a healer take a go at figuring me out too.  It seems we are all looking for the secret to success, the fountain of youth, the magical cure, the happily ever after story.  It's faith.    

View from our hotel room - the Ubud scenery 

A Typical Offering left everywhere in Bali 

A Ubud rice field 

Seminyak, Bali - Four days of Lesiure

Continuing to circumnavigate the world (by plane), Jill and I finally arrived in Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world.  Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited) and straddles the Equator between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.  The country shares a land border with Malaysia to the north, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the east and is situated in close proximity to Australia to the south and Palau, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and India to the north.  We are now in the Southern Hemisphere where Monsoon season is a bit behind schedule but more on that later.   

Flying from Singapore to Denpasar, our hotel captain greeted us at the airport with fresh cold towels soaked in lavender.  An hour drive later we stepped out of our car into paradise.  The Oberoi lives on the shores of the Indian Ocean in a town called Seminyak.  Here is a tropical climate where heat and humidity exist year round and you cannot really hide from it. We settled into our humble abode (a spacious thatched hut a mere 30 feet from the ocean) for a four-day retreat.   

According to the latest census in 2010, Indonesia's population of 238 million makes it the fourth largest populous country in the world. It is expected to grow to 265 million by 2020.  The Indonesian economy relies heavily on tourism and exportation of its natural resources such as rice, fruits and vegetables, crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper and gold, plywood, rubber and textiles.  The places most likely to receive these products and major importers of Indonesian goods are Japan, Singapore and the United States.  The World Trade Organization lists Indonesia as the 27th largest exporter in the world. 

Indonesia has always been an important trade route.  The Muslim traders arrived in the 13th Century spreading Islam and then the Portuguese in the 16th Century bringing Christianity and finally the Dutch arrived in the 1600s.  We are staying in Seminyak on the Island of Bali---Island of the Gods---where 93 percent of the population practices Balinese Hinduism, which is a combination of local customs and Hindu influences from India.  This is the only place in Indonesia where Islam is the minority.  Hindu temples are spread throughout the island and people present offerings (marigold flowers) in front of stores, hotels, restaurants, statues of gods etc.  Balinese Hinduism seems to be a mix of Indian Hinduism and Buddhism with a local mix of spirituality, art and ritual. In other words, their religion represents their way of life. 

Tourists from all over the world visit Bali with the Australians, Chinese and Japanese preferring Indonesia shores over most.  There is an enormous expatriate network of people who visit Bali and never leave setting up restaurants and shops along the way.  Seminyak and Katu are such places as modern stores and restaurants have washed away the local influence.  People are buying multi-million dollar villas on ocean front property and calling Bali home.  We have met many shop owners and a few hotel managers (ours included) who took a trip to Bali and never left.  Paradise is appealing. 

Bali is known for its handcrafts, arts and dance.  If I had a truck that I could drive across the ocean, I would fill it with all the beautiful woven furniture and carefully crafted woodcarvings.  That includes some of their brass jewelry and stone carvings. It's not a shoppers dream but it's fun to see the various goods produced here and the influence history and religion play. 

While we mostly lounged near the pool and ocean, dodging mosquitoes and harmful UV rays, we have experienced a bit of the local culture but decided we needed to venture out beyond the 10-block radius.  Sweating like one sweats in a steam room, we visited the Uluwatu Temple, one of Bali's nine key directional temples and an hour drive from Seminyak (at the far southern end of Bali).  This is a scenic spot where the land ends and mountainous cliffs greet the Indian Ocean.  The views were stunning and reminded me of seeing Cape Point in South Africa where the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean collide. 

After skirting the crazy monkeys for a temple view, we watched the Kecak and Fire Dance.  The Kecak is a traditional Balinese dance known as the Monkey Chant.  Basically, 100 men sit in a circle waving their arms and chant "cak...cak...cak," while various ornately costumed characters dared in and out of the circle.  It's supposed to represent a type of battle where a monkey-like Vanara helps Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana.  Others believe it may be some sort of exorcism dance. 

Now back to the Monsoon - and no I did not forget.  It's sort of hard to ignore when each day around 2pm the skies turn an eerie dark blue, the ocean waves swell and the rains arrive.  Blame it on global warming or the gods, the Monsoon season normally from September to November in Indonesia is ever present.  Jill typically more adaptable than I am most days does not appreciate the rains as much as I do.  It provides me with amble time to chill and enjoy Mother Nature.  Since we do not live in a Monsoon area/climate, I thought I would share some of my Wikipedia/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration findings:

·      *Monsoons are actually sea breezes, which occur when the temperatures on land are warmer OR cooler than the temperature of the ocean. 

·      *The imbalances are caused because the ocean and land absorb heat in different ways (water is able to maintain a high heat capacity)

·      *The sunlight heats the land and ocean during summer months (Bali) but the land temps rise much faster.  With warm land temperatures, the gases expand and a low-pressure area develops. 

·      *The tricky part is that the ocean has a more moderate temperature and therefore these sea breezes blow from ocean to land and bring rain. 

·      *Air rises to a higher altitude over land and then flows back to the ocean.  When the air rises over land it then cools and decreases it ability to hold water causing more rain over land. 

·      *In colder month, the cycle is reversed. Since the land cools more quickly than the oceans then the air over land has higher pressure, thereby causing sea breezes at the surface, which flow from land to the ocean. When humid air rises over the ocean (to complete the cycle), it begins to cool, causing precipitation over the oceans.