Afternoon thunder & lightning

Picture this

This was half an hour ago. And now, it's thunder and lightning all around. Creepy, scary....

Morning sunshine

The proof

Is in the pictures, really.

Our "on again, off again" waterfall this morning

Steps from the lobby to the beach

Krabi, baby, Krabi

Krabi 

 "The weather is very off", the resort manager confided in me yesterday. "It should be much drier and much warmer", he said, while it measured a whopping 32 degrees C. We arrived with a monsoon downpour on Saturday and had the daily rainy season shower each day since we've been here. Having said that, though, check out the pics from the past few days. We have nothing to complain about. Nada, rien, niente, zip, zilch.

Earthquake

6.4 Richter scale
I know I said it was my last post in the previous message, but I couldn't help noticing this news item. It's good to be home, yet I'm hoping everyone out there is okay.
__________

Strong quake hits off Indonesia's Bali
AFP – Mon, Sep 3, 2012

A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the Indonesian resort island of Bali early on Tuesday, but there was no tsunami warning and no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The quake's epicentre was at a shallow depth of eight kilometres (five miles), the US Geological Survey said, putting it 278 kilometres south of Denpasar, on Bali. The quake hit at 2:23 am (1823 GMT Monday).
Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

My last post from Bali

Going to Bali?

If you're considering a trip to Bali and you would like to do some sightseeing, this is your man. He knows all island roads by heart, knows all the major sites, speaks English, and will help you put together a program for a day, half a day, or however long you need him. Our experience has been that he'll try to accommodate your every wish, and he'll help you in whichever way he can. You're supporting a good cause if you'll work with him, and I hope you'll help spread the word on this one.

His cell phone service won't allow for calls from abroad, so the best way to reach him is through sending text messages/SMS.

And with that, my dear friends, I will end my travel journal. I'm leaving with over 5,000 pictures on three memory cards, and countless new memories. The latter are the visuals that cannot and will not be erased.

Sayonara,

Frenniepennie 

p.s. Going home to Mr B, woohoo!!!!! Hiephoi! Hiephoi!!!

Eat, Pray, Love

Elizabeth Gilbert's book

My closing comments should be dedicated to this book, as I'm convinced that many girlfriends and wives convinced their significant others to spend a vacation in Bali because they'd read it. (Or, had seen the movie with Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. It actually was showing on HBO one night while we were here). However, as much as I love that book, and even though I think Gilbert did an amazing job of trying to capture the spirit of Bali, it is so much more than that. And much more than the pretty scenery from my blog or the excellent cinematography from the movie.

The people

From the moment I set foot on this island, I've been mesmerized by the kindness and gentleness of the Balinese*. My perception is that much is guided by the main religion, but also by a genuine respect for others, regardless of who they are. You can see it especially while being on the road. Many times, I was convinced we were going to crash into that oncoming car, or hit the family of four on their scooter, but there is none of that. Quite the opposite. Somehow they'll manoeuver until there is space for all, and most of all they show the utmost patience with one another. If someone needs help crossing the street, or backing their car out of the parking lot, a helping hand is found quickly.

*) The people running the immigration office - and lots of other things so I am told - are people from Java, most likely Jakarta.

The setting

I've shown you the pretty sights and scenery, and none of the rest. You have not seen the many shops in all shapes and sizes lining these streets and roads, the sometimes messy architecture of a tourist hotspot such as Sanur or Kuta, the crazy traffic in downtown Kuta, or (thorn in my eye) the roadside garbage one can spot regularly. There's also plenty of shacks, run down or unfinished buildings, and the usual tourist traps. It's all there, but if you look carefully and if you are willing to go beyond the swimming pool of the hotel, there are a gazillion gorgeous sites to see on this island, and there are little picture-perfect gems everywhere.

Famous last words 

So is Bali worth it? To me personally, absolutely. Yet I'm also seeing the flipside of tourism. The yin is Tanah Lot, the yang is the mass tourism that's flooding its premises, with all the good and the bad that comes with it. Our guide and driver won't earn a dime if he has no tourists to drive around, yet he's responsible for feeding a family of four. One of the waitresses in the restaurants down the road told us that her monthly wages are roughly 150USD. It's less when the restaurant's revenues are down. Yet she has two children to send to school. In short: these people would be nowhere without tourism, yet tourism can do so much damage. You decide for yourselves what the right thing to do is, in this matter.

Last evening in Kuta

Sunsets

My favorite. That's why we drove over to the other side last night to enjoy the sunset in Kuta. I realize our trip is coming to a close, and there's so much more that was worth sharing with you. But alas. My iPad only has so much memory left, and with the current tally at over 5,000 pictures..... I rest my case.