Terra and Scott RTW

A quick note to all with a slightly premature Thanksgiving wish and a few thoughts.

It is easy to get caught up in the “stuff” we all deal with in our day to day lives. Having been there all to often, I wanted to share just a bit of “real” life in Bali. It is beautiful, yes. And the people are wonderful. Life in Indonesia, however is not as wonderful as most tourists see it.

-the minimum wage in Indonesia was just increased this year to $81…per month
– this wage increase is really fictional as no-one is really “required” to pay that amount
-the recent increase in fuel costs (over 100% increase in some areas) has driven the cost of living up well past the wage increase
-in speaking with some of the local citizens, we are beginning to understand that education is NOT free. At any level. Although the equivalent of K-8 is said to be free, it is not widespread.
-Indonesia is thought to be one of the most corrupt governments in the world with reports of pocket lining so widespread that it is almost not considered corruption. it is simply the way it is.
-the second bombing has clearly had a big impact on the economy of Bali. Occupancy rates at hotels are being reported low and it is a common knowledge that the report rates are lower than the actual rates.

As I said before, the Balinese people are wonderful. They are deeply religious and have a wonderful culture of dance, music, painting etc. Despite all of the things that we would find quite troubling, they smile and are thankful for what they have.

We too are thankful for the wonderful family and friends that we have at home.

We have been in Bali for 11 days now and have traveled all over the eastern/northern region. Today is our 4th full day in Lovina and we are getting ready to travel to Ubud via scooter. As Scott mentioned before most foreigners visiting Bali steer clear of actually renting a scooter. There seem to be multiple reasons to avoid driving in Bali I thought it might be helpful to list a few.
1.) There are numerous drivers on every corner yelling “transport” that will take you to the moon and back for “cheap price”.
2.) The roads are extremely narrow and windy especially through the rice terraces and mountains, actually, more like two bike lanes put together.
3.) Balinese drivers are crazy! There seems to be no rhyme or reason to driving in Bali and miraculously traffic just seems to just flow…oh maybe one obvious rule everyone has the right of way.
4.) As Scott mentioned…very difficult getting a drivers license.
We have seen some amazing sites while driving our scooter. For example, whole families on there way to work & school sharing a single motorcycle. On our way to Amed I saw a young woman balancing 15 trays of eggs while driving…she could barely see over them. They seem to transport everyone and everything, including 50lbs of rice and 30 ft bamboo pools.
Incredible!
In spite of these obstacles, Scott has learned to maneuver us over the island amazingly well…i’ve resigned myself to biting my tongue, closing my eyes, and holding on.

As we drive through some of the more rural areas it’s almost comical to see many of the villagers looking up in surprise as they see an American…he is extremely fair complected…riding a motorcycle. They almost always smile and wave while the children run after us yelling “hello”. I on the other hand could possibly pass for some variation of Indonesian except my shorts/tank tops give me away. Traditionally Balinese women don’t wear shorts…or show knees & underarms. I’ve experienced more men checking out my kneecaps 🙂

We have truly had an amazing time riding through these villages and I feel it has given us an accurate perspective of everyday life in Bali.

Things I will never take for granted: warm water, clean towels, air conditioning, ice cold beer, and fresh water swimming pools!

I am not being soft… just a new found appreciation.

Made it to Amed, which is the name of both a small village and the string of villages it is part of. Amed is on the Eastern tip of the Island and is known for its great snorkelling and diving.
The landscape in Amed is very different than the parts of the island we have seen so far. It is very arid. Hot, dusty and not tropical at all. Quite a contrast to the southern tip of the island. It is also in the shadow of Gunung Agung.

We can attest to the beauty of the coral and the fish as all three snorkelling excursions we took were wonderful. The first two excursions were only meters from the beach and accessible to anyone who could swim a few feet into the water. Our first trip was right off the black sand beach across the road from our hotel in Lipah which is just down the road (east) of the villages of Amed and Jemeluk. To get to the water we had to cross a dirt field that was inhabited by a few people but mostly chickens, cows, goats and dogs. This spot had no coral but did have a wide array of very colorful fish.

The second spot was further southeast and across from a hotel called Eka Purnama that is apparently run by an American. There is a Japanese “shipwreck” about 10 meters off the coast. It is well marked and hard to miss if you are headed there. There is also a small “warung” (diner) called Maharasta directly in front of the dive site. The “shipwreck” is more like a dingy-wreck but was still very cool. Several meters west of the shipwreck is a couple of small coral reefs. Also really beautiful.

We made arrangements with one of the many boat captains strolling the beach to take us snorkelling the following day to a small Gili (island) about 20 minutes away. The captain, his gilligan and the two of us found our way to some of the most beautiful coral I’ve seen. The fish were also amazing. To see, up close, the almost fluorescent colors of some of these plants and fish is stunning. Having not snorkelled often, Terra and I were thrilled with the experience.

We can also highly recommend our hotel. Tresna Yoga is located in Lipah on the hill side of the road as you are headed southeas away from Amed. It is directly across from the White Sand Divers shop and the Vienna Beach Bungalows. This hotel was designed and built by the Managers brother and is really a cool structure built into the side hill. The vegetation was beautiful and the staff was very personable. We stayed at Tresna Yoga for three nights. During that time, we ate some of the best food of our lives, experienced great snorkelling and visited with some truly wonderful and gracious people. We hope to return some day.

The next stop…Lovina (the north coast area)

We rented a scooter from a spot down the street from Flashback. Not sure if I got a great deal or not but $6 USD seemed good enough. I was not allowed to get a Car permit for some reason so it made our choice between a car and a scooter that much easier.

We left Sanur about 10 am with two daypacks, two helmets, 8 crossed fingers, our bible, a Rosary (we’re not Catholic), a statue of Budha (nor Buddhist), a four leaf clover and a few other items to bring us good luck as we entered into the fray.

Headed east out of Sanur along the southeastern coast through many villages include Klungung and Candidasa. Pulled over in Candidasa (pronounced Chon-dee-da-sa) at a little place called Lotus restaurant. had no idea what we’d gotten ourselves into as it was the first spot we saw after we determined that we were starving.

turns out to be an unbelievable veiw of the ocean, sitting poolside. Had a wonderful lunch and headed out. Our destination was Amed which is a string of small villages of along the Northeast coast.

Stopped in Tirtha Gangga to see the famed Water Palace. very beautiful, pictures to come. Made our way through many stunning rice fields all the time in the shadow of Gunung (Mountain) Agung. G. Agung is the highest peak on Bali. It is also an active volcano that last errupted in 1963. It is about 3200meter which I estimate to be 11K feet??? Still having a hard time with the conversions 🙂

Decided to rent a car/scooter to see the island. Even though the traffic seems crazy (driving on the wrong side of the street, steering wheel on the wrong side of the car, hundreds of scooters and cars combined going at high speeds, no apparent traffic laws) we thought we’d give it a shot.

First decision was whether or not to get a drivers license. FIRST TRAVEL TIP IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON DRIVING IN ANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES: GO TO YOUR LOCAL TRIPLE “A” (IN THE STATES) AND GET AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT.

I failed to do this so I would either have to risk getting pulled over ($200 USD fine for no license) or figure out a way to get the license. Surprise, surprise, I took the less risky route and went to get the license. First, let me say that this wouldn’t have been at all possible if it hadn’t been for Peter at Flashbacks. He took me into Denpasar on his scooter and sheparded me through the process AND IT WAS A PROCESS! I must admit that it wasn’t too different from the DMV in the states. Lots of people milling around waiting for something to happen. Not really sure where to go or what will be asked of you once you get there. “Officials” who don’t seem to intent on making things happen more quickly etc.

One big difference…the price is negotiable. there are no posted fees for anything and the amount you pay for your permit is based on how well you negotiate with your official. Again, thanks to Peter, I got off easily. Only cost me $22 USD. Not sure how much of that went into the pocket of the officer but I would guess it was $15 or so. It was not uncommon for me to see an official take money from a patron and put it squarely in his/her shirt or pants pocket. Such is life in Bali. It is not corruption, it is simply the way things work. And they do work. I was able to get through the process in a few hours and left with my permit in hand. It is rare that this happens. Usually you must submit your information one day and pick up the permit (motorcycle only) the next.

Needless to say, I was bushed after this process so I promptly retreated to the pool at Flashbacks and relaxed with beer in hand for the rest of the day. I’m getting tired thinking about it. Better go lie down.

Hard to pick a starting point but here goes.

Took a taxi into Kuta the other day. This is the “main” tourist part of the island. it is very busy, and quite western for a small Balinese town. Starbucks, HardRock Hotels etc. You may remember that Kuta has been the main focus of the bombings over the past few years. We didn’t notice any slow down in the economy because of the most recent bombs but this is our first time here so our fram of reference is limited. Most people have said that the slow down has been minimal compared the first bombing. good thing.

Kuta is not our favorite part of Bali by a long shot but it does have beautiful beaches and great surfing apparently. If you want to get a Grande Decaf Vanilla Latte, and a Big Mac, you definitley can. Tons of shops selling stuff at “good price.” You can get a collared Polo shirt for a few bucks. Lots of arts, crafts, sarongs etc. Also great furniture and other large items (rugs, statues…)

Did have a great lunch here. The food has been wonderful in Bali!

Have spent most of our time roaming around Sanur.

We made it! After a loooong trip out that included a 24 hour delay in L.A. we made it to Bali via Hong Kong. Terra and I were a little nervous about the 15 hour flight to Hong Kong followed closely by the 4 hour flight to Denpasar but it wasn’t as bad as we expected. Cathay Pacific was a very good airline with…hold on to your hat…good food. I know, we were shocked as well. They provided us with a travellers pouch which contained a toothbrush, toothpaste and the ever popular pair of tan socks. Of course, Terra’s feet were cold so she used them. perfect.

The first thing I noticed when we landed in Hong Kong was a (here is comes Andy) Starbucks. Never too far from home. We had to stop and get the mandatory latte. We did pass on the sausage roll however. Hong Kong’s airport is quite possibly the nicest I’ve seen. Very clean lots of vegetation and a very dramatic view out the massive windows. We are excited to return to HK as it looks beautiful.

So, onto Bali. The guest house we have been staying in is absolutely wonderful. It is called Flashbacks and is in Sanur, a town on the southern part of the island. I will add the link to Flashbacks later but let me just say that I can’t imagine a better place to stay on the island for the price. In fact, I’m not sure there is a better place to stay regardless of price. The owners (Jan and Peter) are a delightful Oz couple and we have had the pleasure to meet several other guests from various spots around the world including Holland and even a couple from Seattle.

We have spent the last few days getting acclimated and relaxing by the pool/beach. It is very easy to do as our guesthouse is only a 5 minute walk to the beach. The beach in Sanur is nice. There are many eateries, bars and vendors that line the boardwalk along the beach. We have noticed that the “vendors” who are selling massages, hairbraiding, watches, carvings, tours etc seem to be quite…persistent. We are not sure if this persistency is related to the recent bombing and subsequent economic downturn but it has been a little much for us. Most of the time we can simply smile and say “no thank you” but several vendors don’t seem to understand and will stop you or even walk with you until they are sure that you meant NO. Oh well, small price to pay.

The weather has been great. Of course, quite hot. the humidity will take some getting used to. I’ve got for a jog the last two days and have found my lungs are not used to the thick air.

Just a taste of our first few days.

One of the things about this trip that I have struggled with is knowing that I wouldn’t be around for the birth of my brother’s first child. He and his lovely wife Lisa were due around Thanksgiving. Figured we’d miss it by about a month. Well, wouldn’t you know…Jeff and Lisa welcomed the newest addtion to the Thomas family yesterday!!!

I’ll save all of the statistics and pictures for a later email (I forgot to ask size, weight etc) but wanted to share the great news with all of my friends and family. Mom, Dad and Baby are all doing well and expect to be released home in the next few days.

Terra and I want to let Lisa, Jeff and Pressley know how much we love them and look forward to seeing them in a year.

CONGRATULATIONS!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

This has been the $64,000 question! We’ve done a bunch of research, asked a lot of questions and taken plenty of verbal suggestions. As opposed to debating RTW packing philosophy, we will simply list the stuff that we left Portland with. This is not to say that any of these items won’t get shipped back home or end up being gifted to the locals we meet along the way. We keep reminding ourselves that our first destination (SE Asia) also happens to be where most of our stuff is made so…we can always buy it over there at a fraction of the U.S. price. With the risk of sounding like a commerical and a label hound, I’ve shared the brand and purchase location for those of you readers who may be planning your own trip.

Scott’s List

1) 85 litre Jansport backpack. I recieved this as a gift a few years ago and haven’t used it a single time. I’m an expert backpacker:).
2) Two pairs convertible travel pants. one green, one light brown. Both are North Face. Got one on Campmor.com and the other at a great travel store in Troutdale, OR called…darn I forget.
3) One pair thin navy blue linen pants to be “dressy”. I have had these for a few years. think I got ’em at the world famous travel store The Gap.
4) one pair blue cargo shorts. these too are North Face and I got them from Campmor.com
5) one swim suit with liner, doubles as running shorts – khaki. Columbia brand, from the same great travel store in Troutdale, OR.
6) one pair chaco sandals – blue. Hand me downs…Mr. Rice gave these to me at a cut rate. Thanks Rice I love ’em.
7) one pair low top, hiker/runner (gore tex). Merrell XCRs. Sportsman’s Warehouse in Boise, ID.
8) 2 pair SmartWool blister resistent socks (low cut). REI. two pair Wright Sock anti blister running socks. GI Joe’s.
9) 4 pair underwear. I went with the REI quick dry, wicking, boxer brief – leopard skin pattern
10) three Dri-fit type tee shirts (solid colors). Collected them over the years. Nike and Adidas of course, we live in Portland.
11) one long sleeve Dri Fit shirt – grey. Nike.
12) one collared Ex-Officio short sleeve camp shirt – multi colored. GI Joes in Portland.
13) one light cotton, collared, short sleeve shirt – multi colored. not sure. I think I bought it in San Diego.
14) one pair (top and bottom) thin capilene base layer. Had for a few years. Patagonia.
15) black, light weight, waterproof jacket. Adidas. Thanks J.P. . Got it out the outlet store for next to nothing.
16) light waterproof pants. Helly Hansen. My golf rain gear, had them for years.
17) one fleece jacket – black. North Face. present from my lovely wife several years ago.
18) one ball cap/one collapsible floppy hat. standard hats.
19) one waterproff pack cover – got it at Campmor.com. one size fits all.
20) three bandannas. to wear around my leg when breakdancing.
21) emergency waterproof parka. $4 at REI
22) bought several of the Eagle Creek “separators” they allow me to jamstuff into little cubes to keep them more organized. I originally thought they were a waste of $$ but have come to dig them.

Terra’s List:

Terra is pleading the 5th on this one. She is only happily admitting to taking ONLY one pack. She went with the 25 inch Eagle Creek Switchback. This is a really nice travel pack that came highly recommended (Andy and Joe, Willie and Mel).

OTHER items

Shaving kit items: have this in the main pack. also have a mini version for air travel. I had to buy a new one as my old one is being used for the first aid kit. I went with the Eagle Creek Sport model. Because I’m sporty.
1) deodorant
2) toothpaste/toothbrush
3) floss
4) chapstick
5) eye drops
6) tweezers
7) nail clippers
8 ) shampoo
9) soap
10) razor, blades (no shave cream), using soap until further notice. Got this one from my friend Sow.
11) little mirror. it came with the case 🙂

Air travel pack: this is just my CamelBak loaded up with air travel gear. Not sure what model the Camelbak is but it is several years old. mid sized

1) Digital Camera: Cannon powershot SD 100 Elph. Great little camera.
2) memory cards. wasn’t exactly sure how to handle this one. I’ve got three cards. 520MB, 256 MB, and 64MB. I’ve got one in the camera and the other two for backup. I’ve been told that we should be able to take the card into intenet cafes and they’ll burn the pictures onto a CD. We’ll make copies and send them home.
3) One backup battery for the camera
4) pens
5) mini first aid kit: one of the thin ones that you can get at most stores. 33 pieces.
6) a few ziploc bags. You never know when you’ll want to eat the rest of your burger. perhaps at the Louvre.
7) Wet ones. (Thanks Fuller) For when you have that not so fresh feeling. Had it yesterday in Dallas.
8) toothbrush, mini toothpaste
9) mini deodorant
10) exederin
11) Ambien
12) Airborne
13) Hand sanitizer
14) playing cards. regular size. I reserve the minature cards for playing poker with Symms, Rice and Pierce.
15) i-pod
16) Journal
17) Magazines/books
18) I also bought a small PacSafe brand mini-carrying case. these have the built in wiremesh anit-theft system. We’ll keep the “valuables” in this. It is small enough to fit inside the CamelBak.
19) head lamps

First Aid Kit

A disclaimer: Terra is a Nurse so…

1) Malaria pills (Doxycycline)
2) Ciprofloxacin
3) Omphalia 11 & Patrinia 7
4) Tamiflu – I really have no idea what any of these do. I just hope I’m taking the right ones
5) sunblock
6) anti dia you know whata
7) vaseline. protects minor cuts, scrapes and burns. Says so on the tube.
8) Hydrocortisone cream.
9) more hand sanitizer
10) neosporin
11) waterproolf first aid tape
12) water purification tablets
13) surgical scissors
14) Zymar
15) super glue
16) mini sewing kit. in case I have to go Rambo on myself after falling 300 feet through trees and what not.
17) Sharpie with duct tape wrapped around it 1/4 thick. Saw this idea on line.
18) lidocaine cream
19) sterilized q-tips
20) mini roll of Charmin
21) a bunch of different sterile dressings. eye pads, alcohol pads, insect sting relief pads, iodine pads, landing pads etc
22) big bandaids
23) surgical gloves
24) first aid masks
25) more Wet Ones
26) dramamine
27) Instructions on how to use all this stuff

Special thanks to Toni and Dave who got Terra and I great multi-purpose tools to use as well. We love them. Carpe Mundum!

Well that’s it. By the way, I promise never to write a Blog entry this long again.

Well, yes! We just quit!!

I’ve got to tell you, we were really nervous about quitting the jobs. As you might imagine, telling your boss that you’re done is not an action that is easily retractable. I talked myself in and out of making the dreaded phone call about ten times.

As with most worries in life, once they happen, they aren’t nearly as bad as you thought they’d be. This was definitely the case here. We were both thankful that our respective employers took the news well. Both companies said they were sad to see us go (certainly for Terra but I think my boss was just being nice) and wished us the best.

We wanted to say thanks to Matt, Helga, Karen, Matt and Sarah for the support. It really has made a big difference for us.

Counting down the days until departure. We leave next Tuesday night (18th).