While Bali is well known for its wide sandy beaches and great surfing, I wanted to see the black sand so we went to Tulamben to check things out and we got to dive a wrecked US boat called the Liberty that was torpedoed in the 40's. It was really interesting to get to swim over and through such a big ship, 120 m. Because labor is cheap, the diving is without boats, and tourism is down, a two dive day with guide was $50 a person. Fun for the whole family.
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A cool carving I wish I could've gotten home. Might have to make my own version.
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Of course, you have to love the rice fields. It was great to get away from the palm oil plantations and see something like this. We saw all small scale farming, cows pulling plows, vegetable gardens in town, and that sort of thing. And chickens! OMG there must be two roosters for every human in Bali! Do not go to Bali to try to get some sleep. One place we stayed for a few nights was surrounded by roosters who would go off everytime the ferry came in, which was every 90 min with a big Toot Toot in case the rooster warning system failed to rouse you, a mosque in desperate need of an equilizer and qualified sound man at 5 am, followed by some gong clanging and chanting at 6am. But that was only on Sunday morning.
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So with heavy eyelids we left for a very long trip to NZ. After 5 or 6 nights here I can honestly declare WE LOVE IT! Its like Vancouver Island and Alberta and S Ontario all in one little country full of friendly people who wear rubber boots every chance they get. We pulled over to get a meal the other day and the guy says "Tried a lamb shank?" "No" "Here you go." "Any veggies with that?" "No, we just eat meat here." I love it!
I am so glad we made this big trip with the kids, and spent so much time in a place so totally different from what we're used to. Its been about 7 months since Mac and I left home, and 8 for the girls. We had hoped to stay longer here in NZ but 6 weeks will be it before we head back to Canada. Definatley an experience that has changed us all. For Meg she loves everywhere we've been and thinks N Canada is lame. For Mac, he is even more in love with the Yukon than before. For a young fella on the verge of making those kind of decisions that come up when you hit 15 and 16, he is better armed with self awareness and worldliness than I ever was.
Farewell fried rice everyday, hello dairy products!
Mike
