Transiting from Bali to Sri Lanka was pretty easy with Air Asia – flight to KL and then a connection on to Colombo, a total of 6 hours flying. Colombo airport is about an hour north of the central city so $30 didn't seem too bad for the taxi ride in. We were met by our Airbnb host Surekha, a lovely lady who spoke with an immaculate English accent. The English were actually the last colonial masters here, from 1815 to 1948 when Sri Lanka gained independence. Before the English it was the Portuguese from 1505 and then the Dutch from 1638 – so I can imagine the poor old Sri Lankans quite like having the place to themselves now . . . Colombo has over 5 million inhabitants and is the capital and commercial centre. To be honest it’s like a lot of big cities – big, bustling and busy and not really our cup of tea (no pun intended). We did a bit or sightseeing of which one highlight was probably the old Dutch Hospital in the city centre. Built in the seventeenth century to look after staff serving in the Dutch East India Company it is now a little haven of shops and restaurants, insulated from the hectic bustle of the city. The interior is impressive – high ceilings with massive teak beams running along the roof – and as we sipped our juices we could imagine patients recuperating in the relative calm and coolness of the building. We travelled most places in Colombo by tuk tuk, which was quite a hair-raising experience. The road rules here must specifically require the use of the horn, and no one follows that rule quite as enthusiastically as tuk tuk drivers. The brake appears to be used as a last resort with the use of the horn preferred to warn other drivers and pedestrians of our passage. When there are three lanes jammed full of traffic and no apparent way through, tuk tuk drivers seem to spot a gap only they can see and hurtle towards it. And amazingly it always seems to come off ok. Our only real near miss was one lady on a pedestrian crossing who obviously didn’t understand the horn rule – this was one of those ten per cent times that the brake was used and Jo and I had to hold on tight to avoid getting deposited on the street. So the upshot of this story is, for those adrenaline junkies out there – forget the amusement park roller coasters and pay about 2 bucks for a tuk tuk ride in downtown Colombo . . . Our other highlight of Colombo was a visit to “Our Turtle Conservation Project” on Mount Lavinia Beach, about 20 minutes south of Colombo CBD. The centre exists to promote the conservation of sea turtles, which are fast becoming an endangered species – their shells, meat and even eggs are in demand and therefore can provide a source of income for local communities. The centre volunteers educate local fisherman and guard the hatching of turtle eggs, ten per cent of which they keep as hatchlings for a few weeks before release to the sea in order to improve their chances of survival. We met one of the volunteers and her very cute toddler Shakira – both of whom had lost their beachside hut in the latest monsoon. Made us realise how much we have to be grateful for . . .
Galle is a very cool spot. Quite different from Colombo – quieter, more laid back and only about 20% of the tuk tuk honking. We stayed in Galle Fort – a walled complex built mostly by the Dutch during the seventeenth century, encompassing around 50 acres of houses, restaurants and shops, every second of which seems to sell gems. Our second floor guesthouse balcony provided a magical spot to view street life – everything from the vegetable man doing his rounds to a photo shoot of some serious canoodling. Strolling round the ramparts was great to experience the sea views and breeze, not to mention another opportunity for people watching. There is such a big Dutch influence still in the town with many street and shop names in Dutch. We visited the 300 year old Dutch reformed church, which was a haven of peace and coolness on that very hot Sri Lankan day. I got a good old session of food poisoning during our stay in Galle and so I stayed in bed for a day and generally felt sorry for myself. Thank goodness for the pack we brought with us from the Travel Doctor in Wellington with a flow chart included to work out what antibiotic I needed. By the next day I was back in the land of the living (well just) and by the third day had my voracious appetite back again. Tomorrow we head to a place called Dickwella (I kid you not) for our 11 day Ayurveda detox session. I have to admit feeling a tad apprehensive – but this trip is all about saying “yes” to things, so here goes . . .
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Anyone familiar with Bali will know that the route from Denpassar airport to Seminyak on Bali’s south coast is basically one big traffic snarled, touristy and busy stretch of humanity. Jam packed – well that’s how it feels anyway. Back in 1963, Bali’s fourth hotel was opened to much fanfare by President Surkano in Sanur. Now tourism makes up 80% of Bali’s economy. Almost five million tourists arrived here in 2016 – which almost doubled the number of 4 years ago. There is no doubt that on the south coast, the infrastructure is straining.
But putting all that aside – right now, Canggu is a beautiful place to hang out. We stayed at Serenity Eco Resort – God we are turning into a couple of hippies . . . We stayed here four years ago and its still a very cool and cheap place. There is backpacker accommodation here but we plumped for the “upmarket” double rooms around the pool at $45 a night. And you get an ensuite and air conditioning for that. Serenity really tries to do things in an environmentally conscious way. An onsite water filter means no need for the usual two complementary plastic bottles of water per day. Permaculture is used in the adjoining field to grow much of the fruit and vegetables served in the restaurant. And sheets and towels are changed every three days. The restaurant is completely gluten free and predominantly vegan. And talking of which I am pretty proud to announce I am still meat free after leaving NZ. A piece of bacon found its way on to my breakfast plate this morning and I do have to admit I looked longingly as it made its way back again to the kitchen. All jokes aside, I am loving eating vege – especially in a place where non-meat meals actually taste great. Jo and I decided to walk along the beach into Kuta for some shopping. We left early in the morning with a cut up pineapple from Serenity’s kitchen. 7km later two sweaty, smelly and bedraggled characters trooped into Kuta’s Beachwalk shopping centre. After having pumped myself up to buy some T shirts, I couldn't wait to get out of the place. Had an awesome breakfast at the Azul Beach Club, a beautiful two story bamboo restaurant on the beach front. And then, as is often the most fun part, a good natured haggle for a taxi to avoid walking 7km back again. I was picked out as the weak link and ended up agreeing to $2 more than Jolanda’s bottom line – which I think I have just about been forgiven for . . . A quick comment about plastic, or more to the point the amount of it lying on Bali's beaches. We noticed this last time we were here and I remember being quite shocked at the time. Well the news is that things may have slightly improved. The mass of plastic seemed to be less, and at one stage we passed about a dozen council workers hard at work cleaning up a section of the beach. The Bali people claim much of the pollution washes over from Java, and I am sure the Javanese say the same about Sumatra. Its still not right . . . I went to a great yin nidra yoga class one evening. Yin basically involves holding a stretch for a few minutes which is good for tight old crocks like me. The nidra part is the best through – you basically lie flat on your back and totally relax each part of your body. Apparently 30 minutes of yoga nidra is the same as 3-4 hours normal sleep. I read that on Facebook so it must be true. One final word about one the characters we met – a German girl called Nadine. Basically Nadine’s first 2 weeks in Bali (out of a total four month trip) has been one chapter of accidents. She was mugged by a passing motorcyclist who stole her bag with all her money, she burned her leg (this time on another motorcycle), injured her foot (I think the other one from the burnt one) and spent two days in bed with food poisoning. Jo and I ended up being her surrogate parents (she is the same age as Danielle). Nadine was quite an earthy laid back character, which is probably a nice way of saying a bit dopey. It was nice to help her out . . . 6 more nights here, then off to Sri Lanka – so excited . . .
May 1st we arrive in Bali Indonesia. As soon as you get off the plane you feel enveloped in the different pace of life that is Bali. No problem finding someone willing to take us in a taxi to Ubud late at night . . . Ubud, the Byron Bay of Bali. Well that’s what an Australian lady from Queensland told us in the pool this afternoon – I wonder whether they call Byron Bay the Ubud of Australia? This was my second time in Ubud and the fourth for Jolanda. Ubud takes a bit of working out. You can spend mega bucks or next to nothing here for accommodation – the trick being, of course, to get that balance of price and what you get for your money just spot on. So for us this time the Ubud Sari resort hit the mark pretty well. Less then fifty NZD per night to stay in a nice room with balcony in a large complex with lush grounds, pool and restaurant. Its actually a health resort so they don’t serve beer – I know that worried me initially too . . . But in Indonesia you are never far from a Warung that will sell you a cold Beer Bintang (the local brew) for about 2 dollars. Our life here has been super chilled. Ubud is touted as the cultural centre of Bali. It really became hot property following the release of “Eat, Pray, Love” which I watched because of Julia Roberts. Anyway, in the movie, Julia Roberts plays this stressed corporate type who takes a year out on a quest for personal discovery – in Italy, India and Ubud, Bali. As a result of the book and movie Ubud has become a haven for Lycra clad people – predominantly female. It's changed the place, and some say not for the better. An article I read entitled “How Elizabeth Gilbert (Julia Robert’s character) Ruined Bali” suggests that the influx of 30 and 40 something women wearing caftans has ruined the area, “making the place they like to party into one big estrogen-fuelled, self actualising yoga retreat.” Well maybe – but there are plenty of different characters around and experiences that range from upmarket spas to back street healers. That's the good thing about Bali – there is a place for anyone here. I cant really talk about what we did because we actually have been doing precious little of anything. Pretty much watching the world go by, sitting, eating, talking, reading. We did intersperse this with bouts of yoga, meditation, massages and jalan jalan (walking) through the busy streets. Met an interesting girl called Ruth on one of our walks – got to chatting and Jolanda ended up attending a Thai massage class on the spur of the moment. We had her round for breakfast this morning and learned more about her life - from Spain and been living in Ubud for over a year. Project managing the construction of a major new resort near Ubud and teaching Spanish online. Such an interesting story and such a warm lovely person. We got heaps of tips about India. Hopefully we will bump into each other again . . . Tomorrow its off to Canggu on Bali’s south coast for a week and a half.
We arrived back from the Grampians for a week in Fitzroy – this time really central and close to the Melbourne Museum and CBD. We had an Airbnb hosted by Naz who we met on our first day. Naz is a bohemian type and very arty – an interior designer by trade. The studio was perfect for us in terms of location and even, curiously, had its own telescope. One slight drawback - Naz is a bit of a dirty bugger. Not a hoover or broom in sight. But hey, what’s a little dirt when you have your own trendy inner city pad? Our days were pretty chilled. Late getting up followed by meditation, yoga, breakfast and more chilling. About noon we emerged on the street for coffee. Such a hard life. A word about Melbourne street art . . . its everywhere you look, well in Fitzory anyway. There are supporters and detractors as you can imagine. Victorian Premier John Brumby called it a "blight on the city" – I am picturing an uptight fuddy-duddy here by the way. There is definite difference here between street art and tagging – the latter being the mindless spray-can mentality and which the Victorian Government has come down on hard – you can expect up to 2 years jail time if you are caught. The kosher street art is in some parts so-so and in others quite astonishing. Overall it just makes Fitzroy look and feel very cool and arty . . . Street art has even made its way in Melbourne’s galleries. Jo and I visited the National Gallery (which was hosting a Van Gogh exhibition), the Ian Potter Gallery in Federation Square (a focus on Australian/Aboriginal art) and the Heide Museum of Modern Art (a former privately owned estate and collection in the northern suburbs). I also went to the opening night of a photography exhibition put on by a friend of Danielle’s in a place called the “No Vacancy” Gallery. Being with Danielle has broadened my experience of eating vegan, which I have to say isn’t tooooo bad . . . I’m reminded of my upbringing – I wouldn’t touch a vegetable unless it was some form of potato and now look at me! The undoubted highlight of vegan eating in Melbourne was a chain called Lentil as Anything – we went to two, one in an old nuns convent in Abbotsford. It’s a not-for-profit organisation where you pay as you feel. There is a suggested list of payments ranging from $20 (where you effectively “pay it forward” to someone else) to zero (where you are encouraged to think about volunteering in the restaurant). The food was amazing and a great people watching experience – everyone from hippy types to yuppies, and some pretty mad ones.
We saw Danielle everyday after her work had finished. Shared a meal and a beer or three. Danielle is working for a car leasing company, which requires her to travel two hours there and back each day. It’s tiring for her, but in just 2.5 months time she is off on her next overseas adventure . . . I think she will use that time to think about the next stage of her life and what that might involve. She has some very cool business ideas.
Fitzroy was apparently Melbourne’s first suburb and reminded me initially of Islington in London – long a working class area but now gentrified and full of younger professionals. If you want to live here be prepared to pay some of the highest rents in Melbourne. Our host Airbnb family were definitely original though – one of the many Italian families in Melbourne. Their TV was massive and had a footy game on when we arrived – now that is real Aussie . . . We stayed in their granny flat out the back. One of my first impressions of Melbourne was the amount of niche shops and restaurants. If you are a vegan you are simply spoilt for choice. I reflected on Wellington which has almost no specialist vegetarian, organic or vegan eating places. Now don’t get me wrong - Wellington has some of the best value/quality cafes and restaurants you will find anywhere in the world. And Wellington coffee drinkers are in seventh heaven. But I feel there is one massive gap in the Wellington market – hmmmmmm . . . Went to one of the Melbourne comedy festival productions in St Kilda on our second night. All about “table 17” at a wedding – the one where all the misfits and unpopular relatives are assigned. Just laugh out loud funny. On Saturday we headed off to the Grampians national park. 3.5 hours drive from Melbourne, which for Aussies is close as . . . To be honest, the majority of the trip scenery was fairly so so. The Australian roading system is really good with a two lane highway just about the whole way, but it does go through some pretty uninteresting countryside. But that all changes big time when you get into the vicinity of Halls Gap. Halls Gap is a very cute town set amidst towering rocky hills. All the houses are set into the bush – our place looking out to gum trees and the mountain backdrop. It reminded me of Sydney’s Blue Mountains. The air is clear and wildlife abounds. Couldn’t believe it when a couple of emus sauntered through the garden like they owned the place. Cockatoos perched on the veranda and admired our morning yoga – not sure what they thought of our downward dogs . . . On my run I passed two sets of kangaroos grazing on the side of the road. Its like one big free-range zoo. Went on two shorter tramps. Despite looking out for snakes – didn’t see any. One really interesting piece of engineering – Parks Victoria offer a specialised all terrain wheelchair which allows severely disabled people to experience the tracks. It looks like a dune buggy with a long grill out the front. Two operators are required – one at the front and one at the back – plus there is an electric motor to navigate steeper and trickier parts of the track. There is a volunteer system for people to act as operators. Very cool. Danielle loved it here. She got talked into morning yoga but drew the line at meditation.
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Richard and JolandaJo and I have decided to give up our work, our house and our lives in Wellington NZ to see the world. Our big adventure started on April 6th 2017 . . . Archives
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