Bali and beyond

Unbelieveable even to me, I haven't posted since August 22nd. So, what have I been doing for the past two months? I saw friends from home on numerous occasions... traveled Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia...suffered several health issues and injury...and experienced Highs and Lows that are inevitable and unexpected with long-term traveling.

Rather than recount this lengthy period of time, I'll give you some highlights as well as some observations after having traveled for six months. Yes, October 10 marked the six-month departure date. I have to wake up in 5 hours at 4:30am tomorrow to leave for Myanmar. I'll be there for two weeks and promise to get you up to speed when I return to Bangkok on Nov 2. As a sneak preview, I'll tell you that I'm headed to Delhi, India on Nov 10 and plan to spend two months or so traveling India.


Kuta, Bali

Served as my base as I traveled Indonesia. My new buddy Ketut manages the guesthouse that I repeatedly called home. Again, staying in one place and getting to know the staff affords privileges. By the end of my time in Bali, I was receiving a discounted room rate, special travel options and local connections in other parts of Bali. Dan and Luis, friends from Chicago, who are working in Penang Malaysia and Singapore, joined me in Bali to celebrate my birthday! Ketut provided transportation and joined us for a sunset dinner on the beach...complete with a personalized birthday cake. We spent the rest of the weekend on the beach, did the Chicken Dance at a chic Harley Davidson club, had a few drinks at a posh bar that offers Bungi Jumping. This was also the first time I stayed in a hotel rather than a guesthouse. It was a nice place but after four months of backpacker rooms, it felt like a Four Star palace. I'm sure it sounds funny but it's true. As I waited for my friends to arrive, I jumped on the bed like a four-year-old, had a dip in the pool and then found a seat at the pool-side bar to await the arrival of the first familiar face from home. A great weekend and a memorable birthday in Bali. Whatever will I do next year to top it?

Ubud
Amazing experience when I spent a day in a Family Compound helping them prepare for and celebrate a national Hindu holiday. I was picked up on motorbike at 7am and spent 6 hours helping prepare the traditional meal, Lawar...we made both pork and duck versions...as well as pork dumplings. Using traditional well-used wooden tools, I grated roasted JackFruit and Papaya. With a machette, I chopped baked coconuts. With a crazy knife, I minced pork. And to top it all off, they elected me to pour the (about 1 gallon) vat of pigs blood into the pork mixture which acts as the congealant when baked in banana leaves bound with bamboo. Most people who know me know I have a difficult time with "mushy" textures, but even so, I dug in with my hands (without gloves) to mix the blood and the meat mixture together. As the matriarch of the family added the secret spices, we cleaned up the area to prepare for the feast. By the way, the secret spices are even a secret to the rest of the family except one woman who is to carry on the tradition when she passes away. We then sat around on mats on the ground eating with our fingers.I couldn't pronounce or keep the names straight of all 20 family members, but it was a magical day and I felt blessed to be made to feel like a part of their family.

One night I attended a traditional Balinese dance performance consisting of eight different acts. Another night I attended a different performance featuring close to 100 men chanting and dancing around a fire pit. My stay in Ubud was shorter than I anticipated when I realized I had acquired a harmless but somewhat uncomfortable stalker-type guy. On my third evening, I sat down at a table with a couple and pretended that I had previously met them in order to strike up a conversation so that I could avoid being left alone with "the guy". Turns out they and another girl (all American) were headed back to Kuta the next day so I joined them in order to avoid a stalker situation.

Two of them were on leave from working with the government in the Middle East and treating themselves on this particular trip. She upgraded to the Presidential Suite at a posh resort and insisted I stay with her. After two days of laying by the pool, ordering room service, watching movies and a little shopping, I returned to my guesthouse where Ketut had a room waiting for me. Ihad planned to spend the last two days attempting to surf but the weather and waves did not permit anyone to be in the water. And my Visa dictated that I must leave on July 25...or go to jail.


Singapore
The plan was to spend a few days at my friend Luis' house, see the city and move on to Malaysia. My timing of needing to get to northern Malaysia changed so I decided to spend a few more days since I had the comforts of a home, thanks to the hospitality of Luis. That plan then changed when I became very ill. The doctor thought I had Dengue Fever or Malaria. Tests indicated negative but that I had some severe viral body flu. So I spent 5 days in bed and ended up being in Singapore for close to two weeks. A beautiful ciy with much to see but very expensive. Luis and I then headed for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 5 to meet up with Dan (living in Penang) for a weekend of fun.

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I trust you all are happy and healthy. I promise to return soon and fill in the gaps.

Be inspired. Allow yourself to laugh. See your surroundings through a wide-angle lens.