Kuta

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Padang Bai

and day trips

We waited in Kuta for Jan to arrive the next day and for her to recover from the flight from the UK. I had not met Jan before and, as it turned out, we got on very well and had loads of laughs. The laughs began when we picked her up from the airport late on Monday night and she told us that two nice men came up and took her bags, wheeling them through the airport for her. Then she realised they wanted money and she offered them some Rupiah not realising how much it was but they kept indicating they wanted more. In the end she was not sure how much she had paid them but it was her first experience of being fleeced in Bali because she is such a nice person and not mistrusting at all. This is Jan standing outside the Puri Rai Hotel Temple, she is still rather befuddled from her journey and wishing for the sun to come out to rid herself of her old blightly pallor ( nightclub tan)

The top picture is Coral (Cynthia's partner) Thomas, her son, Martha, Cynthia hidden behind Jan at the first official entertaining meal cooked at Rumah Manga. It was yummy too. Thanks Cynthia, Coral and Ketut and also Martha for making me Watermelon Juice 'cos I don't drink. Coral is also a dive instructor for Geko Dive

The second photo is the gang at Omang Omang restaurant at Padang Bai, Matt and Caroline came up from Kuta for a couple of days.

Here is Cynthia and Thomas doing the peace sign. Thomas is very clever and also very cute.

The second photo is of a ferry and its there because Padang Bai is a fishing village and a ferry port to other islands. It is also close to good diving.

I liked this ferry because is is very colourful and, as most of you know, I like a bit of colour. Didn't see a purple one though.

The second photo is people sitting around at the ferry port, it is always full of people and Cynthia told me they hang out there to do business and get work.

Puri Rai Hotel Pool (well one of three) and our room. Picture left is the girl who placed the daily offerings in the hotel. Balinese are mostly Hindu and you can see evidence of offerings all over the place, little baskets of flowers and rice and foliage placed at all entrances. The second photo on the right is of the altar or place for offerings and prayers, they are found in all buildings and in this case individual rooms. Its nice to be blessed each day with these offerings to the gods. In the second picture you can just see the yellow cloth of the altar for our room

People engaging in spiritual practices or entering temples wear a sarong and sash like this girl. For ceremonies the clothes are usually fancier. The second photo is a close up of the altar with the incence burning

Jan said: It gave me the biggest high I've felt since I don't know when!. But it was also very scarey, it being my first time and all!.It was amazing to be swimming with all the sea life in such clear water in the Blue Lagoon,which was only a 5 minute boat ride from Padang Bai. We saw all sorts of different fish and beautiful coral. To name a few, there were star fish, garden eels, trumpet fish, moray eels, titan tiger fish, sting ray, crocodile fish, oriental sweet lips, box fish, puffer fish, lion fish, leaf scorpion fish, sea slugs, big and small neon fish. It was amazing and I can't wait to do it again!. Like I said it was scarey but I felt safe knowing that Coral was always with us he is a very good diving instuctor. Quite an apt name really for what he does for a living, and boy what a job!

Martha said: The first time I went to Bali in 2002 I did an introductory dive. It was wonderful swimming among brilliantly coloured fish and strange sea creatures. I decided to become a qualified diver. This was third time lucky. In 2004 I was smitten by Bali belly. You don't want that in a wet suit! In 2005 I had a chest infection. You can't dive with a cold because the air in your lungs and other air spaces can't get out as it expands when you come up from the bottom and that can cause serious damage. This time the first few dives went well. Jan and I practiced in a swimming pool. We learned how to use the equipment and practiced skills such as swimming underwater without a supply of air so we would know what to do if our air failed to come through the equipment. We also studied videos and books so we could understand what happens to our bodies at depth and how to ensure we are safe at all times. Then the exciting bit. Out of the swimming pool and into the sea.
I had a bit of a panic. Water kept getting into my mask. I thought I'd drown. That first dive the problem kept occurring. Later I realised I was gripping the mouthpiece so tightly with my teeth that the shape of my face changed and the waterproof seal of the mask leaked. I relaxed on the next dive and enjoyed the sights of underwater life.
Jan passed her final exam on the day she left Padang Bai. Congratulations, Jan!! I was one dive behind - at 67 with insulin dependent diabetes I only do one dive each day - no good pushing your luck. My last dive was magic. My son in law, Coral, had a cold. He had very patiently taught us. He couldn't dive so Cynthia went down with me. It was so good finning around hand in hand with her. Our roles reversed. Now she was my teacher.
We found Nemo - a clown fish, saw a green star fish with only four 'legs'. The tiny neon fish were like a mist of blue over the coral. Fish disguised as plants hid on the coral indistinguishable until they moved. Others lay on the sandy bottom similarly camouflaged. I don't think I'll be diving round England - I don't do cold. So my next dive may not be until I return to warmer waters.

I have hundreds of photos but can't show them all here. On my last day Wayan Joker took Jan, Martha and I into Kuta where we planned to spend some quality time with Matthew at Alley Cats. The accommodation wasn't available that night so Martha decided that she and Jan would go back to Padang Bai and went off to hire a driver to take me to the airport and them back to Padang Bai. As we stood at the end of the alley on Poppies II we waited and waited and the man in the transport booth on the corner decided to ask what we were doing there, we told him and it turned out he was from the same company, although Martha had booked and paid elsewhere. He got on the phone and yabbered in Indonesian and yabbered some more and then suddenly he left and then next thing we know he came past on the back of a motor bike with a can of petrol and said something and roared off. Seems the original driver was not going to make it in time for me to get to the airport so he organised another driver who had no petrol. I was a bit oblivious to the extent he had gone to to help me out and as we waited and waited and then along came a barong. No it isnt something you smoke or ride in it is one of those animal things which snaps and drives away evil spirits, it stopped in front of us giving a great photo opportunity but my camera was packed away in locked bags and Jan's ran out of batteries. It just stood and snapped at us until they gave some money to an orphange they were collecting for. Meanwhile, back at the corner of the lane and Poppies II waiting for motor vehicle to take me to airport, our man appeared in a Toyota Kijang with two other chaps all very smiling and happy. He said his friend would ride with the driver to Padang Bai in case he fell asleep on the way back or got lost. It was a bit like a circus but he did get me to the airport on time and Jan and Martha made it back to Padang Bai even though Jan was a bit dubious at the time. I wished I had realised how much trouble that guy had gone to so I could have thanked him. Maybe next time....