fathers' day

so I spent this past weekend at my parents' house. despite the usual madness, it was nice being home.

I played with puppies all weekend, went out for dinner on Saturday night for my parents' anniversary, and had some yummy french toast on Sunday morning to celebrate Fathers' Day. I would have liked to stay for Fathers' Day Indian buffet, but I had to work at 2 and no one would take my shift :(

stupidly, I dent take any photos of anything worthwhile. I have been taking my K-x with me practically everywhere, but the last time I used it was at the beginning of the month for Mothers' Day.

and since I don't have any photos from this weekend (sorry, Dad), I guess I'll share those.

ahaha, they're going to kill me for posting that first one, but it's just too good.

all in all, I'm grateful to have such supportive parents. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for them. they put up withe through my shy childhood, my awkward teenage years, and my very mixed-up young adulthood. thank you, Mom and Dad for being you, and for letting me be me.

Bali, baby! pt.2

flowers and photos to start off the dance

fighting off an evil spirit

our second (and last) full day in Bali was literally one of the best days ever. after yet another amazing breakfast, Carlee and I packed up some jam sandwiches and hitched a ride to Ubud. Kuta is wonderful, but we wanted to see a tiny bit more of the country before we left Bali. Ubud is still very touristy, and there is lots to do. one of the hotel staff helped us find a non-metered taxi for the day. in the end, we payed $36 between the two of us. 7 hours of taxi service for $36. blown away.

first, we opted for some Balinese dancing. I marveled at the sights the entire way there. I couldn't put my camera down. when I wasn't taking photos incessantly, I was taking in the sites. I was enveloped in this rich culture, and I didn't want to miss a beat. the people, the buildings, the crazy drivers... anything and everything fascinated me. I could definitely get used to Bali.

sun bear yawn!

our driver was extremely helpful. he accompanied us when we payed for our tickets, and showed us where to go. he even played photographer for us once or twice :)  the "dance" was actually a play in five acts, and represented an eternal fight between good and evil spirits. I was in love with the colorful costumes, and the humor that they entwined with the acting and dancing. everything about it was beautiful, and it definitely left me wanting more.

we met up with our driver, and we were off to the Bali zoo. we bought a package that included zoo admission and insurance, and vouchers to hand-feed the animals, a souvenir of our choice, a drink, and an elephant ride. way too good to pass up.

fruit bat freak-out

at first, I thought that this would be an ordinary zoo, but it was so much more. the enclosures were not as restricting to visitors. at one point, we walked by a tiger exhibit, and it was just behind a chain-link fence less than an arm's-length away. I have to admit, I kind of loved it. I could have reached out and pet it if I wanted, but I didn't. that comes later.

hungry much?

all along the way, there were little extra things that we could do for free. we held birds, and tey sat on our shoulders. we swung a fruit bat from our fingers, and it latched onto our dresses, and licked my camera.

while we were waiting for the elephant ride, we used our drink and souvenir vouchers, and then we held a bearcat on our shoulders, held a baby croc (mouth agape - a bit unnerving), and PET A BABY TIGER (see? told you it would come later). oh, did I mention that I love Bali?

and then, the pièce de résistance. the elephant ride. incredible. amazing. breath-taking. it was wonderful. half-hour on an elephant with a very nice man named Dian sitting right atop its head. Budi was the naughty elephant of the bunch. he kept tugging up huge plants with his trunk and eating them, while Dian attempted to scold him.

we roamed around a blocked-off section of the zoo. Budi showed us his home, and even took a dip in a pool with us on top. it made for an unforgettable ride.

literally in love

just riding an elephant,
no big deal

Budi having a swim

by the time we got back to Kuta, we had been out and about for 7 hours, so we headed back to the hotel. after a failed attempt to nap (chalk it up to an exhilarating day), we went out exploring some more. we adventured to a street that we drove through on our way to Ubud, and found some more amazing deals.

certainly not an
uncommon sight

the god of the sea

still unable to tire ourselves out, we had dinner at Dulang for the second night in a row. the laksa was even better than the veggie satay, which I never thought was possible. we contemplated dessert, but wisely opted for beer instead.

of course, upon return to our hotel we ran into the Aussies. we sat with them to avoid a very drunk and vulgar man, and before we knew it, we were on stage belting out I Will Survive (I will never know how they did it. Aussies can be very persuasive). we ended this perfect day with some more Eat Pray Love and a good night's sleep.

Monday morning was bittersweet. we had taken the day off school to squeeze in one last day in Bali, and we were sad to say goodbye. we had until 2 pm (which turned out to actually be noon...oops) to check out of the hotel and head to the airport. we decided that we needed to say goodbye to the city, and walk around one last time.

2 Americans + 6 Aussies

to our surprise, while we were eating breakfast, we noticed the streets were closed down. there was a funeral procession passing through, and tons of people came walking down the streets, carrying xylophones on their shoulders and baskets full of food and other offerings. one of the staff at the hotel was trying to explain to us that all funerals are this elaborate. the details were a bit difficult to understand, but it was very beautiful.

we quickly ate our breakfast and followed the procession down to the beach behind the hotel. the ceremony was so colorful. there were men playing instruments, ceremonial burnings, and gatherings of many people to honor the dead. I wish I had more time in this country to learn about the customs and their way of life.

beautiful beaches

we continued walking along the beach and in the tide for what seemed like hours, but it wasn't long enough. I couldn't believe how much I was going to miss Bali after only being there for 3 days. the rich culture and kindness of the Balinese people really leaves an impression on you.

we passed through the mall, and one last market before heading back to the hotel for a pre-departure dip in the pool. after saying goodbye to all the people that treated us so well, we shopped for some snacks (since JetStar denied us anything for free except a HOT cup of water on our arrival flight), and called a cab. for $2, we made it back to the airport in about 15 minutes and were early for our flight, so we decided to go to Macca's for some Cokes and nibbles.

Indo Maccas > Aussie/USA Maccas

at last, we exchanged the last of our Rupeeah, and then waited at the gate. the flight back was perfect, save for the fact that we got in after 10 pm. my wonderful Aussie parents were waiting for us, and I went home and went straight to bed stayed up way too late admiring and editing photos.

sudah, Bali

I was sad to leave Bali, and I was even sad to only have spent 3 days there, but in the end, I'm so thankful for the experience. I'm thankful for the hotel staff that was so helpful, and for making friends with people we could relate to. I'm so grateful for the people of Bali who treated us so well, and I'm happy that I got to enjoy the beauty of Indonesia for as long as I did. we will meet again, Bali. selamat tinggal, for now.

Bali, baby! pt.1

selamat malam!

the hotel had heaps of beautiful sculptures, fountains, and
tons of beautiful, interesting architecture

note it if you're ever in Bali

Carlee and I had an absolutely amazing time in Bali! three days was not enough time to get to know the city very well, but there's no doubt that I will be back some day.

on Friday, I had a great day at school with the kids. shortly after we got home, my lovely Aussie dad gave Carlee and I a lift to the airport! armed with only carry-on luggage, we made it to our gate and were soon over the sea, headed for Southeast Asia.

EVERYONE in Bali rides a motorbike or
moped. I really wanted to rent one :)

I'm not shy about breakfast portions

the flight was short and sweet, for the most part. once we parked on the tarmac, the pilot said that he made a mistake, and we had to exit the plane with stairs! we caught a shuttle to the terminal and were immediately blown away by the architecture. everything - literally everything - in this country is absolutely gorgeous.

we flew through customs like pros, and with Carlee's expert bartering skills, we caught a ride from the airport to the hotel, where we had our first Balinese meal. Carlee had fried rice and I had snapper with sweet and sour sauce. the only thing better than the beautiful landscapes may be the delicious food.

favorite meal. the laksa was to die for.

parking/road rules don't apply

there was some great live music at the hotel, and we immediately met a group of crazy Aussie ladies who invited us over to their table. we quickly made friends, and they were an absolute blast, and so helpful throughout our trip. we ended up running into them over and over again. the staff of the hotel is wonderful as well. such nice people, and they helped us out with things like transport and bottled water throughout our stay. needless to say, I slept SO WELL after a quick bite and a little excitement. ah, in Bali at last.

satay!

the next morning, we woke up to a beautiful sunny day and a dynamite breakfast. eggs made to order, good. spring rolls for breakfast, good. guava juice, so gooooood. it was absolutely phenomenal. after breakfast, we decided to do what people do best in Kuta- shop. we ventured down the main street, which our hotel was also on, so it was easy to find our way back. I'm not a very good barterer, but we definitely found some good deals. it's also difficult not to be harassed to buy something or to be offered a transport every 5 seconds, because we clearly look like tourists, but we're tough.

"food for the gods." these are literally everywhere - on the street,
on dashes in taxis, on roofs of cars, in every shop and restaurant.

by midday, we had done quite a bit of exploring and it was very HOT out. it didn't take long for us to find the nearest building with air con, and wander around for a while. we stopped by a mall situated in the middle of town, grabbed some cake and smoothies for lunch (we're health freaks, what can we say?) and shop around a bit more.

we were pretty beat, so we went back to the hotel to have a dip in the pool. we, of course, ran into our Aussie friends and another hotel guest recommended a restaurant to us that was a very short walk away. we loved it so much, we ended up going there for dinner 2 nights in a row. after a raging migraine episode (the hotel provided me with some extra-strength Panadol, delivered to our room, which fixed me right up), we went out. Carlee had some very basil-y pasta (I admit I was jealous), and I had veggie satay. my meal was $4. so much food, and such a good deal. have I mentioned that I love Bali?

first Bintangs!

we ended the night with a couple Bintangs at the hotel and some more live music. the hotel even had happy hour, when the Bintangs went down from $2/bottle to $1.50. HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I LOVE BALI? we watched a little Eat Pray Love before bed, and geared up for a very exciting second full day in Bali.

until part 2 - selamat tinggal!

Bali, baby!

tonight is the night! Carlee and I hop a plane in Darwin, fly high over the Timor Sea and land in Bali, Indonesia two hours later. I am so excited! I know that I will miss Darwin, and I wish that Hannah could come with us, but we had to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Bali is only about 1,760 km (~1,100 mi) away from Darwin compared to about 15,900 km (~10,000 mi) from Michigan. chance of a lifetime. I can't believe that I went from never leaving the North American continent in my life, and now I'll be going home having visited two more countries. absolutely incredible.

epic weekend: Saturday

this past weekend was by far the best I've had in Darwin yet. thanks to our willingness to explore and Carlee's expert time management skills (we had an itinerary and everything!) we hit up a few of the must-see Darwin landmarks.

Saturday morning started early with a trip to Parap market. I love going to the market. I make a point to go to the farmers' market in GR every weekend, and going to the markets here really makes me feel at home. the point of the market this week, however, was to find the guy selling hot sauce that we tasted on our very first trip to Parap. we haven't been able to find him for weeks, and our luck didn't change this week. we've been all around to different markets, looking for him. I will find him before I leave!

from there, we walked to the museum. it was a friendly 2.5 km - not too bad. the museum was really interesting, way too good to be free. lots of aboriginal art, and animals native to the NT, but the cyclone tracy exhibit was my favorite. it was so sad to see all the damage it caused and lives it destroyed, but it was so fascinating at the same time.

we also saw Sweetheart, a 5.1 m saltwater croc that attacked many boats on the Finnis River. they wanted to capture him because he was hurting people, but he drowned accidentally. so they stuffed him and threw him in the museum. the NT's infamous immortal croc.

after we soaked up all the air con we could, we ventured out again on a 1.5 km walk to the casino. I spent $2 and won $3 before security kicked us out for not having our passports. really? if the bars accept my Michigan ID, why can't a casino? ah well, we got some free coffee out of it anyway.

once the fuzz gave us the boot, we caught a bus to the wave pool (too far to walk and it was HOT). I honestly did not see what the big deal about a wave pool was before we went (we have one in Michigan that I used to go to all the time as a kid), but it was really relaxing, and we ended up having a lot of fun.

for dinner, Kaye, Roger, Fran, Carlee, Hannah and I went to the wharf. I knew that I loved barramundi since we had it at a Sunday roast, but slap some breading on it and fry it up, and I'm in heaven (how American of me, no?). I also learned that when a burger comes with "salad," it means they put the "salad" on the burger. at any rate, it was such a great meal. I also discovered that I love Cooper's pale ale. no beer will ever replace Michigan beers in my heart (which, incidentally, leads to my bloodstream), but we're getting closer.

after dinner, Fran dropped Carlee and I off at a bar, and we hung out downtown for a while. we met some very drunk nice locals and enjoyed their company for a while before hopping bars and meeting up with Blake. he and his friends Alycea and Tait took us to a club where we had a great time, had a few drinks and literally danced the night away. it was a really great night, and just what the doctor ordered after a long week at school.

camping in Litchfield: not for the faint of heart

I'm so glad that we are using our weekends wisely these days. we went to Litchfield National Park on Friday, and camped overnight. it was fabulous. I might sound lame, but I actually learned a lot. Blake was, of course, the best guide. he showed us all the best places. when we drove in, there were literally termite mounds as far as the eye could see. the one in the photo was at least 15 feet tall, and very skinny. the termites build them that way so they get the least amount of direct sunlight possible. ah, evolution.

Cascade falls

our first stop was Cascade Falls. we hiked UPHILL for what seemed like forever. the sound of the falls alone was almost enough to make me jump with joy (though jumping would be quite impossible because my legs were JELLY at this point). all the sweat and misery was totally worth it. we changed into our bathers and climbed over slippery rock after slippery rock to reach the falls. as soon as we sat down under the water, we realized that our hands were covered in little bitty leeches, but we couldn't be bothered. the falls were amazing, and it was most welcome, leeches and all, after all it took to get there.

just hanging out on a waterfall, no biggie

Wangi falls

next, we visited Wangi Falls, which we couldn't swim in due to the presence of the very elusive snapping gecko. they were beautiful from afar, anyway. we had the opportunity to hike to the top of the falls, but it was quite a long way. at least is was for someone like me (aka terribly unfit).

we had a lunch break before hopping over to Buley Rockhole for a swim. there were TONS of people, and it was such a great spot. the water was cold and deep enough to swim around a bit. I could have sat there all day, but we didn't want to wait long enough for the mozzies to attack, so we went back to camp. it was here that I discovered that I had gotten a slight sunburn. a bit of lotion, a lot of water, and a couple Panadol, and I was right as rain.

home sweet campsite

Florence falls {photo © Carlee}

at the campsite, Blake cooked up some snags and steak for dinner. so delicious! I swear, food tastes so much better over a campfire after a long day of hiking and swimming. we chatted and had some beers for a while (mozzie-free!) before calling it a night.

the next morning, I woke up bright and early to the smell of breakfast cooking, and Hannah and Carlee woke up soon after. once again, a fantastic meal. bacon and eggs never tasted so good.



standing on a rock! {photo © Carlee}

soon after breakfast, we packed up camp and headed off to Florence Falls. this was my favorite spot by far. two waterfalls emptying into a huge rock hole. the swimming was perfect, and the company was wonderful. the girls and I swam out under one of the falls and jumped off the rocks, and had a ball. I could have stayed there for days on end.

after a couple hours of swimming, we moved on to Tolmer Falls. there was a viewing platform, but no swimming, because they are protecting a cave where endangered bats live. we spent a while taking in the last leg of our Litchfield trip before heading home. Blake stopped for petrol and surprised us some freeze pops which were just what we needed after basking in the heat all weekend.



Tolmer falls, photo © Hannah

I am so excited that we finally got to go to Litchfield (thanks to Blake)! I only wish we had time to visit Kakadu during our stay. it's much farther away, and much larger and more remote. for now, Litchfield will do. despite the sunburn, and having more flies in my face than I care to acknowledge, this weekend couldn't have been more perfect.

I couldn't keep my camera away from all the beautiful rocks we saw in the park, so here are a few photos. I was also amazed how plants and trees grew straight out of the rocks! incredible.