Bali

There is a lot to tell you about my trip to Bali. Thus, I spent a while trying to decide if/how I would break it up and have decided to do it in a somewhat chronological fashion. This first entry will be mainly about my first 11 days there.

To start I'll just say that, as per usual, it was the people I met throughout the time traveling that made my trip memorable. The great surf and gorgeous setting in Bali were simply the backdrop. I had a 15 year old Lonely Planet guide for Indonesia with me (which to my amazement still helped a lot), and was struck with a new word while reading it on my flight. "snapshot friends" are like-minded people you encounter while traveling who have the potential both to change your course and impact you life in a positive way and make traveling memories with you.
Bali gave me a great 3 week vacation; but more importantly, it gave me some of the BEST snapshot friends anyone could ask for. Some of which I wholeheartedly hope to see again soon.

First and foremost, Cat.
I arrived late afternoon to Uluwatu...my expected 'home' for the next few weeks. I was stunned by the surf and beauty and sat there watching the surfers come in as the sun set.

In a mesmerized daze I almost missed my name being called. I looked over and in the distance was a table of people drinking beer. I thought, 'this must be a mirage', but it was real! My next door neighbor whom I had met only hours before was yelling at me to come over and have a beer with 'the gang'. I obviously did not argue and thus began several important relationships. Namely, Catherine, a French Canadian who lives in Bali.


Cat designs jewelry and sells it to Canadian stores but pays a fair wage to the women on Bali who make it for her. Therefore, she is in the process of beginning a fair trade project here. She is so giving and is one of those people I meet who makes me want to be a better person. After spending a few evenings post-surf on the Uluwatu deck drinking beers with her, Catherine offered a room to me in her home for free. And so I lived with her for my first two weeks there. Not bad, eh? (This reminds me, with all the Aussies in Bali, I started saying 'eh?' again. How embarassing!)

In order to pay Cat back, I offered to teach her how to surf. (you know what they say...those who can't do, teach) This was how we transported ourselves and our boards in our search for the perfect wave...or at least one we could stand up on.

I quickly developed a daily routine of eating banana pancakes (for less than 1$CDN), reading, surfing and then watching the sun set with Bintang (the local beer) in hand.



Ulu watu and the area beaches were a great place to surf, and an equally great place to hang out before and after. But every once in a while I left the safety of The Bukit (southern bump of the island where most of the surfing is) and braved the traffic and aweful diesle fumes. Here are a few pics of me being a geek and taking pics of myself while Cat drove us through the chaos.



And this is where you fill up the gas tank. A Bali gas station: Absolute Petrol.