This will be where we post funny stuff, as it may be…..
Noah the Model
Balinese internal electrical
Who collects sweat in a can and drinks it?
Boomerangs in Bali???
YESSSSS!!!
Um, what the?
Balinglish…
Pak Paul and Bu Judy get really laid back….
Would YOU eat here?
Saturday June 30
G’day faithful followers!
Today started early (7am) and with the promise of some serious exercise. We headed off, saying goodbye to our temporary digs and stopped soon at a local restaurant for a genuine Balinese breakfast: tea/coffee and Nasi or Mi Goreng! An interesting proposition for Westerners who are used to a very different start to the day! (Yummy though!)
On the way up the mountain we stopped to view and photograph a pack of small monkeys, much the delight of staff and students alike. I decided to play a prank on Vanessa and screech like a monkey and poke her… Needless to say, you could have heard the scream in Australia!!!
We soon were on our way and headed through dusty back roads, littered with potholes and dotted with small family plantations, mainly of coffee.
Our walk down hills, through mud, down precariously placed bamboo ladders was rewarded with the most breath-taking sight that many of us have ever seen, the Forest Falls, a well-hidden, sporadically-visited piece of God’s glorious creation.
I really don’t know how long we were there. One minute we were marvelling at the Falls, the next, most of the group were in the water! I think Noah started it all….
Time flew in the joy of the moment, and suddenly we were slogging our way back UP the hill/mountain (it FELT like a mountain!!!) this was a real test, I can assure you!
A long drive, punctuated by a quick visit back to the breakfast venue, where the kids could handle and get a photo with a snake or bat for 20c, found us arriving at the Kebun resort atop the hills and amidst rice terraces. We were (again!!!) treated to a glorious feast and the use of their beautiful pool for an afternoon of relaxation and fun.
A long drive home saw us finally arrive back at University Dhyana Pura, take our rooms for the next four nights and settle in, ready for a rooftop dinner at 7.30pm. Pak Echo prepared a glorious seafood barbecue feast for us, consisting of smokey barbecue prawns, BBQ’d squid and Balinese spiced fish, complimented by salads and fresh fruit. Plenty of singing (in preparation for tomorrow AND for fun), chat and laughter lasted well into the evening.
Awesome day!
Pak Matt
FRIDAY, JUNE 29
I’m lying on my bed at 7pm, local time, listening to the happy laughter of students as they watch children’s television in their rooms….
The day started with a delicious breakfast at Grandmas hotel at 7.45am, then grabbed our gear, checked out and were on the road by 9am, destination, University Dhyana Pura, Dalung. A fascinating drive, watching overloaded lorries hauling workers, families of five riding a single moped, women balancing baskets of produce on their heads and dodging errant scooters!
45 minutes later we found ourselves at the University, an unassuming white four storey building surrounded by farms and light industry. We dropped our luggage upstairs (dragging our luggage up 3 flights of stairs!), grabbed an overnight bag and scuttled back downstairs.
Pak Paul then proceeded to introduce us to our first real encounter with Balinese ‘Rubber Time’ (for the uninitiated, this is a phrase used to describe the laid-back Balinese attitude towards time, being on time, doing things in advance, or at all!!!). So, with flexibility and a can-do attitude, we headed off to view the famous rice paddies of Bali, and subsequently faced a few roads that made the pot-holed Torrens Valley car park of yesteryear look like a bed of roses!
First stop was a visit to the Subak Museum where we learned all about rice cultivation, irrigation and harvesting, as well as the layout of traditional home compounds. This information came in very handy later as we viewed the rice fields!
We climbed, climbed and climbed some more, certainly ascending a good deal higher than our own Mount Lofty! Once we reached our destination, the view made the ascent worthwhile! It was truly breathtaking and we felt truly blessed to gaze upon the majesty of the Balinese rice terraces.
Lunch was a delicious Indonesian buffet meal at a restaurant called Lambada, with Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice), Bakmi Goreng (Fried Noodles), Stir Fried Tofu, Stir Fried vegetables, Minced Fish with Balinese spices, Chicken in Butter sauce, Black Pepper Beef and Spring Rolls. Delicious!
Another ride, this time to the Botanical Gardens, with a lovely long walk amongst wonderful tropical foliage, mixed in with plants from around the world and some fascinating architecture and sculpture adorning the grounds.
Last stop was to the Rice Temple on Lake Beratan, which was simply breath-taking! Some of the locals wanted photos with us, which was a fascinating change for us! The temple was breathtaking, right on the waterfront: the lake is surrounded by high mountains, shrouded in clouds and many, many, many, many photos were taken!!! On the temple grounds we were privileged to watch a group of local children performing in a Gamelan: beautiful smiling faces, happy laughter and beautiful music!
Onto our accommodation for the night at a Church Retreat site not far from Beratan brings us full circle, and I am glad to report Aaron Learey’s safe arrival.
So, no shopping, but plenty of food for the mind and soul today!
Puk Matt
ADDENDUM
We were invited upstairs for dinner, prepared by one of our hosts: steamed rice, mi Goreng, stir-fried vegetables, chicken satays and friend chicken pieces (not like KFC
…think little pieces about the size of a squash ball, bones and all!). Chicken and Vegetable soup! fresh fruit and fried banana with water, tea and coffee to finish. Wonderful!
After dinner, Pak Sidhi spoke to us about the issues surrounding the Balinese environment and tourism, along with their social implications. Bali faces some enormous challenges as tourism, its very lifeblood, seems to be impacting negatively on Balinese society and way of life.
We then watched a video, showing Bali culture, past and present which proved to be a visual challenge to most of us due to the nature of “traditional” female dress (or lack thereof) of yesteryear!!!
10pm and some very weary kids toddled off to bed!
Salamat Datang!
I hope that this message finds you all well! Well, here goes nothing…
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
It has been a very hectic couple of days, starting with a fairly static five hours on a plane from Adelaide to Denpasar, that passed rather uneventfully, except for a brief fly-over of Uluru!
We landed late afternoon and passed quickly through customs, to be greeted enthusiastically by Steve and Nicole Crocker!
A hectic taxi ride through the streets of Denpasar, which included several near-misses (or so we thought: apparently that’s normal….), weaving in and out of traffic, dodging mopeds and marveling at the seeming anarchy on the roads, saw us arrive in Seminyak at Grandma’s Hotel (yes, that’s its name!).
The weather is pleasant: humid (75%) and warm (27C) but by the time we had dropped our luggage in our tiny, but very serviceable accommodations, we embarked on a wander up the road for dinner.
Don’t believe the hype: this is a serene place, punctuated by the horns of mopeds and taxis where the locals are friendly and cheerful. It truly is a beautiful destination.
We ended up in a local warung (restaurant) and ran into the Hope Valley crew having dinner!
We left the restaurant at 9pm, with the business of the day finally catching up with most of us, and bed calling (we ARE 1.5 hours behind!).
THURSDAY, JUNE 28
A good night’s sleep for some, and a rough night for others, what with the excitement, new beds, travel and the looming hint of shopping today!
8.30am start saw us downstairs and ready to go to breakfast, but quick stops for cash at the local ATMs slowed progress momentarily, but eventually we made it to a small cafe that apparently is the only place in the area that has bread! The locals believe that you have not had a meal unless you’ve had rice, so this was a nice reminder of home. Coffee, pastries, pancakes or eggs were the main fare, but all at very cheap prices by our standards: An ‘American Breakfast’ of two eggs and bacon, small fruit salad, juice, coffee/tea and bread rolls came to around $5AUD.
We jumped into a taxi, heading for the main street of Kuta, to the Bali bomb blast site and memorial. The site of the Sari Club is still vacant, being the site of so many tragic deaths, the locals believe that it cannot be built upon until the site is fully ‘cleansed’.
The memorial to the Bali Bombings was sobering, with so many Australian and Balinese names dominating the list of those lost.
And then the shopping started….
The students (and Priscilla Anderson) had much to learn about haggling/bartering, but most got the hang of it pretty quickly (except Noah…ask him about headphones). Shirts, shoes and many odds and ends were purchased at very low prices, with the students engaging in bartering with gusto!
In our travels we also had the opportunity to see a number of local ceremonies, including a couple of funerals, as we (or they) passed.
We managed to make our way to the beach and begin the long walk back to,Seminyak, refreshing ourselves with frequent stops and walking along the water’s edge.
Eventually we wound our way back to our hotel and tidied up in preparation for dinner, which took place on the beach: an idyllic way to complete a fantastic day! Now to nurse some of our sunburn…
Well, all the planning has been done and we are ready to go!
Be at the airport by 10am!
See you there!
Puk Matt
Tuesday 19 June, 7 pm
TVCS Resource Centre
Latest news & tips:
Salam
Pak Paul and I are looking forward to sharing this special life experience in the beautiful Bali, with the Balinese we have come to love.
Sampai jumpa!
Bu Judy
You might be interested in looking at:
http://www.yesbalipages.com/e-Paper_EdisiJune2012/e-Paper_EdisiJune2012.html
TVCS STRENGTHENS TIES WITH BALI
For several years we have taught the Indonesian language to our primary school students. One of our teachers, Mr Stephen Crocker, is spending the year teaching in a school in Bali and actively supporting programs aimed at alleviating the disadvantages and health issues arising from poverty. Some of our school community are members of Hope Valley Uniting Church which has for 3 years, sent work parties to Bali to build a school and clinic for some of the most disadvantaged in the capital. In just 4 weeks time Paul Clayton will lead a group of 15 students, staff and spouses to Bali for an 11-day “mission and cultural awareness” trip. During their time in Bali they will join Mr Crocker at his school site to learn about his project and meet some of the children in his care. The group will travel to central and northern Bali to experience some of the natural beauty and cultural activity of this interesting island. They will also experience worship with 2 congregations and learn of the history and mission outreach of the protestant Church of Bali, which last year celebrated its 80th year. For about half the trip the team will stay in the accommodation block of the Undhira University at Dalung, a semi-rural town now becoming urbanised as the capital spreads into the countryside. The University is run by a foundation of the protestant Church. Local church and college folk are assisting with the planning and hosting of our visit, so there will be many opportunities to see beyond the tourism facade and see something of the real Bali and its people. The party will return home, but Paul will stay behind to begin his 3rd volunteer assignment as English conversation coach and classroom teacher at the University. Please pray for the team’s safe travels, and for the opportunities they will have to witness and in a small way join in the work that the small Christian church is undertaking in the community which is about 95% Hindu and 35 Muslim.
Bali Travellers – Paul Clayton (group coordinator); Staff – Matthew Tucker, Priscilla Anderson, Judy Clayton, Sue & Trevor Learey; Past students – Rebecca & Aaron Learey; Students – Noah Stormonth, Daniel Learey, Georgia Lawton, Jennifer Brunton, Victoria Smith, Vanessa Lawton & Shefan D’Souza.
Going to the doctors and getting injections… Along with the short sting and numb feeling comes the realisation that our trip is not that far away.
In three weeks’ time we will be off! Only 21 days….
Who’s excited?
Today marks 37 days to go until we fly out! Almost a month!
Don’t forget the sausage sizzle tomorrow: see you all there, supporting Shefan in his fund-raising efforts!
Torrens Valley Christian School 2012 Bali Tour 