• Good Morning Calgary!

      26 février, Canada ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

      We ending up spending an extra half hour on the tarmac after we landed, but ... we experienced another 'first' while we wearily waited for our bags to arrive at 11:00pm last night. We bought a few things so we expanded our carry-on bags and checked them on the way home.

      My suitcase was the very FIRST bag that tumbled down onto the baggage carousel when the turnstile started buzzing last night. And, now we know why!

      It was the first one off the plane because it was likely the last one loaded! It turns out it had been searched at YVR for security violations! I can't be sure, but I'm thinking it might nave been the black sand we brought back from Bali that stirred up their suspicion! They let me keep the sand though! 🤔

      I caught a wee bit of the sunrise as we opened our peepers after our short, fast but amazingly sound sleep last night. The bright, sunny blue sky welcomed us back to Alberta today! ☀️☀️☀️

      As we driove home on the Red Arrow, I found myself feeling extra gratitude for the gift of being born in Canada. Travel always stretches perspectives in the most meaningful ways, but this trip reaffirmed how privileged we have been to be born here.

      There are many wonderful things about Koh Samui, Thailand and Bali, Indonesia that I am going to miss ... but .... I would never want to live there!! I am ever grateful I have a home and life that I am eager to return to. It does not escape me that not everyone can say that!

      There are, however, so many things we will definitely miss about how our days were shaped while we 'lived away' with Wheel & Anchor! The live away concept is something we truly enjoyed!

      First and foremost, we will miss the Thai food. We've actually been missing it for two weeks already ... even while we were in Bali. Indonesian food, for us, was just not quite as satisfying. It was good, but Thai food remains our all time favorite! I only wish there was somewhere in Lethbridge where you could get authentic Thai!

      I will miss having my bed and breakfast made for me. Tomorrow I'll be slugging it out in the kitchen ... trying to figure out what to make myself for lunch?? Sigh.

      I spoke about this before, but I barely ate bread while we were gone. And, I didn't miss it ... at all! I'd like to figure a way to eat less of it from now on. I mean ... just look at the picture of our first Canadian breakfast! My plate is filled with starch.

      After living primarily on fruits, spicy rices and delicious proteins for the last month ... I noticed less inflammation in my joints. I'd like to keep it that way.

      I'm really going to miss my morning capuccino though! Maybe we'll have to get a machine?? Although, I have to concede that my 18% cream tasted great in my Canadian coffee this morning.

      I won't miss the traffic or the billions of motor bikes weaving precariously through three lanes of traffic on a two lane road. 😬

      My hair won't miss the humidity but my skin certainly will! We won't miss all the head scratching and misunderstandings while trying to understand the way English is spoken with strong Asian accents and emphasis on the wring syllables. That said ... I humbly commend them all for speaking English as well as they do. I barely mustered a few key phrases in Thai and Balinese. 🥴

      I will definitely miss the kind smiles and energy of warmth and joy that permeates the ethers in that part of the world. Even though we are such polite Canadians, we could learn a lot from Thai and Indonesian culture about grace and compassion.

      I won't miss the heat! No. Nope. Nada. I have been in that hot sunny climates for a month and you'd never know it by the pale color of my skin. The old boy is tanned but I was committed to avoiding the sun and staying in the shade. Yikes. It was scorchingly, stiflingly and oppressively hot and humid. 😰

      I'm going to miss $10CAD foot massages! It was such an affordable indulgence. A couple in our group had a foot massage every night before bed! I thought that was a great idea. I bet they slept better!

      I won't miss having to be vigilant about bottled water! I'm going to savor drinking straight out of the tap! Well, maybe Ill use a cup! 🤣We are so incredibly fortunate to have clean drinking water piped right into our homes. And, we just take it for granted.

      We are both going to miss the bidets. We have become very attached to them. We might need to get one installed! 🤔

      We are going to miss our new friends ... but ... we are so delighted to reconnect with our friends and family at home here. Connection is such a treasure in our lives. Thank you to all of you who have joined us here. It was so nourishing to 'see' you while we were so far away!

      We're really looking forward to resuming our regular lives again. I am exceptionally eager to enjoy my solitude tomorrow morning! We are eager to get back to our Bridge Lessons. I am excited to get back to pickleball. I think a new season of 'The Voice' has also started! We haven't turned a TV on for over a month.

      So ... it will be great to be home! And, we haven't booked any other travels except a trip out to Kelowna in May. We are both quite content to stay home for a while now. ✨️

      Thank you again for joining us here ... we appreciate you so much!
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • Bye-Bye Bali! Its Been a Blast! ☀️

      25 février, Indonésie ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

      Neither of us slept very well. I was restless and couldn't seem to get comfy. The old boy was coughing a fair bit!

      We were down for breakfast by 9:00am. Raymond and Danielle had already eaten but joined us to share some time before we departed.

      We also had a nice visit with our host, Mara, before we left. They all saw us off when the driver picked us up. He said the trip to the airport was 35 minutes " without traffic" ... so ... we were delighted to arrive in just that amount of time.

      We lined up in the priority line and we ushered ahead of those flying economy. We were gifted with access to the lounge. I was starving so I was grateful for complimentary food and drink. I had no idea we could even take a shower with lounge access!!

      We filled our tummies from the buffet and then realized our flight was delayed by about 30 minutes! We only have a two hour lay over in Taipei, so hopefully they can make up the delay in the air! 🤞 If you are going to have a delay, the lounge is certainly a perfect place to be!

      And, our first experience with Eva Air has been very impressive! We were sipping white wine even before our flight took off! And the food service was excellent!

      I watched one whole movie and half of another. And then I had a good nap. In order to start combatting jet lag, Timeshifter is suggesting we stay awake for the 10 hour leg from Taipei to Vancouver! I'll do my best, but if we can lay down on this flight ... it would feel like a shame not to enjoy that luxurious option, right?

      Our next 10 hour leg with Eva was comparable to my first leg with Air Canada to Bangkok! The tickets were so much less expensive for Eva Air that I wasn't sure what kind of service we would get! It was stellar ... all the way ... except for one hitch!

      We had to collect our bags in Vancouver when we cleared customs and immigration, recheck them and get through security again. Eva is authorized to check them past the first point of entry in Canada. So, it's a bit confusing and we only had an hour to do it all, but ... we did it!

      It is in moments like this that we are both grateful for the positive pole of my anxious mind! My attention to detail helped us eliminate a number of wrong turns! 👏👏

      We have thoroughly enjoyed our "business class" experience!!! We kind of like loading in Zone 1! 😉

      And, we're spending the night in Calgary! Our final leg will be on the Red Arrow tomorrow!

      So, for tonight ... we're hoping to get some sleep. Bali is 15 hours ahead of us in Lethbridge and I slept more on the plane than would be optimal for minimizing jet lag. Ha ha ... its crazy to think I just said I slept MORE! When does that happen during more than 24 hours of traveling??

      Good Night ... I'll jot down some closing thoughts tomorrow (or maybe in the middle of the night if I can't sleep!) 🥴

      With grateful hearts to be back on Canadian soil,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️

      P.S. As we were flying into Calgary, I was thinking about how "mountain free" our air travel has been this trip.

      And then, we arrived in Calgary and were stuck on the tarmac because our gate was occupied by a plane that had not departed due to problems. The pilot came on to tell us that they "hope(d)" they could find us another gate within 15 minutes or so!

      So close ... and yet ... so far!! 🥴
      En savoir plus

    • Our Last Day Here in Bali!

      24 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      We slept in nicely and our task for the day was to pack ... both our bags and our last day with as much delight and joy as possible!

      I am going to really miss the breakfast buffet here in Sanur! My egg sandwiches are going to pale in comparison. And, we are really going to miss the fresh fruit! The dragon fruit and pineapple (ours is so acidic) and the baby bananas!

      We are also really going to miss our foot massages! We decided to have one last foot massage today! It was the most akin to authentic 'reflexology' that we have experienced as yet. The gal doing mine was very good ... but ... the one doing the old boy's feet was far too chatty with everyone and anyone. Nonetheless, we certainly got our twelve dollars worth!

      On our way to find a spa to do our foot massages, we happened upon a textile shop where a woman was spinning thread that would be used in the making of the textiles. And, much to my delight, they had a variety of cushion covers for sale. So ... I picked up a couple more that I think might work in our space quite nicely.

      We ventured further up the road and came upon a shop that had some lovely white linen and 100% cotton shirts in it for roughly $29CAD each. I had tried to convince the old boy to try one on a few days ago but he was not interested.

      However, today, he was perspiring so much in his pink golf shirt that HE suggested we go in. He ended up buying a nice white one with palm trees on it. Or wait ... maybe they are coconut trees. I am not really sure, but it looks good on him ... and ... he wore it out of the shop.

      Next, we went into our favorite store to stock up on Fisherman's friends ... in flavors that are not available in Canada. I especially like the Mandarin and Ginger ... and of course ... the Spearmint. Yummmmmmmmers!!! 😘

      We are also going to miss the bidets here in Bali! These Indonesian ones are so lovely. They are not a gun like the ones in Thailand. They are quite hidden and are deadly accurate! 😉 The old boy is especially enamored with them and is trying to figure out how to get one installed at home!!

      We are already missing the Thai food. The Balinese food is good ... but ... our hearts are really loyal to those Thai red and green curries!! We decided to go Japanese for lunch. A great restaurant is attached to our hotel. It was extra wonderful that they had an air-conditioned space!! And, not surprisingly ... the old boy had "the best" California rolls he has ever tasted! I must admit that my gyoza were 10/10 delicious too!!

      Our farewell dinner was absolutely fabulous! The meal was one of the very best we have enjoyed during our time here in Bali! Seriously! I wish we had discovered this restaurant sooner!

      And, on the way back to the hotel ... the most beautiful rendition of "Brown Eyed Girl" drew us into the place and right onto the dance floor! This was followed up by an extraordinary performance by a singer who sounded so much like Tina Turner that I had to take a video! It was,"Simply the Best"! 😉

      And, now, we are off to bed! Timeshifter (our anti-jet lag app) said we should have been in bed two hours ago! Well ... hopefully we'll do better tomorrow!

      One more sleep and we're on our way home,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • It's Good to be "Home"... but it's Hot!

      23 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      This morning we bid farewell to the zen of North Bali, but before we departed, we savored one more breakfast before the driver arrived!

      In doing so, we experienced a "first"! We had seen these hairy eyeball fruits at markets, but had never tasted one before. If it hadn't been cut in half, I might not have taken one because I wouldn't be sure how to approach it! 😅 Its called "Rambutan" and is absolutely delicious! The taste and texture remind me of a plump green grape!

      We were on the road by 10:00am and I was starving by the time we got back to Sanur at 1:15pm. We hustled down to the Tree Bar for lunch. The sea water was so glassy and clear. There was oodles of activity on and in the water today: swimmers, paddle boarders, sailors and crazy fast jet-skiers!

      With full bellies, we could hardly wait to get into the pool to cool off. The Weather Network says it's 31°C but feels like 41°C. My body would concer wholeheartedly! 😰

      I closed my eyes for 10 minutes and the old boy snuck a good, long snooze on the chaise lounge by the pool. A gentle rain started sprinkling and the sound of it was as soothing as white noise! I thought about getting my phone to record it, but I was too darn lazy! 😉

      The whole Wheel & Anchor gang went over the "The Living Room" for dinner tonight! It was a lovely meal! Of note, however, a couple of folks in our group ordered the lobster. The soft-shelled lobster from these warm waters have no large claws like we are accustomed to in North America. And, it is served very differently. So, if you are expecting it to be like back home ... you might be disappointed!

      It was so nice to reconnect with all our group members. Its been a while since all of us have been in one space.

      It's hard to fathom that we will be having our farewell dinner tomorrow and then five of the nine of us will be leaving. Four of our group will be staying on for the full month and will be joined by six new faces for their last two weeks!

      Although we have filled our hearts with so many meaningful moments ... and ... collected oodles of exceptional experiences, we are ready to come home! This trip has confirmed, once again, that a month away is about a week too long for us. Let's hope we remember this when we are thinking about booking another trip. 😉

      We stayed at dinner until about 10:00pm! Some of our group stopped to enjoy the music at a pub. The music was very good and very tempting, but we were just too weary!

      And, we're excited to have no alarm to set and nothing to do tomorrow butpack, pick up one last load of our laundry and attend our farewell dinner tomorrow!

      I hope the cold weather is behind you and the sun has been shining on you all back home!

      With warm hugs and much love,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • Jungle Hike!Sunrise!Village Tour!

      22 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      The alarm went off at 5:00AM so we could meet our guides for the Sunrise and Village Tour. I knew the old boy was really not feeling well when he declared that he was not going to come. He never misses anything ... but unlike me ... he had not slept well at all!!

      Between his chronic sinus issues, his burgeoning headcold/chestcough and the never ending thunder, lightning and rain we got through the night ... he barely slept. The rainstorm was so loud that I could even hear it through my earplugs!!!

      So, I got dressed, brushed my teeth and doused myself with the organic mosquito spray supplied by the resort. I packed a bottle of water (that I promptly forgot) ... and ... I headed outdoors into the pitch black darkness to meet our guides.

      Debra and Wendy (two other Wheel & Anchor guests) joined the tour as well. We hadn't received much information about what we would be experiencing other than going to a viewpoint to enjoy the sunrise ... having a light breakfast and coffee ... and then ... finishing up with a tour of the village.

      Well ... had any of us been thinking ... we might have realized that the best viewpoint for the sunrise was probably UP the mountainside! What we never saw coming was that we would be trekking a fair distance up the jungle on the mountainside ... in the mud (due to the rainstorm) ... and .... completely in the dark. Fortunately our guides had two small flashlights, but it felt entirely precarious!

      The rain had caused the middle of the path to become a trench that you certainly didn't want to slip into with your footsteps. It got harder and harder to feel any sense of certainty with our foot placement as our feet got wet from all the foliage and were slipping around in our skimpy footwear!!

      Fortunately, Wendy brought an umbrella so she used it as a walking stick. I had the arm of one of our guides ... but Debra ... made it up that mountainside all by herself!! We were grateful to finally reach the vista. There was considerable cloud cover, but Mother Nature served up some lovely colors ... and ... our guides served up a fabulous breakfast!!

      We enjoyed some sticky rice cakes with palm sugar and some lovely fruit. One of which I had never tasted and can't remember what it is called. They even drummed up some hard boiled eggs for me ... at my request ... for protein. We also had some black coffee and tea! It was really so nicely arranged!!

      After our sunrise, we continued walking into the jungle where we bore witness to a fellow who climbs the palm trees to retrieve the palm nectar TWICE a day. Apparently it's a dying breed of people who are willing to do that perilous climb!

      We tasted the palm fruit as well. And then, we were walked to the residence of "Papa" who takes the juice and cooks it into a candied state (much like we do when make fondant) and then stirs it until it starts to get the consistency of fudge!

      After that we found refuge under a thatched hut where a fellow was weaving palm fronds into roofing. We huddled on his workbench until the downpour stopped.

      We proceeded into the village of Sambirenteng and came upon  a woman weaving baskets. We learned so much about the life of the locals as we chatted with our guides. They were an uncle and nephew. The young fellow was still in high school and was such a gem! I thoroughly appreciated his presence during our experience.

      We also visited a school and got a sense of how the village works together to honor and optimize what each of then can do to make their community and the world a better place.

      We left at 5:30am and returned four hours later. It was an absolutely fabulous outing! I wish I had room here to put in all the pictures that I took!

      We spent the rest of the day lazing around the pool. The old boy was feeling a wee bit better ... so ... that was also good. We enjoyed a nice vegetarian lunch and rounded it off with some high-spirited conversation about American politics!

      And, at dinner we laughed so much our cheeks hurt! Our day ended with the four of us on our deck. Wendy snd I sipping tea and Debra and the old boy sharing some Scotch that Debra had brought!

      It was a perfect end to a fabulous day!

      With full hearts,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • Pack A Bag! We're Off to New Horizons!

      21 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      We were up, packed and off to breakfast early because our driver was picking us up at 10:00AM for the three hour journey north to see a bit more of Bali. I was ready for a change of scenery and a chance to experience something different.

      On our way to breakfast, we passed another guest's plunge pool. It looked like they ordered room service for breakfast and it arrived on floating heart shaped tray! So, they got to enjoy it all in the pool! What a great idea!! 🙌

      Two others from our group also signed up to stay a couple of nights at the Holliway Resort Garden and Spa ... located on the North East side of the island. I was sure to pop some Bonine for the ride ... and ... I'm so glad I did. Unfortunately, there were so many switchbacks coming up and over the Central Mountains that the old boy was pretty queezy by the time we arrived ... and ... he was even sitting in the front seat! 🤢

      This rural resort has eco-chic air-conditioned bungalows with open-air bathrooms, 4-poster beds and mosquito nets. There are no TVs or phones. The amenities include an open-air restaurant overlooking the Bali Sea, a colorful meditation hall, a spa offering numerous wellness and healing services and an outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees. Daily yoga classes are also provided, as well as holistic workshops, while snorkeling equipment and bikes can be hired.

      We checked into the "Frog Room"! It has an entirely different feel than our room in Sanur. It's earthy and natural but definitely boasts a bit of upscale energy about it! I was even wondering if the restaurant would serve alcoholic beverages because it felt so 'granola' and holistic in nature!

      It was almost 2:00pm by the time we got settled so we headed to the terrace for lunch. I took one bite of my pre-ordered chicken wrap and rightly suspected it had avocado in it. They made me another one, but ... without all the avocado mixture ... it was lacking something. Debra figured it was the best chicken wrap she had ever had!! Made me wish I could eat avocado. Despite all the wholesome options, we were ticked to discover that they do serve a nice white and a nice rosé!

      The forecast was for rain ... and most thankfully ... it was definitely not as hot as in the south! We are scheduled to take a boat ride in wooden boats with local fishermen at 5:00pm to see the dolphins and the sunset. They can only guarantee that the sun will set ... but ... if its cloudy, we might not get dolphins or a nice sunset. I've only got 4 more non-drowsy Bonine left (anti-nausea tablets). We'll now need two for the ride home (given the old boy will need one too).

      And, the sea looks pretty choppy to me ... so ... we might need a couple of them now. Yikes. 🤔 Or, maybe we take the drowsy inducing Dramamine so we can doze off early?? We do have to be at the meeting point at 5:30AM for a sunrise and village walking tour! Decisions, decisions, decisions! 😉

      We took the Dramamine and climbed into the boats with the ballasts on them ... two to a boat. We spent over an hour on the dark blue sea (that is EXACTLY the color of the Bali Sea!) ... but came up with NO dolphins and NO sunset to speak of because there were too many clouds. I think we were fortunate that we didn't get rained on! It was a neat experience, though, to be able to ride in one of those wooden boats that we had seen all along the shoreline in Sanur!!

      Once we got back, we had a beautiful chicken curry for supper and then hopped right into bed. We were both exhausted (maybe with a little help from the Dramamine!) and needed to set the alarm for 5:00AM in order to be at our meeting spot at 5:30AM for the Sunrise/Village Tour!

      I was a bit worried when I noticed I only had one pillow on my bed. I have always slept with two. I was too tired to go the front desk to ask for another one, so I thought I'd just make the best of it. Well ... no need for that!! I slept like the dead until 3:00AM when my bladder called out to me. I'm not sure if it is the energy of this resort or what, but ... I had an amazing sleep. It was short, but very restorative.

      The old boy, however, was not so lucky. He has come down with the chest cold that two or three others in our group have been struggling with. Fortunately, aside from the sunrise/village tour ... we have nothing to do but eat, drink and rest tomorrow.

      Lots of love from our hearts to yours,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • Uhmmmm ... Is it Wednesday or Thursday?

      20 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

      Sheesh. We cannot keep track of what day it is ... never mind the date! I didn't get a SIM card so my calendar says it's still yesterday! And, the lap top is on home time, so that complicates things too!🤪

      Keeping track of what day it is might be one of the few stressors of our live-away experiences in Koh Samui and Bali. The collective lack of stress has been one of the juiciest joys of our vacation! For the most part, I have had absolutely nothing to fret about ... except, as I said ... wondering what day it is!

      Everything is taken care of and organized. And, someone else is hired to handle any bumps in the road or travel mountains that might emerge enroute. My highly-kindled amygdala has actually enjoyed a veritable vacation! It has been such a gift for my nervous system! I have had better sleeps on many nights while we have been away than I have in decades while at home.

      Aside from keeping track of our days/dates ... the only real issues we have encountered on this whole trip, thus far, have been related to the heat and humidity. Fun fact ... we keep the room temperature set at 25 degrees Celsius through the day. It feels so refreshingly chilly when we come in from outdoors. And, we turn it down to a frigid 22 degrees Celsius for sleeping at night. That actually feels cold to us now!! Maybe we are adapting to the warm weather just a wee bit???

      Oh ... the only other issue we have encountered was when we were not feeling well. That was no fun, but fortunately, it was short-lived for both of us. One member of of group has been struggling with health issues since her arrival ... going from one challenge to another. My heart goes out to her. It's no fun to pay for a holiday and spend it in your room. 😩

      We would both seriously consider another live-away with Wheel & Anchor! However, not one in a hot climate. We have determined that we are no longer fit for super hot conditions.

      However, we have certainly enjoyed pampering ourselves. The costs for foot massages are $10 to $12 CAD. I mean ... sheesh ... a little TLC is a lovely reward after a hard day shopping! 😉

      That said, I was tickled to find a couple of pillow covers in a color that I have been unsuccessfully searching for all over Lethbridge. I also snatched up some wooden whales for my Bestie who has been working on a seaside decor! And, I also picked up some nice egg cups. I think I sold all of ours in a garage sale because I can't find them since we moved.

      We had to jump into the pool to counteract that heat from the shopping trip. Most interestingly, the staff were doing some landscaping around the pool . It was fascinating to see them working barefooted in the midst of all the trimmings.

      And as it turned out, the old boy ended up talking with the Resort Manager! He came over to offer his apologies for the mess and inconvenience we were experiencing due to the landscaping. He and the old boy talked for quite a while about all kinds of things! One of the things was a suggestion to take the elevator to the 5th floor and walk towards the ocean on the rooftop! It offered a great view! Another of the things that the old boy learned was that there is only one building here that is more than a coconut tree high! That is the subsequent building limit! It seems like a wise move to ensure the gorgeous skyline is not obscured with concrete!

      We grabbed a quick bite at the Tree Bar before our two hour 'Couple's Rejuvenation and Flower Bath' package. To say that we thoroughly enjoyed the experience would be an understatement!! The massage was the very best head to toe massage I have ever experienced. Seriously. It was totally top shelf!! And, the atmosphere was so soothing and relaxing. And, the grandeur of the flower bath cannot be expressed in words alone. It was entirely sublime!

      After we were done, the old boy picked up our laundry! Honestly ... it cost us all of $7CAD! It was washed, pressed and vacuum sealed! The locals work so incredibly hard here. We both admire the quality of service we have received in all the aspects of our time here.

      After that, we walked down to the night market! FYI: 13,015 steps today!!! 👏 And, as if that was not enough to clap and cheer about ... the old boy was able to check another item off his bucket list!

      He tried the infamous Asian 'Durian' fruit! Some call it the "king of fruits" and others (like in Bangkok!) forbid people to even enter an elevator at the hotel with it ... because it stinks so damn much!

      Suffice to say that the old boy did NOT enjoy it all. He said it was even "worse" than cantaloupe. 😖 I know that means it was really BAD because ... cantaloupe is about the ONLY thing that the old boy will not eat.

      We took the beach route back to the resort and ended up stopping for a little refreshment! There was a nice band playing ... and ... we opted to partake in the great energy created by the music! We chuckled and laughed and enjoyed the conversation very much!

      Once back at the room, I was hoping to get packed for our two day tour to the North, but we'll do it in the morning instead! Our driver is picking us up at 10:00AM, so we'll set an early alarm. The old boy is already tucked in bed. And, I am nibbling on some chicken Satay skewers delivered by room service, but it's definitely to call it a day for now!!

      And, the best part is that we are tucking ourselves into bed tonight with oodles of meaningful and magicsl memories of a very NICE day indeed! I think our couples massage will go down as one of the most unique experiences in all our travels. I'm also looking forward to seeing how my cushions look on our furniture! Hopefully, my Bestie will love the way the whales compliment her decor! 💖

      I hope you are all surviving the cold as well as possible!! We look forward to joining you in five short days!
      ❤️k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • It's A Brand New Day!

      19 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      6:30AM:
      I woke up before the old boy again! I kind of like it. It gives me a little solitude before the day's activities begin. We've been away now for over three weeks and I'm missing my morning practice of candles and silence and serenity and alone time So, it's fine with me if he sleeps a bit longer! 😊

      I think he's feeling better though! We had a brief exchange before he rolled over about 10 minutes ago. He said he almost woke me up at 1:30am to say he was ready to go for breakfast! Yahoo!! It's a great sign that he's getting his appetite back! 👏👏👏

      I am certainly ready for breakfast myself! And, we have no excursions planned for the next two days. Our only other commitment is a couples spa day here at our resort tomorrow at 2:00pm.

      On Friday, we are going to the North end of the island for two nights. We thought it would be nice to see a bit more of Bali while we are here. I'm hoping the hotel over there will be as nice as this one! 🤞

      Wait. I'm getting ahead of myself! First ... let's enjoy today and tomorrow! It's so hard to stay in the present, isn't it? This will be my intention today ... to just grab as much joy out of each moment as I can!

      7:25AM:
      The old boy is now up and in the shower! I forgot to share that our room here also has a window into the bathroom just like in Bangkok. At least here, though, the blinds are controlled on the inside of the biffy! 😂

      8:15AM:
      Breakfast!! It's such a beautiful resort! Both inside and outside seating available! I took a few photos to give you a sense of the magnitude of the breakfast buffet!

      9:15AM:
      We dropped off our laundry! And then, we decided to head towards the big new mall (which is about 20 minutes down the road) and do some shopping on our way! Our first stop was a cute little place that has some really nice colorful coasters that will color well with our decor!

      10:30AM:
      It didn't take much more time walking from shop to shop and it was time to have a cappuccino and cool down in air-conditioned Cafe!

      11:00AM:
      We found our way to a nice airconditioned sandal shop. I ended up getting one more pair of rubber sandals with an ankle strap. I find these are really nice in the wet weather. We continued a little further and I tried on a nice blouse. While I was paying for it, the old boy struck up a conversation with a woman who turned out to be the good friend of our fellow Wheel & Anchor travellers. What are the chances of running into her in a city this size!?! Frank and Dale had spoken so much about this woman, it felt like we already knew her! It will be fun to let them know we met her.

      11:45AM:
      We were tired and hot in no time flat, so we took advantage of the foot massage place that we came upon. The old boy opted to get both the massage and the pedicure. The pedicure was a first for him, but his feet look terrific! I felt quite rejuvenated by the time mine was complete.

      1:30PM:
      We found our way to into the mall, but it held no interest for either of us. It was gigantic and filled with top-end American brand stores. We watched a Japanese play for a few minutes, but then decided to find an air-conditioned restaurant on the way home.

      We could not find ONE air-conditioned restaurant, so we opted to simply head back to our room and cool down in the pool before having lunch.

      2:45PM:
      We arrived for a very late lunch at the Tree Bar. The breeze was wafting very nicely off the ocean. It was the very first time since we arrived that we actually saw people playing in the water. Perhaps it was finally calm enough for watercrafts and swimmers.

      3:40PM:
      It wasn't long before we could see and hear clouds building to the north. And, before we knew it, the staff were all preparing for rain by covering all the furniture.

      3:53PM:
      The rain started falling just as we were arriving in our room. And then, boy oh boy ... it came down like cats and dogs.

      4:01PM:
      It was still raining so we opted to pass a little time playing some Bridge Online. We were both feeling pretty lazy. So we took a 10 minute recharge nap!

      5:45PM:
      We got up and I put on my new shirt ... and ... we went down and got our toes tapping to the country music in the Tree Bar! We even danced a little bit.

      6:49PM:
      I noticed a pinkish hue in the Eastern sky! What a lovely ending to a pretty regular day.

      7:55PM:
      We finally headed back to our room. All in all, we logged 9,465 steps ... despite the heat! There were no fancy bells nor whistles for today. No new learning. No exceptional explorations. No fancy firsts ... well ... except maybe the old boy's pedicure! 😉

      And, yet, it was a pretty spectacular day filled with oodles of 'ordinary' miracles! Im grateful I was 'present' to really appreciate them today. ✨️✨️✨️

      8:10PM:
      The old boy is already tucked in bed! 😴😴😴😴

      See you tomorrow,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • A Last Minute Change of Plans!

      18 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      We were scheduled to go on a tour today called the "Tastes of Densapar." Unfortunately, however, something we ate yesterday didn't agree and I was sick to my stomach after we got back from our tour last night. I'm feeling much better this morning, but whatever it was hit the old boy at the other end during the night. 🥴

      So, it's shitty to miss out, but we thought it best to skip the foodie tour this morning and stay near a toilet until it passes through the old boy. Sorry for the crappy pun. Ooooops ... sorry for that one too! 😂

      I enjoyed my breakfast thoroughly but the old boy had trouble getting anything but watermelon down. So, he opted to laze by the pool (and restroom) while I wandered out shopping for a while. I had a great time shopping and noticed a sign in one of the shops that certainly fits all our daughters and their families!! 🐕🐕‍🦺🐩🐶

      I also got two pairs of sterling silver earrings and a lovely new 100% cotton blouse before I was getting too hot and needed to retreat to the pool myself. I also picked up some antibiotic ointment for the old boy's leg. Yesterday when we were leaving the Batik Factory, he was "gawking while walking" and launched himself 6 feet forward. Due to his "cougar reflexes" the only damage done was a scraping of the skin on his leg.

      However, it is apparently very dangerous to ignore any kind of wound here. It can become infected very easily ... so ... I picked up some ointment to keep his wound clean. I knew he would NEVER wear the waterproof bandage that the pharmacist recommended ... but hopefully ... the ointment will keep any risk of staph infection at bay. 🤞

      I was planning to just cool down and then head back down the street, but it was so darn comfortable that after I cooled down in the water, I joined the old boy on the chaise loungers ... "for a minute." Well ... a couple of hours later ... I was still there. I had the Wi-Fi from the room, so I could update this blog ... and ... play a few rounds of bridge online. 👏👏👏👏

      It is definitely a wet bathing suit kind of day! Its ONLY 30°C but according to Weather Network, it feels like 39°C. That sounds about right. 👍 Even the birds were seeking refuge in the pool water.

      It was so incredibly relaxing! That is ... until I got hungry for lunch. The old boy still had no appetite so I went to 'The Tree Bar' (the lounge at our resort) by myself and got a table for one.

      For some reason, we've never been up high on the upper levels here before. I didn't realize it was connected to the public pool area of the resort. I snagged a lovely table overlooking the ocean.

      The service was snail-paced slow. I wish the gadget in the table alerting the servers if you needed anything had a "hurry up" option. As I say that, I'm checking myself and realizing I'm in no hurry at all. It's interesting to see how our privilege and entitlement sneaks into the space. Nevertheless, I shall defend myself by saying it took as long to get my wine and water as it did to get my food! 😉

      My "Baby Bali Burger" (marinated pulled pork neck) with roasted baby potatoes was actually quite delicious but I only consumed about $9 of it! I had the rest wrapped up into a nice little care package to take home to the old boy ... in case he was getting his appetite back. No such luck yet ... so it's in the fridge for when he's feeling up for some food.

      I was hoping I could muster up his interest in going for a massage when I got back, but he still didn't want to wander too far from the toilet. So, we gave him a dose of Immodium and I opted to head out on my own and see where I ended up. The thunder was rolling and the claps were loud enough to get the staff covering up the outdoor furnishings ... so I took an umbrella! 😉

      I didn't get very far. I stopped to get another pair of rubber sandals in a different color at Gripp's because I like them so much, but after that ... it was so darn hot ... I just turned back and went home.

      We refreshed ourselves with a nice shower and joined the group for happy hour at 5:30pm. The old boy took a couple of Imodium earlier and needed another one ... so ... we didn't stay long. We called it a day early and he is nicely tucked away in bed already. If he's not feeling better tomorrow, we'll start him on the antibiotics that we brought with us!

      Just one more thing before I say goodnight. I keep forgetting to mention how nice it is to have a clothes line over our tub! A dip in the pool and the swim wear can dry out. A quick soapy rinse while I'm in the shower and my undies are dry and ready for tomorrow! 😉

      Oh my, I see that my peeps back home are getting an "Extreme Cold Warning"! I hope it passes quickly! We survived another day of the heat here!! I'm glad we have no excursions planned for tomorrow ... so ... we can stay by the pool if necessary! That said, though, I'd really like to walk further down the main street and check out some of the shops. I guess we'll see how the day goes!!

      Hoping you can all stay cozy and warm,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

    • Bratan Lake and the Rice Terraces Today

      17 février, Indonésie ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      I had a restless night. I think I was worried about spending a whole long day on an excursion that would trap me in the oppressive heat without any escape to water or air-conditioning. Gahhhhhhhh!!

      The notion was giving me nightmares! I even went so far as to ask the old boy if we should just cancel our attendance on the excursion. Thankfully, he said ... "We paid for it ... let's just go!". And, I will remain ever grateful for his nudge to persevere through my angst!

      There were just four of us, plus our W&A rep on the tour today. And, generally, we have gone in a small van, but today we had a 15 person bus! So, we had ample room to stretch out ... one person to a seat! That may not seem really important because the island of Bali is only 19kms high and 117kms wide ... but due to traffic ... it takes over an hour to go 20kms (if you are lucky and there are no delays!). So, having a seat to yourself is divine!!

      Our first stop was scheduled to be in the Central Mountain region at the Royal Temple, but ... on route ... our guide asked if we wanted to stop at the Batik Factory. Am I ever glad he suggested it!!

      We learned about the painstaking hand drawing and application of wax and dying process that go into these beautiful batiks! And, of course, we had a chance to buy some of the goods. We came away with a bag full of goodies ... including a nice pink cotton sarong that I would need to wear at the Royal Temple! And ... I got a gorgeous silk teal one. The old boy got a fabulous shirt that looks terrific on him ... and ... the owner tossed in a scarf, for free, that I was also admiring!! I love bringing home souvenirs like this ... things you can use!

      After our purchases were made, we got back in the bus and made the long hike up towards the mountains. Our guide shared all kinds of local information about Bali ... it's culture, religion and history. I won't bore you with all the details, but it was interesting to hear how the Hindu religion in Bali is more monolithic than the Hindu religion in India. He indicated that the Balinese believe in one God ... and ... the energy of that Divine light can be held and reflected by numerous other deities.

      He talked about how the main premise in the Hindu religion is to "do no harm" and to propagate good. The idea is to escape Samsara (which is the battle between good and evil) and arrive at Nirvana. His name was Farid and he was Muslim ... and ... he spoke with such sincerity, respect and honor about the beliefs of the Balinese people.

      The Pura Taman Ayun Temple goes back to 1627! It is surrounded by a pond (moat) that is filled with lotus and lily flowers. We also learned that that there are four kinds of temples and pagodas with as many as 11 tiers!! Each tier represents a caste of people working the way up from the lowest caste to the highest.

      We also learned that Bali is highly patriarchal. The children's names reflect their birth order ... i.e. first to forth all have a preface which tells people if they are first, second, third or fourth. If there are more children, there is a additional name that means "start over" added to the preface. Girls are not included in any inheritance and the first born boy must stay and take care of his parents. The other children may move away.

      After that, we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch at Gong Dewata! It is next door to the rice terraces that have been named a Unesco Heritage Site. Our walk amongst the terraces was absolutely magical and majestic! Everything is done by hand ... except they have one machine. A plow that is pulled by two cows.

      We also learned that the terraces may be owned by different people. And, cooperation between the owners becomes essential because at first, the rice needs to be soaking in water. However, after a couple of weeks, the rice needs to dry out. It takes 2.5 to 3 months for each crop to mature. So, they must orchestrate the seeding/planting in order for the water to run from one terrace onto the other in the appropriate timing!

      The literature about the area said that it is often misty ... and ... that was our experience! Although thunder was threatening something more ... we never got wet! And, the best part about 1,000 meters above sea level was that it was COOLER!! In fact, it was actually quite comfortable.

      After our wandering through the Jatiluwih rice terraces, we headed off to see Bratan Lake and the temple that is part of that area. There is actually a Buddist Temple on site. Farid pointed out the swastika on the face of the temple. The origin of the word swastika is ... peace and life. The arms of it point left. I had no idea that Hitler had taken that symbol and inverted it ... and then ... turned it into a symbol of war and death. I have included a photo of this.

      There is also a Floating temple. ... Pura Ulun Danau Bratan Temple on the shore line. The impeccable landscaping was really a sight to behold. I don't have enough room to put all the pictures I took, but I included a couple of them.

      As we were heading home, Farid asked if we had heard about the coffee that is made from 'cat' poop. Some said yes and some said no. Apparently, an animal that looks much like a badger/mongoose/possum (which the locals say looks like a cat) was said to have eaten the red coffee beans but couldn't digest the bean ... so ... pooped it out.

      The farmers in the area collected to excrement ... cleaned the coffee pods and then broke them open to capture the beans. This "cat-poo-chino" (as it is affectionately termed) is less in caffeine but great in taste. So, we stopped to have a cup of it! Yes. We actually did. And, it tasted just fine!

      It took us over 90 minutes to get back to the hotel ... the traffic was chaotic. I actually had to close my eyes because I found it to be so distressing. The old boy, on the other hand, was fascinated by the way the motor bikes and vehicles worked it all out on the fly. Another drive said the traffic "flowed like water". It was a very apt metaphor, indeed.

      We arrived home safe and sound ... and ... were extremely grateful we did choose to risk the heat! It was a fabulous excursion!! But now, we are ready for sleep.

      Sending warmest hugs across the ocean,
      ❤️ k&j ❤️
      En savoir plus

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