I’ve been back in Asia for over a month now, and I finally feel like there is something to write about. Sorry for all of you that it had to be about diving. The four meter manta ray that I swam with and the three meter mola mola (sunfish) that I encountered later that day as I swam through a seemingly infinite abyss made me feel like the luckiest person alive and I just had to get it on paper (or internet, whatever).
So, as you can tell, I’m not in Thailand at the moment. I’ve decided to take a holiday, which brought me to the islands off of Bali, Indonesia. After a full month in Koh Tao, I figured it was time to see something else in Asia. In July, I made my way from the States back to Bangkok and then down to Koh Tao to restart my life on the Rock. The transition was seamless. I stepped off the boat and onto the pier in Mae Haad, taxied myself directly to the shop and was reunited with Sunshine Divers within a half hour of my arrival. I found a cheap bungalow and a motorbike and was back in the pool assisting a course by 1pm that first day.
The island is incredibly busy during July and August with most of Europe, mainly Holland and Germany, on seemingly permanent holiday. With only a few DMTs left, and most of them infected with some illness or another, I was easily assisting on as many courses as I pleased. Within the first week, I’d already completed four different programs and was well on my way to finishing what was left of my divemaster. I had my good friend, Adam, back with me and living just a couple of bungalows down. A few of the old DMTs were still working on who knows what after my three months away. I missed my girls and my roommate from my last trip, but have kept in such great touch that I knew I would see them soon enough. Island life was still the same. Snorkeling, diving, studying and a bit of partying in the evenings still prevailed and the real world of work and obligations slowly drifted away into the back of my mind.
I am a PADI Divemaster now. Yes, a professional scuba diver. Hello, I’m number 275322, how are you today? With Adam’s departure from the island becoming closer and closer, I decided it was time to finish with the people that I started with and went through the snorkeltest ritual with four of my fellow divers. It was a Hawaiian themed night of ridiculousness and debauchery. We were tormented with toothpaste and fingernail polish, shaving cream and the not-so-clear water of the Bans upper pool. A hazing that needed to happen, our snorkeltest was a night to remember…. Or not, depending on if you were able to drink the full bucket (not me, I think I got one gulp down before spitting the rest of the Sangsome Coke mixture out, probably the best move I made that evening).
The rest of the month in Koh Tao was pretty much the same. I still kept myself busy with diving and courses. I managed to get a wicked ear infection which kept me out of the water for almost a week at one point. Annoying as it was, Adam had a friend come out to the island and we found many other amusing activities to do. I was actually able to explore and have pool and beach days that I never enjoyed before. Showing people around an island that I’ve completely fallen for is one of the best ways to pass the time.
So with Adam and his friend, Sam, leaving early in August to travel through Indonesia, I started to get itchy feet again. I need to be in Koh Tao in September as some of my girls are coming back and I so want to see them. But a vacation to Bali with two of my favorite Brits didn’t seem completely out of the question. A day or two before their departure, I bought a round trip ticket to Denpasar so that I could join them for a couple of weeks in a place that I’ve always wanted to see. I let them have their boy time for ten days while I kept myself occupied in Koh Tao, and then made the 24 hour journey to Bangkok and finally, Bali. They met me at the airport and we’ve been seeing the sights on this beautiful island since last week.
Indonesia is different. In Kuta, there is McDonalds, KFC, Billabong shops and all of the amenities that I don’t have on my 7km long island in Thailand. The people are friendly, albeit annoyingly in your face 24/7. “You want motorbike?” You need massage?” You need dart gun? I give you sunset price!” Really?! Learn your market people! No, I do not want a dart gun while lounging on a beautiful beach in Bali! Yes, this occurred. A strange man with scary looking weapons came up to us on the beach while we were watching a picture perfect sunset, blew a dart into his flip flop and stared at us for five minutes while we DIDN’T contemplate his offer. A form of seller’s intimidation? I don’t know…it didn’t work.
Our first couple nights in Kuta were a bit rough. We were harassed into a dodgy room that someone may have died in not long ago after soiling the bed and writing all over the walls. It was “cheap cheap,” and that’s what we had asked for. There was a chicken outside that I would’ve happily given up my vegetarian ways for as it crowed every 15 seconds from midnight until 8am both nights. The dogs found entertainment in barking at it, taking up the few moments of silence that we were allowed. All of this was going on ten feet from our room while we listened to the mosquitoes buzzing in our ears. The lights were turned on multiple times during the night to kill the blood-swollen bugs, leaving further evidence of carnage in our already filthy abode. Even a night out of drinking Arak (while watching the four million Aussie tourists dance in foam…LOL!!!!) couldn’t help us sleep in that god forsaken place. Two nights was enough, we made our way to the island of Nusa Lombongan for a little bit of rest and relaxation.
We got to the island after a short taxi and a freakish boat ride. The swells in the ocean here are beyond my imagination. Apparently some of the deepest water in the world resides just off the coast of Indonesia, bringing on huge waves and temperamental weather. We braved the high seas and found a quaint, bi-level bungalow for the three of us to enjoy for a while. We did the aforementioned dives. We rented motorbikes and tooled around the islands in search of perfect swimming beaches and snorkeling. Unfortunately, with the currents and tides, snorkeling and swimming wasn’t possible. But kayaking through mangroves and taking in spectacular views of the power of the sea from cliffs of jagged rock was manageable.
After three days of fun in the sun, a trip back to the mainland, well main island, was in order. Two days ago we hopped a most gigantic barge to the quaint town of Padangbai, where it seems we will reside until the end of this holiday. It’s a bit more lively than the quiet little island we’d been spending a fortune on. There are quite a few tourists, dive shops advertising the Liberty wreck up the coast, and about a million chickens that woke me up an hour or so ago. These poor birds sit in wicker cages lined in a row all day and just scream in torment about their miserable lives. They’re ready for the cock fights, the ones that will take place each day somewhere not in my direct vicinity. While I was taking photos of this awe inspiring sight yesterday, I was given an offer to watch them train, I politely declined.
Despite my first assumptions about Bali, this island is very big, with proper motorways that you can drive through the landscapes of rice fields and coast lines. Yesterday we rented motorbikes and took the island by storm, with only a few death defying hiccups along the way. With scooter rental here, you get a helmet, something unheard of in Koh Tao. Even with my improved skills on two wheels, I was pleased to be wearing it as I ran head on into Adam when he stopped unexpectedly on the side of the road. I had heard a beep behind me and turned my head during the two seconds that he decided to lay on his brakes to take in a view. When my vision turned forward he was right in front of me and the brakes on my bike couldn’t slow at such a short distance. I hit his bike from the side, nearly sending him down the cliff and into the rice fields and river below. Sam was in front of us, heard the commotion and ran to us to find me lying face down and both bikes flipped, but still running. We came away from the scene without a scratch on either of us, just a little shaken at what could’ve occurred.
The rest of the day was gorgeous. The sun was shining as we flew down the smooth, curving roads through endless palm trees and fields of green. I thought a lot about my dad and how much he would’ve loved taking his bike up and down those winding mountains and to the coastlines filled with black, volcanic sand. We stopped in a small town and had some lunch before making our way to an empty, hidden beach for a late afternoon swim. The surf was overwhelming and I neglected to bring my bathing suit, so I was rudely awakened when I jumped in with my dress on and pushed quickly under the surge. Probably not the smartest thing I did yesterday as we almost needed a rescue diver to get me out of it. So with a handmade sarong dress and a bit of a hurt ego, we made our way back to Padangbai for a dinner of fresh fish and some card play. We ended the evening with local drinks and a live Balinese band.
Today, I was rudely awoken by the cock fighting chickens directly to my left. It’s almost 9am now and Adam’s already made his way down to the Blue Lagoon for some incredible snorkeling. Apparently he went down the other day and was able to play with a giant green turtle, something I’m hoping to see when I finish my morning errands. It’s going to be a day at the beach. No motorbikes, no touring around, just relaxing with a good book in the hot, equatorial sun. I’m hoping to get my last two Indonesian dives in tomorrow. I need to be under these crystal clear waters at least one more time before heading back to Koh Tao. I’ll have to say goodbye to Adam again on Sunday or Monday and slowly make my way back to Bangkok. Sam’s flight back to England is from there, so we’ll make the journey together. Then I’m getting one of my girls back. Camilla is flying in from Denmark just an hour after Sam flies out next week. I’ll reunite with her and we’ll return to Koh Tao together. And when I step foot on my island paradise I’ll get one last bit of excitement as my old roommate from the last trip, one of my favorite British ladies, Sam, will be there to greet me. The next few weeks are going to be one for the record books. Even with sad goodbyes I have looming in my future, I’ve got some good times to look forward to very soon.
****Due to extremely slow internet and my impatience I'll post more (and better) photos up later
No comments:
Post a Comment