One year on

One year on and still eating cake

As you may or may not have been aware, this time last year, specifically the 19th May I was told my devastating cancer news. Well, a year on loads of things have happened, my hair is turning into a mini-afro and I am pleased to say that I am still here.

 

Lance Armstrong calls his day of cancer diagnosis 'Livestrong Day' and me being shameless, thought I would adopt this for me also.  I am sure he wouldn't mind :-)  He would understand I'm sure. Since that day, I have tried to live as strongly as I can each day although it hasn't been easy. In fact, sometimes it has been bloody difficult and downright impossible.

 

Anyway, as the years go on I hope to mark 19th May in some way although my head was a little all over the place this year because of one thing or another to 'commemorate' it fully. I dressed up with the intention of going out with Mat but I wasn't really up for it this time around.

I even wore high heels for the day. Only because I remember being told that because the tumour was pressing on my spinal cord they had to deal with it asap otherwise I may be paralysed.  And the only thing I could think of at the time was not being able to walk in high heels ever again if I was in a wheel chair! All a bit ridiculous now but it's strange what goes through your mind at the time.

 

Mat bought me a 'Konditor and Cook' Apple and Strawberry Crumble Cake (see above) complete with lighted candle to mark the occassion which made me smile. It was delicious but strange to eat a crumble as a cake?!

 

As you may have gathered we got back from our amazing Indonesia trip all ok. Our stop-over in Singapore was eventful only for our visit to 'Raffles Hotel' or specifically the Long Bar there for a 'Singapore Sling'.  Yes, it's a cliche but it would have been rude not to. I probably wouldn't go again as it is a little touristy and contrived but it had to be done really - another one ticked off the tourist list!  As an aside, the band playing on our visit were very cheesy but in a good way albeit circa 1976. I half expected the Bee Gees to turn up in their white suits during one of their sets they were that retro.

 

Anyway, depending on what religion you may or may not believe in according to 'the Rapture' the end of the world happened yesterday. Well, either I got left behind or I am living in some weird purgatory state. No matter. I've got a few things left to do in this world yet and happy to wait for the Rapture to come and get me until then.

 

 

Mellow madness at peaceful Pemuteran

Four new blog posts today including this one! Sorry for the delay but dodgy internet connections and expensive wi-fi connections are all to blame. Start from the bottom up :-)

Wed 11^th May

I think the hardest thing I have had to do today is decide which fruit juice to go for. Watermelon or papaya? Pineapple or lime? Decisions, decisions.

It has been quite busy for me today. I got up. Had a delicious breakfast. Showered. Bimbled about a bit. Put my bikini on. Sun cream on. Hat on. Sat on the beach on the sun lounger. Adjusted the sun lounger. Read a bit. Walked around for a bit. Went out and had lunch. Then walked around for a bit more. Back on the sun lounger. Had a virgin colada. Spa session. Said hello to the turtles. Walked around the surrounding area. Then dinner. An episode of ‘House’ on the laptop. Then sleep.

It’s tiring being this mellow ;-) Mat’s itinerary was pretty much the same except there were a couple of dives and snorkeling sessions thrown in.

We like it here :-)

HAIR UPDATE

As an aside and just in case you were wondering, my hair has taken on a life of its own. It is growing nicely but it doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. 

Some of it is straight but the bulk of it is curly. Yep. Curly. As in woolly. As in like sheep. Mat finds this highly amusing. I have this curly horn thing going on just above my left ear!

Please try not to laugh too much when you next see me. I’m blaming it all on this heat and humidity.

North Bali bound - Pemuteran here we come!

Tues 10^th May

As our final Indonesian destination is only a three hour drive away from Ubud, we thought we could kill two birds with one stone by incorporating a side trip to various temples and some of Bali’s other attractions on our way there. We figured it would make the trip a little more interesting and our driver was more than happy to do this.

Talk about a good idea!  We took in the Hindu temples at Pura Taman Ayun, Pura Lunur Batukau and Pura Ulun Danu.  Really loved Pura Lunur Batukau only because it was so peaceful and serene here. There were only a handful of tourists including us and the beautiful lakeside setting made me feel quite spiritual. There were a few Indonesians making offerings at the temple which added to the atmosphere and serenity of the place. Never mind Ubud, if I wanted to find myself and get spiritual enlightenment, I would go here, no questions. 

Pura Ulun Danu however was another story. Full of tourists and tacky little shops, it would have been beautiful and serene but I think this had long gone. There was even a photo shoot going on with a few models being told to “make love to the camera” by an Indonesian David Bailey type so there they were, wearing what looked like wedding gowns with one on a boat desperately trying not to fall off and another reclining like a dying swan on the beach. Perfect smiles set. Beautiful.

Bali Botanical Gardens was also worth a visit. We marveled at the fantastic exotic plants and flowers although a lot of the orchids in the orchid house had not flowered yet. Shame as I can imagine them to be absolutely stunning. A few were out but it would have been great to see some more.

Lunch was at a local warung near Pura Ulun Danu where our driver had lunch with us. We had Indonesian teenagers eating to our right and a motorbike repair shop to our left and the food was absolutely delicious.  I’m not sure what our driver was expecting when we said we would treat him to lunch but I bet he was hoping for the Bali equivalent of the Ivy or at least a 'restaurant panoramique' but instead we take him to a warung!  Never mind. I think he enjoyed it all the same as testified by all the empty plates.            

                                                                                                           

We then drove through yet more breathtaking rice terraces, visited a coffee plantation and the beautiful mountain areas around Munduk. Absolutely stunning.  This is the Bali I wanted to see.

And at around 4pm we arrived here at our resort in Pemuteran where it’s rather nice.  There are only a handful of resorts here on the beach, a few warungs outside the resorts and a small town. Fantastic. This is what some parts of southern Bali probably looked like around 30 years ago before the mass influx of tourism. Sadly, I can see this place going the same way although I am hoping it doesn’t for a while yet.

We are at the Taman Sari Resort where it is all rather lovely. Beautiful manicured lawns and gardens, villas, suites and rooms. It is the sort of place where you can imagine some celebrity would go to recuperate from their plastic surgery in secret as a lot of the villas are secluded and this place is so peaceful.  Not being a celebrity and not having had plastic surgery we are in the cheap seats but very nice all the same!

Mat is doing his diving at Reef Seen which is a five minute walk from here and apparently highly regarded. More importantly, they have baby turtles!

Pemuteran is home to the Reef Seen Turtle Project where turtle eggs and small turtles are looked after until they are ready for release in the ocean. It’s a non-profit organisation and helps with turtle conservation. The baby turtles are soooo cute, I think we may end up with one in our hand carry as Mat is beyond in love with them. I prefer Badi the badass big turtle they have who loves and almost begs you to stroke his shell. Apparently, Badi is too tame now to be released back into the ocean so they are keeping him at the sanctuary.

There is also an artificial reef that they have set up here to encourage coral growth. I haven’t ventured out to see it yet but Mat wholeheartedly approves.

I think we are going to like it here.

Ubud - Eat, Pray, Leave

Sun-Mon (8-9 May)

Firstly, has someone closed France? As in its borders? Anyone? Marc, do you know? Are they not letting its citizens in so they are having to go elsewhere? Like here in Bali for example? Have we missed something in the news? Everywhere we go we are hearing French being spoken and French accents trying to speak English. They are everywhere. Even the couple next door are French. I hadn’t realised the French liked Bali so much!

Anyway, our first full day in Ubud completed (Sun 8^th May) and I’m still a little unsure as to what I think of the place. I feel a bit like Switzerland - neutral and neither here nor there about it. Although it is very nice here. We arrived at Denpassar airport around 11.30 Saturday night and got to our hotel just before 1am.

Mat and I had purposely avoided the southern Bali holiday hotspots of Kuta, Legian etc because we wanted to avoid the tourist crowds and the hedonism that goes with it.  We sort of have and we haven’t here. Ubud is so far removed from the Indonesia that we have been experiencing these last two weeks my head is a little bit discombobulated.  Parts of Monkey Forest road and its surrounding street have so many little chi-chi shops it looks a bit like Weybridge high street. 

The most striking thing for me is the sheer number of tourists here - and this is supposed to be a quieter part of Bali. I have mentioned the French but in addition there are dozens of Americans, Australians, Italians, Brits, Japanese, Spanish and a load more besides. There is no distinct demographic either as Ubud seems to attract a real mish-mash of people. I can see why as it is a very easy destination to settle into. Tranquil rice terraces, temples and shrines galore, more hotels & villas than you can dream of, even more spas, shopping mania, loads of restaurants and bars and of course, Indonesian friendliness and charm. Although I do feel the Indonesians we have been meeting here seem a little more distant, still friendly but a bit more jaded perhaps.

We are staying at Okawati Hotel. It’s ok but I think in it’s time it would have been more splendid. Lots of stone carvings and statues, nice garden and pool, friendly staff but all a little 1980s for my taste although I am sure some would call it ‘vintage’. Apparently, Okawati (the lady who owns it) was one of the pioneers of the homestay here in Ubud and her hotel just grew from there. It is very well set, a 2 minute walk down a couple of little roads off the Monkey Forest Road so still central Ubud but away from the hustle and bustle and noise. And the breakfasts are to die for and delivered on to our balcony on time too. Lovely. 

Speaking of food, we have had some great meals here. Given the number of tourists, competition is fierce and so the quality of warungs and restaurants here are very good. Our satay meal on Saturday night was absolutely delicious. And we discovered a warung off one of the main streets where you choose how much you want to eat and a lady decides how much you should pay. Love it - price dependent on whether you have had big boy portions or not. Mat and I were on the lower scale just in case you were wondering!

The other noteworthy observation here in Ubud is the deep sense of religion and spirituality about the place. As I have mentioned there are Hindu temples galore and shrines every few yards and bundles of offerings to the gods every few steps. All in between the gods of Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Billabong to name but a few...

Om santi, santi, om.....

This ‘Eat Pray Love’ book/film has a lot to answer for. There are so many western ladies here travelling alone and being all ‘om’ and looking to get ‘spiritual’ amongst the rice terraces with their very own Javier Bardem it’s incredible. Ladies of a certain age, younger ladies wanting some R&R from the excesses of Kuta and ladies wanting their chakras realigned...in more ways than one!

You can spot them a mile away. Wearing clothing with Hindu gods on, carrying a yoga mat and that air of ‘peace’ and ‘finding themselves’ about them.  There is even a ‘Bali Happy Movement’ here.  It’s all a bit disappearing up your own backside if you ask me but each to their own.

           

As Mat pointed out, given the ratio of single women to men here, Ubud is a single blokes dream destination. I’m feeling vulnerable right now... Om...

We spent Monday morning by going on a long walk through the Monkey Forest and surrounding villages around Ubud. It was good to leave the crowds behind but it all got a bit too hot towards the end. I was glad to be wearing my hat otherwise I’m sure I would have fainted as the heat here is unrelenting.   

The macaques in the Monkey Forest were very cute to watch but one of them got a little too friendly with Mat as it scampered about on his head and wouldn’t let go! It started gnawing at his hand too which was a little worrying but fortunately Mat’s skin wasn’t punctured in any way and he was able to shake the macaque off. Budget George Clooney attracts simians too!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing by the pool, more spa treatments for me and more toot buying. I’m hoping our last few days in northern Bali will be more tranquil.

Beautiful Borobudur to downpour, becak to batik

Saturday 7th May
Yogyakarta airport
21.36-ish
Waiting for our Bali flight

 
Borobudur is simply stunning. We set off quite early for our visit (Fri 6th May) with our driver but not at sunrise as I wasn’t going to have another too early morning! I was getting fed up with these early starts for now. I figured just before 8am was fine especially as it was only an hour’s drive away from our hotel.

When we got there, we were pleasantly surprised to find that tourist wise, Borobudur was rather empty. In fact, there were more workers scraping away volcanic ash from its walls (from Gunung (Mount) Merapi’s recent eruption) than tourists. Result!

In the searing heat, Mat and I were able to admire Borobudur’s awesome bas reliefs in relative peace. We took a ridiculous number of photos between us with our respective cameras and can only hope that a few turn out ok for our memories as the intricacy of some of the stone carvings were beautiful.  To respect Buddhist tradition, we were made to wear sarongs over our clothes so some of the photos of us look decidedly dodgy as they had a tendency to fall off or ride up.

We didn’t quite reach our ‘nirvana’ at Borobudur as the top layer was sealed off due to all the volcanic ash but we were still able to get a good look, just not scramble around in it.

The other main highlight at Borobudur, however, was witnessing yet again Mat’s ability to attract a ridiculously high number of Indonesians wanting to have their photo taken with him.                       
Friday was the last day of school for Indonesian summer break-up so there were quite a few teenagers at Borobudur celebrating this.  Budget George Clooney struck again and at some points, I felt a bit like the token camera person so many people were asking to have their photo taken with Mat. Many of the girls were swooning over him to the point that some were saying, “heee eees bee-youu-tee-fuull”.  I kid you not! 

Had I known Mat would attract this much attention, I could have made a TON of money touting him to Indonesian TV so much sooner!  It did get silly at some points where we couldn’t even go over to parts of Borobudur without a giggly teenager asking for a photo. We are still trying to work out whether they thought he was someone else but I was watching other men who sort of resembled him and they weren’t getting chased for photos. It was all very bizarre. I didn’t quite get a diva moment from Mat but he came close... Watch out Mariah!  I, on the other hand, didn’t get a look in. Obviously. What with me looking like I come from Java and the like. Never mind.

After Borobudur, we went to Kaliadam which is the area nearest to Mount Merapi. Our driver thought it would be interesting for us to visit so that we could see the effects the volcanic eruption of Merapi has had. It wasn’t the most cheerful of visits given the devastation erupting volcanoes cause and leave behind but it was interesting to see how the landscape had changed and how communities had re-formed so soon again as the last eruption was only 6 months ago.

Apparently some lava is still being emitted but we didn’t go too near. Instead, we had a couple of scooter rides up to near the summit. We rode pillion behind a couple of likely lads with me holding on for dear life to my driver.  Although it was good fun, it wasn’t worth the 20,000 rupiah (yes just over a pound but not the point) each we got asked to pay for it. Talk about royally getting ripped off! And I had some of them laughing at me. Probably because I looked absolutely terrified and a little silly on this thing and as Mat said, probably because they knew they were charging us double the price for the privilege.

Lunch was at this very strange restaurant which consisted of a bunch of buildings on stilts over giant fish ponds.  Most of the fish ponds were decorative and full of koi, goldfish, catfish etc but as Mat pointed out and having looked at the menu, should you fancy any of the fish swimming around underneath, it was ‘fished’ out for you!

Our waiter spoke no English so couldn’t explain any of the menu so I ended up having some random fish dish which wasn’t very tasty at all. It had been fried to dryness and the sauce I had chosen to go with it was so spicy hot I couldn’t eat it. Mat’s chicken dish was no better. Probably our most disappointing meal in Indonesia so far.  We would have been happy with a little warung but our driver thought we would like this place for some reason.

Our final destination was Prambanan, the massive Hindu temple here. Except it wasn’t so much as a visit as more of a soaking. Where we had absolutely blazing sunshine for most of the day, by around half three a massive tropical rainstorm decided to unleash itself. We sheltered in the main waiting area with other visitors but after around 20 minutes of waiting for the rain to ease, Mat and I figured that our feet would get wet anyway wandering around the site and as we had umbrellas we just went out in it. It wasn’t cold anyway and I was fed up with waiting.

It was quite comical at times as the rain was so strong but whether it was the weather or not, I wasn’t as impressed with Prambanan as Borobudur. It was still worth the visit but not as awe-inspiring in my opinion. Just call me a Philistine! I can take it.

Our random toot buying has also increased and to add to the random pieces we have at home Mat felt compelled to buy a small stone stupa for our garden. The lady we bought it from must have thought we were mad as we chose the one that had been out in all weathers covered in moss - the least pretty one. She was getting out all these perfect ones but no, we wanted the lived in look thanks! She wrapped it in newspaper and a bamboo cage to protect it and as we were walking through our hotel, one of the other guests thought we had bought a live chicken!

We did have plans to venture out to a Javan restaurant for our evening meal but as the rains had brought the local frogs hopping about on the street and flooded some roads,  I didn’t really fancy slipping and sliding on the way there and making my cold worse and so we had our Javan feast back at the hotel. It was absolutely delicious.
During the evening, we were very amused by the antics of the staff trying to retrieve the house kitten. It had escaped where it normally lives and you should have seen how this tiny fur ball was running rings around the staff who just couldn’t catch him/her! Even Mat had a go but she was refusing to budge from underneath any of the wooden furniture which was too heavy to move.  Apart from a tiny mewing sound every now and again we never did see him/her again.    

Most of today has been spent visiting Yogyakara’s other two main historical sites - the Sultan’s Palace and the Taman Sari (the Water Castle). Again, call me a Philistine but they were alright - good to visit but I wouldn’t go mad over them.  I think the most memorable thing for me was seeing that the Sultan had batik oven gloves - very cool!

The rest of the day was spent wandering around Yogya’s markets and batik vendors. In between stops we thought we would catch a becak to rest our weary feet. Trust us to get the two most unfit becak drivers in Yogya! I thought we were going to kill them they were getting so slow and breathless. They got us to where we wanted to go but I bet they were glad when my well fed backside got off! 

Our batik shopping in the end wasn’t too bad and didn’t involve oily salesmen. It did involve having to walk through very heavily crowded areas full of shoppers which at times got a little overwhelming especially with the traffic fumes.  However it was worth it as we got a beautiful batik bedspread and no hassle.

And now we are at the airport wating to board our Bali bound flight. Unsurprisingly, it’s delayed which is giving me the opportunity to observe fellow passengers bound for Bali and I’m a little nervous about whether it’s going to be my cup of tea.

There are quite a few women here wearing very little which doesn’t really bother me but given it is a muslim country, I find a little disrespectful. It’s not exactly Malibu beach here either - it’s an airport. And wearing bikini dresses - a bikini top that turns into a dress (nice) is not flattering on anyone let alone a woman of a certain age.  And the pièce de resistance, a man who is so morbidly obese his belly resembles a ginormous, sunburnt orange beach ball walking around with his shirt fully undone showing off his belly like it was a prize marrow he had just won. Oh. My. God.  Everyone is just staring at him. And he is loving it, walking around with his mate and his bottle of beer like they owned the place. Not quite sure where they are from but they weren’t Indonesian that’s for sure.

I know it sounds snobby but I’m really hoping that Bali is not full of people like this. I don’t think I could bear it.  Knowing my luck, massive belly man will probably be sat next to me on the plane. Alright darlin?!

Java - voom

And, relax. Finally in Java, specifically Yogyakarta. In a gorgeous little hotel called Rumah Mertua. It's a little bit lovely here. I think I might stay. For good...if only.

We are just behind the Hyatt Regency and their gi-normous golf courses although I think I would rather stay here. It is a bit more us. Small, subtle with lots of nice little touches and dare I say a little more tasteful.

We are about 6km north from Yogyakarta centre - effectively just hitting the suburbs hence all the greenery here and shiny, fat houses belonging to wealthy businessman and the like.

I'm very much liking Yogyakarta so far. Apart from losing one night here last night because of Merparti (Mat came up with, "it's Merparti and I'll cry if I want to" - I told him to get his coat), we didn't lose too much of today as Java is one hour behind Sulawesi and the flight only took an hour and a half anyway. I am never flying Merparti again regardless of convenient flight times. I would rather lose one day of my holiday and go on another carrier. You should have seen the state of their planes (inside and out) and as for the landing this morning... Well! Anyway, I have moved on and the complaint letter mentally written. 

We took a nap this morning and afterwards ventured into Yogya centre for lunch. I previously mentioned that Manado was an assault to the senses - Yogya is a punch in the face that gives you a hug afterwards. It's very Asian city full on, yet stranglely organised in a chaotic, messy kind of way.  

It is also very evident where the Indonesian government spends some of their money. We had a few Sulawesians tell us about how central government based in Java tends to forget them. And we have been told by Javans about how other islands are resentful of how Java is.  Looking at the roads here and the general upkeep and infrastructure of the place, it is easy to see why. You can actually walk on some of the pavements and the roads don't have 2ft deep pot holes you have to try and drive over! There is still a lot of poverty and I get the impression that there is no sense of community here unlike Rantepao where there was a feeling that people would help each other.

We also encountered our first beggars here since arriving in Indonesia - small, old ladies and grubby children. Quite sad really.  And of course the ubiquitous batik salesman who also happens to have or to know a handicrafts shop. "I show you". Where do they come from? They just suddenly appear like a bad smell. We do shake them off but I find them such hard work, they really do my head in.

We finally ate at a couple of decent warungs today for lunch. Chicken satay for Mat and lumpia (veggie spring rolls) for me. Absolutely delicious and a grand total of £1.75 for both of us including fresh mango juice drink for me. Lovely. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent bimbling around town as we are saving all the old and ancient monuments and relics for the next couple of days. We visited the spice market where we got some bargain rendang powder. Walked over to the bird market but they were just shutting so we moved on to a cafe behind the 'water castle' as I wasn't feeling a hundred percent (I have a slight cold). While drinking tea we got chatting to an Austrian who had married an Indonesian girl and a young guy who was playing 'My Way' and 'Memories' on his flute while granny and his mum sat on rocking chairs out front near the porch. They were very cool.

The way back to the hotel was even more eventful. We ended up in a taxi being driven by a man who either had a terrible acid reflux problem or had just bad manners or both as every 30 seconds throughout a 15 minute journey he was burping. Full on, loud froggy burps! Oh my god, you should have heard it! AND because he got bored waiting at the lights and traffic was a little heavy, he turned the tv on and started watching it. Yep. He had a little tv in his car where most people have a stereo.

The rest of the evening was spent by me in the spa being head and shoulder massaged and foot reflexologied by a therapist called Barri (yes, with an 'i') who looked ever so slight but had hands of flexible steel. He was good!  

Mat did a little more exploring and managed to find a laundry place to do all our dirty washing so far for the price of washing one pair trousers here.

And so to bed. An evening meal here of beef rendang for Mat and chilli shrimps for me has made me very content.  Borobudor tomorrow and lots of Buddhist temples - looking forward to it!

The Terminal

Makassar Airport
VIP Executive Lounge
Sulawesi (still!)
21.02

Yes, you read the above correctly. We're still in Sulawesi. Or specifically Makassar Airport 'VIP Executive Lounge' making use of their free wifi-fi, nice comfy chairs and free food and drink where we are the most casually dressed here and there's lots of well fed business people. 

We are waiting to check-in to our 'VIP room by the hour' next door (how dirty does that sound?!) and we can't check in till 22.00 as the maximum you are allowed to stay in the room is 6 hours. And as we need to check in for our flight at 4am tomorrow this was the latest time they would let us in for the 6 hours. Tu comprendre?! We did offer to pay for 9 hours but apparently rules are rules. Oh. My. God.  We have had SUCH a palaver this evening.  Mat and I feel a little bit like Tom Hanks did in The Terminal.

The day had started off well with a nice breakfast at Hotel Luta and as we bade farewell to Toraja land both Mat and I were really looking forward to Java. The drive up didn't seem as bad as going down although it was still bone jarring. We went via a waterfall and a butterfly farm (shut) and arrived here at the airport in loads of time, got checked in and mooched about in the shops.

Except Merpati Airlines for whatever rubbish reason decided to cancel our flight. And the next one they could put us on wasn't until 5am tomorrow. "But it's ok sir, we will put you in a nice hotel with free everything".  Yeah, whatever.  We don't want ''a nice hotel with free everything'', we wan't to be in Yogyakarta.  Unfortunately, there were no other flights available so we had no choice but to spend one more night in Sulawesi.  


Luggage retrieved and taxi called, I had a bad feeling about this 'nice hotel'. We arrived there with a load of other unhappy passengers and promptly given our room key. Sorry but I don't even remember the name of the hotel because as soon as we opened the door to our room we left straight away, back straight into the taxi and back to the airport. It was awful.  Damp, stained sheets and walls, smelly, litter outside the door and the BIGGEST spider on the wall.  It had hair on its legs for god sake!!  Mat and I can slum it with the best of them but this was a step too far. Especially when it wasn't even our fault we were there.  We made a fuss. Or rather Mat did. I was beyond making a fuss and getting a little upset.  And so here we are.

Anyway, it's one night lost in Yogyakarta and at least our 'hourly room' is nice and clean and 5 minutes above check-in.  And no airplane noise either as they don't have flights beyond 22.00.


It's never simple with us is it?! Just in case you were wondering, I'm feeling a little better after my animal sacrifice trauma yesterday although I still can't eat beef or pork or buffalo. I can hear my Dad telling me to get a grip now...


Anyway, I better go. They are cleaning around me.  Hopefully, I will be blogging from Java tomorrow!