Ah the Gilis....

Since it has been so long since my last post, I will spare you all the day by day recap (I think). Oh and Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful time with your families and friends and eating loads and working none!

So my friends Susette and Lars and I decided that we shouldn't tell anyone about the Gilis so it stays just like it is. I'm totally breaking the pact. Keep it on the DL will you?

First stop was Gili Trawangan. Trawangan is known as the party island of the three and it definitely has the best nightlife. I had met Lars and Susette (they are from Germany) and Bags from Oz on the ferry over. They became my Gilis posse. It was great fun! So the Gilis are three small (you can walk around Trawangan, the biggest one, in less than 2 hours) islands off the coast of Lombok which is the next island to the East of Bali. The islands are completely free of the rains that plague the other islands during the rainy season (now) and are blessed with clear blue water, white sand beaches, and abundant marine life. Everything revolves around the beach and the hotels and restaurants have absolutely everything you could want- cold drinks, snacks, exposed chairs on the sand, covered chairs on the sand, covered platforms with pillows to sit on while looking out at the beach and enjoying your snacks and/or drinks. Nothing is rushed. You can order one soft drink and sit there for four hours reading, lounging, and enjoying the scenery and no one bothers you or pressures you into ordering more. Susettte, Lars, Bags and I stayed at Edy's homestay which is behind the main strip of beach bars and hotels. This was perfect because we were right in the middle of the action in a 5 minute walk, but far enough away to not be kept awake all night by the DJs when we were done for the evening. Oh and there are no motorized vehicles on the Gili Islands. Just horse carts, bikes, or walking. No dogs either which was a change from Bali. Loads of cats though and none had a full tail- we never did figure that one out. Every night one of the bars on the beach hosts the "party" where everyone who is out for a big night goes. Our favorite of the bars was Rudy's as the local guys who work there are hysterical. So we had to hit up Rudy's Friday night party our second night. The days were spent relaxing on or near the beach. I did a dive one morning and the highlights were seeing a turtle as we entered and then a large (about 1.5 meter) white fin shark while down there. Definitely the biggest one I've ever seen while diving! One day Lars, Susette and I did an all day snorkeling trip around all three islands in a glass bottom boat. Not a bad way to spend the day! I planned to spend 4 nights doing 2 islands and 5 nights later I was still on Trawangan! It is just how things go on the Gilis. They also had movie bungalows where you can watch DVDs as long as you order food or drink. Every night they project 2 movies on the screen and have mats and pillows to lounge on as you watch. Since copyright laws do not apply, I saw Twilight and Changeling while I was there :).

After 4 nights on Trawangan, I did a day trip to Gili Meno, the smallest and quietest island with the best beaches (the islands are each about a 20 minute boat ride away from one another so island hopping is super easy). There I went to the Bird Park and saw many birds from all over Indonesia and beyond. They also had a kimodo dragon which was good for me since I am not going to make it to Kimodo (4 days one way). I met a great Irish couple in Meno and they were my crew on Gili Air (the third island where I spent my last 3 nights) until Susette and Lars came the day after I did. Gili Air is a nice medium between the party scene and crowd at Trawangan and the complete chill of Meno. We spent more beach time and dropped by the island's Christmas party on the 24th. Lars and Susette opted to stay as far from civilization (the main strip) as possible but their bungalow was in the perfect place for the sunset to make us a private show for my last night on the islands. It was amazing (and of course I took like 40 pics)! I had my own little bungalow on Air with a hammock on the deck for afternoon reading. Loved it! I'm not usually a lie around and veg for a week type of person, but it was terrific to do it in the Gilis (and I walked around all 3 islands, swam a bunch, and did the hike over the hill on Trawangan to the Sunset bar- which is only open for 2 hours everyday at sunset- thanks, I feel less lazy now).
It was sad to leave Susette and Lars (Bags had gone a few days before), but we're meeting back up there in 5 years (right Susette??).

So, after the Gilis I spent 2 very long days (and one long night) traveling from Lombok to Bali to Java. This took me on a little boat, shuttle bus, big ferry, another shuttle, airplane, night bus, and a train. And now I am in Java. It definitely feels different here! Must less touristy! And very few people speak English. I was lucky to find a room here in Yogyagkarta (pronounced Jogjakarta) as New Year is a big holiday here too. All rooms are marked up and most places are full. So far I like the town though! Tomorrow I'm going to explore the old temples and parks here in town and Tuesday I head to Borobodur which is often mentioned in the same breath as Angkor Wat as far as old temple ruins go. Should be fun! I think I will stay here until New Years.

Hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve!! Tell me all about it! Miss you!!

Oh and the pic is from Gili Trawangan. I took it when I looked up from my book and realized that I was sitting in a Corona ad. It doesn't get much better than that!

So long Western world, hello Bali!

Selamat sore,

I hope the holiday season is treating everyone well. I'm spared from the craziness here in Bali (Hinduism is the dominant religion here) and I don't mind at all! So what's been going on with me...

My travel day was long and uneventful except that I was forced into buying an onward ticket from Indonesia or JetStar would not check me in. So I am leaving from Jakarta on January 4, unless I change it. So, 3 hours to Melbourne, 2 hour layover, and 5 hours to Bali later I arrived. I was glad I'd picked up a Lonely Planet and knew that there was an official taxi window with set prices at the Bali airport as "official" drivers tried to charge me double before I found the window. Since I arrived late at night, I had called and reserved a room in touristy Kuta. I only spent one day in Kuta and that was plenty for me. Everyone wants to sell you transport, sarongs, dresses, massage, etc. It is like that other places, but they are not as pushy as in Kuta. The beaches are not so nice this time of year- lots of trash and dead fish washing up. It does look like a good place to learn to surf, but I opted for wandering about. There are loads of tourists in Kuta though- definitely a hotspot for Western visitors.

After my day and 2 nights in Kuta I took a shuttle to Sanur on the East Coast and hopped on a boat 12 km off the coast to a small island called Nusa Lembogan. What a terrific decision! The island has only 7000 people on it and since it is the off season it is pretty quiet. I met an English and an Australian girl on the boat and we stayed together at this really nice hotel overlooking the ocean. It is definitely the nicest place I have stayed thus far (Jody, it reminded me of Pelican Eyes). I spent 3 days in Lembogan. The first we wandered up the beach. The second I walked to Mushroom Bay and then down to the village of Lembogan. Then I booked scuba diving for the following day and did a quick refresh in the pool. Later we hung out by our Infiniti pool and watched the daylight fade. My dives the next day (there were 2 of them) were fantastic! The first spot we saw loads of colorful fish and coral. The second was my first drift dive and we were lucky to see a miniature seahorse as well as the giant sunfish, the Mola Mola (totally out of season) plus more coral, fish, etc. A Spanish couple I met on the boat joined our crew (we hung with a Finnish couple staying at Ware Ware with us) for the evening. The next day I headed back to Sanur on the public boat and Hollie, the English girl, and I went to Ubud.

Ubud is the cultural area of Bali located in the center. It is surrounded by hills and rice fields and is lovely. I went to the Monkey Forrest the first day and saw loads of grey monkeys. They are very used to people feeding them so a baby grabbed my leg hoping for some food and scared me silly (to the amusement of the other tourists nearby). I then went for a walk through rice fields to a few artisan villages and got lost for awhile (literally) in the fields. Yesterday Hollie and I chartered a car and driver to take us around. We saw the Elephant Cave and Temple and then Temple of the Rock (really visually stunning). We also stopped at an painters' enclave, batik weaving shop, bone carver, and a coffee plantation. All very interesting. Later we went up to Kintamani and had some great views of the volcano Batur and nearby Lake Batur. On the way back we stopped at rice terraces. Quite a great day! Today Hollie headed off to the Gili Islands and I stayed. I had a $5 one hour massage and tonight I am going to see one of the tradidional Balinese dances.

Bali is amazingly inexpensive. Although some rooms don't come with flushing toilets (you have to pour water down them) or hot water (but it is warm enough that it isn't an issue). The people are very friendly and always smile at you (and then often give the ubiquitous inquiry "Transport?"). Hinduism is quite visible with offerings in front of every doorway three times a day. I'm trying to pick up some Indonesian words and phrases. I haven't needed them thus far but I likely will in Java.

I guess that is it for now. I think tomorrow I will start making my way East to Lombok- the next island over. Miss you! Keep me updated.

St

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

So that question was painted on the back of a campervan I saw and it made me laugh. Anyway, wow, my time in New Zealand is nearing an end. Tomorrow I fly to Bali. This month has flown by! Before I start with the recap (and I will try and be succinct- I've done so much), a couple of random things from my head... Firstly I don't think I've talked much about the people I've met on the trip. They are awesome! And I keep running into people I'd met previously in the trip which is super fun. Yesterday the world got even smaller when I ran into an Irish girl I had shared a hostel room with in China near the Tibetan border last April. I'm going to her and her boyfriend's place tonight for dinner. Good times. Some more random tidbits about New Zealand. It was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote in 1893. Pretty cool. Also, since I'm so far South, the days are long. Down in Dunedin right now it is light out until after 10 PM. I think I had a few more, but I am drawing a blank so on with the recap.

We were able to get out of Franz Joseph the day after the flooding. So then I went to Wanaka which I loved! It is this terrific alpine village on a huge blue lake with snow capped mountains in the background. I went to Mount Aspiring National Park and did a day hike to a glacier overlook with loads of waterfalls and more snowy peaks. Quite a nice place to have a sandwich. After 2 nights in Wanaka I headed to Queenstown. That was reunion central as I randomly ran into 6 or so people I had met at varying other times on the trip. After a quick night there I headed to Te Anau for a day trek on the Kepler Track. It was grey and drizzly so the views were not so great. The following day I did a day trip to the fabled Milford Sound. I was the only person going from Te Anau so I had a private guided tour of the road to Milford with a conservationist. He knew all about the local animals and plants and we did quite a few short walks and drank directly from an alpine stream on the way back. It was the tastiest water I've had- maybe ever. I did a boat cruise on the sound seeing waterfalls and peaks including one of the Mitre which is one of the highest peaks on earth to come directly from the water. We also saw a bunch of sea lions. The following day I headed back to Queenstown and then to Arrowtown, an old gold mining town, to wander about. Back on the Magic bus the next day I went to Dunedin where I stayed at a really cool hostel that used to be a bishop's residence. It is now called Hogwartz and since it was stormy out I watched a Harry Potter movie to be in the spirit of the place. Met up with a friend from the bus that night and went out for a bit and the next morning we were off to Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo is a glacial lake that is a super clear color of blue due to the glacial residue once it moved on. Mount Cook, the largest peak in New Zealand, was spotted at Lake Pukaki on the way in. The night skies in Tekapo are famed for being great for star gazing so a group of us braved the cold to check them out. The next day I was meant to hike in Mount Cook National Park, but another storm foiled the plans. So I spent the day playing games and watching movies with some of the other Magic bus peeps.

Christchurch was the next and my last stop on the Magic bus. I didn't stick around though, I caught another bus up to Kaikoura which is known for its dolphin and whale population. It is a cute little seaside town- very chill and relaxing. I ran into some American guys I'd caught a ride with to the trailhead near Te Anau and had dinner with them (local seafood- yum!). The next day we did a dolphin swim. Seriously, I think it is one of the coolest things I have ever done (y'all know how I love dolphins). They take you out in a boat to a pod with hundreds of dolphins and you are in a wetsuit and have snorkel gear and when they get you to right where the pod is going, you slide off the boat and join the pod. The dolphins are totally wild so you swim and try to act like a dolphin and basically look and sound like a total moron so that they will be interested and play with you. When they start to swim off, we get back on the boat and follow and then repeat about 5 times. I don't think I can describe what it is like to be swimming and looking into deep, cold, murky water seeing nothing and then, out of nowhere, there are 5 dolphins about a foot from your face swimming in circles through the water. I'm so glad I did it! We also saw a sperm whale on the way in and some albatross as well. I headed back to Christchurch which is where I am now. Christchurch is the biggest city on the South Island and I quite like it. It was created to be an English Christian settlement and originally men needed a letter of recommendation from their church to be allowed to move here. Luckily, things have changed.

Um, I guess that is it. Time to leave Western civilization behind. I'm looking forward to it, but of course there is so much more I would like to do here. Maybe I'll come back. We'll see. Oh and my fave wines I've tried are the 2007 Forrest Sauvignon Blanc (Marlbourough) and the Rockburn Pinot Noir (Otago). Beer wise, I like Monteith's Original and Speights.

Photos are uploaded. I'm captioning now. Here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/stacyb/SouthIslandNewZealand#

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all eating loads and having a great time with your families. To everyone in my family, I miss you, have some turkey for me. It isn't all that prevalent in New Zealand (lamb and venison however...).

I spent my Thanksgiving in a gorgeous alpine town called Wanaka. The scenery was absolutely stunning! Clear blue lake, snow capped peaks, a glacier and waterfalls. Will try and upload a pic next time I am online.

St

Trapped! In Franz Joseph!

Kia Ora once again,

I'll get to the title of this post in a few. Firstly, back to the recap. The wine tour was a lot of fun. New Zealand wineries give 5-9 tastes each (at least the three we went to) which was nice. Everyone else on my bus was from Belgium, so Tom, I got to see how life is like for you every day (not understanding a word of Flemish and all). Later that evening I went out in Picton with some people from the hostel and met some others out. Good times. The next morning I headed to Nelson on the Magic bus once again. Met a few people on the way and booked my day hike in Abel Tasman the following night. Had to leave the hostel at 7 AM (doing New Zealand rapidly doesn't allow for much in the way of sleeping in) and we took a bus to a boat to the drop off for the 20 km hike on the famed Abel Tasman trail from Barks' Bay to the start of the trek. Unfortunately the weather wasn't so great. It was kind of like Portland, grey and drizzly. But it was still a lovely walk. The next morning I was off to Greymouth. We spent the whole rainy day on the bus with a few quick stops to see a seal colony, do a short hike, and see the highly overrated (in my mind) pancake rocks. There isn't much to do in Nelson so most of us opted for the Monteith's brewery tour followed by a bar-b-que and out to see some live jazz. Early the following morning we were off to Franz Joseph where I was looking forward to a half day glacier hike with 2 hours of it actually on the glacier with crampons. The weather gods are not smiling on us however. Heavy rains caused all treks to be canceled so we spent the afternoon in the movie lounge at the hostel. This morning we were geared up for a 7:30 AM departure to Wanaka but the rain has caused the roads to flood so we are still in Franz Joseph in the rain. I know there is a lovely glacier nearby, I just wish I could see it... But I'm optimistic that tomorrow the roads will clear and I'll be off to do more hiking and exploring in beautiful SW South Island!

Random fact about New Zealand- there are 10 times as many sheep as people. And nearly as many deer. We saw a film about how men used to jump out of helicopters and tackle deer back about 20 years ago. And now you can understand why New Zealand is the pioneering country for skydiving and bungee jumping...

Until next post. Keep the comments coming!

St

PS- pics are posted. All unfortunately and editing and captions are needed, but check them out if you wish:

http://picasaweb.google.com/stacyb/FijiNewZealand#

A quick trip through the North Island

Kia Ora!

I guess I'll start with a brief recap of the last two days in Fiji. The meke at Smuggler's was alright but the fire dancing was brilliant! My last day in Fiji I went on a day cruise around the Mamucas. Spent a few hours on an island snorkeling and hanging out and the afternoon on a boat seeing the outer islands. Made me a little sad I didn't spend a few days there, but I am happy that I got to see much more of the main island than most travelers do. After one more evening at Smuggler's with my Fiji friend crew (some of whom I hope to meet up with here on the South Island) I flew out to Auckland.

My first afternoon in Auckland I just wandered around downtown and discovered the Asian food alley (yum!). The second day I did the 16km Coast to Coast trail which inclded climbs of One Tree Hill and Mount Eden (both over 600 ft). That night I went out with my Kiwi roommate for a bit to the Sky Tower area to see all the trndy casino goers. Early the next morning I hopped on the Magic Bus heading South. Magic is great as it is full of travelers going the same direction so it is way easy to meet people. Plus you can hop off and spend a few nights in many different places and catch another bus going through. Our first stop was at Waitomo Caves where we did a cave tour and then took a slow boat ride into a dark cave where there are thousands of glowworms that light up the ceiling. Really cool! We also went to New Zealands only alpaca rabbit shearing center... interesting but sad. That evening we went to Roturua where a bunch of us went to a Maori village and then to a hangi (feast with food cooked all day underground). The village was interesting but kind of cheesy. The feast was good though as was the company. The group of us went out later that night. Rotura is in the midst of a geothermal area and always smells like rotten eggs. Lovely, eh?

The next morning (I can't keep track of days of the week, sorry), we headed down to Taupo. On the way we stopped at a geiser that they make every day at 10:15 AM using soap (random). It is neat though, shoots up 20 feet. Next stop was at a geothermal park. Really stinky but the colors and pools are worth not breathing through your nose for an hour or so. Then we were on to Taupo. Taupo is where most people sky dive and bungy jump. I passed on them both but we watched some bungy jumpers and most of my friends threw themselves out of a plane. I got to hear all the stories that night. I planned to stay in Taupo for a few days to hike the famed Tongariro Crossing which is a 20km hike that goes over Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately bad weather (winds and snow) caused the pass to be closed when I was there so I went ahead and left Taupo the next morning. After a grey, rainy day on the bus, the sky cleared as we hit "windy Wellington". We got to experience the city's nickname firsthand from the lookout over the city where gusts had people hanging onto the railings. My English buddy Susan and I spent the afternoon wandering around Welly and taking the cable car to the Botanical Gardens (thanks for the tip Liz!). That night Susan, David (Ireland) and I cooked a communal dinner in the hostel. All of the hostels in New Zealand (that I have been to so far) have great kitchens so it is easy to buy food and cook. Later a group of us watched LOTR The Two Towers in the TV lounge. Had to be done while in NZ :).

So I guess now we are at Tuesday which is when I hopped on the ferry and headed down to the South Island. I have 3 weeks here and am trying to sort out my itinerary (but it is a challenge, I am much better at just going and seeing what happens). The ferry drops off in Picton where I have spent the last couple of days. Yesterday I took a boat out to do some of the 71 km Queen Charlotte Track. Holy views!! I am totally blown away by the scenery in New Zealand. My hike started with a steep 50 minute climb to met the track and then I hiked 12 km to Torea Bay. I could have gome further as I was 2 hours early for my boat, but that was the pickup... This afternoon I am going on a winery tour of the Marlborough region famed for its Sauvingnon Blancs. Tomorrow I head to Nelson and the Abel Tasman Track (do I spend 2 nights or 4??).

That's me caught up. Unfortunately this cybercafe doesn't have USB ports so I can't upload pictures but I'll try to add one to this post later and want to post my North Island pictures next time I have some online time. Maybe Queenstown... who knows...

Congratulations to Andy and Meredith on their engagement!! Hope everyone else is doing fabulously and making plans to come meet me.

Til next post...

Circling Viti Levu

Bula all,

My time in Fiji is winding down so today I am taking a chill day to update this and hopefully figure out where to sleep when I get to Auckland (and lay by the ocean or pool of course :)). Here's what I've been up to.

I decided to go to the island of Nananu-i-ra just off the north xoast of Viti Levu as it seemed easier to get to than the other island I was considering. So I hopped on a bus from Latouka and 3 hours later found myself in Rakiraki town. There was a taxi waiting to take me to the ferry and it was a quick 20 minutes to the island. Nananu-i-ra is absolutely idyllic! White sand beaches, turquoise waters, pretty much exactly what you think of when you think of Fiji. There were very few people on the island so I had the 4 bed dorn with a kitchen all to myself. I spent the next day and a half swimming in the ocean, walking the beaches, and reading. It was all very relaxing. Too relaxing actually, I got kind of bored. So after 2 nights, it was time to move on (the roach that landed on my head the last morning was a sure sign I'd made the correct decision).

At this point, I was a little disheartened that I had not yet tried kava, the local drink made from mixing dried and crushed roots with water. It is not alcoholic, but mildly narcotic. I need not have worried. I was in the taxi back to Rakiraki (at 8:30 AM) when the driver pulled up next to a road crew who had a bucket of kava and gave us each a coconut bowl full. Kava looks and tastes like muddy water and I have yet to feel an effect other than a mild numbing of the tongue, but hey, when in Fiji... Oh and I am quite partial to the local beer Fiji Bitter. Much nicer than Fiji Gold, but less popular with the tourists.

Anyway, from Rakiraki I headed through the interior of Viti Levu through loads of little villages until I made it to Suva, the biggest city. I'm not a big city fan so I hopped on another bus to Pacific Harbour. Practically as soon as I got off the bus, it started to rain quite hard (OK, it was when I decided to take a walk to the closed dive shop). It rained sporadically all night and the next day. But that was OK because I met CJ and Rich, a British couple who is at the end of their year long excursion. We met at the tiki bar next to the pool with the big warrior head in it (and a slide that comes out the side) and I spent the next afternoon playing cards and drinking beers with them out of the rain. I had my own dorm room in Pac Harbour as well. And the few tourists meant that we became close with the staff of the hostel. Fijians are so amazingly friendly. Everyone smiles and says "Bula" as you walk by. I planned to spend just one or two nights in Pacific Harbour but CJ convinced me to stay a third. They moved to a posh resort for their last week and I tagged along and spent the afternoon by the pool watching the rich tourists and hanging by the ocean. Yesterday though, I decided to move on.

So now I am outside of Nadi on Wailoaloa Beach. The dorm room here is full but it is definitely more of a travelers scene. Last night I went to the kava ceremony at Smuggler's Cove (really a jam session with a bowl of kava in the middle) and hung out with people from Germany, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, England, Argentina, etc. Tonight they are having a meke with fire and knife dancing. And tomorrow, I am spending the day cruising around the Mamuca islands and snorkeling. No diving unfortunately. It is really pricy here. I tried in Pacific Harbour but at both places I called a child answered the phone and said s/he didn't know if a boat was going out the next day. Add that to the closed place I went to in the rain and I decided I can save scuba for a later destination (or two). Thursday I head to New Zealand!

I hope you are all well. Let me know what is going on. And tell me if this was way too much detail and what you'd like to know more about.

The adventure begins

Bula everyone (yes, I am that cheesy travel blogger who started by saying hello in the native tongue in the country I am in)!

After two weeks of crazy packing, purging and productivity, I am now in Fiji. Getting here took forever as I had a 7 hour layover in LA (thank you for taking me to Islands Briana and Kathleen!) which became a 10 hour layover as there were catering issues with the plane. But we arrived this morning (November 5 here in Fiji) at 7:30 AM. Instead of dealing with the tourist touts at the airport or in downtown Nadi (pronounced Nandi), I hopped on a bus to Latouka, the second largest city in Fiji (totally doesn't feel like it) which is about 30 minutes north of Nadi. Here I am deciding which island backpacker place to make my way to this afternoon. And telling mom I am alive and updating the blog :). Fiji is gorgeous! I haven't seen much of it yet, but what I have is green, hilly, and terrific! I'll definitely have to take some pics.

Nothing else to report since I've only been here for 2 hours. I'm surprisingly awake considering I still am not entirely sure what day it is...

Hope you are all well!
St

Gearing up

OK. I've given notice at work, found someone to move into the apartment, and things are coming together for my big trip. Unfortunately the happily lost handle on Blogger was taken so I had to add the 17 into the URL. Such is life.

In the next week or so I'll be sending this out to about everyone I have ever met (if you are here, I guess I did that) so everyone will know where to tune in to follow my travels. I'm going to post my tentative itinerary here but I am sure it will change. If you have contacts to share in or near anywhere I am going or tips, suggestions, etc., please feel free to let me know. Also, while I am away, I'm going to want to hear from you all. So please add comments to the blog and send me emails. It is going to be exciting, but it'll be lonely at times as well. Plus I do want to keep up on what is going on with everyone I care about (it isn't ALL about me :)).

Anyway, here is the rough itinerary. Tickets have been purchased as far as Bali:
Depart LAX November 3, 2008
Fiji November 5-13
New Zealand November 13-December 5
Indonesia 3-4 weeks
Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam) 3 months
India 1 month
Africa (countries TBD) 2 months
South/Central America (countries TBD) 3 months