sun, rain, surf, relax... Bali

Bali is hot, humid, and yes it is raining a bit, but it's fun too.  We have had a nice couple weeks of relaxing that was definetly what we needed.  The nice hot weather sometimes is unbearable for us Canadians but will take it over being cold any day.  When we arrived we ecountered the usual hackling out of the airport and did the best we could being tired and hot to shrug it all off.  We remembered once again what it's like to have a big dollar sign hanging above our heads.
We found a hotel and a taxi and headed out into Bali, the Sanur area was our first stop.  All in all the hotel was ok, nice pool, dirty beaches, cheap massages, and just ok food here except a great hotel restaurant down near the big hotels made great food.  We decided we needed something new, and our room was just ok, Ray was fine with it, but I thought the bathroom was disgusting and it smelled like really strong moth balls that burned my nose.
 We decided to try out the tourist area of Benoa, right next to Nusa Dua the ritzy walled in hotels watched by security at each gate.  The Ramada had a good deal online so we went there, wanting a bit more relaxing.  We arrived after a decent length drive, everything here moves slowly, traffic being a major one.  You never know if it's an accident, tree fell down on road, bad weather, who knows it's just plain busy, so much honking of horns and close calls with other vehicles.  The hotel is great, probably more than we needed but very comfortable for the much needed chill time.  The room is nice and looks out over the pool, staff is nice, good milkshakes at pool bar, great food, free breakfast and plenty of food choices down the road a bit.
We spent many days just hanging by the pool, tried out a beach called Greger near by, not the cleanest, it's runoff season so garbage is flowing into the ocean from the land.  Not a great garbage or any sort of recycling here that I have seen so far.  Kinda sad to let a beautiful place get so dirty and clog up the ocean.  We went to Kuta for an afternoon, was so hot, my face was on fire, we swam in the ocean there to cool off, water ok here, beach bit cleaner, but the amount of people haggling you is intense and gets a little annoying.  We booked it to the mall to cool down and get a drink, and then took a taxi back to the hotel..couldn't get outta there fast enough.
So after all that we are ready to see some countryside and explore.  We rent a car with driver for 10 hours thinking wow that's  a long time, but after you drive around for a day you realize most of the time on you trip out is driving as the roads are rough and slow going.  We saw Celuk, a silversmithing and goldsmithing area, jewellery shops all down one road.  Huge stores full of different silver and gold pieces, I could have looked forever if it had not been so hot.  The prices were pretty expensive still so only bought small earrings.
Bali is put together in areas by occupation sort of, wood carving in all one area, silver and gold smithing in another, art work in another, batik in another, statues in another etc..... this makes it kinda neat when you drive all of a sudden there is a street full of one type of thing just full to the rafters with different pieces or work.  We continued to a waterfall, and did not go down since the rainy season had made the waterfall dirty, so not much reason to walk all the way to it if you can't go in.  We left and made our way to Ubud the cultural art town of Bali, very cute, different types of stores and looks like a nice mountain town.  This is also home to the Monkey Forest Temple.  We pay our entrance fee, and do not buy any bananas for the monkeys,did not really want to get that close to one.  As soon as we start our adventure in we feel the humidity and smell the monkeys.  They are everywhere as soon as you enter, I advise you read the sign if you ever go here and understand what to do it they come at you or jump on you.  They definetly get close and jump on anyone with food, even if it's in your bag or pocket they will go get it.  Ray tried to get one to look at him and snapped and it got angry and showed his teeth at him and came at him.  I at this point I booked it, didn't want to be a part of that, it pulled at him and checked his pockets and eventually backed off as Ray pulled back slowly.  I couldn't believe he teased it, it said do not do that on the sign Ray!!!!
Well, after that adventure we moved on to Mt. Batur an old Volcano site, with a lake in the center of the crater.  Quick stop there, the air was great up there at least 10 degrees cooler than in town.  The driver said he was cold, we laughed it is like a Canadian summer up there, and he needed a sweater.  The drive was nice, lots of rice terraces and rainforest and we head back into the main area of Bali to see Dreamland beach.  Which I will make quick, it was no dream and had to pay again just to go to the beach.  We are beat, tired and ready to head back so we do.
Another couple days we plan our surfing lessons.  I am so scared and have been practicing my not plugging my nose under water with Ray for days.  He said I am a natural, learned pretty quick, I am a good swimmer just not great diver.  Ray a better diver and ok swimmer so we help each other.  I am more nervous about rip tides and sharks but I trust our teacher, he is older and wise so.....all should be good.  That day we get picked up and head toward Legian for our lesson and meet up with some other travellers.  We put our rashguards on and head to the beach to learn,  but before we do a little yoga to warm up, which is good for us oldies, it's Rays bday the next day so he better take it easy...lol...the instuctore gives me the hugest board ever, I think he thinks I will suck at this. Seems pretty easy we go out into the water after some instruction to boogie board first, to get a feel for the wave and board control.  So fun, carving through the wave, I laughed and smiled the whole time, my nerves are settled a bit.  Then we get back on land drink some water and learn how to get up on the board, this popping up 10 or so times on land gets hard and realize this is gonna hurt tomorrow.  I am not understanding this so well, but you just gotta try sometimes.  We head out again after a bit and he stays near me of course, no trust in my abilities yet.   I get out to him he gets me started,my wave comes and I am standing up first try, eat that all who don't  think I can learn fast, including me lol.....after that it got harder and harder and as you get tired it becomes a bit of work just to walk out.  Ray took a couple tries and he was up a few times, we did pretty well I thought for people who had never surfed before.  It was  alot of fun even though the waves seemed a bit big for us to start out on but the weather was bit bad that day.  We head back to the hotel and order room service.  Soooooo tired......but feel good too.  The morning wasn't too bad and Ray is now older by Bali time and tomorrow home time he will be older there.
We will see Tanah Lot, and the Royal Temple tonight, one more day tomorrow then we leave early morning for Singapore for four days then off to Malaysia.... excited to see something new again!