A brand new home...kinda like A whole new world

Here we are, a new week and a new house. We moved into "The Hill" officially on Friday have been loving it. No power outages, always have water and I've only seen one gecko.

I don't have much to say, we are just spending time enjoying our BBQ (we haven't had one since we left Canada Sept 9) and slowly unpacking...this is an unfurnished house so lots of shopping to do...

To Bali and back...

Our plane landed back in Balikpapan 3 days ago from our 5 day get a way to Bali with friends of ours. It was gorgeous and we were sad to come home. For those of you who don't know, Bali is a resort island that use to be a major tourist destination for Aussie's and Kiwi's but because of the "Bali Bombings" at 2 nightclubs 4 years ago the amount of tourists has decreased substantially.

We stayed at a placed called Dyana Villas (above - our 1 bedroom villa). Villa resorts are very popular throughout Bali each villa having their own private pool, housekeeper and they do your laundry, you could say we are spoiled. The daily temperature was at about 38 C with 87% humidity, even hotter then Balikpapan.
















We spent our first day at the beach where Jeff and Shawn tried their hands at surfing, no lessons needed they both decided its all about "timing"...I'm sure you can tell how that went...Aren't you suppose to be standing??



The beach was packed, not with tourists but mainly locals, looking to take pictures of/with any Caucasian females possible. It was an actually rather odd experience, they come up to you and get in a big group around you and take a picture with you because you have white skin...

The sunset our 1st night in Bali.....
















Jeff and Ethan on the Banana Boat on our Reef Cruise Day Excursion.

Amber and Ethan - going down the waterslide. We have become great friends with Amber and
Shawn and we will be living across the street from them at The Hill.





Jeff Snorkeling...


All in all it was nice to getaway and relax for a couple days and get back into a more western society with western conveniences, we've had a stressful couple of months and we are glad we could escape for a few days with friends. Our house has been giving us problems, apparently its nice to look at but the electrical problems are more then we can handle so we are moving. We will be moving into a compound called The Hill and alot of young couples will be around us so we
are very excited.


We had a very busy couple days in Bali but it was a great holiday, that isn't all the pictures but it gives you an idea...


Not much else is new, I guess that is a lot anyway but American Thanksgiving is today so we will celebrating at the Chevron Compound Pasir Ridge.

On the move...

Our life has picked up pace and is moving full steam ahead these days...

Since we last talked, I had an allergic reaction, we watched a man pour HCl into our pool, we had a fight with our landlord, and we are in search of a new house.

Ahh yes it has been an enjoyable couple of weeks...It was a hot Saturday morning and I was casually eating a nature valley granola bar that I always eat at home, not realizing that here they have NUTS!...it was just Heri and I home, Jeff was at work and our cell phones weren't working, so we jumped in the car(actually we have a mini van), Pak told me to put on my seatbelt and we raced around Balikpapan to find a expat clinic that was open, none. So I had my first experience in a third world hospital let me tell you it was something out of 1965

I ran inside and started saying to the doctor I can't breath i'm having an allergic reaction and he's standing there looking at me saying uhuh uhuh uhuh, HE DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH!!!
I think at this point I was having a panic attack more then I was having an allergic reaction, pak comes running in and explains it to him in Bahasa and suddenly I get treatment. After 2 hours, pak picking up jeff and countless needles later I went home to sleep and I am thankfully still alive.

We are on the move...after having some trouble with our landlord and no water, no power etc. we have found another house in The Hills Residence, it should be a lot better, its a new compound with young couples and friends of ours both live across the street we are very excited...

Otherwise not much else is new...we are on our way to Bali on Thursday morning for 5 days with some friends so I will have some pictures next week as an update...

Keep in touch...

Stayin Alive...

Hey...

Well I haven't written anything about us lately so here is the update...we are alive! We feel very safe here besides the creatures that live in our house. I was casually walking into our computer room last night to check my email when I stopped dead in my tracks and started to scream...what was there you ask?? This is no halloween horror story but instead a spider...the size of my hand looking like a small child. Needless to say my fears are gradually being conquered...thank goodness for bug spray (raid) just point and spray. I also forgot to take a picture but god forbid we ever see another one I wil make sure I take one before I get Jeff to kill it.

The rainy season is slowly coming, it was suppose to start the end of September but we haven't had much yet besides a few days, the weather is really hazy, not a lot of sun and this definitly isn't what we signed up for when we said yes to moving to indonesia...the frogs have started to come out and greet us as well...but they dive into our swimming pool and die so we generally meet them at their funeral.

Jeff is keeping busy at work and discovering just how inefficient people are around here so that tends to be a bit frustrating.

Our couples bible study begins tomorrow night at our house so this should be a great experience for all...

But I think that is relatively all that is new in our lives...boring huh? The creatures in our lives are overriding the blog.

Until next time...

Who needs a truck?

Here are some pictures of things you may see while driving down the street in Balikpapan...it's ok to laugh, we still do...


































































How many people can you count? Keep in mind there are probably 2 kids and one or two of those females are pregnant...most likely...and we thought the CTrain was packed??








































































Fence anyone?










































































I have yet to see one of these eggs get broken, incredible!

An Update....Save the Date!!! August 25, 2007

Well we are doing better and better everyday, the power is fixed, no more vicious amounts of bugs and the rats under our kitchen sink have been evicted and oh ya we set a wedding date...FINALLY!!!...Saturday August 25, 2007 (in Calgary)....Save The Date!! We want you all to be there...

I (Lori) have started volunteering at an orphanage and will also be starting to teach English soon...We have met some new friends and this weekend was really busy...we have two dinner parties...it seems like thats what all the expats do to socialize, maybe because the restaurants aren't all that good...

For all of you who stay in hotels often or at all...on your way out the door...grab all the toiletries (shampoo, toothbrushes, soap etc.) that you haven't used and get it to my mom's house, whenenver I make a trip home I will bring them back. The orphanages here can hardly pay the rent so grabbing those types of things for the kids can be very helpful and they love it.

Thanks so much...keep in touch...

Upper Floor....

So here is the continuation of our house pictures. I will update with more information soon.

But for now....When you come up the stairs the living room is to the right























and the master bedroom to the left.





















There are two other bedrooms upstairs as well with 2 bathrooms. Downstairs there is one bedroom/office and a bathroom as well.

House Pictures

This is our downstairs living room....the room you walk into from the front door....this leads into the kitchen/dining room....

the brown windows/doors walk out onto our patio/swimming pool....

Well thats the main floor...I am heading out to do some grocery shopping so I will post the upper floor later on...

Address Update

JL. Polantas 38
Markoni Atas. RT. 34, RW 10
Balikpapan, Indonesia 76112

Phone number: 011 62 542 745831

Home at last....well sorta

Well we moved into our house on Friday (6th) and it has gone anything but smooth. Our first night the power was out...all night...well not really, a breaker just got flipped so we ran the generator all night for nothing...rookies I guess.

We met our friends the geckos that very night and unfortunately I think they are doubling in numbers. So our first night...didn't start off good...no power, reptile things...we wanted to go home.

Things are looking up, I got internet today...dialup....I think I used dial up about 8 years ago when we first got internet at home so its like taking a few steps back. Regardless I don't feel as cut off from the world as I did before. My mom informed me that to call us you have to put a 011 in front of the number and it takes about 8 tries to get through, when you do get through it is a very bad connection. Good luck!!!

Narsiah, the housekeeper, is taking very good care of us although I am starting to feel very lazy.

I tried to upload some pictures of the house but it is not letting me so I will try later on today and see what happens....check back.

Take care,

The food sucks...

Hello again...

When people asked us what we would miss the most when we left Canada we never thought it would be running water you can brush your teeth with or knowing what exactly we are eating. Chicken or fish....you never know!

We move into our house tomorrow (Friday) so that will all change, i've never been so excited to cook before. I have meals planned from the moment I get in there.

Along with moving in our internet won't be set up for another week or two so our communication will be limited. I have a mobile phone and that number is 081 350 268060. I have no idea how to dial it from Canada or anything and remember its a 14 hour time difference....ahead.

Our home address is
Jl. Polantas 38
Markoui Atas RT.34, RW 10
Balikpapan, Indonesia 76112

Our home phone number is: 62-542-745831

Check your rates for calling Indonesia, without a calling card we pay $3.oo/minute to call Canada. If you have a computer/internet there is a program called Skype you can download and it gives you very very inexpensive long distance....such as 0.001 a minute.

Well just wanted to update everyone on our information and sorry we haven't sent postcards or anything, Balikpapan has none but I will see what I can do....

Keep in touch....

A long awaited update...

Goodmorning everyone,

Well after talking to my mom it has been brought to my attention that people are "upset" that I haven't been updating the website more frequently, we see it as going to bed at 8pm and waking up at 7am and well not doing much...regardless I do apologize and will do my best to change this habit....so the interesting facts in our lives....well since last time....

Jeff is feeling a bit under the weather today, yesterday, Saturday, we spent all day outside lounging around by the pool, our first real day outside since we've gotten here...air conditioning is our best friend...anyway he got a bit sunburnt, more like looks like a tomato so he has a bit of heat stroke I guess but is laying in bed and drinking lots of fluids so he will be better in no time...otherwise we are both healthy and happy. No other sickness to report.

We have started going to a non-denominational Christian church, the only English speaking church, held at the Blue Sky Hotel in Balikpapan.

I have joined the BEWC (Balikpapan's Expate Women's Association) there are events everyday of the week from golfing to yoga to tennis to bridge and canasta. The Canasta games on Wednesday afternoons have been my favorite with a few yoga classes in there as well....



We found a house....

Yes the only one you can really see (red roof)....we haven't moved in yet, October 5th - Thursday, is the date we think so once we do there will definately be more and better pictures of it. We lucked out with finding it...3 bedrooms, western style home, only 6 months old and a swimming pool. Excited is not the word for it.

When we first arrived in Balikpapan we were living with Brad but since then we have moved into Le Grandeur Hotel, not a bad place to be but living out of a suitcase is definately becoming difficult.

We now have our own driver, Heri, and it seems to be working out just fine...he's about 35 and yes ladies hes single...kidding. But no he treats us really good, tells us where the good places are to eat so hey whats not to love.

I also apologize that we haven't included more pictures and such and let me give a brief explanation of why. Being that we are a HUGE minority in this country it is not really encouraged to stand on a sidewalk and take a picture so this meaning we are always in a moving vehicle...also...the Muslim culture that it is, taking pictures is very frowned upon so little by little you will get to see the city of Balikpapan...

Until next time...

Our new home...

Hello everyone...

Well Jeff and I arrived in Balikpapan on Thursday morning at about 10 am. We both had a bit of culture shock but 2 days later we are doing a bit better....it is not a resort city by any means and poverty is everywhere, welcome to a third world country I guess.

The people are nice, smiling everywhere we go. No one speaks english, not even Bertha, the cook/housekeeper so we are trying to rapidly learn some Bahasa Indonesia to communicate a bit better and show some respect as well. Today, Saturday, was Jeffs first full day off and we didn't do much. Pram, the driver, took us to Matahari, one of the malls, so we could go shopping. Everything is very inexpensive...the rupiah value is approx. $1 Can to 9,500 rupiahs.

To give you a better idea as to what things cost....

12,990 rup - 4 Cans of Coke
2,970,000 - cell phone
120,000 - Cheerios

Things such as stationary supplies are very expensive with a package of loose leaf for $4. Cheerios and other cereal is also very expensive but otherwise food is very reasonable...Vegetables and fruit are very cheap and are everywhere...in fact we are woken up each morning by people who ride bikes down the street ringing bells selling fruit, soup, fish you name it they sell it. We are eating very well...Bertha is an amazing cook with our favorite dish as Spaghetti, so far anyway.

We will update you more as we experience more but right now we are being very low key....tomorrow we are going to look at houses so hopefully we will find something we like.

Keep in touch

Jeff and Lori

From Calgary to Singapore...

The first stop on our journey...

Our flight to Singapore "flew" right by (no pun intended)...We arrived in Singapore on Sept 10 @ 11:45 pm to a stifling 29 C, on a nice Calgary day that is more then bearable but with 98% humidity...it feels a bit hotter.

Jeff and I are both getting use to the heat but my hair, well that's another story...curly and humid, you do the math.

Today we kept busy at the Singapore Zoo where the monkeys roam free and all the animals have moats as boundaries, no cages...only a bit scary at first... along the way we both got to feed the elephants...














and see some amazing flowers...

We continued our galavant through the city to Sentosa Island...an island filled with beach resorts and tourist attractions such as "The Merlion"...

Singaporeans believe this mystical creature protects the city from the sea...

By this point in our day we were both exhausted and caught a cab back to our hotel...check back for more of Jeff and Lori's excellent adventures....keep in touch lori.wilton@gmail.com