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...