The anniversary dinner at Pearl was a great success. There were not one, but two utterly adorable bunnies hopping around the garden all night. The atmosphere and service were fantastic. And the food was fabulous. It's the first time that Phil has ever nominated dessert as his favourite course - and that was after lobster ravioli and tender barramundi. They made a dessert with gingerbread, icecream and a rosemary eggy fondant that was so fragrant and delicious, I'd go back just for dessert...
...
A visit to Denpasar, or the concrete jungle. The streets reminded me of Jakarta, but without the charm. The most utilitarian, hot, grey pumping heart of a city. A capital bearing little resemblance to the rest of the island. Still, there are pockets where the jungle creeps in to reclaim the streets. And children ride bikes and fly little plastic kites and try to fish in the river that could only be described as choked with filth.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Saturday 27 August 2011
Settling in
The basic routine here in Bali starts with a walk along the beach and/or a swim in the morning. Phil goes running in the mornings, which is kind of insane but impressive in this heat. We walk about 15-20 mins to breakfast at around 11am and eat, read, email, blog, bank, Facebook etc for an hour or two. All this exertion requires a return home for a dip in the pool, followed by more reading, and so far some kind of spa treatment... Well, for me anyway. Then more rest, reading, walking, dinner and bed.
So far on the spa treatment front, I've had the aforementioned mani/pedi/ hair spa, the paraffin wax foot treatment and yesterday, a hot stone massage courtesy of Monika - thanks!!
I don't know exactly what I thought a paraffin wax treatment would entail, but for those thinking it through, it does indeed involve putting your feet into a bowl of hot molten wax and then sitting with those feet encased in wax for some designated period of time. Freaking hot wax!! I wasn't initially sure whether I'd burnt my feet or if I'm just a wuss...
Turns out i am a wuss. Feet were not burnt. Actually they came out feeling very soft and smooth. Although I'm not sure it's an experience I would repeat.
Yesterday's activities also involved watching the first half of the St Kilda v Nth Melbourne game to Phil's initial abject horror. Apparently there is some fascinating cycling tour on in Italy at the moment which the Asian sports channels are not showing - Shame... So AFL it was. It seemed that the game had been picked up from the Northern Territory which means the advertising is all for Alice Springs' local businesses. Its truly awesome - like watching ads for your local pub on prime time TV!
There are some other things on the to do list on this trip - working on learning some German, diving, yoga, giving photography a go... I think they can wait until next week though. Tonight is all about celebrating the 2 year wedding anniversary, which was on 7 August and which I forgot. Pretty bad, I know. There were (not great) reasons, but to go some way to making up for it.
I have secretly arranged for a dinner tonight at a French restaurant nearby that is in a gorgeous garden setting, apparently has amazing food and even a fluffy white bunny hopping around the garden! I told Phil a couple of days ago there was a surprise coming. And he is struggling to contain his curiosity... First he asks, is it today? It's a surprise! Is it dinner? Cos I don't want to overeat during the day if it's dinner... It's a surprise!!!! Is it for our anniversary, cos if it's for our anniversary, I'll feel bad if I don't do anything... It's a SURPRISE!!
Ironically, I can safely write about it on the blog because I know he doesn't read it... Tho he claims to... See, Phil, if you read the blog, you'd have all the answers - hehe!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
So far on the spa treatment front, I've had the aforementioned mani/pedi/ hair spa, the paraffin wax foot treatment and yesterday, a hot stone massage courtesy of Monika - thanks!!
I don't know exactly what I thought a paraffin wax treatment would entail, but for those thinking it through, it does indeed involve putting your feet into a bowl of hot molten wax and then sitting with those feet encased in wax for some designated period of time. Freaking hot wax!! I wasn't initially sure whether I'd burnt my feet or if I'm just a wuss...
Turns out i am a wuss. Feet were not burnt. Actually they came out feeling very soft and smooth. Although I'm not sure it's an experience I would repeat.
Yesterday's activities also involved watching the first half of the St Kilda v Nth Melbourne game to Phil's initial abject horror. Apparently there is some fascinating cycling tour on in Italy at the moment which the Asian sports channels are not showing - Shame... So AFL it was. It seemed that the game had been picked up from the Northern Territory which means the advertising is all for Alice Springs' local businesses. Its truly awesome - like watching ads for your local pub on prime time TV!
There are some other things on the to do list on this trip - working on learning some German, diving, yoga, giving photography a go... I think they can wait until next week though. Tonight is all about celebrating the 2 year wedding anniversary, which was on 7 August and which I forgot. Pretty bad, I know. There were (not great) reasons, but to go some way to making up for it.
I have secretly arranged for a dinner tonight at a French restaurant nearby that is in a gorgeous garden setting, apparently has amazing food and even a fluffy white bunny hopping around the garden! I told Phil a couple of days ago there was a surprise coming. And he is struggling to contain his curiosity... First he asks, is it today? It's a surprise! Is it dinner? Cos I don't want to overeat during the day if it's dinner... It's a surprise!!!! Is it for our anniversary, cos if it's for our anniversary, I'll feel bad if I don't do anything... It's a SURPRISE!!
Ironically, I can safely write about it on the blog because I know he doesn't read it... Tho he claims to... See, Phil, if you read the blog, you'd have all the answers - hehe!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Jalan Raya Seminyak,Kuta,Indonesia
Thursday 25 August 2011
Hello Bali
It is day #2 in Bali and I feel completely ready to spend 2 months here... We actually arrived on Weds night, but when I got to the immigration counter, the official asked me to wait a minute. My first thought was, crap, what's wrong with my visa/ passport... My mind went to one time when trying to enter Jakarta, the immigration officials stared at Phil's passport for a full 45 minutes (Phil reckons it was closer to 15, but my faded memories borne out of frustration do not lie). But on this occasion it turned out to be 11.59pm and my official wanted me to wait until the time ticked over to midnight so he could wind his date stamp forward a day and give my visa an extra day of validity in Bali. How lovely is that? He said that every day on his beautiful island is precious. Amazingly upbeat and poetic for someone pulling the midnight shift. Sadly, Phil's immigration official one lane over was a little less contemplative, so he missed out on the 'extra' visa day.
**Reading over my shoulder, Phil has suggested I include a reference to how I can now escape the company of GOMP for an extra day, but I think that is giving him too much editorial control. Get your own blog!!
As predicted, I am missing the cat, who has apparently not been playing nice at Phil's mother's place and is now confined to his old bedroom in solitary for her own sake and that of the other cats... oh dear...
I had forgotten that the apartment has its own resident cat who is gorgeous. No idea what her name is yet, but here is a pic - she even has her own sunlounge. Purrrr...
So far, I have done at least some of the things I'd been dreaming about for months, including breakfast at Warung Ocha, walking along the beach at sunset (sunrise has alluded me thus far) and 3 hours at the spa for a hair spa and mani/pedi. I have swum in the pool, read 2 books and bought a giant bean bag chair for DVD watching purposes.
Phil has not yet had his fill of the Balinese national dish of Babi Guling or suckling pig, so that's the next stop. And then I'm going to have my feet encased in paraffin wax, ahhhh....
**Reading over my shoulder, Phil has suggested I include a reference to how I can now escape the company of GOMP for an extra day, but I think that is giving him too much editorial control. Get your own blog!!
As predicted, I am missing the cat, who has apparently not been playing nice at Phil's mother's place and is now confined to his old bedroom in solitary for her own sake and that of the other cats... oh dear...
I had forgotten that the apartment has its own resident cat who is gorgeous. No idea what her name is yet, but here is a pic - she even has her own sunlounge. Purrrr...
So far, I have done at least some of the things I'd been dreaming about for months, including breakfast at Warung Ocha, walking along the beach at sunset (sunrise has alluded me thus far) and 3 hours at the spa for a hair spa and mani/pedi. I have swum in the pool, read 2 books and bought a giant bean bag chair for DVD watching purposes.
Phil has not yet had his fill of the Balinese national dish of Babi Guling or suckling pig, so that's the next stop. And then I'm going to have my feet encased in paraffin wax, ahhhh....
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Sleep, play, ?
The Singapore adventure is over. I had a feeling that time would pass quickly while we were away, but the last 2 days flew past at an insanely fast pace. As though to prove my point re. Marina Bay feeling like the Venetian Casino, a few moments after the last post, I noticed shoppers, presumably wearied, taking a gondola ride on the man made canals - priceless. They were actually Simpan boats but fitted the theme nonetheless.
We moved on to find some chilli crab for lunch - which I'd always wanted to try in Singapore - with abalone and lobster ... Mmm...
The strain of walking and lunch put me back in the hotel and to sleep at four pm. For about 15 hours. I did get up (ie. open my eyes) and read for a bit. But not long. Phil dined alone that evening. I can tell when I've slept too long because these maddening dreams begin where I can't open my eyes properly and can't see. Oddly it doesn't wake me up, just annoys the crap out of me. Thanks subconscious... It seems that my version of 'Eat, pray, love' will be 'Sleep, pray, love'. Tho I doubt I'll be doing much praying. More like 'Sleep, play...' hmmm... Surprisingly little rhymes with love. So far I have 'Sleep, play, 'guv' as in gov'nor or 'Sleep, play, glove' as in it will be cold in the European winter. Think that one needs some work!
After a long sleep and pretty easy day of walking around and watching Rise of the Planet of the Apes, it's time to board a plane to Bali. Well, nearly time.
The worst part about traveling is the travel part - lining up in queues for train tickets, check in, immigration etc. Singapore makes it so easy... There are little signs everywhere reminding you to respect the Q. Love it. Think of Metro complete with endless announcements and signs reminding us to Respect the queue and be kind to each other.
The other thing that travel brings on is a side of Phil most don't get to see. It's his 'grumpy old man' persona, or from here on in, GOMP (grumpy old man Phil). To be clear, he delights in the grumpy old man persona, despite my exasperation.
Example on board Air Asia flight:
"you can have that $9 diet coke if you really need it"
(it's actually less than $2).
But he loves a good hyperbolic statement. I am threatening him with naming & shaming each time I have to listen to Grumpy Old Man Phil (or GOMP). I suspect the GOMP corner may be a regular feature.
#just to prove my point, Upon reading this, his only comment, Was a snort followed "it's not less than $2... It's slightly more than $2". Uh huh.
We moved on to find some chilli crab for lunch - which I'd always wanted to try in Singapore - with abalone and lobster ... Mmm...
The strain of walking and lunch put me back in the hotel and to sleep at four pm. For about 15 hours. I did get up (ie. open my eyes) and read for a bit. But not long. Phil dined alone that evening. I can tell when I've slept too long because these maddening dreams begin where I can't open my eyes properly and can't see. Oddly it doesn't wake me up, just annoys the crap out of me. Thanks subconscious... It seems that my version of 'Eat, pray, love' will be 'Sleep, pray, love'. Tho I doubt I'll be doing much praying. More like 'Sleep, play...' hmmm... Surprisingly little rhymes with love. So far I have 'Sleep, play, 'guv' as in gov'nor or 'Sleep, play, glove' as in it will be cold in the European winter. Think that one needs some work!
After a long sleep and pretty easy day of walking around and watching Rise of the Planet of the Apes, it's time to board a plane to Bali. Well, nearly time.
The worst part about traveling is the travel part - lining up in queues for train tickets, check in, immigration etc. Singapore makes it so easy... There are little signs everywhere reminding you to respect the Q. Love it. Think of Metro complete with endless announcements and signs reminding us to Respect the queue and be kind to each other.
The other thing that travel brings on is a side of Phil most don't get to see. It's his 'grumpy old man' persona, or from here on in, GOMP (grumpy old man Phil). To be clear, he delights in the grumpy old man persona, despite my exasperation.
Example on board Air Asia flight:
"you can have that $9 diet coke if you really need it"
(it's actually less than $2).
But he loves a good hyperbolic statement. I am threatening him with naming & shaming each time I have to listen to Grumpy Old Man Phil (or GOMP). I suspect the GOMP corner may be a regular feature.
#just to prove my point, Upon reading this, his only comment, Was a snort followed "it's not less than $2... It's slightly more than $2". Uh huh.
Monday 22 August 2011
Singapore
So D-Day* came and went and we have arrived in Singapore for 2 days of nothing much really.
It's so warm outside. Especially after a breakfast of Yong Tau Foo soup - a Chinese noodle soup where you select your ingredients - 90% of which are either tofu or beancurd or a combination of both.
We're in the giant Marina Bay Sands shopping complex drinking $6.50 lattes - although to be fair it's a pint glass worth of coffee. There is every luxury brand imaginable here. I guess if people win big at the casino, they want to provide somewhere for lucky punters to spend all their cash. With that an the canals running through the building it feels a bit like being at the Venetian casino in Vegas. I didn't know that while te casino is free entry for foreigners, local residents are charged $100 entry per day. I wonder what would happen if that was introduced at Crown...
The entire plan for today is to get up to the sky deck at Marina Bay and look at the view/ pool. And then find some chilli crab for dinner. Should be manageable...
*I looked up D-day on wiki to see if it actually stands for something. And apparently it's short for Day-day - I think wiki is screwing with me)
It's so warm outside. Especially after a breakfast of Yong Tau Foo soup - a Chinese noodle soup where you select your ingredients - 90% of which are either tofu or beancurd or a combination of both.
We're in the giant Marina Bay Sands shopping complex drinking $6.50 lattes - although to be fair it's a pint glass worth of coffee. There is every luxury brand imaginable here. I guess if people win big at the casino, they want to provide somewhere for lucky punters to spend all their cash. With that an the canals running through the building it feels a bit like being at the Venetian casino in Vegas. I didn't know that while te casino is free entry for foreigners, local residents are charged $100 entry per day. I wonder what would happen if that was introduced at Crown...
The entire plan for today is to get up to the sky deck at Marina Bay and look at the view/ pool. And then find some chilli crab for dinner. Should be manageable...
*I looked up D-day on wiki to see if it actually stands for something. And apparently it's short for Day-day - I think wiki is screwing with me)
Thursday 18 August 2011
Best laid plans...
Unsurprisingly, there are a few things to attend to before nicking off for six months. But there have been lists and plans and day by day the list was shrinking down to virtually nothing. The plan was to have a nice final relaxed work day and weekend before we leave. Yeah, probably unsurprisingly, it's not gonna happen.
For the weekend part I can largely thank the concreter who told us last week (when we paid him) that we could definitely walk on the newly concreted driveway the following day... and then ONE hour later left a message on my phone saying that actually we couldn't walk on it at all. Left a message. On a Friday. At 5pm. With the cash in his pocket. The day before we had to move all the furniture out. Thanks dickwad. So rather than last Saturday, the move is happening this Saturday. All day.
Also a special shout out to the British Royal Mail for losing a rather important document critical to settling the house on Monday. That's this Monday. At 3.30 pm. Precisely the time we'll be boarding a plane. Shit.
And now, work wants me to, well, work tomorrow. Outrageous!! I had coffees planned. And frankly it's stressing me out...
Still, ready or not, in 3 days we're gone...
More stress = more massages in Bali :)
For the weekend part I can largely thank the concreter who told us last week (when we paid him) that we could definitely walk on the newly concreted driveway the following day... and then ONE hour later left a message on my phone saying that actually we couldn't walk on it at all. Left a message. On a Friday. At 5pm. With the cash in his pocket. The day before we had to move all the furniture out. Thanks dickwad. So rather than last Saturday, the move is happening this Saturday. All day.
Also a special shout out to the British Royal Mail for losing a rather important document critical to settling the house on Monday. That's this Monday. At 3.30 pm. Precisely the time we'll be boarding a plane. Shit.
And now, work wants me to, well, work tomorrow. Outrageous!! I had coffees planned. And frankly it's stressing me out...
Still, ready or not, in 3 days we're gone...
More stress = more massages in Bali :)
Sunday 14 August 2011
Vital Stats
It's getting pretty close to time to go. Monday week we jump on a plane and head off on a strictly non-working, chilled out adventure.
Only time will tell whether the longer-term traveller persona will suit or whether I'll be bored out of my mind in 3 months and going online to read cases...
Anyway, here are the vital stats:
Days to go - 8. Yes, eight. EIGHT!!!!!
State of house in "packing mode" - total disgrace;
sus' care factor - nil;
phil's care factor - off the charts
Countries on itinerary - 11 - Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, UK, Netherlands, France, Germany,Belgium, Australia (ok, Darwin, but it still counts...)
Returning - Late Feb. 2012. Oh yeah
Only time will tell whether the longer-term traveller persona will suit or whether I'll be bored out of my mind in 3 months and going online to read cases...
Anyway, here are the vital stats:
Days to go - 8. Yes, eight. EIGHT!!!!!
State of house in "packing mode" - total disgrace;
sus' care factor - nil;
phil's care factor - off the charts
Countries on itinerary - 11 - Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, UK, Netherlands, France, Germany,Belgium, Australia (ok, Darwin, but it still counts...)
Returning - Late Feb. 2012. Oh yeah
Wednesday 10 August 2011
The nature of goodbyes
Before a trip of any significant length, there is an inevitable process of saying goodbye. It is lovely to spend time with friends and family before a trip and it does seem to focus your energy when spending time with people pre-trip to perhaps say some of the slightly deeper things on your mind... you know, just in case one or more of us perish during the 6 months' away. Personally, I'm planning to live through it, but I guess you never know.
This Sunday afternoon, for example, will be spent at a city hotel's afternoon buffet with Phil's grandmother for some quality time which also features cake - bonus!
In the weeks leading up to a long trip, the end of an evening with a friend always seems to end with the same line, 'so, will I see you again before you go?', followed by some high level mental calendar-related arithmetic figuring out whether you will actually be able to fit in at least a coffee - and ends with all parties agreeing to definitely fit one in. It's nice to have people around you who you really will miss and with whom a last coffee is important.
Having spent the last 6 months on a secondment, it means that the people I am saying goodbye to this week are people who I have known for only 6 months, but I have enjoyed the company of my little team enormously. I will miss the silliness and laughs that seems to be part of almost every day. I've also had the opportunity to work with many different people to different degrees and really enjoyed feeling like a part of the broader team.
I have had only positive experiences and responses from this secondment for the whole 6 months... well almost. Apparently, one person (who I have worked together with on a one-on-one basis at least once) decided they did not know me well enough to sign a good-bye card... and refused to sign it. Now I love a giant goodbye card - I have kept every one I've ever received and I will keep this card in my special keepsake box. So I have decided (after the stitch in my side subsided from p*ssing myself at the pettiness of someone who wouldn't trouble themselves to write "All the best") to fill it in myself...
It will read: Dear Susannah, All the best, Regards [redacted].
Ha, you can't get out of signing my farewell card so easily...
12 days to go...
There is little that is less exciting then someone else's countdown and little that is more annoying than dealing with an over-excited person about to go on a long trip... So this will be a short entry. 12 days left of work and winter and Melbourne. It's all becoming very real very fast. I've realised this week that i am going to miss the cat.
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