Uncertainty becomes an element in this peculiar life we live…

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Tom grabbed me and the camera when he noticed this cart attached to a motorbike on the beach.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Family of four on motorbike stopping for Dad’s phone break. Often, locals with cell phones attempt to log in on the Wi-Fi signal here.  Since we arrived the first time, it’s been password protected thanks to help from Gede.

Nothing in life is for certain.  Oh, we understand the boring cliché about “death and taxes.” Yea, fine. They’re true. Although many have figured out how to avoid taxes which doesn’t necessarily include most of us.

The death part? Yep, a certainty. Although I’ve been reading scientific observations about our conscientiousness living into infinity. OK. Maybe we’ll hear more about that in this lifetime.  Maybe not.

Tom heads upstairs to the second story several times a day searching for more interesting activity on the beach. Yesterday, he spotted this cart and we went into action taking photos. It seems every activity on the beach has a story to tell.

Everything in between?  Uncertain. As we can easily obsess about the dangers and risks omnipresent in life, yours and ours included, we wonder if we can free our minds sufficiently to live in the present. Less apprehension and worry has the ability to extend the quality of our health and subsequently the length of our lives when we master the art of avoiding too much stress.

I oftentimes wonder if we take a carefree attitude of what’s transpiring in the world we’re considered to be in denial or ultimately deluding ourselves into believing all is fine. I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again, “You can run but you can’t hide.”

These two locals were busy collecting coconuts on the beach and placing them into the motorbike driven cart.

We didn’t run away. We walked. The crowds, the traffic, the hurried pace of daily life, the outrageous rising prices, the escalating crime, the political climate, and in Minnesota, the frigid climate itself, all played a role in our making the decision to leave almost four years ago.

Oddly, we expect “culture shock” when we will return to the US next May, in a mere eight months where suddenly we’ll be thrown into all of the above for a total of over two months. 

They appeared to have quite a haul.

It’s funny how after all this time, we’re no longer surprised or experience culture shock by the nuances of living in countries with less certainty, often without the predictability of consistently running water, power and Wi-Fi (which is sorely lacking in this area of Bali) and personal safety.  We’ve adapted.

Throwing us back into the land of “everything in abundance,” how will we avoid seeming like old hippies who just landed after years of living in a tent on the beach with a vegetable garden and chickens? It may not be as easy as it seems.

I don’t mean to imply we’ve lived modestly as stated above. Far from it. But, we’ve encountered endless situations in most countries in which we’ve lived over these years, requiring we change and adapt our expectations, may easier than others.

Soon, they’d be able to take off with their coconut haul.

Spending days outdoors with temperatures hovering at 90F, 32C, with humidity close to 90% (even on sunny days) requires a certain amount of tolerance and adaptation. I’d never have considered attempting to adapt to such discomfort in our old lives. 

Whole house air con was the way of life. Hot when outdoors? No problem. Walk inside, pour a beverage using ice from the automatic ice maker, park oneself in front of 500 channels (or more now for all we know) big screen high def TV and chill out. Or, browse online for a continual high speed connection, with rarely a signal disruption.

Antique Balinese seat we spotted next door, made into the shape of a boat.

Insects? No problem. Call Orkin or Terminex, for a fee they’ll be there within days to eradicate every last creepy crawly. In this life, we’ve learned to live with an endless stream of poisonous and/or annoying insects in every room, even at times crawling on us during the night.

Dining out on a whim? Not possible in many locations. The unpredictability of staff understanding my food requirements where there’s a language barrier keeps us from dining in restaurants in many locations. 

Piece of driftwood resting against a tree outside our veranda.

Food at home? The fabulous cooks in Bali only have access to prawns, chicken and occasionally fresh tuna (none lately). We’ve been rotating the same meals night after night: chicken (two ways), prawns and the occasional use of the ground beef we purchased in Denpasar when we arrived. When we run out of the “mince” there’s no heading back to Denpasar for the four or five hour harrowing drive to purchase more.

Recently, with high winds at sea, there hasn’t been any fresh tuna. Hopefully, soon it will be available again, but at the moment uncertainty prevails. We continue with the repeats, surprisingly enjoying every night’s meal as if somehow it was a “first.”

The tide rolled in making the river next door larger.

No washer? No problem. We hand wash if we need something now. It will dry outdoors on the rack within 24 hours (high humidity). No English speaking TV news? No problem. No car? No worries. We’ll figure it out.

Not a single store nearby where I can purchase a tube of lipstick or a bottle of Advil? No problem. Thank goodness, I have some remaining tubes of lipstick in the third suitcase and I’m using un-coated aspirin when absolutely necessary. (Eat something first. Take with lots of water).

Uncertainty is an expectation when flying, cruising, out on tours, riding in taxis and with drivers, moving from location to location. It follows us wherever we may go and especially each time we open the door of yet another “new home” in which we may be living in for weeks or even months.

Cement walkway on the edge of the next door neighbor’s property.

When we return to the US, everything we’ve mentioned and more will be available. One need only have a thought, jump into the car and drive to the appropriate location to acquire whatever is needed or desired.

We take nothing for granted, except perhaps uncertainty itself. On that, we can rely. Hopefully, while spending over two months in the US, distracted from the pleasure of being with those we love, we’ll continue to maintain our level of adaptation that we’ve worked so hard to acquire over these past years.

Certainly, by all means, have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 20, 2015:

In Fiji, one year ago, an example of uncertainty as indicated above, Mario, the owner, brought over this router that plugs into an outlet, providing us with a private connection not shared with other guests. Since he’d purchased the device in Germany, his home country, he had to add an adapter to make it plug into the outlet. The weight of the device using the adapter, made it keep falling out enough to lose the connection. Tom placed this stack of books under it to hold it in place.  The signal goes to “limited” quite often. It worked for a few days, then quit. For more details, please click here.

Frightening events in the US including our former home state…Is Bali safe? Not necessarily…

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What a nice environment for cattle, green pastures and plenty of shade situated on a beachfront property.
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
Family gatherings on the beach amidst the garbage that rolls with the tide with garbage left behind by locals and visitors. Bali has yet to adopt the idea of keeping its island and beaches less littered. However, much of the beach waste is the result of that left at sea by others.

Without English-language television channels in Bali, the only way we could keep up with the world’s news was through the Internet. With the slow WiFi in the region, it was difficult, but we managed to read the main news every day.

Reading about yesterday’s multiple attacks in the US was sickening and disheartening; one in New York; another in New Jersey and a third transpiring in a mall 70 miles from where we’d previously lived. It makes you wonder if it’s safe to shop in malls when so many terrorist attacks occur within their walls.
These cattle seem to be slightly larger in Bali than in many less developed countries.

This morning, while researching online for information about terroristic attacks in Bali to date in 2016, we were shocked to see their was new bomb blast a few nights ago, in two areas in Bali, one at a resort in Kuta, the town where we’ve stayed overnight in a hotel on two previous occasions with one more booking  upcoming on October 29th before flying to Sydney. The second attack occurred on Jimbaran Beach, south of Kuta.

Watch this story here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-364053/Several-dead-new-Bali-bomb-blasts.html

It certainly makes us think. But then again, how do we feel about visiting a mall in Minnesota next summer where we’ve planned to go to purchase new clothing to replace the old and fast wearing  clothing we have with us now.

The small town’s business sections are jammed with temples, mosques, restaurants and shops.

In addition, we had considered visiting a shopping center in Australia during our next 33-night cruise when our ship arrives.
port at various cities. We were hoping to buy some articles to get through the next few months. Should we give it a second thought?    Australia has been the victim of a number of terrorist attacks in recent years.

I will not go into the specifics of these attacks.    We have no doubt, if you look at local or global news, you’ve seen the stories repeated over and over again. We believe it is very important to be informed, but fear is only used to avoid the areas most at risk when possible.

We crossed a number of river bridges as shown here.

Having read the American attacks, we are worried about the safety of our family.    Will our adult children listen if we tell them not to go into public places?  No, not at all. Their lives often revolve around visiting crowded places with their families on regular occasions, ball games, parks, zoos, shopping centres, restaurants, theme parks, public buildings and so on.

We wonder whether one of us should temper the quality of our lives by becoming quasi-hermits, avoiding all high-risk places. It’s entirely unrealistic, even for us, where we have considerable control over what we do and what we do.

Although the beaches are often littered with debris, the scenes are still lovely. We never grow weary of the blue waters.

In the process of continuing with our world travels as we fully intend, we surely can’t avoid airports which pose a high risk, although, we’ve made a concerted effort to avoid certain public transportation when possible such as train stations, buses and heavily populated venues in risky areas.

Who identifies what constitutes a high-risk sector?  All the research in the world can’t cover the possible discovery of new locations where horrific incidents continually occur, unanticipated and often considered unlikely.

Private oceanfront property, an excellent lot.

As we have said many times, no place in the world is safe from risk, whether it is terrorist attacks, accidents or natural disasters. We try not to live in fear, as we are certain is the case for most of you who live in seemingly innocuous areas. Essentially, an innocuous area does not exist.

One could live on a remote island in one of the most remote areas of the world and still not be entirely safe. A crazy and unstable individual with any type of weapon could attack the unsuspecting, the unprepared and the defensive evil, ill equipped to defend themselves and those they love.

There are some scattered parks along the oceanfront promenade.

Nature can be the ultimate beast when more lives are lost each year due to horrific weather and natural disasters than terrorist attacks all over the world. Even the state of our personal health is at risk at any time.
moment. Only we have a modicum of control in ensuring our personal safety in that area through living as healthy a lifestyle as possible and proceeding in our daily activities with sensibility.

No, an 80-year-old man who has knee problems should not climb a ladder to change a lightbulb.  Nor should an 65 year old retiree start riding a motorbike in Bali on the harrowing roads when they’ve never done so in the past.

Numerous mosques and temples are easily reachable from Denspasar.

We choose to live on the cautious side with health and safety our first consideration while still striving to fulfill our dreams by witnessing what we’d never imagined possible, by experiencing the nuances of daily life for others in our midst and for embracing the beauty, not the ugly, of the world around us.

Stay safe, living life to the fullest.

Photo from one year ago today, September 19, 2015:

Fiji’s coral reef is second to none in the world and a favorite location for scuba divers. For more details and photos, please click here.

Visitors dropped by to see us…A pleasant surprise…A cultural occasion…

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Gede and his family walked by with their offerings on their way to the shrine a few doors from us.  On the return walk, they stopped to visit with us.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

After the rain, Tom’s sunset photo.

With a slew of ideas for future posts while in Bali, we’ve yet to begin chipping away at the list we created before our arrival. It seems that each day brings a plethora of new photos and stories we can’t help but give top priority.

What a lovely family in their colorful holiday clothing!

Whether or not our recent posts are of interest to our readers, remains somewhat of a mystery, but we can only observe the of number hits in the stats to determine how many people around the world are stopping by. We continue to be astounded by our visitors after posting for 4 ½  years.  Thank you, people!

The offerings are placed at the shrine.

Yesterday morning, as we peered out at the sea from the cabana, we were pleasantly surprised when Gede, his wife and two adorable children walked by in exquisite colorful clothing on their way to the temple two doors from us.

It was beautiful for us to witness the family’s Hindu tradition.

The holiday they are celebrating is as follows with additional information here:
“Galungan is the most important feast for Balinese Hindus, a celebration to honor the creator of the universe (Ida Sang Hyang Widi) and the spirits of the honored ancestors.

The festival symbolizes the victory of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma), and encourages the Balinese to show their gratitude to the creator and sainted ancestors.”

Two sweet little girls.

Gede’s lovely wife is seven months pregnant and was truly a sight to behold in her festive holiday garb.The two precious little girls were dressed in equally colorful and adorable attire. Gede looked handsome in his special sari all of which is shown in today’s photo. (We asked their permission for the photos).

This particular holiday, as in the case of most Hindu holidays, consists of colorful flower and food offerings again as shown in today’s photos. Yesterday, our own household staff placed flowers and offerings and burning incense both indoors and out.

Seated on the edge of the cabana, we chatted with Gede. His wife, Ayu suriani and two daughters, Kadek siska (younger) and Putu saskia speak no English so it was through facial expressions we were able to express our gratitude for their visit.

Whether the offerings were placed here for us or for them while they worked in the villa, we were honored to partake in the beauty and of course, the intoxicating smell. These are special people, gentle, kind, graceful and peaceful. We love and appreciate all of them.

Even as we lounge on the veranda or the cabana, passersby on the beach including children often yell “halo” while vigorously waving their arms. Where in the world have we discovered such warmth and welcoming?

Look at that adorable face on Kadek siska!

Today is Sunday. The staff is off and we’re on our own. We have a complete meal ready for the microwave and will only need to toss the salad with dressing at dinner time.

Today, its hotter and more humid than it’s been these past over two weeks since our arrival. We’re still in the bedroom in air conditioned comfort, showered and in our swimsuits, waiting for the morning humidity to lessen a little before we tackle the outdoors for the remainder of the day.

Gede’s older daughter, Putu saskia. Stunning!

With rain each day over the past week, the flies have been on a rampage anxious to nibble on human flesh influencing our desire to be outside right now. They seem to reduce in numbers as the day wears on. With a 90% chance of thunderstorms again today, its currently sunny. After each rain storm, the number of flies increases.

Some have asked if there’s a lot of insects here and there are, although most are relatively harmless except scorpions (we’ve only had one in the villa so far) and occasional visits by scary looking spiders. Otherwise, it’s mostly mozzies, flies and ants, lots of ants; huge amounts of ants; a gross amount of ants.

Gede explained that different colors are used during various part of the Hindu ceremony.

Ants in Bali are generally only bothersome around food and prep areas. At any given moment they are all over the kitchen regardless of how clean it is kept. Over these past years of living with ants, we’ve come to just flick them away, even if a few are crawling on our plates of food which is often the case. 

There are a few ants in the bedroom, but many in the bathroom especially in the shower. The two Ketuks clean the shower six days a week, but there’s still ants crawling up and down the walls.  Even under these circumstances, we’ve come to ignore them. If they’re not the biting red ants, we pay them little attention.
The Ketuks place this beautiful display of offerings in the villa containing food and flowers. Some of the flowers are edible and are consumed during the ceremonies.

Soon, we’ll head back outside for another glorious day in this outstanding villa in Malaya Beach, Sumbersari, Bali. How did we get so lucky to find this fabulous location where we’ll be spending another 38 nights plus an additional four nights at the hotel in Lovina (beginning in eight days)?  Safari luck?

In our old lives we’d never have imagined it would be possible or affordable to be spending 42 nights in Bali under these blissful circumstances.  Yet, here we are, lapping it up, in awe and with tremendous gratitude for every single moment.

May your day be blissful!

Photo from one year ago today, September 18, 2015:

In Fiji, one year ago, Badal, the neighbor Sewak’s dog, bounded up the steep hill with ease as we rode in Sewak’s truck.   It was the steepest road either of us had ever experienced in a vehicle. Badal came to visit every evening around dinner time hoping for a few scraps which we always provided. We’d asked Sewak if we could give Badal meat, since his beliefs surrounded vegetarianism.  But, Sewak didn’t mind if Badal ate meat.   For more photos, please click here.

Fishing near the shore…A team effort…Another cultural experience…

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There were at least eight fishermen on that boat upon their arrival on the shore.    A few arrived on foot and on motorbikes shortly after the start of the process. Before coming to shore, they threw the nets from the boat into the ocean, spreading them out as much as they could.    Once ashore, they grabbed the ropes attached to the net to extend the nets as long as possible. The white items shown in the above photo. are floats. attached to the nets.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

As we watched the fisherman manning their nets, we noticed this thing in the background. It turned out to be a part of a tree with trash hanging.  We called it a “trash tree.”

It continues to amaze us how we can spend the better part of each day watching for activity on the beach. It’s almost an endless stream of sightings we’ve rarely, if ever, seen in other parts of the world.

Certainly, it helps that we’re so close to the shore. At high tide, we only need to walk about 21 feet, 7 meters, to dip our toes into the water. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the camera at our side as we move from spot to spot outdoors to get out of the sun as the day wears on.

They commenced the process of pulling the huge net ashore.

In the mornings, after our walk, we lounge on the chaises on the veranda which is shaded in the mornings. Once the sun hits that area, we swim and exercise in the pool. In order to dry off and get our daily dose of Vitamin D, we each spend about 20 minutes in the sun. With my recent injury I haven’t been able to flip over so easily, so I’m tan only on the front. Oh well, who cares?

Between 2:00 and 3:00 pm, we wander over to the covered cabana where I usually read aloud a few chapters in a book we’re sharing at the time. Reading aloud has always been enjoyable and we share many articles, newsletters, and news stories by reading aloud to one another several times each day.

Each man had to hold tight to haul the net into the shore.

As we lounge in the cabana, we usually have the camera with us. In the early mornings and during this period under the cabana we’re able to spot the most exciting of activities on the beach.

A few days ago we captured today’s photos of local fisherman dealing with the nets and subsequent catch. It further reminded us of how much fishing in Bali and, in other parts of the world, is conducted from the shore where certain types of fish are found in somewhat toxic waters. 

The boat with one outriggers stayed in shallow enough water, preventing it from drifting out to sea.

We must avoid these types of fish, for the potential of causing bacterial infections our immune systems may not be able to fend off. For this reason we now avoid consuming any fish other than large tuna.

Lately, with rough seas, the usual barrage of fishing boats we previously had seen lit up at night haven’t been out. Also, the recent holidays in Bali may have kept some of the fisherman heading out overnight to fish halfway between Sumbersari and Java.

In this photo we counted 10 fishermen.

Today’s photos of this group of fishermen appeared determined to leave with a decent shore catch. Seeing how committed they are to the process and how much work they do, reminds us of the work ethic of the Balinese people.

Catching fish for their families is, also a part of daily life for many fishermen as well as for earning a living. Gede explained that many collectives of local fisherman’s ship considerable amounts of their catches overseas. 

Our photos were taken in succession of the activities. At this point, it appeared they were managing the last edge of the net where the fish would be located.

In certain countries imported fish are often frozen and periodically inspected for bacteria and it;s safety for consumption. Before purchasing imported, frozen fish, it may be wise to investigate its source, the type of fish, where and when its been caught and the packing and freezing dates. We can’t ever be too cautious.

We’ve discovered by the larger fish while fresh (not frozen), smelling it for freshness and cooking it promptly has prevented us from any fish related health issues. For us, we’ve chosen not to consume any farmed fish.

We spotted a few young boys attempting to help. Most likely, this is how they learn this vital means of food and income as they mature.

Worldwide, the most important fish species used in fish farming are carp, tilapia, salmon and catfish. It;s easy to read the label identifying if fish is farmed in many countries, but we’ve found that many markets don’t include the identity of the source of the fish. 

There are literally millions of web pages with information of fish farming that may apply to your purchasing options. Many don’t find it matters to them whether fish is farmed or fresh caught fish. That’s entirely a personal choice. 

We couldn’t zoom in close enough to see that they’d caught, but with the green cool box nearby it appeared they’d caught something.

For us, far removed from good medical care in many locations, and working hard to maintain our health to the best of our ability, we lean toward a more cautious scenario.  Only you can make the appropriate choice for you and your family when purchasing imported and farmed fish.

As for these fisherman, they are doing the very best they can, to provide food and income for their families. We commend them and appreciate their diligence and commitment. The Balinese people continue to amaze us in their hard work and self sufficiency as we often observe while peering out at the beach, day after day.

The large basket, shown near the center of this photo, is used to carry their equipment.

May you have a productive day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 17, 2015:

Pineapple growing in the yard in Fiji, one year ago.  Click here for details.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…So many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

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In Hanoi, a few months ago, we witnessed the craziness of over 5 million motorcycles. In Bali, we expect there are as many although we can’t find any stats.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

In Bali, we expect there to be so many, although we did not find any statistics.What?    A duck entered the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first foray on our own with Tom driving as we made our way to Negara, the biggest city closest to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.

Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out. Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year.While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed but its not the time of day he’s focusing on.  Its his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace. Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards. We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights. Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Luckily, Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara, he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM. Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during religious celebrations, but often in daily life.  The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line. All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 26,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes.  There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds.  While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM. Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew!  We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t. We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people elbow rubbing in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of Savusavu Bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…Soooooooo many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

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In Hanoi, a few months ago, we witnessed the craziness of over 5 million motorcycles. In Bali, we expect that there will be so many, although we have found no statistics.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

What?  A duck flew into the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first incursion into our own with Tom driving, as we made our way to Negara, the nearest largest city to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.


Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out. Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year. While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed but its not the time of day he’s focusing on. Its his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace. Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards. We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights. Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore Willy nilly. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM. Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during the religious celebration, s but often in daily life. The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line. All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 426,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes. There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds. While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM. Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew!  We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t. We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people elbow rubbing in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of the Savusavu bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Yikes!…Crazy trip to Negara…Soooooooo many cars, trucks, motorbikes and people…

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In Hanoi a few months ago, we saw the folly of more than five million motorcycles. In Bali, there are expected to be as many, but no statistics were found.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

What?  A duck flew into the pool!
Where do we begin? It’s not easy to describe our first foray on our own with Tom driving as we made our way to Negara, the biggest city closest to Sumbersari. We discover that the traffic and crazy roadways during the 30 to 40 minute drive was comparable in its complexity as the four to five hour harrowing drive to and from Denpasar.


Holding on for dear life, good driver that Tom is, I remained on constant alert, watching the road for possible hazards while Tom kept a watchful eye on the endless stream of fast weaving motorbikes. The local drivers are used to all of this, not us.

She seemed perfectly content until realizing  it could be tough getting out so she swam to the steps as shown and walked out.  Animals are amazing!

It was not unlike Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, a favorite of mine as a kid when we’d go to Disneyland once or twice a year. While driving in Bali one must anticipate a log or other large obstacle that may have fallen off a vehicle, a motorbike or car darting out from a side road or an entire grouping of motorbikes coming at you when trying to pass a slow moving vehicle.

I supposed a considerable aspect of the stress of driving in Bali is the constant need to pass on the narrow two lane roads with little or no shoulder. If I was driving I’d stay behind the slow moving vehicle all the way to my destination. But Tom, like most aggressive and determined drivers, simply won’t tolerate moving at a snail’s pace.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver the trolley in the produce department.

Only a few times, I spewed, “Honey, we have all the time in the world.” He agreed, but its not the time of day he’s focusing on. It’s his innate desire to keep moving at a reasonable pace.  Of course, I’d have really been anxious if he wasn’t such a good driver. 

But, Tom is capable enough that I was able to rely upon his good judgment and skills while I watched for other road hazards.  We only encountered one log on the road during the round trip drive.

Our intent had been doing some sightseeing in Niagara before heading to the market. Although, last time we were there, a few months ago, we saw the major highlights.  Repeats weren’t necessary. Instead, we’d planned to drive around the busy town to explore Willy nilly. That proved to be a pointless objective.

Customer service lines were jammed with shoppers.

With the heavy traffic, horns honking, blocked roads, people walking while texting and motorbikes everywhere it only took a while for us to change our minds about sightseeing.   

After ending up at a few crowded dead end roads with barely a means of turning around, waiting in long lines of cars that were barely moving, knowing Tom’s ‘traffic distress” I blurted out, “Let’s just find the market and ATM, do what we need to do and head back to the villa.” We didn’t need the stress. It’s not our thing.

Motorbikes are everywhere!

Luckily,, Tom’s sense of direction always serves us well. Within 30 minutes after we’d arrived in Negara, he pulled into a surprisingly open parking spot near Hardy’s Market and the ATM.  Little did we know what we’d encounter inside the store.

Never in our lives, even on the day before a holiday weekend, did we ever see so many people grocery shopping, anywhere in the world. Once we were entangled in the crowd attempting to push our small, lightweight trolley, we wished we’d grabbed a smaller handcart when it was nearly impossible to get around the people.

Incense is used frequently by the Balinese people not only during religious celebrations, but often in daily life.  The market carried numerous options at low prices.

Since the two Ketuts (I’ve been spelling their names wrong in past posts) don’t have access to purchasing regular lettuce at the open markets early in the morning, we were happy to find it in the packed produce department where each item must be weighed at a specific weighing station. 

Luckily, that line moved quickly. Without any other produce on our list we were thrilled to wrangle our way out of the busy produce section. Then we were off to find other items on the list; cheese, mayo, olives, coffee, paper towels and a few other items that can’t be purchased in the local markets here in Malaya Beach.

None of the store employees spoke English, nor did we find any other English speaking shoppers, we could ask to help us find the items on our list. Instead, we accepted the fact we’d have to scour every single row in every single narrow aisle to find the items on the list. Checking off the items on the grocery app on my phone, we were finally done and searched for the shortest cashier line.  All registers were open with huge queues.

Beer, soda, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes at less than US $2, IDR 426,230 a pack are sold in the market.

With only 8 to 10 shoppers in front of us in our chosen row, none with a cart full like ours, we waited for no less than 30 minutes. There are no moving belts, no scanning machines, no swipe-your-credit-card-machines since they only accept cash. There’s only a tiny space to load the groceries, contributing to the slow pace of the process.

Finally, we made it through the line, paying for our groceries and quickly headed out the door to escape from the dense crowds. While I shopped, Tom left to go the nearby ATM.  Once he loaded the cool box we’d brought along in the back of the van, we were on our way back to the villa. 

Whew! We were both sweating from the lack of air con in the market and anxious to blast the cold air in the van for the return ride. But, getting cool was the least of it with yet another harrowing 30 to 40 minutes on the road.

 We graciously apologized when bumping into other shoppers as we waited in line to pay.

Happy to be back at the villa, we quickly put our groceries away, threw on our swimsuits and jumped into the pool as we do every sunny afternoon. In no time at all, the hectic scenario wafted from our minds as we languished in our peaceful villa overlooking the sea, thrilled to be back in paradise.

How do we travel the world, avoiding traffic and crowds? We don’t.  We continue to be stuck in traffic or at a venue bumping elbows with strangers wherever we may go. It’s the nature of the beast. When traffic and crowds are avoidable without sacrificing too much, we’re all over it.

We’ll encounter lots more traffic and people rubbing elbows in 10 days when we head to Lovina for four nights in a hotel while we work on acquiring our visa extensions for our last 30 days in Indonesia. In the interim, we have no motivation to repeat yesterday’s experience any sooner than we have to.

We hope you have a stress free day! We plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2015:

We couldn’t believe the beauty of the Savusavu bay as we overlooked Nawi Island. For more photos of Savusavu, Fiji, please click here.

Scary repeat experience…Alarming reminder for Tom…

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Big Buffalo was not happy to see Tom once again, coming out of the water to show his displeasure.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Note this little kid in a narrow part of the river as this motorbike with a family of four. We’ve seen six on one motorbike but have yet been quick enough to capture it.

It was about three months ago that Tom had the scary buffalo-ready-to-charge experience when he went for a walk to explore a dirt road he was curious to see. At the time, he said it was the “second biggest scare of his life.” See the link here.

Of course, the biggest scare of his life was while we were living in Marloth Park, South Africa when a Mozambique Spitting Cobra dropped from the ceiling and landed (alive) close to his bare feet as we lounged on the veranda waiting for “visitors” to arrive. Some visitor, eh?  See the link here.

The boys were walking the buffalos along the beach.

In the late afternoon, a few days ago, we were both standing at the edge of the veranda watching a wide array of activities on the beach; people swimming in the ocean and river; motorbikes zooming by, some popping wheelies; fishermen pulling in their nets and a variety of walkers with an end of day purpose in mind.

As soon as they entered the water facing our direction, the big buffalo Tom had previously encountered spotted him standing on the edge of our veranda.  We could hear him snorting, the buffalo, not Tom.

Camera in hand, we were at the ready for any interesting or unusual sightings we’d like to share with our loyal readers some of whom may have wondered if we’d have anything worthy of posting on a second two-month visit to Bali.

Now, with 25% of our time on the island behind us, we’re piling up photos and stories we’ve yet to share with the hope that our readers will enjoy, along with that which we’ve posted to date. 

Tom stepped back several meters.  Big Buffalo did the same. Smaller buffalo was oblivious.

In actuality, personally, I’m having almost as much fun this time in Bali with our photos as I’ve had when we were living in some of my favorite places. Our long term readers know exactly which locations are forefront in my mind. Hmm..

Tom stepped up on the short stone wall of the veranda. Big Buffalo comes out of the river, moving toward us.

As we stood on the veranda observing the beach, two familiar buffaloes were being led to the river by boys, who most likely are sons of the buffalo owners. Noting the red wooden bells they were wearing Tom was immediately startled. No other buffaloes in the area wear those red wooden bells. 

Tom was certain the larger of the two bulls was the one who’d just about broken loose of his rope only three months ago with the intent of charging Tom. It was a frightening experience as Tom slowly backed off, hightailing out of the area, returning to the villa sweating and out of breath, anxious to tell me what had transpired.

Big Buffalo inched forward as Tom did the same.

The buffaloes didn’t see us as they walked along the beach in front of the villa. Heads down, they were busy sniffing the sand and most likely anticipating cooling off in the river. 

Tom backed off less than a meter.  Big Buffalo did the same.

Although Tom was a little guarded, we held our ground and continued to watch them entering the river while I was hoping to get a few good shots. Only moments after they entered the river, everything changed.

The larger of the two, Big Buffalo, spotted Tom. Keep in mind, there were other humans on the beach and at least of dozen motorbikes driving on the sand close to the river. It wasn’t as if we were the only people in the vicinity.

Testing further if this was really happening Tom again inched forward no more than a meter toward Big Buffalo as he stepped right out of the water.

Apparently with great vision, Big Buffalo never took his eyes off Tom. Oddly, from a distance we could easily tell his serious gaze was directed at Tom, not me. He must have had a good memory, still angry from their last encounter three months ago. That’s not surprising. We often underestimate the ability of animals to recall past encounters.

Tom, feisty sort that he is, and curious to determine if the bull did in fact recognize him, only moved a few feet (less than a meter) toward the river and boom!…the Big Buffalo snorted, coming straight up and out of the water toward us. 

“I’ve had enough of you,” said Big Buffalo as he totally emerged from the river.

The interaction and test of wills continued. This time, on the safety of the veranda (supposedly), Tom was a bit more daring. However, this didn’t diminish his caution in us staying safely out of range of being charged if Big Buffalo became angry enough. 

This all transpired in only a matter of minutes consisting of Tom never moving more than three feet, one meter, from our original position. I didn’t know if I should have tried to stop Tom in his somewhat subtle buffalo game or if I was so excited taking photos that I kept my mouth shut.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Tom is going for another walk where Big Buffalo lives!

Finally, we had to go indoors for dinner and Big Buffalo returned to the river for his swim as we began to walk away.

Soon enough, the two Ketuts alerted us that dinner was ready and we went indoors for yet another wonderful dinner and evening. Ah, we anticipate the adventures in Bali will surely continue as time marches on during our remaining 45 days.

Yesterday, prepared to leave for Negara, we noticed the van had a flat tire. As a result, the trip was postponed until today. Ribut removed the tire and took it to a repair shop, returning it later in the day. 

With an early start today, (we were both awake before 5:00 am) we’ll have this post uploaded a few hours earlier than most days and be on our way by 10:00 am, back tomorrow with more photos we’ll enthusiastically share.

Have a lovely day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 15, 2015:

While living in Savusavu, Fiji we visited the hot springs located in the village where locals who don’t have a stove cook their vegetables in heat proof bags.  For our video, please visit the year ago post, here.

Cultural differences abound…The proverbial WC (water closet), the beach and more…Far removed from our own reality…

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At this beautiful stopover, we walked halfway to the ocean, but we didn’t spend much time. We were looking forward to returning to the road behind all the vehicles we had already passed. It was Tom’s rationalization, not mine. (Previously we posted a similar photo at this place).

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Sunset from the veranda.

We knew so little about the lives of those living in poverty until we began to travel the globe almost four years ago. Yes, we saw homeless people living in some less-than-desirable areas as close as 30 minutes away from our home in Minnesota.

However, over these years we’ve traveled through countless impoverished areas, at times a short walk from our vacation home. Today’s post is not a “political piece” on our views on poverty throughout the world. Clearly, it speaks for itself.

Instead, it’s an eye-wide-open observation of how many people must function in this world without the benefit of indoor plumbing and electricity, often living in makeshift three sided shanties with barely any protection from the elements.

The restroom areas are unisex. When we opened the door and looked inside, we wrongly assumed this one was missing a toilet.

Others may live in the streets without a permanent place to rest their heads at night, while in richer areas, may reside in their cars, public shelters and camps. Every public space becomes a possibility, far away, isolated or not.

In many countries like Fiji (where we lived for four months and Bali (where we’ll have spent another total of four months) from what we’ve understood from the locals, most citizens care for their own, whether family members, friends or neighbors. But in doing so they too can live in poverty without the conveniences and comforts that the rest of us easily take for granted.

In neither country does the government provide financial support to the poor, people with illnesses and disabilities, or the elderly. In Fiji, healthcare is free. In Bali, one must pay (prices are relatively low for medical care as compared to other parts of the world) or obtain pricey insurance which is beyond the reach of most.

After further inspection, we realized that the narrow bowl was really the toilet. The bucket of water and scoop were for tidying up, not washing hands. Fortunately, we keep antibacterial wipes handy at all times. This facility was clean in comparison to the other facilities we encountered.

In Bali, there is no such thing as government provided food stamps, no welfare, no unemployment benefits and no Food Shelf. The Balinese people aren’t waiting for a handout from anyone. Their joy of life clearly illustrates their independence and fortitude. They work, they share and they’re resourceful. 

Beyond all the challenges of the poor maintaining some form of shelter and finding sources of food, they have the reality of such basic human functions as finding a place to go to the bathroom when perhaps half or more of the population don’t have a toilet in their place of residence.

In yesterday’s post we touched a local tradition of cleaning the entrails of a cow in the river next door and thus contaminating the water, but, also the deification of humans and buffalo in this same body of water. 

Apparently, there was some type of museum here, but we continued on the long drive rather than take time to see it.

Seeing both children and adults swimming, bathing and playing in the toxic water is disheartening and yet they do so with considerable joy and laughter. Our personal concern for their contracting a disease is irrelevant. Most likely, their bodies have adapted to the bacteria. Most likely, they don’t give it a thought.

Yesterday afternoon, as we lounged under the cabana, our eyes scanned the beach in hopes of finding more interesting “Sightings on the Beach in Bali” a daily activity we’ve found to be quite enjoyable, not unlike searching for unusual seashells on our walks along the shore. We’ll excitedly share what we’ve found in an upcoming post.

Tom’s eyes widened and then squinted as he attempted to focus on a man, pointing him out to me, who was on the beach several paces from the water as we observed him removing his pants and underwear in plain view of us and others. It only took a moment to determine what was to transpire next.

A hut on the property, purpose unknown.

Not that far from us, we watched him, bare from the waist down, digging a hole in the sand to use as a toilet. Once he was satisfied with his handmade toilet in the sand, he proceeded to use it with nary a thought of being observed in the open space.

At first, we were a little taken aback. We’d seen people using the river as a toilet, but not the sand on the beach. The man stayed “seated” on his sand toilet for some time, occasionally pushing the sand around and tossing sand in the air. After about 15 minutes, he arose, covered the hole with sand, put on his clothes and went on his way.

Click here to see the video of beaches in India used for the same purpose.

Another statue.

At first, our normal human reaction was, “Oh, how dirty, how unseemly!” But, then as we spoke to one another of the sighting we came to understand and appreciate that such a use of the sand on the beach may not be unusual in an impoverished country. 

Surely, if the man had a home of his own with indoor plumbing, most likely he wouldn’t have come to the beach for this purpose. Then again, could a taxi driver unable to find a restroom, choose this option? Possibly. In a desperate situation anyone could possibly choose this option, although perhaps more discretely.

What a lovely rest stop halfway through the long drive!

There are few places to stop for a restroom on the highway, as we experienced in the four to five hour harrowing drive from Denpasar to the villa. It was halfway through the long drive that we found a place to stop which was originally the basis of today’s cultural story. It was only yesterday’s coincidental sighting of the man on the beach that inspired us to also include the man’s choice of toilets.

We didn’t take photos of the man on the beach. However, we found this interesting video on YouTube about how this is common in India and perhaps, more often than we’d expect, here in Bali and other parts of the world.

Monkey faced statue.

When we were in Bali during May and June this year, we shared a story and photos of an embarrassing experience I had, using a WC at the Monkey Temple. It was a lesson learned about cultural differences that I’ll always remember. 

Today’s photos illustrate a separate experience we encountered only 12 days ago when we stopped to use the restroom at a beautiful spot on the way to the villa only this time, experiencing an entirely different type of toilet as shown in these photos.

The young cow on the right with her newly born calf checked us out, surely concerned for her calf’s well being. Zoom in to see the tiny calf at her side.

Soon, we’re off to Negara, drinking minimal liquids in the interim, preferring not to bring any beverages with us, other than a bottle of water for a few sips during the heat of the day.

We remain in awe and humbled by our surroundings, grateful for our lives of relative ease while becoming all the more profoundly aware of the lives of those throughout the world. 

Be well on this day and always.


Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2015:

After we arrived in Fiji one year ago we shopped at this tiny grocery that didn’t have much of a selection for us with only three grocery aisles. But, as always, we figured it out and managed to make good meals during the three month stay. For more details, please click here.

Shocking to us…Natural for those of another culture…Not for the squeamish…

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This morning, kids playing in the river.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali” (All of today’s photos were taken during “Sightings on the Beach”)

If we never left the villa other than for our daily walks, we’ll never run out of photos and topics for our posts. With 47 days until we depart the villa to head to Denpasar for another stay in the Kuta hotel while we await our upcoming red-eye flight on October 30th, we’re surprised by the experiences that just keep coming and coming.

No doubt, getting out will also be worthwhile when tomorrow after uploading the post, we’re renting Egon’s van for a half day outing to Negara, the closest good sized city on the highway.

When we watched this activity on the river, we had no idea what was transpiring especially with the large cart used to haul the cow’s carcass which appeared to be cut into huge pieces.

Our intent is to do some sightseeing, take photos ending at the largest supermarket in the area to pick up some cheese and a few other items we’ll need during the remainder of the stay. 

Also, we’ll stop at an ATM once again. Our supply of Indonesian Rupiah quickly dwindle when each day we’re providing the two Ketuts with enough cash to pay for the meals. We only pay for the actual cost of the food and a small sum for fuel for their motorbikes. Daily, they provide us with a neat hand printed receipt with the change. Its at the end of our stay that we happily give them generous tips in appreciation for their hard work and fine efforts.

Yesterday was quite a day. With numerous “Sightings on the Beach” that both shocked and astounded us, we were picking up the camera time after times for yet another round of photos.

It was hard to tell what was going on, especially with the large white bags.

Today’s story and photos are not for the squeamish. We apologize if this upsets or offends any of our readers. That’s not our intention. Nor is today’s post based on a possible shock factor.

Our goal in sharing this story and photos is purely predicated by our desire to share cultural differences we strive to embrace, rather than criticize, to graciously accept, rather than turn away.

We’ve discovered over time that many of the local’s perception of the ocean and other bodies of waters is very different from many of our own. Many of us may perceive the ocean and rivers for their beautiful eye catching scenery. Many of us take a hard stance and commitment on making every effort to preserve the cleanliness of our world’s oceans, each in our own small way.

We wondered, “What was a long white stringy stuff? Were they cleaning squid?  Nope.

The Balinese people see the ocean as a source of revenue and work hard using its resources to earn a living by fishing, providing tourist activities and as a personal resource in their daily lives.

Early on, when we first arrived in Bali we delighted in watching children playing in the nearby river.  At times, the children were naked joyfully running to and fro often for hours at a time. The river consists of fresh water, as most rivers, flowing from the mountains, rivers and streams inland to the sea. 

When the high tide occurs twice each 24 hour period, the fresh water is mixed with ocean water, creating a number of pools in which children and adults play, wash clothes and bathe. There’s more.

Under no circumstances is that water clean. Why not? We’ve observed both humans and buffalo defecate in that water. Can we even imagine the volume of poop coming from a 1,500 to 2,650 lbs, 700 to 1,200 kg, buffalo when standing in that river for an hour each day?

The mysterious activity transpired over a period of a few hours.

The fact that we’ve spotted many humans using the pools as toilets, there’s no doubt these waters are contaminated with toxic bacteria. Perhaps the locals immune systems have adapted to the bacteria and don’t become ill when swimming in the river. We can only surmise this. 

Last time we were in Bali, beginning April 30th, leaving the villa on June 27th, I became ill from eating squid I requested for a meal. The taste was fresh and appealing, but hours later and for several following day, I had an outrageous case of “diari” for which Gede took me to the pharmacy for meds. 

I should have known better than to eat squid caught close to the shore. How many times have I mentioned that we must exercise extreme caution in avoiding seafood caught near the shore? I’ve finally learned my lesson. Now we only eat fresh tuna caught out to sea in deeper waters.

Dogs crowded around giving is the impression they were dealing with some type of animal.

For us foreigners aware of the situation, swimming in that toxic water would never be a consideration. We haven’t ventured into the ocean in front of our villa for this very same reason when we’ve seen endless piles of garbage resting on the sand after the tide wans. 

The sea undoubtedly is beautiful to observe mesmerized by its sounds and tide. Is it safe for swimming? Perhaps not so much in this area and others.

After taking this photo I asked Tom what was the longest section they were handling. Later we knew.

Yesterday proved to be a day adding to our knowledge of cultural difference as to the use of the water in the nearby river and pools which most likely is prevalent in many parts of the world including Bali. We always knew this, but hadn’t actually witnessed vastness of these differences until yesterday’s experiences.

Today’s post and photos is all about “Sightings on the Beach” in its truest form. Nothing we’ve seen to date has surprised us quite as much while also further educating us in the ways of life in other cultures. 

Once they were gone and the two Katuks arrived to make dinner, I showed them the photos and they explained the kids/adults were cleaning and eviscerating a cow. Although this may be gross to many throughout the world, it’s a part of life for others.

Details of our discovery are contained in the photo captions as local Muslims cleaned the carcass of a slaughtered cow in that same river, while dogs gathered around waited for the pieces of the cow entrails, later running down the beach with white matter hanging from their mouths.

Today, again, another peaceful day. The weather has been considerably less humid and cooler than during our last visit, at times, feeling cool when we’ve exited the pool soaking wet. It’s ideal now as we’re appreciating every moment.

We hope your day brings you opportunities to appreciate your surroundings.

Photo from one year ago today, September 13, 2015:

These colorful flowers were growing close to the house in Fiji. For more details as we adapted to a simple life in Savusavu, please click here.