At sea in the deep blue ocean: Photos 63 to 68

It's a tough life being a small but idyllic tropical island. The weight of expectation is upon you and you can rarely deliver because most times that expectation needs fulfilling internally, not externally. To expectation is added the weight of need and the weight of greed - everyone wants a piece of you. Like the old nag from Raskolnikov's childhood, people watch whilst you are flogged to death by your master, and it is the people riding in the back of the cart that shout the most encouragement.

I dunno. It's usually harder to beat Mother Nature than we think. Maybe it'll take an empire. Like the old boxer from Hemingway fighting his last fight, even though the wise-guys think they've got all angles covered, inside the ring she's in control. Wiry strength beats beefy strength. A lifetime of experience beats years of certification.

Bali and Lombok was a holiday for us; that is distinct from travelling. We didn't have to see anything, do anything, take any photos. This was a break from all those self-imposed goals that matter to no-one but oneself. We had really wanted to go to Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo, but we reasoned it was

Full Text Entry: At sea in the deep blue ocean

Different photos, do like them - would love to know what camera you use? Very different take on Bali too - Dostoyevsky? Hmmm, yes, he had his effect on one at a certain age - maybe just because it was the only age when one really had time for serious reading and self-reflection... pity that, some of us grew up, but nice to go back for a visit...

Love the pictures they are fantastic can't wait to get out and get my Instructors qualification

Cumberland, you wrote a good, though a bit too long article on Bali. The more I read about Bali, the less I want to go there. I was intending visiting Vietnam and Bali after India but now that I have only a week, I might just go to Vietnam after India. When in another country, I like to see th locals in their sorroundings and eat their food. It appears that the local food is hard to get. I can eat just about any kind of food here in San Francisco. When in another country, I want to eat their home cooking. Seems like Bali is full of drunk Australians. Don't need that. Thanks, Cumberland.

Wrong!! Sure there are many tourists around the KUTA AREA, but have you ever thought of venturing out in remote villages? If you want to eat their food, which I eat three times a day while living there, there are warungs and Padangs every were you look. Most Aussies or any tourists dont venture out of Kuta and dont expirience the flavour of the real Indonesisa.

Different photos, do like them - would love to know what camera you use? Very different take on Bali too - Dostoyevsky? Hmmm, yes, he had his effect on one at a certain age - maybe just because it was the only age when one really had time for serious reading and self-reflection... pity that, some of us grew up, but nice to go back for a visit...

Love the pictures they are fantastic can't wait to get out and get my Instructors qualification

Cumberland, you wrote a good, though a bit too long article on Bali. The more I read about Bali, the less I want to go there. I was intending visiting Vietnam and Bali after India but now that I have only a week, I might just go to Vietnam after India. When in another country, I like to see th locals in their sorroundings and eat their food. It appears that the local food is hard to get. I can eat just about any kind of food here in San Francisco. When in another country, I want to eat their home cooking. Seems like Bali is full of drunk Australians. Don't need that. Thanks, Cumberland.

Wrong!! Sure there are many tourists around the KUTA AREA, but have you ever thought of venturing out in remote villages? If you want to eat their food, which I eat three times a day while living there, there are warungs and Padangs every were you look. Most Aussies or any tourists dont venture out of Kuta and dont expirience the flavour of the real Indonesisa.