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Published: October 27th 2011
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Hi Everybody!
Still loving the comments - thank you and keep them coming.
Suppose I had better have a go at one of these blog thingys!!
After quite a few days of relaxing and sunbathing (Kate is a lovely golden colour and I am officially black!), we booked to go white water rafting and on an elephant safari in Ubud. We arranged for the taxi to pick us up outside the posh hotel (Sanur Beach) next door, as the lady on the booking line did not really understand where our little hotel was. After over an hour, we arrived at the rafting centre, paid nearly 2million rupiahs (only about 140 pounds), got issued our paddles and life-jackets and headed down over 500 steps to the Ayung River. Thoroughly exhausted from our trek and with wobbly legs, we set off... although not the most dangerous of trips, it was enjoyable nonetheless and we had a great time. After the climb of 'only' 300 steps, we arrived back at the minibus to take us to the lodge where we would have lunch... Buffet style! This is where i was going to make back some of the money we'd spent! The food was delicious
and Kate and I had a mountainous plateful of food each - although mine was 'slightly' bigger... After another short minibus ride (nothing seems to be in the same place here) we arrived at the Elephant Safari Park. Kate was given a flowering sugarcane stick to feed to our 'ride' - Boris! Boris is a rescued Sumatran Elephant and his trainer Nyoman took us on a very slow, but enjoyable, trek around the park. After, we got to get up close and feed Boris as well as the other elephants and took some great pictures! It was a real experience to be up close to these magnificent, powerful but gentle creatures. However, Kate and I both felt that it seemed cruel to keep them in captivity even though they had been rescued... This was even more evident when we saw how they were chained to the ground when they weren't working or putting on a show for us tourists. We both decided it was better than the cruelty they were saved from and left feeling inspired but slightly sad...
After a few more days sunbathing (i stayed in the shade to give Kate a chance to catch me up)!
Oh, and to let her recover from the step-a-thon we had been through to get back up from the river. Kate could hardly walk as her calves were so sore! We hired a double canoe and after much paddling round in circles and stopping, mainly by me to take pictures of some enormous starfish, we managed to make it to one of the wrecks that is lying on the reef. It had taken the best part of our hour to get there, so we powered back to shore just as our time ran out... Kate now also had sore arms and i was knackered!!! Maybe after another day of sunbathing, reading, playing games and eating, we checked out of our hotel and headed for a little island just off the coast of Bali called "Nusa Lembongan", the public ferry left at 8am so we got up early, bought our tickets and got aboard... One of the porters that was carrying supplies offered to take our rucksacks and seeing as we had to wade out into the surf to get aboard - we said yes... Mistake! He asked for a tip and this time i felt a bit guilty and chucked
him 8000 rupiahs (about 60p).
Our hostel/hotel was called Bunda 7 Bungalows. Kate had found it on the internet and booked us 3 nights. It was much more than we had expected!!! Firsly, they had a sign for us and some 'transport' waiting for us as we got off the ferry... Much to our shock, it was a young lad on a little moped! Kate said her parents had told her not to get on one, but we had little choice. Kate went first with her rucksack on her back... Evidently, they had trouble with that trip as they sent 2 mopeds back for me! Cheek! Our room was amazing, a 4-poster bed and ensuite bathroom, lovely swimming pool and complimentary breakfast. We went to explore our new surroundings by foot and walked along the beach, had lunch at a place called Scooby-Doo and went back to our room to relax by the pool. We got chatting to a Dutch couple (Albertine and Melle), who were lovely and well travelled. The next day, as i returned from a gym we spotted, Kate was talking to some nice people who invited us to stay with them in Cairns... Good work
Kate!!! Paul and Tanya were also travelling with Paul's sister, Louisa, and her daughter, Mauvy who was adorable! Mauvy attached herself to me and we became buddies! Later that night we spoke about how to get around the rest of the sights on the island. A moped seemed the most logical option and we decided to get one and not tell Keith and Barbs... Kate had her bargaining head on and managed to barter us 2 day hire and a full tank of petrol for about 7 pound 50!!! Result! So off we went to explore Nusa Lembongan. We went to some beautiful beaches and places of interest and rounded off our day watching the sunset at a tucked away little cafe (actually called 'Sunset Cafe'😉, and had a few drinks as the sun disappeared... Not to sound gay, but it was really beautiful and very romantic and we took a few mushy pictures which might even make it onto this blog!
The next day we continued our moped adventures by crossing a rickety wooden bridge (whilst riding and Kate holding on to me for dear life) to Nusa Ceningan Island. It was very small and we drove around
it in about an hour, stopping for lunch and a few pictures along the way. All the children that had just finished school kept asking us for pens or money, they were very poor but seemed happy. It was after we had crossed the rickety bridge that i asked Kate if she wanted to drive as i had done it the whole time. She said yes so onto the back with the rucksack i went... Now, Kate had been taking the mick about my slow - but safe, driving skills... So when she took over the moped seemed to find a new burst of speed! As we were going up a hill we slowed to wait for a spot to pass a parked van, when there was a gap, Kate took the opportunity and pulled out a little too quickly, lost control of the front end which slid from beneath us and we came skidding to a halt with Kate face-planting the concrete and the moped on top of her. Don't worry readers... Nothing was broken, and a kind local took us to a clinic where Kate received medical attention and antibiotics for her cuts and grazes - just to
be safe. I had a few scrapes too but mostly landed on Kate... Sorry my love! I drove back to our hotel and we both were battered but happy that it hadn't been worse. I waited until dark to take the moped back and luckily the owner didn't notice the scratches on me or his moped! Phew!!! We had a quiet night in and went to a quiet, dark restaurant close by. We think word must have spread about our incident as the next day most of the locals kept staring and pointing at us, probably saying to each other, "...there are those stupid tourists who crashed!" Oh well, at least we were ok and learnt to always listen to our parents!!! We got the boat back to Sanur and fly to Cairns tomorrow. Hope my attempt at blogging has been a good read and up to Kate's standard? I will try to do another soon when my fingers have recovered from typing... DONE!!!
Love to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Special kisses for Thomas, Lauren, Erin, George (the porge), Niah, Evie, Matilda, Isaac and a very, very special little boy called Jonnie! Love you bro!!! ;-)
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Paul Loughran
non-member comment
Oh I say
Is that what they call it in Bali?? Looks like the back of Subtone to me but your Elephants look a lot hotter :-)