Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan, an island off the S.E. coast of Bali, is a beautiful retreat from the hustle and bustle of Kuta Beach. The main source of income for the locals here, comes from farming seaweed. The diving here is spectacular.

Sam on the rusty ferry heading to Nusa Lembongan.














Seaweed farming boats in the harbor.















Seaweed farming happens in the early morning and evening hours when the tide is low. The farmers are constantly planting new seaweed, and picking ripe batches on their measured plots.














A man with quite a load of seaweed.














The woman's method of carrying the stuff.



















A worker in his prime.














The various types of weed laying out to dry - its not advisable to walk amongst this stuff, because it is covered in sand flies - bites from which can leave you itchin for days.














Mountain view of the seaweed plots - crazy how linear they are.














The plots at low tide.














Here's my journal entry on diving here:

Diving in Nusa Lembongan, miles away from the liquor pouring haunts of Kuta, but mere strokes from the farm waters of the seaweed ranchers harvesting preservatives for the ol 31 flavors on the other side of the world. There I was suited up in a thick neopreme garb, fitting for the ice hockey fields of Minnesota, but a we bit warm for the equatorial heat of God's urine. Yes, I was in tropical waters reaching the high 80's - turn on the jets, bring me a beer, and toss me a rubber ducky.
After tumbling backwards into the sweat of 10s of 1000s of fishes, my eyes were shown a world fit for mermaids and pirates. The current was swift and it dragged me along like I had an outboard motor attached to me arse. I felt like Superman(before the horse riding accident). My buddy/divemaster, a native to the island, was quite the character- a bit different than the run of the mill western diver, none of that "look but don't touch" spiel. In fact, he's an ocean molester. Watch out every living breathing creature, cause he wants to get a good stroke in. Besides that, he's got a TV antenna fit for picking an elephant's trunk, and boy does he use the hell outta that thing. It's his crutch to rest on, a pointing stick, a whacking rod - just to name a few, but whatever task it's put to its gotta have an ultra violent flare. When the antenna is not in use, he lets it drag across the coral cutting a trail to where ever it's master ventures. The real problem arises when he goes from flicking nudibranches to tossing stonefishes (the most venomous fish in the sea) in my general direction. Thank God, these creatures are docile and don't know their own strength. If you ever go to Bali, do yourself a favor and dive these waters - definitely some of the best diving out there.

































Sunsets

Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot, a sea temple, is the most photographed temple in Bali.

Beach around the temple

Tanah Lot

Ko Chang aka Elephant Island

Rewind to the beginning of my trip in Thailand - to Ko Chang, the island of wild roads and great bungalows.


Self portrait on the beach outside of my bungalow.
















The Tree House 2 hours from civilization and tourism - can only be described as paradise. My bungalow is the tallest of the group - I had to climb two bamboo ladders to reach it.... a bit tricky at nighttime after a few beers.




















Views from the undeveloped side of the island














Developed tourist zone














If I ever strike it rich here's my dream home - perhaps one day you'll see it on MTV's "Cribs".

Candikung - Botanical Gardens and a Lake with a Temple

The botanical gardens looked like a jungle fit for dinosaurs.

















































Sam harnessing her inner light



















This is all one massive tree - its so strange that it has multiple trunks



















While Indonesian temples are not nearly as intricate as those found in Thailand, they make up for it with their "balls to the wall" statues.




















A corn lawn ornament that would be at home in Meridian



















Woke up at the crack of dawn, and paddled the Danau Bratan to see the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple, because Lonely Planet told me it would be a "surreal experience"....it was cold, I was tired, and temple looked just like it did in the afternoon.

On the way to the temple - the towering structure in the photo is a local mosque.















Very eager to see the temple, & then paddle quickly back to bed.














The Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple

For a surreal experience look at the back of a 50000 Rupiah note.

Our guesthouse, located right on the banks of the Danau Bratan. It was a bit expensive for my tastes at $10 a night, but sometimes you just gotta live large.

Munduk - Hills of Coffee and Cloves

We traveled north to the coffee and clove plantations of Munduk. Previously, I'd been driving around on a moped, but for this longer journey I decided to rent a Suzuki jeep. Driving in Bali is pure madness, here's an excerpt from my journal to further enlighten:

Driving in Bali feels like playing Russian Roulette with tens of thousands of very eager participants especially, when travelling by moped, the vehicular version of the fly. One swat, and its game over. In the case of the locals, who cart both their immediate and extended family on these machines like they're couches on wheels, an accident for them eliminates a surname or two from the white pages.
















Rice terraces on the way up to Munduk.



















Clouded view from Munduk















Ngiring Ngewedang, a coffee house that also produces its own coffee.




















A $2 feast of delicious home grown guacamole.



















Releasing a bit of pent up road rage with a creature right outta of "Where the Wild Things Are".



















Danau Tamblingan Lake














A chick magnet, that would surely work wonders on Payette Lake.



















Local temple






































Avian Flu proof cages - if only the rest of the world new such a thing existed.














Waterfall in Munduk

































The masterpiece, which adorned our room in Munduk.














The lakes of Danau Buyan and Danau Tamblingan




























Best place for a break, the Strawberry Stop, pure glasses of organic strawberry juice for only 70 cents.... I had three.