Wining in Margaret River

I loved this sign even though I'm not much of a wino. However, I always enjoy stopping at the wineries and sampling the non-wine items like honey, jams, marinades, and chutneys. Besides, they are usually picturesque and it's good to get out of the car periodically.  

There are over 150 wineries in Western Australia and Margaret River is near many of them; it reminds us of Estes Park in the wine country. The area is also a huge surfing mecca and boasts over 40 famous surfing locations.

I like this romantic shot of Paul and Sherri

with the sunset in the background.

The sky almost looks fake in this shot.

George and Alex stayed in the condo so my 

romantic photo is with Sherri instead!

Moseying Down to Margaret River

Wow! This is the view from our picnic lunch site on the way to Margaret River. I can't remember if we were outside Bunbury or Bustleton but it was all gorgeous. One of the best things about Australia is their parks. They have done a great job of not overdeveloping beach areas.  Of course, with only 22 million people in a country the size of the U.S., it's a bit easier to keep natural areas pristine.

Sherri fixed us homemade chicken salad sandwiches and guacamole. Does it get any better than this? Yes - we also had Anzac biscuits (oatmeal coconut cookies) and brownies.

This is an emu in the distance.  There was one running right beside the car on my side on one of our little detours but I wasn't fast enough to catch a shot of it up close.  Darn!

Paul and Sherri bought a new Holden Jackeroo, an Australian brand SUV, so they can go 4-wheeling safely so we went off-road occasionally. No more Britz rentals! It has a device on it called a Roo-Shoo that's supposed emit a high-pitched sound to keep kangaroos away. They're common road kill here.

Paul is standing next to the 10-foot dam as we call it. We were looking for a 10-kilometer dam but took the wrong route. We had a lovely hike anyway so it was all good.

Here is the sign by the car park entrance with an arrow saying Walk to the Dam. We're just too busy gawking at the scenery to be bothered with such petty details.

A sweet photo of Sherri and Paul - they are just way too cute together!

Better Excuse than The Dog Ate My Homework

This was the end to the last Varnadore vacation so people were questioning our decision to tour southern WA with them! Traveling to Exmouth to dive the Ningaloo Reef, they had lots of fun on the way absailing (repelling down a cliff), sandboarding in the dunes, visiting the seahorse stud farm (never realized that was a viable business!) and just exploring along the way. Unfortunately, they never made it to the reef.

After wasting five and half hours of their holiday along the way waiting around a garage after discovering a fuel leak, they were about 50 kilometers from their destination when the van suddenly stalled after passing a truck pulling a horse trailer.  Paul pulled over to investigate and discovered fire coming out the bottom of the van. He yelled at Sherri and Alex to get out while they helplessly watched it burn.  A semi, or road train as they call them here, stopped with a fire extinguisher and Paul thought he'd stopped the fire but as he was getting out the cooler (Eskie) to grab the bag with the laptop in it, it started up again.  (George was impressed that Paul managed to save the beer.) We are so grateful they weren't hurt!  Sherri was worried about the library books and the book she borrowed from me but they lost a lot more than that including everything in Sherri's purse and her prescription glasses. The other good news is that they made new friends with the people pulling the horse trailer who stopped to help.

A frightening video was also shot where you can hear food cans, the tires and the propane tank exploding.  Good thing Sherri had the camera in her hand when the van stalled to document it.

Britz, the rental car company, refunded their rental fees, put them up for a night at a hotel, fed them and flew them home.  However, they refuse to pay for everything they lost, including Alex's new wardrobe, the electronic security keys for their apartment garage, their IPods, etc. After a month, they're still discovering missing items.  Britz is lucky they aren't litigious and should be offering them an all-expense paid holiday to Exmouth in addition to reimbursing them for their lost belongings. I would certainly never rent from this company! 

Alex looks so happy at the beginning of the trip.  His backpack with his schoolbooks and homework also disappeared in the fire.  Sherri sent photos of the fire so his Italian teacher would believe why he didn't turn in his homework. 

Farewell to Bali

I never did find out which god this statue represents but I like the way he looks so thought I'd post it for you to enjoy!

The exotic vegetation always fascinates me.

We will miss the fragrant flowers but not the ubiquitous incense or the chiming music.  It must be an acquired taste.  I'm also hoping the music from South Pacific will finally leave my head!

Our last sunset from our deck in Bali.

The Intrepid Bowens

You never know who you'll meet at the Post Office, even in Bali.  I met an delightful family there and guess where they're from?  Denver! Colleen and her teenage boys, Michael and Mark, are exploring the world together.

Small world continued as I discovered Colleen's husband, Jess, is also a nurse.  She was as intrigued about our stories of life for George working in New Zealand and Australia as we were to hear tales of their travels thus far.  

Colleen, Michael and Mark have been gone since November and started their expedition with Jess in India.  Jess went home to earn more money; they have budgeted incredibly well, spending only $3000 per month including food, lodging and travel expenses.  Since Jess left, they have explored Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Phillipines, Viet Nam, and were planning to spend another month in Indonesia when we met them.  What a great way for these home-schooled kids to learn about geography and cultures first-hand.  

We encouraged them to visit us in Oz but they had a setback along the way.  A couple days after we left Bali, Michael had a serious accident and was hospitalized for four days.  They then traveled to Indonesia to complete the necessary dental work.  Fortunately, he will be fine but I can't imagine how scared Colleen must have been at the time.  They decided to go to London and begin their European tour from there since Colleen's parents are there.  We are really sorry they won't be in Freo but know we'll meet up with them again in Colorado.

One big advantage to their adventure - Colleen has lost 40 pounds on the journey!  Maybe I should rethink our decision to come straight home instead of traveling the world.  : )

Palatial Sights

Part of our Ubud tour included the local prince's palace, with gorgeous grounds and typical Balinese architectural touches done in elegant style.  The grounds are open to the public to enjoy and have a zen garden feel to them.

I just love the intricate detail in this gate.

Locals visit on the steps of the temple to pass the time.

Dressing gods in black and white checks is common here.

I think this is one of the buildings on the palace grounds.

Balinese style often incorporates use of gazebos. 

Now this is a front door with style!

George joked it used to be on the Platinum Suite.

This vase would look great in our foyer.  Luckily I didn't even remotely consider it.  Right after we returned, a Perth woman was jailed in Bali for stealing a bar mat!

A bit ornate for every day but certainly a pleasure to look upon.

Motor Scooter Mayhem

We absolutely enjoyed our time with Liz, who lives in Bali now not far from our second hotel in Legian. We met through a mutual friend in Perth, Jenny. Somehow we were too busy talking for me to remember to get a photo of her or her intriguing friend, Deb. However, I did manage to capture this photo of another Aussie friend, Ryan, who was taking a break while working at a hair salon.  

Liz came over to volunteer in an orphanage for three months and ended up staying.  She now volunteers at a school teaching English and is working with Deb on an Asian AIDS conference being held in Kuta.  Liz loves Bali and is enjoying her life there but might return to Oz if she becomes a grandmother at some point. Paying $1200 per year for rent is certainly appealing to us after our $400 per week at the Casa but I just can't stand the heat and humidity.

Deb fascinates me because she left Oz to marry Made, converted to Hinduism (you must declare one of six recognized religions in Bali and mixed-religion marriages are not allowed), and is raising his twin younger brothers. What spunk to change your life so dramatically at 45! She and Made seem extremely happy after five years so it's all worked out.  They have a business called Concierge on Wheels with a modern van that even includes child car seats and a DVD player.  If you ever go to Bali and want to ride in comfort with an English-speaking guide, email Deb at ma-deb@hotmail.com.

Deb told great stories about adjusting to life with the Balinese.  When she first met the family, they all stared at her and wordlessly kept bringing her fruit baskets.  Finally, when she couldn't stand it anymore, she gathered all the children and took them for ice cream. When she came back, she was accepted as part of the family and the rest is history.  Deb also related a story about their first two-bedroom apartment when they were first married.  Her mother-in-law came to visit and was astounded to find the two of them would be the only ones living in all that space.  We take so much for granted!

Check out the offering on the front of this scooter, a wise idea in my opinion with the way they careen around corners and go the wrong way up one-way streets!  Walking is an unheard of option for them. They were amazed I planned to walk four blocks to the post office and told me it was too far to walk.  George was really considered crazy when they found he walked all the way to the shopping mall!

Almost every resident has a scooter unless they can afford a car.  It's amazing to see how much stuff they carry on them - even furniture, and it's not uncommon to see a family of four or five on one.  It bothered me that often you'd see parents with helmets but nothing on the children's heads.  We were eating at a restaurant and someone delivered a huge vat of oil that he had carried on his scooter.  On our way to Ubud, we felt so sorry for a guy whose bag of huge prawns had burst open and was strewn all over the busy highway.  He was out in the street trying to rescue them in the traffic.  To him, they must have represented a fortune.

Jol's Ubud Hideaway

Jol, a nurse who works with George at the hospital, is as crazy about Bali as George is about Mexico, visiting frequently for weeks at a time. We arranged to meet with her by driving up with her friend, Made, who acts as a tour guide and driver.  The photo on the left shows Jol's friend, Jenny from Adelaide, Made and Jol.

Made (pronounced Ma-day) was a delightful guy with whom we thoroughly enjoyed conversing.  His name is very common in Bali as tradition dictates that eldest child is named Wayan or Putu, the second born is called Made or Kadek, and those born third and fourth are named Nyoman or Komang and Kutut respectively.  The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth will be another Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut and Wayan again.  They also have a short middle name they never use and different last names that are given to have spiritual meanings.  I'm sure it reduces the stress in finding a name but it can be confusing.  George should like it because it gives one an excellent chance of getting someone's name right if he forgets.  : )

However, Made broke with tradition and called his daughter Monica. Monica was his cousin's child but was adopted by Made and his wife since they were not able to have their own.  Sharing children in the extended family is common because the Balinese believe children belong to the whole family. They believe in reincarnation and that they come back into the same family.  It's one of the reasons that ancestors are venerated.  We really enjoyed having someone who was willing to explain Bali to us and show us the sights.

Jol stays at a home stay with a Balinese family in their compound. Balinese often live in walled areas with several small cottages. Usually cooking is done outside in a central area with bedrooms and bathrooms in each little building.  They spend most of their time outside; we saw someone sleeping and a child watching TV on the porch.  Many family members stay in each cottage.

This is the outside of one of the cottages.

Jol with the charming daughter-in-law of her host family.

Jol's home away from home, somewhat Spartan yet homey.

Balinese don't use toilet paper but cleanse themselves with a sprayer. How nice of the family to install a toilet roll holder for Jol!  

Lazing in Legian

These are photos from the grounds of our hotel, the Bali Mandira in Legian, where we stayed for our second week. With little cottages spread around the grounds, it gives the feeling of a traditional Balinese family compound.  However, we stayed in the tower which was more hotel-like.

The statue at the left depicts one of the many gods representing the Supreme Being, Shiva.  Bali Hinduism is unique.  The Balinese have been ruled by many other people with other religions and they managed to incorporate aspects of these into their belief system while retaining their core beliefs.

Balinese are very devoted as witnessed by the sight of their offering baskets strewn everywhere.  At first, I was very careful to avoid them on the sidewalks until we learned that once the offering is given, it is no longer sacred.  You can step on them but it is still frowned on to touch them.  Dogs and cats eat the food in the baskets which is acceptable since they are also god's creatures.

We love their practical view of religion.  For instance, one Balinese told us that he eats beef because he figures god gave cows to us to eat and who would refuse a gift from god?  Another story we were told is that tradition dictated the sacrifice of a pig once the rice crop harvesting was completed.  The Balinese solution?  Always plant a new crop before harvesting the next so that no sacrifice is needed.

Black and white are used to dress the statues of the gods and are popular colors in Balinese designs, representing good and evil.  They figure you have to pay respects to both good and evil dieties in order to stabilize the world.  We weren't there for it but apparently there are a couple of days and nights where no one is supposed to be out and about because the evil spirits are flying over and will not stop if they can't see you.  I guess the a spirits are easily fooled into believing no one is home.  

This structure has a big pool and patio on top of it.

You can even learn how to weave an 

offering basket while basking in the sun.

Another reminder of Mexico - hair braiding on the beach.

You can avoid the street vendors by walking 

along the promenade, ideal for walking 

along the ocean through town.