Critter capers

I thought I'd better get a blog up so those who are not on facebook know that I have not disappeared. We've been taking it pretty easy in Sanur beach area.

A few days ago we took a speed boat out to manta point and 2 other sites for snorkeling. We were informed that the 50 minute ride was a little choppy. Tossing around in a dryer would have been smoother. I actually have a bruise on my left shoulder from slamming into the side of the boat repeatedly and violently. There were 6 tourists on board and all but 2 tossed their cookies, often several times. I and the Swedish guy where the lucky ones. He took medication and I was medication free. Sadly it remains my one superpower to be able to take violent transportation and not puke. Of course perhaps I did not puke because all my energy was focused on hunkering down and holding on for dear life. Unfortunately, as previous evidence has alluded, Jason was one of the 4 pukers. He puked so much that he actually blocked out large sections of the boat trip.

We did make it to the first stop, manta point, which is this area by a rocky cliff where the giant mantas gather to have the fish clean them up. The waves were insane and I could not get off the boat to snorkel even though the guides said go ahead. It's funny, on vacation I always become acutely aware that I am now and adult and that others will freely allow me to put myself in danger. Even with my little vest I am sure I would have drowned. The guides went in as did 4 of the other snorkeler/divers. Jason had to endure sitting on the boat (with me) while the rest did their thing. It's hard to believe but once the speed boat stopped it seems to get even more gut wrenching and it bobbed up and down, back and forth, like a cork. I am very disappointed I missed the manta rays but we went to 2 more sites and i snorkeled at both. I got a great picture of a moray eel with my waterproof camera (most trip photos will be posted when we get back). At the last site the painful realization manifests.... we still have the same ride home. Truly this was Jason's last boat ride.

Other fun stuff; apparently the big lizard (the water monitor i mentioned in a previous post) loves bread. I couldn't help myself and fed him a little from my table, which he gobbled up. There is nothing quite like a 2 foot lizard with forked tongue begging for a little bite of bread. I realized soon that the lizard was eyeing up the adorable pair of birds that were trying to get their share of bread. This put an end to the bread buffet as I did not want to be responsible for the side of bird.

I have come across some interesting signs which reinforces why I don't buy antiques when travelling; "Antique furniture: Made to Order" Now perhaps there is something lost in translation and they mean reproduction furniture, but who knows. We saw a lot of fake antiques in China.

Today we went to the Goa Lawah AKA Bat Cave Temple which is a Hindu temple home to thousands of fruit bats. The temple is built around a large cave filled with the bats, and apparently hungry pythons on the ground waiting for their flying fast food. We did not see the pythons but we saw the mass horde of squeaking bats, with wing spans of 1 to 2 feet. They are quite adorable but they stink, like really stink. Bat poo is nasty.

After the Bat Temple we stopped a little road side Hare Krishna Vegetarian food stand. We each had a dish, an order of rice and 2 bottles of water for $2.00! So far the cheapest meal in Indonesia.