Jim's notes

16/1/14 Thursday

Spent the last two nights at Paul and Linda’s in South Shore, Christchurch after travelling down Tuesday afternoon in Brian and Gretchen camper van. Had spent the week prior cleaning the house for our new tenants. Everything fell into place quite well. Went and saw Nic at his house Tuesday morning in Para Rd and he is living the dream with lots of hunting and fishing mates. Matt staying at Paul and Linda’s so able to see him and Jemma skyped Wednesday night. Flight to Sydney 0630 check in so up at 0500 all organised Paul dropped us off. Uneventful Flight to Sydney then transfer to Denpasar Bali flight. Tip when flying Virgin Airlines down load the apps for wi fi movies entertainment before you leave on your lap top phone or I pad.  

The plan for the next 8 weeks

Bali

Week 1. Orientation in Bali. This involves an introduction to Indonesian customs, rules, expectations, language lessons, cooking class, and a temple visit.

Week 2, 3 and 4. Volunteering; Maree teaching English, Jim involved in an Environmental education programme.

Week 5, 6, 7 and 8 volunteering on a Turtle conservation programme and also helping in the local school on the Island of Nusa Penida which is a 45 minute boat ride from the main island of Bali. 

17/1/2014 Friday

Arrive OK yesterday afternoon. Airport visa and taxi pick up went all to plan. Denpasar looks a bit like a cross between Singapore and Saigon with lots of motor bikes and scooters not many helmets when you get out of the city. Ubud was about an hour’s drive lots of tooting. We are in a home stay a larger group of buildings owned by an extended family. Probably 4 or 5 generations. The family really friendly and eager to look after us. Talking to one of the family a man about 30 or 40 he explained that they lived as an extended family to look after the older members of the family as there is no pension. He also explained that there was a grandchild and this weekend there will be a celebration as the baby is three months old. The family live in a series of small building with communal kitchen and living areas mostly open to the air. Maree and I have a room to ourselves really tidy. Went out to a local café bar for a quick look last night the Copi Desi. We have meet several of the other people an older American lady named Ellen, a Dutch lady named Wendy and several Chinese young ladies. Most of these people are involved in the English teaching classes. Went for a walk this morning no one else walking all the locals on scooters.   

18/1/2014 Saturday

Went for a swim yesterday afternoon at one of the local hotels reasonably laid back sort of a day. Had dinner and got extras as there is also of food preparation for the celebration tomorrow. Extras quite spicy. The wi fi at accommodation is not so good drops out all the time so went back to local Bar Café and got the Ipad gps and street map organise so we can fine our way around. Home about 9pm.

The preparations for the child celebrations started at about 4am with people working outside lots of chopping on boards woke us up. No problem we were warned and still sort of on NZ time. Maree keen to see what’s going on so went out about 6am and teamed up with Wendy the Dutch lady. Maree did not have sarong so using her silk sleeping bag liner (very flash). A celebratory breakfast was held complete with 3 suckling pigs. We went to the celebration the Hindu Priest arrived and sat front and centre. Did not say anything to the group he and prayed, used incense holy water and a bell. The actual event lasted two or three hours. All of the neighbours and relatives brought gifts mostly food as far as I could tell a lady I talk to said the closer the relationship the bigger the gifts. All the gifts were brought in on the heads of the woman. I lasted about an hour and a half and then sneaked back to our room. It was mostly over by early afternoon.

In the afternoon we went into Ubud about half an hours walk went to the museum and had a quick look at the Temple.

19/1/2014 Sunday

Went for a quick walk 6.30 to 7.30 had brekky and then pack up to go to the beach. Bloody long drive with the traffic and narrow roads. First went to the Daya Tarik Wisata Tanah Lot Tabanan Temple some of which can only be reached when its low tide. Lots of visitors. Were there a few hours and then to the beach. Not sure our drive knew what he was up to as not quite what we expected long walk down steps very rocky. One of our group not that mobile. Not to worry all worked out OK. Saw a few monkeys on the rocks around the beach. Home about 5.30pm. The accommodation filling up with new arrivals. Meet our induction coordinator and there are about 50 or 60 new volunteers to do orientation next week. Bit of excitement after tea the family pig was carried away tonight with quite a kafuffle. Took 4 men to carry him out from behind the Kitchen he was a beauty. For the chop tomorrow.