24/25 Monday   Tuesday

We welcomed eight more new volunteers from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, England and China to Nusa Penida who are here for various lengths of time.

We had a very rough road trip to a beach yesterday in the back of the van all bouncing together, and then a ½ hour walk down to the beach and a hell walk back up the hill  mountain to the van, It was a very undefined track, stinking hot and steep, I loved it!

We have had no power for most of the day, however we now have power to half the house, it’s pretty shonky wiring and we had the local electrician? and his offsider scratching their  heads.

More Turtles

Three Green Turtles

Close up of Hawks Bill

Weekend Upgrade

Namaste Bungalow and pool

Crystal Bay 

Trip to release Turtle

22/2/14 Saturday

Have had big day today on tour around part of the island, seeing all sorts of sights from baskets of small tuna, to ladies carrying bunches of seaweed to be sorted and dried on the side of the road to scrawny chickens, children coming home from school, van loads of people dressed up to worship at temples which are numerous all around the island. And of course some stunning scenery.  The scooter zips along even though the roads are very rough and fill of potholes which are hard enough to negotiate without even considering the traffic and unspoken road rules which seem to be non-existent.

We have treated ourselves to a private bungalow with a pool tonight as we need an upgrade (Jeff & Vanessa you will appreciate that -LOL) from our accommodation and a bit of peace and quiet. There is a restaurant here also so we have enjoyed a nice meal too. Also there is a great view of Jim’s mountain, Mt Agung from the pool.

We had a quick trip to Crystal Bay before dinner which is renowned for sightings of manta ray and sunfish so we will see how we fare tomorrow with sightings, I would say we would be lucky to spot either but who knows.

23/2/14 Sunday

Breakfast then down to Crystal Bay for a snorkel. Great coral and lots of smaller fish very colourful. Fish up to about half a metre long. Back to the Bungalows for lunch and then a wee nap and a read. Home about 3 o’clock and try the wifi to put up some photos.

Jim on preferred mode of transport

The Hog!!

Pictures taken out and about Saturday

Helping with beach clean up with local school children

An injured Hawkes Bill Turtle being dropped off by locals

Green Turtle

Olive Turtle

Cleaning and weighing Turtles

Beach out front of our accommodation

A real hive of industry with the seaweed farming

Woman collecting sand for building material

Beach near our accommodation

Mt Agung from beach on Nusa Penida

16/2/14 Sunday

Quiet day Sunday sorted out washing did some shopping and then packing for our shift tomorrow to Nusa Penida

17/2/14 Monday

Up early getting sorted taxi pick up at 8.30am. All on time then had to wait 30 minutes for some others a bit annoying. Driven 1 hour to Sanur to get Ferry to Nusa Penida made it just in time. A bit rumpty shoes off wade out and climb over the back of the boat that carried about 50 people. A good crossing to the Island made it in about 40 minutes. Some of the women and children got scared when we hit a bit of a swell and started crying and putting on life jackets. We think it is because they can’t swim. It was a very calm sea by NZ standards.

Got driven to our accommodation on back of truck. Everything a bit more basic. We have a room to ourselves with bunks. Went and had a look at the turtles in the afternoon and did a beach clean-up with some school children in the afternoon. There is a lot of rubbish laying around both on the main Island of Bali and Nusa Penida.

After tea a bit of excitement a few locals brought in an injured turtle took it over to the tanks will get a vet visit in the morning.

Food really good went for a walk after tea. Our accommodation has a DVD  so watched a movie.

Wednesday 19/2/114

Nusa Penida

Our general routine for the day is working with the turtles at 9am, which involves cleaning tanks, cleaning the turtles with a toothbrush on their shells only to remove any bacteria and algae. Then feeding the turtles with chopped up tuna. There are three species of turtles common here; the Green Shell, Hawkes Bill and Olive turtle.  There are currently 12 turtles in the main tanks and 15 babies in the small tanks. We don’t clean the babies as their shell are still too soft as they are only two months old.  Once they are four months old they will be able to be cleaned. We then have time to prepare our lessons for the day and teach from 2pm – 4pm at a local school that we walk too. We teach on Tues, Wed and Thurs.  At 5pm we return to feed the turtles.

Today however was the release back into the wild of ‘Prince’ a green shell turtle.  Because of this we  also had a visit from staff of Green Lion from Thailand and a photographer from Australia who does promotion for Green Lion and a New Zealand couple based in London who go around the Volunteer HQ programs around the world putting together promotional material.

Jim and I managed to get ourselves involved with the release of ‘Prince’ and joined the group to take him by boat to a private bay with a beach for his release.   It was typical Bali style, ‘Prince’ in a mesh bag, using a local charter boat and all aboard.  A great adventure and opportunity.  We reached the bay and all leapt off the boat and after a bit of discussion we placed a rather bewildered turtle on the sand and after he orientated himself he was off.  Not so fast on the sand but once he hit the water it was amazing how quickly he could move.  Cheers went up from the beach and a successful return for ‘Prince’.

Taught at school from 2pm to 4pm, then feed the turtles at 5pm. Had tea and went for a walk along the road and back via beach.

20/2/14 Thursday

Routine day today, Jim took some good photos today before breakfast, feed turtles and taught in the pm.  Windy who is 18 years old from Iqaluit in the Nunavut territory of Canada, and I went for a swim, the tide was out a bit so just a quick dip.  We got our scooter today which we have hired for three weeks and went for quick ride to the next town though some markets along the way. Because there a not many Europeans a lot of the locals call out greetings. (well at least we think they are greetings) The scooter cost $90 for three weeks and $1.90 to fill with petrol.            

All packed up for the move

A years worth of luggage 

Chitty local coordinator and Maree

The move from Ubud to Nusa Penida

Walkway bridge Bali Style

Nadine (Saudi Arabia) Maree Jim Chrissy (Holland) Pauline (Holland) Pip (NZ)

 Mt Agung Climb

Highest point in Bali. Last known eruption 1964. Summit elevation 3,142m 10,308ft.

Picked up at 12 midnight driven at break neck speed for an hour and a half through many villages and the Bali countryside arriving at the Pura Passer Agung Temple. Just before the Temple the cab driver picked up my guide Made (this name given to the second male son of most Bali families). The cab driver then sleeps until our return.

We walked up the steps to the Temple and Made had to pray and light a few incense sticks. We then proceeded around the back of the Temple and started our climb. There were four other parties climbing all with their own guides. I got chatting with a Polish couple who lived in Aussie. They also had a guide. Both guides sang, chanted, and talked for the entire tramp.

We must have made good time because after 2 hours we stopped and our guides laid down and had a sleep for about 40 minutes. That was OK but it was getting bloody cold and I was glad I had taken my good jacket and a polar fleece. I had also taken some track pants and they also got put on. I should have had them on from the start as got a few leaches from the wet forest and when I flick them off my leg bleed quite a bit.

The other parties caught us up and we proceeded to the top arriving about 6am. Our climb ended about 100m below the actual summit but on the crater rim about 3000m. It was bloody cold and I put on my last spare top. Some of the others really struggled with the cold and were not adequately clothed. Made the guide lit some more incense sticks. We waited for the sunrise but not that great as a bit cloudy. Stayed on top for about an hour and the headed down.

Some of the ladies really struggled going down as it is quite hard on your legs and knees. The guides were great giving them a hand.

Back down the scree and rock and then into the forest. One incident on the way down one of the guides had a dog and he was chasing the monkeys what a racket sounded a bit like a good old pig bale in NZ maybe two or three even. We saw the monkeys from a distance heading up the ridge opposite. I thought the dog was going to get killed but much to my amazement a little bit latter we came across a small dead monkey next to the track. The guides appeared to be a bit upset about it.

Back through the forest had to strip down a bit got hot quite quickly and back to the temple about 10 am. Another taxi ride home at lightning speed had to close my eyes several times arriving at noon.

All of the photos below are on the trip down.

Shrine at top of Agung

Guides preyed and lit incense

Looking into crater from the rim 

On our way down

Into the forest trail

Looking down to the Temple

Looking up at the Volcano from the Temple