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.