A great memory: Bali in 2008.

I think I'll harken back to 2008.  July and August were great months that year!  I had just finished eight hard months in China, where teaching was new, the language was still foreign, the culture was confusing, and English conversations were scarce.  Carolyn was there with me, but she went home to Canada to have an ear infection dealt with.  I hacked it alone for the last bit, and it was one of those growing experiences people talk about.  You know, character building and all that.  Sounds great when it's over, but in the middle, times sure are rough!

July and August were great months because I was in Bali.  I had been planning the trip for much of my time in China, and it would be a celebration of my completed teaching contract.  I envisioned surfing, secluded beaches, seaside fires with guitars and drums.  Only the surfing happened, but it was still a great time.

Carolyn was supposed to join me, and Kirsten would meet us there.  It would be a sibling excursion, but without Erik.  Kirsten met me in Hong Kong, and we toured there for a few days, then flew to Bali on Air Asia.  Air Asia is like the airplane equivalent of a Greyhound bus.  It's cheap, and people run across the tarmac to secure themselves a seat, because you don't reserve spots.  You just put out the elbows and fight for them!

So, Bali!  I enjoyed it because I learned to surf, I wasn't teaching in China anymore, and I had Kirsten to keep me company.  Here are some photos from that glorious time. 

Kir and I rented bikes on a small island in Hong Kong, where the locals fish and enjoy rural living.  We pose in front of the main attraction, a waterfall.

The narrow streets!  It was fun exploring this little fishing village.  Bikes were everywhere, and so were small vestiges of English colonization.

Macau is a short ferry ride from Hong Kong.  It was a Portuguese colony in the same way Hong Kong was an English colony.  Now, Macau is known as Asia's gambling destination.  There is more than gambling though, including this fun architecture.

Carol was supposed to celebrate her birthday with me in Bali, but didn't get to because of her ear infection and resulting trip to Canada.  So, I made this picture!  I'm on an ancient bicycle that I rented, and a coolie hat I bought to keep the sun at bay.

Here I am in the villa.  Kir and I rented this room for $10 per night.  It was deluxe in that it had its own toilet and shower, but you had to fill the toilet with water from the sink, using a yogurt container.   It was pretty awesome.  I spent a lot of time reading and browsing the used bookstores.

The professional surfing tour, the ASP, had a competition in Bali while I was there, at Uluwatu.  The waves were small, but they surfed them anyway.  Here are a few photogs capturing the action.  If you look closely, you can see a surfer in the wave.

Here I am getting ready to surf.  I'm using a rented 7'6" Mini Malibu (that's a shape) surfboard and a swimmers cap.  I had ruptured an eardrum a few days prior, when I got attacked by a wave, so I'm protecting it with silicone ear plugs and a swimmers cap.  I got lots of strange looks!

Best shape of my life!  After a month of paddling into waves, I felt really strong.  You may not be able to see them, but there are some muscles in those shoulders and arms!