Bali

By Allan Yap & Nigel A. Skelchy

Surreal.

Don't get me wrong.

It's been a long time since I've had that much fun. Especially with Allan. When you work together and see each other 24/7 it can get trying at times.

But Bali was...reviving.

And then we heard about the bombs. Anger, frustration, sadness.

When we first heard about it, I remember joking about going back and this was the time to go and then when I got into the car I almost cried.

Needless to say, parents were worried, some frantic phone calls resulted in relieved "Thank Gods."

I have such mixed feelings at this point.

It was a wonderful holiday. Frankly, if I had the opportunity I would have stayed for another week.



Tulamben, as a dive site, was not as immediately stunning as Sipadan but it grew on you. The smaller creatures were absolutely amazing to behold. And nudibranch's everywhere, were getting it on...both ways. They're hemaphrodites!

Ubud - Tranquil, blessed by the Gods with a serenity, peace, and calm that is very rare in any place on this little blue ball of ours. Great shopping.

Seminyak - Friendly, peaceful, smiling, very loving and gentle people.

Bali as an island is large. Tulamben is all the way at the Eastern tip of the island while, Ubud is central and Seminyak and Kuta all the way to the south. There are 8 districts based, I'm told, on the old sultanates of Bali, all of which have a capital.

The people are beautiful, though maybe to my biased eyes, the women got the short end of the stick. The men were dusky, wide of mouth, sturdy of frame, and with soft dark brown eyes framed with long lashes which seemed sometimes more appropriate on the girls. But wherever you went, they always had a ready smile for you. Children smiled at you on beaches, hotel clerks, receptionists, were very quick to grin at you and essentially welcome you into their "home."

Allan and I are planning on returning and by the looks of things it won't be too long. Part of it is that we had a gorgeous time in that blessed isle but also just to show in our little way that these terrorists/maniacs cannot be feared. Because if you allow that to govern what you do, they've won!

Photos - http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nigelskelchy/album?.dir=/b6e9