Thailand...Finally!

It is now almost exactly 3 months since I very first entered Thailand. Time has gone by so fast! I stopped blogging and even putting pictures up on Facebook because it simply took too much time and was too frustrating. It would take 2 hours to load the pictures and then when they were almost loaded the computer would freeze (or some very similar story). I just decided to give up and write about it all at home. Yes, I have been back for a month for now, but it really did take me quite a while to adjust to being back. I threw myself back into work and so the time off I now have is usually spent watching movies or TV series (I bought a lot of these on my trip). I wasn't called into work today, so now is as good a time as any.

This is going to be a ver condensed version of my time in Thailand though. I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of things I originally wanted to share, but I also was very tired of hauling my camera everywhere I went. After awhile everything just seemed the same...especially the views and the temples.

I flew to Thailand from Malaysia and entered in Phuket. I wanted to go there to see what damage still remained from the Tsunami. It is incredible because if you didn't what happened then you would never now that anything happened. The area has been up to clean up, rebuild, and move on. There are still a few buildings that remain destroyed, but for the most part the area is as it was before.

That is about all the interest I had in Phuket. The main attractions in this area are the beaches and the clubs. I was beached out from Indonesia and I wasn't there to party. I did go to one Go-Go with a hostel-mate I met there. He is actually from Calgary. However, I didn't stay long. There was no interest there for me and all I could really think about was the pancake I wanted to buy on my walk home. I went crazy for pancakes (crepes) while I was there. I always got mine with Nutella and fresh coconut. I mean really fresh too. It was still wet!



I did some exploring around some of the main southern attractions. Krabbi, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Samui, Ko Pha ngan; These are tourist areas and while they are beautiful they aren't what I wanted (no full moon partying for me). I did visit a meditation school in Ko Pha ngan. That was a great experience. Also the Pad Thai in these areas was of great interest...delicious!

After the south I took a bus...a very long ride...to Bangkok. I spent the day wandering around Bangkok and mostly Khao San road. Then it was over to Chinatown to catch a train to Chang Mai. Though Chang Mai was the only Northern destination I made I am convinced that it is better than the south. The landscape is completely different and I felt more at home there. The people in the south are quite rude. I can't say I blame them though. I think the Thai people put up with a lot from the tourists. Maybe they are just getting a little sick of it. The north is also a few degrees cooler and that was very welcome.



A temple in Chang Mai



Getting off the train in Chang Mai was a bit daunting and took me awhile to get oriented. I met a few peole at the station and managed to find someone to share a tuk tuk with me; Simon from England. We managed to find a cheap place to stay the offered a lot of fun things to do at cheap prices. I took a cooking class here. Though I don't think I got much out of it. It was six dishes in four hours with a trip to the market squeezed in there as well. The food was great though. Here I also did a jungle trek. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Our guide was a Burmese man who goes by two names; Tong and Drunk Tong. Our trek consisted of elephant rides, hiking, a night in a Karen Village (the Karen people are Burmese refugees), and then more hiking followed by "white water rafting." The night in the village was my favorite. We slept a small hike away from the main village so as not to disturb the elders. We had great food and a great time. Drunk Tong is very entertaining. In the morning Tong was moving much slower than the day before.

I had one more night in Chang Mai and then it was off to Bangkok again. I met a lot of people on the trek and 2 of the girls I met were also heading to Bangkok, so we in the morning we bought our tickets and did some last minute things there. I got 2 more tattoos. I really, really wanted to get a bamboo tattoo while I was in Thailand. So, I did. I got 2 small ones; one on my left foot that means Karma, and one on my left wrist that is the symbol for Om (the most basic meditation mantra). Then we found a tuk tuk to take us to the bus station. Amy and Kathy and most of our bags in the back, and me in the front squished up next to the driver with a couple bags on my lap. The driver was such a nice man from Laos, even though it did turn out that he left Laos because he killed 2 men. Apparently they deserved it...in his own words. I asked him in my nicest, most innocent, and yet humored voice if we were "quite safe with him?" His reply was "of course." Upon dropping us he said that we were nice and as he was shaking my hand he told me to keep smilng and that he would always remember us. He really was a nice man!

In Bangkok Kathy and I treated ourselves to a day on the town. We got ice cream sundaes, walked around a "mall," went to Hard Rock Cafe and spent 2 days of budget on food. Then we went to Khao San Road for some pampering; a Fish Therapy foot massage, a pedicure, a facial, and a Thai massage. I have never been so uncomfortable. The girls are incredibly strong and the contort your bodies in ways I never imagined. It felt good afterwards though. I slept sound that night and woke up early to catch my flight to Vietnam.

I know I breezed through the first half of my trip, but it honestly just wasn't that interesting. The food and the medidation school is really the only thing worth talking about. Oh, excpet for Peter. Peter is a Thai artist I met. I went to his "studio" and saw some of his work. It really is amazing. I wish I could've bought something from him. He said he has a website and gave me his card though. Once I find his card I will post the website. His work is amazing!

So, there you have it...Thailand in a nut shell. Pictures forthcoming. I hope to write about Vietnam soon.

Love love.

This is in one of the oldest temples in Chang Mai

Bamboo tattoo on my foot. It means Karma

Bamboo tattoo on my wrist. It is the symbol for "OM"

Kathy and I at the Hard Rock Cafe

Fish massage - tickles!

My jungle hut

Just a Note

Hey I'm just writing to let you all know that I am alive. I am gearing up the last few days and a long flight home. I am soooo ready. I have had the time of my life, but I am ready to return to reality. Obviously I have fallen behind in blogging, but I just decided to update my blog once I get home. It just takes too much time here...and can be really frustrating!!! So, only a few more days!

Love love

Kuala Lumpur

Hello!!!

I am having the time of my life right now!!! I didn't really want to come to Kuala Lumpur, but I am so glad I did. Air Asia seems to know better than me! It's not that it's an especially wonderful or touristy place, but it is fun! I am staying in a proper hostel here with dorms and bunk beds and everything. It's so cool!

I was exhausted when I first arrived here. My flight left Jakarta in the early morning and my B&B was 2 hours away from the airport. When I got here I discovered that I had to take a bus to get into Kuala Lumpur...that took an hour. By the time I got here I was ready to crash, but I was also starving. I got some food from a street vendor and then hit the hay.

Day 2 holds the excitement. I met some other travelers at our rooftop restaurant and bar. They were going to the Batu Caves and I was going there as well, so we all went together. Of the five of us that went there were only 2 who were actually traveling together, but we had all met that morning at breakfast. After the caves we went to the skyview at the KL tower and looked at the entire city. Did I mention that it's so nice to be in a proper city?! By then it was getting dark so we went back to Chinatown (where our hostel is) and ate. Chinatown is incredible. It's just like something you would see in the movies! After dinner we went up to the rooftop again and met some other travelers who joined us on day 3.

Day 3 we went to the National Museum. They had a lot of boring rocks etc. there, but they also had some old bones and stuff of Malay people. In fact there was a whole skeleton and it honestly looked about the size of Kora (my 11 year old niece). The next gallery was full of old clothes and door panels and other ancient works of art. That was my favorite gallery. There were handwritten Qurans in there from hundreds of years ago. It was all so gorgeous. Gallery C was about the colonization of Malaysia by the Portugese, then Dutch, and finally the British. It had some cannons, weapons, and military uniforms. That was neat too. After that it was the Twin Towers of Malaysia (Petronas Towers). I wish I could remember everything...I really need to start writing it all down.

Day 4 (yesterday) there was only 1 girl left as the others all traveled on. We went and got our haircut. I had to! It has grown so fast here and it's all over my neck which is just way too hot!!! We went spent the whole day looking for a decent place and eventually ended up in a shopping pavilion (with AC) and got it done there. It's pretty decent actually. That night we went for dinner in little India and it was really good! Met some more travelers on the rooftop and then went to bed...exhausted! My last companion leaves today, so I have to face KL alone...no big deal. I leave for Thailand on the 4th and am really looking forward to that.

Did I mention that I am a naturally gifted navigator...because I am! Lol!

Anyways, time for breakfast and then I'm heading off to the city park today.

Love love

Batu caves...this is the staircase leading up to the main cave.

All my new British friends.

Petronas Towers.

This is Jon Soo...or was it Joo Son?

Pua...my favorite dumpling. I am addicted to these. It is a very large dumpling filled with sweet meats.

My new haircut...looks the same as my old one used to look. Lol!

Jakarta

I flew to Jakarta yesterday. I really didn't want to come here! I had to go to Bangkok (which I do want to do) in order to fly to Vietnam. It worked out much cheaper to fly from Bali to Jakarta and then to Malaysia (I hadn't made up my mind if I was going to go here or not) and finally to Bangkok (well Phuket and then I will take a train up to Bangkok). The flights were even cheaper if I stayed for a little while in these places. So I leave Jakarta on the 29th for Malaysia and then leave there on the 4th of June.

Jakarta is lovingly referred to as the armpit of Southeast Asia, and I can see why. It's even dirtier and dingier than Bali! It's a different culture completely as well and I'm excited about that. The whole purpose of this trip was to experience another life. Jakarta, like the majority of Indonesia, is Islamic. There are mosques everywhere here. When we were flying over the city I could see them all over. I have yet to see one up close though as I'm too afraid in this city. People have responded to me kindly but I think that's mostly out of curiosity, and I don't feel comfortable venturing too far from my hotel. I know there is one very close though because I can hear the Imam? singing the prayers every few hours. I used to think that it would sound odd, but it's really quite beautiful.

My hotel is actually a bed and breakfast and it is absolutely beautiful! It's a very large house with a nice pool, amazing grounds, and rats the size of large cats. They stay outside though so I'm okay with it. I think this house is from a colonial period...maybe from the Dutch. It's beautiful though...decorated with antique, stately furniture. My room has air conditioning and hot and cold water. I spend most of my time in there because it feels so good to actually be cool. I slept with a blanket on last night!!! I haven't done that in a month. Also, it was cool enough in my room that I took a not so freezing cold shower. The best part though: my room has a towel, toilet paper, and soap. It's good to get one or two of them, but tovget all three is a bloody miracle! I pay $15 a night. One of the guys here pays $30...sucker!

It was sad to leave Kuta though. I made a lot of good friends...western and local. I was on the verge of tears (unheard of for me I know). The little kids were sad too, but I will save some money now seeing as how I spent most of it buying them ice cream on the beach. I am going to go back there before I fly back to Canada though...it really felt like home to me.

In the meantime I will be updating y,all.

Love love

Finally...Some Pictures!

I have been so boring lately, so not very much to report. I missed Kuta so I came back here from Ubud. I missed the beach and the people, and even the local toothless guitar player who likes to wear woman's swim bottoms with ruffles (I saw him dancing the other day though and he is quite good). I missed sitting on the beach at sunset while Jeki plays guitar and sings local songs. So good!

So, I'm back and haven't done anything exciting. However, I did find an internet cafe that might actually let me get some pictures up! Originally I only had some up on Facebook, but today I managed to add some here.

P.S. The swelling in my feet went away completely while I was in Ubud. It came back in Kuta, but not nearly as bad!

Love love

Jeki and Andre

My breakfast room in Sanur

Jeki...and I AM wearing a swim suit

My feet back to normal in Ubud

The cliffs at Ulu Watu

So cute! I love how the babies just cling there

My bat

My hotel in Ubud

I Have So Much To Say, But Still No Pictures!

First of all just let me say that I am trying really hard to put some pictures up. I just don't think the computers over here like me very much. After trying for an hour I get too frustrated and just give up. It's too bad because I had a ton of pictures I really wanted to put up. However, you will all be happy to know that my feet are almost back to normal. Ubud is a bit cooler than Kuta, so the first morning that I woke up the swelling had gone down. Yay! Also, my tattoo is healing beautifully.

That's about the best thing I can say about Ubud. It's actually quite boring here. I have seen almost everything there is to see and I still have 2 days here. I'm probably going to be spending them sitting beside my pool because I miss the beach so much. Oh ya, my hotel here has a pool! This hotel is much nicer than my last one, and it's only $5 more a night ($15 in total). They even gave me a towel and toilet paper, so I didn't have to buy any or use my sarong after a shower. However, they still didn't have soap, so I went for a walk on my first night to buy some soap. Now, enter Julia and Chandler. They were riding by as I walking, so I hopped on the bike with them and we rode up to Monkey Forest. Chandler found a cave there that he wanted to show us. It was closed by the time we got there, so we decided to try again the next day. So, we went out to eat instead. The restaurant was beautiful and right on the rice paddies. It was amazing...and full of Geckos. They were crawling everywhere, and it looked like one of them was eating the head of another one...turns out they were just mating. Then we went to another restaurant and had some banana splits. There was a strawberry sauce on it that was amazing!!! Then off to bed.

Breakfast was interesting. My hotel is right across the street from one of the entrances to Monkey Forest. Also, my hotel is a rooftop one, so the monkeys were coming across along the power lines and coming into the breakfast area. It was funny. The view is incredible though. Across the street are a few shops and then directly behind them are rice paddies. As I said my hotel is nice, but they are doing some renovating and I'm sure it is going to look amazing. They work so fast here. When I was in Kuta they were building a new business complex and when I got there you couldn't even tell what it was. By the time I left there was already a store starting to move in. At my hotel here, I can't believe how fast it is coming along. However, I have seen them do some framing here and it seems quite sketchy. Eric would have a heart attack if he knew the requirements and saw the materials.

Anyways, after breakfast I went to Monkey Forest to do a walk through before meeting up with Julia and Chandler. It was very nice. There were 3 temples in there and so many statues. One of the statues was a mother monkey with child and she had her eyes closed and her hand up to her head. I could just imaging her shaking her head out of frustration. I would've loved to have a picture like that for Mother's Day. I think it is very fitting for mothers (mom this is the part where you say "oh no, children are ALWAYS a joy!"). The temples go all the way back to the 15th century. I did see a monkey fight between 4 monkeys (they are macaques...not sure of spelling) and it was quite scary just because they have huge fangs. When it happened I was walking by them, so I ended up right in the middle of it. I was on edge as it was because Julia had been bitten the night before by a monkey that had come up to her and held her hand. It was fun to watch them around all the people though. The moms are so protective. The younger ones are allowed to just run around, but the moms keep the babies very close. In fact, if they get out of reaching distance the moms grab them by their tails and pull them back. I got a video of one particular baby who was trying to get away and the mom was repeatedly pulling him back in. It reminded me of one of those baby harnesses...running when there's slack, and then all of a sudden being whipped back. Funny! It was cute when people got too close because the moms would grab the babies and hold them to their hearts, and then they would turn their backs to all the people or even run away.

After that I met up with Julia and Chandler. He had already taken Julia to the cave, so just I went with him. So, we rode our motorbikes (I rented one that morning) up this path to the top of Monkey Forest. Then we parked them and went through this gate to an area that was off path (did I mention that you aren't supposed to go off path). It was crazy because it happened so fast, but all of a sudden there were swarms of monkeys baring there fangs and running at us. We ran away but they were grabbing at our feet. Luckily a local man came running with his slingshot and chased them away. As he was doing this another came from another direction and charged at us. Chandler jumped behind and grabbed onto me...actually he pinched me. I laughed so hard! He did too later. I grabbed a couple sticks and gave one to Chandler and we decided to keep going so the man took out a mirror and made a path. I wish I had a video of this because it was quite incredible. There were trees all around where we were except for in one are where there was a natural clearing lined by trees on both sides. When he brought out the mirror and flashed the light at them they all moved out of this clearing and it was laid out before us like a grand path. I seriously felt like I was in Rome or something and the mobs were parting the way for us. Anyways, over a couple bridges and down a another natural path that was lined with some sort of flower, and we came to this little cave. It is only wide enough for one person to go in at a time. So, Chandler gave me his headlamp and I went in. It was quite creepy to be honest with you. At the end though there was a little pool and some holes in the rock of the cave where the light came in and shone on the pool. Again, very nice. On the way back we came across a lone monkey sitting by himself and he was very calm until we flashed our sticks at him (silly of us I know) and he got defensive. The fangs came out again and we ran. However, this time we were going uphill and I was only wearing my sandals and kept sliding back down the hill. Again, the local man came and saved us. I gave him some money. He looked so confused, but of course took it.

Then J and C left. They were going back to Kuta and then flying out the next day (today) to Bangkok.

I spent the rest of the day on my scooter driving to the sites. I had to get a scooter because the ones I wanted to see are about 20k out of town. I saw Gunung Kawi which is a cliffside with beautiful carvings of shrines in it. Then off to Tirta Empul (if what I have picked up is correct then this translates into Water Temple). My translation would make sense since it is a spring and a temple that is considered very holy. I have to say now that I didn't get any pictures of these two sites. I left camera on in my bag (on display) and when I got there it was dead. I would just go back and get more pictures if I hadn't got so lost on the way back. Getting lost was okay because I was able to see a lot of the countryside and some more rice paddies and temples, but after 90 minutes I was starting to get a little worried. I ended up just driving in circles around the area where I thought Ubud should be until I saw a sign or a road that I recognized. It worked, but I don't want to chance it again. Also, I already returned the scooter.

That evening I went to the Kecak (pronounced k Chuck) dance that I didn't see at Ulu Watu. They have a pretty good one here. I did get pictures of that but they aren't very good...they move around too much. The dance was beautiful but my favorite part was the music...there wasn't any! There is a chorus of 100 men that make different sounds, and when it all comes together there is a rhythm. When I was there I met Anna from Germany and Melanie from Ottawa. Then I was off to bed.

I got up very early as usual. The problem with getting up early here is that nothing is open. It was the same in Kuta, but I would just go sit on the beach. There isn't a beach here so it's very boring. So, I decided to go for a run this morning. As I was putting on my sock I stumbled backwards and my foot landed on something squishy. I turned around saw a dead bat. I stepped on a bat...a dead bat!!! I was a little relieved though because at first it looked like a giant spider. They cleaned it up while I was running, but I was still a little freaked out when I got back. The staff here are young boys...except for the young girl and the old lady who are doing the construction on the hotel...and they are very nice. They came in and checked around to see if they were any more. Back to the run though...awful idea! I am so out of shape, so dehydrated, and it's so bloody hot here that I got really sick. My stomach was super, painfully cramped and I was about ready to throw up at any second. Bonus though is that I saw another man running and he had a tattoo like I had never seen before. It was a full back piece, but the color and design made it look like it he was wearing a wife beater. The cut of it made it look like that too.

Now for the rest of the day I am going to see a couple sites within walking distance. My burn has turned into a tan now...a pretty dark one...so I am okay walking in the sun. I am going to see Goa Gajah (elephant cave) that was once a Buddhist hermitage. It has bathing pools and fountains. Then some more cliff carvings at Yeh Pulu (this one is 25m long). The last one is Pura Pehataran Sasih. This is an old state temple that has a very large bronze drum in it called the Moon of Pejeng. Tomorrow I will probably spend by the pool and being lazy. On the 13th (it is the 11th here...I am 14 hours ahead in Bali) I was supposed to head up to Lovina, but I switched my ticket this morning to take me back to Kuta. I really miss it there (really weird seeing as how I couldn't wait to get away from there)! I miss the food and the people and the beach and the noise. It is way too quiet and boring elsewhere.

Talk to you again in a few days.

Love love

Ulu Watu

Days are flying by like crazy here and most of the time I don't even know what day it is! So far I have been figuring out what day is when by counting forward and backward from Mother's Day. I guess I will have to find a new day now. Oh and Happy Mothers Day mom!!! Love you and miss you! Say hi to grandmas for me and tell them I love them too!

Since I last wrote nothing much has happened. My legs and feet have become so burnt that they are incredibly swollen and I look like I have the worst case of cankles this place has probably ever seen! It's hard not to be in the sun though...and it wouldn't be so bad if the malaria pills I have didn't make you so sensitive to the sun. 

Other than that I continue to make new friends. The Asians love me!!! If I am just sitting on the beach they will come in swarms to get a picture with me. One time I thought they were going to trample me there were so many of them. Also, they love to have me hold their babies. I don't mind because they are so stinking cute! It's just funny though. They hand over their babies to a perfect stranger. Then they just kind of stand there and look with a huge smile, and then they will take a ton of pictures.

Exciting for me though and my favorite part of the trip so far was my day at Ulu Watu. Andre took me there yesterday on a "motorbike." They call them motorbikes but we call them scooters or mopeds. Anyways, Ulu Watu is a Hindu temple right on the ocean. It is absolutely beautiful and crawling with monkeys. Dan, I got a picture just for you of one monkey picking at the other monkeys hair. You have to wear a sarong when you go in, and that makes it even hotter. It was a great experience though. At night they have a fire dance there. I was too hot and tired at the time though and just wanted to get back. I really want to see it though, so I'm going to head out there again before I fly out (I have to come back this way to get to the airport, so it will be my last stop before leaving Bali). From there we went to an observatory a ways down the sea wall and watched some surfing. They have real waves here, so that was fun.

Also, I rode a motorbike for the first time here. It was a little scary just because this is such a busy and crazy place with a bunch of crazy drivers. It was fun too though. Scooters are so easy to control!!! I am definitely going to rent them to get around in the future (in less busy places...like Ubud). Also, I got a new tattoo yesterday. Jeffri took me to a good place and got a little symbol on my wrist. I wanted something that is very specific to the Balinese culture, so I got the good luck symbol. Everything here is about good luck. It works to your advantage most days because the first sale of the day is good luck, so you can get stuff for really cheap. Also, if at the end of the day they haven't sold anything that is "no luck" so they will also sell stuff really cheap. I have gotten a lot better at bartering, but I'm still a sucker sometimes. I have made good friends with some of the vendors at the beach, so I give them more than I would others. It's a dollar difference to me, but a huge difference to them. Also, every morning the Hindu Balinese put out an offer. It's usually a little hand woven basket of grass that is filled with flowers and some rice. Occasionally they will put a cracker or small money in it if they don't have rice. It is a sacrifice they do every morning to bring them good luck. Well, yesterday I was talking with a lady on the beach and was using my hands of course, and I accidentally knocked over a bag that had about six of these baskets in it. I felt so awful! I ended up buying a bunch of bracelets from her. So, that's what the nieces and nephews are going to get. Lol!

I have to head down to the beach now. I leave for Ubud today and I'm pretty excited about that. I have to go say my goodbyes to some people who have taken really good care of me. My really good local friends took me out last night and we went dancing. It was a lot of fun. I'm excited to meet back up with Julia and Chandler though. They left for Ubud yesterday. Some people say Ubud it is as hot as it is here, and some people say it is a little cooler. I am going to go ahead and get my hopes up and say that it is cooler there. 

I am finally able to put some pictures up for you, so I'm sure I'm going to get carried away!

Well I would've gotten carried away except that as I was uploading the photos the program stopped responding. These internet shops really are stupid...it's not just me. Alas I only got the 2 photos of my ugly feet...Enjoy!!!

Love love

This is when they first started swelling.

This was taken last night. They almost look bruised. This doesn't quite do justice to how burnt they are, but the main problem is that the heat never leaves my body. Everyone here that touches my arms or legs is shocked at how hot they are.

Bad News First?

I don't want to scare anyone, because the bad news isn't really that bad. Then it will be foloowed up with really awesome news.

So, I took the bus to Kuta yesterday and made friends with a older, Swedish man. This was kind of nice...just to have someone to talk to. Then he started to get creepy, so as soon as the bus stopped I managed to ditch him. At that point I walked around for awhile to find a new hotel. I finally settled on one that was cheap and close to all the action here. Also, I just wanted to get my backpack off!!! It was so hot wearing it! My back was literally soaking wet. Ok, now here is the bad news. My hotel is a total dump! Serioulsy, the shower head (hose showers) was in the toilet, the toilet doesn't work, there is no sink, no soap, and no towel, and they don't turn the electricity on until 6pm when it starts to get dark. It's a good thing I'm never really there.

So, good news now!

1. My sarong has come in very handy...it is a scarf, a bandana, a shawl for my very burnt shoulders, a blanket for the beach, and a towel! In fact I am going to buy another one right after this...well after I eat breakfast.

2. I have had no trouble sleeping or waking up. In fact I have to tell myself that I want to sleep more, but most times I can't. I haven't slept later than 7 yet. Yesterday I was up at 5 and felt like a champ. I think my body loves it here!

3. I went a little crazy with buying stuff yesterday. This is good and bad. Bad because now I have way too much stuff, and I already  left some stuff at my hotel in Sanur. Good because I have been so cheap and the stuff is so cute.

4. Best news though...I have already made so me friends!!! I was on the beach yesterday and one of the locals was talking to me. He also knew these other people from Canada. They are from Saskatoon...Julia and Chandler. So I hung out with them for a bit and watched the sunset (I am going to have to do that again tonigh, but this time I will take my camera). After that we went our separate ways to shower and then to meet up for dinner. I got lost on the way to the warung we were to meet at and stopped some white people I saw. Turns out they were also looking for the same place and so we just went together. They are from Australia...Max, Calum, and Brogan. Chandler and Julia showed up and we all just sat together. Afterwards we went out to a couple clubs. One of them was a raggae club. All of them had bands playing and they were all very good. The Australians have a hotel in the same alley as me, so I made them walk me home. It was so much fun!!! We are all meeting up for lunch today. In the meantime I am going to rent a bike and do a tour all around Kuta. Tomorrow I will ride the bike up to Legian, and then Seminayak the next day. Not too sure what day it is today, but I think it's Thursday. So, on Sunday I am going to take a bus down to Ulu Watu for a day and see a supposedly fabulous temple. After that it will be time to move on and I will take a bus to Ubud to the monkey jungle. This is one of the most talked about areas in Bali and apparrently is where Liz stayed in Eat, Pray, Love.

And here is where I was going to put some pictures up for you, but it was taking forever and then the session just closed. So I'm giving up for today. I will try again in a couple days. In fact this is hours after I wrote the above.

However, the last few hours have been fairly adventurous. I went to rent a bike but the boy there didn't speak any English, so I just went to the beach instead. When I was there one of the locals came up to me and told me that Andre was looking for me. Andre is a local that I made friends with yesterday. I found Andre and sat with him for awhile and then he took me around to find a bike. It was a little scary considering how they drive here and we were on a "motorbike." Eventually, we ended up at the same place and Andre just translated for me. After that we went back to the beach and all the local boys had fun riding the bike on the beach. It was seriously like Christmas...and they aren't young boys either. I also shared some gum with them and all they could say was WOW (over and over again).

I left shortly after that to meet up with the Canadians and the Australians for lunch. Now we are here at the internet cafe and then going to sit on the Canadian's balcony. It is super hot here today and it just rained, so it is extra humid right now. this day calls for ice cream and a sit in the shade. Later I will head to the beach for sunset though. I think the Canadians will join me, but Chandler is sick today, so maybe not.

Love love.

Captains Log: Day One

Yay! I am in Bali! For the most part it was a fairly painless journey...though my butt might disagree. I managed to limit my sleep for the trek so that I could pass out when I got here at 11 last night. I didn't sleep at all on Saturday night, but I did sneak a couple hours in as my dad drove me up to Calgary. For the rest of the 23 hours I would sleep 20 minutes or so every few hours. It worked! I slept like a baby last night and thus far avoided the jet lag. Other than the lack of sleep and the brief moment of being completely lost at the Seoul Incheon airport, and feeling like a complete outsider for being the only white girl on 2 very long flights, it was a seamless journey. I landed at 10:53pm to a temperature of 27•C and humidity so high I could feel it through the airplane! Made it easily to my hotel and slept like a baby. I got up early this morning (7am is very early for me) and made my way to the beach. I had no idea how to get there, so I just started walking down the road. The side roads are about the size of the sidewalks at home, and they drive trucks down them!!! Anyways, I just kept walking till I found a main road with a sign pointing to the beach. I did the 4km walk along the sea wall and then continued walking around aimlessly to find the tourist office to buy a bus ticket to Kuta. Eventually I let a cab take me there. From there I easily found my way back to my hotel...only an hour walk away. I'm too cheap to pay for a ride when I'm able to walk. It's a good thing both my jobs require me to be on my feet all day. I do think though that I have a sign on my forehead that says sucker. I bought a sarong from a vendor today just because she tried to help me find a map. I'm really going to have to get over this guilty conscience thing. Anyways, I'm back at the hotel and going to go for a swim and lay by the pool so I can get rid of some of the tan lines I already have...my sunglasses, my money pouch strap, my bag strap, my sandals, and the strap of my camera around my wrist. I will try to put up a couple pictures tomorrow when I am at a computer. Right now I am just using my moms iPod touch...so slow. LOL!

P.S. You can smell the humidity in the air, among other things, and my hair still hasn't dried from my shower 5 hours ago! Also, I'm worried I'm not going to be able to sleep much here...it's too hot for me to sleep at home sometimes when it's below zero and my window is wide open! Last night was ok, but I think that might have just been because I was so tired.


Love love

When Eating Out At A Restaurant...

Ok! The Christmas season is finally over!!! You have no idea how busy and crazy and nutty the Christmas season was at the restaurant. Seems like it was a never ending storm of fussy people. People who have no idea how to eat out!

K, so I actually started this post around the middle of January. However, the previous couple of months had worn me out so completely that I couldn't even finish one paragraph! Now for round two. What I am going to do is walk you through the proper way to dine out...from walking through the door to walking out the door.

When walking into a restaurant do not get angry when there is a line up. Believe it or not, but this a good thing! A line up is an indication of a restaurant that is popular...which usually translates into delicious. Wait patiently for your turn. There is nothing wrong with ordering a drink while you wait or looking over the menu and ordering an appy or two to enjoy at the bar. There is something wrong with giving the hostess attitude or bitching him/her out! Perhaps most people don't realize this, but  in Lethbrige most hostesses are young (high shcool) girls, so I'm not sure what anyone expects to accomplish by bullying them...other than to give them a complex about working on busy nights for fear of being chewed out by some jackass who thinks he has a right to treat anyone he wants like crap. In addition to that you just might find that the employees might be a little less willing to make sure you have a supremely enjoyable evening. In my opinion ego and ignorance never gets you very far.

Now, when you do get to your table please keep your stuff in your own personal space. The table beside you or behind you does not want YOUR things touching them. At this point a busser will probably come and give you water. Do not ignore them or go too far and start barking orders at them. Once again they are usually young and know nothing about alcohol (especially wine) and are not able to help you. All this accomplishes is to show the staff that you are an impatient narcisist. When your server comes to the table and tries to interact with you they will usually start off with wanting to know how you are doing. The best way to respond would be to answer them. It is amazing how often a server is ignored. There are some people who won't even look at them and who don't even answer them at all! Then there are those customers who have a conversation with their server that goes something like this:

SERVER "Hello, how is everyone doing tonight?"
CUSTOMER " What wine would you recommend?"
SERVER "Well, we have a great selection of wines to offer. Choosing the best one for you would depend a lot on what you are wanting to eat tonight as well as what you may be celebrating. Are you out for a special occasion this evening?"
CUSTOMER "We would like a dry white. Also we need an order of calamari, and bring us some breaad right away.

More than likely a conversation like this happens without the customer even looking at their server. I'm not sure why people can't understand that servers are not servants. Yes, we are there to take care of you, but people also fail to realize that without us you would just be eating at McDonalds. Our job is to facilitate your desire to have an enjoyable evening out. Don't treat us like we don't matter, or like we aren't good enough to talk to you. Most servers are there to make some money while they go to school...for jobs that make us a lot of money. Also, with the way things are going in the job force we will probably end up as your boss at some point. Not to mention that you shouldn't "bite the hand that feeds you." I realize that this can turned around to say that we should let people treat us however we want because in the end we are relying on our tip to feed us. It is in experiences such as these that we really earn our money. It's not easy to be pleasant with someone who belittles you. We have to though, our livelihood depends on it. But, just because you are paying someone to bring your food to them doesn't give you the right to be a dick to them. That right isn't reserved for anyone!

Moving on... Proper table ettiquite dictates that you do not signal your server. The times of waving your hand in the air and shouting "Garcon" are over! Servers are very observant. We can tell when you are looking around for us and we will come to you. If we are busy it doesn't mean that we are ignoring you...it just means that we're busy. We will get there as soon as we can. I'm sorry to say it but our priority is to make sure that food comes out hot and fresh. So, if I have to choose between coming to a table so they can ask for butter for their free bread or to give them their 4th refill on a soft drink and running food that has just come out of the kitchen, then I'm going to run the food. Think about that for a second, because that also means that I'm putting other tables wants on hold when it is time to run your food. There are times when it is ok to get the attention of your server...these times being when the restaurant is jam packed and they are running around like crazy (or I hate to say it, but sometimes servers do suck). In these cases do not walk up to them, tap them, or talk to them when they are at another table. That's just rude!!!If they are at another table then just give a small wave to them, or even just hold up your pointer finger...like when you are trying to say "just a sec" to someone. This will let your server know you need them without being rude or making an ass of yourself.

This brings us to ordering. We are always happy to make suggestions. Heck, we work enough to know the popular menu items or the dishes that are less popular. However, when asking for suggestions and ordering based upon them you need to realize that we are not experts on your own individulal tastes. If you decide to go out on a limb and order something brave then don't blame the restaurant (and especially not your server) when you don't like it. To take this further you shouldn't take it out on your server when the food is messed up by the kitchen. It's easy to do this because we are the ones you see and can talk to, but it isn't our fault. People need to realize that mistakes do happen (I hate to break it to ya, but we don't live in a perfect world). When there is an error, the kitchen, the manager, and your server are going to do everything they can to rectify the situation...within reasonable means of course. We want you to be happy, but some people are truly "just unreasonable." Anyways, getting back to ordering. If you aren't ready to order then don't say you are. We are busy and we don't appreciate standing there for 5 minutes while you hum and haw. We could be using that time to run drinks or food, take orders, bill other tables, and process payments. Just say your aren't ready. We will come back; we don't mind coming back.

The above grievances are the ones that most irritate me and thus needed more depth. The following is a quick list of more restaurant ettiquite.

- Don't get upset when food takes awhile...this means it's actually fresh and has to be prepared and cooked.
- If you are going to be fussy and demanding then be nice about it. Don't bark out your orders...be polite.
- In addition, if you are going to be fussy and demanding then you need to tip more. There is a standard tip, but it's based upon a standard table. If you are more than a standard table then you need to tip based upon how hard you made your server work AND the kind of abuse they endured in order to take care of you.
* personal note: I have had tables of 2 or more couples where 1 of the couples was just a royal pain. When they left the other couples would leave extra money and an apology with me for taking care of them despite the rude couple. How awful that some people are so ignorant that their friends have to take care of their damage.
- Bigger tables take more time, so be patient.
-Tip standard is now 15%, but if you can't even tip 10% then you shouldn't be going out to eat. What people don't realize is that their server has to literally pay out of their own pocket for cheap customers. We have to pay so much to the kitchen, the bar, and the support staff. So when you don't leave a good enough tip it comes out of our own pockets. I absolutely hate paying out of my own pocket so that other people can go out to eat!
- At th end of the night it is okay to sit...unless there is a long line, or if we are trying to close. It sucks when a table is still sitting there an hour after we have locked the doors. For the life of me I don't understand how you can be so ignorant that you can't tell that you are holding others up. You have already made us late for leaving and after you leave we still have work to do. I think a lot of people try to rationalize it by thinking that once they leave you can too. This is not the case. Once that table(s) leaves you still have to do the closing duties you couldn't do while they were sitting there; duties that should've been done an hour ago!

I know this sounds like a lot of bitterness, and that's because it is! Lol! But, I really do like my job. These ignorant people make it a challenge, but then there are the ones who make it enjoyable. I have always thought that everyone should have a serving job at least once in their life...this way they would have a better idea of how to treat people. But, that's not about to happen. Maybe just being taught how to eat out will help. So, I guess that my six followers will have a better idea of it. Something tells me though that they aren't the type of people that need to know. I did grow up with them and I think we have a lot of the same ideas...especially on how to treat others. So, just pass it along I guess. Lol!

And to my regular customers who know that I'm not just a server, but that I am a person, it is always a pleasure to take care of you. See you soon.

Love love

My V-Day Wish

First just let me explain that I HATE Valentines Day!!! It's not that I'm angry and bitter or anything like that. For me it's just that I'm not a romantic person. In fact, romantic gestures make me feel very uncomfortable! Even just getting flowers freaks me out. I never know how to act or respond to these gestures. So, I just prefer it if they don't happen. Now, can you imagine a WHOLE day where you are EXPECTED to be all cute and romantic and gooshy?! This thought just provokes very uneasy feelings in me. On those Valentines Days when I was in a couple I would always prefer to just not hang out at all, or I would like to just sit with a bowl of popcorn and watch a movie or something really low key.

Besides the fact that I don't like being cheesy, I also don't agree with having a day set aside to be nice to loved ones. In my mind there should be no change in behavior on Feb. 14. I hate the thought that you can treat someone any way you like for a whole year minus one day. You should treat the people you are close to, care about, and love with respect and appreciation every day. This is what my V-Day wish is.

However, to all you lovers I hope you had a very special day. I realize that some people really like Valentines and I would never pass judgement on them for looking forward to it just because I think it's silly. There are some couples who love the romance and love being gooshy, and for them I am glad they have a day where they can goosh all they want. I'm also glad for me that they have that day. Valentines Day is one of the best days to be a waitress! I feel a little bad for exploiting people's love for each other, but I am human.

Anyways, I just hope we can all show each other how much we care about them.

Love love

My 92 Year Old Crush

The man on the right is the real Major Winters. The other man, Damian Lewis, played Major Winters in Band of Brothers. Both men are studs! I fell in love with Damian Lewis first because he was the one I could see. I watched him charge onto open battle fields, strategize, care for his men, take things with humility and humor, and stand up for what is right. Also, when Band of Brothers first came out I didn't realize that Easy Company was a real company of sodiers. However, when I learned that Major Winters was a real man and that he actually did the things depicted in the mini series, I could hardly believe my heart. What a man he must be! It is hard to fathom his courage and bravery and his quick thinking in a time of utter chaos. My friend Courtney and I would watch the series and just swoon! Well our hero passed away on January 2, 2011.

It's sad to think that without an "entertaining" mini series of WWII most people wouldn't even know about all the brave men of Easy Company...or any company for that matter. We can't understand what it was like. I think that's so sad, and yet I am so grateful! I am grateful to all those who were so brave that I'm sure God saved them for just that purpose. Without them we wouldn't be living the lives that we do. It's sad that the ones who lived through it and can tell the stories are passing away. That was my favorite part of Band of Brothers...when they had the real men talk about their experiences and memories.

Anyways, this is just my way of saying goodbye and thank you!

Love love

My 9 Lives!

Oops...I did it again! I have JUST been through my second rollover!

I have always had this belief that I was invincible! Every few years I am reminded that I am not. First there was the motorcycle accident. My dad, my brothers, and I were riding to Sturgis for a motorbike rally when I drove off a cliff! Luckily where I went over it was more of a hill. Had I gone over a few feet to the right I would have died and probably never have been found. As it was I landed a ways down this hill and my bike fell on top of me...there we were...my bike pinning me down as we slid down this hill, and I without a helmet on. My brothers and my dad, thinking that I am dead, come running down. Jordan ran/rode my bike back up for me because I was shaking too hard to do anything for a few minutes. What did I do after that? I hopped back on my motorcycle and tried to act as though nothing had happened. There was no way I was about to lose face in front of the men in my family.

A year and halfish later a couple friends and I are headed to Utah. My friend Laura is driving (Laura I really hope you don't mind me using your name). It's pitch black out, raining, and we go from blacktop to gravel. Well we lose control and are fishtailing all over the road...literally from one side to the next. Just before we hit a power pole on the one side of the road the car veers straight into the ditch on the other side. We hit the side of the ditch (which is the base of a hill) and roll, and then we flip. The moment we hit I saw a spray of dirt hit the winshield and then I felt a lot of glass hitting my face. It was in that moment that I felt certain I was going out the window (I wasn't wearing my seatbelt). I got tossed around a bit, and even landed on the gearshift at one point, but I managed to stay inside the vehicle. We all managed to stay inside. Just what do 3 young and crazy girls do after they have been in a rollover? They climb out the windows, climb a hill to get cell service, cuddle up in a blanket until their ride arrives, take pictures when their ride arrives, gather their things from the road and ditch, go to the hospital just in case, and then they borrow another friends' car and continue their drive to Utah!

Now for today...I was driving home from work thinking I was just the best driver in the whole world! I even said that at work today. I wasn't serious of course, but I do think I am a good driver. Anyways, I was going along at a pretty good pace (because thus far the road had been clear) when I hit a patch of black ice. My car instantly spun around and hit the ditch hard and fast. Then it flipped. My very first thought was that I needed to call my mom, but I couldn't find my phone. So instead I started assessing myself. I checked for open wounds, broken bones, and bruising. Where did I hurt? What was my pulse, my resps? Was I bleeding anywhere? Then...oh no, my face!!! Is my face ugly? No seriously, I needed to know that (in waitressing your face is your money maker). Fortunately my face survived.The next thing was to find my phone and call my mom. But, a couple people from home had stopped to help so I grabbed the vitals out of my car (my phone, my iPod, my passport (it had just come in the mail), my AMA card and got into my ride. I couldn't call my mom then because that would be rude. I eventually made it safely home, got checked out, went back and grabbed a few more vitals, took some pictures...and blogged about it!

Oh...so here is the lesson. Life is precious? Lol! It totally is, but just then I felt like a really bad cliche. It's just crazy how quickly things can happen. I didn't even think I was in a dangerous situation. The important thing is to move on though! I can't control what happened, and my life isn't going to stop happening. I still have laundry to do, a house to clean, and a job to get to. The show must go on!!!

Love love