Bali 2019

Where have I been? What have I been up to? Well... I've been a little distant over February but also, we went to Nusa Dua, Bali last week! It was delicious, humid, fun, spicy, relaxing and well needed I think.

I ate Nasi Gorang almost everyday, drank Bali Hai beer on the beach, ate satay with the Bali Hai, read a book (The Edited Life by Anna Newton) on the beach on large beach bean bags, got lobstered because I didn't reapply (Kate where were you to remind me??), went to the Monkey Forest in Ubud and got hissed at by an angry monkey for trying to shoo it off our bag (they can open zips!!), tried Kopi Luwak (poo) coffee and mangosteen tea and found out that Indonesian food is quite spicy but I think my spice tolerance has gone up which is a good thing.

We swam in the (overly warm) resort pool a couple of times and the ocean everyday (it was much nicer/cooler), watched some hilarious 'photoshoots' happen on the beach (live entertainment at it's best!), took advantage of the omelette bar at breakfast each day, paid probably too much for trinkets as I'm no good at bartering, realised I am a sweat monster in humid weather, ate lots of mini bananas, watched a traditional Balinese show with dancers and an all male choir who sung to make the music, ate Gado Gado and Babi Guling and drank more Bali Hai.

We left on Balinese New Years Eve and got to see the Ogoh-Ogoh statues that each village in Bali make for the nights celebration. We also learnt about Nyepi, the 'day of silence' that follows, the entire island (Bali) shuts down. Our driver Agus, told us about the traditions that happen in the home and the preparation for the day of silence. No internet, phone reception, television signal or electricity for 24 hours. You aren't allowed to swim in the ocean or leave your home. It is a day for family.

After a sleepless red-eye flight we came home with two suitcases full of washing and a fluffy Arty to snuggle (aka somewhat forcefully hug).

North West Island 2018

So here I am, back from the chaos of moving and the bliss of holidays. Oh take me back to where the sun was warm, the sand was ouchy and the water was crystal blue. Take me back to North West Island where the only plans anyone had were sunset drinks by the log. *sigh*

What did we do on an island for two weeks with no cars or shops or mobile reception?

Our Honeymoon.

We didn't jet off straight away after our wedding or should I say drive off. We spent the next day, the Saturday recovering and then Sunday seeing family and friends who had come interstate for our special day. I don't know how they did it but some of them hit the red wine again - crazy!

On the Monday we packed the car and started our drive to Victoria for a night then jumped on the Spirit of Tasmania to explore the island state of Australia.

Tasmania is beautiful.

It actually gets a winter unlike here in Sydney. It was freezing! We packed prepared but I don't think I was ready for how cold it actually would be, I don't remember having a proper winter in a few years. Our first stop after we docked was Cradle Mountain, I loved the wildlife and the snow. It could have snowed a little more and rained a little less but it was still so lovely to get away to somewhere so different than what home is. We then worked our way west to Strahan and camped at Macquarie Heads. We bought a slab of raw Huon Pine that I want to turn into a chopping board as a keep sake - the smell is so powerful in the woodwork shops. Next was Lake St Claire where we were also meant to camp but ended up chickening out (there was torrential rain & we weren't allowed a fire in the camp site) so we bailed and called the local pub who thankfully had a room for us. We woke up to a snow topped car and white flecked gumtrees. It was magical.