At the end of my trip, I wrote a seven page letter to my mum summarising the last month. I’ve laboriously typed it out here and hope Ma doesn't mind me posting it.
26 September 2011
Dear mother,
How are you? Hopefully well and rested after your vacation. I’m currently at the end of my own vacation. Another four days in Bali and then I’ll fly to Hong Kong for one night before returning to busy, cold Seoul.
Right now I’m in the northeast of Bali in a village called Amed. It’s very beautiful, peaceful and has great scuba diving and snorkeling. But a bit lonesome for the solo traveler. I spent four days here. Did two dives at a shipwreck, which was amazing. I also rented a motorcycle and explored the coast. And I hiked to a temple which was on a mountain at 1400 metres. 1800 steps I’ve been told, so that was good for sweating out any Jameson whisky that was left in me from Karol and Ronan’s time here.
I’m at a little restaurant right now waiting for a shuttle bus to Ubud, a wonderful town in the middle of Bali. This restaurant is right on the water, as they all are here. In front of me is the beach with little fishing boats and then the blue sea. Over to the right about 150 metres is Jemeluk Bay where I went snorkeling early this morning and above that a ridge where people go to watch the sunset. I went there two nights ago. The sunset wasn’t amazing, but it’s cool because it sets behind Bali’s three volcanoes, which are directly west of here.
Snorkeling at the bay this morning was amazing. I got up at seven, had breakfast, and swam out there. It was a little cold and a bit scary since there were no other snorkelers out. But the tide was high so it was the perfect time to be out at the coral.
Out at the bay is a coral garden and snorkeling there was like being in a BBC documentary. Literaly thousands of fish and dozens and dozens of species. Whole schools of silver, fluorescent blue, yellow/black, and every other imaginable colour-combination of fish were swimming there. The coral was lovely too. Large, unusually shaped with various colours. Proabably the best snorking I’ve ever done, though seeing large turtles two weeks ago on the Gili Islands was also exceptional.
I’ve been on Bali island for the last two weeks. And before that when Ronan was here, we were on the next island east, Lombok. That’s the home to Rinjani mountain, Indonesias’s second largest volcano and supposedly most beautiful. The three-day hike we did there was the highlight of our trip. I’m glad we trained for it because it was no joke. Very difficult indeed.
There were seven in our hiking group; us three and four Germans. We camped in tents each night but meals were provided for us. There was a guide and porters to carry the food, tents, etc as there are no buildings on the route. We hiked about seven to nine hours each day except on the last day when we started at two thirty a.m. and didn't finish until late in the afternoon.
Only Karol, Ronan and myself made it to the summit as the last stretch was so tough. The air was a bit thin plus it was dark and cold and the last three or four hundred metres were volcanic rubble. Walking was tiring and frustrating, as it was one step up, half a step back. We made it to the top just in time for sunrise, which was nice and brought a great feeling of accomplishment.
Oh, and on the second day of hiking we stopped at the crater lake for lunch. But before eating, our guide took us further into the wild and off the path. There are natural hot springs in there, and even a hot spring waterfall where we soaked and swam with a view over a deep green valley.
I sat behind the waterfall, on warm moss, looking out over the valley. The noise of the water drowned out all other sounds. It was like one of those “happy places” you mentally visit during yoga or meditation, but even better because it was real.
After hiking, the three of us caught a boat to the Gili Islands for some rest and celebration. We spent five days there partying and snorkeling. And Karol and Ronan did some introduction scuba dives, which Ronan took to very naturally.
Then Ronan set off on his own to make his way back to Bali for the long flights home.
Karol and I headed south to a surfing/beach town but it was too quiet for us there, especially as the high season had ended. But it would be a lovely place for couples. Beautiful scenery, empty beaches, all that.
Anyway, my arm is nearly broken from all this writing, so I:ll finish up here.
Hope all is well at home.
Miss you all.
Love, Mark
p.s. I’ve included some handmade pineapple paper I bought in my favourite town in Bali; Ubud.
26 September 2011
Dear mother,
How are you? Hopefully well and rested after your vacation. I’m currently at the end of my own vacation. Another four days in Bali and then I’ll fly to Hong Kong for one night before returning to busy, cold Seoul.
Right now I’m in the northeast of Bali in a village called Amed. It’s very beautiful, peaceful and has great scuba diving and snorkeling. But a bit lonesome for the solo traveler. I spent four days here. Did two dives at a shipwreck, which was amazing. I also rented a motorcycle and explored the coast. And I hiked to a temple which was on a mountain at 1400 metres. 1800 steps I’ve been told, so that was good for sweating out any Jameson whisky that was left in me from Karol and Ronan’s time here.
I’m at a little restaurant right now waiting for a shuttle bus to Ubud, a wonderful town in the middle of Bali. This restaurant is right on the water, as they all are here. In front of me is the beach with little fishing boats and then the blue sea. Over to the right about 150 metres is Jemeluk Bay where I went snorkeling early this morning and above that a ridge where people go to watch the sunset. I went there two nights ago. The sunset wasn’t amazing, but it’s cool because it sets behind Bali’s three volcanoes, which are directly west of here.
Snorkeling at the bay this morning was amazing. I got up at seven, had breakfast, and swam out there. It was a little cold and a bit scary since there were no other snorkelers out. But the tide was high so it was the perfect time to be out at the coral.
Out at the bay is a coral garden and snorkeling there was like being in a BBC documentary. Literaly thousands of fish and dozens and dozens of species. Whole schools of silver, fluorescent blue, yellow/black, and every other imaginable colour-combination of fish were swimming there. The coral was lovely too. Large, unusually shaped with various colours. Proabably the best snorking I’ve ever done, though seeing large turtles two weeks ago on the Gili Islands was also exceptional.
I’ve been on Bali island for the last two weeks. And before that when Ronan was here, we were on the next island east, Lombok. That’s the home to Rinjani mountain, Indonesias’s second largest volcano and supposedly most beautiful. The three-day hike we did there was the highlight of our trip. I’m glad we trained for it because it was no joke. Very difficult indeed.
There were seven in our hiking group; us three and four Germans. We camped in tents each night but meals were provided for us. There was a guide and porters to carry the food, tents, etc as there are no buildings on the route. We hiked about seven to nine hours each day except on the last day when we started at two thirty a.m. and didn't finish until late in the afternoon.
Only Karol, Ronan and myself made it to the summit as the last stretch was so tough. The air was a bit thin plus it was dark and cold and the last three or four hundred metres were volcanic rubble. Walking was tiring and frustrating, as it was one step up, half a step back. We made it to the top just in time for sunrise, which was nice and brought a great feeling of accomplishment.
Oh, and on the second day of hiking we stopped at the crater lake for lunch. But before eating, our guide took us further into the wild and off the path. There are natural hot springs in there, and even a hot spring waterfall where we soaked and swam with a view over a deep green valley.
I sat behind the waterfall, on warm moss, looking out over the valley. The noise of the water drowned out all other sounds. It was like one of those “happy places” you mentally visit during yoga or meditation, but even better because it was real.
After hiking, the three of us caught a boat to the Gili Islands for some rest and celebration. We spent five days there partying and snorkeling. And Karol and Ronan did some introduction scuba dives, which Ronan took to very naturally.
Then Ronan set off on his own to make his way back to Bali for the long flights home.
Karol and I headed south to a surfing/beach town but it was too quiet for us there, especially as the high season had ended. But it would be a lovely place for couples. Beautiful scenery, empty beaches, all that.
Anyway, my arm is nearly broken from all this writing, so I:ll finish up here.
Hope all is well at home.
Miss you all.
Love, Mark
p.s. I’ve included some handmade pineapple paper I bought in my favourite town in Bali; Ubud.
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