Twosome in Bali - Part 2

This is a continuation from Part 1.

Sunday (19th July) was another looooooong day with loooooooong drives. We checked-out from the hotel at Lovina early in the morning, and headed EAST towards Tulamben. Our next dive destination....to explore the USS Liberty wreck from WWII.

Our very bumpy ride took us through Balinese villages...and needless to say, wafts of BUMBU BALI (Bali Spices) was repeated detected by my very sensitive nose. I was careful NOT to overeat at breakfast this time.

One of the magnificent sights was of course, MOUNT AGUNG....tallest mountain in Bali, which is also a volcano....

Majestic Mount Agung

Driver was kind enough to stop the bumpy van for a photoshoot.

Entry into the waters at Tulamben was from the beach!!! And what a rocky beach indeed!

Look at those ROCKS!!!

So can you imagine me all geared up with the HEAVY air tanks, and then walking towards the water??? First dive, was okay.... Second dive, I fell HARD on those rocks. My knee sure hurt d@nn alot!!!!

First dive was great. Saw loads of fishes and sea creatures. But if you ask me exactly what type.....Errrr. I donno lah. Fish lor. Forgot liow. I know. I know. Terrible. I was so blurr. At one time, this guy was pointing down and showing some hand gestures to me. I looked down, and then thought to myself "where got optopus??"...and when we surfaced, he asked "did you see the guns??" (USS Liberty is a warship). Hahahhahahahahaahh

I am still not very stable. Either I SINK or I am soooo buoyant that I kept going UP. H's friend kept tugging me down. The whole time, he was guiding me, and holding my hand. H joked "my wife romantic with him...NOT me!". Hahhahahahaha

I tell you... I am certainly NOT a HARDCORE diver. Recreational diving is fun... but 3 dives in a day is definitely TOO many, and certainly NOT fun anymore. As I mentioned, I made sure I didn't eat ANYTHING for lunch....but still, my second dive ...I felt kinda sick in the water. I was going to signal PROBLEM already, but then felt better so continued. Even then, on surfacing after the second dive, I PUKED again. Didn't eat much that day...so PUKED water only lor. H said that he didn't realise that my motion sickness was soooo bad. Anyway, I decided that I wasn't gonna go for the 3rd dive. So lounged about and waited for the rest of the group....

Some photos while waiting..

Look at the VERY BLUE SKIES of Bali
Don't you think it's sooooo wonderful to see such BLUE and CLEAR skies???

Taking Photo of a ROCK??
Seriously...donno what this guy is doing!!!

Scene of the Tulamben Beach
Taken while lounging under a tree...

In future, I don't think I'm gonna DIVE DIVE DIVE the whole day during a holiday. Will find a resort at the dive site, so that after a dive, can go back to hotel, relax, have a foot massage. Next day, then dive again. NOT have THREE dives a day!

At the end of the day, we took our bags and headed towards UBUD. Looking for our resort was also a challenge. Thank goodness, one of our fellow divers were in the car with us (he was en-route to Kuta) and he managed to get better directions from the resort staff. By the time we arrived, it was about 7.30 pm already. A quick registration at the resort lobby, and then we headed off to the restaurant for dinner. I was quite famished.

My Welcome Drink

Donno what it is....tasted weird. Not Pandan! I drank it all though. Figured that it's GREEN. So must be healthy.
After dinner, we were transferred to our Villa.... It was kinda dark, and I couldn't really see anything. On entering the Villa's grounds, H commented "Hey. There's a pool"....I just replied "must be shared with other villas" as I booked a GARDEN Villa and NOT a POOL Villa.

After all the bags and stuff are dumped in our Villa, I went out to have a better look-see....and sure enough. The POOL was for our Villa! Mmmmmm......

When we were getting into bed, we realised that there were NO duvets...so called the Front Desk to request for one...and while I was at it, I asked them about the POOL in our Villa. I certainly don't want to be charged for a POOL Villa on check-out. The response was "You have been Pre-UPGRADED".

HOOOOORAY!!! An Upgrade! Isn't that lovely.

Four Poster Bed in the Bedroom

The rest of the photos were taken the next morning...when it was bright and clear!

This was what greeted us in the morning..
View from our Villa Balcony

Path leading to Our Villa

Steps leading to our Pool
Check-out the flowers on the steps!!!

Our Private Pool.... Nope! We didn't even set foot in it. So cold. Brrrrrrrrr....

Our Private Cabana

Living Room

View of Living from the Bedroom

Outdoor Shower
Sounds very nice but then if you do it for your house...it's abit scary lor.

Jungle in the Bathroom!!!!
Bathtub

DRYING our Diving Gear....
Main Pool at the Resort

Terraced Rice Paddies at the Resort

One of the many Statues at the Resort

You would have thought that with the upgrade, we would have utilised the facilities FULLY. But instead, H and I checked-out at 10 am (we only stayed one night here), and headed to UBUD town in search of FOOD. Yes....not long after breakfast at the hotel, which was not that good. Overall the resort is quite NICE (give us Upgrade...of course must say NICE!!! Hahhahah). It's situated on the same road as all the other nice nice fancy smancy hotels like Four Seasons Sayan, Como Shambala, Kupu Kupu Barong, Mansions and so-on...

What did we eat at UBUD? What else but more BABI GULING ...this time from the famous IBU OKA stall in the center of town...which we went with our boys last year. With a full stomach, we ventured around town abit, visited the markets, and then did some window shopping.... was amazed to see a religious procession taking place....this is what I like about Bali. It's so RICH culturally. I would love to upload the video clip but it would take tooooooo long. So maybe next post.

Twosome in Bali - Part 1

As previously mentioned, H and I went on a twosome holiday to Bali. Read on the looooong planning on where to stay here.


Our trip started separately on Friday, 17th July. H flew from Jakarta and I flew from KUL-LCCT. Our flights arrived at Denpasar about 30 minutes apart. H's first. As the queue at the International terminal was mega long, H had a longer wait. By the time we departed from the airport in our pre-book car, it was almost 3 pm already. The journey to Lovina was quite a long one.....especially so when we had NO lunch nor drink. But we did stop by some mountain-resort for a quick bite. What did I have? Nasi Goreng...as can't go wrong with this.

By the time we reached our hotel at Lovina, it was already 6.30 PM. A quick shower, a rest....and it was dinnertime already. Where were we booked in?


The Dive company had booked us into The Sunari Villas and Spa Resort. As we were going to be diving most of the time, we were in the standard rooms. For about USD 60/ nite including breakfast, it's quite alright...but we didn't use any of the facilities, as the next morning, we were out of the hotel by 7.30 am.


Saturday (18th July) was a FULL day of diving at Menjangan Island, on the northeastearn tip of Bali Island. The drive from Lovina took almost 2 hours...on a bumpy van. The divemaster stopped halfway to buy Babi Guling.... and of course, we did too.

Bali Guling...still so warm and moist!

The Pura near Menjangan Island

We had to take a boat out to the dive sites..

Did we go out to the dive sites in luxury ?

In this?
Or this?
NOPE!!!!!
We had to go on these rickety-boats!!!

On the ride out...the guys started munching on their Babi Guling... I was rather cautious...didn't want to be too stuffed before a dive. So only nibble on two small pieces of meat. It was really yummy. So moist and tender!!

First dive was pretty good... and then an hour of rest and lunch. Again, I was cautious about being stuffed....and decided to go without lunch before my second dive.

On completion of second dive...still in the water... my breakfast and Babi Guling ALL came out!!!! Aduh! Felt soooo yucky. Decided to NOT go for the third dive. H and the rest went down. I stayed onboard and slept! A bit uncomfortable, but nevetheless I could still sleep. Felt sooooo much better thereafter. And another looooooong bumpy ride back to Lovina in the van. Think it was almost 7 pm when we reached the hotel. Shower, dinner and time for bed...another EARLY day tomorrow...

To be continued...(eyes very tired liow...)

Some Updates - 3 July 2009

Now some updates on other stuff!!! 

Start of Summer Holidays

Today is the boys' LAST day at school, and the start of a very long summer holiday. They only go back to school on the 24th of August. That's about 7 weeks! I urgently need some tips on HOW to keep them occupied...OUTSIDE the realm of TV, computer and handheld games!

Going back to KUL

Yes. We will be flying back to Kuala Lumpur next Tuesday, on AirAsia (What else? It's so much cheaper than KLM and MAS!). This time we are staying longer than previous holidays, till a week before school reopens.

Why?

First - have to sort out S2's oral surgery...to remove the two extra front teeth inside his gums. Secondly -  I am going ahead to do my Lasik in early August. What to do? Have to reduce this blind-as-a-bat condition. 

Cupcakes...

Been busy since coming back from HCMC. My girlfriend ordered 50 cupcakes for her daughter's birthday for last Friday, and then H's colleagues ordered some as well. And this weekend, I don't know if my H used coercion or what.... but I have an order for a 100 cupcakes for his office. I don't know whether to be glad or otherwise. It is alot of work with NO maid. H said he will DO IT. I shall see..... 

Mmmmm.....

Parties Parties Parties

Children's Parties are also the norm towards the year-end (School Year). Birthdays that fall during the summer months of July and August are usually packed into the last week of JUNE. The latest "terrer-menerrer" party that we attended was for S2's friend. They booked the WHOLE premiere cinema for TRANSFORMERS 2. 

Yes. The ones where you can recline the seats, have your own blanket and can order drinks... S1 was also invited. So initially, we were supposed to drop the boys off. But as there were still seats, both H and I watched as well.  I tell you... I am sure they spend $$$$ on this party. The kids were treated to lunch at Fish&Co, and then each of them had a BIG bucket of popcorn and drinks in the TRANSFORMERS 2 Packaging (which comes with a miniature figurine), served inside the theatre. H had few glasses of red wine... I'm sure the other parents ordered some alcohol too... Then there is the goodie bags, which consisted of sweets, a tinned box of Pokemon Cards, a little bag and some other stuff....  

I definitely do NOT see myself spending this kind of money for my son's birthday party!!!

SONS - If you are reading this. GOOD. Mommy is not spending this kind of money!!!

Diving

When H suggested our Bali DIVE holiday, I was abit skeptical as we haven't dived for ages.

Heck. I don't even remember how to SINK!!!

So, a REFRESHER course was arranged for last Saturday. We got the kids to go along with us, and do the INTRODUCTORY DIVING. Both boys enjoyed the activity, and want to continue with getting certification. Problem is.....S2 just CANNOT follow instructions. The instructor suggested to wait till he is 10. As for S1, I have talked to his friend's mom. Maybe the two boys can do it together. We'll see....

Back to H and I. I tell you... it is d@Mn difficult to LAUGH underwater. H had forgotten most of the hand signals and exercise. Whilst I knew what we had to do, H kept repeating the same mistake. And you could see the instructor (his colleague) desperately trying to communicate with H underwater. Very comical....

Okay lah...later..

Cha-Pa-Lang Post...

Maid

Despite my recent yellings, my maid DID come back to work after the holidays. So...I guessed I wasn't as horrible as my friend says :-D



Diving...

Well, since the maid was back, we (both H and I) dumped the boys at home on Monday (15th Oct) and we went to the Thousand Islands to practise our diving. H wanted us to practise so that we could visit the Great Barrier Reef. Wouldn't want to have them BANNING me forever, right? Hahahah. This time, I used 4 kg weights instead of 5. At least I didn't FALL LIKE A BRICK this time. The visibility was still very bad, at about 5 meters only. We did two dives, each was about 25 minutes long. This time, I didn't stuff myself with lunch before my 2nd dive. I was very conservative with my food-intake. kekekek.... Not seeing my lunch again made it a better experience overall! The current was MEGA strong... I was like swimming swimming swimming but NOT moving at all. Not one bit. Anyway, it was a day trip and by the time I reached home at about 4.40 pm, I was a wash-out. Showered and had an hour nap. And went to bed proper before 9 pm.

Entertaining the Boys

During this mid-term break, boys of course were glued in front of some kind of screen. Be it the TV or PC. Managed to pry them off from the screens to do some Math problems. Did take them to watch a movie and ice-skate yesterday. Wa-liow!! The mall was MEGA-packed man!! Boys had a hard time ice-skating. S1 got knocked down a few times. Had a bruise on his palm and the side of the belly (Sis - don't tell grandma!!!!! Skali I get scolding!). Anyway, they have two friends over now... what are they doing? Playing games. What else??? On the bright side, school starts tomorrow. YIPPEE!!!

Pui-Fook

I very "pui-fook" bloggers that can upkeep more than one blog!! I itchy-fart went to start a food blog but also never update it. So pathetic. How do people maintain 3, 4, 5 or more blogs??? Think I will abandon my food blog and just taroh everything in this one blog lah....

We Are Certified!!!

Yay!! H and I are now PADI CERTIFIED Open Water Divers!
Yup! Yup! Yup!

As mentioned in my last post, we went to the islands for our Diving certification over the weekend. On Saturday morning, we set-off from our home at 6.30 am as our driver said it'll take an hour to reach the pier. ALAMAK! Took only 30 minutes to reach there. The boat was only gonna leave at 8.00 AM. So...can you imagine us having to wait for soooooooo long at the pier? With nothing to do?

Anyway, the speed boat did depart on time with about 50 passengers. Took about 1 1/2 hours to reach the island. The water was crystal clear. Unfortunately, the hotel was errrr... let's just say that we had to "rough it out". The room does have air-cond, TV and fridge. The kids, especially S1 hated the toilet. I don't know why..I thought the toilet was quite clean and presentable. Think maybe he was not used to a bathroom that does not have a bathtub. These kids are so used to 5-Star hotel, that this very basic hotel needed some little used to. I was only concerned with bed bugs! Luckily, we all slept well. No bed bugs. No mozzies.

Boys played with sand, while we had the first two open water dives at the coral reef off the island. The corals were already quite "dead". Apparently, no real divers come to these islands for real diving, but just for their certification. Just as well, cause on my second dive, I landed on some corals and broke them. URGH!!! I fell like a brick. I had 5 kg weights on me...which I think too much for start of the dive. After the dives, four of us walked round the island. Took us only 15 minutes. Then we sat by the beach to have drinks. No terror Pina Coladas or Margaritas but H had a beer, and me a coke. Waited for sunset...and took some great pictures. See them??? Then we had dinner (included in the hotel package. Not great food. But okay lah...). We went to bed pretty early...all of us slept at 9.30 AM.

Next morning... I sort of heard S1 leaving the room to walk on the beach, and then H telling S2 something...and then H came into my bed to wake me up. And then S2 said "Are you going to S-E-X?" See lah? Kids these days. Anyway, saw that outside was soooo bright! Sun already OUT liow. Missed the opportunity to take pictures of sunrise. Washed up and then had breakfast.....Fried Rice and Fried Egg. Think had a little too much. Why? Read on!

For our third dive, we took a speed boat out to another reef. Took boys with us. Whilst we were diving, boys were feeding fishes with bread from the breakfast table. They really enjoyed the speed boat ride, and feeding the fishes. When we finished the 3rd dive, we headed back to the hotel. I somehow felt queasy, and nauseous. H kept on telling me to go back to the room to puke. Our instructor says that it's because I ate, and then swim too much, instead of relaxing in the water. Rested, but refused to go puke. Then off we went for the 4th Open Water Dive. Wa.....the moment, I surfaced, really beh tahan! I puked all my fried rice out!! All the fishes of course came to EAT my regurgitated fried rice! And the instructor was already up on the pier and he shouted "very good. lots of fishes!" ...H was not too far from me when I puked. I don't know if he was DISGUSTED but he did help me to the ladder to get out of the water. Waaaa...after the puke, really felt SO MUCH better!!! Obviously, I didn't learn from my previous lesson!

Then, we took the boys on the banana boat. The attendant asked if we wanted the boat to be flipped at the finale. Of course I said NO lah. As it is, my S2 already quite reluctant to go on it. When the boatman turned the boat, and water splashed up, aiyooooo my S2 screamed and screamed. How to have the boat flipped over?? After that, S1 canoed by himself. He's quite good! We then had lunch (after puke liow, sure can eat some more!!), cleaned up and ready to leave the island. We departed at 2 pm. Supposed to arrive at 3.30 pm, but the boat detoured to pick up some other passengers from another island. Consequently, we only got back at the pier at 4.10 pm. Fed the boys' McD's on our way home...

Overall, we all enjoyed ourselves. Boys actually said that they wanna go again despite of the basic facilities. :-)

Finally...We are Going..

.......to the Thousand Islands this weekend to get our Diving Certification.

Don't know if the place is as nice as these photos though...

Our trip has been postponed for more than two months? First, postponement was in July, when I had to have S1's birthday, then it was postponed in Aug because H had to work, and then it was because of the Hungry Ghost festival. Now, it's the 8th Lunar Month, can go liow, and rooms are also available. So.... looks like we will be off this Saturday morning. Hopefully, S2 will not start panicking about going on the boat again (Read my previous post).

It has been so long, I can hardly remember what to do. Thought we should do a refresher course at the Dive Center first, but the instructor said NO NEED. So how?

But looking forward lah.....

Don't Be Greedy!!!

Yesterday, was our 5th Confined Water Dive and Final Exam (Classroom)....

I had lunch with girlfriend after our golf lesson.... Had Vietnamese Beef Noodle and Fried Shrimp Springrolls, plus a Black Jelly in Coconut Milk (not a good combi)...went home and napped till boys came home. S2 didn't finish his snack - cake filled with loads of cream! And of course I ate the leftovers.. Took them to the playground. And some moms brought some food and drinks. I had a packet of junk food, a fried local snack and a coke. Went home, had a bowl of fruit salad and a slice of bread. At this time, I was already quite "zhai" (full)...Said my goodbyes to the boys and head off to the Dive Center.

H and his colleagues came directly from work...so most have not had their dinner. And someone ordered pizza from Pizza Hut..the new ones where you can pluck the cheese-filled crust out and dip into mayonaise.... Needless to say, "wai-sik" Nomadic Mom had a few of them while completing the exam sheet. I was really really "zhai" but the mouth cannot stop!!!

After the exam (of course I passed with flying colours lah...), we jumped into the water...and reviewed all the stuff that we've learnt, i.e.

• mask removal, clearing
• Simulation of no air situation
• Emergency ascent
• Buoyancy control etc etc

Then when we finally finished and surface... I took off my regulator and burped...YUCKY!!! Some cheesey puke actually came up to my throat. I had to swallow it back. Happened about 3 times. I have to say it was soooooooo horrible. And then the instructor said "let's do skin-diving".. I have to say that I was MEGA reluctant. The thought sounded awful... diving without scuba gearto the bottom of the pool. I was afraid that I would swallow water throught my snorklers and then BLEAAAHHHHHH ....all the cheesey, coconuty, creamy stuff would evacuate from my belly into the crystal clear waters of the pool!

I asked "can I NOT do it?"....He said NO...

So... I do lah... Surprisingly...could do it quite well... But anyway, I was very very EAGER to go home after that... Felt soooooooo quesy...

Arrived home and faced the porcelain throne! Yup! You guessed it!... EVERYTHING came out!!!

Felt sooooooooo much better after that!!

So...MORAL of the Story is "Don't Stuff Yourself When You Are Full!"

More On Scuba Diving...

That's me...lounging in my wet suit on the terrace chairs....

I am invisible ma.... Hahaha..

(Yeah lah... "So lame" as the kids would say...They picked it up from the Singapore production "I Not Stupid")

Anyway, H insisted that I buy the wetsuit before the 2nd Confined Water Dive...fai-see I catch cold and thus he would have to look after the kids :-P ....heee heee. Notice my garb are all blue and black?? Must be colour-coordinated, of course! Want to dive also must dive with some style-la. Can't exactly be a hip cool momma if the colours all clash, right??? kekekeke...

Let me think...what did we do for our 2nd and 3rd confined water dive ar... just one week, all forgotten liow... yikes!! Oh yeah..

• Using Buddy's Octopus when Out of Air, and Swimming to Surface
• Inflating BCD with Mouth, while keeping Afloat
• Inflating BCD with Mouth, in Deep Water
• Using and Clearing Snorkler
• Swimming 200 m, followed by floating/treading water for 10 minutes
• Obtaining the Right Buoyancy in Deep Water
• Breathing through Free Flow Regulator
• Removal of Face Mask, and Putting On Again
• Towing your tired Buddy (I told H that he has to MASTER this Skill!!!)
• Check Lists...

Have to say the scariest one for me was removing my face mask. I thought that would be nothing to it. But once my mask was off, everything exposed. My lids (eyes closed since wearing lens), my nose...and as I exhaled, the bubbles rushed and brushed against my nose and lids. I could feel water going halfway into my nose and I was soooooo scared that I would accidently snort it in. Wa....really full concentration to do this properly!

Instructor told us that everything has to be agreed between the two buddies. No such thing as one want to go here and one go there... Then silly H said "Think next life, if I am become a counselor and a couple comes in...Wife complains husband don't spend time. Never do things together blah blah blah... I am just going to give ONE advice... TAKE SCUBA DIVING!"... hee hee.. Not only doing things together, but must be close together, must agree some more... unlike watching TV...one can be on the couch, the other on the bed... hahahah...

Oh... S1 actually did use my fins and snorkler at home...he's quite good actually and wanted to come along for Scuba Diving Classes...But told him no lah... Think I will be very stressed with him around.....IN the pool... I would be worried if he can remember to continuously breathe and NOT hold breath, etc etc. You would be worried too, right??

Well......tonight will be our 4th Confined Water Dive....

His & Hers

Yup...H and my gear are identical, except for the colour of our snorklers and goggles... Oh...Other thing that is different is the shoe and fin size..His bigger lah of course. And they are identical NOT because of "ching-lui chorng" but more of because we can get a discounted package.

And here is our Study Pack... In fact, we've got finish off the first few chapters before the next class tomorrow... Since no opps to earn $$ from PPP over the weekend, guessed I should study ... :-)

First Lesson @ AquaSport

As mentioned yesterday, H and I attended our first scuba-diving lesson today. As of now, I am lethargically typing this post. We reached AquaSport at about 11.00 am, and selected our basic gear (goggles, snorkler, shoes and fins); attended a short classroom training and then it was off to the pool till 6.00 pm. Have to say that when the instructor was doing the classroom training and highlighting the dangers of "holding breath", having to remove regulator blah blah blah, I was kinda scared leh... But once in the water, breathing through the mouthpiece was much more natural.

What we completed in the Confined Water Dive Today:

• Breathing through the Regulator Mouthpiece
• Removing and Replacing Regulator in mouth
• Retrieving "lost" Regulator
• Reading the SPG
• Hand Signals
• Clearing Water from Goggles
• Using Buddy's Spare Regulator
• Inflating and Deflating BCD
• Equalization of Nasal Passage
• Swimming around with Flippers

Funny thing was when we had to practice swimming with our flippers. First I had 2 weights on me, and kept sinking all the way down to the bottom. When I inflated my BCD, it was too buoyant, and I immediately floated all the way up to the surface. It was either on the floor or on the surface. Then the instructor removed my weight belt, and only put one in my BCD pocket. It was worst!!! Because it was on one side of my BCD, the weight was "senget" and when I tried to swim, I kept on turning belly up! Only finally, when the single weight was put back on the belt and centered right in the middle of my body did I managed to swim more decently!!

I have to say that it was kinda cold... was sneezing halfway through. H said that I will have to buy the wet suit before our next class which will be on Monday (25th)... Actually, the Open Water Dive for Certification will be on the 7th - 8th July. BUT I am having S1's Birthday Party on the 7th, which absolutely CANNOT be cancelled. So, we are gonna do the Open Water Dive in mid-August.

Till Later....