All That I Call Bali

I'm not covering our Australian holiday chronologically or punctually - the trip ended yesterday and I've not gotten to week 3 - but I'm covering it all gradually, in the order and at the pace I'm inspired to. After all, this blog revolves around inspiration.

In week 4 of the trip we spent 5 days in Bali. I was advised to stay in Legian but to be more specific I would personally advise the north side of Legian, further from Kuta. It is quieter, more quaint and quite a bit cheaper.

I'm not going to say a great deal about Bali but rather let the photos and the poem do the talking. I will just say, to preface the poem, that there are lot of streets that look the same in Bali. You need to be careful how you pick your landmarks as there are the same stores on every street, the same things being sold, the same invitational lines being said, the same signs and sounds. It's quite the labyrinth. But an enjoyable one.

As often is the case in South-East Asia I also got a kick out of their slightly phonetic English spelling. The sign and menu below are a couple of my favourites from this trip.

My favourite on this one is "pried".

I will also add that I did surf for the first time and according to Sam I did pretty well. So I'm feeling like I'm more Australian than ever. I should probably take it up on a regular basis, even just to clear my sinuses.

Click on the mp3 player below and listen to me reading my poem while you look at the rest of the photos.

All That I Call Bali

What are you lookin' at you dirty monkey?!

The tongue on this one cracks me up!

I think the toddler on the ground in the distance is an interesting comparison...

Nice wave!

The "ute" of Bali (for US people a "ute" is like an El Camino)

Another shop with pretty much exactly the same thing in it.

Our favourite little restaurant - Warung Bamboo. Bamboo was the street name I think but the place was also largely made of bamboo it seemed like!

Me next to our hotel pool.

Yes - this is a petrol station!!

Arrival at the beach should always be made an auspicious moment with the presence of ornate columns at the entrance

All That I Call Bali

We've seen this shop before
And that guy - no, that's a different guy I'm sure
But not totally sure at all
'Cause I know that ornate wall
With that old carved wooden door
And I know we've passed this store
But wait, this sign I saw
Just yesterday behind this sagging stall's front awning
Hung from a concrete coloured wall
Not a wooden post with wires crawling all
Around it like it might just fall straight to the floor
If not for its wiry life support
What was I looking for?
That restaurant with woven wicker walls
And soup with wontons and fish balls
It was small and hot but why pay more
If we can find our way back to it before it shuts
'Cause though we'll walk a whole lot more and make our feet real sore
We'll be just around the corner
From that cheap massage spa with whole body rubs for
Little more than fourteen dollars for us both and that's what I call value!
Push ahead and just ignore
That young guy at the glasses stall
But oh yeah, he also changes money and at his rate we'll get 4000 more
Than that rip off joint around the corner
On second thoughts let's change more than that
What for?
Well, you know we'll spend it all
Sure, we're spending more than planned
But I'm sick of talking about what we can afford
We didn't ride four planes, two boats, a train and more
To holiday as if we're poor
My lord - This is not the street I thought
Yes, it is. Wait - I'm just not sure
We must be close by now after all this time that we've been walking for
I thought we'd turn left then right then forward
Round the next corner then turn once more before
That hotel walled with palms galore
Watch out - a wayward tennis ball
We should probably give in and call our hotel or
Ask that slightly balding man how to get to where we're looking for
I'm not so sure he speaks good English or at least not for
The purpose of directing all the idiotic Aussies
Who couldn't keep their kids quiet in a candy store
Oh, here's that place with wood carvings on the walls
And the one with night lamps shaped like balls covered with shells all over
We must be where I thought
I'm sure we're close at least
In the ball park - maybe - sure
But if we're more then what's most important
Is we enjoy each moment - ordinary or awesome
And not make an ordeal, torture, or worse, boredom of it then brawl
And curse and call each other all the worst words we can recall
when if we just be here and now we'll see past the crowd
And wow at all the sights we've found
And we'll always know our way home somehow
For this is why I love all you are and will fall in love each day once more
With a romantic repetition some would call ad nauseum
You're the most awesome girl I've met in all my life and when you're my wife
I'll still long for what the next day has in store
No matter what wars must be fought, what duties call or
Where the next open door leads us towards
I'll always love you more - of that I'm sure
Now lets keep walking
This corner?
You sure?
I thought it was one street more...

Let's go back...all the way to Mother's Day.

Now that you've all read about Sam and I's engagement it's about time I caught up on a few things. This will include catching up on a little of the creativity that this blog is supposed to be about and taking you back to the start of this Land of Oz trip that I'm currently partway through.

We're actually in Bali (Indonesia) right now and I'm planning to get some surfing lessons today but for now let's go back to the start of the trip. Sydney.

Every time I'm in Sydney I marvel at the seemingly endless waterways that flow off in every direction from Sydney Harbour. (That's how we spell Harbor, US people. Same with flavor (flavour), color (colour) or favorite (favourite) - just so you know I can actually spell)

Our friends Nigel (who I've been friends with literally my entire life) and Jenny (and their very cute daughter Leila) were very generous in letting us stay with them while we were there and we really enjoyed our time with them in their lovely suburb of Putney.



We took the ferry from the end of their street into Sydney CBD a few times which is a lovely trip. Apart from viewing the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from every angle we went to Darling Harbour and the serene Japanese Garden nearby, the Botanical Gardens, the Sydney Art Gallery, Manly Beach and much more. Nige and Jen's neighbours very kindly took us out on the Harbour on their boat which was a really special day.

The magnificent Sydney Harbour!

Nigel, Jenny and Leila. Thanks so much guys!!

Leila really liked Sam (which I can understand) and was by her side at every opportunity (which I can also understand) so it was with some fat bottom lips that we left for Cairns in Queensland. This was a bit of an education into the Great Barrier Reef. Firstly, Cairns itself is surrounded by mangroves. You have to go a long way out to get to the reef and we had to do it in a very big swell and strong winds. I think we were some of only a small percentage not throwing up. The reef was amazing nonetheless, with highlights being seeing "Nemo" (clown fish) and some of his similar cousins wiggling around in big sea anemones, giant clams, fish and coral of all colours and descriptions and even a reef shark, which got the heart rate up even more than the swimming around in the rough waters had already done. We also went up to Port Douglas and the surrounding rainforest. We have footage of me swimming in the picturesque (but very cold) pool below but I'm going to have to leave videos until the next post.

A natural pool in the rainforest. It was pretty darn cold though.

Next destination was Perth, my home town, and to see my family - for Sam this meant meeting my parents for the first time. It's been nice for my parents and friends to meet Sam and see that all my raving and gushing about her is actually warranted. We also got to meet my new Nephew, Zephan, for the first time - my brother Caleb and sister-in-law Catherine's first child! Here he is with us just after we got off the plane.

Uncle Josh's first hold of little Zephan Southey Jones

Our second morning in Perth we did the HBF Run For A Reason - a 14km run around Perth's CBD. It was the farthest I've ever run (I'd never jogged a mile in my life until January this year) but I'm proud to say it wasn't too hard and I felt right as rain the next day. Sam did the LA Marathon last year so for her this was a casual scenic jog. ;~)

Caleb walked Zephan down to the Northbridge Tunnel entry so he could take a snap of us. Thanks!

Having seen the city by foot we then saw it by air an hour or so later, thanks to my step-Dad, George, who has his Private Pilot's License. We saw some amazing views but I love this one, which shows Fremantle Harbour and the mouth of the Swan River, then its winding path down to Perth city.

We had a late lunch at Cicerello's in Fremantle Boat Harbour (which I loved going to as a boy due to its mass of fish tanks), just near the group of Norfolk pines you can see to the left of the wing's edge, after we went to Penguin Island (photos further below).

The next morning it was off to Rottnest and to propose...




On our return from a lovely few days on Rottnest we arrived at Barrack Street Jetty in Perth and this view of the city.

The end of that week provided a rare opportunity to do some sightseeing with both my parents. This included a trip to my old haunt of Mandurah, south of the Perth Metro Area, which is now much more built up with a Marina and apartment buildings. It was a trip down memory lane to the houses I'd owned, lived in and kicked a number of non-paying tenants out of. On the way back north we went to Penguin Island, the charming Rockingham industrial coast, the new Coogee Marina and Fremantle.

My Dad, Sam, Myself and Mum

We soon found out that the Penguin in front was the oldest of the clan and was standing in that spot to be at the front of the line for food. Again - I have video but you'll have to check back in a few days for that.

The Penguins were very cute, with their many funny sounds and behaviors but the nesting seagulls weren't so fun. They were squawking constantly - either at us, to warn us away from their nests, or at each other, as they always like to do, particularly when they think there's food to be had. It was a lovely day aside from the squawking though.

A seagull chick and eggs we came across. The mother squawked in defense of the nest, until we got really close at which point she decided it was every seagull for themsleves.

The day before heading up to Lancelin and The Pinnacles to do some Four-Wheel-Driving with some good mates - the subject of a future post - we went to Cottesloe Beach for some sun and afternoon tea at the Indiana Tea House (the big building on the beach.) It has to be said that Perth has the best beaches in the world.

Sam and I at Cottesloe Beach.

That's about enough for this entry, except for the following poem, which I wrote in my Mum's Mother's Day card and it was meant to be posted on Mother's Day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all that's she done, on this trip and in every single year of my life, to help me and care for me with all her love and support. There are very few people in the world as unselfish, loving, giving and forgiving as my Mum. If you are lucky enough to know her then you know this to be very true. Thank-you for everything Mum. I love you so much.


There are many mothers in the world
But only one is mine
And I think that she's much better than
Most others that you'd find

But I don't mean to compare
I'm sure your mother's earnt some praise
And this is what they all deserve
To get on Mother's Day

For it seems to me there'll never be
A way to overstate
How much our mothers do for us
To help make our lives great

So you may say you love them
And say thanks from time to time
But on Mother's Day simply must
Get treatment so sublime

So I write this poem for my Mum
For she's given me so much
For changing sheets to drying teary cheeks
With her loving touch

She gives unselfishly
And never asks much in return
So all I want to say on Mother's Day
Is "it's your turn!"

Plus, I love you Mum, and no words
Could ever match the praise you earn


Feel free to forward this to your Mum. It doesn't need to be Mother's Day to show them you love them!