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bittersweet goodbyes
It feels almost overtly symbolic that tonight of all nights the sky has opened and rain falls heavily on our dry village. It’s the fourth night of torrential downpours in the past two weeks and it states with almost absolute certainty that the end of the dry season has come. For the fisherman it’s the … Read more
One village… two worlds.
Batukaras is a pretty spectacular place, there is no doubting that. It is a place where dark chocolate sand meets the sapphire sea. Every traveller I have spoken to who has stumbled into this village seems to have been enchanted by its beauty and hypnotised by its laid back attitude and general air of ambivalence… … Read more
A rock-and-roll wedding…
I just got engaged. Sort of. I mean sort of because things don’t work the same here. We are however planning a wedding for this coming summer in Australia. There is no ring, there was no down-on-the-knee proposal… but I’m over the moon regardless. This is a different world and somehow this cross-culture relationship is … Read more
Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore…
It was a normal sunny afternoon in Batukaras, and we were finding a little solace from the heat by lying on the cool tiled floor of our little village house. ‘Thuck, thuck, thuck…’ The noise stopped, so I ignored it, closed my eyes again… but… ‘Thuck, thuck, thuck…’ There it goes again. We got up … Read more
just another week in paradise…
Living here certainly has its ups and downs. A man walked into my house last night with a toddler (they don’t stand much on ceremony here), because the baby wanted to see a white person… the baby then preceeded to cry as the man tried to push her closer to me. It can’t help but … Read more
When the world is pure and blue and quiet…
The world as I once knew it has shifted, it is undeniable the change and it is unavoidable the changes that it has made on me as a person. Batukaras has been a whirlwind for the two months that I’ve already been home. There have been ups and downs, there have been tears and laughter … Read more
On a dusty day, a union formed…
We were out of place right from the beginning. It was clearly us and them. We are different, there is no doubt about that, from what is the norm in this small dusty beachside town. A white girl marrying a local boy… is more than enough to encourage a few raised eyebrows and a lot … Read more
Love on the Road II
A couple of months ago I hosted the Lonely Planet Blogsherpas 8th Blog Carnival Love on the Road, with great success. The topic was Love on the Road and has brought up many queries and questions in regards to my own story… I try not to be one of those bloggers who uses this public … Read more
see you on the other side…
As I sit here in the dirty hot waiting room outside gate 9 in the forever depressing Bali Airport, surrounded by hungover, tattooed, braided, beaded Australians, I can’t help but ponder my year… I’m heading back to Australia tonight, and I can’t help think about how far I’ve come. This flight doesn’t end my stay … Read more
a temple in the sea…
On the coastal side of Beraban is the spectacular Tanah Lot Temple. Another beautiful Bali landmark and historical wonder that the lovely H took me to see. The truly unique temple is built on a rock out in the sea and is a sight to be seen. Very important to the Hindu followers, this particular … Read more
