" don't be afraid to get lost, that's where you'll find the best things "

Indonesia

|. Part 1 .|

It all comes down to people. 

How you act. 

What you say.

What we do to one another.

What we do to the earth.

What we believe makes us who we are, makes what we do and therefore what we do shows how we believe.

When flying into Bali late at night I was shocked by the bright lights, prestine streets lined with tall palm treees, and of course the prices. 30$ for a 15 minute cab ride. You've got to be joking me. He wasn't joking. He was serious and people pay him this regularly. If nursing doesn't work out, I know I can get a head in the world by being a taxi driver in Bali. After a battle or bartering I got my 10$ cab ride to my hostel in Seminyak (which I was surprised by how clean and new it was). The next morning I was off to start my diver certification training.
No rest for the wicked. 

A local Balinese man said, " it's how you act and how you treat each other and the earth that is your religion".  He said to me, 'Hindu is our religion. Buddha is not a religion. Buddhas are a way of life'.
This man was my dive instructor, Putu. Starting my dive course in Bali, I was feeling a bit discouraged by the fact that I was the only one in this course. 'Too bad', I thought, ' I won't get to meet people'.
Later that day I thought to myself, who are 'people?' Who did I come here to meet?  I lucked out. Life once again fell into place and I spent two days on the east coast of Bali listening to stories and learning about Balinese culture. Spending time with local people and experiencing the culture is exactly why I travelled here!!! After the three days let's say I am forever grateful I was the only one in the course at this time. I saw the beautiful North East Coast of Bali, driving hours through rice fields and small villages and staying in Tulamben was a huge highlight. The small town of Tulamben is known as a fishing village and not many tourists come here other than to dive. I stayed in a gorgeous, though basic, beach side bungalow, basic was all I ever wanted at this point. All I could hear were the waves at one end and the geckos at the other. 
Perfection.
From my bungalow I could head straight onto the beautiful rocky beach or up to the main street which with minimal traffic can be walked safely. The street is lined with dive shops and cafes and has a stunning view of the Volcano Mt Agung which is the tallest peak on Bali. The diving itself was amazing, the water warm, thousands of fish, and an eerie but surreal experience diving at the site of the sunken ship wreck the Liberty, a US Army Transport ship torpedoed by Japanese in 1942. 

My dive instructor was a wealth of knowledge and I felt like I had my own personal tour guide as we drove through Bali's countryside. Beautiful rice terraces and hard working Indonesians settled in the valleys below high mountains. Everything so lush and green.
The rice terraces here were very similar to those of the Philippines in Luzon. The terraces themselves and use of rice were done in a similar fashion as well. The rice is only for village use, and the land is inherited to the first born child if it is not sold before this time. Unfortunately, due to government cuts in water supply the communities at time, if not enrolled with the government, will experience water shortages which lead to failed crops. Another market for locals of Bali is the production of Palm Juice which is derived from the Palm Tree. As you drive along on the roads you can see large containers or cans at the top of Palm Trees. This is for draining the juices. The juice is used as a high calorie energy drink, alcohol, or moonshine. Driving back to kuta my instructor, Putu, pointed out Nusa Lembongan. Unfortunately a few days earlier 7 Japanese divers went missing from this strait.. Putu informed me that the current so strong  in the strait that in earlier centuries, around the 17th centuries, the island was used to hold prisoners. Any Balinese people who did wrong or disobeyed the law were brought here because the current was so strong they could never escape. Now many years later the island is used for tourists with no historical evidence or museums to inform people of where they're actually staying, though some are aware. The local people of Bali call this island 'Alcatraz' as it's similar to the island prison off of the West Coast of California. 

This is a 'gas station' as there are so many motorbikes.

Bungalows in Tulamben

Tulamben.
 "The town's name is derived from the word batulambih, which roughly translates as "many stones" a reference to the destructive eruptions by Mount Agung that have effected this part of Bali from time to time. The beach in Tulamben is not made of sand, but entirely covered with fairly large, smooth stones. The modern name evolved over time, first to "Batulamben" and finally settling on the contraction Tulamben "

Walked out and dove right off this shoreline. 

With rain comes Sun.

Working in the Rice terraces. View from my drive