i touched a snake

hi there.  i'm back from bali and have unpacked first thing and settled in nicely.  i mention unpacking because i'm really slack when it comes to unpacking and usually take a week or more.  shocking i know.  i hardly bought anything, well not much.  i bought myself a magnifying mirror on a stand.  it was half price and although it's only 5x it is great.  i have a 15x one but it's very small.  i bought another small painting. i didn't travel with my sister which was a bit weird as everyone asked about her. i missed her.  bali has changed so much since my last trip.  they are bringing in a new law soon which will control the building of new hotels etc.  hence, everyone is going nuts and building new huge, ugly, western style, luxurious hotels.  and shopping centres.  huge with only name brand expensive shops and right next door to the old style markets.  we stayed in sanur for two days which was a really nice change and went to the night markets for dinner both nights. it's on the east coast and is much quieter than kuta where we usually stay.  we were planning to go to lovina on the north coast but fell into a lazy bali mode and it just didn't happen. that's why i hardly bought much although i did manage some presents for the kids.  i ate lots of great food, drank lots of delicious juice (mango and avocado mostly).  we caught up with lots of friends and had a massage or two.  Putu has been in hospital with dengue fever and is already back at work.  the weather was really hot but we enjoyed lovely breezes and swam a lot.  one of the hotels was brand new and very nice while the other two were more basic but still quite good.  i have to tell you that i touched a snake.  it was like velvet and so soft it amazed me.  we came across a man and a woman from the bali reptile rescue group and stopped to talk.  i would have given them a donation if i'd realized where they were from at the time.  the man was from australia and he had about two or three smallish snakes around his wrist.  the lady had a huge albino python around her shoulders.  of course all of them were active because of the weather.  i touched the python on his middle but wasn't game to go near his head.  he was quite tame apparently.  :)  i traveled to via darwin and from via sydney which i have to say i dreaded but found quite easy really.  years ago we came back through sydney and it was hell.  a sea of people all pushing in and it took forever.  i had to travel on a shuttle bus to the domestic terminal to get home.  i didn't sleep until later that night and feel fine now.  i am covered with very itchy mozzie bites although i used mozzie spray.    i'm going to add some photos (of course).  the new airport is pretty specky but is still having teething problems.  we waited in the new departure lounge and my flight wasn't called.  a girl directed us to some stairs and we went down to the old airport.  the pa wasn't working and it was crowded and hot.  our plane was delayed for over an hour so i was relieved to get on board. when we were taxiing out to take off the man behind me started vomiting violently.  omg it was horrible.  everyone was strapped in and the crew couldn't help him until the seatbelt light went out.  i love going away but one of the best things about travelling is coming home.  sorry for such a long post.

our first very basic hotel.  i grew quite fond of it.  at least it was clean.

Ipul after a swim

fire dancers at skygarden

my favourite beach.  geger beach.  i didn't recognise it.  there were at least three new hotels.  huge and very crowded

the new toll road built over benoa harbour.  all materials and workers came over from java.  a huge undertaking. 

my beautiful wooden carved bed.  a brand new room room was very welcome

our dear friend Putu who has been laid low with dengue fever for a while now

hard rock hotel

the wall light in my room.  lovely

i'd like one of these

i didn't taste it.  shiny tea sounds delish doesn't it?

folding bike. very useful

cremation procession down the main street.  when they got to the roundabout they went around it really fast many times to confuse the evil spirits

treehouse restaurant.  my favourite

music shop.  i got my son's christmas present.  lots of ukuleles

i love you too.  there were several of these down our lane

i'm on holidays

i love holidays.  i'm flying to bali tomorrow and have overpacked as usual but i am leaving some of it there so it might work out.  i've just had a coffee and am going back to repack (for the fourth time).  one day i will get it right. i am thinking of a trip to vietnam in february.  apparently that's the best time of year to go weather wise.  everyone says that i should broaden my horizons.
i went to dinner last night with my son and dil which was really nice.  we haven't done that for ages. other than this exciting news nothing much else has been happening.  it's another miserable day in adelaide. in the past 11 days we have had an over 35 degree day,  hurricane (i exaggerate just a bit) winds, hailstorms and lots of rain.  just your normal adelaide weather really.  the wind yesterday was bitterly cold and so strong that when i went to empty my recycle bin it nearly blew me and the recycling away.
oh well, back to the packing.  i'm trying to lighten my load,  :)  a few random bali pics

i'm retiring

no, not a shy shrinking violet.  my working days are coming to an end soon.  my last day should be 27 december.  i'm taking long service leave and some annual leave which should take me up till 20 april. i'm excited, nervous and a bit scared. all normal i suppose.  how will i cope financially?  what will i do with my days?  no, the last question does not apply.  i'm going to take up art again and yoga.  i have been saying i'll take up yoga again for yonks but so far i haven't done so.  but i will.  :)  
i went to the adelaide market again last night for dinner and a little bit of shopping.  three workmates and me.  we had a fab time.  my dil recently took me to a new (for me) restaurant.  malacca.  malaysian and asian.  absolutely delish.  we had a great meal.  then coffee and cake afterwards.  also delish.  it's a long w/end but as i don't work on mondays it's a bit of a non event for me.  i hope to catch up with cookie and a friend whom i haven't seen for ages.  i'm very bad at staying in touch with people.  enjoy your weekend and long weekend if it applies to you.  i didn't realize it was the start of daylight saving on the saturday/sunday.  enjoy

it's spring

and it's so warm atm.  yesterday and today it was 30 degrees.  very warm.  sunshine is gorgeous and very welcome.  apparently it's the warmest start to spring on record.  yesterday was father's day in oz and i went with my son and family to the beach for fish and chips.  we were lucky enough to see one of the dutch tall ships sailing up the gulf.  we had a lovely day.
today i outdid myself and washed the windows upstairs.  my son jumps out on the roof and cleans them once in a very blue moon.  well, he did it once i think.  i purchased a magnet cleaning thingy from israel of all places.  it actually worked a treat.  i'm very pleased with the result.  i mowed the lawn and coloured my hair.  my son usually does my hair with henna and i got sick of asking him to do it and did it myself.  i didn't use the henna because i was scared of getting it at the back of my ears and neck and not being able to see it.  how embarrassing.  i used a foam type which is supposed to not drip but i still managed to get it on my tshirt.  i only hope that it hasn't stained my skin.  time will tell.  i also cleaned the bathroom.  talk about spring fever.  :) 

tall ships visit Adelaide