However the moment we stopped to rest in Lovina a friendly Balinese man approached us telling us he could make a us better deal on our dive trip to Menjangan than any place in Permuteran could AND he'd even throw in free accomidation. Skeptical I let Olli deal with that situation while I proceeded to borrow the nice man's cell phone and call the dive shop in Permuteran. Sure enough the dive shop wanted around near $80 for 2 dive per person while the man in Lovina offered us a room and 2 dives with meals and transport for ~$55 ...how does this country work?
...and so we tired travellers and our pink motorbike were coaxed into staying in Lovina, the place of the black sandy wind-swept nothern beaches.
Luckily for us it was the lowest point in tourist season there and there were only about 30 foreigners in the whole place. Ultimately the town gave an extra lazy/sleepy vibe.
Unluckily for us it was the lowest point in tourist season because the sea was ultra rough and unforgiving while the cloudy skies poured down heavy rain at least once a day allowing the humidity to rise and eat us alive.
Seas being rough or not Oliver wanted to swim, and nothing was going to get in his way... not even 3 meter waves. As I watched from the black sand shore in a mild panic while beached coconuts periodically punched me in the ankles (thrown ashore by the nasty incoming waves) I watched Oliver get thrown around the washing machine of the surf, finally exiting the waves with exhaustion and a butt full of seaweed.
I asked him if he'd has enough of being tossed around. He confirmed that it was rough waters out there, but maybe he'd try again tomorrow if he could find a make-shift body board... oh boy here we go...my reckless German is at it again! :P
Rain and wind aside our first day of diving was awsome! travelling to the NW coast of Bali is like coming out of a rain cloud. while the rest of Bali is raining it is sunny to Partly cloudy with decent to good visibility.
The original plan was to head directly to the small town of Permuteran ...a place really only known for being where you take the boat to Menjangan Island -aka- a snorkelling and diving haven for the most part all year round.
On our diving trip we made some friends, saw eagle rays, a sea turtle, digging trigger fish, and a variety of fish and coral life all of which I cannot name at the moment since there was just too many...
We decided to spring on the nicest "resort" in town (a whole $40 a night!) and stayed at the Sea Breeze Cafe and Bungalow wow! The place was nearly deserted that we felt like we had our very own private poolside bungalow and beach bar!
So remember that body boarding crack Oliver made which i told you about?
...Well turns out one night on a shopping run at the local night market Oliver managed to buy a crudely made, large, plastic water/gas/liquids container and a length of rope which he then tied to his leg and ran out into the surf again in a half pitiful attempt to body board.
half way throught he hilarious session (so said the faces of the Balinese hotel staff) oliver has somehow mange to rip the skin off his knuckles again!!! (we all remember the glacier sliding incident on Mt. Rainer from last year?)
Oliver definitely took advantage of the pool that next afternoon (by the he had found a delapidated green slime covered surf board which he then attempted to use for morning wave playing only to get more cut up with) and proceeded to nurse his wounds with a large application of beer in the pool outside our bungalow.
Apart from diving, swimming and generally relaxing in Lovina the only other things we managed to do was take our motor bike our to the Air Panjar hot springs (about 8 km west of Lovina) where we spent an afternoon in the jade waters of the local natural public baths taking funny pictures and dunking eachother under water.
Oliver even spent some time entertaining the public while walking upside down.
The hot springs were surprisingly delightful since the weather was cloudy. As I relaxed in the water I reflected on all the nomadic homelessness we were in.
When I first left Seattle I was a little scared, but this small fear only dawned on me once I was tasting my first couple days in Germany. a shock of, "wow, Mel, you're really leaving everything behind now... " I never have felt like I was doing the wrong thing or anything silly like that, but I guess my mind at that moment felt like I should be realizing something, and that the permenance of this ultimate move overseas was nothing like travelling, but instead a commitment to reassimilating somewhere.
...I only trembled a little though....
..because I think my genes for being scared of the unknown abroad is broken. Maybe this is a blessing and maybe this is a curse, but whatever it is it allows me to jump into crazy adventures like "Germany until TBA" with excitement, even with small shivers of fears.... and I guess, yes... I love Oliver.
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