bagus bali

Yes, Bali is very bagus!! Bagus (bah-goose) means good, or great, or something like that. All we know is that we say bagus when we like something, and we like Bali. This wonderful place is worthy of more than just two blog posts, but we’ve been out and about doing everything under the sun—literally. Our faces have been lit up by a week and a half of mostly sunshine and a couple of Maneevone family friends who have treated us to more than we bargained for. Also, we admit it, we just indulged ourselves (for the first time) in an American Idol rerun of the top twelve performers that we stumbled across on tv.

About Bali, though, some highlights: We spent the first five nights here at Hotel Padma on Legian Beach, then did three nights on the north side of the island in Tulamben, and now we’re wrapping up our final three nights back at the Padma. Time to move on to Tokyo tomorrow night! The purpose of the Tulamben excursion was primarily to wrap up our open water scuba certification course. Yes, we succeeded, we can breathe underwater. In fact, Wanida has the ability to make the air in her tank last much longer than I do; having to return to the surface is always my fault. I hear it’s a gender thing though. Really, it is. Females take shallower breaths and their muscles don’t use as much oxygen. Is that true about the muscles because they’re smaller? Now I’m in trouble. Anyway, we saw a warm underwater world full of coral, big clams, lion fish, scorpion fish, eels, barracuda, and maybe a small shark. By the way, coral is not merciful, even if you scrape it by accident. My hand is only now getting over it. We’ve been to the beach many times, the pool many times, and we’ve had many food adventures—I ate a pigeon heart, for example, among other innards. We also wandered among monkeys and held a certain flying nocturnal creature. Pics? Of course!!

Many humble thanks to Yanto, Mie Khie, and their families for being the kindest of hosts to us. Very undeserved. As far as we’re concerned, bring your travel dollars to Bali—they’ll go far, and the experience is worth the mileage. Today we mark one month since we departed. Missing you all, but savoring the moments.

they walked all over us

Today, Joey and I were victims of the Adian Hotel and Spa. Side by side, the pranced and danced down our bodies. Balinese toes are really quite remarkable. With a fierce prodding, their toes almost brought us to tears! Over and over, they tenderized our backs, our arms, and legs (down to each individual toe). If there were only cameras to capture our hidden faces! We were dying! Our survival method was to laugh through the pain, and we laughed a lot! Today the Maertzs were weaksauce. In the end, our Shiatsu toes masters asked us how we liked it? Our response came with a big grin, "It was intense, amazing and intense." Joey and I are walking a little more gingerly, and enjoying life at a slightly slower pace. Life is slower in Bali, and we love it. The massage was simply a fun story, honestly we really can't share enough wonderful things about this beautiful little island, and all the people in it. We ended our day, sharing drinks and a cherished conversation with a old family friend MieKhie. He and his family have showered us with kindness. Every time we express our gratitude to him, he says "I have many friends, but only one spiritual father, your dad." That statement meant a lot to me tonight. My mom and dad have made wonderful relationships with many international students, and here we are in Bali, reaping the benefits of my parent's kindness. It all feels very undeserved. Reminds me a bit of grace, and the grace that we have already seen throughout this adventure, all completely undeserved. Joe and I have been gifted with so much. That's just a little of how I'm feeling tonight... grateful, really grateful.