The Monsoon has begun!

The rains have come to Indonesia in style. Our roof held up to last night's 5 hour storm...until this morning's downpour, which proceeded to flood our room...we pushed the bed into the corner and have found many and various receptacles for the rain...not happy...nowhere to go...island full...fingers crossed for a spare room to come up or the sun to come out!...It turns out that 4 pounds 30 does not get you a waterproof roof!
Can't upload pics...crap connection.
Happy New Year to any still reading.
J and K

Back in Gili Air

I have injured my finger playing a game with the natives! I have creatively named the game "Catch the Coconut". It happened while trying to display my more advanced one handed catching skills. They were temporarily impressed by my skills before I began my elaborate jig of pain. (This dance is similar to 'the jig of fear' taught to me by Karen. She performs this amazing dance when she finds a cockroach about her person. I have also seen this dance performed by Ian Farrell when he discovered and enormous cockroach on his hand...and Vicky Bennett, when she discovered an enormous leech under her boob!)

I was slightly disappointed to return to Salabose to discover all but one of my windmills destroyed by a storm. But there was good news...we managed to secure a discount on our room of 5000 rupiah which is nearly 35p off a night!...Back of the net!
J

Making windmills with some beach urchins!

Salabose cottages. Gili Air

A few snaps of our modest dwelling in Gili Air...going back on the 27th.

I've gone a bit Lord of the flies!

I haven't tried to kill any fat kids yet, but I have thrown away all my clothes! Meanwhile...Karen has gone a bit 'Lord of the Dance'!

Gili Air

K and I have been having a great time doing very little on this small island...no roads, no cars, no motorbikes, no noise. I have been spending my time making things out of old crap I have found on the beach. There is hardly anyone here and is very sleepy. We have a hut on the beach, with a little veranda and a day bed...only cold, salt water showers...you can't complain for 4.50 a night. Off the booze for a few days...will have a beer on Christmas eve on the beach.
Will try and post some photos in the next few days. I am even too lazy to take any!

By the way Ian...you have just lost the game!

J

Dolphins

Forgot to say on the last post, that we took the Perama boat from Bali to the Gilis and it is usually quite a bore. After 2 or so hours a shout went up from the crew..."dolphin! dolphin!' K was asleep but I rudely shook her awake. There was a pod of 30 or more dolphins passing the boat in the opposite direction, but about 5 broke away from the main group and turned for the boat, leaping out of the water as they came over. For about 3 or so minutes, 2 beautiful dolphins played in the bow wave just below us...unfortunately, our cameras were packed away. Really lovely moment. Awesome.
J

Gili Air

Stayed in Bali for 2 nights and then made for the Gilis...had a really crap room for one night and now have got a really nice beach hut for about 4 quid a night...bargain. On Gili Air at the moment. feels good just chilling out...place is deserted. Love it. Weather not too bad...monsoon season, but still quite a bit of sun each day. Cold salt water showers are the only drawback...and the fact beer is more expensive than last time.

Jakarta...'the big durian"

Arrived in Jakarta after many delays in Kuching...eventually arrived at 2 in the morning...to a cab to the centre and headed for a place recommended in the Lonely planet...neither of us have ever seen such a shit hole...eventually found a place a bit cleaner for a sum...decided to get out of Java quick...bought a flight to Denpasar this morning, fly this afternoon. We are a bit down at the moment...a mixture of bad hotel, no sleep and rattling through far too much money...Hoping the Gilis can cheer us up. I forgot how much hassle you get in Indonesia! Borneo was no hassle.

Since we started travelling, we started several lists in K's diary. They include appointed responsibilities to those travelling in our group (Ian was in charge of losing things!...A role that I have now absorbed!) I shall try to borrow the diary and update you fully on resposibilities. Another very important list is the list of Ailments. These are monitored on a daily basis and the diary kept up to speed. Karen has not yet recieved a bott fly...but I am looking forward to her getting one (look it up on youtube if you don't know what one is) She did get bitten by fire ants which was funny for others to observe! Currently there are few ailments in the party...only myself suffering from a mild cold and sore throat...I shall let you know how it develops.

J

Orang Utan

An old one from Sipadan

Karen and I having our photo taken with a patient turtle...I like being upside down!

Scorpion at Uncle Tan's Jungle camp and a wild Orang Utan (mum and baby) click on the photo to see their faces looking down at us! And a silverred leaf monkey feeding Karen some long beans!

Some old ones from Labuk Bay

Here is a cute little silverred leaf monkey and some Pied Hornbills on our balcony at Labuk Bay Proboscis monkey Sanctury.

Kuching

Hi everyone,
we are currently holed up in Kuching for a few days...we had some emergency paperwork to attend to, as our stuff arrived early in freemantle and because they didn't have our visa details, they said they were charging us 44 dollars a day!
Anyway, I think we have sorted that one and logged our housing application etc.
We have a flight to Jakarta on thursday and plan to travel overland through Java, Bali, Lombok and on to Flores. That should take us a month and round up our trip........starting...to...run...out...of...money!
A random medly of my favourite fotos to follow soon.

Remember...Macaques are not cute and should be considered 'the enemy'!

J

Mulu N.P.

Sleeping bus driver. Kuching

Stop Thief!

We had a little shock...Our room was robbed and trashed. The perpetrators escaped with 2 biscuits and 2 packs of malaria pills. Those filthy little macaques are nothing but common criminals. They ripped one of K's bags and tried to eat some of her makeup. At the time the little shits were in our room, we were laughing at one stealing cakes from the crappy canteen.