Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu has been my favorite part of the trip so far! The first (June 20) evening in KK, we visited the bustling night market which sets up every evening near the waterfront. It was fun to see all the edible goods that they had available: fresh fruits and veggies, nasi campur (Malaysian food buffet), deep fried snacks, and chunky, colorful drinks. Of overwhelming abundance was their seafood. First we walked through a market of dried seafood, which greeted us with a really pungent fishy aroma. Then we passed through the fresh seafood market. This was really cool - I have never seen that much seafood in one place at one time. There were over 50 vendors selling fish of all kinds, squid, octopus, crustacians, and even rays. We finally ended up in the cooked seafood market, where locals and non-locals were enjoying their dinner of fresh seafood that was grilled right when ordered. Leslie's mouth started watering, so we had stop and sample some of it. We first shared a skewer of grilled shrimp. It had a really satisfying aftertaste. Leslie was really craving squid, so we ended up ordering four squids. Once put on my plate, I was too grossed out by the tentacles and the insides, and was not able to eat any of it. So poor Leslie had to finish all four squid...at least he was able to satisfy his craving.


Yesterday (June 21) we went to the Sabah Museum, a museum which focuses on the the cultural heritage of the different indigenous people of the state of Sabah, Malaysia. It was quite a journey to get there, as we chose to walk the 3 miles during the hottest part of the day (which is very hot when you are in Malaysia). It was not the smartest move, but the museum was definitely worth it. They had lots of cool artifacts, tools, and traditional clothing of the various cultures from different times in history. They also had an interesting display on the harvesting of swallow nests for the Chinese delicacy, bird's nest soup. Although it can be very harmful ecologically, it plays an important role in the local economy. But by far my favorite part of the museum was the heritage village, where they had life sized replicas of all the different traditional homes built by the indigenous people. It is crazy that they can build a whole house just out of bamboo and straw! Inside the houses were some artifacts used in the natives' everyday lives, such as baskets, musical insturments, and weapons. To get to the heritage village we had to venture over a rickety suspended bridge...it was pretty exciting.




The rickety suspension bridge!

Today was actually my favorite day of the trip so far. We took a boat out to the nearby island, Pulau Manukan. In the morning we snorkelled in the the bay of the island. It was really cool because most tourists did not know that there was a reef a little further out in the water and they stayed very close to shore (where they attracted fish by feeding them, which really annoyed me!). But Leslie and I found the reef and spent an hour snorkelling around by ourselves. We saw some new fish species, hundreds of sea cucumbers, and spiny coral. But the most exciting part was the jellyfish. At first I thought that I kept swimming into small bits of plastic bags, but then Leslie realized that they were jellyfish. Lots of little jellyfish were floating all around us. Some were even luminescent. At first I was scared of getting stung, but then Leslie started touching them and discovered that their sting was painless. I was pretty creeped out, but tried overcome my fear by also touching them. It was weird because they looked so weightless, but then when I felt them they seemed quite heavy and jello-like.

In the afternoon we went on a walk through some of the island's rainforest. The path led us to a small trail which led us to a private beach! To get there, we had to cross some tide pools. The tide pools had really funny jumping creatures. The looked like small fish, but sun-bathed like lizards, and jumped about in the water like frogs...I don't know what kind of animals they were. There were also some really cute hermit crabs that scuttled around with shells on there backs. They were really fun to watch because they each had a unique shell and a unique personality. Some were very shy and others were very jittery and would not sit still. The beach was beautiful and very serene. Leslie and I lazed away the rest of the afternoon there. In the evening we treated ourselves to a somewhat pricy, but very delicious Italian dinner. I think Leslie and I are finally learning how to live it up!

Kuala Lumpur

We arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia just a few days ago. In the city we stayed in the Chinatown area. It was quite striking to see the difference of Malaysia compared to Indonesia. The entire area seems much more diverse, with Chinese shops selling food next to an Indian sari store. They also have most signs translated to English and sometimes even Chinese.

Upon arrival we were famished so we wandered over to the neighboring Little India and found a chapatti house. It was delicious to eat okra and chickpeas with freshly made wheat chapattis, especially with my hand!

The next day we also checked out a well known Dosa restaurant. The reception we got there was not as friendly, but the Dosa which I had never had were quite tasty. Dosas seem to be a pancake made of rice flour within which you can put different sauces and vegetables. I ordered a special one that had ghee spread on the outside which gave it a deliciously crispy butter flavour as well.

There is also a bustling night market area in the Chinatown district, one alley over from our hotel. I've got to use my Chinese a bit to order different dishes and they seem to speak at least 4 languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Bahasa Malaysia, and English. The guy I asked might have even said he spoke Hindi but I didn't test him on it. Vendors setup little stalls selling watches, shoes, fruit, noodle dishes, baked goods, meat etc. There is a noodle vendor literally at our hotel doorstep!


We checked out the Lake Garden area nearby, which has a number of national museums and monuments. It was a very pleasant walk over and there are a number of great examples of Islamic architecture.


We went to the KL Bird Park which is touted as "The world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary." Inside an enormous netted off complex was a rainforest that birds just flew around in, as well as cages displaying some particularly interesting tropical birds. We saw many different species of colorful birds such as hornbills, peacocks, and toucans.

The Incubation Room

Just across the street from the bird park was the Orchid and Hibiscus garden, which was very well kept. There were a number of beatuiful displays of flowers, which I know that my mom and aunt would like. The afternoon rain though had left the entire city very stuffy and humid, and we were soon drenched in sweat. I never thought I would appreciate AC as much as I have in Malaysia.

I'm Lovina it!

We arrived in the coastal town of Lovina on June 11th. Lovina is a tourist town on the northern shore of Bali known for its early morning dolphin sighting tours. A majestic dolphin statue even marks the towns fame. Apparently tourist season is low right now and we've not seen many tourists. Establishments are even giving low season discounts.



Other than dolphin watching, Lovina is a popular launching point for diving to the nearby dive sites of Menjengen Island, Tulamben, and Amed. Unfortunately, just after we arrived in town, Rashmi came down with a mild case of food poisoning! Guess we have to be even more careful.

Lovina itself is a black volcanic sand beach. The water has no breaks and visibility is not good at all. In other words, not too fun to swim around. All along the shore hawkers chase tourists around with offers of trinkets, massages, and fruit. We finally fulfilled a craving of ours to eat fresh coconut. First the fruit lady poked a whole in it so we could drink the juice within. Then, with a simple metal tool she gave the coconut three sharp thwacks and split in in half. She then pried out all the fruit within with a few more blows. We didn't realize how much coconut flesh it would yield though and were soon coconutted out. Instead of wasting the remaining fruit though, we offered the pieces to any hawkers that approached us. Some would accept and we'd have a pleasant conversation, and others would beat a hasty retreat after having the tables turned on them.

On a rest day, we decided to head out to the only Buddhist temple on the predominantly Hindu island of Bali. It is located about 10 km away from Lovina by motorbike. The only problem was that neither of us knew how to drive one! Motorbikes are the main form of personal transportation in Indonesia, and especially Bali, where you can drive across the whole island in a day. Locals piled them high with chickens, children, and anything they happen to be selling. Other travelers had recommended motorbiking as a way to get around. After seeing one too many 7 year-olds whiz by on a manual motorbike, we decided to try it out. Obviously we would try it out very slowly, and if we felt more comfortable, head out to the monastery.

It really wasn't too hard to get used to motorbiking, except driving on the left side definitely takes some getting used to. As Indonesians are used to cars and bikes going at all speeds on the roads, they are actually quite careful drivers, and the slow speeds help avoid accidents on the chaotic streets. After an hour of doing laps and curlicues in the village we headed out for the monastery.


The Brahma Viahara Ashrama temple is set up in the hills overlooking a quiet village. Meditators gather in rooms and sit or pace very slowly. It is as if they are trying to make their presence unknown at all by being completely silent. At the top of the monastery was an impressive structure with large stupas similar to Borobodur. Lotus ponds and flowering plants also added to the tranquility of the temple.



We've been relaxing in the late afternoon by taking advantage of the happy hour of 30 cents for mixed fruit juices. The bar is set by the beach with a great view of the setting sun and a volleyball court where locals play serious and engrossing game.

Our last 2 days in Lovina we arranged to go diving at two different sites. Tulamben, where the Liberty shipwreck, is and Menjengan Island. We had dived at the Liberty shipwreck before as part of our first open water dive, but this time we got to go deeper and the guide showed us cool features of the ship. He took us on some exciting swim-throughs as well where we got to swim through some of the wider parts of the ship. We were a little concerned about the safety of this, but the professionalism and competency of the guide made us comfortable following him, and i definitely thought it was worth swimming up and through the ship. We also saw some interesting creatures such as a ghostpipe fish. Rashmi got pretty cold this first day as the water was cooler and the wetsuit she had didn't fit very well. We vowed to try and get a better fitting suit so she could enjoy the next day of diving on Menjengan.

We took a boat out across the calm emerald bay to the island of Menjengan, which is known for it's Coral gardens and wall dives. The coral gardens were very colorful and varied and I got very excited about spotting some sea cucumbers. We even got to hold one that was larger than a loaf of bread! These were also our longest dives yet, staying underwater for 60 minutes on our longest dive.

Yesterday we took a bus back down to Kuta, where we spend just a day here and then fly out to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! We did some boogie boarding this morning, which was my first time. It was a blast and the waves here are excellent. My favorite vendor is the man who walks around trying to sell a bow and a quiver of arrows to tourists. I'm not quite sure what the market for that is.

Gunung Batur

Gunung Batur is a volcano located in central Bali. It is set in a crater that was created from a series of eruptions, the most recent occurring in 2000. The crater also holds Bali's largest lake, Danau Batur. We took a bemo, the local minibus, from Ubud to the crater's rim on the morning of June 10th. From there we were planning on walking the 4km down into the valley of the crater, but we were able to catch a free ride on Made's (the guy who worked for the hostel we would be staying at) motorcycle.

That day we took a walk through some of the villages that are spread out along the circumference of the lake. It was a very peaceful walk because we were not in a touristed area and we were finally able to see what life was like in a village not dependent on the tourist industry. Their main source of livelihood is farming. We saw cabbage, corn, tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers growing. It was nice to interact with Balinese natives knowing that they were not looking to solicit us for anything. Most were friendly - they smiled, said hi, and allowed us to take their picture. Our walk was cut short by ominous rain clouds looming in the sky, and we were able top seek shelter in a warung just as the afternoon rain started coming down strong.

Kids flying a kite in the local village

The next morning we woke up at 3:30 am to summit Gunung Batur in time to see the sunrise. We had organized the hike with guide because we didn't know were and didn't think it was a good idea to look for them in the dark. We later realized that it would actually not be too difficult to do it on our own because there were many other tourists also making their way up the mountain at that time.

The sunrise was spectacular! At first the guide wanted to take us to a lower part of the mountain where a warung was set up so that the tourists could buy coffee and tea as they watched the sunrise. But I was able to convince him to take us to the highest part of the mountain, where their were no other tourists and Leslie and I could enjoy the sunrise on our own. We also had the best view with the crater, hardened lava flow, and sparkling lake below us. Most of the time we were surrounded by clouds and mist, but then, every couple of minutes, the clouds would clear and the view of the valley would open up. We also saw the Agung, the highest mountain in Bali, in the distance, framed with clouds.

At the sunrise summit!

After the sunrise we hiked around the area. It was really neat seeing the way the lava had carved out the valley, all the life that was able to thrive on an active volcano, and the steam pockets that dotted the mountain slopes. It was partially ruined, however, by the guides' inability to communicate properly and his lack of professionalism. For example, we stopped by a cave on our way down. Leslie and I asked if we could go inside the cave. The guide tried to make up some excuse by saying we couldn't because his flashlight didn't work. But Leslie had his headlamp, so he reluctantly showed us inside. Once we had gone in about 10 meters, the guide told us the real reason that he didn't want to take us in. He said that it was holy cave where people meditate and bring offerings. Had he told us this before, we would not have asked him to bring us in. On our way out, another guide started yelling at Leslie and me for going in. He also yelled out, trying to scare me when I was on a slippery stone, trying to make me fall. The guide also cut our hike short, implying that if we wanted to complete the trek as had previously been promised, we would have to tip him.

But despite this, Leslie and I were still happy that we had the opportunity to climb Gunung Batur...it was really amazing! One day we want to come back and hike on our own and bike all around the lake.

Hangin' in Ubud

I'm back in action! Although you definitely haven't heard the last from Rashmi either. I'm pretty much recovered from my bout of food poisoning. We arrived in Ubud 2 days ago by shuttle bus. On the ride we happened to be riding with 2 other Californians who both left their jobs at Google and decided to go on a year long trip around the world. Pretty crazy coincidence!

Ubud is supposed to be the cultural heart of Bali, much like Yogya/Jogja is the heart of Java. There is also a strong organic food movement in the town as well. It was supposedly started by a restaurant called Bali Buddha which we went to check out our first night in town. The food was great, although more than we were used to paying. The best part though were the born again hippies sitting around in robes and talking about love energy.

Next morning we moved to a more comfortable hostel after much searching. This consisted of me lying with our packs by the side of the road in the shade while Rashmi ran back and forth looking for a place with the right comforts and price. My excuse was the food poisoning. We eventually settled on one that was well priced and the owner was very nice. We've struck up quite a relationship with him!

That afternoon we went to a local warung known for their roasted suckling pig. It was really crowded in there with both locals and tourists. We had to squeeze in by the wall of people and luckily were able to snag some seats. The pig was prominently on display at the front being carved up for the diners within. It was quite delicious, similar to the Chinese roasted pig I've had before except a little spicier. It even came with crunchy skin that I know my mom loves! I spent the rest of the afternoon recovering from the tail end of my food poisoning.

Rashmi and I decided to make that night a date night. We went to a popular traveler's restaurant called Nomad's and had the best meal we've had since coming to Indonesia. Perhaps it was because we just felt very comfortable in the surroundings. The ambiance and service was very much like a fun upscale restaurant in America. The food was great too and we even got to have black rice pudding for dessert. It was a great change from the places we had been eating at before.


Following dinner we went to see a "Ramayana Kecak Fire and Trance Dance." Kecak is a form of Balinese dance that involves many men chanting and moving with a certain rhythm. In this case these men also acted as a monkey army in the Hindu epic of the Ramayana. During all the chanting around a pillar of fire, characters from the epic would come out in costume and act out a particular episode of the Ramayana. In our case it was "The Death of Kumbakarno." After they finished the story, they created a large bonfire of coconut husks in the middle and a man in a "trance" danced about the fire in what looked like a rooster costume. Suddenly, he ran directly through the burning coals of the fire, kicking and scattering coals. One rather large husk stopped just 2 feet from my seat. Attendants then quickly swept these coals back away from the shrieking audience members and back into the middle where the trance dancer would proceed to kick and spray the coals in a different direction so that no observer could feel safe. No one was actually burnt surprisingly, including the trance dancer, who eventually was dramatically restrained and cleansed. I have some video and pictures. The video is far too large for me to upload but check out these pics, especially the trancers feet!




The next day we set of for the local Campuhana Ridge walk. It was great to feel fully healthy again and to be out walking about in a more natural setting. We spotted some rather large lizards scuttling about near the river bed and when we got up on the ridge we had magnificent views of rice paddies and tropical rain forest. The trail also led through some small hamlets of artists that had some impressive artwork although it started looking the same after awhile.



On the way back we stopped by the Neka Art Museum which has a collection of Balinese artwork. It was cool to learn a little bit more about the artisitc development on Bali, although it seems that most painted art was done in the 20th century when it was introduced by Western influences. We were pretty drained after all the walking, and shuffling about the museum tired us out even more. As we walked home, impending afternoon rain clouds loomed so we had to alternate between brisk walking and jogging. We got back to our hotel just as it really started dumping rain.

Tomorrow we head out to Gunung Batur, a mountain area with a crater and lake within. From there it's up to Lovina for some much needed time at the beach.

This is a picture of me at a local Ubud temple.

Candi Dasa, Bali

We spent the next couple of days in Candi Dasa, a village 20 minutes north east of Padang Bai....actually I wouldn't call it a village....it is more like a a bunch of expensive resorts and restaurants along a main road...it was definitely not Leslie and my favorite place...but let me start from the beginning...

We took the local public minibus to get there, a much better deal than the many taxis trying to rip us off with their outrageous prices. The only thing I liked about Candi Dasa was this German Cafe, called Candi Bakery serving authentic and delicious bratwurst and pretzels for a pretty reasonable price (35 cents for a large soft warm pretzel). Over the course of the next 48 hours I went to Candi Bakery 3 times.


Unfortunately, dinner that first night was not quite as enjoyable...actually Leslie and I decided that it was the worst dinner we had in SEA to date (hopefully there won't be worse). The food was too greasy, and too salty. The portions were small and the orange juice looked and tasted like water with some lemon squeezed into it. The ambiance was equally terrible. The restaurant was right by the main road, so it was really loud, the kitchen was filthy (we saw this as we were paying for our food), and there were these creepy cats constantly meowing - begging for our food. The highlight of the meal was when Leslie looked down and saw two cats mating just inches from his right ankle! After that, we had trouble getting anymore food down. We were originally lured in by the cheap prices, but in the end we realized that we got what we had paid for....

Well, the story keeps going. The next morning when we woke up...Leslie realized that the place had given him food poisoning! So now we have spent the past couple days taking it slow hoping that the anti-biotics that Leslie took will work.

On a brighter note...before Leslie got food poisoning we were able to visit a little village 2 miles north of Candi Dasa called Tenganan. The village is over 800 years old and many of its residents still make a living off of rice farming and traditional handicrafts. One of the native villagers gave us a short tour. He also showed us the art of Balinese calendar making, that was unique to that village. They make calenders out of palm leaves. They engrave the leaves with months and specific gods and demons for each month. They fill the carvings with charcoal, which makes the illustrations pop out. Because the religion of Tenganan is Hindu, they also had engravings of the Ramayana, and the village has 3 temples...one dedicated to Shiva, one to Vishnu, and one to Brahma. What Leslie and I really liked about the village was the fact that nobody tried to sell us anything and the guide didn't expect any compensation for the tour. This gave the whole village a peaceful , sleepy atmosphere, which was nice change from the constant solicitation of more touristed areas.

Padang Bai

On June 3rd and 4th we stayed in Padang Bai, a small village in Southeast Bali. Padang Bai is a great snorkeling area. There is a small beach, called Blue Lagoon that has an amazing reef that can be accessed right off the beach. So if you have your own snorkeling equipment (or just goggles, like Leslie and I use), then it is a free snorkeling trip. The reef has an abundance of sea life. There were around 20 different colorful, tropical fish, eels, and lots of cool coral. We saw an eel and a fish get in a fight over a hole in the coral. Then the eel swam right under Leslie...that was pretty exciting. We had lunch in a warung overlooking the lagoon, sipping juice from a young, fresh coconut. In the evening we found another beach that is hidden behind a construction site. The landscape of the beach was beautiful, surrounded by volcanic rocks and lush vegetation. The waves were rough and choppy and when they slapped against the rocks they sprayed water high into the air, misting us with salt. Within the rocks were small tide pools that had some really interesting creatures. There were these little silver fish that could jump from one tide pool to another, and some funny green crabs that jumped around like frogs. Overall. Leslie and I really liked Padang Bai. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes marine life or beautiful beaches!

Getting Scuba Certed!

Hey Everyone! Rashmi and I are now in Padang Bai (still in Bali). We spent a few days in Kuta just exploring the town, beachm and trying out different cheap warungs (restaurants). They have a lot to offer for a good deal. We found a great place to stay that was very clean and faced a beautiful garden. We signed up for our PADI Open Water Scuba certification class with Aquamarine diving just...4 days ago and are now certified!


We Started with some classroom theory and swimming pool practice, and then the next day went to Tulamben to dive the famous Liberty shipwreck there. The minute I went underwater there was a whole new world of fish and brightly colored coral on display. We saw some very beautiful tropical fish while practicing our underwater skills. Although neither of us are experts on tropical aquatic life we were able to spot eels, an octopus!, many clownfish, a few lionfish, some tubeworms, a ray, and a flounder! After doing 2 dives in the area we were dropped off at Padang Bai where we dove today. The dives were in the Blue Lagoon which has great coral formations and a beautiful drop off wall.

We also found a great deal on a hostel. For $8 we get our own little chalet, with a loft, multiple sitting areas, a bed with mosquito netting and it includes breakfast! Tomorrow we plan to do some snorkeling in the Blue Lagoon and then start moving on. It's a wonderful change to be close to the ocean with access to the beach and good seafood!


Speaking of food, we've been having random cravings for western dishes and a running joke of ours is to find some German noodles called spätzle. By chance we came across a authentic German restaurant in Kuta called Mama's! There they served cheese spätzle which was actually very good. We will probably go there again when we are back in Kuta.




Hope you are all doing well!