Ticket to the Moon...

I was just taking a sea water shower in our hotel when the electricity went dead and now the only light I have is the computer screen, so I thought it is a perfect time to write a story. (Picture: Sunset in Seminyak)

As the Hindu parties kept on delaying our departure from Kuta to Gili Islands, we decided to rent a scooter for couple of more days and risk our lives again by being part of the chaotic traffic. The first day we just drove to Seminyak, which is basically the same beach close to Kuta, but it is way more upscale. The coastline is filled with luxurious spas and resorts. We watch the sun to set on the beach and later went to a fancy cocktail lounge for drinks. (Picture: Seminyak)
When laying on the lounge, watching the stars filling the sky, warm breeze blowing from the sea ad hearing the sounds of chill house music mixed with the waves from the sea, I had to pinch myself again to understand that this is REAL.

On the second day we decided to visit Ubud, which is known to be the home of culture and arts. Another reason was also to see the big Hindu celebration, and we were told that Ubud was a good spot for that. The drive took a bit longer this time as we got lost few times (the road marks just doesn’t make any sense) and because of the occasional showers. The traffic was also super busy, when all the people were rushing into temples with their fancy Hindu clothes and turbans.
(Picture: Me surrounded by local souvenir vendors) The city or the village of Ubud turned out to be as we were told; the home of artists, galleries, carpenter- and painting shops next to one other, more than eye can comprehend. Would have been great explore the shops more, but as our aim for today was to find the Hindu party, we were advised to drive further all the way up to a mountain village called Kintamani and find a temple called Pura Ulun Danau Batur. The showers started again as we left Ubud and in some point the rain was so hard that we had to stop for a while as the road got too slippery. (Picture: Volcano and the lake, Kintamani) After 40km and many hours we arrived to Kintamani and the sight to volcano ‘Gunung Batur’ and lake Batur was stunning. We also managed to find the temple, but apparently the ceremonies were already finished. Driving back to Kuta was the worst part. After few kilometres it started to rain again, which lasted almost the whole trip. We were soaked wet and freezing our asses off cuz the temperature up on the mountain was way colder than down on the bottom. Our journey back to Kuta Beach must have taken 3-4 hours in dark and wet weather conditions… If only our mum’s would have seen how dangerous it was…
(Picture: Pura Ulun Danau Batur Temple) But made it in one piece, thanks to Petteri’s driving skills. I must say that a warm shower has never felt as good as after the trip. (Picture: me and rice field)

After 9 nights in Kuta Beach (Bali) we eventually managed to organise a transfer to Gili Islands. Our journey to Gili started at 6am when a shuttle bus came to pick us up from our hotel. After 2 hours drive and an hour waiting we took a ferry to Lombok Island, which was quite an experience. Just when we thought that there wouldn’t been any annoying souvenir vendors harassing us… well it seemed that they had been doubled in the ferry. Four and half hours seemed like eternity when sitting and killing time by watching some Indonesian karaoke videos which they played so loud that I thought that I would be deaf after the trip. From Lombok we continued to another harbour village where we got fooled to buy mosquito spray with a very expensive price by the locals and the funniest thing is that there are no mosquitoes here =) At last we arrived to Gili Trawangan after 12 hours travelling. Trawangan is the biggest island of the 3 Gilis and known as a party island. One nice thing about Gilis are that there is no motor traffic here and the local transport here is ‘Mercedes’ horse and bike.

After wondering around for a while we found a nice cheap hotel called Pondok Lita close to the beach. That night we had a long sleep as we were exhausted from the travels. The next day we decided to explore the island a bit more and found a nice spot to sunbath without anybody around. Later we discovered that we weren’t the only Finns around. So far we have met 9 Finns :) Have to watch out what we are talking! That night also happened to be the full moon party in the island. We hooked up with a Finnish couple and went for ‘magical’ dinner with them. The party was indescribable… Can’t say more, it’s better if you discover it yourself!

The island really is a paradise. Everywhere you look it looks like a postcard. Diving is really big here and I’m thinking of going tomorrow. Today we went for a snorkelling trip with 20 others around the Gili Islands with a glass bottom boat. The corals were pretty dead and I don’t think that anything can compete with the Great Barrier Reef, but we did see at least 6 turtles :)

We were supposed to swap the island and go to Gili Air for few nights, but as Petteri got a stomach bug we stayed in Gili Trawangan all the 6 days. Diving was great and I managed to see 2 sharks around 1,5 metres by a close distance.

6 days was just perfect length to stay in the ‘paradise’, just enough not to get bored and have a nice relaxing time. Our journey back to Bali started on Thursday morning, again with a small boat back to Lombok, a shuttle bus to Sengigi and again ferry to Bali. As I thought the ferry trip last time was terrible, this time it was worse and took 7 hours, because of an accident. Our flight to Singapore was departing at 10pm and we had to take a taxi straight away as the ferry arrived to the harbour. We told the driver to drive like mad , which he did and managed to get us to the airport in an hour time, when usually the trip takes 2 hours. So eventually it all went good, except I didn’t get to have my manicure, pedicure and massage that I was dreaming on the ferry… So now we are back in Singapore for one whole day before heading to Vietnam. But that’s another story :)

BALI-BALI-BALI

It’s half past 9 in the morning, Petteri is still sleeping. I woke up half an hour ago into the sound of the hammers and construction work coming outside from the building next door. My back feels sore from the sun yesterday, but I’m pleased the colour my skin is finally turning into. We are now in Bali; the Southeast Asia’s Cliché, also in the place where the bombings took place just few years ago, in Kuta Beach. (Picture: Kuta Beach) The tourist industry isn’t still quite the same as it was and it can be seen everywhere here. Most of the hotels are half empty, like ours, which is nice as we now get super good service. The people outside selling their tourist goods in their little booths are basically attacking you when you walk by. Everyone is shouting; transport YES?? ‘rum´rum’ = room? and scooters and motorcycles everywhere.

We left Darwin 19^th June 3 o’clock in the morning and got a drive from our road trip buddies, Maria and David. The flight was dreadful as next to us sat a lady with the worst flu ever and she just kept on making these disgusting noises. But Tiger Airways was very positive experience.

Before getting to Bali we had a whole day in Singapore. We arrived to the airport at 7am and even though the flight was tiring, as soon as we landed we both cheered up. After dropping or back packs to the safety we took a bus to the city. Both of us were so surprised how clean and green the city is. As I have been told that Singapore is great for shopping, you probably guess how we spent the day. Petteri bought a fancy camera and I was in ecstasy when entered the doors of Zara after being apart a year!!! I really loved the city and as we were heading again back to the airport I told Petteri that I wouldn’t want to leave yet. He just said; Aino we are going to Bali come on!!! (Picture: Pro-surfers, yeah right!)

-Bali, yes it felt unreal. For me Bali has been just a distant dream. A holiday paradise where you probably get to go once in your life time, or then not and now we are here. At times we both have to pinch each other to realize this all…

As we arrived to the airport quite late at 10pm, the first challenge was to find a place to stay that night. Outside the airport there were dozens of hotel reps waiting the tourist come out and sell them over priced overnights. We decided to find one on our own and took a taxi to Kuta Beach. (Picture: Sunset in Kuta)The thing here is that none of the prices are set, like in the taxis there are no charging meters and you have to agree the price beforehand, which can be very annoying! We should have known that it is a real suicide to walk around the city with all our bags, meaning that people shouting everywhere: ‘transport transport’, ‘rum rum’. Two stereotype looking tourists looking for a place to stay <- a gold mine for the local people. After checking out few hotels we decided to stay a night in one and continue our search the next day. (Picture: Denpasar)

The next morning we checked in to another hotel: La Walon, close to the beach and a lot cheaper than the previous one. I heard from the place from my friend Minka who also had stayed here a year ago. With 14€/day we have a nice room in the 3^rd floor and breakfast. Cheap like soap and I still think we are paying too much. (Picture: Petteri was enchanted with the smells of Pasar Badung)

The first few days we just explored the Kuta area. Went to the beach sun bathing and surfing. Petteri is getting better and better every day… with me I don’t see any progress :) But it’s fun just float with the board and sunbathe and watch the hot surfers. Food is ridiculously cheap here. With 5€ you eat like a king… very hard to resist deserts ;)

(Picture: Pasar Badung) One day we rented a scooter cuz we wanted to visit a few places outside Kuta. First of all the traffic here is crazy. NO RULES!!! Even though the traffic here is left sided, it doesn’t mean it would stop the people driving on the wrong side. I’m really surprised that we made it alive! And the petrol station… My god!!! Also there you have to bargain and there is no set price. Well you can just guess how much they dried to fool us, two blondes wearing bling bling sunnies and looking sooooooooo like tourists! But I got really pissed off and I guess they got a bit surprised a girl yelling like that and we only ended up paying one quarter of the price they asked. Still I’m convinced we paid too much. (Picture: Pasar Badung) It is not really about the money, but I’m just so irritated of the fact that they try to fool you just because you are a tourist. But in the other hand they have to get the money from somewhere… well at least now I’ve learned to pay only a quarter from the first asked price, not a cent more.

The first stop we did in Denpasar and visited the famous market Pasar Badung. Finding that place wasn’t the easiest and even when we eventually found it, getting there with a scooter was a real challenge as most of the street are one way streets. From the markets you can find anything. (Picture: Veggies in the market) There are no supermarkets around (at least I haven’t seen any) so the locals shop everything i.e. their groceries; living chickens, gooses, vegetables, rice, spices etc. from there.

After lunch we continued driving in the crazy traffic and tried to find our way without a proper map to the art markets, but after too many ‘no goes’ we gave up and went straight to Mengwi where Bali’s most famous temple Taman Ayun is located. (Picture: Ricefield on fire) Before going home we also visited the Monkey Forest ‘Alas Kedaton’ that holds over 700 crazy monkeys that steal everything. I also got a taste of a monkey attack when one of the bosses jumped on my back and refused to come off for minutes that seemed like eternity.

So that’s all that has been happening here on the other side of the world lately. Petteri is waking up finally. Breakfast time!!!

Above: Local Easter Bunny in the rice field :)
Below: Taman Ayun temple

Above: Taman Ayun temple
Below: 3 monkeys in Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest

Road trip; Cairns to Darwin

Hyvää Jussia kaikille!!!
Survived outback, didn’t get killed by suspicious aboriginals or kangaroos and made our way to Darwin. (Picture: me, Maria & Petsku) As we left 3pm from Cairns we decided already that it was better for us to stay on the coast instead heading to the outback, therefore we drove again to north; to Cape Tribulation, which is famous rainforest national park. On our way we passed by Port Douglas, where we had holiday with Julia, Chris and Marko in October… Brought some good memories :) We also stopped in Port Sea (resort we stayed), where Chris’ brother in the GM and I went to say hi to him. He was quite surprised to see me. (Picture: long way home from Port Douglas)

We stayed that night in Cape Tribulation, a place called JP’s. I was shocked to hear that they don’t have TVs in any place there (to save the electricity). The next day it was my turn to start driving and I have to brag that Im getting quite pro on left side driving :)
We checked out some nice beaches and lookouts on our way, as we knew that for few days we only would see outback. We drove that day 16hours and the last 6 ours we were struggling with 287km long never ending gravel road. It was a real suicidal way as the dark came and all the animals; kangaroos, rabbits, cows jumping around. Luckily this time we were only very close to hit one. (Picture: David & Maria)

That night we also had to sleep outside, as we almost ran out of gas and therefore had to stay in some caravan site we found in the middlew of nowhere. It was soooooooooo cold that night, so I had to wear all my clothes on and squeeze into my sleeping back shivering on the ice cold ground in Maria’s and David’s tent. I lasted till 5 in the morning before I had to get into the car where Maria and Petteri were sleeping. Well it was an experience, I kept on telling myself. (Picture: Lunch Break)

The next day we continued driving and getting deeper into the outback. Dry yellow fields, gray partly burned trees and the road as long as the eye can see. There was plenty of time to read some books. I read 2;'the Alchemist' and 'First they killed my Father' (about Cambodians time under Kmer Rouge). Both of the books were very impressive and I recommend them if you need some summer reading.
(Picture: Hot Springs in Northern Territory; Maria, David & Petsku)

Finally we arrived to Darwin after 5 days spending in the car. It felt good to be in a proper sized city and next to the internet. The weather in Darwin was just perfect, +30 and sunny every day. Unfortunately you aren’t allowed to swim in the ocean because of the jelly fishes and crocodiles, but at least we had a spa in our hostel. One day we were about to see the place where “God would live, if lived on the earth” (like someone once told me); Kakadu, national park, but as we didn’t have a four wheel drive it was waste of time. One day we also visited a crocodile farm close by and saw the only captured albino crock in the world. There are only 3 known albino crocks to be living. Pretty unique ;) (Picture: Poor crock and Hunter)

19th of June 2007 it was time to say bye bye to Australia and start our adventure number 2; Asia. Leaving felt surreal and still can’t really comprehend it. Guess it hits me when Im back in Finland.










Above: Crocodile Farm in Darwin
Below: The familiar sight for 5 days























Above: Cape Tribulation rain forest
Below: Landscapes while driving (Queensland)























Above: Landscapes while driving (Queensland)
Below: Cursed gravel road (286km=6hours)























Above: Landscapes while driving (Northern Territory)

We are still here...

Hola mis queridos amigos <- So great to have Spanish speaking friends around when you need them (as my Spanish is getting RUSTY)! Here we are still alive in Australia for 8 more days before flying out to BALI, WOW! (picture; Petteri spotted a Koala in Magnetic) We left Airlie Beach the next day and said goodbye to Whitsundays as we got a ride from a Dutch couple; Hans and Evelin, we me in Fraser Island. Our next stop was Townsville 3hour drive from Airlie. As we drove by the endless sugarcane plantations I kept on thinking how sugar is actually made into the form we consume it. If anybody knows please let me know :) Yeah, I know I could just check it from the Internet, well nah! Can’t bother. (picture: Rock Wallabies)

Anyway, we stayed that night in Townsville, even though the city itself didn’t really impress us. We booked a tour to Magnetic Island for 2 nights departing the next day. In the hostel we met some familiar faces; Tina, the German girl who was sailing with us in Whitsundays and 2 Finnish girls; Anna-Maria and Tiina who I met before Christmas by accident in a sushi place in Sydney. World is really a small place. The Finns also were heading to Magnetic the next day, so again we got a big Finnish delegation :) (picture: Albino monkey; Magnetic Island)

Magnetic Island is located a 20 minute ferry ride from Townsville. It is famous for it’s untouched national park, nice beaches and a sunny climate (Magnetic Island averages over 320 days of sunshine per year). But of course the sun was hiding almost the whole time we were around :S Typical!

As we arrived the island we decided to rent a Barbie to get around the island better. We chose a beautiful pink Barbie moke, which was SO cool! Really could use one in Finland! This was the first time for me to drive on the left side, SCARY, but managed without a scratch. Actually I was a bit nervous cuz I haven’t been driving any motor vehicle for a whole year. We picked up the Finnish girls with us and just cruised around the rest of the day. (picture: Barbie & Ken)

The next day I signed up for advanced diver course, because the Australia’s best diving site ‘Yongala wreck’ lays close by the island and for that I needed to be certified to get as deep as 30 meters below the sea level. The first day of my course included 3 dives; Navigation dive, Naturalist dive and something else which I can’t remember anymore. I did the course together with another English girl, Laura. (picture: Petteri is scared when the girls are behind the wheel) We were lucky as there were only 2 of us, because usually there are a lot more people at the same time, but now we got exclusive teaching :) Petteri went to explore the nature and did some koala spotting in the National Park.

On my second and the final day of diving was by far the most challenging and most AMAZING day of my entire life. It was time to see the Yongala ship wreck. (picture: Yongala wreck) The first surprise was to realize that the boat trip took 3 hours one way with a tiny boat. The ride was rocky all the way and the first people spewed after an hour. I lasted 2,5 hours but after that I was throwing up the rest of the trip, on the boat, in the water and even when diving (which was an experience itself). Even though I was feeling really shitty and could barely jump into the water myself, after getting into 10 meters and deeper I felt great. My condition got immediately better and as we descent deeper all the way to27 meters and when seeing the wreck and all the marine life; giant fishes, sea snakes, huge turtles, stingrays and many other creatures I can’t even name, I felt like never before. The feeling was indescribable and I felt like I was in some discovery channel documents. All the colors, corals and fishes!!! Too bad that the pictures I took weren’t any good :(

The history of Yongala in brief goes something like this; ‘A luxuriously appointed passenger and freight ship, SS Yongala sailed into the eye of a cyclone on the 23 March 1911. It was not identified until 1958, having lain undisturbed for nearly 50 years. On board had been 122 people, a racehorse called Moonshine, a red Lincolnshire bull, and cargo for northern ports. Only the horse was found.’ We did all together 2 dives to the wreck, around 35minutes each! I f you ever have a possibility to go diving there DO IT! As I said by far the best experience of my life! Meaning only the diving…the spewing part almost killed me.

On our way back to Townsville the people who managed not to get rid of their meals on our way to Yongala were now all feeling the same pain as rest of us as the wind was blowing 55m/sec. In some point I thought that we are all going to die and even the crew revealed to us that they’ve never been out there with same kind of weather conditions. But luckily we made it, safe, but freezing as all my clothes were soaking wet from the ride. And the best part; now I’m certified advance diver!!! (picture: it's me)

We took the bus with Petteri the next day and left Townsville. Our original plan was to go skydiving in Mission Beach, but continued all the way to Cairns as the weather was so bad.

On Friday Piritta got back from her 4 days diving trip and it was to celebrate her farewell as she is leaving Australia today (11 June). As Piritta and I have our old tradition on Fridays, also this Friday we draw a litre Friday bottle. Yes, and the night was wild!!! Also Piritta’s friend Maria from Finland, David (Maria’s bfriend) and Roshine (Piritta’s English friend) came to Cairns to party. And what a party that was… Unfortunately what happens in Cairns stays in Cairns :) (Picture: from left; Roshine, Maria, Pirre, me after big night out)

Today we are leaving Cairns and our plans have changed a bit. Instead of flying to Darwin we are doing a road trip together with Maria and David… Yes it’s going to be a long trip; 2700km… And outback! Hopefully we have a better luck than the backpackers in Wolf Creek :S I’ll let you know how it went as we arrive (hopefully) alive to Darwin after 4-5 days. Till then take care and remember that Aino loves you all very very mucho!





Picture above: Maria & David