More Padang Padang

Padang Padang

Heaven

We had a day at Padang Padang at Joanna's parents house that sits on a bluff over looking one of the most famous surf spots in the world called Impossibles. There are steps from the villa down to the most pristine white sand beach with living coral and perfect waves. There are monkeys hanging on the cliff walls and huge monitor lizards lounging in the hot sun. We had the most incredible day swimming in the ocean and Jo's pool that sits right on the bluff. They served us homemade pizza and lemonade. This by far is one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen.

Bukit

pool construction at the Celovsky homestead

We are really sick of these guys. They take a lot of smoke breaks and naps.

Ubud

Pool construction at the Celovsky homestead

Green School

So this school is unbelievable. I see why people choose private school now. Judy's classroom has 11 kids. Her head teacher Ibu Andrea is from Australia and her secondary teacher is Indonesian. They have learning specialist for each grade so each child has special help with any weakness they may have. They learn the basics; math, reading,writing. But also everyday they have a period for green studies, international studies, and global awareness. They also have spanish and Bahasa Indonesian class. Their art and drama class is unreal. Each child is taught how to grow their own organic food; they have a plot that they tend to ever day. They then cook with that food for lunch. This place teaches kids how to live and lead.

Our kids will be changed for life for sure.

Sh-poopies

Brooke and Judy are recovering from some kind of miserable illness here in asia. Nothing like being sick in the tropics- it is a special kind of misery. Fever sweats in a hot bed with bugs buzzing in our ears and rats running on the roof all day with burning rice fields outside. Hope we get our immune systems up and running for this place. So many possibilities for infection here.

update

Well, we are settling in here in Ubud. Everyday there a challenges, and I mean CHALLENGES, but we are slowing down a bit and learning to chill out. Nothing has to happen fast around here except the driving (for no particular reason). Every morning I wake up happy to be here and so do the kids. I have been jogging in the early am around the village and all the balinese folks think I am nuts. At first they all came out of their homesteads to laugh at me (lovingly of coarse). Now they see me a give me a thumbs up!! Even the street dogs have gotten used to me as they no longer chase me while barking. Exercise almost seems easier here; I am so distracted by not getting killed by mopeds and outrunning dogs that I hardly notice I am tired.

Pete and I cannot wait to get the kids in school next week so that we can have a more regular schedule. I can then start my position at the Bumi Sehat (medical clinic) and also contribute time to the Bali endemic bird breeding project.

More later- must get in the pool before I expire from heat stroke.

Another beautiful pool at Linda's place

Just a few more pics of Linda's place at the EBF to make you all jealous. She gives us full rights to her place since Pete works with her son (and she likes Pete). Thanks Linda.

Foot spa

The kids and I (and some French girl) in this photo are having our feet and legs cleaned by thousand of guppies. They eat your toe jam and everything. I am not sure what this accomplished but it sure felt funny.

Had my first visit with Pak Maday today who is Linda's Healer. I plan to meet with him once a week for massage/scrub/cranial sacral work. He charges 9 dollars for 1.5 hours of work. Oh my!!

Linda Garland's estate.

Sari Organik farm

Drinks after a hard day of body surfing

Changu

Well, we are slowly figuring things out around here. It is a huge learning curve. Everything feels very foreign. The roads and traffic here are INSANE! Never have I seen anything like it. I hope that I will calm don a bit in time because I think every ride is my last. We have a driver for the kids to get them to school which starts next week and home afterwards. His name is Wayan and he is from here so he knows what he is doing. Our house is unreal however, we are living in a massive construction zone while our pool is being built. We will have a killer party house when it is complete. You all can visit and do swan dives into the pool from the living room. Yesterday we spent the day in Changu at the beach. HUGE SURF!! Holy cow, I have never seen such big waves. There were tons of surfers and kite boarders in the massive waves catching really long rides. The kids love to play in the surf. Today we had lunch at the Sari Organik rice farm and had the best meals of our lives for about 12 dollars. Got to go and jump in Linda's pool.

Ubud- very cool

Judy chillin out on her own private patio listening to her ipod

New kid digs

Girls gone wild

Brooke, Elena, and Judy have made it to Bali. It was a VERY long trip but we are so happy to be here. This place is INSANE with activity and stimulation of the senses. We feel very excited and inspired by Bali. The girls have seen their new school and it is crazy cool. Truly unbelievable. The girls love the animals in Bali. Elena got chased by a crazy monkey and we found a turtle in our bathroom. Going to adopt some kittens to catch the rats and eat the big ass bugs that live in our house. The food is unreal!! These pics are of the Green School.

On our way

We did it! We got on that plane with barely a hitch. I had to take some deep breaths from time to time to keep it together but I managed to get us here to Hong Kong without a major melt down. I almost got stripped searched at 0430 am here for an epi pen seen on xray that I carry for a bee allergy. The kids thought we were going to Chinese jail. However, these kids love an adventure that is for sure. In 10 hours we shall see Pete for the first time in 4 months and give him a squeeze. We are going to race to see who can squeeze him 1st!!!