WE ARE OKAY

We are so sorry everybody for worrying all of you and not contacting all of you sooner. We hadn't heard wind of this terrible disaster...or felt anything. We left Ubud yesterday and now back in Legian at our first hostel- The Island. We are leaving tonight for Australia...only 10 more hours until we fly out. So please do not worry! If anything changes we will keep in contact. We'll talk soon. We are thinking of the thousands of people here in Indonesia that are going through this terrible disaster.

Well, That was a BIGGIE! (in an British accent...)

Sept.24th -26th

So, where do we start? We are a couple days behind since we didn’t have a computer for awhile…we’ll try to catch everyone up and keep it short…but we all know that won’t happen, so grab some popcorn and enjoy…Starting off with Sept 24th- the day we were supposed to leave Gilles T. Thank the Wisnu God for knocking the prop off the boat we were to leave on… because illness struck…BAD! Taya came down with a 24 hr…trip to hell and back with a remarkable recovery that included Brittany and Briana quarantining her in a NON-air conditioned room with a NON-working fan and Taya’s paranoia of bed bugs got the best of her when she caught a bug scurrying across her arm…(IT WASN’T AN ANT BRIANA!!!) Anywho…it was terrible but glad it wasn’t contagious! On to the next day…caught our boat finally…BOY OH BOY! Did we ever! Again, thanks to the Wisnu god (aka god of water) but this time for rocking the shit of us…literally. Started off with a shuttle (an oversized wooden canoe) that ferried us to our “boat” since it couldn’t dock…which didn’t give us much confidence seeing that we smashed into our boat breaking chunks of wood. We then boarded our “boat” aka a blue Theodore Tug boat. Age-100 years, Feet-24, Seats-26, People-30, Exhaust levels Inside- Intoxicating, Functioning windows- 0, Entertaining British guys- PRICELESS! To take our minds off impending doom, here are a few quotes from our fellow Brits (keep in my mind the poise that a British accent holds): “Boy, that was a biggie!” after crashing through yet another 10 ft swell…no lies!, “I think I see Bali, only another 30 minutes…scream if you want to go faster” as we literally skipped across the Pacific ocean giving us all Whiplash, and lastly, after a wave knocked out their window drenching all of us, they looked up in fear at the 2 crew members rushing to their aid…“I thought you were driving the boat?” Needless to say we had a memorable trip to Padangbai where we caught transport to Ubud. Got to our hostel-Jati Home Stay, definitely our most “simple”…we then headed out for a nice, relaxing supper…ended up dining with a few large hamsters…we tell ourselves that for peace of mind! Following supper we took in a traditional Kecak fire dance at one of the nearby temples…very interesting and different from our culture…very enjoyable! So, bringing you all to today, Sept.26th. Busy, Busy, Busy. Started off at 830am with a driver that we hired for $40 to drive us around all day to 4 temples including the biggest Temple in Bali, a volcano, coffee plantation, rice fields/terraces, and a mountain top lunch. Basically, a jammed packed day of sights and learning of the Balinese culture. Too much to write about, but a few highlights…Briana christening some Italian tourists with Holy water as the sign instructed all to do, sampling of some of the best coffee we’ve ever tasted…but not brave enough to attempt the coffee made with the “Poo-Poo” of a local animal who eats the coffee beans, a hike through a jungle where we expected to see Tarzan and Jane, sorry folks, no luck…but we did hear a “squig” ( what Taya calls a squealing pig), that was being sacrified to the gods. You can only imagine the look of shear terror on Briana’s face…Taya and Brittany once again trying to play it down, “No, No Briana, it’s National Pig Day…it’s being honoured, we should celebrate!” and finally, the 80 yr old Balinese women that never break a sweat, carrying baskets full of dirt on their heads, climbing mountainous terrain in + 40 degree heat and humidity putting 3 Canadian girls to shame…that’s understatement…we drank 3L of water and perspired out 5! Tomorrow we have white water rafting on our plates, don’t worry Momma Dalziel…if we fall out, we can stand up…more just to see the landscapes. Until the next time..keep fit and have fun!!!!
- J&H McLeod
p.s. Briana wanted us to mention the extremely dusty, dirty, ratty, cobb-webbed lamp that lies next to our heads at night…sleep tight…pray the bed bugs don’t bite…FOR REAL!
p.p.s sorry this was so long…it’s hard to shorten when we can’t do it daily. Thanks for following us. Take care.
p.p.p.s- We are REALLY behind...now the 29th..In Lovina..will write tomorrow!

You for Scuba?

Hey y'all!!! Haha! Sorry we haven't written for the last couple days, we have been extremely busy becoming professional scuba divers...yup, that's right...not only are we pro surfers, but now after, studying, writing tests, pool time and 2 open water ocean dives...we are bonified scuba divers! Keep your eye out for the upcoming National Geographic...some of our newest discoveries and adventures under the sea will be featured...no big deal! lol. For real though, the last 2 days have all been about really hectic and jam packed. Day 1- we had amazing instructors that definately put us at ease in the pool...the wet suits on the other hand, not the most flattering..but with all the gear we thought we looked the part..but once we hit the pool...we realized it takes alot more than we thought to have the grace of Scuba Steve! Oddly enough not as comfortable as one would think...Briana's mask swallowed her face, Taya's grace was that of a bull in a china shop...all you could hear was the tank clanging on the walls, and Brittany's mask was so tight that we thought her eyeballs were going to be sucked right out of their sockets! Everything seemed to fall into place once we hit the open water, all the panic (by Taya), anxiety and excitement turned into the epitome of serenity and bliss. So hard to describe what it is like to be in a whole different world..all the bright coloured fish, coral, mooray eels, crabs and the peacefulness of the silence and the ability to be weightless ( graceful...for once!) was unreal! We enjoyed so much, we decided to get certified through PADI diving school..so more tests, pool time and our 2nd dive...which was even more beautiful than the first. Brittany, once again found herself on top of another turtle and tried to ride it again!! We had a photographer come down with us and capture ALL the amazing things we seemed to have missed! and all those candid shots of us...wetsuits, snorkels, goggles, tanks, flippers...the whole shibang! I saw the first sign of the Dalziel competition...where Briana pulled out a crazy sommersault and starfish...pissing Brit off...and soon after Brit was in the underwater version of Cirque du Soliel!!! Tonight is our last night...we have to say goodbye to Gilles, the Gilles Goat, our instructors and beautiful paradise...sob, sob! We head to Ubud for the next 4 days...we are hoping to get more minutes for Briana's cell and have better access/charging for our computer. Anyway, hope all is well in Canada...miss you all...talk soon.

LET'S GO RIDERS!!!!

Why hello our fellow followers!!! We are so glad you all seem to be enjoying this as we just love writing these...Brit and Taya have to because after 1 entry each in their journals, they aborted the mission and this will be printed off as a journal at the end!!! Slackers! Briana on the other hand, is nauseatingly faithful! So today is Sept.20, we are behind..so back to yesterday...apparently we are failing at this too! We came to the beach after a brilliant breakfast served to us on our porch...not bragging or anything...checked out the snorkelling...realized that it was going to be closed the next day due to Ramadan(sp.) holiday, so we ran to our room and 1 hr later we were on the boat to snorkel around the 3 Gilles Islands. Oddly enough, the 3 of us along with 3 other girls couldn't fit on the boat ( not because of our packs!!!) and we soon realized that their 'accent' was VERY similiar...so similar, it turns out that they are 3 nurses from Regina General! Quickly came, the Rider chant, slow clap and singing row, row, row your boat through massive swells on the ocean! haha..instantly friends and have been hanging out since. We stopped in 3 places for snorkelling...Taya quickly realized that her and Micky are alike in that we are built for land whereas those GD Dalziel girls have gills..bitches! P.S. Micky if you are reading this, your 1st snorkel episode in Mexico makes me feel a little bit better about myself! lol. Of course Taya had the floppy snorkel and the mask that wouldn't seal..making her little asian eyes burn like no other...and of course, a fit of rage to follow!!! Saw amazing sea life, with beautiful fish and Nemo's, Brittany tried to ride a turtle just like Serendipity...we were a foot away...chasing it like a fat kid chasing a smartie. Briana decided to break out in song after seeing Dori...just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! As you all heard, we experienced our first earthquake at about 6 am...funny actually. Brit and Taya laying in bed cursing at the Ala god to remove the 'blessid' roosters from our rooftop, pillow, closets, under our bed..actually only outside..gawd dang I thought Roosters only cock-a-doodle-dooed in the morning...once! Not the case! Anyway, back to the point here...Briana lost her mind when the room shook like someone put a quarter into it! Throwing herself straight up, eyes as big as the Gilles goat when he saw us approaching, screaming 'EARTHQUAAKKKKEEEE!' a little dramatic..Taya tried to play it down, thinking a truck hit the bldg, soon remembering that only goats lived here ...unsure what to do-quickly went downstairs to check damage...Brittany thought...REVENGE OF THE GILLES GOAT! It was all good...pretty sureal actually, glad that we could experience it together! Today, was overcast, found our fellow canucks and took a 2 hour stroll around the perimeter of the whole island. Not much else...scubadiving in the next couple days. We extended our stay here in heaven until the 24th where we then head to Ubud for 4 days. Talk soon...just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! Miss you all. Peace. xoxox

Long live the Gilles Goat!!!

Sorry, this is actually being posted Sat. Sept.19th...bad internet here...a little delayed...

Well, we are officially seeking employment and a Balinese visa….because we just found paradise like no other. Today is Fri, Sept 18 and we arrived at Gilles Trawuang this afternoon. Just to catch up, since we didn’t blog yesterday…yesterday was a very chill day. We walked down the beach to Kuta, did a bit of shopping but not much because it was far too busy and a bit pricey…$10 is out of or league for clothing as we have been spending about $40/day for all meals and lodgings. We then went back to our hostel to sit by the pool and get our free traditional Balinese massage! The massage was one of a kind…who knew that a 90 lb, sweet little lady could feel like 10 elephants on your back…in a good way?! This woman was unreal…the pressure was very unexpected. We were stretched, cracked, massaged…even punched 3 times on the bottom of our feet, not to forget the temple massage…so hard, our eyes felt like they were going to pop out! With all that being said, we all agree, she kicked the shit out of us in a good way! It was truly the most relaxing thing to experience…the tradition and the sounds of Balinese music from far away temples made it very surreal. From there, out to supper to a quaint restaurant all the locals go to…Wurang Asia….Amazing! Today, started off with a little bit of a shit show getting our bus to take us to the ferry to the Gilles Islands….about 2 hours later…we were on the boat. The boat ride out there was quite hilarious…Taya, unable to admit that she could have motion sickeness repeatedly said to Brittany…I don’t know what this feeling is, I have never felt this way before …then Taya was out cold( Brittany forced gravol down her throat!!), Briana, 50 minutes out from our destination…praying to the urinary gods for a milk jug or something because she had to go so bad she could taste it! Funny, the Balinese pee dance looks very similar to the Cdn version!, Brittany…damn it…she just sat there and watched Taya & Brianna ugly sleep, chuckling because she roufalined them!!!! Once again, she sat back and watched Taya & Briana ugly sleep, very reminiciscent of the Korea to Bali flight! THEN….PARADISE…it was all worth it. The bluest, turquoise waters, surrounded by mountains and white sand…breathtaking and reminded us of what we all came looking for. We were greeted by the goats that they call horses and the a buggy half the size of a smart car…of course…we had to partake!….so we loaded 150 lb of luggage, 3 of us, 2 drivers into this wagon. Needless to say, our goatès knees were buckling, tongue hanging out and possibley a bulged disc…good thing the cart was wooden, cause Gilles woulda been on fire! We definitely thought we would make Gilles history by having the first ever goat buggy rollover thanks to the Canadians and their light packing skills. The owners of our first hostel recommended their friends hostel to us- Martas- we lucked out a and have 2-story bungalow that has indescribable character. Every nook is filled with some kind of wood carving or intricate detail….that can only be appreciated in person. We had supper on the beach and had our first bitang (beer), lame- we are aware, but responsibility first!!!! The beer is good, reminds us of XXX beer in Mexico. After supper we strolled down the beach past shops, restaurants, and live bands…took it all in while enjoying a cappucinno before heading back to our place for the night. Tomorrow, we are planning on hitting the beach, look into snorkelling and scuba diving but not before we enquire about extending our stay here…Hope you enjoyed…stay tuned! Lots of love. xox

Where the jalong’s (streets) have no name!!!

Hey there again…just us…stopping in to say hello. Had another eventful and action packed day. Today, we hired a driver to take us around the southern part of Bali, where the nicest white sand beaches are. We started our day, whizzing through the crazy traffic, again on the wrong side of the road…gawd…it is ridic!!! We started in Seminyak and headed south through Legian to Kuta. From there we went to the Garuda Winsu Kencana (GWK) cultural park where there is a statue that stands 150 m tall with its wingspan 64 m across.This statue depicts Lord Winsu as the source of wisdom riding on the back of a mythical bird, Garuda. It’s absolutely amazing, the size of it is inexplainable…all hand carved copper that is so big, it has to be constructed in 7 pieces. Only 3 pieces are complete and has taken 70 years….pretty phenomenal.From there we travelled towards the monkey sanctuary and temple….conveniently for us….we came across a tucked away paradise perfect for surfing…white sand, crashing waves, beautiful turqoiuse ,blue water fully equipped with 2 tall, bronzed, rippling muscled surfing gods (built perfectly for Britt and Taya!)….no lies…we have pictures!!! We continued onto Uluwatu, where some of the best surfing happens in Bali. The size of the waves were insane…and seeing 60 or more surfers padlling out to catch the perfect wave was quite the sight….reminding us to pull our heads out of our asses…cause we ain’t that good!!! We travelled through Pecatu towards Nusa Dua where all the Aussie’s vacation in the posh resorts. The large amts of PDA (public displays of affection) reminds the single ladies of their status…not to mention any names or anything!! Cough,cough…Taya and Brittany…sigh! Ugh! The resorts and beaches were pristine and kicked the pants off Mexico and the DR…a must for everyone! Skipping a few things, cause my fingers are cramping…we then headed Jimbaran where we spoiled ourselves with a delicious, fresh seafood dinner on the beach, watching the sunset. Brit and Briana indulged in 2.4 lbs of lobster and Taya had king prawns the size of approximately 9.5 ladies shoe! (9.5 maybe a little big, but they were huge!) Breathtaking and memorable for sure. Then Headed back to hostel where you now find us, just chillaxing, taking it all in! Pretty big day, so tomorrow will be more relaxing with free massages and some shopping. All for now…talk soon…Love ya guys! P.s. Th hostel we are currently in is 'The Island" but we are going to Gilles Truong tomorrow 3-4 nights..This island is remote and doesn't even have cars on it...just horse and buggy...so not sure how the computer or Bri's phone will work...doubtful..but we will def...update if we can! Girls do rule Bev, bet Micky is shakin in his boots...xoxo Briana

Surf's Up!

Well ladies and gents...we Quiksilver officially signed us as their new surfers...we even have a certificate to prove it. Basically, we ripped it up! So, too start our day....we officially are on Balinese time and over the jet lag. Thank you hindu gods! We slept loads last night, so much we ached this morning. We woke up early, ate breakfast and took off to the beach by 0800...only a 5 minute walk down the good old 'gang' (alley) and we were there! Definately a shock from the beaches we are used to...garbage everywhere...a local said it ws from a storm the previous and came from some river...hope that's true because it was gross! We had a quick lunch on the beach where Brittany got shafted and got 6 ravioli and Briana, on the other hand, got a whole medium pizza to herself...with my stern voice and intervention, Brittany didn't go hungry Tammy! From there, we tanned for another hour before...............SURFING!! We paid $39 for 2.5 hr lesson from the Quiksilver boarding school with 2 amazing teachers....nope...these ones weren't keepers! They made surfing look too easy. Briana was the first one to catch a wave on her first try, Brit swore at the board and Taya ate alot of salt water and sand on their first attempt. Wasn't long after, Brit pretty much rocked the waves. Those Dalziels owned that ocean!!! Believe it not...I , Taya Mark, actually surfed. The first wave i caught...I danced....according to my instructors...in reality, fighting for my life while the girls cheered!!! No biggity! All in all, today was the best day and after all of us being able to stand on the board and ride the wave....we are all looking to make an investment purchase for surf boards. Yup, this is happening! Tomorrow, we are going on a day tour of the island to temples and to this beach to watch the sunset while we eat supper...hopefully spot some surfer's for dessert...jaykay, jaykay! So, talk soon....take care...thank you SO much for all the posts...love ya long time!!! P.s. Taya actually surfed ( this is Taya...i'm shocked!!! Haha)

First day out.....

So this morning we met one of the hostle workers, real nice girl from aus gave us lots of tips about what to do, where to go, who to avoid and where not to go. We started with the downpour, but soon after turned into paradise. The heat was scorching and humidity was unreal...we were dripping with sweat! Taya learned after about 2 hours that regardless of asian background that sunscreen was a must here! The employees here asked her this morning..."you half?" assuming that I wasn't albino like those DL's!!! haha! We toured around our hostel, checking out the rooftop where it is possible to see Bali in all directions. We may have also lounged by the pool and napped...but nobody's bragging or anything! Really neat culture, very quick paced and friendly. Hassling very similar to Mexico...but not as bad...most speak 2, if not 3 languages...so the barrier is pretty much non existent. We also learned that Bali is mainly composed of the Hindu culture, where Karma is very strongly believed in and flowers, statues and incense are everywhere. We ventured out downtown for a few hours...wasn't long until a quick reminder about the opposite traffic haha! The stores have beautiful things...can't wait to shop, money is different to get used to...as we are carrying multiples of 100,000 rupiah which is $10 cdn. The sidewalks...well...not really there! Trying to be but the 3 foot gaps are a strong reminder to keep our eyes open...on the GROUND, again...no eye contact! Despite all the apprehension, it is definately a misconception about the people and culture...it is very welcoming and friendly, very accomodating. Yes, it can still be overwhelming at times..so our guards are up....and the 3 of us are watching out for one another. It is 1900 here, our plan is to relax at te hostel tonight....try and sleep off the jet lag that is kicking our asses! Until tomorrow!....Love you all! thanks for the messages, we jump to the computer to see who's written...it helps not feeling home sick.

p.s. Briana bought a cell phone that we will be taking throughout our travels until Fiji...so we will be contacting ppl sooner than later... Good night for now!

Bali Adventures Day 1

Good Morning, it is the morning of the 14th at 730 am. We arrived late this am because of delays...everything went extremely smooth and we had an airport transfer waiting for us to take us to our hostel. So that was a huge relief. Our bags were untouched and in perfect condition :) We haven't got to explore much since we arrived at 430, but it appears to be beautiful. Our hostel is unreal with a rooftop garden, infinity pool, yoga studio and free massage!...all in all...great! Except for the torrential downpour that we are currently under...never seen rain like this. Our plan today is to get organized, sleep and eat our delicious FREE breakfast! :) Keep tuned...we have free wi-fi in this hostel for the next 3 days, (no phone...sorry!) but we will get you updated as much as possible.

From Taya- Hey ma & pa and the rest of the fam...especially you Mik...I'm doing well! Didn't sleep much on the first 2 flights but was pretty much unconscious for the last! haha! Momma, don't worry...things are good..I'm in good company!!! Haha...no need to worry like Africa. love you guys. Take Care. Love Taya p.s. Butterscotch I miss ya lots! :)

From Britt-Hey guys, so crazy wierd to be this far away from everyone! things are going really well, we didn't make eye contact or talk to anyone at the airport....I haven't really slept a whole lot so I am looking forward to a nap, especially because there isn't much to do with the rain. Taya and Briana were both completly dead to the world on our flight from Korea to Bali....both of them were sleeping before we even took off!!! Anywho, sorry we couldn't call, I know you were freaking out! We are fine. Lots of love, Brittany.


From Briana- hey everyone ..... so i actually got on the plane .... yeah i know i cant belive it eather ha ha i did sleep a bit as well so that was good having trouble thinking about much other than home and missing everyone mom dad linds and chels and expecially my micky thank god for your video tape i have watched it alot already and cant stop thinking about you just cant wait till i get a phone so i can call prob wont be till aus when i get one so mabey try call tommorow i hope i miss you all so so much. love you xoxoxo ...ps. da don da don ch ch da don da don ch ch..

Hey Everyone! We just wanted to check in on here since none of you would appreciate a 230 am phone call from any of us....We are currently sitting at Lente , coffee and bakery in the Inochen airport in South Korea. So, we left Regina at 0855 Sept.12 and arrived in Seoul at 1700 Sept.13...quite the time change, flight was great, mainly because the time was shortened by about 2 hours from 11 to 9!!! Needless to say, none of us have really slept in the last 24 hours...but are having a great time so far with many 'overtired' moments haha! Quite interesting coming into the airport here, as we stood in 2 lines waiting to hand in our H1N1 forms, we were then scanned behind the Left ear...thinking for fever, but more so cloning...obviously...canadians are a big D! haha. Anyway, talk soon...we are boarding in about 2 hours to Denpasar, Bali...that flight is another 7 hrs!!!! Take care and we are thinking of all of you...love your ladybirds! Looking forward to hearing from some people! (hint!hint!)
xoxo.