Since our monkey sanctuary trip went so well, we decided to go on a snorkeling trip to Turtle Island, which houses a turtle farm of sorts... We got to ride there in a glass bottom boat, which was just a normal boat with a small Plexiglas window in the middle, but expectations should be in line with prices. The snorkeling in Bali was disgusting in comparison to Australia due to the thousands of kilograms of trash and debris floating through the water, at one point I saw a half eaten box of noodles floating about 5 meters deep in the water. I'm not sure on the physics of how that is possible, but clearly it's not natural. Rising water levels and flooding...Scientists usually reference global warming (climate change), but I'd have to think the displacement of water from all that rubbish plays a vital role as well. I'll fix it all someday ;).
After swimming in the soy infused waters, we headed to Turtle Island to scope the wildlife, but I was pretty disgusted to see how they were treated. Every creature looked more depressed than I was after realizing I can't download the Justin Bieber and Susan Boyle Christmas albums whilst on the road. There was a turtle with a broken shell, a snake that's confined to a container, and isolated monkeys, birds, and bats, licking rust off their cages. All these animals were awake during day, even though some are naturally nocturnal. In addition they're not all solitary creatures, so seeing them stuck alone in such dire circumstances is pretty abysmal. Whenever you think of bats or monkeys you think of them being in large groups, never alone like that, a cruel twist of fate. The heart breaks and the head shakes, but no actions the world takes. This was one of the rare travel days that I didn't enjoy.
After getting back to the hostel, I decided to go for a run shirtless in the rain, because that's how I attract the local women and get goods at a discount. When I got back there was a little drama with one of the guests, who was being kicked out. The hostel had an age limit of 35, but there was an American lady there who was closer to 50. She put up a hard luck story about her situation, claimed that the cleaning ladies or someone had removed some money from her room, and hadn't paid for her accommodation for a few days. After getting told to leave, she was crying her eyes out, so a few of us pitched in some money to help her out or forgave her of the debts she owed them, the compassion of backpackers, being quite universally extraordinary. That night we also hit up the dance clubs in Kuta, where I learned that Indonesian Red Bull can eradicate any notions or need of sleep I once had. I'm also convinced I need to attend Bastian's (Amsterdam) Dance Academy, kid has the dancing supremacy of Kevin Bacon and Patrick Swayze all in one.
In order to rebound from the Turtle Island experience, we decided to rent a car the next day and head to Kuta Beach and then head to a famous temple, Tanah Lot. We also discovered that the hostel owner had given the woman who was kicked out a generous amount of money to help her on her way, before she accepted our money, meaning she basically conned money out of us. Americans...This is why people have a negative connotation of us. Is it really that hard to be a good, responsible person? Ergo, I now tell everyone I'm from Canada City, Canada, and I say it with pride. I fucking love Canadians!
When we arrived in Kuta, a few of the people in our group wanted to go surfing, which was made easier by the fact that Adam is from California, so he obviously knew how to ride waves and could give free lessons, so Bastian, Emma, and Becca (England) rented some boards to try and catch the waves. While they were failing miserably at surfing, Peppe rocked some juggling, Leo went for a swim, and I snapped a few pictures.
After grabbing a quick lunch, which consisted of the worst fish and chips my taste buds and lower intestines have ever been subjected to, we made our way to Tanah Lot. Timing is of the essence when planning a trip to Tanah Lot, because the temple is only accessible during low tide, due to the fact that it's built upon rocks jutting forth from the ocean. I was basically in seventh heaven in this place as there were several small temples/shrines and coastline views that were unbelievable for photos. There was even a bride getting her wedding photos taken upon the beaches there.
Most of the group had to disband the following day, as most of the guys were headed to the Gili Islands. I was locked in for another night at the hostel, so I took a down day to catch up on laundry, buy some amazing neon green swim trunks, and finish cooking the remainder of my groceries, and inspire everyone else I met with my beautiful soul and devilish charm... Alright it's probably more likely I put them off with my clumsy antics and smelly farts, but this is my blog, so I can change history! The next morning I took off to meet up with the boys on Gili Trawagan (aka Gili T), the largest of the three Gili islands.
I arrived at 3 in the afternoon, met with the guys and explored the hostel, then took shrooms, because I couldn't turn down Peppe's sales pitch, "We won't eat dinner until 8, so maybe we do shrooms and walk around the island since we have four hours to kill"...Besides, I was feeling young and reckless! Thus, for the first time in my life, I tripped balls. Apparently the trick to doing shrooms (mush as the rest of the world calls them) is to consume them on an empty stomach, which worked out perfectly for me since I had skipped lunch. It's also essential that you are in a good mood when you do them, because they enhance your mood happy or sad and you definitely don't want a bad trip.
Leo, Peppe, and I took the shrooms, while Adam and Bastian stayed sober to guide us through the experience. I have to believe that going to an unknown island that is bursting with colors is the ideal way to experience shrooms for the first time, but I'm incredibly self absorbed so I'm always going to believe the way I do things is the best way ever. You have no idea what's coming around the bend and Gili T only has one street that circles the entire island, so it's basically like walking through a video game level of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.
As we wound our way around Gili T on an epic quest to walk around the island in it's entirety, we ended up settling for a group of huts instead, about 20 minutes in to the 2 hour walk. They were amazing, with a giant cabana at each end and smaller ones in the middle. Staring into the sky on my left everything appeared to be a soothingly calm blue, clouds drifting into a distant horizon, while to my right, the smaller Gili Islands sprouted up before Lombok, the giant rainforest, covered volcanic island. Above Lombok the sky appeared to be a fiery red, clouds swirling in an abhorrent rage above the mountains. it was the most spectacular display of colors I have ever seen in my life.
As fascinating as the sky was, the sand, the cabanas, and people's faces were just as entertaining. Everything vibrates, shimmers, shakes, dances, before you. Time also moves at a slow pace, your mind racing with millions of possibilities and you want to experience all of them at once. You wonder what everything is like on shrooms; How much more amazing it would be, with colors more vibrant than you ever knew possible. Talking to anyone sounds exciting, like it would be the most amazing conversation of your life, even if you haven't talked to that person in years. I was unbelievably joyful, excited, interested, and enthusiastic about everything.
At one point I was sitting in a cabana by myself, licking the cheese powder off my fingers from the can of Pringles I had eaten previously, only to discover that I wasn't licking cheese powder at all. Nay, I was scooping sand off my feet with my index finger and licking it off instead. I also had a can of coke that took me over an hour and 6000 sips to consume, leading me to believe it was a magical never ending can of cola. I also spent about 20 minutes taking off my bracelet, which held my locker key, and putting it back on.
As they were starting to wear off, we headed back to the hostel room and then out to grab dinner, but not before I spoke creepily in my Gollum voice! It's also weird to be walking around all fucked up and seeing children everywhere, makes you realize what a terrible influence you are. All in all, the mush lasted about four hours and coming down was a nice and easy transition. I have to say that I'm glad I took shrooms, because some things can't be understood unless you experience them and for less than $18, that is about as entertained as you can be for four hours. I spent a few more days in Gili before spontaneously heading on a 4 day boat ride to Flores, but that my friends is a story for another blog...
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| Glass bottom boat...not what I expected |
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| Nothing wakes you up quite like swimming in the ocean... |
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| That is one depressed turtle |
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| They throw dozens of baby turtles into bathtubs |
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| How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop...uh one, two, three (CRUNCH!) |
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| This bat is actually quite stunning, not scary like I imagine most bats |
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| This is how I sleep, naked and upside down |
In order to rebound from the Turtle Island experience, we decided to rent a car the next day and head to Kuta Beach and then head to a famous temple, Tanah Lot. We also discovered that the hostel owner had given the woman who was kicked out a generous amount of money to help her on her way, before she accepted our money, meaning she basically conned money out of us. Americans...This is why people have a negative connotation of us. Is it really that hard to be a good, responsible person? Ergo, I now tell everyone I'm from Canada City, Canada, and I say it with pride. I fucking love Canadians!
When we arrived in Kuta, a few of the people in our group wanted to go surfing, which was made easier by the fact that Adam is from California, so he obviously knew how to ride waves and could give free lessons, so Bastian, Emma, and Becca (England) rented some boards to try and catch the waves. While they were failing miserably at surfing, Peppe rocked some juggling, Leo went for a swim, and I snapped a few pictures.
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| Kuta Beach |
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| Surf's up bitches! |
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| Amazing coast line and black sand beaches |
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| The bride in white |
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| Batu Bolong Temple |
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| Tanah Lot Temple |
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| Sunburst |
I arrived at 3 in the afternoon, met with the guys and explored the hostel, then took shrooms, because I couldn't turn down Peppe's sales pitch, "We won't eat dinner until 8, so maybe we do shrooms and walk around the island since we have four hours to kill"...Besides, I was feeling young and reckless! Thus, for the first time in my life, I tripped balls. Apparently the trick to doing shrooms (mush as the rest of the world calls them) is to consume them on an empty stomach, which worked out perfectly for me since I had skipped lunch. It's also essential that you are in a good mood when you do them, because they enhance your mood happy or sad and you definitely don't want a bad trip.
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| View from Gili T, you can see the other Gili Islands and Lombok in the background |
Leo, Peppe, and I took the shrooms, while Adam and Bastian stayed sober to guide us through the experience. I have to believe that going to an unknown island that is bursting with colors is the ideal way to experience shrooms for the first time, but I'm incredibly self absorbed so I'm always going to believe the way I do things is the best way ever. You have no idea what's coming around the bend and Gili T only has one street that circles the entire island, so it's basically like walking through a video game level of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.
As we wound our way around Gili T on an epic quest to walk around the island in it's entirety, we ended up settling for a group of huts instead, about 20 minutes in to the 2 hour walk. They were amazing, with a giant cabana at each end and smaller ones in the middle. Staring into the sky on my left everything appeared to be a soothingly calm blue, clouds drifting into a distant horizon, while to my right, the smaller Gili Islands sprouted up before Lombok, the giant rainforest, covered volcanic island. Above Lombok the sky appeared to be a fiery red, clouds swirling in an abhorrent rage above the mountains. it was the most spectacular display of colors I have ever seen in my life.
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| Gili sky during sunset |
At one point I was sitting in a cabana by myself, licking the cheese powder off my fingers from the can of Pringles I had eaten previously, only to discover that I wasn't licking cheese powder at all. Nay, I was scooping sand off my feet with my index finger and licking it off instead. I also had a can of coke that took me over an hour and 6000 sips to consume, leading me to believe it was a magical never ending can of cola. I also spent about 20 minutes taking off my bracelet, which held my locker key, and putting it back on.
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| My shroom hut |
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| Such a magical place, I'll never forget it |
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| No docks needed, everyone anchors their boat in the water here |
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| I believe this underwater path was created by the Dharma Initiative |
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| GoPro Coast |
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| Time Lapsing |
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| Tanah Lot |
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| 2 bags of mush.... |
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| Me and the boys! |
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