A final few closing photos from Bali. After about a week of staying in Lovina we then spent a night in Kuta. We did not do that much there, except for enjoying the food (Mexican for one lunch, Mediterranean for a dinner, and Thai for another lunch). We did go for a dip at Kuta beach too, but the wading through plastic that sort of groped at your legs as you headed out into the ocean was somewhat offputting. We had heard that the beach was clean - nggak! Nevertheless, good times, good friends, fun memories. Unfortunately, the whole crew pretty well came down with a cold - including Iris and Philip - and therefore felt pretty low for the last couple of days of our time there. You win some, you lose some, eh?!

More pics from Bali. Still retreating. Still hanging out.

Retreat(ing) in Bali

What follows are a bunch of shots of our time in Bali. We spent a week there on retreat hanging out with friends and getting up to mischief. There were some sightseeing, a lot of lazing around, and some stimulating conversations.

More birding in Bali Barat

Here's some more shots from our birding trip in Bali Barat. The little bird that was photographed through the lens of the spotting scope is a falconette. We took a boat ride to seek out the Bali Starling, the only surviving endemic bird species in Bali and were rewarded with amazing sights of this gorgeous bird!

Birding and Chillin' in Bali Barat

After Baluran we headed for Bali Barat National Park - quite obviously located in Bali. We linked up with Ranger Yudi who took us to some sweet spots. We saw some absolutely stunning birds through the spotting scope. It is truly awful trying to get up before dawn to catch dem early birds, but watching the sun rise is priceless. Again, you win some, you lose some. The wins on this morning though were well and truly worth the price.

Baluran sights

Here are some of the sights (minus the birds which are notoriously hard to photograph unless you got the 'right' (expensive) equipment) that we indulged in while in Baluran. It really was quite a stunning little park.

Birding in Baluran

Between the coastal mangroves, the mighty Gunung Baluran, some beautiful tropical forests and even some 'African' savannah we fit in some great birding. Top spots included a tree full of 7 peafowls, a hoard of hornbills, a beautiful little kingfisher and some sqawking ayam hutan (junglefowls). We also got munched alive by mosquitos: you win some, you lose some.

Arriving in Baluran National Park (Jawa Timur)

Iris and Philip took a night bus from Salatiga through to East Java; to Baluran National Park. We got there at about 4am in the morning and met our friend and fellow birder Matt. After a hasty breakfast we arranged for an few ojek (motorbike taxis) drivers to take us into the park. Here are some shots of our arrival. The park itself is remarkably beautiful - even, or perhaps especially, after a bad night's sleep on a bus.