Having not been in Bali, Crete for over 11 years since Nicky & I met there, i think we were both wondering what had changed, and what our old friends were up too, and if they would still remember us. Well on the whole i think almost everybody recognised Nicky, and nobody recognised me. Some even needed reminding what i'd looked like 11 years ago... But it was great to see everyone, my old boss & captain of the Bali Catamaran Lefteris & his wife Maria, were a little stunned i think, but he soon pulled out the stops to find us a place on the inner harbour wall, moving small fishing boats to make room for us, and making sure we had some electricity & water, all free of charge. Amazing! His brother Yannis & Georgia, who run the 'Starbar' were as helpful & inviting as we'd both remembered, always helpful to our small requests, and Yannis always happy to get me drunk on beer & raki. Nicky's old boss from the dive centre Angelo had heard we were back in town & came by the boat, and when he saw we weren't there left a bag with watermelon, honey & home made raki, and shells for Audrey & Bertie. Very sweet indeed! And also Jim & Els, were still there, and Uncle Vasilis made his annual pilgrimage..... so great to see them all.
After a day or two we knew we'd made the right move by coming to Bali, our old friends were happy see us, and we them, but more importantly Audrey & Bertie were happy to have time to be in one place and go to the same beach every day. We would start our days by watching the giant turtle who we named George, and had made Bali his home swim into the port, followed by breakfast & swims off the boat to the beach. Going for pedalo rides or chugging through the village on the small train which there now was. Some things had changed, and Bali had grown a little, but on the whole most things were pretty much the same as when we'd left.
A few days after we arrived our cruising family friends which we'd first met in Paxos, arrived one morning, totally to our surprise, Dominik, Natalia, Jonathan & Latizja on SY Manolito. What a lovely lovely surprise! Although their children are a little bit older than Audrey & Bertie, they loved to see Audrey & Bertie & visa versa, and were always happy to play with them both. For Nicky & I, i think seeing cruising children who were a little bit older was also very interesting. A totally dynamic to cruising, than with two small ones, like Audrey & Bertie are. For us too having new friends as company again was nice, as late night drinks in the cockpit with friends is one of cruising simple pleasures.
After a week of having been in Bali, Nicky & Audrey had return back to the UK for Audrey to be seen by the doctors at the Evalina children hospital, which gave Bertie and I some boy time to hit the beaches, go jet skiing, and generally get down and do some father son bonding. We did miss the girls a bit. Needless to say our diet was terrible, but we made up it in other ways. On the girls return we had talked about heading off at the end of the week to see a little more of amazing Crete, but with London having been so stressful we decided to stay the week, and do very little and relax & enjoy. With our friends also finding Bali so easy and conducive, the days rolled by in a care free manner. And so one week turned into two and before we knew it we'd been there a month.
To be honest we have very little to report about Crete itself, we watched avidly as the Greek tragedy unfolded, with the referendum coming & going. Which was interlaced on our part by fleeting runs to cash point to make sure we could still get cash out. But with Audrey & Bertie so happy to just play & be kids on a beach, time just slipped by. With my parents having now made a firm date to meet us in Rhodes in a few weeks time, we slowly started break camp once more & say our goodbyes, to meander our way east.
We love Bali & our friends new & old there, we miss you all.
After a day or two we knew we'd made the right move by coming to Bali, our old friends were happy see us, and we them, but more importantly Audrey & Bertie were happy to have time to be in one place and go to the same beach every day. We would start our days by watching the giant turtle who we named George, and had made Bali his home swim into the port, followed by breakfast & swims off the boat to the beach. Going for pedalo rides or chugging through the village on the small train which there now was. Some things had changed, and Bali had grown a little, but on the whole most things were pretty much the same as when we'd left.
A few days after we arrived our cruising family friends which we'd first met in Paxos, arrived one morning, totally to our surprise, Dominik, Natalia, Jonathan & Latizja on SY Manolito. What a lovely lovely surprise! Although their children are a little bit older than Audrey & Bertie, they loved to see Audrey & Bertie & visa versa, and were always happy to play with them both. For Nicky & I, i think seeing cruising children who were a little bit older was also very interesting. A totally dynamic to cruising, than with two small ones, like Audrey & Bertie are. For us too having new friends as company again was nice, as late night drinks in the cockpit with friends is one of cruising simple pleasures.
After a week of having been in Bali, Nicky & Audrey had return back to the UK for Audrey to be seen by the doctors at the Evalina children hospital, which gave Bertie and I some boy time to hit the beaches, go jet skiing, and generally get down and do some father son bonding. We did miss the girls a bit. Needless to say our diet was terrible, but we made up it in other ways. On the girls return we had talked about heading off at the end of the week to see a little more of amazing Crete, but with London having been so stressful we decided to stay the week, and do very little and relax & enjoy. With our friends also finding Bali so easy and conducive, the days rolled by in a care free manner. And so one week turned into two and before we knew it we'd been there a month.
To be honest we have very little to report about Crete itself, we watched avidly as the Greek tragedy unfolded, with the referendum coming & going. Which was interlaced on our part by fleeting runs to cash point to make sure we could still get cash out. But with Audrey & Bertie so happy to just play & be kids on a beach, time just slipped by. With my parents having now made a firm date to meet us in Rhodes in a few weeks time, we slowly started break camp once more & say our goodbyes, to meander our way east.
We love Bali & our friends new & old there, we miss you all.
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