Bali, Indonesia...the good, the bad and there's always a chicken

Bali, is a large...well, an island that you can't just walk across. It can take hours to get from point A to point B...and not with ease. From what I've always read and seen, Bali is the magical, mystical island of enchantment. Go to Bali, and your life is complete, there's simply nothing left to live for. What more could you want? By now, I had spent a short while in Indonesia, and Bali seemed like a welcome dream that was coming up on my horizon. It was time to move from the hot crowded insanity of Java, the dry desert reptilian danger of Komodo..and onto a nice tropical beach.

Bali, Indonesia

I'm looking out of my boat and I'm seeing a lush mountainous terrain where a volcanic mountain is barely visible through the mist that magically appears... regardless of the bright sun that glares down from the sky. I loved it, breathing in lung-fulls of fresh air and watching as the seagulls fly past the small boat. It was nice that we were low enough that I could reach out and touch the clean ocean water as we speed towards the dock.

Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia

There were a group of us exiting the tender boat and we all poured up onto the dock. As usual, the typical smattering of law enforcement was standing around on the dock and watching us as we began our walk up the pier, into town. Before I go on any further, I feel that it is necessary to mention that we weren't arriving to the typical Bali destination where thousands of Australian college students flock to on summer break each year. Nope... we were walking into the town at Padang Bai, miles away from Ubud and hours away other popular areas. Why? Well, that just happened to be the itinerary and I didn't have time to do any further exploring of Bali.

Padang Bai, Bali, Indonesia

My grand dreams of Balian paradise crashed into reality as we walked into the thriving mass of locals waiting for us at the entrance to the town. Unfortunately for us, we had to walk right through hundreds...yes, hundreds of local venders who decided that we were going to buy something from each one of them. I have to re-emphasize to new readers...I'm a nice guy, totally respect local customs, traditions and people when I travel...but the chaos of making your way through street vendors is never fun. It's so chaotic that I can never even pull the camera out and get a photo of it.

Bali, Indonesia

This time, I kept my hands on my pockets and held my backpack close to me. Why? Because there were stranger's hands moving all over my body and I was literally crammed into the middle of a crowd. I could barely move and what's even more fun is that sharp statues and fake plastic models of whatever nearby temple were being shoved into my face. The crowd was loud enough that no one could even hear you when you politely said "No thanks". A lady who was trying to give me a religious relic and was yelling at me about how it was "free" and would give me blessings...decided that scratching me from the top to the bottom of my arm was her best bet at getting my attention. AAAHHHHH!!! Okay, let's just say that for a fleeting moment...just a minuscule of time...I was ugly American, and got through the rest of the initial crowd rather quickly.

Bali, Indonesia

After dabbing blood off of my sweaty and stinging arm, I quickly walked off into the streets. The only thing that I could think of at the moment, was how sorry I felt for the locals who had to pressure-sell so much just to make a living. Going through that experience in these countries always brings up such a mixture of emotions to leave me dwelling on later.

Bali, Indonesia

The small town of Padang Bai, was...really small. There are a couple of little side streets which go off in either direction. One side moved off towards the hill and the other went into the few blocks of local businesses. As usual, it wasn't easy to walk down the street without having to watch for motorcycles flying by. Me and my travel partner walked up on the sidewalk and peered into the various shops as we passed by. Lots of glares and frowns. I smiled and nodded, but didn't have much luck with local hospitality.

Bali, Indonesia

There were a number of small temples that were built here and there. I found the carvings and structures to be quite fascinating. I was very respectful because a lot of people seemed to be meditating and burning  incense at these various places. I had a feeling that the town was very religious due to the many Muslim clothes that I saw on lots of locals.

Bali, Indonesia

I stopped at a group of older Muslim ladies who were selling home made soap on the sidewalk. I looked at them and smiled and wanted to learn more about the soap, but their reaction was to pack up and clear out immediately, all four of them.

Bali, Indonesia

After walking away and trying to see more of the small town, my travel buddy and I ran into some friends who were on our boat. He and his wife had had the same unfortunate experience with the locals being either overly aggressive or very unfriendly. I often wonder if it's just me and that I'm expecting too much out of people, so to hear that other people experienced the same thing made me feel a little better. 

Bali, Indonesia

It didn't take long to walk through the small town, so we decided to meander up a road that headed off into the hills. I was already sun burned from Komodo island, so I didn't want to find a beach to relax on. The humidity was pretty high, but manageable.

Bali, Indonesia Farm

We walked up the long hill, it was mainly just trees on both sides of the road. We finally came to a small farm entrance and saw a couple of cows hanging around. A young boy ran out and broke into a mischievous grin. He stood off to the side and was mesmerized at the strangers who were out at the road. His mother and sister were sitting off to the side.

Bali, Indonesia Moo Cow

The mom spoke up and offered to let us look at the cows up close for $5 U.S. Hmmmm...I grew up in Oklahoma...so although it was mighty tempting, I passed. The young boy was trying to ask us questions in English, but was almost too shy to be understood. His sister asked me to take his picture.. to apparently embarrass him...so here it is.

Bali, Indonesia, kid on the farm

As we walked on further, there was a man sitting on the side of the road with a small grill and some fish that he was cooking. It really seemed out of place, but I could see that there were some workmen around some hut type houses nearby and I figured that they were eating their lunches this way. The man smiled at us and then offered to sell us some fish on a stick. We saw some trash laying up against a concrete wall there at the place where the men were working. A completely horrified chicken ran behind it all and darted back and forth while we stood there. I had to photograph him sticking his little head out. No matter where I travel, there always seems to be a chicken in one of my photos.

Bali, Indonesia (Chicken in the clutter)

After walking up into the hills for a while, we decided that it was probably safer to go back to town. It became pretty jungle like at one point so we turned around and headed back down the hill. As we came back to the entrance of the small town, there was an interesting little side street which beckoned us in.

Bali, Indonesia

Maybe it was the wicker baskets full of chickens that were lined up against the wall. The alley was  somewhat of a narrow path with houses that pressed up against it on each side. The alley echoed with the sound of clucking. While walking up the little street, we saw a small store front that seemed to be carved out of someone's house. There were chips, sodas and more for sell. We were quite thirsty at this point and luckily a small family came from the back.

Bali, Indonesia

They were all smiles, and so friendly. It was strange seeing a little store like this up an alleyway that was practically devoid of life. We bought some drinks from the sweet mother and talked with the family for a while. They asked us all sorts of questions about where we were from, etc.. A policeman who was a friend of theirs came up on a motorcycle and joined the conversation. With all the laughter and talking, people started coming out of the homes and into the alley.

Bali, Indonesia

After we said goodbye to the family, we passed another family of seniors who wanted to talk with us. The wife was too shy, but the two older men were apparently fascinated with my camera and wanted their photo taken with it. I guess after seeing us talk with the other family, they trusted us.

Bali, Indonesia

We talked more, laughed more and took a few more photos. After some more goodbyes, we headed back down the alley and towards town.

Bali, Indonesia

When we finally reached the town again, we walked along and looked at some more of the small shops. I loved watching all the women carry baskets and things on their heads. I can't imagine how they manage it. My vegetables would end up all over the ground if I tried that. They must develope great posture from years of doing this.

Bali, Indonesia

After a few blocks, we ran across a school that was bustling with energy as young kids ran all over the school yard and street. They surrounded us and in a very friendly way, began to talk to us in English. The teachers were sitting on the benches and I looked over at them to make sure it was okay. The group of teachers smiled and nodded, so we spent some time talking to the kids. What a bunch of little actors...they all wanted their photo taken and crowded around in groups. In the states, we call this "Hamming" it up for the camera.

Bali, Indonesia

The teachers let us spend quite a while with the kids. I guess it helped them practice their English, and helped them to have a healthy interaction with people from other countries.

Bali, Indonesia

It was interesting how friendly and fun the kids were compared to many of the adults in the town. I was so happy that we were beginning to see some of the warmth and hospitality that we had heard about before arriving to Bali.

Bali, Indonesia

These boys were required to take out the trash as part of their chores. They made such a production of it and of course, made sure they posed for each dramatic step.

Bali, Indonesia

The kids played on the slide and stopped at the stop for their pose. Not one single kid asked for money during the whole time we were there. I was happy about that. They seemed to really enjoy the visiting. People often wonder why travelers take photos of children when they go to other countries. The answer is simple. When you travel to a foreign land, children are generally the only people who don't care where you're from, or who you are. They generally are too young to have or to understand prejudice, and they look at you with the same honest and kind fascination that we should all have for each other.

Bali, Indonesia

I spent a lot of time trying to keep up with various kids yelling "Me", "Me"...and wanting another photo taken. The teachers were always too shy and just giggled as they covered their own faces, so I didn't pester them.

Bali, Indonesia

There was a mother and his son or grandson who were sitting outside of one of the little stores by the school. I took a couple of photos of them (with permission). We walked over and ended up buying a lot of little snack packets of various things. I had no idea what most of them were, but the lady would point and say "Spicy" or "Sweet" or "Salty"... we took like...thirty packet of them. They were quite cheap, but I have to say it was a lot of fun eating through them over the next week. Some of them were snacks made out of Tapioca. I am used to only having that as a pudding, not a snack cracker.

Bali, Indonesia

We spent some more time in the town and ended up buying some gifts from various vendors. It's possible to get a good deal on silks and things if you bargain. Beware though, they will ask for lots more than it's worth, so you do have to bargain.

Bali, Indonesia

Padang Bai has a few nice hotels and restaurants. It's possible to spend a lot of money there. I wouldn't suggest going to Padang Bai as a single destination, but Bali, in general is beautiful. There is a lot of poverty in Indonesia, so remember that Bali is not all resorts and Hard Rock Cafes. Those fancy places are an unrealistic image of the way many of the people have to live and survive there. Bali can be dangerous due to scams and the occasional religious conflict. I've spoken to people who had problems there. Overall, we were okay, but things can happen, so always be careful and wise when you travel.

Bali, Indonesia

To be fair, thousands of people go to Bali every year and love it. I didn't explore other parts of the island like the popular destination areas, so I can only talk about what I experienced in Padang Bai. Indonesia has an incredibly rich culture of music, food and art. It's islands vary greatly from one to the next in scenery and sometimes climate.

Bali, Indonesia

Due to the large amount of poverty, the overcrowded conditions and internal conflicts, it can often be an uncomfortable experience if you wander off the beaten path. If you ever visit Indonesia, I would recommend a tour. It's better to be guided by someone who knows the islands and highlights. Many of the Indonesian people were kind and wonderful. I have also befriended a number of them from various travel ventures and have gotten to know much about their lives and beliefs.

Bali, Indonesia

There are some more simple photos of Padang Bai in my Flickr album, which you can access HERE.

National Geographic and the Flying Fish of Timor Sea

Every so often I capture a shot or two that I really enjoy sharing. I am jumping ahead here with my post, but I wanted to coincide with the April 2010 publication of National Geographic Magazine. Although I didn't get a full page or anything close to it (My Shot section), I am happy to say that the photo below this paragraph was chosen for publication in April's special "Water" issue of National Geographic.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea. Published in National Geographic Magazine

After I left Indonesia, I was sailing down towards Australia through the Timor sea. The sea there was the calmest I had ever seen in my life. The sun was shining and would create interesting light effects on the water, as well as the shiny surface of the fish. You can see the purple color throughout the water pattern of the fish in the photo below.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

The water, for the most part, was like looking into a mirror. This reflection would cause the sky and horizon to be one at times.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

Of course, sailing through the water would cause a bit of rippling and end up in my shots, but this added an interesting texture to the photos.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

These Flying Fish were incredible. I had never seen them in real life and it had taken me a few minutes to figure out what they were. The sound of their wings, especially when there were groups of them, was just amazing. What surprised me was how far they could actually fly before returning to the surface. I especially thought it was interesting how often the very tip of their tail was used for guiding as they skimmed across the water. The tail would leave a zig-zag pattern in the water that was mesmerizing. You should have an idea as to how fast they were actually moving by the frozen-in-time water pattern that was left behind in some of the shots. Droplets of water were still suspended in the air.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

The funny thing is that I was trying to capture photos of Dolphins...who happen to be hiding out that day. So, instead, I thought that it might be fun to photograph the unusual fish.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

These fish move extremely fast. It was ridiculous how fast. I spent quite a while leaning over the boat and waiting for each moment that a few of these beauties would fly out away from our wake. It wasn't until I looked at my photos later and up close that I noticed the various species. Often the color or pattern on the wings would vary.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

Due to the high speed and needed camera settings, a few of them came out a little grainy, but that's to be expected. The color of light and water would vary, depending on what side of the boat I was on. One side had direct sunlight and the other side had a shadow. I often ran back and forth since they would seem to change sides on occasion.

Flying Fish in the Timor Sea

NOTE: I get lots of email requests for prints of the Flying Fish photos. The prints are available for purchase by clicking on the following link. There are many options for prints (starting at about $12) or Framed and matted prints (with a choice of frames, mats, etc..) and even Canvas or Gallery wraps. There are also other good selling prints from my collection at the same storefront. The link is HERE.

Thanks! Luther Bailey

Komodo Island and the lizard ick

My trip through Asia was mainly a combination of burn, sizzle, suffocate, drip... drench...drip, cough and the occasional mosquito bite. I can handle weather, and I can handle harsh climates, however, that theory was about to be tested when I ventured to the unusual island of Komodo. But first, let me give you some perspective in a nutshell about Komodo. Years ago, someone said.."Wow, there's like some really big lizards living on that island over there", and then someone else said, "Cool!, let's go look at them!". Our adventurous friends venture over to said island and spot large lizards. "Awesome, there's so many of them". said the first guy "Yeah, I think I'm going to touch one." Said the second guy.

Komodo Island, Indonesia

After burying the first guy, another group of guys said, "This place could use some homes, so let's live here". "But it's dangerous and these big lizards are everywhere, they could eat our children." said a few more guys. "Okay, let's just put our homes on stilts, what could go wrong?". After some rather shady and sketchy history of "Possible" deaths on the island, another guy said, "Dude, let's just charge money and bring tourist onto the island to see the big lizards." he grinned. "That can't be safe, couldn't they get hurt?" someone said in response. "Not if we charge enough and call it a 'destination'...", "Besides, we can just carry these long tree branches and it will make it look like we're protecting the tourists."

Komodo Island, Indonesia

Okay, here I go stepping onto a Tender and making my way towards shore. I am looking all around and Komodo looks absolutely nothing like Indonesia. In fact, as we approach, it looks like Palm Springs, California, with a splash of extra trees and all of it is sitting on various hillsides. I am furiously scanning the island as we get closer for any sign of the infamous lizard..er...Komodo Dragon. I recall reading the brochure and wondering if the trip to the island was a good idea. Here are the rules: 1. Women, if you're menstruating, you can't come onto the island, you will be hunted and eaten. (not making that up). 2.  If you cut or scrape yourself, you must flee, or you will be hunted and eaten. 3. Don't flee from the Dragons, you will be chased and eaten. 4. Stay with the Ranger at all times, he carries a long twig which might or might not be effective (we'll never tell you). 5. Don't run from the Dragon if he starts to chase you, trust in the stick. 6. Don't wander off on your own, we're not responsible for any extra meals that the Dragons may encounter.

Komodo Island 

Okay, so those are the basic rules. Sounds fun already? You can't...for any reason, go to the island unless you have a reservation with a Ranger. It's not like Komodo is the kind of place you would just show up to, but most people get there by boat, and if you're one of the people who thought you'd just "wing-it", without a guide or tour, then you're out of luck. After all, the Rangers only have so many sticks.

Komodo Island Ranger Guides 

Once I made it to shore, I walked over to the small holding area where the Rangers were waiting for us...my eyes darting around on the ground. Then I noticed something immediately...it's hot...where did the breeze go? After a few moments, an English girl with orange hair and a nose ring decided to gather us together and be our tour "Briefer". So, rules 1-6 were repeated with the ever so slightly condescending, but giggly "I'd rather be anywhere but here" tone and she then shuffled us off to our various Ranger guides. Was Komodo island sooo frightening that the only English speaking greeter outside of a Walmart that was available... happened to be "Britney"...a punk rocker from the bad side of London? Okay, so she was nice and did her job well, but could anything have been more out of place??

Komodo Island, Indonesia

Off we go, and I run to the front of the line. There's a line because it's a small trail which winds off into the woods. Gee...it was so breezy on the boat, maybe the wind will pick up here in a moment. These trails are obviously man made, I guess they'd have to be. You wouldn't want various tourists wandering off into the woods, that would just add more rules. I'm behind our Ranger, he's kind of a small guy and I can tell he was very confident with his twig/stick/weapon that had some sort of strange Indonesian name that I'm sure translated to "Whackamadoodle" in English.

Komodo Island Ranger Guide

We were all quiet and looking everywhere. I swear I heard a Crow and kept thinking I was walking into a nightmarish version of an Edgar Alan Poe poem.....except with lizards. So, here I am with my camera..nothing but woods and more woods so far. I was anxious and trying not to trip up by the people behind me who kept scooting forward as if there was safety in numbers. I admit, I was a bit nervous, but it's not like we signed up for Jurassic Park or anything. Besides, there was an annoying little brat who was making a lot of noise as "Mummy" kept handing her chocolaty treats to satisfy her "I'm bored already"  whining. I figured one good push in a general lizard direction would buy the rest of us enough time to escape if necessary. So I let her remain to my right.

Komodo Island Cotton Tree

I couldn't figure out why there was so much water pouring down my body. Oh yeah, it was HOT. This is another warning people. Komodo island is really, really HOT. When you trot off into the woods to have your little lizard sighting...there's no breeze. None. This means that essentially, you're standing in the middle of an oven and there is no relief. The good news is that there's only an hour of walking through the woods left.

Komodo Island Trees

It was thoroughly emphasized to us by our Ranger guide that a "Sighting" was not guaranteed. Are we "Snipe" hunting now?? After all, it was wrong of me to assume that traveling all the way to Komodo island and paying money to see a Komodo Dragon...would actually yield...a Komodo Dragon. By now, I'm just hot, sweating and really curious. Alas! What's that our Ranger sees?? Just beyond our steps seems to be a sighting of KD's!! We all bristled with tension as our Ranger put his finger to his lips, indicating that we stand silently (slightly learning forward...except for Ethel in the back who was ready to run). After some hand signals to the Ranger who was further around the trail, our guide led us forward.

More Komodo Island woods...yeah, I know it's repetitive

THERE!! I see them now!! (I thought that quietly of course with camera poised in hand). Here's the part I don't quite understand. I began walking towards to the Dragons....yep, right up to them. There were say...four of them lying silently on the ground...and not moving. Well, I like to say that they were silently preparing their attack.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island

I figured that if I was going to get eaten alive, that I should at least leave behind a "Discovery Channel Worthy" closeup of Komodo Dragon snout. We were motioned to began quietly circling around the KDs and stare silently. So, out comes Bob and Gwen's video camera, Rick's snazzy Nikon D and a host of other point and shoot devices (just more roughage for the lizards).

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island, Indonesia

Bravely, I squatted down a bit and took a number of photos. There seemed to be a man made watering hole that was dug just for this spot. Now, I really didn't notice this until I got back and checked my photos, but it was really clear that each KD had already eaten. You see, I worked in a hospital for years and I've seen some pretty graphic stuff, but having a high resolution close up of lizard slimly drool, mixed with blood and god knows what...is just absolutely, 100% disgusting. Blaaahhhh!!! So, I thought I'd post the photos for your pleasure.

Wild Komodo Dragon (Blood Drool..et all) on Komodo Island

This is where my mind started wondering if all of this was more than just coincidence. I started thinking back about how we were walking down the trail and a bird call would echo through the woods and then the Ranger would start his speech about the "such and such" bird. Then a baby KD would scuttle across the path with breakneck speed. Was someone, somewhere pushing a button and releasing these incidences one by one? Maybe I'm just a skeptic, but at one point a large Boar ran across our trail and stood off the side just long enough for us to star and get a lecture. I'm just saying. A side note for those who are squeamish: The baby KD's, when born, immediately run from their mother and high-tail it up a tree to keep from being eaten by their mother. There is no nurture process. Since they are in the trees, many of them actually fall down on occasion...right where you're walking...I'm just letting you know.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island (They're way more snuggly than they look)

Anyway, so maybe four perfectly full and content man eating lizards just happen to be laying in this perfect clearing...supplied with all you can drink watering hole. None the less, I loved seeing these amazing creatures in real life, in their real environment. As we walked further down the trail, another group had landed at the same lizard viewing area and I watched from a distance. We had momentarily stopped for questions with another guide who happened along from out of the blue.

Wild Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island

As he chatted on, I watched as a lady with an umbrella decided that she was going to open it to protect herself from the sun coming down through the trees. However, who would have thought that the clicking sound of an umbrella opening up would cause a Komodo to jump up suddenly and charge her? Perfect Youtube moment, and me without my camera going. Well, don't worry, the Rangers jumped into action and held the lizard at bay. It turns out those Whackamadoodles really do work!!

Wild Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island

By the way, did you notice how dry the Ranger's Skin and hair are? Not a drop of sweat. If you would have seen how drenched and homely the rest of us were, you would have been surprised. I guess the locals get used to the weather. Just to let you know that I'm not exaggerating about the heat and lack of breeze, one of our group members had a heat stroke on the path and had to be taken to medical care.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

As we continued on our path, it was interesting to look around at the landscaped of hills and trees that you could see through the clearings.

Wild Orchids growing in a tree on Komodo Island

Our guide pointed out some wild Orchids that were growing on one of the trees. They were bunched up with some branches and twigs, so it was difficult to get a good shot of them. The species seems different than what I've normally seen.

Ranger leading us through the woods on Komodo Island

After we passed over a small bridge, we saw a large Buck sitting on the side and watching us. He was literally feet away. I'm not sure if you realize, but this is highly unusual behavior for a deer of any kind. I took a number of photos of him.

Wild Deer on Komodo Island

When we finally eded our walk through the woods, we came back out to the beach area and some booths that were set up. Some girls gave us a Komodo Dragon toy that was made out of Coconut shells....and a much needed bottle of water.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

There is a small cafe on the grounds, as well as a T-Shirt shop and an outdoor crafts setup. Yes, most things were very overpriced. Even a T-Shirt was $25 and up...pretty high for Indonesia. Granted, they do state that all the proceeds go to the families on the island. There is a small community that lives there and they make their living from the tourist industry. So, by all means, buy something to help them out.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

The small community of houses is actually on the other side of the hill, so you can't really get to it. However, you can see from this photo how many of the homes and buildings are up on the stilts to protect them from the Komodo Dragons.

Komodo Island Homes on Stilts

I did notice a bunch of children were living there. Can you imagine how nervous a parent would be having their kid running around this place? Komodo Island is pretty big, with a lot of remote areas and a lot of Dragons.

Komodo Island Local Children

In case you don't know, a Komodo Dragon can kill someone, but it really doesn't happen as often as you would think. In fact, it's quite rare due to the precautions that are taken. KDs have a large amount of bacteria and other goodies (such as Venom) in their saliva, which will kill animals and humans over time, if left untreated. A bite would inevitably cause lowered blood pressures, stop blood from coagulating and even cause paralysis. There is far mar detailed information on the internet about the history and habits of these creatures.

Typical House on Komodo Island (Stilts for protection from the Komodo Dragons)

Overall, I loved my visit to Komodo. The beach was nice, but the Komodos even wander out on the beach, so you have to be careful. As I explained ad nauseum, it is very hot there and it's vital to take bottled water with you on your hike.

Komodo Island local having a bite to eat (and keeping her feet from dangling over the edge)

The park offers several hikes through parts of the island that range from an hour long walk to one that is quite a few miles. Believe me, don't take the long hikes unless the weather is good and you are really up to it. We took the shortest one and we felt just about dead afterwards.

Komodo Island in Indonesia

The amazing thing is that Komodo island (and an adjacent small island) are the only places in the world where you can see Komodo Dragons in the wild. There are a few in zoos around the world, but that's it. Their size is quite impressive, as well as their presence. You can tell that they are very confident lizards. There are some more shots of Komodo island in my Flickr Site, which you can access HERE. However, keep in mind that most of them are simply shots of brown hills and trees, not much to photograph there. Also, if you want to read a bit more about Komodo Dragons, this site HERE has a good amount on information.

Komodo Island Boat