Darwin to Bali

For the leg from Darwin to Singapore we have been joined by Frances and Bill Shaw, seen here enduring the rough and tumble of some Indonesian cruising, with Spirit of Affric rafted up with other rally boats in the background

We were welcomed to Kupang by the Mayor and other dignitaries who put on a buffet ‘feast’ with music and dancing. The Indonesian dancing is quite different to anything we have seen in the Pacific and involves flowing hand and arm movement. It is very attractive (and so are the dancers!)

We started our cruise through Indonesia among the poorest islands of the country, where the local inhabitants are surviving at subsistence level only. Here a family is travelling with their baby and all their possessions in a tiny canoe and from what we could understand they were moving from bay to bay where they would gather wild fruit and vegetables to live off

Whenever we stopped the local children would come out to the boat in their canoes and we distribute toys, pencils and notebooks we have brought for them. They have so little but are always happy and friendly, although at times their demands become very tiring.

Travel through the islands is mostly by boat and this is a typical ferry service. There are very few piers or jetties and the passengers have to get on and off the boat on the beach amongst the surf. The ferry puts down a stern anchor in order to pull itself off the beach once the passengers have disembarked.

Most of the locals seem to be engaged in fishing and this is usually at night. In the morning the canoes hoist their sails and make their way home. We have seen literally hundreds of these small boats returning in the dawn, looking like a hatch of colourful mayflies, and sailing through them is interesting as the lone occupant is often asleep!

We went ashore to the town of Bima on Sumbawa and hired the local taxi service to take us to the market where we intended to buy some meat. We found the market and the meat but the conditions and smells were such that we decided we would rather go hungry! The transport was fun and on the way back we took the slower option in a tiny cart pulled by a miniature horse

Then we arrived in Bali and everything is busy and noisy again. We made a tour of the island and visited one of the grandest of the thousands of Temples that the island has. First we had to be properly dressed with our bare legs covered.

Inside the worshipers first wash themselves at one of the water outlets, using the one that is reserved for their clan or family. Most go in fully clothed although there were other baths around and about where more thorough cleaning could be undertaken. The water was bubbling up from the ground and was all considered holy, with bottles for sale.

Inside there were several shrines and worshipers choose which one to use, but all are beautifully crafted in red and gold, with intricate carving and significant creatures, dragons and gods

We visited another temple in Ubud where the monkey god is worshipped and the gardens and surrounding area is full of them where they are considered sacred. Sadly with all the attention and feeding from tourists some of them are very unattractive!

Every inch of Bali is in use. Where the land is not built up it is used for agriculture, with beautifully terraced paddy fields for rice growing

Finally we visited the Volcano and unlike five years ago when Sue and I visited and saw nothing but thick cloud, we were treated to magnificent views and enjoyed the cool mountain air away from the oppressive heat of the coast

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