Sitting at breakfast looking out to the ocean.  It’s not hot – it’s overcast and there’s a nice breeze.  At some point I change my focal point and notice the there are a bunch (100 or more) dragonflies buzzing around a few feet above the black sand.  It looks like a miniature helicopter fly-in.  Fascinating.

So, I remember thinking the other day that I hope I don’t have to drive the POS in the rain.   After breakfast, I packed up and checked out of the wonderful little hotel in Amed and started the journey to the next place.  The plan for today was two waterfalls and an overlook into the crater of an old volcano which is now a lake.  On the way to my next location in the mountains.

First waterfall at Les was easy to find.  The last bit of road had me questioning if I was lost, but I wasn’t.  A guy helped me park and then said I could pay 20,000 to go see the waterfall or 70,000 and he’d go as a guide.  70,000 is around $6 so I took the guide option.  He told me all about all the plants growing that we passed as well as other tidbits of Bali information.  The waterfall was beautiful.  I wish I had brought my bathing suit, but waded in the stream until the mist cooled me off.

Then I started heading up into the mountains and got google maps back on line for the next waterfall.  Google maps lied.  It lies a lot.  It was starting to rain and the road was quite steep and narrow so I decided to not try to turn around and go back for the waterfall.  But 15 minutes past where google maps would have me go there was a sign for the Gitgit waterfall so I didn’t miss it after all.  The entrance fee for this one was way more and I almost turned around.  But, I put on my rain jacket and went anyway.  It was rushing brown water and extremely loud.  It was eerie and dark in the canyon.  I put some of Scott’s ashes in the waterfall.

Now it’s raining harder and google maps decided not to map the next location.  Google maps will still show me where I am, just not where I’m going.  So, that should still work, but it’s annoying.  The road got narrower and steeper and the rain got harder.  I had to drive with the windows open most of the ride to keep the window from fogging.  At least the windshield wipers worked.  I turned on the lights, but have no idea if they were working or not.  In a lot of places it wasn’t wide enough for 2 cars and the oncoming cars would be over the centerline.  Sometimes the road was crumbling away on one side or the other.  Then the POS started singing a horrible screeching song in 1^st or 2^nd gear, but I refuse to go fast enough downhill to use 3^rd.  Every other switchback is some horror or another.  I must have the world record for the most times anyone has said “Holy Fucking Shit” in a two hour period.  In Colorado there is a road between Idaho Springs and Central City called the “Oh My God Road”.  The road from Gitgit to Munduk must be named the “Holy Fucking Shit Road”.  I got to the overlook of the first lake.  There should also be a hot springs nearby, but there is no way I am looking for a hot springs right now.  My fingers are freezing because it’s cool at this altitude and I have had the AC blowing full blast and the windows open to try to keep the windshield from fogging.  A hot springs actually sounds great.  It’s raining so hard, there is no crater lake view to be had.

I finally drive down some side street forever into the middle of nowhere and find the villas I am staying at.  Everything in the area looks run down and deserted.  I hope the villas exist.  It’s far enough away from the village that I won’t be walking into the village later.  I find the place and someone comes out with an umbrella and helps me with my suitcase.  I walk into the reception / open air restaurant area and see that there are a bunch of buildings surrounding terraced rice fields.  What?  My villa is in the middle of a rice field.  It’s beautiful.  They bring me coffee and a snack.  Then they tell me the garden (rice fields) room I booked won’t be available tonight, but they will move me there tomorrow.  The room they give me for tonight overlooks a small waterfall.

The wifi sucks.  The dinner was fabulous.  I signed up for a tour and a class tomorrow.  Right after the sun set the rice fields and area around came alive with sounds I’ve never heard before.  Probably frogs and snakes and bugs.  It’s creepy and wonderful all at the same time.  I came back to my cute little room above the rushing waterfall.  The water is so loud, but I can still hear some of the chattering sounds outside.  My door is slatted so I get to live with the bugs.  I put bug spray on after my shower just to be safe.  Then I heard the very loud unmistakable sound of a tokay.   It sounds like he’s in my room.  My room is slightly less wonderful now.  I guess it’s training for going back to Sam Ngao.  After moving most of the furniture to check behind it and use it to stand on to see up high, I have determined that the tokay is not in the room.  He must be outside by the window or on the thatched roof.  I’m not going outside to confirm that.  I’m just going with that story.

The wifi sucks here so not all my pictures uploaded.  I’ll try in a few days.

(c) All rights reserved Kimberly Fiore