As is often the case, we quit blogging when we have better things to do. I think thats really the problem with blogging generally, people only do it when they don't really have anything better to do... So, the silence indicates that we had a great time in Bali. When we are posting a lot, we are really just bored, and making things up to entertain ourselves.

Ok, back to Bali for a moment.... There are many many sides to Bali, traditional and modern, rural areas and densely populated areas, nice and not so nice, etc. We enjoyed milkshakes, sushi, monkeys, monks, dancers, foot massages, volcanoes, Temples, civet coffee, regular Balinese coffee, crispy duck, smelly anchorages, heaps of refuse, thrilling scooter adventures, beautiful rices terraces, and views of volcanoes. Actually, that about covers it, so maybe we don't need to make further posts... We'll maybe we'll come back and make a few, at least so we can mark our anchorages on the map.

We left Bali the day before yesterday--Monday morning. We motored around the south tip of Bali and then up through the narrow passage between the western tip of Bali and Java. (note, the current can be wicked off the western end of Bali, we saw over 7 kts against us at times, which meant we dropped to 0kts at times--all this when right in the heavy traffic channel between Bali and Java at about 9pm...) Then on northward to the east end of the island of Madura. We had planned on pressing on to Kumai in Kalimantan, but we've all been suffering from colds, and the first overnight wiped us out. So we stopped at the east end of Madura to get some rest. Its amazing how quickly you can get out of the modern world in Indonesia. We were swarmed by boats again, and must have had 150 come by us for a close look yesterday. Many people invited us to the village, all waving and asking where we were from (despite our large American flag). Most of the vessels were fishing boats, an d many offered us fish. One even threw a couple on board for us. We would have gone into the village had we been feeling better.

The picture is of one of the many beautiful traditional sail powered fishing vessels. I love how they often strap on a few motors on the side. The motors are small gasoline motors -- about the size of a large lawn-mower motor. If they need more power, they just use more motors. There is is a long tube with a shaft inside that goes to the propeller. Needless to say, when the wind is good, up go the sails--just like us.