Indonesia Wrap

Hi All,

  I meant to do this earlier, but wow, I've been so tired since we got home, like dude, I'm talking catatonic tired, like slapping my face to wake up tired. I'm sure it's just the time change thing, but wow it's knocking me on my ass. So we just did barrel tasting weekend last week, as always it was lots of fun and we had alot of people come by the winery for the usual fun and frivolity.
  We had an interesting trip home, we sort of broke it up into 4 parts. We went back to Manado and had some good food and a hot fresh water shower, we looked for some vodka, but apparently there is no vodka in town at this time. Speaking of that, because of the restrictions on liquids on your carry on  luggage going to the states, you cannot buy duty free liquor, totally lame.
  OK back to leaving, so we flew out of Manado the next afternoon, more weirdness or fun, whichever way you want to look at it. The bellman that drove us to the airport in Manado worked on a tuna boat for 2 years off the coast of Nova Scotia, the boat was owned by japanese people....so he spoke more japanese than me. We stayed at the Jakarta airport hotel that night, it was pretty nice. Ok so a little tangent here...pretty much everywhere we stayed included breakfast, and I've had this problem? or situation before in Asia. They have "american breakfast " and local breakfast....you know you want to experience all the local culture blah blah blah, but you know what? I'm not all that skippy with fried rice and sambal at 6 in the morning.And by the way , I mean we buy , you know organic , free range, blah blah eggs, but the eggs in Indonesia!!! DUDE!! OK for dinner ...nasi goreng with a soft yolk egg, OMG! heaven.
  Allright, so from Jakarta we flew to Hong Kong and stayed at the airport hotel there, this time cause the airline screwed up.....so they payed for most things, but Hong Kong being what it is still cost us a fair or unfair amount of money. From there we flew to San Francisco and then to home. Of course, the flight from Hong Kong was an hour early, when does that ever happen?  then we had 8 hrs in San Francisco and then of course our flight to Pasco was an hour late.
  All in all, we would go back to Indonesia in a heartbeat, the people are wonderful and friendly, the country is beautiful, and well.... it's cheap once you get there. AND the diving is GREAT!!!!!
  I'm not sure how much more we're going to write on this blog , but I did want to share short stories with you as I remenber things , you know how it is, something triggers your memory, about something you had forgotten. Like the woman harvesting rice in the rice paddie out the back of our hotel in Ubud, clothed head to toe, working her ass off in the midday sun, and then TADDUH...... pulling her pants down and peeing, love culture.
love you all

carrie and glen