Sanur, I initially thought, was chosen because of its location close to Denpasar airport. Once again, I was so very wrong. Sanur was actually quite interesting, if you know where to look. And Widi certainly did!
I have no idea how long it takes to get from Candidasa to Salat, because as is the case with OAT trips, the drive was interrupted by interesting stops along the way.
Ever wonder how Indonesian Sea Salt is “manufactured”?
Wonder no more, because I’m going to share a photo describing the process:
How heavy are the baskets filled with sea salt, you ask? And how hard is it to do?
It is VERY hard and they are VERY heavy. Widi asked me to demonstrate, so I speak from experience.
For many group members, the following day’s Hindu Purification Ceremony was the most memorable and meaningful part of the trip.
After a short ceremony during which we thought about why we were there, we entered the pool, where we wet our hair, face and mouth three times (the brave—or foolhardy— DRANK the water) under each of the eleven spigots.
Although that experience completed the “official” part of the day, as usual, Widi offered options for our “free” time.
After we learned that the turtle sanctuary is located by the beach, we didn’t care that the turtles were kept in tanks. Walking along the beach to get there, feeling the cool ocean breezes was heavenly!
Four of us took Widi up on his offer to meet him the next morning at 5:45 AM to watch the sun rise over the Indian Ocean.
Our final day of the main trip was spent visiting the cliffside temple of Uluwatu. What made THIS particular temple interesting was the very scenic location,
and the aggressive monkeys, who are known to steal cellphones, sunglasses and hats from unwary tourists.
Widi hired three rangers to protect us from these cute criminals. I regret not being fast enough to get a photo of one of the Rangers using his slingshot to scare away a couple of monkeys that were ready to “interact” with our group.
Next stop:Komodo Island for 8 of us!
