alilou's Adventures in Wonderland - all over the map.

skatesindreams

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Bali is amazing.
Wow!

Bless the people for their willingness to share their lives/culture.
Thanks, to you and Don, for recording your experiences; so that those of us who will likely never be able to go there, experience it through your eyes.
 

Alilou

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LOVE all the photos. Amazing.

But (((((kookaburra)))))

Couldn't believe there was a kookaburra in a cage! It's funny, we're quite used to seeing budgies and cockatoos caged, but somehow a kookaburra in a cage is just so wrong.

Bali is amazing.
Wow!

Bless the people for their willingness to share their lives/culture.
Thanks, to you and Don, for recording your experiences; so that those of us who will likely never be able to go there, experience it through your eyes.

I'm glad you're enjoying Bali! We are very much. It's a unique and wonderful place - much more adventures to come. Snorkling trips, elephant riding, and temple ceremonies all to come.

Alison the party crasher? ;)

Party crashers? Us? Mais non! WE were invited :D
 

Alilou

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I have a new blog post done :cheer:
This time it's about monsters, a temple ceremony, snorkelling, a cremation ceremony, riding an elephant and some other stuff I can't remember right now :)

Use the link in my sig line.

If that won't open for you use http://alisonarmstrong.blogspot.com

As always click on the pics to make them bigger.


So enjoying WTT - thank you ISU for live streaming!!!!! Kostner's and Suzuki's SP's, Dai's SP and LP, T&T's SP, Jeremy's SP :swoon: :swoon: :swoon:

I think there's more I should add to that list but I'm tired and my head hurts trying to remember. Also the internet crapped out for a few minutes so I missed D&W's FD and from what I've heard I'll probably be swooning over that too - off to watch it now. And Dai's LP again.
 

skatesindreams

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Wow!

What a "reward" at the end of that long overnight trek.
Thanks for allowing me to share another culture with you; and experience so much through your wonderful narrative and photos.
 

Alilou

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Hey thanks skates and Buzz. Bali really was a wonderful experience. I know people who were there 20 and 30 yrs ago when it was still largely "unspoilt", but what's good is that tourism has brought prosperity, and at the same time the Balinese have held fast to their culture and way of life and spirituality. The Balinese have more or less sacrificed the southern peninsula where all the best beaches are (and all the drunken Aussies) in order to keep the rest of the island for themselves where you can still find the real Bali. Further north Ubud (where we stayed) is a tourist mecca for sure, but at least the emphasis there is on culture and the arts and yoga (rather than the drunken beach culture) and, as I said has brought prosperity to the people.
 

Japanfan

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Interesting reading your blog here in Sedona Arizona, Alilou. Red canyon country, we did a short walk at twilight today after arriving and plan a good long hike for tomorrow. . .

I read about your climb to see the sunset after returning from a time at the hot tub and pool with an Asahi beer at hand. The moon is full, we got lucky.

The world is full of so many beautiful places and experiences, isn't it?
 

Alilou

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Sounds like you're having a seriously fabulous time Japanfan. Hot tubs and full moons - how wonderful. Just that little bit gave me the feel of your experience. And hiking in that part of the world. Sedona is on my wish list - has been for a long time. From what I've heard/seen in pictures definitely one of the world's beautiful places.
 

Alilou

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Finally have a new blog post done. Yay!

We're in Australia :biggrinbo - first in Canberra with family, then near Coffs Harbour with more family, and now near Mullumbimby staying with a friend. The weather has mostly been our friend, but since it's fall here now it's much colder than Bali :cold:

As usual, use the link in my sig line. If that won't open use http://alisonarmstrong.blogspot.com

Those of you with a slow internet connection will no doubt be pleased to hear I learned a lot about uploading photos while in Canberra and the photos in the blog are much smaller so should open a lot quicker now.
 

Japanfan

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Alilou, send me a PM when you're back in Van so we can arrange a skating/dinner evening.
 

Alilou

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Alilou, send me a PM when you're back in Van so we can arrange a skating/dinner evening.

Yes, as soon as I get back. We can have a big Vancouver Really-not-at-Worlds get together :cheer2:
I will even skate!

Thanks so much for sharing your family/hometown with us.
Those pictures of flora and fauna are spectacular!

Thanks again skatesindreams. I love that you always comment on the latest blog :cheer:
Even having grown up in Australia I still find the birds, animals, plants and landscape here amazing. It's still a thrill to see a platypus in the wild. It would be to see a koala too, especially since they're becoming quite rare. They have no natural predators, but loss of habitat is a problem. They're so specialized. There's over 300 varieties of eucalyptus trees in Australia, and the koala eats the leaves of only four of them :eek:

This is my last night in Oz. Tomorrow we fly from Sydney to Hong Kong, and the next day we fly to Vancouver. Home again to my other home town for the whole summer :)
 

Alilou

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Back in Vancouver and seriously jet-lagged after a 12 hour flight from Hong Kong. Lacking sleep but sure catching up on movies - My Week With Marilyn, Game Change, Bridesmaids, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and at least 2 more but can't remember. Too tired. Hope I sleep tonight. It's ccccccccold here :cold: but good to be "home" (where ever that is these days) :)
 

Alilou

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Finally the last blog post about our time in Australia is ready. It took so long because first I created a whole NEW BLOG :cheer2:

Was disenchanted with the old site. Am now at wordpress. Much better :)

Have hours and days of work ahead of me re-sizing all the photos on the earlier posts. Oh joy. But still really happy with the change.
 

skatesindreams

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I like the new format, also.
Thanks, yet again, for sharing people and places I never would have seen without you; and reminding me of the importance of every experience we have.

Relax, and enjoy your summer in Vancouver!
 

Japanfan

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I appreciated your thoughts on living and dying as I have similar ones myself, and often. How very strange that a man died on your flight home.
 

Alilou

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Thanks guys. Yes that flight home was indeed memorable. It has changed me, in a subtle way. I keep remembering to appreciate now. Life's so fleeting.

All in all a very good trip. And already planning the next one.

Japanfan see you on the 24 :cheer2: Are you going to actually skate too?
 

Japanfan

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Japanfan see you on the 24 :cheer2: Are you going to actually skate too?

You bet. I learned to skate at about 5 years old and even took figure skating for a bit (no sign of natural talent). I got myself a pair of skates a few years ago and wanted to start it up again, but forgot how to stop. Overedge will show me, so I should be good to go. :)
 

Alilou

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A new blog post is ready. This time it's some musings from Mr alilou about travel, trust, and ageing. And some photos from me of the people of Bali.

We are having a good time being back in Vancouver taking care of business, catching up with friends, and preparing for the next leg of our journey. It's all good.

See you Sunday Japanfan - with skates on :cheer2:
 

skatesindreams

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Good to hear that you are enjoying your time at "home" in Vancouver.

Thank you for the additional photos from Bali.
The one of the young man is spectacular.
 

Alilou

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Did you mean the one with the rose behind his head? Thank you. It was impossible for me to crop that rose, yet my sister (who's a professional photographer) finds it distracting. I love it as is.
Also the one of the two young men together. Also love the one of the 4 girls eating ice-cream and the one..........etc :)
 

Alilou

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Well I have finally gotten a new blog post done - about the stuff we need to take care of while we're here in Vancouver (hasn't it been said that both God, and the Devil, is in the details?), a little about our next trip, becoming nomads even more, and a day out at Granville Island (a little bit of "travelling" in Vancouver for those of you who don't live here).

Thanks to kwanfan1818, who recorded it all for me, I am slowly making my way through watching Worlds. So enjoying it. It's wonderful to be watching what I could only read about at the time.
 

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