Taste of home in a package

There have been times where Dustin and I really do miss the food back home. As I have stated before, going grocery shopping here is really expensive. When we cook at our apartment we usually cook something that we would normally cook at home, or as close as we can get to it. Just for one dinner and a possibility of one day leftovers it costs well over 50 dollars.

My friend Sophie has told me about a mall around here that does have American things. I am going to take a look but I am just not sure I want to pay twice the amount I normally would just to have the taste of home. We found Craft Mac and Cheese and it's three times more here than it is in home. We shall see when I go there later.

We have been so blessed with packages from our family and friends in the states. I never thought I would miss something as easy as mac and cheese but I do. Things like sausage, bacon and black beans. They do have Johnsonville sausages here but they are almost 10 USD and I find that outrageous, a pack of bacon is 15 USD . Just too much for me to pay, I thought I was sucking it up when I started buying things like cheese here.

Our friend Jinsoo is visiting us (he lives in Rhode Island) and he has given us a taste of home, not just in package form but just a familiar face is warming. After I got back from RDA he said that he had a package for us. We opened it up and there was a load of things from him and our friends. Instant mac and cheese (microwave), marshmallow fluff, cheese wiz, pork rhines, candy corn, jolly ranchers and then we got a new bottle of whiskey that is just now out in the us. I was amazed at all the stuff he brought over with him.

We just got an email from our neighbor about how she wanted to send us some things from home. Her daughter is a girl scout and I have been buying cookies from her since we have lived there. Now I know that is one cookie I can't get here and our neighbor told us she set aside some boxes for us and wanted to send us things. No cans but any dry goods we could think of. She too has lived over seas and knows what it is like to be so far away from everyone at home and away from the comforts that we are so use to. Such a sweet woman whom I do miss a lot.

What I am trying to say is that I am thankful for everyone who has sent us things, there are too many of you to name by name but you know who you are. You have given us comforts to us while we are here for the next 8 months. We did make it though the first couple of months and we are fine with out it but I guess it's all in our minds that if we just get a taste of home we are comforted but we can also miss home a lot more.

I know that packages cost a lot to ship over, this is why I am so surprised that so many have gotten us things that we miss. This is not bashing anyone who has not sent us anything and this is not asking for anything. I am just saying I am surprised because we were not expecting it but yet we have gotten some things from home and we are very thankful.

This trip has made Dustin and I more appreciative of the things we have at home in the US and how cheap things really are compared to other countries. We are thankful for the experience here in Singapore but once we go home, we will not miss how much it costs to have simple things like mac and cheese and beer.

Bali Trip

Bali, a place I thought I would never ever get to see other than pictures. Once we got word of us moving here we definitely wanted to travel around Asia while we were here. We are also treating our trips by ourselves like little honeymoons because that's just what they are. We aren't due to get married until Aug.4 of this year and why not have a couple of honeymoons if we can make it happen? When are we ever going to be able to do something like this again?

Once we got here we were looking for places to visit but knew we couldn't do it until the new year. Dustin's job is very demanding during the holiday season and being in his position he isn't really allowed to take time off. So after a long five months he finally was able to work in two days off of work and we took advantage.

When we first got here we asked all of our friends where the best place to stay in Bali would be. We got all sorts of answers but it really depended on what we wanted. Did we want a non stop go go go attitude or did we just want to relax and enjoy. Of course we picked relaxing and enjoying the lazy atmosphere. Our friend Rich told us that we would not be disappointed with Sanur beach. (This is about an hour away from Seminyak). Boy was Rich right, we were not disappointed.

We decided to book it though an expedia and were pleased with the outcome of the cost that included round trip flights, five star villa, and breakfast every day. It seemed like once we booked the trip it was going to take forever for the time to come but believe it or not, the vacation snuck up on us.

The airline we flew with was Singapore air. The last time we traveled with that airline was when we arrived in Singapore and we were in business class, this time around we were in economy. I will say that we got the same treatment, the seats were just smaller. It was amazing, hot towel on arrival and we got breakfast after the plane took off, and it was FREE (most likely included in the ticket price). The flight was not that long, two and a half hours, enough time for one movie.

Once we got there we had to get on arrival visas, about 20 USD each (we also had to pay to get out of Indonesia as well, about the same price). Now once they rang us up it was in Rupiahs, the receipt said 420 and I was so confused, Dustin was a good fiance and reminded me that it wasn't USD. The currency there was hard to wrap my mind around but toward the end of the trip I got a handle on it. We went though customs and security and Dustin told me that someone would be standing outside with our names on a sign waiting to pick us up. I thought that was the coolest VIP treatment ever and was excited.

Once we got out of the airport there were TONS of people with signs. Apparently we weren't VIP, we were just another visitor in Bali! It's the thought that counts and we didn't have to pay for a cab. It felt like forever but we finally found the guy with our name sign and were on our way to the Villa.

Now when most of us think about Bali we picture what Hollywood has showed us in movies. When we were on our way to the Villa we stopped at a stoplight near the airport and there were two children knocking on the window holding out their hands looking so sad. Dustin was checking his work phone so I just told him not to look out the window. Yes this was sad but we knew that the kids most likely did that on the regular (and they did because on our way back to the airport we saw the same kids).

Driving to the villa I noticed there weren't a lot of stores, nothing flashy except a Cartier store. There were few gas stations, but they were Circle K's so that was familiar. There were little stores along the road with Absolute Vodka bottles filled with something that was not vodka, it was gas for the MILLIONS of scooters and motor bikes that everyone was using for transportation. Once we got to our Villa I was in awe.

This is what I had been picturing. It was so beautiful. We got there and had our bags taken to our villa and got everything squared away at the front desk. We opened our door and just were in amazement. The pool was beautiful, outdoor living area and then the villa was just a huge bed with a bathroom and changing area. The shower was outdoors, which was weird to see but so wonderful to use, so freeing, until a helicopter came over our villa the next day and I was showering (gulp) and that was the only day it did that. The bed was covered in rose peddles and we even had a cake! We unloaded and just enjoyed the room for a bit of time until we decided we should go walk around and see what this town was all about, that and we were out of beer and so was the room service.

One thing we noticed is that there were a lot of dogs just running around the streets. They did have homes but we weren't sure where. I was hesitant at first, especially at night. All the dogs did was bark at us and that was about it. We also noticed that the little mini marts or store fronts were a part of someone's house. It was like the garage was converted into a store that just sold cold drinks, snacks and some sold gas for the motor bikes. You could see the villa's behind the store but not really sure what they looked like.

When we got onto the main road boy was it hard to cross the street. There were no crosswalks and no one stopped for anything. The sidewalks were bumpy and we noticed that we were being beeped at a lot. Just ignoring it we just walked around and noticed the shops and restaurants. We picked up some beer and headed back to the Villa. We got dressed and ready for dinner. We looked up a restaurant my places app and found the Wicked Parrot. According to the google map it was right along the same street of our Villa.

We decided to venture out and check it out. As we were walking it got scary. It was dark, hardly any light and the random dogs were around and to add to that low flying bats! We walked what seemed forever and never found the place and walked out to the main road and realized that we walked really far. The sidewalks were really dangerous, parts of them were falling into huge gaping holes and again, not much light.

We finally made it back to the road that we walked around earlier and settled for Jimmy's bar to eat and have a couple of beers. Beers there were 18,000 dollars which was basically 4 USD and the food was about 30,000. Lets put it this way 50,000 is about 5.50 USD. We both had an Indonesian classic, Megorang which consisted of noodles and spices and bits of chicken. We have had it here in Singapore but it had a Muslum twist on it with different Indian spices. The Indonesian style was SO good, the best I have had yet. We even had some Satay with it which is chicken or beef on a stick grilled over smoldering coals. It was amazing and after about 6 beers and two entrees we spent 20 USD, we were amazed considering Singapore was so expensive, that meal alone in Singapore would cost around 70 USD (because of beer). Once we were done we decided to head back to the villa and get some rest.

The next day we ventured out to the beach. The cool and safe thing the villa offered was that we could leave our room key with the front desk for safe keeping. They also offered a ride to the beach but we just decided to walk. The heat was intense and I was dripping sweat half way there (it was only an eight minute walk) so we stopped for a beer before we headed down. Once we got to the beach I had no words. It was so beautiful. You saw mountains in the distance and clear water. We walked around and took some pictures and then decided to take a dip into the ocean. I feared it was going to be cold but it was not, it was bath water and so clear.

After the beach we went back and showered and enjoyed the pool and reading. We knew we had to find dinner so we decided to ask the front desk about the Wicked Parrot. One of the men knew where it was and we decided to walk there. It was ten minutes and totally on the wrong street than what google maps told us. We had beers and the BEST Satay we have had to date. We were also surprised with a live band, and you know us, we love live bands. So we enjoyed some beers food and music.

One thing I did forget to tell you is that it is the rainy season in Bali but thankfully it only rained at night. So after the band was down and we basically shut the place down (closed at 12p) we noticed it was POURING outside. So we got to stick around until it lightened up. While we did we met the owner and talked with him and the band. We found that the owner had lived in Bali for 40 years, amazing. The rain lightened and we headed back and got some rest.

As a part of the honeymoon package we were able to get a massage and that included a chocolate scrub and a candle lit dinner. We scheduled that and thoroughly enjoyed the two hours and then were looking forward to the dinner. The dinner was wonderful. We chose one western meal and one Indonesian meal. It was fantastic!

We also wanted to do an excursion while we were there. Ever since I have been in Asia I have wanted to ride an elephant, I don't know why, I just wanted to. Dustin looked up some things and found a reasonable price for an elephant safari. What we liked about it is that they would provide transportation, lunch and we got to feed the Elephants. Also the elephants that were there were rescued.

I was so excited. When we got there we ate lunch and then got ready to go for a ride. We noticed that the elephants that were not giving rides were chained in a section in the park, I didn't really like it but again they were rescued so I know they need to learn and something could go wrong if not supervised. The people who were on the elephants guiding them had little hooks and they would tap on the elephants head, I didn't like this at all. Our elephant decided he wanted to stop for some munchies and the person put the hook in it's ear to turn it's head away. I cringed because I didn't want this to happen thinking they were hurting the elephant. That was the only time our elephant decided to relax and have a bite to eat. After riding we got to feed them. Dustin just took pictures so I fed them and loved it. I had my hand flat (like feeding a horse) just in case. I wasn't sure what it would feel like, the trunk was not soft, but I can't really explain the feeling, it was so cool! I really did have a fun time and it was an incredible experience.

The rest of our time was spent by the pool, shopping and going out for dinner. While we were out one day for beers we met up with some Australians who were from Perth. We have friends here in Singapore and they are also from Perth. We all got to talking and drinking and found out that the oldest one was 23. There were two 23 year olds and the rest were 20. Wow did this make us feel old, but it was fun and we were not sober when we went back to the villa, definitely good times.

What we learned in Bali:

The shop owners/workers are very aggressive. They come up to you and say "Hello, want to come into my shop, yes" If you say no they say okay when you come back, maybe tomorrow. Same with massages on the beach, they will not leave you alone. The last day we were there they came up to us on the beach (on beach bar by the ocean) and introduced themselves and wouldn't leave our tables and we didn't want to be rude but damn sometimes you have to be.

We figured out what the honking was all about. Most were taxis, they spelled it taksi, and they would honk at you to see if you needed a ride. There were also freaky vans parked asking if we needed a ride anywhere. One guy was really scary, with a mean face pointing aggressively at us and then motioning for us to get in the van, eek! It was also the scooters honking so the cars knew that there was a small group coming behind them.

The scooters/motor bikes were the main transportation of everyone. To the point where there were more than two people on the scooter. Sometimes there were families of four on there. The dad would be driving, kid standing infront of him, kid sitting behind him and mom on the end. We also saw moms with babies, yes a mom had a baby in a baby sling on her chest, driving down the crazy streets of Bali. The drivers there were crazy. No one stayed in their lane and if you were trying to cross the street, you needed to do it fast. I almost got hit twice, no one slows down!

The dogs that were roaming around the town were most likely owned. They have freedom to run around and always have a home to go back to. This also means that they do their business anywhere. Dustin actually stepped in some business, the way he figured it out was that something was poking him on his foot, nothing came though the flipflop but something was there. He discovered dog business AND a dog tooth in the business, EWWW. Thankfully he scraped off the business on the sidewalk edge and pulled the tooth out, and I had my anti bacteria wipes and he washed his hands after. Yeah nasty. But for the most part the dogs were well behaved, they played with each other and would bark at you but nothing scary.

Everything there to buy was cheap. We got two t-shirts for 10 usd, other gifts for people and I got a cute purse for about 5 usd. The food and beer were also a great price, something we haven't been use to in a while.

The place we went to was very nice, relaxing. No one really bothered us and the people at our villa were so wonderful. It was an experience of a life time. We were so lucky to have had this opportunity and hope to go back before we head back to the states for good. We took tons of pictures and will never forget this wonderful trip. We can not wait for more travel experiences!

Dog Walking

I met a new American friend here in Singapore. Ana, I met her at the Gaelic Dragon bbq and we got along great. She invited me to volunteer to help walk dogs at a place near the airport. I told her I would love to, so we exchanged numbers and set the date for today (2/12/12).

This morning I got the call and was very excited. I met up with Ana at the MRT station that was in the middle between ours. We got some coffee and hailed a taxi. Once we got there I was in shock. We were not volunteering for the ASPCA because that company was so full that it had a waiting list to volunteer (found that out a couple of months ago). Ana found this place because she found out about the ASPCA problem and just googled volunteering dog walking and found the place we went to.

The reason why I was in such shock was because there were a lot of dogs, there must have been over 100 dogs. There were different sections caged off. Some dogs didn't get along with others so they had to stay in the kennel. Ana reminded me to walk with confidence and show the dogs who was in control. There were dogs that were disabled and dogs who were sick and dogs who just needed homes. It was so sad to see this many dogs but I was happy I could do my part and help them out, even if it was just walking them.

We went to one kennel, Sky's, because Ana has grown an attachment with him. He had already been walked so we gave him a bath instead. Now if I knew this was going to be an option I would have worn my gym clothing instead of shorts and tank. But oh well, I had to do laundry anyways. This dog was very hyper, jumped all over and mouthed. It was a little nerve racking but I was good when Ana was in the kennel because you could tell they had a bond, He just loved her.

After his bath we went out and cleaned off and was asked to clean the puppies that were in the kennel in the front. Oh My Gosh did these puppies melt my heart. They were so adorable. We had to use medicated shampoo and noticed that one of the puppies had a swollen stomach, they said it was because of worms but I am not so sure about that. When we were in there the puppies were just loves. One just kept jumping up and nipping playfully at my pants, being a puppy really. The other one with the swollen belly was not so energetic but was loving just the same. We were told they did not like water, and it was true. But once we just started petting them while washing them down the pups were fine.

It broke my heart that the sweet puppies were in this small kennel. Once we left all they did was sit by the door, they didn't bark or anything, they just looked so pitiful. I wanted to take them home!

After that we had time to wash one more dog. We got Tommy, he was not allowed around other dogs but was okay with humans. Ana and I were a little hesitant to go in because the dog showed no emotion, no tail wagging, no barking, no nothing. But one of the other volunteers said not to be too hesitant and reminded us of the Dog Whisperer (lol). So I gained my confidence and went in, Ana followed behind. I finally got on his level and just started scratching his head and he seemed fine. We got to washing and man there was hair everywhere. Apparently it had been awhile since the dog had gotten washed. Once we were done I wanted to brush him out because there was so much hair. I did that and again, no emotion. It made me sad and wonder what happened to that pup.

After we left and said our goodbyes I started thinking about the dogs on the way home. It made me feel so sad, how many places like this were there around Singapore? People buy from pet stores and yet all these dogs need homes. I know there is this problem around the world but I had never seen a place like this before with so many dogs. It is heartbreaking but I am glad that I could help brighten a dogs day by walking or bathing them. I don't know how to explain the emotions I am going though with the place. There is no inside where they have relief from the heat, they are outside all the time, but maybe they are use to that. I do want to go back and help out but I am sure I will want to bring a pup home.

This also makes me think of our Bandit boy. We treat him like he is our son and being around all the dogs made me miss our boy that much more.