Down Under - Men at Work

Bali Kuta 3 005
see all photos »

Perth -Australia  May 6, 2007

Well Asia is done. Ten weeks, my longest stint of the trip and I’m well past the halfway point now. It almost feels like I’m done really traveling because most of May will be more visiting friends and family. There’s the month of June in South America that will definitely be an adventure but for now I’m looking forward to an easy month and some companionship.

So Perth then huh? Western Gateway to the Wonderful Land of Oz? Well , I don’t think I should really count it since I was only there for four hours during a six hour layover. It was nice four hours though and I need a place to post some more Bali pics anyway so here goes a four hour visit travel review: Courteous and helpful taxi drivers, very clean city, lovely sunset from Kings Park, nice walk down the river esplanade, good coffee. Done.

Bali Nusa Penida dive 008
see all photos »

That’s Perth, hope you liked it. Now, the real reason for this blog. I needed an Asia Recap and a few Letterman lists are in order again I think. Please, no wagering allowed.

Top 5 Times I nearly burst a brain vessel

5. Melody Hotel clerk in Xian, China

4. Lombok divemaster bragging about all the sharks he saw after going off on his own

Bali Dreamland 016
see all photos »

3. Thai scooter taxi driver

2. Kuta beach massage lady touching me twice after I told her not to

1. Beijing Taxi driver

Top 5 Wackiest Stuff I’ve Ever Seen

Bali Kuta 3 001
see all photos »

5. Seven or Eight year old kid selling gasoline in Johnny Walker Red bottles on the side of the road in Cambodia

4. Women passenger on the back of a scooter holding a five foot long, fifty pound fish in Bali

3. Guys selling bow and arrow sets on the beach in Kuta

2. A two hundred pound (if an ounce) hog strapped down to the back of a moving , can you guess – a scooter of course, in Cambodia

Bali Dreamland 059
see all photos »

1. Do I really need to state this one – all together now – Edible Chicken Feet

Best Food

5. Pad Thai rice noodles

4. Egg and Chive Beijing dumplings

Bali Dreamland 040
see all photos »

3. Tom Yam spicy Thai soup

2. Ngorang Bali fried rice with egg

1. Coconut curry sauce, with anything

Most Fun

Bali Dreamland 018
see all photos »

5. Abseiling pinnacles in Yangshou China with my fans

4. Diving with Mantas in the Thai Similan Islands

3. Riding the twisting mountain roads of Bali

2. Diving the WWII wrecks of Bali and Lombok

Bali Dreamland 002
see all photos »

1. Thailand’s New Year Water (gun) festival

So there it is, a quick recap of ten weeks in Asia. It started off very cold and difficult in China but ended up exciting and beautiful in Bali. I climbed the Great Wall of China in the Snow and explored the jungle Temples of Angkor Wat in dripping humidity.

I spent 20 hours underwater, almost that on the saddle of a motorcycle, maybe 2 full minutes standing on surfboards and ate more delicious rice and noodles than my new metabolism could take (better start starving myself again but I think South America will take care of that). It really was an amazing trip that only comes in second to Africa because of the big cats. If a whale shark had made an appearance I think it would have come in number one. I do know that if I ever happen to be in another ‘gap year’ scenario six months in just Southeast Asia is a definite possibility. Heck, it would be cheaper than a month’s rent in Manhattan.

Bali Nusa Penida dive 005
see all photos »

Diver Down - Bill