Off season in Rincon | Puerto Rico Travel Diary

Jun 14, 2018 | Travel

We drove in to Rincon in the late afternoon. The traffic and winding streets made my tummy uneasy so I was elated to get situated in this cozy Coconut Cottage for the night.

*ahem* Not really complaining because I should be used to this, but there were a lot of mosquitoes though.

We checked out the Rincon Marina to scope out the scene. It had been raining all day, and it would rain every day at noon while we were there.

It was off-season for tourism but most importantly (for Ian), off season for surf of any kind. There were absolutely no waves anywhere except on the postcards at the empty surf shops. We got skunked.

Feeling deeply grateful to be able to meet up with good friends from around the world in new and beautiful places.

We got groceries at the Econo Supermarket to last us the next couple of days that we would be there. But then we also decided to grab a nice dinner at Roots in the town square where we laughed and toasted to friendship.

The next couple of days were quality.

Snorkeling, SUPing, seeing huge barracudas fly by.

Eating, drinking, talking, playing card games.

Nobody in this quiet town, except us and the singing coqui.

–

We tried to plan a scuba dive or a kayak tour of the bioluminescence, but were unfortunately turned away by the operators. The fact that it was off season was one possible reason, but it could have also been our short 3 day stay not being enough time. *Shrugs*

Our friends’ love and sunset on our last evening in Rincon.

Finally a picture of all of us together!

That morning: sleeping in, snorkeling, showering (it was about time haha), and saying adios to Rincon.

We got back on the road toward San Juan.

I was sad to leave so soon, but happy to share new memories with old friends.

–

Warmly,

Nerelle

DIVE LOG: Wreck Diving the USS Liberty in Tulamben, Bali

Sep 20, 2017 | Lifestyle, Travel

My week in Bali was coming to an end and I was bummed about it. There was so much more that I wanted to do and explore, so much ground to cover in so little time. I didn’t want to say goodbye yet.

With a hurried sense of adventure, we took a risk, and what we ended up doing may just have been our best decision yet.

The day before our departure flight, we got on our moto-scooter and drove for 3 hours from Seminyak to east Bali, including a quick stop at Padang Bai for lunch.

Surf & sea pizza for only $7 in Padang Bai!

Our destination: Tulamben
Our goal: Scuba diving

If you’re in Bali and want to go scuba diving, there are great dive sites all along the east coast. Tulamben wasn’t our first choice–we heard lots of great things about Amed and Padang Bai, which were closer–but after finding out that the USS Liberty shipwreck was a shoredive and having the option to dive without a guide, we were sold.

I would have loved to do a boat dive and wouldn’t have minded a guide, but we were running on limited time, and still had to moto back for 3 hours to our place in Seminyak.

We didn’t do much planning for this dive, which is something we really should have done. We Googled a list of dive shops in Tulamben, and almost all of them wouldn’t let us rent gear without a hiring a guide. Finally, we found one called Madha Dive Shop. The location could not have been any more perfect – it was right next to the USS Liberty shipwreck!

We met the dive shop operator named Made, and he set us up with our gear. We forgot to bring our GoPro so we rented an Olympus Tough point and shoot camera.

And in case you’re wondering why I’m wearing a wetsuit in the Indian Ocean, they were available as an option at the dive shop and I didn’t want to risk getting cold. Basically, I’m spoiled for warm waters.

About the USS Liberty

The USS Liberty was a US military cargo ship that was torpedoed by a Japanese battleship in January 1942 during World War II. It went down 10-miles from the Lombok Strait and was tugged back to a beach in Tulamben so parts could be salvaged.

Twenty one years later in 1963, the nearby Mt. Agung volcano erupted (one of the most prominent volcanic eruptions of our era) and the rattling of the tremors caused the USS Liberty to slip back into the ocean on a slope with depths ranging from 15ft. to 75ft.

I was nervous at first

Because I always associated shipwrecks with sharks for some odd reason, and I kicked around awkwardly as it was my first time wearing open heel/strap fins.

I was totally fine though as soon as I started my descent and dipped below the surface–my weight distributed until I was neutrally buoyant, my muscles relaxed, my breathing slowed, and my ears equalized.

The first thing I noticed were the fish.

There were so many of them. At least 3 different schools were swimming past me as I sunk lower until I was hovering over the ship. And they were huge! The fish, I mean. They must be protected in that area or something because we have (some of) the same exact fish in American Samoa, but these were 2 to 3 times bigger! And they swam up to me curiously; not at all scared when I would reach my hand out to say hello.

The Lonely Grouper

This Goliath Grouper was about 4ft long and was chillin’ out super hard in one of the hollow crevices of the USS Liberty. They are typically shy gentle giants and I stared at this guy for a long minute. I also just realized that I have never seen more than 1 grouper at the same time, which is ironic because of its name.

Down here it feels like roaming on another planet and I’m flying through a spaceship

Side note: while writing this I stopped for like 10 minutes and stared at this picture of fish (below). I don’t know if it’s just me, maybe I’m really tired or something but the fish look like they’re moving! I swear, it’s so cool.

You can click on it to zoom. Do you see the fish moving? Is it really just me? Am I going insane????

There’s so much life down here.

It’s a different kind of dive than back home. Here, the ocean floor is a muck and looks bare, but after closer inspection, you’ll find garden eels and stingrays hiding in plain view. A few spots of coral here and there, but on the shipwreck there is all sorts of living matter that now take residence.

Shout out to my guy for doing it all

Driving through crazy Bali traffic (on a scooter nonetheless) to and from Seminyak and Tulamben (is nuts). But you made it happen. Thank you for resting your hand on my thigh every now and then to check on me. I am leaving out so so so many reasons why you’re amazing, but just know that you are, and that I love you!

Dive Log 05:

Date: August 23, 2017

Site: USS Liberty Shipwreck, Tulamben, Bali – Indian Ocean

Depth: 70 feet

Total time: 75 minutes

Visibility: 50 feet

Weather: Partly cloudy

Dive type: Shore dive

Gas Type: Air

Dive buddy: Ian M; Divemaster

Dive Shop: Madha Dive

Back on land

It was abaout 3pm when we got out of the water, and I could immediately feel gravity taking a toll on me. I trudged up the shallow beach, rinsed off, drank some iced coffee, and waited for the photos to transfer to my iPhone, while Ian bought a pair of (probably knock off) polarized Oakley sunglasses from Made’s friend who was there selling them for super cheap.

We geared up for the long ride back to Seminyak and stopped a couple of times to refuel the bike, our bellies (we needed more caffeine!!), and admire some of the most incredible views of Bali on the vistas along the way. The drive was long and hard but it was so worth it to see the beautiful countryside and witness some traditional religious rituals along the way.

Tired but stoked in Seminyak

We finally got back to Seminyak at 7:30pm. Our butts were so sore from the roadtrip, and we felt thoroughly burnt out. But we were hangry!!! We didn’t eat a proper breakfast and that surf and sea pizza seemed like forever ago. It was our last night in Bali too, so we took a cue from one of our favorite shows ever — Parks and Recreation “TREAT YO’SELF”! We took long hot showers, dressed up in our fanciest clothes, and prepared to indulge.

Ian was craving for a heavy meat so we stopped by Smokehouse BBQ for some real American goodness and ordered some of the best sliders I’ve ever had. They even had American beers! I on the other hand was feenin’ for seafood so we headed over to The Holy Crab for shrimp and callamari galore.

We stuffed our faces like mad. We were tired but we felt so electric that night–high on our epic adventure–and we had zero regrets about it!

Bali, i love you

xoxo Nerelle

One more excursion

We made one more stop to check out the popular Potato Head Club. It must have been an extra high key night for the club (or maybe there were famous people there that I missed) because the security was intense. They searched our bike before we even turned in to the parking lot, which was a bit of a maze to get to, and then patted Ian down and checked my rattan bag. I didn’t even think about what to expect of the place but once we got there, I was impressed. The exterior design of a couple thousand shutters was really cool, and inside, the vibe was really laid back, tropical, and just. so. cool… We lounged on the floor pillows to look up at the string lights swinging between palm trees and admired the view and the sound of the ocean not far away. The ambiance was so chill that I almost fell asleep right then and there, so we yawned and decided it was time for bed. We had another long day ahead of us.

All photos taken with either my iPhone 6 or the Olympus Tough camera. Ian took almost all the underwater pics!

You Need to visit Ubud Art Market

Sep 17, 2017 | Travel

About the Ubud Art Market:

Locals call it Pasar Seni Ubud. It is one of the most popular markets in Bali, and is a must visit if you enjoy shopping and handicrafts. The traditional art market itself is located at:

Jalan Raya Ubud No.35,
Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar,
Bali 80571, Indonesia

It’s open from 8am to 6pm. The Ubud Art Market is a street maze of shops and souvenirs, and if you look hard enough and bargain, you just might find some amazing hidden gems.

What you’ll find:

// Sarongs – We call them `ie lavalava in American Samoa. Probably the most versatile piece of material ever, I love sarongs. You can find mandala prints, elephants, batik and ikat designs in every color and pattern imaginable.

// Penis things – I’m not kidding here. Lots of penis made of wood (yes, it’s punny) that pay tribute to the old practice of penis worship. I don’t know the details of the practice, but you can find huge penis bottle openers and incense holders, which might make a funny and functional souvenir.

// Jewelry – Ubud is known for its talented silver smiths, so you can find silver jewelry pretty much anywhere, and even take a silver making class! I don’t usually wear jewelry, but I couldn’t resist this sterling silver wave shaped ring I bargained for only 40,000 rupiah (~$3USD)!!

// Clothes – Lots of great cotton, linen and even silk garments. Ian bought a blue cotton batik shirt with coconut shell buttons, and I got a 100% silk batik robe which makes me feel so luxurious.

// Bamboo straws – Sustainable and makes great souvenirs to take as gifts for friends. I fell in love with these straws when we had dinner at La Pacha Mama, and was so stoked to find them at the market.

// Bags – Who doesn’t love bags? The rattan roundie bags from Bali are especially popular these days (you might have seen them on instagram). But there are so many different bags to choose from. Straw and canvas totes, cross body bags, clutches, leather purses, backpacks, yoga mat slings… am I missing more?

// Homeware – Dishes and bowls and cups, and candles and cushions and home decor. There is a lot of really beautiful handmade homeware that are perfect for decorating your home.

// So much more – There’s a plethora of fun and interesting trinkets and homeware and decorations. From keychains and koozies to handmade baskets, paintings, toys, and home goods–the Ubud Art Market is a bargain shopper’s heaven.

How to Haggle:

Ask how much, but only ask for the price if you really want to purchase it. The vendors expect that you will haggle so they’ve marked this up by a lot. I’ve found it works best to my advantage when I start asking at only 30% of the ask price. Think about how much you’re willing to pay for it, and consider the time and resources it took to make it. Be fair and always ask with a smile.

*Pro tip: Go to the market early in the morning because vendors believe that their first sale is a sign of a good luck, so they will often offer you the cheaper “morning price”when you’re haggling.

How to Deal with Impulse Spending:

I wanted to buy so many things! I already know that if I ever become a homeowner in the future, I am coming to Bali just to shop for all the cute things to fill my home! On this trip though, I came prepared to resist the urge of spending money on material things. Call me weird but I actually Googled photos of the Ubud Art Market before my trip just to see what I might want to buy and I thought about whether or not I wanted it or needed it. It was actually super helpful. I asked myself: Would I use it? Do I really want to travel with it? For so many of the kitschy things, I probably would get buyer’s regret. Plus, I was determined to make it through this trip with just my backpack and duffel, so my mind was made, and I only bought 6 things I could easily travel with.

What I bought:

1. Silk batik robe. I loooooved this purchase. One of my favorite garments to date and it was in my favorite color, green!

2. Rattan roundie bag. You can probably tell by now from all the photos that I was obsessed with these rattan bags. There were dozens of different shapes and sizes, and if I was to mail a box home, I would have definitely gotten a bunch more.

3. Incense. Ever since my trip to India, I will pretty much only buy sandalwood incense because the scent reminds me of that time of my life, which I loved.

4. Bamboo straws. I love buying things that support environmental wellness, and these eco-friendly bamboo straws were perfect for traveling souvenirs.

5. Sterling silver ring. There were so many to choose from, but I honestly didn’t even want to get a ring until I saw this very simple wave-shaped ring. It was too cute to pass up.

6. Wooden magnets. One of those kitschy things I said I wasn’t going to get, but ended up getting them because they were cute (picked out the flip flops and surfboards shaped magnets) and super cheap.

Q:

What are some of your favorite markets?

And if you could choose, what would YOU buy from the Ubud Art Market?

All Good in Ubud

Aug 22, 2017 | Travel

The clouds have blocked the sun from shining through my window, and my eyes flutter awake at 8am.

Good morning Uluwatu!

Our plans for today are simple. Eat breakfast (we went to Nyoman Local Food and ate on their boat table). Catch some surf (for Ian), and pack up again – because today we are…

On our way to Ubud!

Our AirBnB host helps us get a driver named Putu to take us to Ubud, with a couple of stops along the way.

I was still in dire need of an American power adapter to charge up my camera and laptop. We got one at a stall outside of Bagus Supermarket while we were picking up some groceries. We also purchased a prepaid SIM card from Telkom Cell which had 12GB data for 30 days, and it was only 150,000 IDR (about $11.25 USD). I highly recommend this plan for anybody passing through Bali and whose life is recorded on social media. So worth it!

The drive took about 2 hours during the afternoon traffic. I was getting carsick so I *forced* myself to take a nap (only kind of lying, because I’m also known for falling asleep on car rides).

We arrived at a small unmarked road looking for our next AirBnB home, and after a quick phone call made by Putu to our host, a friendly face pops out from a family compound right next to us, introducing herself as Chantik (she is our host’s relative) and she leads us through a smaller road beside it. There, we found our secret private villa – and it is amazing!

If you’re ever in Ubud and you’re looking for a beautiful place to stay that’s close to town, but gives you a sense of privacy – check out Wayan Budiana’s AirBnB! If you’re new to AirBnB, click here to get $25 off on your accommodations.

(I wrote a blog post about this AirBnB here.)

As tempted as I was to stay in and enjoy the pool, we got up to explore our area. The evening air was cool, and we wandered off the beaten track. The road was completely run down, but a man on a bridge that leads nowhere gestures to us to take a little hidden path just past the banyan tree. We walk down some sketchy steps and over a bamboo bridge and find ourselves amidst a rice field. How cool is this?! Right in someone’s backyard.

We continued our trek through Penestenan street. I felt inspired here. I wanted to paint.

I walked up to a couple of different places offering batik painting, but most were closed since it was almost 6pm. I saw a small shop with the lights off but the door was open. There were beautiful batik materials hanging and draped in all sorts of fashion. I walked in and was met by a beautiful woman named Anna sitting on the floor working away on her laptop. She tells me her boyfriend is the artist in residence and I inquire about taking a class. It’s settled, tomorrow I will be back!

On the way home, Ian stops at a moto vendor selling chicken satay and sticky rice. And we head to our AirBnB to relax in the pool, make dinner, and watch movies.

It’s all good in Ubud!

What we did in Uluwatu

Aug 20, 2017 | Travel

My internal alarm clock went off and I was wide awake 2 hours before the sun would come up. I wish I was more of an early bird usually. I used those hours to catch up on my travel journal – I’ve been slacking on it.

Scootered over to Padang Padang Beach to check out the Impossibles surf break. It was barely 7am and there were at least 15 people out already. An hour and 2 other surf spots later, we stopped for breakfast at Cempaka Cafe.

We had the whole day ahead of us, but we needed to see one more break – Bingin beach. It looked big everywhere. Ian concentrated on the waves and I fell asleep on the beach. About 2 hours later, I was burnt out. I needed to move around.

We refueled our scooter and checked out Nyang Nyang beach. Our taxi driver told us it was a sweet spot but after having to pay a toll to enter and discovering halfway that we would have to descend a quarter mile on slippery limestone to the unshaded beach, we realized we were getting hot and hangry.

So we doubled back to Padang Padang beach, where we passed through a temple with macaques running around everywhere, and walked through a corridor in the 200-foot cliffs. It was high noon and the beach was packed. I’m still in a state of culture shock over the density of tourists here! We strategically placed our things next to a big group of suntanning“bule” or white foreigners (lol), and cooled off in the cool Indian Ocean. Ian also got chicken satay skewers from a tiny beach vendor, and we couldn’t help but buy souvenirs to remind us of this place.

After the beach we stopped by Dedari Theory, a treetop bar which caught my eye when we zipped by earlier.

It had the chillest vibes, and we were the only ones there! How can this be?! Such a sweet little spot.

Got to the cabin and jumped in the pool right away for the next hour or so.

The sun was about to go down, and Ian and I rushed to the Uluwatu Temple. Again, there were macaques everywhere. I’m honestly scared of them – whenever they would look at me, I’d look away and pretend I was minding my own business. They definitely look mischievous.

We hoped to catch the Kecak Fire Dance but by the time we got there, it was sold out. There were a LOT of people there, so we sat around for a bit and all watched the clouds lose their luminance and the sun fall behind the horizon.

But the night was not over yet!

We zipped off to Padang Padang again for some amazzzzzing yellowfin and salmon poke bowls at Coco & Poké, and dancing at the famous Single Fin bar. The scene was bustling. Surfers and non-surfers, bloggers, business people, drifters, young and old travelers of every age and nationality. Just dancing to some funky tunes.
We got home before midnight to rest our tired bones.