From Wrecks to Temples

I seem to have developed the habit of traveling spontaneously. It's happened a couple of times since 2007, but it appears to be getting more and more consistent these days. The rare opportunity to travel with the sister had me scrambling to buy tickets to Bali a week before departure. She had been spending six weeks in Bali getting trained as a yoga teacher and we thought another Liew sisters bonding session was in order. The plan was the head to Tulamben to dive the USAT Liberty Wreck, then fly to Jogjakarta from Bali.

Tulamben

We'd wake at 6am every day, walk two blocks up the road to the dive shop to suit up, walk another three minutes to the shore to strap on the diving gear, and be in the water by 6:40am.

Sounds easy. It's not. While the dive porters have done 3/4 of the hard job of transporting the heavy tanks from the dive shop to the pebbly beach, stumbling from the beach to the water decked out in full gear and subsequently putting on your fins in the water as waves bash at you from all directions...well, you get the idea. Shore entry, you suck.

Woman, you crazy strong!

But once you're in the water, oh my, what a mecca for divers! 

*Disclaimer: All pictures above are taken from the web.

Borobudur, Prambanan & Jogjakarta

After Bagan, Borobudur and Prambanan were lacklustre. The uncooperative weather prevented us from viewing the sunrise at the top of Borobudur. To entertain ourselves, we put Swan's newly acquired addiction for doing yoga poses at strange places to good use.

Prambanan

Gunung Merapi

More on Tulamben and Jogja here.