Saturday.....last diary entry b/c we turned lazy

A scheduled day off from big trips today. We're both nursing sun burns from yesterday's session at the pool. After breakfast, we walked to the local market for some quick shopping. Scorching hot while walking down there. I'm sure it's less than 2 km but it felt kinda like crossing the Shara.

Merry decides to stay in for the afternoon while I'm off for an adventure. I saw a paragliding movie once called "Bali High" where they soared a coastal ridge for hours on end with a seaweed farm down below in the tidal pools behind the reef break. I was on a mission to find that site today. I was going to need a good guide to find it though. Walking outside the property, I started to see the jackals waiting for their "transport" peay. Amongst them was one guy with dark glasses who's english was impecable. Very rare for Bali where most of the locals speak Bahasa Bali, Bhasa Indo and a smattering of English, German, Spanish and Japanese. I asked the whole gang where I could go to see paragliding. I may as well have asked where I could buy an ultrasonic dog polisher. I resorted to charades and we quickly came to concensus that I needed to go to a place called Bali Clipps. The guy with the dark glasses told me he knew how to get there but it would cost 75,000 Rp. No problem, off we went. Turns out his name is Paul and he has a driver as he's got "troubles" with his eyes. Paul is an excellent commentator however and we had a very interesting talk on the way up the hill toward Ulu Watu. Once we reach the top, we need to turn off the main road to UW and follow the Bali Cliffs signs. As we approach the coast I can see paragliders in the air above the ridge about 1.5 km away. Damned if we could find a way in to lauch though. Every local we asked gave us different directions. I'm not sure how much off roading my driver had done before but he was undaunted by the dirt tracks and cow trails I had him follow. We tested the shocks on that old Suzuki van many times (if there were any), and finally got to launch. There was the most amazing view from atop the cliffs. About 100meters to the beach below and seaweed farms in the tidal pool (lagoon) behind the reef. Huge surf here (3 m maybe 4) with nice barrels at times. There were 2 instructors at launch hucking Japanese beginner pilots left and right. Some sketchy launches and landings but extremely docile conditions are about as forgiving as it gets. These guys wouldn't last long in Golden. About 13-15 paragliders in the air at an given time, no hangies, boo hoo :) Stayed for about an hour then back to the hotel to pick up Merry for dinner.

A short trip to Jimbaran Bay to a restaurant called Mata Hari. The same deal as the other restaurants here, order by weight. Then they cook it up and bring it out to the beach for you. Just finishing our first Bintang when the sun sets. A truly amazing scene. Sun setting, waves crashing, seafood grilling, hawkers peddling and an acoustic band of locals covering "Sweet Child O'Mine" by Guns N' Roses at the tops of their lungs. Need I say more? Dinner was excellent as usual. Stuck with the squid, prawns and crab. No lobster since it is quite expensive. Some "presh pruit" for dessert then it's off home to bed.