Thursday, September 29 - Bali

Yes, I arrived in paradise.  Although I must admit I was concerned we might not get off the ground in Hong Kong as there was a typhoon going through.  The winds were crazy.  Just sitting on the tarmac the whole plane was rocking from side to side, almost made you sea-sick.  We were delayed about one hour, but we did get clearance to take off.  It was a bit rough for the first half hour or so, then clear flying.

Here is the Cathy Pacific plane I took from HongKong to Bali getting loaded up during the typhoon.

Arrived in Denpasar, Bali at about 4pm.  You could feel the heat and humidity as you got off the plane.  27C today - not too hot.  Got a taxi to the Patra Hotel, it is so close I felt like I could have walked here from the airport!

Upon arrival I was greeted at reception with a cold facecloth and a glass of fruit juice.  Then the bellboy took me on an electric golf cart to my room.  I was upgraded from a single room to an entire suite.  I really am in paradise here!  I have a dining area, living room, bedroom, Jacuzzi bathroom, and three balconies.  I can hear the ocean surf crashing on the beach as I write this, sitting on the dining room balcony.

Here is the enormous bedroom with attached balcony.

This photo shows the living room area with the dining room and another balcony in the background.

Met up with Anja at the resort.  We had a visit in the suite and then took off on her scooter to the Bali Buddha for supper.  It has wonderful healthy food and drinks.  I had a chai smoothie and bean and almond enchiladas.  Yummy!

Anja and her scooter in front of the Bali Buddha.

The scooter ride was rather crazy.  The traffic is nuts!  Cars, scooters and motorbikes going all over the place.  Not to mention that they drive on the 'wrong' side of the road.  After supper we drove to where Anja is staying at the Surfer Lounge which is nicely set up for young people, huge pool, bunk-bed sleeping area, movie lounge area, restaurant, bar, etc..  Then I caught a taxi back to my resort.

Now I am ready to crash!!

Wednesday, September 28 Hong Kong

Here I am sitting in the travelers lounge in the Hong Kong airport.  It was an awfully long flight!  13 hours in the air!  I watched three movies (nothing too great), ate two meals, and slept (sort of).  By the time I got off the plane and found my way around the airport it was early evening.  I didn't end up leaving the airport as I would have had to clear customs and then find a way to get downtown; then what would I do?  I really didn't think I was up for going to the bars by myself!!  At this travelers lounge I have had some snacks and a 15 minute massage.  In a few minutes I check into my single bed for 6 hours followed by a shower and breakfast.  That will feel good!

"Small" room I rented by the hour.

The small room I rented was very appreciated.  I was able to have a few hours of horizontal rest.  Then I had a shower.  Now I feel like a new person.  Walked around the airport checking out all the Coach, Versachi, Giorgio Armani, etc. shops.  Just window shopping - needless to say.

It is a gloomy rainy day here.  I am wondering if it is an effect of the typhoon hitting the Philippines at this time.  Flights do not seem to be delayed though.  I leave for Denpasar, Bali in two hours.

Tuesday, September 27 - The Flying has Begun!

Got up bright and early.  Yvonne dropped me off at the Winnipeg airport.  (Thanks.)  My luggage weighed 50.5 pounds.  I was a half pound overweight!  Ticket agent let me through without an extra charge!  (Whew!)

Flight to Vancouver left at 7am as the sun was rising.  Great view from the window seat (row 1 - lots of leg room!).  Saw Elie and recognized St. Paul's Collegiate (hi Shannon), saw Portage and recognized the Koko Platz area (hi Mom and Dad, Connie and Marvin), viewed the Diversion, MacGregor, Austin and the Agricultural Museum.  Couldn't quite see Holland (waved to Don anyway) but could see Hidden Valley Colony.

Bought a Sky Train day pass and will take the Canada Line to Oakridge Mall to have lunch with Diana and do a wee bit of shopping.  I would like to purchase an extra battery for my camera.  Then I will come back and catch the next leg of the trip to Hong Kong.

Cheers!!

Sunday, September 25 - Three months till Christmas!!

Wow, another week quickly gone!  Now just 2 more sleeps until I begin my flights to get to Bali.

Flight Itinerary:


     Sept 27, early am - Winnipeg to Vancouver.  There is an 8 hour layover here, so will have lunch with Diana)

     Sept 27, late afternoon - Vancouver to Hong Kong.  Here I lose one day as I am traveling over the international date line.  I have a 14 hour layover in Hong Kong.  I am not sure what I will do in Hong Kong through the night!  No day tours - too bad, I would love to see some of the city.

     Sept 29, mid am - Hong Kong to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.  Yahoo, I arrive in the afternoon.  I will check into the hotel and meet up with Anja for a visit before she heads back to Germany the next day.

Can you find where Winnipeg, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Bali are?  (Notice I have used a world map that is a little different from what you may be use to.)

Never too cold to quilt!

Monday, September 12

Last year the TCI Art Club pieced together colourful quilt tops for children that they will donate to Security Blankets for Kids, a non-profit organization out of Brandon that donates blankets to Women’s Shelters across the province.  Today I showed Amy how to use the long-arm quilting machine.  She quilted her previously pieced colourful child’s quilt top.  She did an awesome job!  Now she will sew on the binding.  The Art Club has 4 other quilt tops to finish up.  Then I will drop all the quilts in Brandon.

 

Amy quilting on the long arm sewing machine.

 

Quilting done, now time to sew on the binding.

Tuesday, September 13

Traveled to Winnipeg to get vaccinations.  Haven’t had many shots since my six-week shot as a baby when I reacted to the vaccination by having seizures and a constricted airway.  Both the health nurse and I were very nervous because of my previous reaction.  I received tetanus, Hep A and B.  I felt a little lightheaded but did not react violently.  I am also taking oral typhoid meds for a week.  Later next month I will have to go back for an additional Hep B, booster polio and anti-malaria meds.  Hope the cure doesn’t kill me!!

Also stopped at Carellan Sewing Centre to see the various challenge contest entries.  Amazing to see the variety of pieces. 

Various ‘challenges’ at Carellan Sewing in Winnipeg.

Wednesday, September 14

Yvonne and Annette came over and we had a quilting lesson on Fractured Pictures.  We always have such a blast when we are together!  Lots of learning and laughs!

 

Yvonne and her fractured pictures piecing of a zebra.

Annette’s work in progress.

Thursday, September 15

Yvonne stayed overnight, so today we worked on another new quilting technique.  This technique is pretty, but it uses an awful lot of fabric without really showing very much of the pattern on the fabric.  It also takes a lot of sewing and pressing to get anything much accomplished.  I’m glad we did it, but I doubt I will use this technique very often.

 

Friday, September 16

Had an early coffee visit with Winnifred.  She brought by some pens, lipsticks, blush, etc. that I can take as give-aways to Bali.  Then I organized a bunch of supplies to take to Bali, got out the suitcases, etc.  I leave for Bali in 11 days, but who is counting!  (When I get to Bali I am going to meet up with a previous exchange student to TCI, Anja.  She will pick me up and we will tour Bali on her scooter.) 

Saturday, September 17

Today I was a golf widow.  I was bored.  Would have loved some company, but all my friends were busy.  So, I sewed and read.  I worked on a bag insert for my carry-on bag.  The insert is full of pockets to keep things organized.  In the past everything just gravitated to the bottom of the bag!  I hope it works.

Getting my carry-on bag ready for the plane flights to Bali.

Whew!

Wow, another week gone.  How can that be?  Seems I had something on every day!  

Monday - Don and I traveled to Warren to get special winter seed wheat.  Just a quick turn around trip.  Did take time to stop in Elie to see the Dutsons (but they weren't home) and Jim and Alison Gladstone.  Visited with Alison (Jim aka Shavey, away at a BlueGrass event) on their back deck that looks over the LaSalle River - beautiful and very restfull!

Tuesday - Dropped off parts in Notre Dame that needed to be fixed for Don.  Went to THAA for hot dog lunch, had iced coffee with Joan and Shirley on our deck, and then to meetings later in the day.

Wednesday - Drove to Wpg, to drop off a quilt challenge with Yvonne Carlson.  Saw Leah and Aaron.  Took Leah to lunch.  Then she, Yvonne and I played with some 'discharging', a technique of decorating cloth by bleaching it using any variety of objects to block the bleach and leave an image.  We had fun in the afternoon heat before Leah had to leave for her evening class.  Then I met up with Aaon and took him out for a quick snack after he was done work.

                                           Picture of my quilt challenge for Carellen Sewing Centre.

Yvonne and I ready with the bleach

Here I am spraying the bleach over my fabric.

Before bleach is applied, notice various plants used as stencils.

After bleach is applied and the plants are removed, you can see the action of the bleach turning the fabric orangy.

Thursday - Traveled to Morden with Joan Hutlet and Shirley Tate.  Joan had an eye doctor appt.  We drove her home as she wasn't to drive for awhile due to eye drops.  Stopped at Morden Nurseries and got a couple of shrubs and a few new perennials.

Friday - Subbed at TCI.  Saw the staff and students.  Felt okay about being away for the year.  Nice to visit with the students.  Realized that the staff is VERY small!

Saturday - Went to the Pembina Valley Artists' Studio Tour with Joan, Shirley and Catheryn.  We drove to Morden - visited a wood worker (bought a small table for the sunroom); two painters set up their work on a wood chip path in a beautiful backyard garden setting; and saw various quilters' works at the Quilters' Den.  Lunch in Winkler at the Gingerwood Tea House. 

Photo of Bert the  woodworker and the multi-coloured table I bought from him.

Checking out the quilt on the outside of the Quilters Den.

Then on the way to Altona we visited Jake Guertzen, sculptor, metal worker extraordinaire!  He is amazing!  Saw the life sized metal bison he is currently working on.  I bought a garden sculpture of a bull rush for my raised flower bed.  We also visited Barb Weibe's pottery studio on her farm.  It is near her beautifully renovated heritage farmhouse in an old barn surrounded by the most beautiful gardens you could ever imagine.  I don't know how these artists have time to garden like this!!

Jake showing us how he enlarges his image from a smaller wax sculpture into the large bison.   

You can see the beginning of the head on which he has already welded pieces of iron.

Our selection of pottery pieces to buy.  

We are sitting upstairs in the barn that Barb uses as her studio (on ground level) and display area.  

Relaxing outside Barb's studio on a rock bench, with boxes and bags of pottery purchases!

In Altona we stopped at a quilter and paper worker, husband and wife duo studio.  It was great.  The duo combine their artistic talents and come up with amazing designs!!  We also stopped at a batik and painting artist's home.  When we got there I realized we were related.  Here it was the home of Jill Ferris, Aubrey Ferris' daughter!!  (We are connected through my grandmother Norma MacDonald, nee Ferris.)  Small world.

Amazing quilt designed and quilted by the artistic duo.

The last stop was in Gretna at the Buhler Centre where a painter displayed his work and was working on some of his paintings.   (The Buhler Centre is attached to the Mennonite Collegiate Institute.  A large high school for the area that houses boarding students from locations all across Manitoba as well as out of the province/country.)  To finish the day we went to Nora's Diner for supper.  The food was exquisitely prepared by a gourmet chef and served to us by his friendly wife.  Blackened tilapia and salmon linguini were the favorites of the evening.

Enjoying a wonderful meal at Nora's Diner in Gretna.

Phew, being on a leave from work is exhausting!