Wakatobi

Five and half years ago I was somehow convinced by Jim to take the scuba diving certification course. At the time, everyone thought I was crazy as I'm not a fan of the water and I really don't know how to swim..... I somehow passed and since then we have been fortunate to dive in some of the most beautiful places including Wakatobi, Indonesia.

Getting to Wakatobi is quite the adventure! We met up with the rest of our dive group at the Bali airport to jump on the chartered flight to Wakatobi. This flight included flying over the many atolls of Indonesia, which was breath taking.

We landed on a very small airstrip in Tomia, Southeast Sulawesi.

We loaded up into cars with our gear and drove through the village to catch a water taxi to meet the Wakatobi boat. Due to low tide, we loaded onto yet another small boat to get us closer to the resort.

The accommodations are beautiful, the staff are friendly and the reef is untouched by man so it's extremely healthy and beautiful. I was fearful of what the food would be like as we were so remote and food was brought in weekly. The chef at the resort put together some of the most amazing meals.

Our cute bungalow right on the beach!

One of the great staff - Jack and Jami sporting our Team Cocktail gear!

The best bartender - who not only made awesome drinks but also kept the sea snakes away at night!

The trip included three dives for ten days - so a lot of diving. The schedule usually looked like this:

• Up at 6AM - eat breakfast, gather the gear 
• On the boat by 7:25AM 
• Dive #1 - typically 70 minutes 
• Depending on where dive #2 was we would either hang out on the boat or make a quick stop back at the resort
• Dive #2 - 70 minutes
• Back to the resort arriving between 12:30-1PM for lunch and if we were lucky a little downtime
• Back on the boat by 2:30PM 
• Dive #3 - 70 minutes 
• Back to the resort usually between 4:30-5PM 
• Clean up and hit the jetty for the beautiful sunset
• Dinner sometime around 7:30-8PM 
• Bed by 9:30PM 

I never realized how much energy you burn scuba diving! The water was a little colder than I anticipated so I was working even harder just to stay warm which meant I could enjoy even more of the amazing meals! 

Dive boat

This was a trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget. I'll leave you with some of the pictures I snapped while diving - nothing worth publishing as I'm still in training :) 

Enjoy!

Nemo! 

My favorite creature! 

Blue ribbon eel 

Crocodile fish 

Color unlike I've ever seen!

Healthy coral reef system

Cuttlefish

Brown moray eel

Enjoying a cigar and cold beer after three dives! 

Beautiful Wakatobi!

Beauty in Bali

When we decided to jump on the invitation to dive Wakatobi, we knew we couldn't travel half way across the world and not soak in the Balinese culture. After consulting with our travel agent, we decided four days in Ubud, Bali would meet our needs of adventure and culture.

Check out the terrace! 

We spent the first day relaxing at the Hotel Tjampuhan Spa, which was much needed after 25+ hours of travel. Our resort had a beautiful spa with hot and cold spring pools, massage, facials, sauna and steam room.

Hot and Cold Tubs

The American dollar goes a long way in Bali, a nice treat for those who travel across the world. We decided to take full advantage of the cheap prices at the spa by booking a massage, body scrub, yogurt body mask, facial and Bali flower bath (all for $65 a PERSON). The spa is tucked away in the trees and overlooks a small river. It's a very peaceful and relaxing spa experience. Having spent a couple of hours being pampered our next stop was a visit to the sauna and steam rooms, and the natural spring whirlpools including a cold pool. One of the most alive feelings I have ever had was taking a dip in the hot whirlpool followed by a quick an I mean QUICK dunk in the ice cold pool. It shocks your body and for a split second you think I'm crazy for doing this, but the feeling that overcomes your body after you step out of the cold water is difficult to describe. The blood rushing to warm every centimeter of skin is exhilarating and intense. I hesitated for a long time before I finally gave it a try as cold water and Jami do not mix, let alone ice cold water.  

Beautiful scenery at Hotel Tjampuhan Spa 

Our early dinner included a trip to Cafe Marzano which is known for pizza! Yes, you can find pizza anywhere in the world including Bali! We enjoyed shopping in the market as we made our way back to the resort.  The market is filled with paintings, wood and metal artworks, jewelry, clothing, sarongs, scarfs and so much more. Be ready to make a deal with the seller as bartering is the game in Bali!

Bali market

Balinese man trying to convince Jim to buy some postcards. 

On our second day in Ubud we met up with Aled, our tour guide from Bali Tours, for our Nature of Bali tour. Aled was a great tour guide giving us insight into his beautiful country's history and culture. I took a lot of notes during our tours and have to credit Aled for sharing his knowledge and insight with us. 

Bali is unique as 90% of the population practice Balinese Hinduism, where all other islands of Indonesia predominantly practice Islam. The fundamental principle underlying Hinduism is that there is order in the cosmos, also known as dharma. The Balinese people are very friendly and peaceful. Bali is known for their temples, with  roughly 20,000 temples throughout the small island giving them the name the "Island of the Gods". 

Bali is known for it's beauty with rain forests, rice fields, fruits and vegetable fields and of course the famous beaches. The infrastructure is lacking with millions of residents and many more visitors using the aging infrastructure.  The Balinese people are some of the hardest working people I have crossed in my travels. Having grown up on a farm, it amazes me that there is no machinery and that all of the farming is done by hand. Family owned farms exist throughout the island, with families doing all of the work using their own hands and body. It's such a simple life in Bali, as the many luxuries just don't exist like they do in America. Families live together in a large home with their 1st and 2nd cousins. Can you imagine Americans living with their immediate let alone extended families? The homes would have to be four times the size of what they are now considering Americans love big homes!

We toured a plantation and enjoyed some of their coffee and teas. The Balinese are known for their Luwak coffee or as Jim named it "poop" coffee. The coffee comes from the poop of the mongoose, a ferret looking animal that eats the coffee beans from the bottom of the rainforest floor, it goes through their digestive system whole, is released and the Balinese people collect, clean and turn it into coffee. I'm not a coffee drinker, but Jim gave it a try and said it reminded him of espresso only served in a normal coffee cup. Needless to say he was bouncing off the walls after a full cup of "poop" coffee! 

Aled and Jim chatting it up about the plantation.

Pretty interesting.... 

Next, we traveled along the narrow roads to the Bratan Temple. 

Bratan Temple

Located on Bratan Lake, the temple is a multi-tiered shrine, dating back to the 17th century and is dedicated to the goddess of the lake, Dewi Danu. Farmers will come to the temple to ask for rain for their crops. The area also includes a buddhist and muslim temple, a rare find in Bali. 

Buddhist temple

On our way to the "Two Lakes" we made a stop at the market. Markets are located throughout the island, with families selling their fruits and vegetables along with their crafts. In Bali you barter for goods, which I have to admit I really suck at. We tried some different fruits including passion fruit. I can't say it was my favorite fruit - the consistency reminded me of snot....  

Two Lakes

Our last stop of the day was to feed the monkeys along the side of the road. The Balinese monkeys are friendly little guys as they are used to people feeding them bananas! Bali has a well know Monkey Forest, located on the outskirts of Ubud. We learned that if you stop at the Monkey Forest be prepared for monkeys to jump on your back and if you have a backpack for them to open it and steal your water bottles. Needless to say I wasn't sad that we never made it to the Monkey Forest.

They are sure cute! 

A long day of touring meant two tired tourist so we returned to our resort to relax on the balcony as the rain started to fall. It was a peaceful night watching the rain come down in the rain forest. 

A trip isn't a real trip if white water rafting isn't included - or that's what Jim thinks! Having rafted in Colorado, Oregon, and New Zealand I wasn't sure if Bali could top any of them, but Bali is now #1 for rafting. Sadly, I don't have any pictures that show the true beauty of the Ayung River. Waterfalls flowing alongside the amazing cliffs and beautiful untouched land. It was serenity floating down the river with majestic surrounding us. We traveled past a number of rice fields, resorts and untouched land for the eye to savor. 

Rafting Ayung River

Sobek was the rafting company our travel agent set us up with and I would recommend them to anyone. They were professional yet also knew how to have a great time! Our guide Mali spoke little english but did a great job navigating our small raft of four - us and our new friends Julia and Steffen from Germany. We stopped halfway at a little stand on the side of the river for everyone to light up and  have a drink. Jim and I laughed that apparently you can't handle a couple hours of rafting without a smoke break! Smoking is quite prevalent in Bali, so they make lots of accommodations for those smokers.... Thanks to Julia for the great pictures to prove we really did raft! 

Our professional rafting crew - Steffen, Julia, Mali, Jami and Jim!

The evening was spent with Julia and Steffen talking about America, Germany and our many travels. We enjoyed dinner at Coco Bistro and drinks at Oops Bar and Restaurant. The Balinese do not drink much alcohol, therefore finding a bar is quite challenging and expensive - especially if you are craving a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc. To stick with the Team Cocktail motto I drank Bali Hai or Batini beer - two Indonesian beers. Can't say they are anything to desire but gets the job done! 

Steffen, Julia, Jami and Jim 

Our last day in Bali included a Temple Tour with Aled. We stopped for pictures of the terraced rice fields and the active volcano Mount Batur. Mount Batur last erupted in 1968 and you can still see the lava field from this eruption. 

Mount Batur

We made a stop at the Mother Temple of Besakih or Pura Besakih, in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung. This temple is the most important, largest and holiest temple of the Hindu religion in Bali. This temple is made up of 22 temples, situated on parallel ridges. It has flights of stairs that meet up with a number of courtyards. It was designed along a single axis to lead the spiritual person upward and closer to the mountain, which is considered sacred. 

Mother Temple of Besakih

Young Balinese girl trying to sell postcards

Our last stop of the day was the the Mahaghri Resort and Restaurant overlooking terraced rice fields. The pictures do not give the landscape true justice as it will take your breath away. The resort is situated beautifully to capture pictures of the hard labor of the farmers. 

Overlooking the rice fields at Mahaghri Resort

Beauty of Bali at it's best

We had an amazing time trying new things, embracing the Balinese culture, and most of all meeting new friends! Stay tuned to learn more about our next stop - Wakatobi Dive Resort! 

Team Cocktail Cruise 2011

Who doesn't love the warmth of the sun on your face with your toes in the sand and a cocktail in hand? Jim joined the Team Cocktail team in 2010 as the Sales Manager, Awesome Stuff and Distribution therefore we were "required" to join the Team for their annual Caribbean cruise. This was Jim's first cruise, but it was my fourth cruise. I was looking forward to a week of fun in the sun with a great group of people! We left the cold Midwest on an early January only to land in the warm, sunny skies of San Juan, Puerto Rico!!

Our first night included a visit to Old San Juan for great food and the famous mojito at Parrott Club. It's a great place with covered outdoor seating!

On Saturday, all 31Team Cocktail members boarded the Celebrity Summit cruiseline for seven days at sea.

Our first day was at sea, so we all settled into our staterooms and of course enjoyed our first cocktail on the top deck! Celebrity offers a drink package which for Team Cocktail was golden!

Our first port call was St. Croix, USVI, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our day started off with a two-tank dive in the beautiful waters of St. Croix. The dive was fun and a great opportunity to get our "fins" wet! After our dive, we cleaned up our equipment and made our way to meet the rest of the crew at Rhythm's Beach Bar at Rainbow Beach. It was a beautiful beach, with chairs available to rent and plenty of cold drinks near by! Rhythm's Beach Bar offers great service and my favorite beach drink "Lime in the Coconut". For you key lime pie lovers I highly recommend ordering one or two of "Lime in the Coconut"!

A tip I might offer for those with loose fit rings - leave it in your safe! As Jim and I took a nice walk along the beach he looked down at his hand and ask me "Have you seen my wedding ring?" which of course I said "no". As you can guess, he managed to donate his wedding ring to the sea life of St. Croix, months before our second wedding anniversary! I guess he owes me a new ring for losing his! ;)

Our second port of call was St. Kitts, an island in the West Indies. Jim and Steve decided to swing the clubs at Royals St. Kitts Golf Course.

The rest of the team made our way to Reggae Beach Bar and Grill, a favorite for Team Cocktail. The downpours didn't spoil our fun as we just moved under the roof of Reggae Beach Bar and Grill for delicious cocktails!

Another early morning as we headed out for our second dive on the beautiful and lush island of Dominica. Dominica’s Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve is located in the south west of the island. A vast submerged volcanic crater, it has some amazing dive sites; dramatic drop-offs and walls, huge pinnacles rising from the sea bed, active underwater fumaroles, expansive coral reefs, all full of life. 



Our second dive included a popular snorkeling spot "Champagne" as there are tiny crystal bubbles that continuously rise from small volcanic geothermal fissures in the sea floor. Swimming in the bubbles is like swimming in a glass of champagne!!  



So what island stop was next? The beautiful island of Grenada. Grenada is known as the "island of spice" due to the production of nutmeg and mace crops. The beaches are soft and beautiful.

We enjoyed the warm water, soft beaches and great food and beverages at Umbrella's Beach Bar on Grand Anse beach.

After a fun day at the beach, we headed back to the cruise to enjoy happy hour at sail away and Dancing with the Stripes. Lyndsey and I signed up to show of our amazing dance moves! Sadly we both were beat out by professional dancers but we had a great time and many laughs!

A little liquid courage!

Our last official stop was Tobago. Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The one fact about this island I like the most is that it lies outside the hurricane belt!! The water and beaches reminded me a lot of those in Fiji. Crystal clear water with soft, white sandy beaches. We headed off to Pigeon Point Beach for a day of relaxation on a warm, sunny day! Pigeon Point is considered Tobago's most beautiful beach and I can see why. The beach includes a long stretch of white sand beach with warm aqua waters. There are many beach facilities such as bathrooms, showers and beach-chair rentals. There is an entry fee so be sure to bring cash along - small denominations and U.S. dollar is accepted.

We enjoyed a short boat trip out Bucco Reef for some snorkeling. Bucco Reef is protected marine park between Pigeon Park and Bucco Point. There are daily tours by glass-bottomed boats with snorkeling and a stop at the Nylon Pools. The Nylon Pool is a warm, shallow area in the middle (yes the middle) of the reef lagoon and is amazing!

Our final day was a day at sea which was just what the doctor ordered! A beautiful day to relax and soak up the sun for one last day!

#1 bartender ~ Dr. Feelgood

Team Cocktail 2011



If you are looking for an opportunity to get away from old man winter I highly recommend a cruise with Team Cocktail! The next cruise is scheduled for the week of January 15th on Carnival Victory with stops in St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten. Cheers!!