Saturday, January 28, 2012

Around the World: Tanah

January 29, 1992

After breakfast, we planned to head northwest to Tabanan, to see the mythical Tanah Lot temple, constructed upon a rock shaped by centuries of ocean tides.  During breakfast, Tracey and her parents got into an argument and although none of them were speaking to each other, we decided to go anyway.

We were barely on our way when a storm dumped monsoon worthy rains upon us and without any warning, another taxi drove into the side of ours.  No one was hurt, which is amazing as there are no seat belts, and the chaos encouraged the family to resume communications.  It seems rain is good for more than making plants green.

We switched to another taxi, as the windows were shattered in the crash and the car was not drive-able.  Fortunately, the rain let up for a spectacular view of the Tanah Lot temple.


Tanah Lot temple at high tide

I tried to get a closer look at the temple, but was cautioned against it by one of the officials who informed me that poisonous sea snakes are plentiful around and on the island.  Hindu legend says that a giant sea snake guards the island from intruders and I didn't want to risk being mistaken for one.

The taxi then brought us into Kuta for some shopping, where we recognized Pauline and Ben, a couple we had met on Ko Samui.  We shared a taxi to Uluwatu, rumoured to have views of the best sunsets on Bali.  I'll never know because another storm clouded over any chance to see it.  Instead we found a restaurant and talked until the rain let up.  They gave me their address in Bournemouth, England and offered me an invitation to stay at their bed and breakfast inn.

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Luck affects everything; let your hook always be cast; in the stream where you least expect it, there will be a fish.
~ Ovid