To Sydney, and Beyond!

After spending more time learning about volcanic ash and studying weather patterns than I ever thought possible, it’s time to test our luck. Our original carrier, Jetstar, still isn’t flying regular flights (they are getting a the odd recovery flight out when they deem conditions are just right), and from the stories we hear, people are expecting it to be at least a week before they get all of their stranded passengers home (we’re somewhere near the bottom of that list). The forecast shows the ash cloud blowing pretty much directly over the airport all day, so we’re not super optimistic, but trying to stay positive.

Our flight isn’t until 10:30 in the evening, so we take most of the day pretty easy, catching up with people back home, relaxing on the beach, and keeping cool in the pool. It’s a hard life, and I need to track down a pair of Nockers to give me the energy to get through the day.

The low point comes as I am chilling out, just minding my own business in the hot tub. It overlooks one of the poolside showers, which at the time is being used by gray-haired gentleman sporting a few extra pounds, all squeezed nicely into form-fitting banana hammock. I’ve travelled enough now that there really isn’t any shock value left in people wearing swimsuits that are well beyond their load capacity, but just when I figured I’d seen everything (literally in this case), he yanks the front of his suit away from his body and plunges his other hand in the give the fellas a good scrub down. Please lord, let there be an eye wash station nearby.

We kill our last few hours in Bali at the hotel lounge. We’re regulars here by this point, and the manager stops by see how we’ve enjoyed our stay. He tells Joey that he needs to bring his friends back next year, and teaches him a secret hand shake for when he returns. For a guy that has probably spent the last week surrounded by frustrated people just trying to get home, he’s amazingly upbeat, and is a great reminder of why we enjoy SE Asia so much.

With that, we’re off to the airport.