1 17 of us Westies boy's (and one United fella) took off on an end of year footy trip to Bali in Indonesia.
All the boys assembled at the hotel in Darwin, where we overnighted, and we're on our way to the airport.
2 You gotta have a couple of ice cold sherbets before getting on the tin crow.
3Garuda Airlines was the airline of choice. It was cheap for a reason. Before the trip was done we had several interesting "incidents" on the flights that will be retold until eternity. Can you say flying bemo???
4 Shaun "Mary" Frerichs, Johnny "Dowlo" Dowling, Wayne "Manu" Kani, David "Bulldog" Cox, Tony "Roy the Boy" O'Donahue & Tony "Powelly" Powell (he was playing for United at the time).
5 Manu, Roy the Boy, Eddie "Putahna" Shabernay, your's truly & Bulldog.
6 STANDING - Phil "Philthy" Wilkins, Dowlo, Powelly, Simon "Reet" Petite, Paul "Bushy" Bushette, Harry "Uncle Arthur" Stubbins, Thomas Keith "Darky" Darke, Ian "Rama Bali" Williams, Roy the Boy, Manu, Putahna, Bulldog, Fitzy, Mary & Michael "Griffo" Griffin.
KNEELING - John "Coxy" Cox & Craig "Lambok Miniani" Lambley.
7 It cost us $950-00 AUD to fly from Darwin and stay at the Rama Beach Cottages for 10 days.
This was considerably cheaper than flying to Sydney to attend the Rugby League Grand Final for a weekend.
8 Griffo, Mary, Lambok, Trevor "Fluxy" Flux & Bushy park up at out favorite watering hole, the Sari Club
9 Hey Philthy, I think the temp tats look better on Bushy and Bulldog rather than your chicken wings!
10 Like a thief in the night...............
11 We all decided to go out and see a bit of the countryside, but we were all a bit lethargic to say the least. Might have had something to do with two huge days on the gas.
12 Dowlo looks like a local, Roy the Boy looks like a Mexican, Fluxy looks like six different shades of shit and Reet Petite's got his aggots out again.
13 As we said in school "bad kids up the back"!!!!
14 The Balinese wood carvers are phenomenal artists. We couldn't bring any back as Australian Customs were confiscating any and all untreated wood products.
15 You found these little shrines all over the place.
16 When entering a temple you must have your legs covered, hence the sarongs.
17 Uncle Arthur and Philthy make a lovely couple!
18 We didn't expect Coxy to be overcome by the moment and start to put a floor show on. Are you trying to tell us something Coxy???
19 Group photo time.
20 Reet Petite in comfort mode.
21 Fair dinkum, I reckon Dowlo could pass as a local, no dramas at all. Ain't much hope for the other two larrikins though.
22 I was kind of in awe how the Balinese take the simplest of thing and turn it into a thing of beauty, like these grass mats.
23 Fresh fruit & veg vendors were everywhere.
24 We travelled up to the mountains to check out an active volcano.
25 The contrasts in terrain opens your eyes. From beach to volcanom it doesn't get any more dramatic.
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28 This is the kitchen of the restaurant that over looks the volcano. We didn't enquire if the 4 legged friend was on the menu for fear it was.
29 Look up motley crew in the dictionary and you'll see this photo!!!
30 With rice being a staple, paddy field cover the landscape.
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33 Lambok waiting in the hotel reception to use the only phone in the hotel that could ring out to Australia.
34 I don't think Dowlo, Fluxy, Mary or Lambok got out of the pool (for anything) all day.
35 Coxy and Uncle Arthur catching some rays as Powelly looks on.
36 OK, Mary did move, but only to get Powelly to shout a round.
37 See what happens when good school teachers go bad!!!
38 This was the local corner store where the price of beer and soft drinks was ¼ that of the hotels. We just walked across the street to stock up.
39 Philthy just back from being stitched up after opening his leg up on a broken tile in the pool.
40 Don't forget the paperwork mate!!
41 One of our late night hangout "Peanuts". It took a bit of finding, but it was a rocking joint when you got there.
42 Cool, like the other side of the pillow. Fluxy was the consummate shopper until he got to the haggling part.
43 Here we go again, back in the bemo for another day trip.
44 Darkie's got all the essentials for the day out, Macca's and beer!!! What more could you want for breakfast???
45 Now pay close attention Bushy as behind this gentle demeanor lurks the reflexes of a cat.
46 Fluxy and Coxy decide to pass on Darkies breakfast in favor of something more traditional.
47 Dunno, but the breakfast must have done wonders. It's a bit how's ya father for them to be swinging racquets if you ask me.
48 Some of the vegetation surrounding our rooms. It all got a bit much for me one night as I couldn't find my room after wondering around for an hour.
49 How's this for beach front living?
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51 Dowlo, Powelly, Mary & Lambok on the fang again.
52 The locals love to carve. You see this kind of stuff all over the island.
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54 Our rooms were clean and basic. It's not that we spent any quality time there or anything.
55 The pool by the ocean. Quite a few of us became well acquainted with the swim up bar ......
56 ..... after all, it is hot and humid in Bali you know.
57 The rice fields after harvesting.
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60 The locals live in some pretty primitive shacks on the side of the road. You've got to be thankful that we have it pretty good.
61 We would run into the occasional street parade. Unfortunately I don't know what they were celebrating.
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63 Darkie was the "Great White Hunter" on the trip. He could sniff out a carton of piss from the next post code.
64 What are you looking so happy for "Ice Man"???
65 Must be because KFC sells beer. Fair dinkum, I reckon the shop owner is onto something there. Chicken and BEER!!!
66 Today's trip was water sports
67 Manu, your's truly, Reet Petite, Lambok & Philthy all piled into one rickety boat.
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69 Darkie, Bushy & Bulldog couldn't get the shade thing worked out. Must be forwards ... the lot of them.
70 Cop a look at Fluxy doing the ol' Jacques Cousteau thing.
71 Philthy, Bulldog, Fluxy & Manu preparing to snorkel.
72 Who's a pretty boy then?
73 They've given up on the shade thing and head off for fluid replenishment.
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75 Where we snorkeled was like something out of the movie Blue Lagoon.
76 If it wasn't for Rama Bali and his day trips, we wouldn't have seen how great Bali actually is.
77 Yup, that is Fluxy there.
78 I am walrus!!!
79 Look down Bushy!!!
80 Rama Bali and Fluxy out patrolling again.
81 You'd be surprised how clean, neat and tidy the local shops are kept.
82 This is the street outside our hotel
83 ....and it's not good anywhere else???
84 This is the main street of Kuta. Pretty narrow and very crowded at night.
85 This is where our bemo drivers dropped us off. From there we'd roam all over Kuta.
86 Don't be afraid, some of the best tucker I've had came from a street vendors "cholera" cart.
87 Back to the hotel for a quick dip to freshen up before heading out on the town ..... again
88 This is the pathway to our hotel rooms.
89 Pretty neat spot to watch the sun go down.
90 Fluxy's checking his eyelids out for holes
91 Lambok's pissed to the eyeball and trying to sneak in.
92 Here one of the 5 "esses" in freshening up.
93 Manute and El Gringo Roy the Boy.
94 Everyone voted on Philthy being the first to try out para sailing.
95 The lad's looking a bit nervous.
96 But like a trooper that he is, Philthy rode chute like a champ.
97 Roy the Boy and myself are waiting for a shot.
98 The jury is still out in whether Fluxy was Para or Paro sailing.
99 Powelly, Reet Petite, Fluxy, Roy the Boy & Dowlo decide to take on the big banana.
100 The boys are still trying to get into the water.
101 Here we go, here we go, here we go, here we go.
102 Lookout pedestrains, we have a roll over.
103 C'mon let's do it again only faster.
104 On the way back we found some wrecks in the harbor.