The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Long, long, faraway shot (reserved for female bathers over 60) of me on our little beach

Wayan and her sister - wonderful people

Richard was standing on the sea wall in the moonlight, silhouetted against the sea. As I walked up behind him I had a sudden mental image of Micky Mouse as the Sorcerer's apprentice. Richard had raised his arms the better to enjoy the breeze and I imagined a pointed hat and a long robe with sleeves hanging a foot off each hand. The score started running through my mind and I could conjure up a line of brooms marching up the stairs from the beach sweeping away relentlessly.


The ocean was pounding mercilessly at the sea wall, breaker after breaker crashing into it, turning back on itself and washing back out. The back wash crashed against the incoming rollers disintegrating into huge foam plumes, one spraying up after another. At our feet was a roiling, boiling cauldron. As if this wasn't enough show, lightning bolts cracked open the sky every minute or so back lighting Nusa Penida, the island just off shore. Richard was gradually getting soaked as larger and larger waves broke against the wall.

Last breakfast in Eden

A week of living with no schedule and zero demands for any kind of routine have left us just edging into the peculiar. I don't think it would take us long to earn the sobriquet, "Eccentric". We order what we want from the gentle staff whenever we want it night or day - nobody expects us anywhere. Left to our own devices, we are having breakfast for a couple of hours, reading, beach combing, walking through the village, back to the books. A manta ray washed up into our tide pools last night - this is a huge event. Counting the hermit crabs, watching the birds, thrilling when the huge wasp comes home to his nest under our bale roof. We spend most nights under our bale listening to the waves crash and oohing and ahhing at the lightning and thunder. Thinking about going home tomorrow makes my stomach churn.


Part of the reluctance to leave is that this precious little villa will be off limits henceforth. We are the final guests in this tiny Eden. I'll try to find an apple for Richard to eat on our way out.