Would somebody please turn the crickets down?

One thing about living in a well insulated house in a northern winter - you hear very little other than the sounds you make inside your home. On a typical yellowknife winter morning even if you were to step outside at -30 you might here your own footsteps and the occasional grumpy raven but it is really quite quiet.

Bali on the other hand with open walls, no windows, is loud. Right now I am sitting on our deck and can hear the Ayung River flowing below mixed with the sounds of crickets, a cooing pigeon like bird, the roosters crying "cocka doodle do," the occasional gecko grunt, our hot coloured chicks chirping, the neighbors dog barking - and the faint lull of traffic noise from across the river valley.

Down the valley somewhere somebody is practicing their gamelan gongs too.

Just now the thunder is getting loud again. The other day there was so much rain and thunder I thought we would be washed away. One lightening bolt struck about 500 meters from our house in the center of the river valley (you know it's close when you hear it and see it at the same time!).

I will try and upload a video with some of the sound to youtube. I hope it works!