Flight of Fancy...Bali and Beyond: No.3

Bali to Thailand

Kuta May 11 2010

Kuta - Galangan decoration

We had our penultimate breakfast at Kedin 2- the usual scrambled eggs on toast with black tea, watching the Kedin's hotel workers busy making a Galangan decoration- a significant religious event for the Balinese. The day was spent with final purchases (one very funny moment was when I was ahead in the street, and George had apparently called out to me, and a taxi driver drove past, wound down his window and said 'mama, papa call' and gestured back in the direction of George...this reminded me of a time on Lembongan when we'd hired motorbikes and I'd lost George somewhere and a local couple, who I didn't know, who were on a bike stopped and said 'Your husband at Mangrove Village” It was also the day that George was to pick up his newly made vest, which turned out to be fantastic-vivid colours and striking design. We packed up, ready for our departure.

Kuta to Thailand May 12 2010

At breakfast we were assured that it was best to book the taxi 15 mins prior to our departure, which we did, with lots of time to spare. So we ventured out with our luggage (which always seemed such an ordeal...even though I'd bought what I thought was a very small wheelie suitcase) to await the taxi. A half an hour passed, and at regular intervals I paced down the lane, checking to see if it was in vain. Not a taxi in sight! Again I spoke with the manager and he rang again- 5 mins he said. Traffic must be heavy...Again we waited...until we could wait no longer. I asked the manager to let the taxi know that we were heading to Legian St...and we heaved our gear along the narrow lanes, and again the thought entered our minds...there is not transport when really needed.. and, to our delight two taxi emerged in the next lane...so we were off to the airport.

We still had some rupiah so thought it a good idea to convert it to baht...so at this stage we had only baht, only to discover that there was a 150 Rupiah departure tax per person...so quickly had to change it all back again...and even converting some $US as we didn't have enough. Finally onto the plane (no problem exiting...our bags left untouched, though a local couple in front had their suitcases heavily scrutinised)...and then we were in the air. For me this part of travel is exciting...it's the landing, having to find accommodation, visas, customs...that's daunting. So we settled into the flight, and our pre-ordered meal arrived- Georges smoked chicken focaccia was fine, my rice fine, but the chicken on the skewers had a texture of rubber, and the taste may have had slightly chickenny overtones...but only because I knew that I had ordered chicken. Our thirst needed to be quenched, but alas, credit cards weren't to be accepted, and we'd used all our rupiah- but quickly realised that we had Mary's baht, generously provided for drinks, so we toasted Mary on the plane...delighted to have the necessary baht...In all a very smooth flight, and our next step was to land at Bangkok, and then find our flight to Sura Thani- a 4 hour wait.

Immigration and customs- a breeze! Nothing looked at- so we were free to find our next flight. Again all went smoothly, and we were on our way. This time some apprehension had started to settle in, knowing that at the other end we needed to get from the airport to the City (about 27k), find accommodation....We boarded, found our seats, and I was next to Nok, a Thai woman, about 30, a nurse at Koh Samui. Her first question was 'How are you getting to Sura Thani from the airport?' to which I gave a vague response, as we'd spent the last 4 weeks being vague, as any mention of how or where we may be going, ended up with offers of a driver, tours and the like. Nok, whose father was picking her up, insisted that he would take us to Sura Thani. We had a long conversation about Thailand, and on touch down Nok said “Wait for me at the airport” and she assured us that all would be fine by her father. Nok was greeted by a very jolly lady, and our gear was piled into the back of the ute, and the three of us squeezed into the back seat and headed off. They laughed and had a very happy conversation, at some stage, even offering us to stay for a meal, but we thought that it would be stretching their hospitality. Nok said she knew a hotel that we could stay at, close to where we needed to catch the bus to get to the harbour for Koh Phangnan, and they even did a loop to show us how to get there from our hotel...so we ventured into the hotel, and found ourselves with luxuries such as aircon, shampoo, soap, TV...and a view of an incredible building, temple-like, from our window. After settling in we found a local eatery and had beautiful chicken soup, with ice filled glasses and a jug of water on the table.

Sura Thani to Kho Phangan May 13 2010

The bus filled with locals and we headed off. Thailand is quite modern, the roads good, and driving is easy, particularly relative to Bali. We travelled past many houses, coconut palms. Massive mountain like rocks that looked like they had a volcanic origin..until finally we saw the port...where we sat and sat (in between an iced fruit juice) until it was time to leave. The skyline above the port is dominated by a huge white Buddha that sits prominently at the top of the cliff. We travelled on a huge ferry, which carried many cars and trucks in its hold to the island. At the dock we met an Englishman, Dennis, who was also headed our way, with whom we shared the taxi which was open air, with seats at the back separate from the main cabin, to Hat Rin.

Coral Bungalows Sunset Beach Hat Rin

Sunset Beach Hat Rin

Finally we arrived at Coral Bungalows, after a harrowing taxi ride, the driver speeding up and down windy, hilly coastal road, with us hanging onto our luggage and the car, to prevent ourselves from falling out! We settled in, only to find that we were surrounded by party crazy young 18-25 year olds, with a pool party, disco...that went until about 2 AM. We managed another night there and knew that it was time to move on...knowing that we would be leaving behind the sunsets which were truly awesome...

Seaview Haadrin Bungalows Sunrise Beach Hat Rin May 15 2010

Beautiful hibiscus

Our little bungalow was one row back from the beach- though we still had a reasonable view of the sea. It was tiny, but a relief after the hustle of our previous place, though the bed was as hard as a rock, and the pillow was a rock. The beach was exceptional, the sand very fine, the water clear. There were few swimmers, and the only vendors on the beach had three surfskis, but didn't approach us- they were eagerly sought out by young people ready to burst out into the sea. Our days were spent swimming, sun baking, reading...enjoying the delicious fruit- watermelon, pineapple and mango. The sea was clear, relatively shallow, and incredibly warm- bath like. The nights weren't as peaceful as we had imagined they would be. The tiny hut with fan heated up like a sauna, and the party at various places along the beach continued until dawn, with the deep bass beat resonating throughout the area.

Seaview Bungalows Hat Rin

Seaview Bungalows, Sunrise Beach, Hat Rin May 17 2010

The night had been stormy, the sea was a lot more turbulent than usual, but the day was hot. I ventured in for a swim, pleased that the water was deeper and cooler. I found myself drifting towards the rocks, so started to swim in the opposite direction, only to find that I was swimming on the spot, and being carried closer to the rocks. I realised that I was disappearing around the corner, out of view of the beach, behind the rocks, and the current was pulling me further out. A wave took me close to a rock and I tried to grab on. Couldn't. After another wave I was more successful, grabbed on, and hoisted myself up, wedged between two rocks. There I perched, hands and legs bleeding in a number of places, as the rocks were sharp from mollusc and other shells, and as I stood there, I wondered if the waves would come in, and take me off this rock...Miraculously a local man appeared with a long bamboo stick. He used the stick to show me where I should stand next so I carefully made my way through the sea on the rocks, till I was close to another big rock, way too steep for me to negotiate. A few more young men appeared, and two helped me up, in the meantime my hands and legs becoming more cut and scratched. I made my way up the steep rock surface- in shock, but thankful to be alive! Later in the day I went up to try to find the man with the bamboo stick to thank him again, but he wasn't around, so I asked one of the young men there to pass on the message.

Ill-fated swim near Magic Mountain

Chuloklum May 18-20, 2010

We negotiated a price to get to Chuloklum with our Seaview Bungalow host, and headed off. It was drizzly when we arrived, the roads filled with huge puddles, and all looked bleak and miserable. Both of us had had the thought that perhaps we should ask them to take us back to the port, as they were going through there, but we didn't. We'd looked at two possible places in Lonely Planet, so we were dropped off at one of the places, rain coming down. The manager showed us the room, and it looked prison-like. One window, hard beds, dark and gloomy with dogs everywhere. Our luggage was under cover, so when the rain eased I ventured off to see if we could find a more salubrious offering. After a hot tea we finally decided where we would stay.

Our current accommodation, is not unlike our previous hut, but larger, and with two beautiful windows, with a picturesque view of the bay, sprinkled with fishing boats. Unlike our previous hut the pillows are soft, though the mattress still very hard. The bathroom is open air- so it's possible to get a tan showering. It's been much cooler at night, and we invested in a new light bulb as the lighting is very dim. This has made a huge difference to night reading- a definite improvement, and one that we'll carry to our next place as lighting has been very dim throughout.

After exploring the village and area generally we hired motorbikes, and have seen lots of the island. The motorbikes provide so much freedom to explore, and yesterday we found a spectacular tranquil beach, not far away, where we'll head to once we leave here. In the huts around we are surrounded by a large German group who travel lightly, and have hired motorbikes for a long time, so they move on with their packs and find new places to stay. There are also French, English and Argentinian tourists, but we haven't spotted (nor heard) any other Australians here.

The sea is quite shallow, and there are sharp creatures under seaweed- but I'm yet to venture in as I'm waiting for my wounds to be more healed. Tropical wounds need to be well looked after. We have the bikes for four more days, so it will give us plenty of time to explore.

Flight of Fancy...Bali and Beyond: No.2

Lembongan cove-motorbike trip

Lembongan Wednesday April 21^st

An overcast morning but the rain had eased considerably...It looked as though it would be reasonably fine so we hired some motorbikes for the day from a couple of local people who live near by. We worked our way through the narrow streets, avoiding chickens, dogs and people, as well as others on motorbikes. The young local boys race around, families ride around with up to 3 on a scooter...the tooting is a common sound- warning others. We soon got into the flow of it and explored the narrow streets, finally arriving at Mushroom Beach, a picturesque bay with lots of motorbikes for hire, some low cost accommodation and an imposing villa overlooking the bay which is hired out for 300 million rupiahs a night (outside our budget). Next adventure was to find Dream Beach- and on the way we passed lots of local children coming out of school in crisp uniforms, laughing and sometimes singing. It's quite common to see someone on a bike or just walking along singing. Dream Beach was the first surf we'd seen that rolled into the beach (most surf breaks have a reef in front and can be hard to get to), then off to try and find the bridge crossing between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

Nusa Ceningan

There's a long, narrow wooden bridge linking the two islands. There isn't room for two motorcycles so timing is of the essence! Halfway across there was a plank missing but we managed it without an issue. The island is a lot more hilly than Lembongan, and we wherever we rode were made welcome by greetings from children and local adults. Eventually, directed by young school boys, we found a surf beach. The area had been leased to an Australian for 20 years, and he'd built a villa and pools, but had seemingly run out of money, so apparently it had never been completed. Given the difficulties in accessing it (no cars on the island and quite steep terrain, as well as no boats from the mainland) it seemed doomed for failure. One of the locals engaged us in conversation, and walked us over to the blue lagoon. It was a beautiful inlet, almost turquoise blue. We then ventured back onto our bikes, just as it was starting to rain. The local young man guided us to a family temple and we sheltered there for a while, then set off, still raining, though it had eased slightly. Again it poured, and we sought refuge in a roadside cafe, drinking soothing bali tea with lime, while two French couples engaged in an animated conversation, and, of which. I couldn't understand a word. Across the road builders worked on a frame, heaving up huge beams which had already been cut to slot together like building blocks, with the odd adjustment, all this balancing many metres off the ground in the teeming rain!

Lembongan Thursday April 22^nd

Laundry day- a delight to have clean clothes again though they came back highly perfumed, much to George's dismay...dinner was Fish Curry and Tuna in banana leaf and we met Stine from Denmark, travelling alone (meeting up with partner in Australia) who highly recommended snorkelling and diving at Lembongan. The young women we have met from Europe have been very worldy, well-informed- and invariably we've had intelligent conversations, on a broad range of topics. It's been surprising how many single women travellers we've met.

Friday April 23^rd 2010

Our final mixed juice on Lembongan, then off on the boat back to Sanur. This time the passage was smooth, unlike our turbulent ride over-passed a beautiful surf beach in a cove round from where we had stayed, but looked deserted. Finally made it to shore...

Sanur

Decided to walk to Keke's (our home stay)...long, hot walk. On the way through to Keke's via the hotel shortcut- the hotel people commented on George's guitar and he gave it to a young boy- hotel worker. He played (and sang) 'Knock knock knocking at heaven's door' looking directly at George the whole time, as if serenading. Ever since we haven't had any problems going through using the hotel lane as a shortcut, though we'd been told that access may be denied as there are security people at either end. Friday evening the back gate was closed- and one of the hotel workers said- no problem- go through the hotel which is a lavish 4-5 star hotel.

It felt like home at Keke's- we met Show (eating fruit- v independent Taiwanese woman- 32- working in Aust- loved Alice Springs...Anna and Therese from Amsterdam- very chatty and friendly...both the last of 9 children...

Dinner at beach- beautiful snapper- on the ice- then cooked on grill...

Sanur Saturday April 24^th 2010

Met Liverpool couple- Steve and Sarah, who were off to work in Melb. Great sense of humour...Show went to a cremation ceremony on the beach. George asked her whether it had set the tone for the rest of the day? Sarah with her dry sense of humour remarked 'had she felt like a BBQ?'...Checked out car possibilities- negotiated a price- 100 rupiah per day (about $16)...to be picked up in the morning.

Headed off to the beach for a massage...fantastic! Pleasure quickly dissipated for George as he stood on a sea urchin-very painful! He tried to get out the spikes- unsuccessfully- a massuese got them out- by hitting his foot very hard with a rock to drive them out- more pain...then gave him some sap from a tree twig, and more twigs to take home. Bargained for, and bought my first dress...Not keen on bargaining but seems to be the way: a relief to have a light garment with no sleeves.

Medewi Sunday April 25^th

Picked up the car (Suzuki- small 4 wheel drive)- nightmare drive out of the main city area- wrong turns...ended up at the docks!

We drove though mind-boggling traffic, motorbikes, as always, everywhere, darting in and out from every direction. The main road rule is that every thing in FRONT has right of way. Horns are used constantly to warn other drivers that you will be overtaking. Penalties are harsh for accidents- a prison sentence, though not sure if this is just for ones involving injuries.

George had his first surf and we drove on to Medewi. From the place we were staying the beach looked fantastic- but beach had lots of smooth black pebbles- impossible to get in. Local guys playing soccer- cows grazing contentedly near the beach- Beautiful local meal- rice- tofu sardines noodles... but mouldy pillow ..noisy fan...so hard to sleep...

Many more Muslim people in the area- call to prayer was very loud (one before dawn)...and loud speaker blared throughout the village to beckon people to pray.

Lovina Monday April 26^th

Lovina Sunrise

Back on the road...a few kms down fantastic swimming beach- surf...black sand...traffic slightly less chaotic but still times when coming towards you- head on...

Batallion of motorcycles- young students- shirts painted- pillion passenger joyfully punching the air as he rode...break up? (Later we learned it was the year 10 students finishing school).

We stopped at a large roadside halal cafe- smorgasbord- with quite different food- lots of local vegies..

We stopped for a swim near a temple where an old lady was sweeping. She gestured that it was fine to swim there, after we had gestured our request. The old lady pulled up her shirt for George, revealing her bra, to show that it was OK for me to change there. I changed next to the well and was quick to plunge into the water. Off shore there was an old junk, with a number of people on board, similar to ones we've seen in the media carrying people to Australia from Indonesia.

The swim was incredibly refreshing and again we were back on the road...Later we drove through the National park- one section with lots of monkeys. The vegetation was stunning.

Soon we were seeing villages and in one saw an old lady-the spitting image of Shirley's old lady statue from Bali.

After a few attempts we found our best homestay so far, with a family at Lovina- found after we had looked at a few rooms-clean room- towels and soap...water lapping outside the window...idyllic sunset- boat just outside our window...We were practically floating on the water in our room.

We both had a swim and when I got out I found George talking with an and old lady...suddenly we were surrounded by about 6 ladies with beads, and sarongs, and a shirt for George...So we had our market right at the door...

Later there was an imposed Government black out (happens regularly for a few hours as too little power in Indonesia)- custard apples/grapes for dinner that I had bought from a roadside stall...loved the ambience of the place- right on the water...Nasi Goreng for breakfast...Ladies back again- to sell more sarongs...

Lovina-room on water

Lovina to Amed Tuesday April 27^th 2010

First stop at Lovina to look at a waterfall. Parked the car near a shop- immediately assisted by two guides. Price (up to us...ended up being 70 rupiah- 45 mins)...Took us to a number of levels- quite hard negotiating as slippery and rocks sharp...wearing wrong shoes...George went to the next level- refreshing swim...on the road- to Danau Tamblingan- very windy route and steep- one stage car had to roll back to make it up the mountain...Very misty and wet, so not a great view...and very hard, dangerous driving. A motorbike slipped over just in front of us- and both driver and pillion came off heavily...On to Singaraja- ATM- impossible to get out- traversed it 3 times until eventually back on the right road. It's very easy to end up in a one way street going the wrong way, as it's only one way for cars, not motorbikes, and the only indication that it's one way is a red circle with a white line through it, a small sign, often in a very obscure place! So a number of times we had to quickly reverse out after frantic waving from a local, and with us frantically reversing to avoid a fine from the eager police...

Not far out of Singarajah we stopped for a snack of our last grapes at what looked like a local oval, or the school's oval. The school was over the road and there was much waving from the young children. The schools all seem to be in very good condition and a local later explained that education is highly valued in Bali, and that over the last 5 years funding has improved for schools. He also said that children arrive at school around 7 am, and that they are also responsible for cleaning the school, prior to the school day. Each school is run by the local village.

Continued on our way, avoiding roosters, hens with their chickens and dogs dozing on the road....At one of the villages there was a big ceremony, with lots of police directing proceedings, and local people watching bulls gaily festooned in a myriad of colours, racing across the oval.

The coastal road along this section seemed infertile- no water in the rivers (later told that they are full in the wet)...Very tired, arrived at Amed...after some abortive attempts to find a room ended up at an amazing room- again on the water. Beautiful and tranquil. After dinner George joined a few local musicians, playing his guitar.

Amed Wednesday April 28^th 2010

What a superb room- perfect awakening for George's birthday- breakfast and hired snorkel and flippers- really loved snorkelling- brilliant striped black and yellow fish, iridescent tiny blue fish, large multicoloured ones, as well as bright blue starfish sheltering on the rocks. Coral and marine life danced around. I wondered why I'd never snorkelled before. It was time to relax in the sun, and soon a local lady came by, offering a massage...George readily accepted- and it was fantastic- and all just outside the door on our terrace.

Our next adventure was to find the Japanese shipwreck for some more snorkelling. We'd been told that it wasn't far, just near Rastus' cafe. So we set off, and negotiated the windy, steep road that hugged the sea, and drove and drove- no sign of the shipwreck. Finally we decided it'd be best to turn around, and a local advised us of where to go- and we came upon a very small sign- shipwreck parking, and down some steep steps, tucked away in the thick undergrowth was Rastus' Cafe. We had a juice and ventured between the boats to explore the wreck. The sea was a brilliant turquoise blue, the marine life impressive...Soon it was time to move on...so we wrestled off our snorkelling gear...And searched for the key...checked pockets and bags, then checked them again...turned everything inside out...Checked all again...no keys! We were 7 km from Amed, dripping wet, with snorkelling gear and 10,000 rupiah (about $1.60)...The realisation dawned that we'd have to go back into the water to search...We were aided by a local, but we realised that our search was in vain- they could be anywhere in the vast ocean

Despondent we ascended the steps....Our attempts to find transport were to no avail- ironic as the one time we NEEDED transport there was none, and every time we had walked out of where we were staying previously, we'd be met by a chorus of 'transport?'...Off we trudged up the hill, wet bathers, snorkelling gear trailing behind. At the crest of the second hill George was engaged in negotiations with a young man...He would take me, then come back for George. I hopped on- and the ride was not unlike the Big Dipper, but not as safe! He'd had some Arak, but was a competent driver, and I felt safe, as he overtook cars and bikes and tooted his horn triumphantly as he passed people he knew...I advised him that he would need to drive more slowly for George...It wasn't long before we were back at Bamboo Bali, and I borrowed a new key for the room, and arranged for a new key for the car to be brought by courier to Amed (150,000 rupiah- about $24...the trip would take 5 hours return)...Soon George returned and we parted with another 60,000 R for our driver...Once we were safely eating dinner our adventure was well behind us.

Amed Thursday April 29^th 2010

Before breakfast the new key arrived and George set off to the car on the back of the courier's bike. The car was there, seemingly undisturbed, so all was well. The days was spent snorkelling, reading, sunbaking and generally relaxing. Late afternoon we decided to try to find a nearby temple, based on the directions of the hotel owner, which he indicated was all clearly marked. So we drove for 7 km as directed, but not a temple in sight. It was soon obvious that we would need to turn...But where? Finally we found a spot (not easy with a windy, steep road and lots of traffic) and decided that the temple would need to wait until the next day.

Amed Friday April 30^th 2010

We awoke, stepped quickly into action, packing, eating breakfast, loading up the car again to make an early start to the journey back to Sanur, our first mission- to find the temple. Even with the second set of instructions this didn't prove to be an easy task, but finally we found it. Once the car was parked a local came along, advising George that he would need a sarong to enter the temple, and that if he didn't have one, there was one George could hire. It also transpired that there were about 3 temples, all with thousands of steps. I decided that I'd had enough walking for a while, and that thousands of steps was not the experience I was looking for at this stage, so stayed in the car, reading my book. George grabbed my sarong which the local kindly tied for him and after making a donation, set off. It didn't take long for George to return as after the first temple as it turned out that the next one was 3 km away, and though there was a motorbike rider eagerly waiting there to give him a lift he didn't have the 10,000R to pay him, so had to make the descent down again.

Again we took to the road, this time with just as much traffic, compounded by the narrow, steep and windy roads, and by the endless stream of school children who had finished the day and were making their way home on motorbikes. There doesn't seem to be rules about how old (or young) one may be to ride a bike. Many locals looked very young. It wasn't unusual to see a family of 4 getting around on a motorbike, small child in front of the father who was driving, and the mother clutching onto a baby or toddler. We explored some local coastal villages, then took a detour to Padang Bai, a port for boats crossing to Lombok and the Gilis. Here we stretched our legs, and found a beachside eating place for juice and garlic toast, and a man from Gili Meno came by with pearls, so I left there with a string of pearls as well, but resisted the sarongs from another seller!

We left Padang Bai, thinking that it would be our next destination.

The road proved to be much better than any we had travelled on- two lanes either side, moving smoothly, until we encountered the ROADWORKS...HATI! HATI! which we assume means beware (one time it was a huge opening in the road- 6m by 8m by 3m depth.) The course for the next 20 K was gruelling to say the least- meandering at one lane at about 20k per hour between made and unmade highway, punctuated by open trucks with huge loads of dirt, that needed to come to a standstill at a pothole, due to the weight of their load. It was a relief just to pull into a service station to refuel...but finally we were back at Sanur, back at our safe haven Keke. We were pleased to be returning the car, and happy to not be charged more for the key misadventure.

For the first time we explored Sanur Night market for a meal, sitting on the plastic stools, drinking juice, and later finding a stall for a quick meal, delicious, even though we weren't quite sure what we were eating. Locals gathered to eat, and to buy the goods on display, mainly clothes, with quite a western influence. The local young people wear jeans and t-shirts, or sometimes shorts, with western labels. The older people, particularly men, still wear sarongs and an interesting hat with peaked corners, possibly made using a flat piece of material.

Sanur & Kuta Saturday May 1^st 2010

Breakfast started with the usual gathering of Keke guests around the communal table, discussing their travels and seeking advice from the young German girl Laura who has been working for 8 months in Denpasar during her 'gap year', and a font of local knowledge.

We set off for Kuta, and were quickly picked up by a bemo driver who took us to Kuta. Our plan was to swim and do some shopping, but we were put off by the various very Western shops, and by the hard sell generally, so we headed for the surf. Wonderful to hit the water, though we chose a terrible spot with an amazing undertow, so I spent the rest of the day with half of Kuta's beach sand in my bathers, even after a cold shower.

Prior to sundown many locals descended on the beach, sitting in the shallows and generally enjoying cooling off. I ate an amazing pineapple, peeled and prepared by a local woman who carries a basket on her head, then peels, cuts out the prickly bits, and slices the pineapple, places it in a plastic bag with some green leaves attached to hold it. Sensational! Leaving Kuta was like being caught in a throng of ants- people everywhere, jumping into bemos, spilling from the beach. Apparently lots of locals from outlying villages had descended on Kuta for a concert, hence the throb of activity. After some unsuccessful negotiations we finally hailed a taxi back to Sanur. Another night market meal followed and we wearily made our way back home.

Sanur Sunday May 2^nd 2010

George decided to venture to Denpasar to try to get his ipod fixed, but alas, it wasn't to be, partly as it was Sunday, and no technician was working.

It was relatively cool and windy, and we ventured to Sanur beach for a juice and spent time watching the local people enjoying beach life. Older people sat in the shallows entertaining children, young people buried one another, played soccer and cavorted in the shallows. In the distance man were fishing, casting beyond the reef. Some men were doing a brisk trade, carrying around large glass cases on their heads, with, what looked like crostoli which they broke into small pieces, served on thick grey paper, with a caramel like sauce. It was very popular. When we tired of watching we headed home, via Bonsai Cafe, which has an amazing garden of hundreds of bonsai plants. Dinner tonight was a special one in Sanur- again delicious fish, sewrved very artistically as is the fashion in these restaurants in Bali.

Kuta Monday May 3^rd 2010

A taxi driver took us to Kuta. We tried one place, then another, then, unfortunately had to wave the cab goodbye as the lane was too narrow for him to wait. It had been raining so my wheelie case skirted through puddles and we tried to avoid the many motorcycles. The next place I tried was inexpensive, and the owner showed me the room. Our neighbours, a young man and woman, were COVERED in tattoos, and looked decidedly unkempt- so I made a quick get away. We finally landed at Hotel Rita, which, as it's my mother's name, could have been expected to be a favourable abode. How wrong! As soon as I had paid for the night (incidentally the first time we have been asked to pay in advance) I should have guessed what it would be like when the young girl said that there are 'no refunds' once paid. It was a gloomy day. The bedheads were mouldy, so we covered them with a sarong and towel to disguise them. The saving grace was that the bathroom was relatively clean.

Outside our room was a pool that was walled, not built into the ground, so it rose like a very large concrete tomb from the ground. George decided that given the unfavourable day, that he would try to get the ipod fixed, once again. Even though it was daytime it was way too dark to read inside so I sat on our balcony, and to my horror, looked down to find a HUGE RAT scurrying behind a pot, then it came out and went on its merry way. George started philosophically that we need the lows to appreciate the highs!

Kuta Tuesday May 4^th -May 5^th 2010

We had breakfast and hotfooted out, to seek another room, and, to our delight ended up just around the corner at Kedin's 2. The contrast couldn't have been more stark with crisp white linen, soft pillows, even a little alcove next to the bedroom with a dressing table and a comfortable stool for typing at desk height. The verandah overlooks a tropical garden, complete with sparkling pool and layabout couches.

So we have now settled in well, feels very much like home, and we continue to enjoy the sun, surf, fruit, fish and juices and reading. It's hard not to shop as even on the beach sellers come bearing their wares. Our next stop (I think) will be Padang Bai, though we are drawing very close to departure date.

Kuta Thursday May 6^th 2010

Again George went off- on IPOD fixing mission. Two hours later he returned- very hot. Then he hired a motorbike, having decided that the mission would be impossible. Next he returned an hour later- he would need sunscreen to continue. Two hours later, still not back...I hope the end result is positive. In the meantime I've been enjoying reading, swimming, sun baking and writing. What a life! The indulgence of no chores, nor work responsibilities is very appealing!