>And so, finally, a taste of Asia. It was everything and more I expected from this diverse continent, and I can see why so many backpackers throng there. Sabina and I arrived at Denpasar International Airport, which oddly enough is actually closer to Kuta (though don’t let anyone believe you can walk from the airport to Kuta with a backpack!). We flew Garuda Indonesia, an airline currently banned from operating in European airspace due to safety concerns, given two accidents this year. A fitting way to start a journey into the unexpected given Sabina nor I did much research for this trip.

We were staying in Legian, a bustling place between lively Kuta, which sadly bore the brunt of terrorist attacks, the latter of which was in 2005, killing many tourists – mostly Australian – and Seminyak, a more upmarket town 20mins walk or so north of Legian. In some respects first impressions were disappointing. Staying in a tour operator recommended hotel meant sharing with many Australians (great, given I just left Australia behind), and given we travelled unknowingly just after schools out there were a few Aussies doing great impressions of Brits abroad blankly refusing water and drinking Bintangs (beer) and Cocktails, often turning the pool in to a cocktail of its own with frequent spilages.

Leaving the hotel to venture around any of the towns is a big lesson in courtesy and self control, although not so much in Seminyak. For wherever you walk countless locals (although I’m told many are of Javanese descent, if not Javanese themselves) try to encourage you in to their shops with a variety of tactics from impersonating the Australian accent and coming out with things like ‘G’day mate’; perpetually asking if you would ‘buy something’, mostly offering you sunglasses even though you are wearing a pair; cheap clothes and wood carvings ‘cheap cheap’, and more often or not ‘only US$1 swiftly followed with ‘50000Rp, for luck, please’ (which is more like $5!) and then ‘for you sir, I give less, how much you pay?’. The latter two are quite amusing given they clearly have little interest in selling anything for US$1, and ‘I give less’ means nothing of the sort. One enterprising young man on the beach offered us sun lounges ‘for you sir, cheap cheap. Only 1000000Rp’ – which is roughly AUS$100! But looking past the sometimes desperation of the traders and accepting they are friendly enough in their approach, you can bare it, for tourism is the main employer on the Island of Bali, which has suffered acutely due to afforementioned terrorist attacks.

If offering you souvenirs were not enough, transport is another favoured money maker for the locals. It seems almost everyone has a scooter of motorbike, and the same number again for rent. They don’t seem to worry themselves with insurance or if you hold a valid licence, only that you pay cash at an agreeable rate. There are no shortage of backpackers taking them up on their offer, and what brave soles they are, for there are no identifiable road rules as such. Undertaking is common practice, as is driving in the middle of the road. Overtaking on bends is another favoured pass time to make driving all that more exhilirating. As for scooters and motorbikes, there seems scant regard for their whereabouts. If you see one you beep your horn, I guess to instruct them to move over or fall off, and if they see you before you see them they reciprocate. Everyone is equal in their right to the road it seems. For the not so brave soles willing to risk life nor limb there are no shortage of taxi’s, everyone without a paying fair upon seeing a tourist beeping their horn at least twice, more if you’re lucky and yell if you’d like ‘transport’, to alert you to their presence. Kind really, because finding out would be oh so difficult. A tip for travellers, always try to agree a fair price before getting in the taxi and ask them to switch their meter off. A trip from Kuta to Seminyak (if you can’t be bothered to walk the 20mins there) will set you back around Rp25000, and to Kuta around Rp40000 (50000Rp seems the going rate to/from the airport).

Whilst our trip to Bali was about relaxing, only a fool (or an Australian) would not think of exploring this small Island. In all we did two tours, the first via a company whose leaflet we picked up at the airport on arrival. US$22 each afforded us a car, a driver and a guide, with all fees such as those for watching the traditional Barong dance, temple entrance fees and gift to the local constabulary on seeing a waterfall. The day was more structured around arts and crafts, with stops at Silver, wood, and Batik shops where Balinese demonstrated their techniques of their crafts. Opportunities were also available, naturally, for you to part purchase the wares. We had lunch overlooking Lake Batur and a still active, yet for now dormant, Volcano.

Our second tour was more independent. Our guide from the first tour mentioned he worked freelance and was willing to be our guide if we hired a car. So, after some discussion that is what we did. We discussed what we wanted to see and then proposed our itinery to our guide, Made (pronounced Mad-ay). He brought along his brother to assist with driving and off we set to explore Bali at our will. We took in the Temple on the lake (it featuers on the reverse of the 50000Rp note), more rice terrace and mountains, stopping where some boys had two Fruit Bats, one Iguana and a very large python. For 10000Rp Sabina had her photograph taken holding the Fruit Bat. I opted to just take pictures, and guiltily did not pay for the privilage. For 150000Rp we also spent 30mins snorkling at Lovina (the usual price is apparently 200000Rp, but as Made knew the boat owner we had a discount. You can also snorkle for as long as you like, but we wanted to see more of the island above sea level), where we also had lunch in what was billed as a traditional Balaniese restaurant. However, it was more a restaurant with a ‘Warung’ sign (Warungs are commonplace, very small, and serve soley Indonesian cuisine). Nonetheless it was nice to have a meal whilst overlooking the traditional boats along the shoreline.

On our way south we stopped at the tallest waterfall in Bali. The path to the ‘fall is lined with souvenir shops and the chorus of ‘buy something’, ‘cheap cheap’, ‘only $1’ rang out from each that was open. Children even carried braclets and followed in tow trying to sell their parents offerings. At the ‘fall we took a dip much to the amusement of the other few tourists who venture north and tour around beyond the idylic setting of their hotel pool and bar. In all the cost of our independent tour came to US$40 each, but that includes 120000Rp for the car hire, 100000Rp for petrol, 150000Rp for snorkling, 65000Rp for lunch, 6000Rp to visit the waterfall, with the remainder making up what we gave to Made and his brother for their time. As an added bonus to our tour, Made very kindly took us to his home to have coffee and meet with his family. He also gave us a few Mangos from the tree that grows outside his home. It is the sort of experience every traveller should have the opportunity to do for it gives a true representation of Balinese life. The following day he and his wife came to our hotel to drop off some Arak (local rice drink akin to saki) for Sabina, and also gave us each a gift of a traditional balinese framed carving, and some arak for ourselves. For anyone who would like to arrange a tour independently, please let me know and I can pass on Made’s Email so arrangements can be discussed/made.