Bali- Kuta

So I got to the airport wearing just about all the clothing I'm traveling with (after the last weight fiasco) which meant bike shorts, leggings, jean shorts, a bathing suit, a sports bra, 2 shirts and a cardigan, with 2 pairs of socks, running shoes, electronics in pockets and sunscreen down the back of my shorts. They didn't weigh my bags. I got on no problem. The only thing worse than a baby on an airplane is 3 babies on an airplane, 2 in the row ahead of you, and one a bit behind. The closest one was the one that didn't stop wailing the entire 4.5 hours to darwin. I read most of a book, tried to nap, and then had my 2 hour darwin layover. Next flight flew into bali, where I was immediately introduced to a new smell, and a new heat. After getting a visa (25 usd. Weird) I started to leave the airport, where I was getting pestered and beckoned at by people in currency exchange windows. I made my way to an atm and became a millionaire. I took out 1 million rupiah, which is about 100 dollars. No biggie. I haggled a bit with a texi before finally giving in and saying yes to the taxi driver who was following me around asking to drive me. He over charged me by about 100 percent, but the chat was good, I got there safe, and he basically helped me plan out the rest of my stay in Bali. $9 later I was at 'granny's hostel' in kuta, set up by a lovely jay jay to my airconditioned 4 person room. I set myself up a wee bit and then met the people from the 8 person room-- only occupied by 3. Boy from boston, boy from south of london, and girl from canada.

We chatted a while and then I went for the best shower I've had in ages (and the first time in 2 weeks that my shower ended with a towel). Sleep commenced.

Come morning they had breakfast for us, a choice of fried egg, scrambled egg, or pancakes, with juice tea or coffee. So delicious and sweet. 3 of the people staying here (two from the big room, one from my room) were supposed to go to gili islands today, but there were bus problems in the morning, so I followed them into town to recitfy the issue they had, and buy a ticket for myself. It wouldve been expected to pay 125 round trip for the bus and fast boat, but they haggled down to 40 the other day, so I was somehow able to get the same rate. Tomorrow, we should be off.

I wandered around kuta a bit alone and got a sim card, adaptor, and saw the beach. The streets are filled with people on motor bikes (sometimes 4 people on one!), people trying to see you cheap things, an excessively humid heat, and beeping cars. I didn't stay very long before over paying for another taxi to take me home, where I watched a bunch of batman with the hostel-mates.


Money is very funny here, with a waterbottle costing about 30 cents, a pack of cigarettes merely a dollar, the adaptor only 15 cents. I was asked if I wanted to buy a sunday paper. Today's monday. Bali is weird, but filled with the nicest people. Manicures for $2, but I reckon I'll save the pamper for the last few days of thailand, before going back home.