Hey everybody!

Things this end couldn't be better really. I love Bali. Indonesia is everything I dreamed of. Exotic, warm, beautiful friendly people, and oh so inexpensive. Did I mention the amazing waves? I've been surfing the last two days. I can't even start to explain this location. Paradise, utopia, heaven.... Maybe not heaven. After living in Australia, a bit of a monoculture, this place was a feast for the senses. As soon as I got out of the taxi it just hit me in the face. (Yes the taxi driver ripped us off, as did the baggage porters, as did the t-shirt vendor.....). The heat and smell of the place are one thing, but it's the hussle and bussle that really blew me away. Everywhere tourists and locals alike driving moped motorbikes on crazily narrow streets, not just a couple of dozen, we are talking hundreds here. All tooting their horns hussling each other for a superior spot, not giving a damn how close they get to you, let alone wether or not they splash the stagnant sesspool puddles all over your feet! The first person I saw out of the taxi was a little girl, about five. She put out her hand for money. Having already been ripped off three times within the space of an hour and not wanting to feel like a dumb fool, I looked her straight in the eye, took her hand, and said "very pleased to meet you mam". She tried to suppress her laughter but couldn't. I was very pleased with myself as this reinforced my confidence and self esteem..... but didn't stop her following us for a way. Dorli was hell jealous.... We found a place to stay soon enough, in a losmen, as they call them here. A basic room with two single beds, a fan, a hand held shower with cold water, (which is the only temp. you want really), plus a toilet. Really it is a very nice place. Bali is Hindu of course, so the buildings reflect that, with nicely constructed temple like roofs, a veranda and gardens in a centre courtyard area. Our acc. costs a packet. 60,000 Rp per night for the two of us. Lots of notes in the transaction, but 60,000 RP actually translates to about $9.00 bucks Aussie. I feel wealthy enough to tip now.......... Yep, thats right, even me, Scrouge Mc' D... Those moped bikes that made me so jumpy on arrival have a few positive advantages. 1. you can hire em for 5 bucks a day. 2. they use practically no fuel. 3. (and this is the main thing to consider) You can fit two people plus a surfboard on them and drive all over the Island! :) :) :) Dorli is our driver (she has international drivers licence- which we had to bribe the police here to get- another story altogether). Anyway, Dorli has the right licence, so we are covered by insurance should some punk tourist/local- drive over us. (locals are margianlly better drivers than tourists, only marginally though). We have been out exploring the island for the last two days. Dorli is very competent and doesn't suffer with moped rage at all..... (laugh now)............She is actually pretty good and I am just thankful she handles stress a bit better than me really. It does piss me off that she gets to drive all the time.These bikes are really fun to ride. (I had a go on it down a desserted track just today. So much fun.) The food is rice or noodle based. Nasi goreng, or mi goreng. (nasi goreng translates into 'fried rice with veg' and mi goering to 'fried noodles with veg'.) - pretty simple really but I always seem to forget which one is which, but that doesnt' matter because I like em both, ordering is such an adventure. Not to rant on about the prices but - soooooo cheap. $2-3 AUS. You eat out over here. You just do!

I'm going to write you some other impressions soon. It's hard to take it all in sometimes.

More soon

Morgan

PS: Uluwatu!