Bali-days 1

"...if you don't have a dream
How you gonna have a dream come true?"
 
Happy Talk, South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein

Day 1 of our holiday in Asia.

I always thought the song Bali Hai from the musical referred to the island of Bali, ah well, we learn.  I looked for photos of the island on the internet and besides the palm fringed beaches and temples found this description - "Bali is Indonesia's favorite tourist destination, known for its natural attractions, perfect climate and relaxed atmosphere." 

So we arrive after nearly twenty four hours continuous travelling and are in a different time zone so are seriously jet-lagged.  After 9am breakfast, which I think is about 1am back home, we collapse back into bed by 10am and give up on doing anything our first day.  I manage a few hours more sleep but then wake again, so the delights of the island beckon.

I'll need to get some cash so take a wander up the street to find an authorised exchange - I've read about people being short changed by back street dealers so I'm cautious.  Now life here is different to back home, it's sort of lived outside, on the street.  And that street is very noisy and busy, with bikes, cars, trucks, buses - everything.  There is a footpath and if I attempt to stay on it all the time I'm not going to get far, so I just observe what the locals do, which looks pretty random to me. 

Only a short walk, a couple of hundred yards at most, but in that short space I lost count of the number of times I was accosted by doe-eyed beauties offering me massage.  I'm sort of immune to that, but they didn't just ask, they grabbed my arm and stroked my hand giving me their most appealing looks.  These groups of predatory females didn't just hunt alone either, there were packs of them about half a dozen strong strategically stationed every twenty or thirty yards.  No point in crossing over to avoid them, they were on both sides.  I was obviously fresh meat and they had the scent in their nostrils.

I was quite relieved to find an authorised exchange, which looked like a small office in the middle of the mayhem that was street life here, very promising.  So easy too, very helpful and counted out my money in front of me and asked me to check, all there.

Now i had to get back to the hotel!  Taking my life in my hands I crossed the road.  It's relatively easy in the UK.  For the first part of the crossing you look one way, the second part you look the other.  Over here I look all ways all the way across.  It's one of those random arrangements where they use whatever bit of road - or footpath - happens to be available, and in whatever direction they happen to be going.   I must have had this big neon sign "Novice" on my head because later a hotel guard offered to help me across the road!

The girls weren't giving up.  The pack saw me passing by on the other side and, giggling hilariously, beckoned me over.  I waved back and carried on my way, but still had to negotiate a way through the packs on this side of the road!

Safely back in the hotel I made my way to the Spa and about 10 minutes later was having my relaxing massage to easy away the tensions of the long travel.

I haven't seen anything resembling the internet photos yet.

Welcome to Bali.