Sculpture at Hotel

As I had written earlier, I was again last weekend in Bali. Saturday morning on the plane from Jakarta. 2 hours later arrived in Bali. Air Asia has a brand new terminal in Jakarta. Makes a very good impression. The hotel I had booked the evening before by HRS.

I'm in my last entry already mentioned: It is quiet in Nusa Dua. Far from the noisy and krawalligen "Ballermann" Kuta Beach. After I kidnap the Yemen, and had survived with Jakarta bombing, I was sure: nothing can happen to me. I was now quite brave. I've rented a moped to jet across the island. The whole number of challenges including:

1. Transport Links
   This proved to be less problematic than I thought initially. Oddly enough, I had no problems and I'm so maybe one time we came to the wrong side of the road. Somehow it all worked out automatically.
2. The chaotic driving behavior
   That was difficult. For us Europeans, particularly German but somewhat unusual: There is no discernible traffic rules properly. Who has right of way? The one who does not brake. Traffic signs? As non-existent (which also has good . Speed ​​control or limit? There's apparently not. Everyone drives as fast as it sees fit. This works to some extent. Except for the extreme. If one in a city overtaken by 100 clothes can frighten itself. Especially when one considers that this rate is not actually go to. The others are not much better. If in the middle of a traffic stream, claiming two tracks, the opinion is 25km / h are more than adequate and can not be dissuaded by that carries not directly contribute to a better traffic flow. You have much better overall care when driving. You never know whether that comes straight out of the driveway stops (usually he does not). By car it is still reasonably clear. Worse, there are other mopeds. They do basically whatever they want. Driving is, where there is room. On the hard shoulder on the footpath, between parked and moving cars and oncoming traffic. Sudden lane changes included. The look in the rearview mirror is obviously, if such exists, as a coward.
3. The moped itself
   For someone accustomed to the Burgman 650 is as a 125cc a strange device. Not feel much heavier than a bicycle. Also about the same acceleration. My mass proved to be, except in the case of acceleration, not even as a bigger problem. There are many more dimensions. When I go to my seat, I can turn off the feet comfortably in front of me. Here is the leg room is more or less directly below me. And he is so small that someone with my shoe size problems, bring your feet under there too. When I got over caves once frightened me terribly. The leisurely wandered along in front of me then.
4. Local knowledge
   Was definitely the biggest problem. Since you're on holiday does not see everything as closely, I thought, what the heck, card or something I need. Will find their way already. It was only time to go to Ubud. Since we had driven the day before the tax time to Kuta, I had seen the signs, on which stand, as it should go there. So I thought: can not be a problem. Unfortunately, far from it. In the first two signs stood still "in Ubud" on it. Should be 40 km from there. The third Ubud was gone. If you would now ne map might look at what is the type displayed in the right direction. So it was called rates. A few intersections on Ubud was back on the plate. Turn right to Ubud. I. So right around. Then another sign. Three places left, two right. Ubud is not. So it is straight. The problem is that the road ends. It is only right or left. So come back. Then we come to a fairly new, good road. It is back in Ubud on the sign. So full of gas and go. We were already almost 2 hours on the road. For 40 km. So we take a short break in Warung.

Warung

What to eat and coffee. All together for almost 2 €. Then it goes on. Always the road to. We are again more than an hour. Ubud will not appear again. It's all along the coast. Ubud is but inside the island. So I take the next road to the left. Which, however, after some time getting narrower and ultimately proves to be a better path that leads right through the rain forest. So back again. Asked at the next major intersection. somehow, all roads lead, no matter where, apparently in the direction from which we came. Okay, so back. On the way we had passed a temple. Located on the beach. We do take a break. Can sit on the beach, sipping a coconut be quite nice. But not for the single "Bule" far and wide (a Bule is a white non-Asian). It not take two minutes, where no one comes along and wants to sell me something. Sunglasses over sarongs to Bakso (meatballs soup). Sometime it sucks and we continue. On the way we had seen signs for the Safari Park. So we just went there. Thus one learns to know something new and comes in places where not many tourists hanging around otherwise. The park was not bad. From there it was "only" about 1.5 hours back.

According to my GPS tracker, we have nearly 200km down back. Ubud, we have only just missed. Actually, only one wrong turn. Otherwise we would have made it.

The next day we are no longer driven so far. A piece to the marina at the end of the peninsula. From there, a trip on a glass bottom boat. Create and snorkeling at "Turtle Iceland" included. On this "Iceland", which was in fact not a separate island, you could take pictures with a few animals that naturally have something to eat and money again. In the evening we were at the "Pura Luhur (Uluwatu) temple." The temple is situated at the southern tip of Bali on a cliff. First-class view of the sunset and then a Hindu ceremony, including Bali dance. Monkeys living on the temple grounds. But these are to be treated with caution. Our guide grabbed at the entrance "not good Monkey" with the words of a club. The critters were sharp on everything and anything edible glitters. Especially popular: glasses and cameras. This should already have found many expensive camera equipment the way over the cliffs into the sea. I've kept my eye is always something safe distance from the beasts. Finally, I needed my glasses still on the way home. In fact, it was also an eye on my glasses, but was kept at bay by means of sticks.

Monkeys

One end of the evening to eat in the "Blue Marlin" was. A fish restaurant by the beach. With candlelight and overlooking the surf.

Unfortunately, it went back again the next morning. But that was certainly not my last visit to Bali.