Day 5
Today we left for Ubud where we have booked a hotel for a couple of nights initially. It is where all the temples are. We impressed ourselves by not getting a taxi to the bus stop and walking with our giant packs. It was worth it as on the way an old Australian man with a Hawaiian shirt and a tinny in a cooler shouted out "Wherrya Gowin?" Us: "Ubud" Old man: "Grite plice!" *raises his drink to us*
We got the little bus up there, it was late and not air conditioned but the journey was fascinating, villages, temples, rice fields, markets, kids doing traditional dance - even some locals hanging around doing a bbq and a c*** fight! They love any kind of betting over here, esp sports betting on football and cricket even though they don't do sports themselves, as it can make them multi-multi-multi millionaires (you're a millionaire with a hundred quid or so here). There were some interesting characters on the bus, including an American lady who proceeded to tell her life story (..and then I had cancer…etc) and an old hippy called Howard Pond who might just have been the coolest man ever. It was a bumpy ride and Hannah could have done with her sports bra.
We got a cab from Ubud to our resort, as where we are staying is about 15 mins out of the city. It is at a hotel where they train children who have had no education to be able to get jobs in the hospitality industry, basically by learning as they go. Because of this, the rooms are ginormous and have a spectacular view over the rice paddies, the hotel grounds are gorgeous and its cheap as chips. The reviews were awful but it just goes to show not always to trust Trip Advisor as its actually really nice - you don't get a 5* hotel for $10 each now do you?! Hannah was part worried, part hoping that it would be like the hotel for people with special needs like in the channel 4 documentary as that looked ace, but its not. Its in the middle of nowhere with cricket (the insect) noises to boot. We scrimped to get the cheaper room so we have separate beds here, bit these do have mosquito nets which Hannah 'The Bite' Patterson is holding out big hopes for.
This evening we got the free bus to town and ate at an amazing little warung . It had Japanese style tables where you sit on cushions and eat at low tables. We had beers (natch!) and Nik had a Mie Goreng Taylor which was a bit of everything mixed in with some noodles and crackers on the side. Hannah had Chicken Lawar, which was coconuts and green beans and chicken in Balinese spicy sauce. We pushed the boat out tonight and had banana and pineapple pancakes for pudding. Came in at about £8 which wasn't too bad at all.
Ubud is a cool place, its the arty area, so every other shop is a painters studio, or clothes shop or is full of wooden carvings. The Monkey Forest is also there, which we're going to go to tomorrow. It's very calm compared to Kuta, none of the shops are open after about 7.30 and nobody tried to sell us Viagra or a fake watch, although there were many offers of transport as standard. Good to see there are also the 'genuine' Dolce and Gabbana shops with Buy One Get One Free offers. It's very picturesque by day we imagine as there are temples and a palace right in the centre, but it is very touristy, as in suitcase people, not backpackers. The villa set are nearby and get bussed down of an evening in shirt and trousers for their bowl of pasta and cocktail and to buy sarongs, oh no wait, Nik bought a sarong - Beckham stylee.

In news, Nik has also now shaved his head and Hannah's eyes are almost normal.