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"How can you trust these guys with nuclear power? They can't even make toast"! So said a great Italian philosopher over breakfast in Kuta one day. I would like you all to think that we spent our time here discussing important issues such as nuclear proliferation in SE Asia and its effect on the region, alas we were only discussing toast. I mean come on, how hard is it to make the stuff? We've regularly been presented with a limp, pale and slightly hardened piece of bread which I suspect was probably left on a light bulb over night and thought quite proper to serve. Get it together people. I sense some toast training is in order. Anyway, that's enough of the ranting, time I think to regale you all with my adventures of the past fortnight.
On my last blog I was happily taking part in some R and R on the Gili Islands and they are highly recommended to all who get the chance to go. Perhaps the highlight of my time there was just sitting on a sun lounger opposite the sea and watching the moon rise over the Island of Lombok in the distance with a cold Bir Bintang in hand. It really was incredibly beautiful to watch and gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. This was probably the beer though which although nice is incredibly gassy, so don't read to much into this people. I decided to stay on the Island for a couple more days before heading back to Bali. My plans to go to MT Rinjani fell through for 2 reasons. 1) There weren't enough people to make the trek cost effective and 2) I suddenly realised that it was to much effort and in all truth I couldn't be arsed. Still I've heard from others that it is very nice so I suggest you Google it. I did...it looks good. Anyway it was time to leave so we all boarded the ferry and headed back to Lombok and the long bus journey to Ubud. A word of advice here people. Don't try to jump off a boat onto the beach wearing only flip flops and a 15kg backpack. Otherwise like me you'll fall arse over head straight back in to the sea much to the hilarity of the locals and your fellow passengers. After that amusing interlude I soggily trodded off to get my bus arriving in Ubud 8 hours later.
Ubed is an interesting place. It's termed as the artistic centre of Bali "buzzing with creativity and interesting galleries". What this translates to is pretentious travellers and expats walking around galleries trying to understand the meaning of the bizarre drawings on show. I was one of them for 2 days. It also boasts a "Monkey Sanctuary" which is in fact a short walk through the woods with some monkeys that badger you for food every 5 minutes. I really didn't get on with this place at all as I'm sure you can gather. My guest house was its one saving grace. It was set around peaceful gardens and included breakfast (always a bonus.....good toast to!) Also the owners little daughter kept drawing me pictures which was quite sweet but I felt really bad telling her I couldn't fit the framed canvas in my bag. I'll post the pics up. So after 2 nights there I decided it was time to head back to the delights of Kuta beach and meet up with my Mojito obsessed compadres.
Once again, I've been suckered in to this place and it's strangely addictive. I managed to meet up with Tessa on the first night back and managed to get increasingly merry as the night wore on. (mojitos are dangerous). As we stumbled along the streets we met up with Edorado and Naomi and some others along the way and we finished off the night telling a Canadian that he didn't come from Vancouver but that in fact he came form Vancouver Island (on account that all the Canadians I've met are form there or Quebec). He took our ranting with good grace and also as a sign to get up andget away form these freaks as quickly as possible. I know......I don't know why I did it either? Anyway the next night I managed to meet up with Rachel who used to live in Upnor when she was younger and by strange coincidence is in Bali at the same time. We repeated the antics from the night before, apart from irritating Canadians and had a good night. I also managed to see the new Indiana Jones film while I was here and while not as good as the other films, I still felt like an excited kid when the theme tune started ...awesome. Perhaps not so awesome was the walk back from the cinema. This involved crossing a dual carriageway which was perhaps not a wise idea. I managed to get halfway across and then get stuck in the centre for 10 minutes. All the drivers just laughed at me as they passed by. Thanks for stopping mate!!!
One thing I'm pleased about with my time here is that I've realised I've been judging people unfairly and that actually that's not a good thing to do. That is of course unless you're talking about Enrique Iglesias, who is and always will a complete knob. They're obsessed with him out here and his music and videos always seem to greet you when you walk through the door. I'll also add Rihanna and James Blunt (who lives up to his Cockney rhyming namesake) to this list too. Seriously take your "umbrella" Rihanna and shove it up.......ahem! So...er maybe I am still judgemental about musicians but this is okay as I don't want to get to know them in the first place.
I have to say though that it is now definately time to leave. Not just because of dodgy toast but also what I've taken to doing. This includes reading a book by Jeremy Clarkson which was as unfunny as I expected but was the only book in the shop unless you want to read Jodie Kidds Biography. So it's time to head off to Surabaya and then onto Singapore which should be awesome.
My trip has taken another twist. I've decided that i want to spend more time in NZ so I've got a working visa for there and as a result I'll only be in Oz for 2 weeks. So it's a quick stop taking in Adelaide, Melbourne (to say hello to Mr Bishop) and then onto Sydney. So it's back to work in under 4 weeks and i"m strangely looking forward to it. Please remind me that I said this when I'm moaning about working in two months time. I thank you.
Ta da
Will
Bloody James Blunt just started on the radio.....can you believe it.
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