Arriving in Bali after whirlwind tour of Borneo, it was time to hit the beaches once more. First stop Kuta, a tourist resort for Aussies, great surf, Indonesian food, but lacking the Balinese culture, with Bintang (the local beer) singlets everywhere. To sample the local Hindu influences of this island we rode up to Ubud, a small town in the middle of the rice paddies. Temples at every corner, authentic Balinese shows, rituals and art to hook you in, all with a friendly smile. Unfortunately our stay here was a short one, as we raced to the idyllic island of Lombok (meaning “chilli” in the local tongue), home to some of the best beaches in the world. Jetting off from Sengiggi, a beach town launching pad to the Gili islands, we got to know all the
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