Bali Beach

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The final stop to my Asia trip following just under four months of intensive travel throughout its range.

We had visited Bali possibly 11 years earlier and in spite the memories of a child are never all that accurate, certain aspect strook me. The airport which I remebered as small and quaint has become a endlessly extended building taking in the largest Boeings.

I arrived and headed to Kuta, centre of the toursit life, and with suprising difficulty shared accomodation as in spite being low season the hotels and steets still seem filled and booked out. The beach is a long strech of sand with fair waves and the most plesant sea temperature imaginable. A real delight to swim in the heat and the tumbling of waves.

I rented a motorcycle and ventured off to the north coast of the island. I had expected it to be quick to cross but quite the opposite. Its suprisingly large, and passing from the cream coloured beaches to countles temples and hidou statues (all being redecorated for the huge hindu celebration of the 14th of october (like Christmas for Christians) to lakes, the stunning rice pads and the dense vegetation to reach the noth lined with charcoal coloured sand and roads which are of costal mediteranean beauty. Huge diversity and unique experience. I arrived in Amed after the whold day riding and scheduled to go diving the following day in the nearby Tulamben wreck. In spite it was quite bare arround and not distinguishable as a wreck, the sight was amazing. The variety of fish, sea animals, corals and plants made it a fantastic experience. Quite dream like. The area arround Amed was very plesant as the still ness, the lack of tourists, yet comfort of the amnities made it all the more enjoyable.

Having in total only six days in bali, I headed back to Kuta and attempted to learn how to surf. Good fun but I now see why everyone where a rash guard.... :D

Its wonderfull to be able to eat and drink fresh juices knowing full well that its so unconsequentially cheap. A real delight, though prices must have gone up 10 times since our last visit. It remained nontheless cheap and a really relaxing experience. Glad to leave after a week as the Cancun of Australians is repetitive after a while but in my opinion the timing could not have been better. Just the right amount of relaxation and fun before the last strech of my trip.

Leaving Asia is nice but there is so much more to see, a life time is not sufficient to discover its secrets. Just a continent of huge variety and extraodinary variations....

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