Here at last...

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Hello people. First of all let me say that I am missing you all. It's weird not seeing any familiar faces, ugly as some of you may be!

I have been here for four days now, and it is only just starting to feel real. Most of the time I wander around thinking 'am I really here?!' But I am.

I have experienced a little 'culture shock'; this is, after all, my first visit to Asia, and things are a little different here. There's a lot to take in. Last night I hung out with other travellers for the first time, which was great. A guy called Michael, from Germany (he grew up in the Communist East, which was interesting to hear about), who came to Indonesia four years ago and has never really left S.E. Asia since. He lives with his girlfriend Kung, a Thai national, in Krabi, Thailand, operating a small export business. They were visiting Bali to find new items to sell to rich Europeans, one of numerous visits they have made over the past few years.

I met Michael in Ubud, where we were staying at the same guesthouse. When I arrived in Bali, I spent one day in Sanur on the South Coast. It was a little disappointing; a place with not much to do and little to recommend it (apart from the pretty fishing boats lined up along the shore). Sanur was my first taste of Asia so I suspect I'll always remember it. It gave me my first taste of being alone in a foreign land.

I moved quickly on to Ubud, originally a small village and once a royal seat, it is now the cultural centre for Bali tourism, thanks largely to the son of the ruling nobleman Cokorda Gede Sukawati, who worked tirelessly to encourage the arts.

There are several art galleries in the town, and countless little shops selling carvings, paintings and more at low, low prices. So much nice stuff I wish I could buy, but hey, such is life.

There is a great deal to see and do in Ubud. Yesterday I visited the Neka art gallery, a good introduction to Balinese art. Located a little out of town, I took a taxi on the way out. After looking around the gallery and enjoying a nice cool Sprite in the cafe, I made the mistake of trying to walk back to town. It didn't look like far, but in the heat it was clearly a mistake! I arrived back at the village feeling sweaty and faint!

In the afternoon I visited a small village called Petulu, where every night up to a thousand herons fly in from all over the island to roost. No one knows why they chose to come here specifically, although the story goes that a battle took place near the village many years ago after which the birds started to come. Some locals think that the birds are the spirits of the dead, returning to the site of their death.

I am staying in a beautiful little guesthouse. The rooms are separate 'bungalows' set in a peaceful little garden. I've gone good and cheap - I don't have hot water and am paying around 5 pounds a night including breakfast (which is very tasty - I had French toast with Cinnamon).

I am taking plenty of time to watch the world go by. I just spent two hours sitting in a quiet cafe on the main road (which in Ubud is not that busy), reading my book and writing my journal. Can't be bad really, can it? Despite there being plenty here to see and do, the main pass time of those who prefer Ubud to the noisy tourist strip that forms much of the west coast seems to be just this. There are numerous cafes and restaurants scattered around the town and the mornings (and afternoons and evenings, for that matter) can easily be whiled away relaxing, occasionally rousing oneself in order to request some food or a drink.

I hope all is well at home, and for you folks still trapped in Freedom Finance, get out as soon as you can! It sucks, and you are all better than that place. Bye for now, I will do another update as soon as I can.

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Photos

Music practice
In Ubud Palace, the local kids practice the Garung (spelling?) music.

Family Guesthouse House, Ubud
Thats my room!

You can never have too many offerings...
The Balinise people make daily offerings to their gods, these are literally placed everywhere; temples, outside houses and hotel rooms, in the fronts of taxis and shops, etc.