Hey its Bali!!

I first landed in Bali more than three years ago on my way to Kuala Lumpur (K.L.) from Brisbane. A friends' father in K.L. was to hook me up with an engineering job up there.
Now three years later I am still here in Bali.

I arrived in Bali with no guide book nor any idea what is it like here. Going through the immigration and getting my passport stamped was a breeze. Upon picking up my 70ltrs backpack from the creaking conveyor, I walked through the customs. "Hello!! Hello!! Change money! No commission!Aussie dollar" In front of me was rows of money changer. Each of them promised giving a better rate that the other. Wow, I thought to myself, how can I forget about the need to change money. I approached one of the counter with a sense of gratitude, little did I know that these hard sellers will be everywhere in Bali. After putting my negotiation skills in Bahasa Indonesia to test I ended up with thousands of rupiahs. I'm rich!!

I skipped along out the the airport. Coming from Brisbane winter, I was given the hottest Bali welcome. The heat gushed through the automated door as it slide open when I approached it. I was wearing my Merrel's high cut boots and my favourite jeans. Within seconds I am covered in sweat. This is going to be very interesting I thought. They were people everywhere. "Taxi! Taxi! Hotel! Accommodation!" I'm claustrophobic yet covered in anxiety.

Aylin came to mind. I knew Aylin from Brisbane. Her parents lives here and I knew before I left that she is back here. I looked for a phone and made a call to her hoping that she could offer or suggest me a place to stay. The call did not help to answer my question of where to stay., however we did made a point to catch up later. Still in the heat and surrounded with people making offers, I approached the taxi counter. At the counter, this Aussie bloke in front of me seems to know where he is going so I decided to ask him if I could share his cab and go into town with him.

The cab ride was like traveling through time of the past and present. Old tired looking buildings with asbestos roof, make shift houses, food vendors pushing their wagon, horse carriages and people loitering around everywhere. I am amazed at how many motorbikes there are polluting the streets. Amidst all of this on going events, I still have no idea where this cab is taking me. The bloke I am with told me we are going to Kuta.

Kuta is like the centre of the tourist destination of Bali. Every first time tourist must at least go to Kuta once in their trip to be considered as having been to Bali. Cheap shopping, restaurants, clubs and nice sets of waves breaking onto the sand which is good for the those learning to surf.


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