Bali Oct 6, 2007

                                  Bali
                                                    Greetings From Bali
                                                            October 6, 2007


Greetings from what seems like more than half way around the world.  Maybe next time we just do a time share in Palm Springs.  Twenty four plus hours in the air and 29 hours from home to Bali is a bit more than this ole body can stand.  Actually we were very fortunate to have been booked on wide open aircraft all the way.

Our flight left at 1:40 am on the 27th and arrived in Bali at 5pm on the 28th with stops in Tapei (which I had overlooked on the itinerary) and a final stop in Kuala Lumpur.  Always wanted to know where that place was as I had sent many a GI there while I was an R&R Clerk in Viet Nam......so now I know.  Then it was just a short hope to Bali.  The first leg as I said was hardly booked so we had entire rows to stretch out on, the second leg was just as empty.  Not quite like first class, but still better than having the seat tray in front of you in your face for 12 hours.  Security was lax and the airports were architectural statements.

For one of the first times in my life I was greeted at the airport with a man holding a sign.............with my name on it, correctly spelled and speaking acceptable English.  After a 30 minute "Mr. Toads Ride" thru the city at rush hour we found ourselves at our villa on the east coast of Sanur at the Tandjung Sari.  The complex consists of 23 free standing villas.....ours was #25...go figure....and was a two bedroom two story villa.  Toni and Steve our set to arrive just after midnite with one stop in Korea and then directly to Bali.

Headed to the bar to unwind over a few drinks and do a little bit of stretching.
The villas are located right on the beach with ours being the closest, and under the canopy of what appears to be 100+ year old trees.  We understand the complex is 50+ years old and was one of the first built on this part of the coast.  The villas are fronted by a walk way that extends for miles up and down the beach connecting the hotels with restaurants and a myriad of shops that all seem to carry the same items all at different prices.  We call the shopping sections the "Gauntlets" as it takes a brave tourist to run and survive these aggressive sales people.  Once they know your name and where you are staying they immediately become your very new and best friends.  We learned very quickly that
you divulge nothing to them.....especially your name and hotel location.  While they can't pursue you on the beach or on to the hotle grounds they can make your life miserable.

Toni and Steve did arrive around midnite and we shared few sleepy hugs and then tried to get our bodies back on schedule.  We meet the next am in our downstairs lving room to plan the day.  After breakfast we wet out for the local money changers.  We understood the best exchange rate came from little money changers on the street and not from the banks.  Loaded down with hundred dollar bills we did our best to get the best exchange rate.........10,000 rps to $1.00.  You learn real quick to divide by 10,000 which can be a mental excercise deserving of a calculator.

Currently we are sitting on the Island of Nusa Lembongan just off the coast of Bali and are heading out for a snorkling adventure around the Island.  I will continue the journal this pm or the next time I run into an internet cafe.

All the Best from this side of the globe,