Back to Bali

August 02,2009

We have just spent the last few days riding around on a motorbike and exploring eastern Bali. The motorbike costs us $3 dollars a day and we have been enjoying our freedom. We found a beautiful area on the beach where we chilled for a few days. We had a nice bungalow on a little cove, in Ahmed, which is littered with fisherman's boats. The boats look like spiders and have a colourful sail. In the morning they all sail out to see before sunrise. As the sun comes up the boats look like little flags off in the distance, the sight is beautiful. Then about 7am they all sail back to shore and are pulled up onto the beach. There are many areas to snorkel and we saw two wrecks, a big American ship and a piece of a Japanese ship. I have never seen an underwater wreck and was quite impressed and at the same time a little scared. We saw some colourful fish on our immersions and even a sea snake, yikes. Where we stayed the owner was Japanese and loved to cook. We were treated to $2-3 dollar dishes, like tuna tataki and fish curry. The food was delicious and put some of the better restaurants that we have eaten at to shame. In the same area is the Volcano Agung. It is not active but still a beautiful sight to see and the sunsets with it as a backdrop were amazing.

The last week of driving around on the motorbike has made me want to comment on some of the transport here. The motorbike is definitely the family vehicle as anywhere from 2-5 people can fit on one. Normally you will see 3 or 4 people on it, the father driving and two children squeezed behind him and the mother bringing up the rear. The other method is one in front, leaning on the gas tank, the dad behind and one or two children in front of the mom. It's really quite amazing. Sometimes the whole family wears helmets and other times none of them do. They weave in and out of traffic, going down one way streets or pulling up on the sidewalk. Here you can merge into traffic without ever looking and just assume that the others will weave around to avoid you. I have also realized that street signs, mile markers, marked streets are almost non existent. If they do exist they are strategically placed behind a tree or within its branches. I even saw one sign which was placed behind the pole of an advertisement, the pole ingeniously covering up just the arrow which indicated the direction. I am so puzzled by all the well hidden signs that I have drawn the conclusion that they do this on purpose. It's like "where's Wally". If you can find the sign then you can find the right direction.