Bali culture

I was really looking forward to going to Bali - bit nervous about the potential terrorist threats of course (but we steered well clear of those areas) - but I was actually quite disappointed.

Waiting for nearly two hours in an un-air-conditioned sauna of an immigration area with two very tired (but amazingly well-behaved kids) did not help. And at the end of the week's holiday - sorry, 8 days apparently - I had a major run in with the Indonesian immigration office because we'd all outstayed our visa by a few hours. Majorly unimpressed was I - especially after bribes were suggested as a way to get out of the fix. After the Head Honcho threatened us with an overnight stay "where you sleep is not my problem", I coughed up the £40 or so he was asking for (as a fine, not a bribe). And then they did not take credit cards and we had no cash ... aaaagh nightmare ... 10 mins before take off etc etc. In the end, I realised I had some misc. foreign currency in my briefcase -- enough to pay the fine.

We went on a tour of a few of the temples. As you can see from Archie's reaction, they're a bit of an anti climax. Over-touristed and you get hassled. Boys were surrounded by street meat vendors - only to be wanting something from our frien Mr Wall's. One temple was famous for monkeys ... a heavy foul-smelling alpha male-ape-beast landed on my shoulders and gave me a bit of a shock. Nasty things.

Then the one good photo I thought I'd taken all holiday -- when I got home and looked on the computer, I realised I'd shot it with water squirting out of Archie's left ear!

I'm sure Bali MUST have some nice bits and I'm told the mountains etc are beautiful and serene. But I won't rush back to vacation there (going there on business in April so maybe my opinion will change?).

M