Champlung Sari Hotel Ubud

... turned up and they didnt have any rooms. This had been the first time since we have been away that we had found ourselves with our backpacks on our back and nowhere to stay for the night. Theres loads of places to stay and people do it all the time, but as a couple we have always wanted to know exactly what we're doing and exactly when we are doing it so there was a bit of stress in the air! Its something we're going to have to get used to and will be ...

... a Kecak dance (pronounced Kechak). This one is known as the monkey and fire dance and one which we ended up having to pay for ($7.50 a person) and it was worth every penny. This dance is one which deals with evil spirits and malicious characters and the music is composed by a hundred men who chant, clap, yelp, bark, and use their bodies to create an effect which gives you goosebumps. The main characters who perform dance to the sounds created by the men who surround them in a ...

... a bloodied cockerel that looked like it was on its last legs! On one occasion a man left with his non prize winning fighter which had obviously been killed in the fight. We gazed on at this event in part amusement and in part astonishment and horror. From what we could gleam from it all, first of all the two cocks are shown to the crowd and the noise heightens as betting commences. Money is waived in the air and how anyone knows who has bet on what is a mystery. Betting over and ...

... Even though it was cruel, and very stupid, it was really really funny! Insults and evil stares flew accross the table, but no-one would budge. Chris even refused to deal the next set of cards until someone gave him a knife! haha. Still no-one budged so we sat there in a mixture of tense silence and girly-under the-breath giggles! Finally Andy asked the waiter for a knife. Upon arrival Chris said "Can I have steak knife to go with my steak!". This ...

... much more than it would cost to just hire a private taxi that it just wasn't worth it. We decided to cut our losses and just spend the night in Tulamben. Hot Springs/ Toya Bungkah We were excited to hike the volcano but we had heard the sunrise was the way to go and since we had just done a days worth of diving we had to wait a day anyways. Since we had no other choice, we took a local taxi to the volcano and sat back and enjoyed the ride. All the drives ...

... gas and says she's an experienced "pusher." I didn't think that existed! Haha! After getting tired though, we came up with a new plan. Using her towel, we would try to tow my bike behind hers. I sat on the towel on her bike while she grapped the same towel in her hands sitting behind me on my bike. And it actually worked for a good majority of the way! Of course a million people were looking at us and I'm sure laughing under their breath. The site of two white, blonde tourists ...

... mehrmals hem** en warme, suesse kondenzmilch tee kriegt und dezue en u feine z mittag. d ibu isch amigs eifach zu eus anegsaesse und het eus strahlend gmust**et. nach lang** ziit isch sie wied** di **st xi, wo wahrs int**essae a eus gah het. wo choemed** h**? sind** scho v**hu**atet? wie isch d schwiiz so? ab** vorallem hem** ueb** de raege und saison, od** uebr dhandlig vode (so dramatische) soap-op**a wo nebedbi im f**nseh gloffe isch ...

... and homage to our favorite of primates. As noted on other trips, we typically have difficulty spotting monkeys and were looking forward to seeing some up close and personal in the wild. We browsed through art galleries en route (Ubud is a sort of shabby chic artist community) and meandered our way over to the forest. Once there, we debated over buying bananas from one of the many vendors to feed the monkeys. You see, we had heard the ...

... But we're not here to shop, we're here to experience life. And so, on Day Three Kathryn and I decided to drive north along the eastern coast to the seaside town of Candi Dasa in search of our perfect villa. The drive up the shoreline was quite interesting being that while we tended to want to make good time, the two-lane highway is littered with slow-moving work trucks. Passing onto the opposite side of the road is common, often, and ...

... Anthony lost me while looking for him and then went home) but I found myself in the club on my own. But of course, in true Jo B style, I was not about to go home before the bouncers chucked me out so I went and danced on the stage and made some new friends who I then went on to another club with until about 4am. It was a really good night and because I switched to water after the 500 cocktails, no hangover this morning - bonus! Not done much today (again ...