Destination Denpasar
Trip Start
Jul 24, 2008
1
2
22
Trip End
Ongoing
Denpasar,
Bali,
Indonesia
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Ok so have touched down in the airport and low and behold life is not as simple as I thought... After walking several miles of oh so tastefully decorated corridors, being redirected through a kitchen and the store rooms of several shops as there is some sort of back log of tourists - Yay for international travel! all the time in what I can only describe as steam room climate, I arrive at customs. Smuggly I wander past the queues of sweating tourists as they contemplate an hour or two waiting to be permitted entry, equipped with my Entry visa. Yes, yes I am living in Bali not visiting I answer casually to the police with machine guns eyeing my complexion with dubious stares. 'Where am I living?' Oh... shit... no idea... don't have a house yet... or any idea where I am living... 'Canggu' I venture a tad more nervously... They look blank... 'Canggu community school?' Oh crap maybe it doesn't exist and someone has secretly set me up to smuggle drugs into the country!!! Why oh why did I strap those towels loosely to the bottom of my rucksack?? So easy to slip a packet into! Suddenly a light dawns on the customs officer's face 'Chunggu?' Apparently they pronounce Cs as Ch and an A following this is a U sound... bugger!
Once through customs having recklessly lied about not having any kind of technology in my bag, (tax of £400!!! bugger that!) I pass a beautifully decorated sign informing me that death by firing squad awaits anybody smuggling drugs into the country... Hmmm I wonder what the penalty for smuggling technology is? My £500 laptop feel suspiciously heavy and bulky at this point! But I obviously have a trustworthy face as I am stopped and searched three time on my way out of the airport... Luckily I have shoved my massive toothbrush at the top of my luggage and once they find this and marvel at it for several minutes, calling to their colleagues to see the wonder that it oral hygiene, I am waved on, Yay for distraction packing techniques!
As I emerge from the arrivals section wondering how long I can walk through this heat and humidity before collapsing I find myself being virtually assaulted and dragged into money changing booths and taxicabs, before finally I sight a tall, white man heading for me... it is my principle and I am saved! Yay for Canggu community school and it's helpful staff and principle!
The ride to Canggu takes half an hour and consists primarily of my gripping the edge of my seat as my head explains that in Bali driving is more of an art form than a science, and the bigger vehicle has right of way at crossings.... oh and that the cavenous potholes are not dangerous as long as you avoid them by swerving onto the opposite carriageway... Yay for international driving standards! So pleased I forgot to sort my international driving license before I arrived!
That's all for now my friends more installments soon! Love to you all!!
Ixxx
