Bali, 3rd Day, 23 December 2022

'Fortune favours the brave,' they say.
Well all I can say is whoever they are, they should dabble in a bit of 'practice' rather than making broad-stroke, theoretical pronouncements.
I got up this morning and it wasn't raining, so I did (as planned) pick up another moped that I'd agreed to hire. 70,000 INR for 24 hours - about £3:78.
Nobody could claim it was a new machine, or even a good one, but that meant I wasn't worried about adding the odd catch to the 'gleaming' paintwork (photo uploaded). The hire guy wasn't sure I knew what I was doing - and he might have been right..
My plan was to visit Ulu Watu on the Bukit Peninsular. My guidebook (Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, seeing as you asked) tells me that it's 'hot and arid'. No, didn't find that. More wet n windy. 'Pura Lahur Ulu Watu' is the temple at the tip of the peninsular. The Ulu Watu area lays claim to 'some of the best surfing in the world'.
Wot! with my knees?
Blimey Moses, the traffic was manic, even when setting off at sensible-o'clock. Google says it's about 45 minutes by car, but it took me much longer even on a moped, drifting in and out of traffic jams and breaking the journey for breakfast.
And then the rain came - with a vengeance. I was sodden before I'd got my showerproof jacket on. (Yes, it's true: showerproof is not the same as waterproof.) Why did it take me until now to find out that the monsoon season has already started in this neck o the woods? I thought I was setting off in the 'high season'.
It was worth it though. The Ulu Watu temple is amazing. I loved it. Even through a downpour - and wearing the mandatory sarong (bit of purple cloth).
By the time I'd got back to my digs though, all I was fit for was a hot shower and a long rest. (Writing this is restful.)Read more