Tukad Dari

I wake at 5Am and after a quick shower pack my rucksack. This morning I am riding to 'the gates of heaven, locally known as Lempuyang temple. It's about 16km from here but I ride really slowly as it's pitch black and the roads aren't that great. It takes me about 35 minutes but as I get close I'm diverted of the road to a car park where I pay the fee of 45,000 to be taken up in a shuttle bus service to the temple. There is a short steep climb to the temple entrance and I guess it's at quite a high altitude as I struggle a little catching my breath. The entrance fee is 55,000 about £3 you also pay an additional 35,000 for a sari but I've already brought one with me so avoid that cost. When I buy my ticket I'm issued with number 21. This is my photography number and is so people can have they're obligatory photo taken without any arguments or people gate crashing they're photos. The ride back is much shorter in the daylight and I stop and admire the rice terraces along the route. Back at my bungalow I have to move out today as Made has a big group coming from Jakarta but it's not too much hassle as I'm moving into his brother Katut's place just next door. I'm packed and moved in 10 minutes and take some time to relax on the beach. It's the full moon today and the sea is really rough so I give snorkeling a miss. In the afternoon we've been invited by the family to join the final part of the cremation ceremony at the gates of heaven temple. Nico and I take our bikes and Katut is going to follow in his car we have been given authentic clothing to wear and I'm wearing his mum's kindly donated clothes. We arrive shortly after 6 but get a message that Katut is still in Amed. So rather than head upto the gate we sit in a little cafe and take a refreshment. While we are here we realize that we will need to catch the last bus back down. I go and check and the last bus down is 730pm so we have 2 options either sit it out or take the bus. We opt for taking the bus and when we reach the car park Katut and his family are here. We sit with them for a short while and they offer for us to go back to the temple. I opt for heading home but Nico stays. I'm glad for him as he will see the beginning of his birthday in at the temple which is really cool, I however have been up since 5am and my body is telling me I can't be spending the whole night up there in the cold. I get back just before 9 grab a shower and have food in Oasis before a few beers in PachaRead more