Bali By the Backroads: Off to Bali we go

Arriving in Bali we were met at the Ngurah Rai Airport. Denpasar by Mike and Angela and our Balinese guide, Wayan Suweja, where we introduced to the rest of our riding companions who had flown over on the same flight. We boarded a small bus and headed from the airport in a balmy 30 degree temperature. It is not the first time Scott and I have been to Bali. We travelled here in 2001 with our friends. It was the year before the Bali bombing and it transpired that where we stayed that time was down an alley by where the first bomb went off in 2002. We had people saying to us that they would not go there, "It is too dangerous", "you should get your luggage wrapped to be safe from drug dealers". Our answer to these questions is, if you are a drug dealer or smuggler, be warned, but for ordinary tourists like us it is an amazing place to visit, as in other countries the people are so humble and friendly. Mind you, you have to get out of the main tourist hubs to find the best places and people and on a motorbike you get exactly that.

We stopped for lunch at this beautiful place on the edge of a ravine. I believe it was in Sanur where we were treated to a yummy selection of Indonesian dishes. We journeyed to Ubud in the foothills of the volcanoes in central Bali, had lunch then arranged to get some local currency (Indonesioan Rupiah) and local Sim cards for our phones.

Our accommodation for the first few nights is in Ubud at Hotel Tjampuhan Spa. Which is , built where two sacred rivers meet, has been legendary since 1928. As the first hotel in the artist colony of Ubud, this royal guest house graciously hosted celebrities and foreign painters such as Walter Spies.

Went for a walk with Mike and Angela to book a place for dinner at stopped at this The Bridge Restaurant and Bar for cocktails, think mine is a pina colada, soo good

Then this is what we have come here for. To ride motorbikes. These are our bikes all 150cc Kawasaki's and one scooter. Although Mike and Angela are on a 250cc as they are riding two up. That green one out front is mine and Scott's is green with motard wheels on.

Before we go out riding, Wayan our lead rider and guide blesses the bikes by placing offerings on them and incense sticks and also splashing with holy water. He does this each and every day, to keep us safe in our travels. Then it is off for a ride to get accustomed tour bikes and the Balinese style of driving.

Our first stop once we get on the road is at the fuel station.

Riding through the middle of rice paddies

We stopped at this place where these people are preparing for a cremation for six people, as in the photo there are six wooden bulls that have been carved and the remains will be placed inside these carvings. The woman are preparing offerings and food and there were men outside making satay sticks. they say that it can take a month to prepare for a cremation ceremony.

Wayan explaining about what happens in preparing for a cremation
listening is Ken,(Wayan) Tony Mike Will and Scott

We have ridden to this temple where we prepare to walk down the 300 steps to get to it. First we have a adorn our sarongs as this is the done thing when visiting a temple.

We have walked the 300 steps down in the hot sun, now waiting in the shade to enter the temple gates.

Temple gates

The Priest is preparing his bits and bobs for the next ceremony which we will miss

Located about a mile south of Tampaksiring, Bali's "Valley of the Kings" is located in a ravine between ricefields. The Pakerisan river flows through this ravine, and the cliffs flanking the river feature shrines carved into the stone honoring kings and queens from the 11th century. The Balinese - big believers in the holiness of water - believe that the river sanctifies Pura Gunung Kawi.

Do you think our shoes match our dresses?????

Some of the wares that were for sale on the way back up from the temple

Cutting coconut shells to make all manner of souvenirs to sell to the public

This looks like lunch for our first day out and about in Ubud, looks like nearly everyone else in Ubud is here too. The roads around the place are packed with scooters, was hard to find a park, then walking into the place there were people everywhere eating their Babi Gurling. Really popular place to eat.

Above is the dished up food, it was delicious. We found our way into a table down long alley ways and into another building, where our orders were taken for lunch.

When we had finished our lunch we were lucky enough to be shown out the back of the rresstaurant where they cook the pigs, all done by hand over the hot fires up to 12 pigs per day were cooked this way.

This rooster was lucky he wasn't on the menu. He was probably saved for the night entertainment of cock fighting.

Heading north we stopped to see the terraced rice paddies

Above is Asian Pal Civet, which has ingested the coffee beans and passed through the animal to produced the beans, as in the basket below, which a meant to add to the flavour of the coffee. The call it Luwak coffee.