Looking closer there were a few niggles; the wifi did not work, no pillow cases, 1 tv was black and white, one cooker was not hooked up to the gas, mice droppings in the cupboard but we can live with most of that but it is annoying after seeing a good description and reviews. We called the housekeeper Leona and said she would sort the wifi out. After an hour and a half we heard nothing and called back and got no response. I called another number and she said she would come and fix it tomorrow but we needed the wifi to keep in contact with Grimo to give him the address. Leona came round within a hour and could not fix the wifi or anything else.
Grimo and Pam were due to arrive at 8pm so we waited around for them. It was dark so we needed some way signal we were here … the Guernsey flag!! We tied it up on the gate and sent the photo to Grimo. By this point we were so hungry we headed out to the nearest Warang for some Nasi Gorang (fried rice and fried egg) and rushed back for 9pm. Midnight came and they still weren’t here so we wrote a note on front door, sent them a message and headed to bed. Just as we got into bed Grimo finally sent Shaun a message after radio silence for whole 2 days. They were nearby and would be here soon. We jumped out of bed and waited by the door to greet them. Half an hour later they were banging on the gate looking tired and fed up. They came in and unloaded their bags and unloaded their version of events from the past 2 days. In short, they were robbed unknowingly, taking their Ipad and their money pouch containing over £300 of rupiah as well as other currencies, then they climbed a volcano and had a ridiculous journey trying to get here on local transport getting completely ripped off with the little money they had left. You can read all about their dramas on their blog http://www.getjealous.com/shanpam/journal/3333937/con-men-and-being-mugged-v039s-the-amazi.html. They are on a similar trek to us travelling for a few months and then going to work in New Zealand.
Pam and I chilled out on the sunbeds, it’s so hot we couldn’t even sunbathe and had to take cover under the umbrella. We stayed on the beach all day and watched the sunset before getting a pizza to take back to the villa. We tried to get a taxi home as it is a 30 minute walk from the beach but they were all set price at 50 rupiah, we paid 40 by meter to travel 30 minutes so we refused and walked home. We chilled out in the evening eating pizza and drinking Bintang before an early night.
{Shaun} Me and Grim were supposed to be picked up at 7.15 from our villa but because it is in the middle of nowhere the driver could not find us. We walked into the town and eventually got picked up by what can only be described as the worst copy of a Range Rover I have ever seen. It took a long and very bumpy one and half hour drive to the centre of Bali where we arrived at an equestrian centre. The dirt bikes where lined up ready to go. They geared us up in the oldest and shittest motocross gear I’ve seen, but I figure we’re going to wreck it anyway. Before we could head out on the tour the guides wanted to see if we could actually ride and would be ok on the tour hey had planned. We were both “really good on the bikes…. not!” we didn’t even stall the bikes several times and look like fools, really we didn’t. We started our tour on the beach where we raced each other to the other side. it sounds simple riding on the sand but believe me it’s not. The bikes kept slipping and sliding and more than a few times me and grim thought we where coming off. We stayed on the beach for around hour before heading over some rice paddies and seeing the locals work them. Bali is covered in these fields and its provides the local not just with a source of income but also food. After a few hours of screaming the bikes around various beaches and coves we headed for lunch in the mountains. I thought we would be taking the dirt roads to the lunch stop but unfortunately it was roads for around 1.15mins not impressed…..The lunch spot was a more of a shack than restaurant but served up some well needed food and local flavours. Best of all it sat at the top of a mountain over looking two of Bali’s biggest volcanoes, one of which we would be climbing in a few days. After lunch we had another boring 1.15mins ride back to the beach. No wonder these bikes all have balled tyres. Once back in the land of fun we headed to a quarry where our two tour guides gave us a little show of what we can do here. Lots of fast bums small jumps big wheelies and if you had the balls huge dune climbs. Me and grim tried all of it and had a blast. Considering Grim has never ridden off road before he was really good even getting up super tricky deep sandy dunes. I have some trial ridding experience but even then I was caught picking up the bike a few times, just a few mind. By the time we left the quarry my hands where bleeding from trying to many wheelies and we where knackered and could hardly stay on the bikes. The more we rode the more we fell off. It just shows fitness plays a big part of off road ridding. After seeing a few more sights like bat caves and temples we headed back to the ranch for a bbq and a much needed bintang.
