I finally made it to Bali. The bus ride was supposed to have been 16 hours but turned out to be 19. I am glad that the seat was quite comfortable and I certainly got to see a lot of the island of Java during the daylight hours. Thanks to a good book, some Sudoku puzzles and Ambien I endured the long ride. I requested the bulkhead seat which is just behind the driver so I was would be able to see a lot of the island. What I had not bargained for was also seeing the frightening close calls as we would pass slower traffic and cut back in to our lane barely avoiding head on collision after head on. Air travel in Indonesia is infamous (The national airline Garuda is not permitted to operate in Europe or North America) so I thought I was selecting a safer means of transport. I am not too sure of that now.
Bali is a much bigger island than I expected. I am staying in Seminyak, one of many beach towns on the coast. The traffic here is horrendous, not the idyllic scene I had envisioned, but I am enjoying myself anyway having met many interesting travelers and locals. Last night I went out bar hopping with some other guests from my hotel, and did not get home until after 2. I will stay here for a few more days since I really like this guesthouse and inside here is very peaceful--- a welcome respite from the town. I am sorry to say up to this point Bali is not an enchanting island as I had expected. There is still Ubud, a mountain town where Balinese culture is supposed to be well preserved.
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