My flight from Padang to Bali is via Jakarta. I have decided to skip Java altogether in my travels as there has been flooding, riots and general unrest for a while now. So I just wait out the 6 hour transit in the airport with a drink and the 3 new books I have just purchased from the shop. Yes that's right people, I have been reading and bloody hell have I been getting through them. Two in four days! Anyway I finally arrive in Bali and grab a taxi to Kuta. I selected a place with good reviews from the lonely planet and settle in. The place didn't look all that from the outside but inside was a mini oasis. Nice comfy, CLEAN rooms, pool, gardens, bar/restaurant and loads of travelers. Nice one! I spend the first few days just chilling out and enjoying the pool. Getting to know the other guest and finding out what to do for the next few days. I quickly realize that Bali is all about surfing… there are surfboards everywhere and people seem to have their own surf language that I didn't have the faintest idea what they were talking about. The good thing is that 90% of the apartments were solo travelers from all over the world so it wasn't long before we had formed this huge group that would rival the G20 summit. I spent the next few days chilling with the group before I finally decided I needed to get back into the travel mode and move on. We had a final farewell night and I booked the fast boat to the Gili isles a few hours away.