9-19th January 07 (Bali)

When we got to Bali, the plan was to splash out on a nice hotel/bungalow and holiday for a week before going over to Aus where we would be working again. Oh no!

After shopping about we found a plush little place to stay, a big bunghalow, 5 mins from the beach with our own deep bath and shower, and a lovely tropical swimming pool. It was so nice going from sharing a shower and toilet in the hostel to luxury and cleaness of our own. You don't realise how much you take things for granted until you have to share them with a load of mingers.

Anyway back to Bali, after the bombings which happened only last year and the year before that, the tourism in Bali has dropped dramatically, which meant the locals where desperate for business. Walking down the main street and all's you can hear is 'Hello, hello, you wan't to come look my shop,' 'Hello you wan't motor bike,' ' Hello, you wan't sun glasses, I give you good price.' It took a bit of getting used to coming from the strict/ squeaky clean Singapore.

On the second afternoon we both agreed after watching a few surfers, that we would rent two surf boards for a few hours and go for gold; and that we did. Believe us it's not as easy as it looks.

After being wiped out twenty times, having the surf board bounce off your head, swallowing half a gallon of sea water, limbs and digits nearly being removed, and burns and bruising to our chest and stomach through body flopping on the surfboard when we thought we had a good wave, we decided to call it a day.

The next day the two little eager beavers got back out there........................For ten miniutes, and realised our burns and bruising was still too fresh and painful, back again tomorrow.

All the time we were hiring the surf boards off the same man who was teaching us how to get out safely with the board, what waves to go for, when to start paddling and how to stand up. He would be watching us when we were out there and then giving us advice when we came back in of what we were doing wrong and how we could correct it.

By the end of the week we were both standing up on the boards, riding the waves like a pair of pro's............................... for about ten seconds, then we'd fall off. By the end of the week we had grazes and bruising on our chest and stomach, lumps and bumps on our head, a swollen hand and a chest infection. It was great.

Bali was lovely, the people were really helpful and friendly and even though the beach was not picture perfect there was just something about the place!

Update soon Danielle& James**************************