Today was mine and Mums first day in Bali, we arrived last night after a horrendous Jet Star flight of 6 hours with some brat who wouldn't stop screaming the whole way!Other than that the Jet Star was ok.

We got up early as we had booked an island tour. First we went to a small village to see the Barong Dance. Not sure I quite got what it was about, but it was all very colourful, especially at the beginning when two men came out wearing a dragon costume.

After the show we were taken to a few different shopping stops, batik production, painting, wood carving, silver smiths and probably a few more that I have forgotten about. Mum and I bough nothing as the prices were horrendous even by Australian standards and we knew we would probably get everything cheaper at the markets. The last shopping stop was a big warehouse type place where everything was cheap. Mum and I went nuts. I bought some beauty products, some traditional masks that had been used in the Barong show, a singlet top and even a kite! Kites Ho!

After all the shopping we went to see the Kintamani Volcano and had lunch on a peak overlooking a spectacular view of the volcano and the biggest lake in Bali.. The Volcano last erupted in 1966 and the mark where the lava had destroyed the Forrest could be seen. It overflowed down the mountain like a big black scar. Outside the restaurant there were lots of aggressive souvenir hawkers and shops. I had seen a kaftan I wanted to buy, so while our rather possessive guide was not around I left the restaurant and went to look at the shops and get hassled. I tell you what, these people would have given the Egyptians a run for their money!

I ended up buying the Kaftan, a dress and a nice top too. My love of tat is still very much alive. After I had finished shopping we met back up with the guide and got back in the van, though not before the souvenir hawkers had convinced me I needed 3 bangles and this weird wooden carving.

We then headed off to the Bassikh temple, or the Mother Temple. This was something completely new to me, I had never really seen an Asian type temple before. This one was the biggest temple in Bali, built in the 8th Century, with little thatched rooves on all the shrines. It was so big! I climbed up and up and up into the mountains, we got to the top and went into the courtyard, the guide took us in and we saw people praying. I felt honored to be allowed in to see such a thing, there seemed to be no other tourists in there.

After the temple we climbed down again and got back in the van for the long, long, long drive back to Vila Lumbung in Seminyak where we are staying. I got a migraine on the way back, migraine + traffic jam + 3rd world country = not fun. We also had a short stop to see the spectacular rice terraces, again something completely new and different for me. We got back to the hotel around 7pm and got dressed for dinner, we ate at the hotel and I had a lamb rack. Which was the best meal I have EVER eaten in my life. That's right, it was the best meal I have ever eaten and it wasn't pork.

I then went down the road a bit and had a hot stone massage and a foot massage and only paid 155000 Rupiah, around $15 AUD. Mum was reluctant, but she had a massage and a facial, I could hear her giggling for most of the time, which made both me and Penny (my masseuse) laugh too. I then went back to the hotel very refreshed and went straight to bed and was out like a light.