We arrived in Gilimanuk, Bali within 30 mins - sea was a little choppy but weather was 80 degrees plus and blue skies - as usual! We saw a huge volcanic island off the Java coast too! (see the photos!). We grabbed a local bus and paid our 60,000 Rp (£4.50) for the 2hr trip to Singaraja (north coast Bali) and hoping to get a bus to, and room in, Munduk (cooler highlands). Bus was 'homely' and we were dropped to negotiate a bemo (minvan) price to Munduk (150,000Rp) and switched transport - then off we went! Up the hills and around the bends we went and 40 mins later we reached Munduk. We stopped at the hotel Guru Ratner - nice room at 250,000 Rp (£18.50) with hot shower, nice facilities, breakfast etc.. BUT for 1 night only. We dropped the bags and checked out other hotels (all were full) but agreed another 5 days at the Aditya Hotel (even nicer with amazing views and only 300,000 Rp) - again see the photos! We then decided to grab a fast Indo-meal (tasty Satay Lilit like never before and a Garlic/pork dish!) then back to relax, shower and blog. It was a great night of sleep, with all our travel/early rising recently.

We were up early and switched hotels. We then decided to explore. We took a side alley from the main Munduk road to walk to the local waterfalls. What an incredible 7km walk. We saw paddy fields, Balinese forest, butterflies, damsel flies and flowers and spices galore. We reached the waterfall which was stunning - noisy and fresh. The noises in the Bali rainforest are incessant -from loud screeches that occur to clicking sunds like insects. You also have the smells - of cloves and lemongrass and the smell of chilis drying in baskets along the way. It was a strenuous walk - and getting back was tricky with so many forks and tracks... but we made it. We checked out the main road to the north (up-hill) too. We had our meal at Aditya on the terrace - then had a drink in a local restaurant with elevated terrace and watched a sweet sunset (again .. yes, you guessed it - see the photos..). Then off for an early night - as Munduk has NO ATMs we hired a motorbike for 8am nxt day to do some exploration further afield!

Up 07:00 early breakfast then off to collect the Honda (bike, helmets, petrol all day 60,000Rp - £4.50!). Great modern auto bike and we left at 08:15. Munduk is at c.1000m and we were heading the 15km for the ATM at Serarit - Most of it downhill. Roads were quiet and well tarmaced and the cool air was pleasant. Sheryl hung on as we reached 40km/hr! We had no maps and eventually (after some contradictory directions from locals) reached Serarit and got the cash ok! We decided to explore the coast more thoroughly and stopped off at a small waterfall (in the dry season more of a water-drip!) and then off to find Gitgit (a major waterfall). We again received mixed local opinion! but hung on up to Singaraja when the sign came up for Gitgit. Game on... except we suddenly got a rear puncture. A local guy saw us and immediatley came to the rescue (no AA here!). He left his id with us and took our bike got a new tube and had it mended (in 20mins) all for 45,000Rp (£3.50)!Off we went with tyres fully inflated. It was now around 12:00. We continued on uphill through amazing landscapes and warm then cool air rising higher. Around 1pm we reached Gitgit. Parked up and walked to the falls. Gitgit has 120ft falls and they were a joy. We sat and listened and I snapped away like a tourist! Then up the hill for a spot of lunch (satay/rice). Then once more back on the road heading uphill toward Munduk. The road became windy with hairpins and adverse cambers but we continued on. Around 2:00pm we reached the Danau Buyan a huge lake near to Munduk. We took a slight detour and stopped to see a large troupe of monkeys drinking from plastic cups and generally making a nuisance of themselves! Onward to Danau Tamblingan where we stopped for pictures of both lakes and then we took the Munduk road downhill and back to the hotel. It had been a mammoth 8hr and 100km ride and bums were sore but it was great experience. Afterwards we relaxed on the Aditya terrace with amazingly tasty Stawberry juices (yes!?) and later had vegetable soup for dinner (not quite like Heinz I can assure you), Spent a relaxing hour watching the sunset and speaking to a German family from Bonn before retiring to Blog and sort out our photos. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?