Cockerels! The noise starts at 5am and carries on and on. Cockfighting is bigger than soccer in Bali. c*** in cages like crab pots were everywhere; apparently keeping them away from the females makes them more agressive. The sport is illegal, but no-one is ever busted.

Lazed around the pool for a couple of hours, checked out and went ot lunch. My comedy drink of the day was cardamom lassi - very bitter.

The tendering for out our taxi business had been fiercely contested, however we awarded the airport run contract to a nice friendly chap who always greeted us with "Maybe tomorrow?" Uneventful run into Denpasar and checked in for transfer to Lombok. Departures was basic but much better than LA. The plane was a 60 seater turbo prop, unfeasibly hot inside and not surprisingly smelled of stale sweat.

As we descended over Mataram, Annelise commented that all the red roofs, lush greenery and lack of high rises made it look like Surrey. The temperatureon the tarmac was a clear differentiator.

Motoring North up the coast road we noted a differnt feel to Bali: far fewer Hindu temples and an absense of tourist dollars. Senggigi was a mix of faded hip resort with some cool bars and restaurants dotted around the coconut trees.

3km further to Mangsit we arrived at Qunci Villas where A-lo had secured us a recession busting deal, sea view of course. The place in unbelievable: all infinity pools and sculptures righ on the beach. Definitely > 1:1 staff: guest ratio. It was Happy Hour when we arrived so it seemed appropriate to settle down on a lounger with a G&T and watch the sun set over the peak of Bali's 3200m Gunung Agung volcano across the sea.

We ventured to the sister hotel for dinner, just along the beach: reclined in a sofa carved out of a tree trunk and watched the fishermen paddle their outrigger canoes under the light of the moon. Sounds of ambient electronica bar groove and waves on the shore completedthe setting. We are looking forward to taking it easy here for a few days.....